Longing for Oranje...

Hello you!

Three weeks has past by since my last post, but it feels like I have been doing two months of work. My work at His People church continued. The situation got better and better. At one point I was in charge of coordinating the morning program at the church, I’m not sure how this happened, but it did. I got to get to know the people better, especially the children, because I was there every day. I really enjoyed teaching the children every morning and I’m pretty sure that they enjoyed my team and me being there as well.
When the xenophobia started to calm down and the situation started to get better I decided that it is time dor us to continue our projects at YFC again. Although I truly love working at His People church, I also realized that our projects at YFC (besides from SOS) are on hold because of our work at His People. I started to hand over the coordination and the volunteers and I started to get back to our ‘daily projects’.
During my work at His People, I’ve met some great young people of the church. They continued the work at His People and they have been updating me about the situation at the church. I’m glad to say that His People is no longer a relief centre (as of last Sunday). Many people have moved back to their homes. Some of them moved to another shelter, but this is temporarily. His People expect that these people will soon be able to go back to their homes as well.
There we go… the situation has calmed down; people are on their way home; I got to teach great kids; gained a hec of an experience and I’m proud to say that I’ve met some new great friends.

After I handed everything over to the volunteers of His People, I started to get back to my projects at YFC. My SOS programme was the only programme that I pursuit during this hectic time so it was really great to be back at Vissershok again. The kids missed me and I surely missed them. It is great to notice that I’ve truly built a relationship with the kids, because it was really easy for me to pick up the program where I’ve left it.
My SOS programme is still going really well. The kids seem to enjoy it a lot, because they keep coming back every Monday and Wednesday. I’m running out of creative programme’s to do with them, so if you have any suggestions… just let me know!

During all this I also needed to focus on my studies… To be really honest; my internship has not been my first priority very often in Cape Town. I’ve got exactly two weeks left to finish my internship. Don’t worry, I’m not stressing out, I never do when it comes to my study! :-) I had to present a case study today for my supervisor and it went really well. All I got to do now is to finish my manual for SOS, write two reports and finish my presentation… in 14 days and than I’m done for this year. I really can’t wait to finish my internship, because than I can enjoy my time here without worrying about any study that needs to be completed.

I have to be honest and admit that these last couple of weeks has truly wired me out. I could feel that I was really tired and that I needed some time off. Last week there was a group of 34 high school students from California who were in Cape Town for a visit. My centre director asked us, if it’s possible, to spend time with them. Show them the Cape Town hospitality. Our Cape Town Team would be with them 24/7, but it would be great if we were with them as well. I really was not up for this, so I didn’t went a long with their ‘tour-bus’. I’m really glad that I didn’t, because we all had dinner at Rolf’s together last week (60 people in total) and they truly drained all the energy that I had left out of me. Those Californians; great people, but I needed a big recharge after spending five hours with them.
Emelio, my project manager, had a talk with me at the office. He told me that he thinks that I should take some days off, because he thinks that it will do me good. I’ve been taking on a lot of responsibilities at His People, the projects and at the house. He asked me to spend the weekend with his family. I really wanted to, because I love spending time with his wife Claudine (greatest woman ever!) and his cute daughter Carla-Ann, but it was simply not possible. I’m currently the only driver at the house (Gabe can only drive the automatic, but team has that car because their car is being fixed) so I need to stay at home to drive my housemates around. And I need to go fetch and bring people to the airport.
But I’m okay with all this. It’s not the easiest time that I’ve been through here, but I know that things will be much better in a week. When things calm down, I’ll definitely go and spend some time with the Gassibe family!

I did manage to relax a bit last weekend. Jana, Gabe and I went to Kylemore (place where the other YFC house is) for the weekend. Denzel, Kylemore’s project manager, gave us a tour around Stellenbosch (city 10 minutes away from Kylemore). It was good to see its history. I could clearly see the influence of the Netherlands. The houses look like houses that we have in my beloved city Utrecht. We we’re supposed to go and see two museums, but people who know me (especially surten friends from England!) also know that I’m not a very big fan of museums unless it’s about something that really interest me. So… a couple of volunteers and I were dismissed from the second museum. We just hang out in Stellenbosch. Gabe ran into a Santa suit and decided to buy it and wear it for the rest of the day. If was the funniest thing ever! Somehow people think that we are from South Africa and they all started to speak in Afrikaans to us. Afrikaans is really similar to Dutch (I call Afrikaans baby-Dutch) so I could understand the people. They said that Santa is a bit early this year, but they didn’t hesitate to get on a picture with Santa. It was a fun day!

I should put an end to this blog, because I know it’s getting a bit long. Sorry about this people! I can’t leave you guys without talking about the European Cup. O MY WORD…. GOSH I LOVE MY COUNTRY!!! I’ve truly enjoyed watching the matches of my beloved Dutch team. My love for football is driving the people over here mad, but they all have to admit that Holland is GREAT. I really miss Oranje (orange in Dutch, it’s our national colour). Watching the matches makes me missing hanging out with my friends, going to the pub and just go crazy over a game about some men who are chasing after a ball. I’ve got a plan though… If everybody saves up for the World Cup in 2010 (which is held in South Africa), we can al go to see the matches live AND I can give you guys a personal tour through Cape Town! Perfect plan isn’t it?!?

I really have to go now. I’m headed to the airport to say goodbye to Charlotte. She is going back to Norway. I’m really going to miss her. She is truly like an angel sent to earth. Charlotte is always kind, cheerful and she just has this joy over her. Her time in South Africa has come to end now. I know that she is not ready to leave yet, but I hope that she will find the peace in going home knowing that her family is longing to see her again.

So I’m off to the airport. I hope everybody is doing well and enjoying my beloved Holland… Gosh, only thinking of the team makes me happy! :-) Don’t forget to cheer for them tomorrow… poor Guus… well somebody has to kick Russia out, so it might as well be his father country!

Lots of love,
Bao-Nhi

P.S. I know this blog is a little bit more chaotic than the other ones. I’m truly sorry for this. I’m kind of in a hurry, but I really wanted to give you guys an update. Will do better next time!