Why we love private health

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Xhosa play

Once again another lovely weekend back in the world of Cape Town and the West Coast. Before we left on Friday afternoon, we helped Zoleka with a fundraising campaign that one of the previous volunteers from Germany is running from home. She asked us to email her details of Zoleka and the creche she runs in Kayamandi with a few photos. Was such a lovely visit and only a stones throw away from my house so I'll definitely be going again. What a comparison with the trendy kids on the coast at Clifton Beach on Saturday! It was harder to say goodbye to the family this weekend as have become so fond of them, especially the little ones, but so lovely to catch up with everyone in Cape Town. The drumming sesh on Friday was a giggle...definitely wouldn't call myself a natural! I was already aware of this when the lady confirmed it, looking at me with a sympathetic smile, she said, 'now for those of you that don't quite get it, let's go through it a little slower'...hehe! Spent the day chilling on the beach, the weather at the moment is hot enough to be on the beach and go in the sea etc but not too hot to sunbathe...perfect! Went to a restaurant along the coast and sat outside to watch another lovely sunset.

The tummy is not adapting so well with the different foods (certainly nothing to worry about Mushy, but thought would be sensible to get something) so I went to the Cape Town Medi-centre down the road from Ashanti. As didn't have much cash on me after the weekend I fell short of the required 400Rand that I needed to be seen and despite offering a deposit, my travel insurance, contact details or the money to be transferred from England, no cash up front, no medicine. Not wanting to borrow money from anyone, I had to leave empty handed. (Mushy, if it persists, I'll see someone in Stellenbosch).

Returned to Kayamandi yesterday to a lovely greeting from the little ones. Yolanda, Enathi and Lulutho did a 'concert' for me to watch last night...think they just wanted to be on my video camera as after I'd videoed it they watched it back a thousand times...was great on the string of batteries we used!

Wonderful assembley this morning, there's something about all the children singing together that really gets to me. Have been teaching Abonga, who's English is very advanced, how to use the internet and email...I'm not sure I did such a good job of explaining to her exactly how the whole thing works, but when I thought about it, I don't really understand it fully myself, so to explain to someone who has never even heard of internet was not easy. She was so excited to receive James' reply today. Again had a couple of lessons when we were completely redundant as the teachers we work with were not teaching, used it to send the German girl the fundraising info and check mail, but would rather be with the children...still getting used to the relaxed timetable. The after school sesh was good...letter writing today!

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Photos

Zoleka's creche
Wasn't sure how we'd get in..the lil ones get so excited when they have visitors. (Thats my host bro Lulutho at the front right)

Zoleka's creche
These guys run the creche...thats my Mama Zoleka in the middle!

Zoleka's creche
Rude boy pose for the camera...they fight like mad to get to the camera to check out how they look after a pic is taken!

Arnolds Restaurant, Cape Town
Fave place to eat so far...this was our third visit. El, Aimee, Me, Anna, Fenya, Alisa, Marie, Becce, Alisa

Ashanti balcony
The bar only shuts when the last person stops drinking. Last week there was a bloke looking shocking who'd had an all-nighter and drank 4pints in the time we'd sat there to have breakfast at 10am

The drive back to Stellenbosch
The clouds always settle just over the mountains...its referred to as the table cloth of table mountain

The Mpemmyana concert!
Enathi and Lulutho

Comments

[Shirty]

comments
Em, Thank you for your latest entry - including the video. I wonder - if you put people's comments into the comment section more readily, it may encourage more interaction from your readers. It'd be nice to encourage some debate and debacle. I met a whole raft of movers and shakers in a tea shop in Clacton-upon-Sea at the weekend, bemoaning the delay in putting comments live. One raged: "I would add a comment but it takes weeks to appear on the website, by which time the issue I wanted to raise is dead and meaningless. It feels like I'm being spat on." Thanks again, Shirty

[Shirty]

wine and cheese
Em, You'll be pleased to hear that Saturday 4th November's wine and cheese night is gathering frightening pace. Kate and Al have already promised to make an appearance, while mad Sue was this week caught on security cameras in Sainsbury's tossing ingredients for a cheesecake into a trolley. "It's got nothing to do with the wine and cheese night," she raged at check-out girls when quizzed. Basically, all there is going to be on offer is wine, cheese and cheesecake - it's going to be absolutely amazing. There'll be people there I haven't seen for what must be a fortnight now. Bring a bottle! Shirty x