Update 2/13

So South Africa has taken a different turn for me. I am not the type to talk about something like this on a blog but it is going to change my trip here and the things that I do so I have decided to share. I met a man over orientation camp and have begun a relationship with him. His name is Pieter and he is a born and raised South African. I believe most of my close friends and family have all gone through a stage of panic that I will not be returning to the States but I will haha. We don’t know how it will work out when the time comes for me to leave but at this point we are enjoying each other and praying for what God has for us. With that said the first week of school was great. I have classes on Mon-Wed for the next 7 weeks and on Thurs-Fri I will be working for an organization called Life Matters.

Classes

African Worldviews is my Monday class and I believe that it is going to be my most academically challenging course. Growing up with a completely western view of the world it has been interesting to see how people in Africa just see things differently. I know that as time progresses my view of the world is going to stretch and change.

Group Therapy is going to be great. I am the only American in the course, which is different than my other two courses so that will be interesting. I am excited to be able to have a class that I can’t take at George Fox and I believe that it will be a valuable experience for the future.

Study on Reconciliation is going to be the heaviest class. The main focus is on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission that happened here in SA after the end of apartheid. I can tell that it will probably lead to a lot of tears and it really will be changeling in my outlook on life. Even so, I am really looking forward to it as well.

My internship is going to be very very very challenging. I have been placed in a primary school as their only school counselor. In SA the need is so great that you don’t need the qualifications that you do in the states. The school is called Constantia Primary School (Elementary School) and it mostly is made up of children of the farm workers. It is a very disadvantaged school and I will be dealing with very hard issues. At first I went through a bit of panic that they were allowing me to do what they have for me but I really feel that God has prepared me for this and wouldn’t have put me in this position if it wasn’t what I am supposed to be doing. I would really appreciate prayers though because I know that I am really going to need them. I begin on Thursday morning, which in CA time is Wednesday night. So if you think of me please pray.

This past weekend I went to Pieter’s parents house and spent the weekend there with them. It was quite an experience in the fact that they really only speak Afrikaans, and only a bit of English. So I spent a lot of time having really no idea what was going on around me. It was interesting though that if I knew the context of the conversation I began to pick up on bits and pieces of the conversation. I now do have the goal of being able to somewhat converse in Afrikaans before I leave, we will see how that goes. I met his three brothers and one of his brother’s girlfriend. I really had a great time and even though we couldn’t talk much, I really like his family. I was also able to meet some of his friends and church family, and able to attend church with him on Sunday, which I enjoyed as well.

Things in Africa are great and I will work on posting some pictures of Pieter and I soon!