Adventures at Monkey Land and Birds of Eden

Sunday was one of the most fun days that I have had in Thembalethu, myself and 34 of my neighbours piled into a bus and drove to The Crags to visit two special places, Monkey Land and Birds or Eden, both operated by the same owner. The reason why this place is so special is because they rescue animals that have previously been abused, neglected or abandoned and take them to their new home, a place where they can live in freedom with abundant food and no predators! Birds or Eden is actually the World's largest aviary and both places have been highlights of my life travels.

I would like to thank the owners because they have made the commitment to use their resources for the betterment of children which means that this educational experience was offered to us for free. The kids (and adults) LOVED their visit, it was the first time that they had been to a place like this and I was so proud of how well they behaved. They spent the day laughing, learning about nature and animals and working in teams.

Below are photos from our special day.

Where's Catherine?

Many of you have probably wondered if I have fallen off the side of the world, sorry for the silence. Truth be told it was my own fault, see I tempted fate, and fate obliged! Last week as I ate a salad one of my neighbours teased me and told me that only chickens and rabbits eat salad. I proudly said "I eat salads to keep me healthy, and how many times have you seen me sick since my arrival?"

Well, first I must say that I come from a very superstitious family, we touch wood after saying everything, and I can assure you that I touched wood after making such a statement. It was not enough however and the very next morning I came down with a case of tonsillitis AND a urinary tract infection in my kidneys all at the same time! Imagine my luck of getting both.

I am happy to say now (touch wood) that I am feeling much better due to some antibiotics and a prescription of pain killers!

This week is also a busy week for me in terms of school. It is exam time for me and I have 5 days to write 6000 words in carious research papers! I have just submitted 3000 of those words and on Friday the remainder are due.

I am really excited to get back to work, there is much to be done! Due to a very kind person I have now received enough donations to build a family a proper house. At first I was going to tear down this house and rebuild it using similar materials but with better construction, but now I have enough in donations to build this family a concrete block house! I have not yet told them, I want it to be a surprise, they are going to be beyond happy.

In addition this week I begin work to start a very special grandmothers to granddaughters program in which the elder ladies will teach traditional Xhosa bead work to the younger generation. It is easy to see that this beautiful skill is starting to fade but I intend to bridge the gap. I will be supplying the group with all of the materials and together we will learn how to make this beautiful jewellery. My intention is to have the group make a piece or two for themselves and then create an abundance of extra pieces for me to bring to Canada. I will pay them a fair price for their work and the funds I raise from sales in Canada will be returned to the community.

Sunday will be very special, 33 of us (mostly children and some adult supervisors) will be embarking to a fabulous destination. Monkey Land and Birds of Eden are two special and connected educational parks located in the nearby town of Plettenburg Bay. The monkeys and birds in this sanctuary have all been rescued and rehabilitated and now live in freedom within the gigantic perimeter of the park. The children in this community do not get to do many activities outside of their community so this will be a very special day for them. At these parks they will learn about animals, gain a memorable experience and build self confidence. For more information about these parks you can visit their website:

http://www.birdsofeden.co.za/

http://www.monkeyland.co.za/

Stay tuned for photos and stories, it is going to be a fun week ahead!

Good Friday in Thembalethu!

Thembalethu, and from my understanding all of South Africa is a deeply spiritual place. Today is Good Friday and wow, they sure know how to mark the occasion! I suspect that if I grew up in a place where our churches were this fun I might still go to church, it is celebrated here, not just preached. I really admire and respect the organized religon system here in this community. I am attaching a video for you, just listen to the music and the singing, it brings tears of joy to your eyes!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KpbQQds8zE