Wednesday, 24 July 2013

Cadets working hard on community project. Home visits proving educational and very emotional!

Fee Bellamy reports following contact with expedition leader Katy:

Still going very well at Kosi. They've nearly finished the painting and then the Cadets will be replacing some of the windows. The teaching carries on in rotation with home visits. All going well. 



Kosi Bay - Homestead visits ... Jared, Will & Susan share their thoughts!

On everyday life …

“During my time at school I did an exchange project with a school in Poland, we visited their school for a week. That was a very moving experience but visiting this homestead in South Africa has blown that out of the water! During our time here we have learnt how the (local people) live, about their religion, the country and its history. I’ve never been a history or religious type of person but seeing stuff like this really interests me!

It was an honour to be welcomed into someone’s community, where they work, sleep, eat and so on. They explained to us how their everyday life works and how they do their jobs. To us they sounded like hard challenges. But to the Tongan they are a walk in the park! They wouldn’t think twice about life being hard. You compare it to the English way of life and think to yourself how different they are to us.”  -  Jared


On food and drink …

“It was very interesting how quickly palm wine is prepared, as it only takes two-ish days! The peanut and butternut leaf dish was actually rather tasty, it had a dull colour of murky green. However don’t let its looks deceive you.

I think the best face was shown by Katie when she saw it, it was a questioning face that she displayed, however even she was pleasantly surprised.

The monkey apple jam was rather bitter, this was mainly owing to the fact that no sugar had yet been added to the jam. Overall it was a very pleasant experience and I wish I could see and taste the jam when it’s finished. Might just have to come back for it!" - Will



On life in a traditional hut … and shock at women being treated as second-class citizens.

"At the homestead I was pleased to see a traditional hut building alongside the more modern house. It made the novel ‘Things fall apart’ by Chinua Achebe come to life in the sense that I finally tasted palm wine which is mentioned endlessly in the book.

The warm climate (to us at least - the locals were walking around in jumpers and coats!) makes the palm wine ferment very quickly and this is what gives it such a kick.

Coming from a school that is all about empowering women it was very different being considered a second class citizen where women were served a separate, smaller jar of the wine (not to mention being made to sit on the floor rather than the benches as the latter is for the men). Overall I enjoyed the cultural experience." -  Susan


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