Week two… and there’s still so much happening; new experiences, new activities and new stories. We are learning something new every day…

Unlike last week where the school classrooms were empty, this was the first week with all the students back at school, and that changed a lot. Suddenly there were kids all around us, all the time, trying to help us, play with us or just talk to us. On an everyday basis, we interact with the kids, learning about their lives and hearing their stories, whether they are ones of happiness, triumph or sadness, and we are growing closer to them every day making us dread the final goodbye more and more each day.

So much happened this week! On Tuesday, we took the 7th graders on an excursion to the Maitland sand dunes. This was an exciting and unique experience for both the learners and for the Young Explorers. While we joined the kids playing on the beach, smiling and laughing, we couldn’t help our feeling of overflowing happiness. Seeing them joyfully running around and jumping into the ocean with their clothes on, was one of the best moments we’ve experienced here so far, proving to us that a smile is the same in every language!

During this week we also had a poster session where the kids really showed us their full creativity with their painting of a variety of different and important topics. These topics included hygiene, environmental awareness and solutions to community issues. After producing some encouraging and creative posters, we began a wild hour of face painting where the kids’ faces became creative and imaginative canvases of the young explorers’ artistic abilities! And by the end of the school day, almost all the kids were running around the school with giant smiles expanding across their new and treasured “cat faces”.

The food garden is starting to fit together perfectly! It is getting into shape and soon we’ll be able to plant the first seeds, an activity we are all looking forward to!

The benches are painted and ready to be put into the school yard after many hours of sanding, painting and varnishing! With the help of the school kids, they look great!

Since the old playground was removed due to the creation of the food garden, we needed to find the perfect and safest spot for the little ones to climb over their new and ordered wooden playground! Due to the terrible condition of the previous jungle gym, we found a new one which would be safe and fun for the kids! With a lot of team spirit and community assistance, the new playground is officially set up and looking spectacular, almost constantly covered by the animated and playful younger learners!

The murals are looking beautiful! We have completely most of them, and only have two more to complete next week! The kids were amazing by contributing ideas and helpful hands during the painting process! They were all so inspired and proud by the finished product as they know it’s not only the work the young explorers, but also of their ideas and creativity.

Then it was time for the much anticipated EcoCamp trip for the Shamwari Conservation Experience! WOW. What an experience! With our two Mercedes Benz vehicles and one school bus, we travelled in-tow through the beautiful and scenic landscapes of the Eastern Cape. Shamwari is a massive game reserve catering to both South Africans, international visitors, volunteers and student groups, allowing them to experience the beauty of an untouched landscapes as well as the beauty of seeing wild animals in their true habitats.

It was a jam packed four days and both the kids and the young explorers were in their element 24/7! Whether we were on game drives with our knowledgeable game rangers who taught us the ways of the wild and who showed us the beauty of the African bush, or taking part in team-building exercises, we had a permanent smile glued on our faces!

Everything is running smoothly, thanks to Michaels amazing organisational skills in the background, and we can’t wait to see what our next and final week holds for us!

written by Leni Gründl and Robyn Lighton