Just Now, and Now Now

    I have shared several South African sayings with you, but the one that has taken me the longest to get used to is 'Just Now'. My coordinating teacher, Linda, and I were talking about lesson plans and she says "Yes, we will go over that just now," she says this while she is walking out of the room. I stood there for a little while completely puzzled thinking she just ran out of the room real quick and she'll be back. I did not realize that just now means in a little while to us or later! Then now now really means right now!

   Friday night I went to the Italian restaurant in Grahamstown called Gino's with Jean, April, Leah, and Aegean. I got pizza and it was delicious! After we got home I watched the Bachelor with Jean and Aegean-it was an episode from about three seasons ago. It was nice to have a relaxing Friday night. Saturday was a busy day of shopping in Grahamstown. I finally had time to do some leisurely window shopping and I found this really cute market type store on the Rhodes campus. All the COST girls attended Aegean's basketball game which was at St. Andrews, another nearby private school. It was quite different to sit outside for a game and we were all impressed that Aegean was not all talk when it came to his basketball skills:)

   Saturday night we went to the Rat and Parrot for Lauren's last night and made a delicious family dinner on Sunday. It is a going away tradition to have a big dinner on your last night. We all sit around the dining room table and after dinner and dessert we go around saying one thing that we will miss about the person who is leaving, and then in return they say something they will miss about us. Whenever Grandma talks I get teary-eyed because she is just so sweet and sincere with her comments.
     Today, Monday, before heading out to school I had to say goodbye to Lauren. It is hard to say goodbye to someone when you barely got a chance to get to know one another and you just know that you would be really great friends. We said goodbye and said that we would talk just now.

    Despite the melancholy walk to school I had a great day with my third graders. I taught a lesson on opposites which went well and I have found that the 'naughty' boys are starting to come around. After school I did Sport (tennis) with eight of my third grade girls. Again, I tried to act like I had been coaching tennis for years, but luckily they were responsible enough to tell me what they needed to do.

    After sport Leah, April, and I went to the Lebone Center which is an afterschool program which children that live in the Townships attend. What an amazing experience. The three of us are going to head over there as much as possible after school. While I was there, me and a little boy Simon, played Afrikaans Bingo, read, and then played outside with all of the kids. Right when I walked outside April was rounding up the kids for a game of hide-and-go-seek. All of a sudden we see two children running towards us on the roof!! April and I just looked at eachother in disbelief and could not help but laugh. We then established a "No going on the roof to hide" rule. These children were very happy to have people for them to play with and gave us all huge hugs before we left.

The weather has been beautiful the past two days and I am so hoping that it is going to stay this way!

I finally moved into the cottage with Leah since Lauren left. My suitcase is 100% unpacked.

Cheers.