Braving the Minitaxis/bus

I have been getting to work on the minibus, which weaves in and out of traffic picking up anyone and stopping wherever requested. Of course it is more profitable the more one can stuff into the van. It is common for them to be playing loud dance music, so it is important to have coffee before leaving home. :) I also rode in one that had a tv screen installed and was playing MTV videos. All this for $0.50.

Now I am having to face the minibuses as a driver. I have bought a 1974 VW Beetle. Another dream realized. I have always wanted to own a bug, although I might question this desire. It is an adventure. It is in great condition as far as a 33 year old car can be. I am also having fun driving on the left side of the road and I have aspirations of learning car maintenance.

I think this is the last of my posts on introducing you to my life and now I can start moving on to what I am doing during the week and my experiences.

Spending my days in a monastery

My internship is at The Trauma Centre located in Woodstock, which is just two communities towards the city center from me. I am in the children and violence programme. There are two other psychologists who started working there in February and my supervisor. The Trauma Centre is coming out of a slump and working on getting funding together. You can see more at www.trauma.org.za It is located in an old monastery next to a church. There is a garden which contains plaques placed there by Hilary Clinton and the Queen of Denmark.

At the moment I have been working on various workshops. We are conducting one with 6th graders on preventing bullying. We have had session on empathy, prejudices and understanding why people bully. Another workshop is with 200 parents on topics such as HIV/AIDS as trauma and domestic violence. Another one that starts next week is with preschool teachers on recognizing and addressing trauma in children.

I will eventually do individual counseling with children, but I jumped the gun and came to my internship before all the paperwork was done.

Orientation to my Workplace and Coworkers

The front of the building and my coworker Rone.
My coworker Wonique. This is Wonique and Rone's office, but Wonique is here one day and Rone is here 3 days, so I use this office when a computer is free because it has internet access and mine next door does not.
My supervisor Carmen.
And, trying to make sure I post pictures of myself, because I am sure that you want to see me. :) This day the electricity was out for the morning, but we had planned on cleaning storage in the afternoon, so we started in the morning and then had a goodbye party for two interns that were leaving. I am the only intern until next month.

American Woman in Stellenbosch

At the wedding, Ashley and I wandered and took photographs. At lunch that day we had talked about a poster at the restaurant titled "An American Girl in Italy."

Jumping Into the Barrel

It’s winter and the rain won’t stop. I’m from the desert and not use to rain that has been poured on me almost nonstop since Friday. My friend Ashley and I were going to spend Saturday touring the wine country of Stellenbosch before attending a wedding, but the rain kept us in Cape Town. The wedding was conducted in Afrikaans and the reception took place at Blaauwklippen winery.

We threw rose petals as the couple walked into the reception and then toasts took place before dinner.

Where am I?

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=cape+town,+south+africa&ie=UTF8&t=k&om=0&ll=-33.943364,18.475045&spn=0.001295,0.00412&z=18

This is a link to where I live. The row of buildings with dark roofs is my complex and my flat is the one on the top facing north. There are two units in that building and mine is to the left.

Click on the satellite link to view the buildings.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=cape+town,+south+africa&ie=UTF8&t=k&om=0&ll=-33.929202,18.437682&spn=0.001295,0.00412&z=18


This link is to where I work. The building with the courtyard is mine. We are next to a church that rents the property, a former monestary to the Trauma Centre.

My house

Another note of interest is that the mailbox is a plastic bin attached next to the gate for the complex for everyone. So one has to sort through everyone's mail to find their own.