On Tuesday morning, we woke up bright and early at 6:45am. On that morning we started off by eating breakfast—we had a mixture of foods including cereal, bread, bacon and eggs. I personally enjoyed the breakfast because it was basically a traditional meal, just like at home. After morning breakfast, we travelled with City Year South Africa to engage with students at Naturena Primary School. We spent most of our day there by just being good supporters. While some of us played interactive games, others taught lessons in math and English. It was a great learning experience because it reminded me of the importance of being a good role model for other students.
Even though I had a lot of fun with the children, I mainly enjoyed the love that the children share among each other because, back in Washington D.C., children do not seem to share that type love with each other. Why is that the case? Why do I perceive children in DC as not sharing the same love that I am feeling and seeing displayed in Johannesburg, South Africa? How can I bring back some of this feeling to my own school and community? I don’t know the answers to these questions yet, but I do know I’m sensing a difference that I want to learn more about.
Overall, there were a lot of similarities like wearing school uniforms and being comfortable with our teachers. Some differences are that our lunches are much longer and at Naturena, they pray in school. I really enjoyed my day because those children were filled with much love and joy and I was able to interact with them for a prolonged period of time.
Noah B., Eastern High School