I just got back home from my first day back at City Mission after our week long break in Johannesburg and Kruger. I have to say, the trip was unforgettable. I really enjoyed all of the places we visited and the Safari was beyond what I had imagined. Seeing all of the animals, especially the lion so up-close was a moment that I will always remember.
Following a wonderful week, today I had my first day back at CMES.As
I walked through the door, I received the biggest hug from Gealdine, she really
missed us. Gealdine is the woman that I chose to shadow early on in my
internship, which quickly turned into me taking over classes and getting to
experience the life of a teacher very early on. She was literally waiting for
us to come back and expressed how she kept looking at all the pictures posted
on Facebook while we were away.
My other co-workers greeted us
with excitement, eagerly asking us how our vacation was. I saw Melissa, the new
mother of two baby boys as she returned today too after having given birth. Even
though the weather was a bit of a bummer, It was so nice to see all of the warm
faces at City Mission. Everyone had truly missed us and was genuinely happy for
our return.
I was so excited to see all of my
learners and as it turned out they were just as excited to see me. Many
students came up to me and personally welcomed me back and asked how I was
doing. I got many hugs and greetings and I felt like I was where I was supposed
to be.
Since it was the first day back,
the atmosphere was really relaxed and everyone got to ease into the new term.
For me, today was a day that I got to get to really connect with the kids on a
more personal level. I found out many of their stories and learned more about
them as people. I learned about their lives and how they got to where they are.
The children here in South Africa have been exposed to so much at a very young
age. Many of them have troubled pasts and often are not raised by their
parents. I realized that through all they had been through that these children are
very wise and knowledgeable.
While I was in the classroom of
the eleventh graders, one of the boys kept asking me very critical questions
about how South Africa has helped me develop as a person and I realized through
his curiosity that these kids are looking for answers just like I had been when
first deciding to come here. The conversations I had today have caused me to
reflect on myself and everything I have learned here. I also realized how much
I had missed my kids while I was away and was reminded of how good it felt to
be in their presence once again.
I now realize how much I am going
to miss them when it’s time to say goodbye in the next three weeks. It’s funny
how much people can impact your life in such a short period of time. I’m really
going to miss my fellow co-workers and students at City Mission, within my time
here, they have become like family to me.
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