Blogs from Schoenmakerskop, Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, South Africa, Africa

PORT ELIZABETH, SOUTH AFRICA - 19th April This was to be one of the highlights of the cruise as we were visiting a game reserve for the day. Port Elizabeth is known as the friendly city and has a busy commercial and industrial centre. On the way out of the city we passed numerous new car plants and the new container port, one of the most modern in the world. It has also earned the nickname "Detroit of South Africa" because of its automobile manufacturing. The main trips and tours were for game reserves, there are four close by including the Addo Elephant National Park where there are more than 300 elephants as well as other animals. It is one of South Africa's major tourist attractions. We opted for the Pumba Game Reserve because we had ... read more

I didn't expect to be picking this up again but I am about to leave for another month as a volunteer in Joe Slovo School near Kwa-Dwesi township. I am in that state of nervous anticipation which always grips you before something which is a bit of a challenge. I am looking forward to going back to the school to see how it has changed and to meet some of the children and the staff again. I think I am going to be working in the upper part of the school this time with older children which is closer to my experience. I expect to be supporting on Life Orientation which in the context of the township is outside my comfort zone. Sometimes requirements have changed by the time you arrive in the school so I ... read more