Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Driving

I started driving on Monday because starting February I will be doing the school run from 1:30 to 3 picking up Tebogo, Nkosi, Unathi, and Nelly every school day. I've been going with Valerie since last week to know how to get there. So driving in South Africa is of course on the left side of the road... Valerie had to keep reminding me that I was driving too close to the curb because I keep drifting lol. Also the parked cars, don't want to take off any side mirrors!
Here they call the stoplights robots. Red and green still mean stop and go...Yellow means gun it though the intersection. Whoever is at the stop sign first goes first...so yeah other than those things it the same as home besides everything being on the left! I just learned how to drive a stick shift before coming here so I was nervous about stalling, but I've been doing fine...cars just pass me if I'm having trouble :P
At most stoplights there are people trying to sell various things like flowers, newspapers, fruit etc. I don't know how they keep from getting hit at such busy intersections.

I've been here almost a week now and starting to get the feel of things and the names down. Where I live at house 82, Barbara one of the house mamas (she is also from the states) has a treadmill in the classroom separate from the main house but right next to my room. It's been nice because I've taken up running a few miles on it before showering and going to bed. Martha (staff at Lambano) runs every morning at 5AM so I might go with her a few times. There are pools at house 82 and 78, I haven't gone swimming yet since it's been raining since Sunday...but the sun has started to shine again today. Lambano kids have swimming lessons starting in February where we take them to those. I will be teaching Tebogo, Nkosi, and Unathi at house 78 on Saturdays.

Oh, after I was done saying prayers with KB and Mandla the other night and was about to leave the room KB said to me... "I wish you were Shakira so you could dance." I asked what made him think I couldn't lol :)

3 comments:

  1. Rachel,I think it is funny that the stoplights are called robots and yellow means gun it through the intersection. Can't wait to tell the boys next time we are driving. Once you get the hang of stick shifting you will have fun driving a manuel. If God can get you all the way to South Africa, He can help you drive a stick.:) Mom

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  2. Well I guess you're going to be ready to run some 5k's when you get back eh? I better step it up a notch!! ;)

    Always good to hear how you're doing RayRay, keep up the awesome work, you're doing an amazing thing for these kids :) I know it's hard to see children have to struggle with these diseases, but they're pain free when they step through those pearly gates. The greatest thing you can do is teach them about heaven! (Which I know you know :P)

    Anyways, continuously praying for you Rachel Marie. Stay safe, and looking forward to the next update! :)

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  3. Praying for you! Thanks for the updates. :)
    Much love, Tarah

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