The first week in South Africa is over… already. Time passes fast, too fast and trying to summarise everything we’ve done, seen and felt is not an easy task as the things we’ve experienced have been beyond amazing and words surely can’t do our memories any justiceJ

Meeting everyone at the airport and starting our scenic drive to Port Elizabeth was so surreal, especially for us European Young Explorers. Africa at first glance is so overwhelmingly beautiful; the splashes of colour, the diversity amongst the people and the contrast of landscapes drew us in like a moth to a flame. The impression we got was a lasting one.

What we will always remember is the hearty and warm welcome that the school gave us on our first day. The vibe and the energy of the kids and the teachers was so pure and so appreciated, it gave us the perfect first taste of a true celebration in Africa.  The school enveloped us with their enthusiasm and kindness, making us even more so excited to get started with our project.

First we started off with our made focus, the vegetable garden,. It is a challenging task, but one that is well worth the work! After many hours spent in preparing the land, , like everything else, it is finally getting into shape. The playground is planned and ready to be completed, much to the anticipation of the younger learners and we have successfully painted the benches. The daily interaction with the kids is touching every single day.

Saturday morning we headed off to Addo Elephant National Park for two days to see more of the African wildlife. What an experience! Thankfully mother nature was kind to us, suspending the torrential downpour for the weekend, allowing us two days of entertaining and knowledgeable game drives! We saw many elephants, some of them were walking next to our car.  It’s amazing how such big creatures can walk so smoothly and silently.

The first week is over and every day we make a difference, not only to the kids and the community but also to our perspectives and values in life. We’re all having a great time here, working really hard and trying to get as much done every day as we possibly can. We have fallen in love with this country, its beauty and its children.

written by Leni Gründl and Robyn Lighton