Lekker = "cool" in Afrikaans.
Can you use it in a sentence?
Between wrapping up Service Week, having a weekend of new adventures and rejuvenation, and preparing for my Adventure Week that starts tomorrow...the past few days have been lekker.
June 13:
Friday we finished Service Week. Luckily, I didn’t have to say any final goodbyes because we will be going back to Sir Lowry’s Pass for a final celebration in 2 weeks. Even still, it was emotional to wrap up such an amazing week with amazing people who depict a level of joy, love, and trust that is hard to find just anywhere. I learned a lot about myself this week. As a student, I had a hard time understanding the type of impact that I was making in Sir Lowry’s Pass. I often asked myself, “Am I making a difference? What am I leaving there?” I had never participated in a true service learning course before, one where the differences in volunteering, service projects, and service learning are differentiated to the point of deeper understanding and revealed clarity. I had no idea that there was a level of service out there designed to help people understand the value of their contributions and expose the truest, most raw understandings of this global world. All I had ever known was Habitat for Humanity, volunteering at soup kitchens…all of the things my friends had done. I never yet understood that the most powerful service of all was service learning: one in which the “final project” would never be able to be measured…and also, would never end.
You see, we didn’t paint a house or feed the hungry. We didn’t have a before and after picture. We didn’t get community service hours. We weren’t fulfilling a requirement for a program of any kind. We were implementing something immeasurable and never-ending into this community: love.
At the end of the day, the children go home to their families and out of our sight. We don’t know their family dynamic. We don’t know if they have people at home to invest love, care, support, and compassion into their lives. This is where Global LEAD comes in: we may not have a finished product that we can broadcast to the world, but we do have an overflowing, infinite relationship with individuals whom have touched our lives. Interpersonally and intrapersonally, this is far more powerful.
After deep reflection for the past year, I was eager to get back into the community and continue giving these children the love and care that I had given them last summer. Yet, still, I was unsure about whether or not I had actually left something in this community. My lack of service learning experience prior to Global LEAD left me somewhat skeptical of my own capabilities. It wasn’t until my second Service Week in Sir Lowry’s Pass, this year as an intern, when I fully understood the impact I had made in this community.
I was in a classroom helping a student make a craft when Zach came in and got my attention. “Do you remember Matthew?” he asked me. “No,” I quickly replied. “Not really. Why?” Zach just smiled and said, “Well, he’s asking for you in the other room. Go say hi.”
I couldn’t believe it. A child that I only slightly remembered was asking for me a year later. I walked into his classroom, recognized him, and saw his face light up. I gave him the biggest hug, and I could just feel his joy transmit into my body. This is what service learning is about, I thought to myself. Making children feel loved. Giving them hope. Helping them learn and grow. Showing them support, encouragement, and affection.
After reuniting with several other students and with my host family and growing closer to them, I left this Service Week with a full heart on Friday. I was able to understand Global LEAD’s approach to service. It truly changed my life; by showing me that items and happiness are not directly correlated and that quality time and love is far more precious, I did some serious reevaluation. I want to participate in more service learning experiences when I return home, but most of all, I want to help educate my peers on the importance of service learning so that they may branch out past volunteerism and service projects.
It was a super local spot. We were, without a doubt, the only foreigners in the place. It’s a very neighborhood spot with a hipster feel. It’s always good to feel like a local. Because I’ve already done this trip before, and just last year, to add, I wanted to make sure I tried new things to differentiate my trips and add some new things to my list.
Saturday, today, was yet another incredible #SouthAfricaSaturday! We started the morning with THE COOLEST TEAM BUILDING EVER. As a staff, we went to the Old Biscuit Mill to do a game called the “Hint Hunt.” Ish, Jo, Danae, Dr. Teel, Zach, and I were locked in a room for 60 minutes, and we had to solve the mystery in the room to get out in that time frame. It was such a team effort, and after finding secret passageways, solving riddles, and cracking codes, we were able to get out of the room with 1 minute and 24 seconds left. It was sooo much fun!
I wrapped up Old Biscuit Mill with my favorite foods…mini pancakes, eggs benedict, allllll the goods. Then I took a group of students and headed off for an adventure….
We took the train, a super local thing that I’ve never done before, and we bought a ticket to Kalk Bay. We bought first class tickets so that we could have seats on the train, but because we were so inexperienced with this, we jumped on the wrong section of the train amongst some pretty interesting characters. It’s ok; it made for an adventure and we were safe. We got off the train and explored! Bookstores, coffeeshops, boats on the harbor, trinket stores and boutiques…it was a cool day of exploring. I love taking students to new places with me.
June 14:
Today was a fun Sunday. I woke up this morning and went to brunch at a yummy place I love called Arnold’s with the staff and some of the students. After brunch, I came home, got a massage, sat in the sauna, and did staff work. It’s 1:15am here and I will be leaving for my safari on the Garden Route of South Africa in 4 hours. No time for sleep, I guess, so I had to rejuvenate some other way.
Tomorrow is my second ADVENTURE WEEK! I can’t promise that I’ll blog this week, but I can promise that I’ll do my best updating my adventures on social media. This is going to be another cool leadership experience for me because I am leading a group of students by myself. I can’t believe there’s only just over a week left in Cape Town once I get back from Adventure Week. I leave exactly 2 weeks from today (Monday).
My thoughts anticipating this week...
I know that I can do all of these adventures. I have already done them! I absolutely believe in myself, but that doesn't make the bungee jump less scary. I think knowing what it feels like it actually makes it more scary. I have some ideas up my sleeve...Mom and Dad, I'm going to wait until I've already done them before I tell you what they are. It's going to be one incredible week. Prayers appreciated.
Don’t worry about me, friends and family. I survived one Go Global Adventure Week…I think I can do it again :)
It's gonna be LEKKER !
The Summer Intern,
Anna