I am excited to report that our Travel Day 1/2 has come to a close and we are safe and sound in Johannesburg, South Africa! There is so much I could start off with, but as I often realize, our young men are the ones that seem to sum up experiences the best. So as one of my guys said today, “You know what, Mr. Douglas? ‘This’ is a BIG DEAL!” I couldn’t agree more. We just successfully travelled around the world with 14 young men from Eastern Senior High School to…South Africa. It is the first time on the plane for two of us. It is the first time out of the country for 9 of us. It is the first time on the continent of Africa for all of us! We are not hear for sports or on vacation, but rather to experience, learn and share with youth from around the world. That is a Big Deal and we should not forget that or ever take it for granted.
Sunday/Monday went incredibly smoothly and when we hit a few snags with our extra long time through customs upon arrival, our Eastern Men of Excellence unpacked their patience and just enjoyed the ride. Thank you parents for completing all that paperwork…believe me when I say it was ALL needed 🙂
We started off our Sunday afternoon with on-time arrivals by all our EME students and parents. It was quite moving to see the love and support from parents, guardians, siblings, and other family members that stopped by Eastern to say farewell to their loved ones. The tears from family and friends alike showed just how our community gets it. This is no ordinary trip.
I enjoyed seeing the brotherhood of our young men. Pure excitement was in the air as we posed for a group shot at Eastern before boarding our bus to Dulles. That excitement continued as everyone couldn’t help but notice our 17-deep group walking through the airport with our teal LearnServe South Africa shirts on. Many EME students were proud to share with strangers a little bit about who we are and why we were going to South Africa. The months of preparation was starting to show and it was impressive to witness our young men talking about comparing cultures, books that we read, and food that we were looking forward to eat. While the flight was long (very, very long), it was smooth. I was all smiles seeing a few of us pulling out our books for some last minute reading on South Africa as we approached our destination.
But when we arrived, that was when it really hit me how big of a deal THIS is. Our guys began peppering us with questions and we all realized just how new everything was about to be. Changing money, driving on the “wrong” side of the road, living together as a group. Fun times! With all the new experiences, we tore down some stereotypes in the process. Yes, we are in Africa, and it is modern–roads, bridges, taxis, airports, skyline. Yes, we are in Africa, and we are all eating with no complaints. Yes, we are already seeing fast food (but avoiding it as much as we can on this trip!). We are learning with our every move. EME students reflected after dinner during our roundtable huddle how some overcame their fear of flying, some were excited to meet new people, and then there are some that were just impressed that they were still getting along with everyone after such a long flight! lol
So, while the last 24 hours has mostly been full of travel, there is much to already celebrate. We enjoyed meeting our City Year South Africa partners after dinner this evening, and are looking forward to joining them bright and early in the morning to start our day at a local primary/elementary school. All our guys should be fast asleep by now (but they are up talking like freshman on the first night in their dorm room!) getting ready for our first full work day. Stay tuned for a complete recap tomorrow evening. We will also share a google photo link for you to start checking daily for updated photos from our experiences.
As you prepare for dinner and your bedtime, I say pat yourself on the back for the role you have played in making this trip possible. Our journey is just beginning and I already see what a great ride it will be.
Until tomorrow,
Law Programs Teacher
Eastern High School