On Friday we visited Nghunghunyani, and today we went to Seana-Marena, both secondary schools in Soweto.
For a few hours, we were able to completely immerse ourselves in the lives of some of the learners, mostly grades 11 and 12. The faculty, although very small, was very accepting to our visit.
Inside of the cold sheds where they have class, broken windows and doors that barely closed surrounded us. There were no text books or lap tops on the desks, which were crammed together, and graffiti covered every piece of furniture. Some classrooms were packed with students, but the teacher was no where to be found.
We talked to the learners mostly about Temple University, journalism, Philadelphia, and what it’s like to live in the states. Some of the questions they had for us were pretty wild and out there, but I am sure some of ours were too. Group and one-on-one conversations with the students made for an exceptional learning experience, and downright awesome time, for all of us.
American students rarely visit the inside of the classrooms, so us being there was a pretty cool surprise for the learners. They took lots of pictures and seemed so grateful that we took time out to visit them. Many even asked when we were coming back!
I look forward to staying in touch with all the students who are interested, hopefully motivating them to go to a university and pursue a career that they love instead of just focusing on traditional jobs.
Although we all encountered different types of experiences during the school visits, one thing we all had in common when we left was a huge ear-to-ear grin on our faces.
I plan to make it back to both schools this week, and I couldn’t be more excited!
PS: Check out my Hairdressers of the World Against AIDS story!
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