Greetings - June 12th, 2019

June 12, 2019

Greetings - June 12th, 2019

We got a chance to sleep in today, which was very much appreciated. After breakfast we discussed the schedule for the day. Our plan was to meet students at a local high school in Langa called LEAP Science and Math school. As we arrived at LEAP and were greeted by a rainbow, we received our first bit of rain during the day. For every Poly student there was a LEAP student they were able to get to know. We introduced ourselves and shared our thoughts about topics from our favorite music artists all the way to our experiences in school. Students in Langa are also stressed like we are with academics, extra circulars and trying to balance it all. Getting an opportunity to hang out and know kids our age was a really exciting experience. One of Siviwe's goals is to create a strong bond between LEAP and iThuba. He explained the need for an educational pipeline between the two programs. Siviwe thought this trip would be a great way for Poly to further connect LEAP and iThuba together so that one day the iThuba students can attend LEAP High School. We thought it was amazing how much we all had in common and they gave us some really insightful advice and input about ethics and life in general. "Even though there is darkness, you must always allow your light to shine." The morning was spent getting to know the LEAP students until lunch, which was a traditional South African food called Vetkoek and Frikkadel. Vetkoek is a dough that has been deep fried similar to a doughnut without the glaze or sugar. Frikkadel is a really tasty meatball that is supposed to be eaten inside of the Vetkoek. After lunch we planned lessons with LEAP students to bring to iThuba on Friday. This lesson planning was a great experience because the students at LEAP were very inspirational and we hope they are connecting with us as much as we are connecting with them, both now and in the future. We have also been learning an immense amount about respect, making mistakes, and collaborations. The LEAP students discussed their Reflection Circles, where they discuss their personal issues and what they are going through. The LEAP students described the Reflection Circle as a way for the students to support each other and to truly know they are not alone. It is incredible to learn about how such a drastic change in mindset and connection can affect ourselves and those around us. Although we have so much in common with the LEAP students there are some really interesting and thought provoking differences. We think we all have a lot of ideas and thoughts to bring home and share with Poly and our families and friends. As we were heading back to the bus to go back to the hotel, the most amazing thing happened to end such a great day. It started raining again and we saw the most epic rainbows!!! It was crazy!
-Elena and Brooklyn