May 3 and 4, 2009
The trip to Knysna was very beautiful. Peter and Collean gave us a ride most of the way – we stopped for transfer to a Knysna Rotary Club member at a gasoline stop and gift shop. It was amazing for me - it was the same store that last year Deb (my wife), Don (my business partner), Kathy his spouse, along with our friends on the tour last year – Burma, her friend, Thomas Mangold and his spouse that we purchased elephant dong stationary! It was fun having that memory and being slightly grossed out about the paper – but buying it anyway.
We overlooked the “head” of the Knysna port, visited a luxury hotel (Tom I spent the day with Elwin the governor and he is still waiting for your commitment on a date to visit Knysna) and took many beautiful photographs. We travelled to a great location for lunch and visited with really great Rotarians – it was a very relaxing day.
We then drove to a mountain top for tea – but it was closed. We drove back to the pick up spot to wait for Peter and Collean and one of our hosts arrived in the parking lots with individual pies for each of us because we had missed tea. I really like the Rotarians in this part of the world. They are very passionate about Rotary, give of their time and money and have wonderful senses of humor.
We had a quiet dinner at home last night – I offered to take my hosts to dinner and they asked that we stay home. I was actually glad – tired from running around so much and ready to simply be quiet.
Monday, May 04, 2009
Today the pace picked up again. First thing this morning Charles from the George Rotary Club picked us up and took us to Phambili – a center for women that are battered and abused. It is a great program that includes counseling, therapy, education, protection, and efforts are made on the behalf of the center to find work for these women. Most were out for the day but we did see a few beautiful children to whom I was able to give a few necklaces.
Charles then took us to George Child and Family Welfare Society. This place is very together! They offer and evaluate children and families for dysfunctional processes in the home, arrange foster care when needed, do job training, run therapy groups, case management, deliver food for those that are hungry and do it all within their budget. They have English and German benefactors that help significantly. I really liked their attitude and commitment. We purchased gifts in the shop that sells items made by their clients.
We then went to the Mzoxolo Primary School for kids from kindergarten to 7th or 8th grade. It is a good school with an assistant principle that is impassioned about the needs of the students. He invited us to return in an hour and listen to the choir sing. We left and visited Nompumelelo Educate Centre a pre-school. The children sang and danced for us – we played with them for an hour and then returned to Mzoxolo and listened to the magnificent voices of the children. I commented on how I do not understand how parents and relatives can abuse and hurt these beautiful children. It is so sad. And their voices were wonderful. The harmony and tones are so clear and strong. Very different than our music. Some notes make you want to cry – it was very nice.
The team was wanting “South African Junk Food” so we went to Timber Wolf Spur for lunch – it is a SA place that is trying to be American – very funny menu. We overdosed on fatty food for lunch and then went to buy black and white clothes for an informal affair this next Saturday night at the district Rotary Conference. We had 30 minutes to find what we needed and to make it to the car.
We then came to my hosts home to change clothes – I then learned something that I did early on in our trip that is very embarrassing and funny at the same time.
Three weeks ago we were at a braai (our first) and I was taking photographs of Rotary members. I took one gentleman’s photograph and looked at the image in my camera. I then stated, “I must take the picture again – you will not like it – Your eyes make you look like you are insane.” I then took the photograph again and it looked fine. Standing next to me when I made the comment was Barb (of our team). She told me today that the man I made that comment to was legally blind. I HAD NO IDEA. It was so inappropriate and rude I flushed and started laughing – not at the man – but at me for being such an idiot. He never said anything that evening and the team had kept the mistake from me. Whew – sometimes it seems that it would be best to simply lock me in my room!
This evening we presented to the George Rotary Club – B.J left early to see how Hanna is doing, and Jenny left with a bad headache. We are doing very well overall and all are pleased that it will not be long before we go home.
I do not know if we will have internet service again for the next several days but if we do we will continue to post our impressions and thoughts.
So now I must end for the night and pack for our adventure to the inland part of South Africa. We will now visit game farms, bowl (very different than in the US) and go hunting – that’s right. The team wants to go hunting. Especially Barb – she is very excited about the prospect of hunting down an animal and shooting it.
Good night everyone. Be safe and happy.
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