South Africa 2009- P to P Science Delegation

Ngiyabonga (Thank You) to All the Delegates and Guests!

2009-10-24T19:14:00.000-07:00

Thank you to everyone for such a memorable trip. Not only did we learn much about African science education, the natural wonders of South Africa and its culture, we also learned a lot about and from each other. I think we can all agree that this People to People trip was an incredible learning adventure. Now we can all fully understand why it is called a Citizen's Ambassador Program- you all brought such good will from America and your states with you. Thank you all for your generosity in providing gifts to the schools and programs in South Africa. Thank you for being such willing and eager learners. Thank you for each and every special touch you brought to the trip. And thank you for being on time (well, almost!) every morning and afternoon when we felt like it was rush hour! I hope you had a safe journey home and time to reflect on this experience. I will leave you with this quote (sorry, I don't know who to attribute it to): "The only dark thing about the African Continent is our ignorance of it". I think this trip surely raised our understanding of South Africa and its struggles pre and post Apartheid as well as gain a deeper appreciation for this Continent, the cradle of human civilization- now it is our job to help others gain new understandings.

May our paths cross again,

Page Keeley, Science Education Delegation Leader
2008-09 President of the National Science Teachers Association
Senior Science Program Director, Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance
pkeeley@mmsa.org

COSAT Visit

2009-10-24T18:13:00.000-07:00

We visited the Center of Science and Technology, COSAT, in the Khayelitsha Township not far from the Cape Town airport. Approximately 1.5 million blacks live in the township. There are about 175 10-12th grade students chosen on the basis of math and English tests given in 8th grade. Many of the students are disadvantaged, coming from the informal shack communities. The photos show the kind of living facilities many of these students come from. They receive a meal from the COSAT soup kitchen and go to school from 8 AM to 4:15 PM. They all take the same courses- Isixhosa, English, Maths, Information Technology, Physical Science, Life Science, and Life Orientation. The teachers are well qualified and the school has a 100% rate of 12th graders going on to the university. Because these students come from homes where there may not be electricity or water or even a parent home (some parents are gone away to work a month at a time or some are ill with AIDS) the school provides a lot of academic and social support. The school tracks their graduates and many follow science, engineering, and computer science fields. After a brief presentation by the Director of the school, delegates were led on a tour to see the facilities. At the end, we were treated to another fine performance of song and moving narrative by the students.

Lunch at Liziwe's Guest House

2009-10-24T08:13:00.000-07:00

After leaving the LEAP School, we headed into the Gugulethu Township in Capetown for another deleicious home cooked lunch. This time we stopped at Liziwe's Guest House, a South African version of a B&B. Liziwe Ngcokoto is the proud owner of the guest house along with her husband, Donald. The guest house is right in the township among shacks and simple homes. The story of her guest house which she shared with us is quite remarkable and illustrates the entrepeneurship of S. AFricans trying to rise out of poverty. The story goes like this: Liziwe used to work as a tea lady while her husband Donald worked in a factory in Cape Town. One day Donald noticed they were knocking down surrounding walls of the factory to expand. Donald asked the owner if he could use some of the bricks. The owner said he could have them if he would take them away. Donald found an old plot of land in Guguletu that was being used as a rubbish dump. He bought the land and lived in a shack on the land while he dreamed of building a house. He spent months carting the bricks and cleaning them off, one by one. In 2 years he started building his house. In 3 years it was finished and Liziwe and Donald opened their small guest house. Eventually they added more rooms and now run a very successful business . How privileged we were to be invited into their home and meet these truly remarkable, warm, and kind South Africans!

Life Orientation at LEAP

2009-10-24T07:49:00.000-07:00

The final part of our LEAP School visit was quite compelling, personal, and powerful. We had an opportunity to see how they incorporate what they call"life orientation" into their program. LEAP devotes one lesson every day to Life Orientation, sort of like our advisor/advisee groups back in the U.S. except these students come from very different backgrounds and in some respects, backgrounds similar to our urban poor. The students at LEAP have to deal with the aftermath of apartheid (as for most township schools) have an additional set of circumstances to deal with as a consequence of the mess created by apartheid, including the erosion of the social fabric and very real economic hardships. This powerful part of the LEAP program is explained on their web site at http://www.leapschool.org.za as follows: Many of these students at LEAP are facing the reality of disintegrating families, illness- and violence-related deaths. As a consequence, the school actively and consciously creates the space and the relationships in which there is trust. Life Orientation directly deals with the “voicelessness” of individuals. Often the only voice of township students is a collective one, and there is a great fear of being out of step with the collective voice and this is particularly damaging in a learning environment. What is developed in the Life Orientation sessions is the individual student’s sense of wholeness, identity and belonging, and from this platform each of the students builds an ability to risk, to be open and to identify and process real feelings. The main goal of Life Orientation at LEAP is to create a safe place in which any issue can surface. In such a place, the young people can find a voice: they can be angry, sad or bitter. They can learn to become comfortable with reflection and introspection, which allows them to deal with these feelings. In a safe place the students can challenge and be challenged, allowing each young person’s unique voice to develop.

We witnessed and experienced this ourselves at the end of the program. The students, staff, and delegates reassembled and the students started off by individuals volunteering to come up and share a personal reflection about relationships. Following the students, our delegates were invited to share. There was barely a dry eye in our group as delegates shared their personal reflections about our South Africa experience and how it has changed and will shape their lives. Whew- tissue time!

This wonderful day ended with one more celebration in song- the beautiful African voices and music filled the air, as we absorbed the music inside of us- in our very souls. What a morning- what a program- what hope for the future in these remarkable students- what a powerful experience we will never forget!

Break Out Groups

2009-10-24T07:21:00.000-07:00

After tea, our delegates broke into break out "Science Department Engagement Groups" with the LEAP staff. Each delegate chose 1 of 4 groups to participate in: 1) Assessment, 2) Planning and Organization, 3) Motivation and GUidance, and 4) Projects and Practical Work. The LEAP staff facilitated the discussions which were a sharing between delegates' work and the work of the LEAP program. After 20 minutes of lively, engaged discussion, we came back into the whole group and a delegate volunteer reported out the key point sof each groups' discussion.

The LEAP School of Maths and Science Student Tours

2009-10-24T07:08:00.000-07:00

After being welcomed by a choir of beautiful African songs, the students paired up with delegates and took them on a personalized tour of the school. We returned for afternoon tea and then the students took their delegate pairs to one of their classes. It was an amazing experience- new friendships formed with the students and staff. Overall, a very touching highlight of the trip. With their school uniforms, smiling faces, and very articulate English (which is not their mother tongue), it is hard to believe these students come from such disadvantaged families. We hope, because of the investment they are making in their math/science education, the future will be a bright one for these remarkable students!

I tried to get photos of all the delegates with their student guides as I passed you in thehallways. Sorry if I missed some of you. If you want to download the photo of you with your guide, go to: http://picasaweb.google.com/pagekeeley/StudentToursAtLeap#

The LEAP School of Maths and Science

2009-10-23T22:04:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday morning we visited the LEAP School of Science and Maths (they always refer to mathematics in S. Africa as Maths). This school started in 2004 with the aim of transforming educationally disadvantaged communities in South Africa through mathematics and science focused education initiatives. The LEAP learning model is designed to support children from South Africa’s poor township communities to be become South Africa’s leaders of the future. LEAP aims to achieve this objective by: facilitating the personal development of each learner into successful and socially responsible citizens, and substantially increasing the number of learners who pass the national secondary maths and science exam thereby enabling access to a full range of tertiary education opportunities. When we arrived, we were greeted in the main room by students who sang several African songs for us. The music filled us with joy and their voices were so clear and powerful!

African Cafe- An Amazing Culinary Experience

2009-10-23T21:04:00.000-07:00

We had an amazing dinner at the African Cafe. My friend, Kevin Sherman, formerly of Seattle and now living in Cape Town joined us. First of all, you walk into a restaurant just filled with the vibrant art and colors of Africa. Notice the hanging lights made from recycled plastic bottles! We went up three floors to the roof top dining area. The servers were dressed in authentic African garb. The meal was served communal style and begins with the servers washing our hands in rose water. Multiple authentic African dishes are brought out throughout the evening such as: pea and sage balls, deep fried breads, sweet potatoes and cheese balls rolled in sesame seeds, spinach and mealie meat pies, Zambian bean pies, Ethiopian chick pea bites, sesame chicken kabobs, lentil curry, Congo salad with a cilantro and palm oil dressing,Moroccon lamb stew, Moroccon chicken almond pies, and a delightful assortment of desserts. All the items are listed on the beautiful "hornbill water pitchers" - Mohammed bought one of the pitchers in their gift shop and I could kick myself now for not getting one! The table ware was just gorgeous and so colorful. About midway into the meal, the servers, kitchen staff, and face painter came out with an African drum and sang and danced. It was fabulous! You can visit their really cool web site at: http://www.africacafe.co.za/ Their table ware, made just for them, is sold at a few select retailers in the US and is listed on their web site. I am going to get that hornbill pitcher! I would highly recommend this dining experience to anyone visiting Cape Town.

Face Painting at the African Cafe!

2009-10-23T20:59:00.000-07:00

Several of us went out to the African Cafe one night for our "dinner on your own". While waiting for dinner to be served, several of the delegates had their faces painted, African style, by the resident face painter at the restaurant!

A Home Cooked Meal at the Minnie's House

2009-10-23T20:42:00.000-07:00

We were treated to a home cooked meal at the modest home of Sharon and Dickie Minnie. Dickie is a high school science teacher. He and his wife Minnie prepare and host home cooked meals for groups that visit Cape Town. We pulled up in our 2 buses to their modest home in a nice middle class Cape Town suburb and entered their "Homestead" courtyard to be greeted by our gracious hosts. Sharon wore a "Domestic Goddess" apron and Rhonda and Charlotte gave her some Mardi Gras beads to wear and Page presented them with numerous gifts from the delegates- food items and other host and hostess gifts from our home states. The Minnie's living room had the furniture removed to accomodate our 48 delegates and guests at small, beautifully decorated tables. We had a lovely dinner and then a special surprise served with dessert. The Minnie's announced we would have some special entertainment. Their 4 year old grandson, Esha arrived. They stood him up on a chair and in his tiny voice, he clearly sang the South African National Anthem to us- 3 times in 3 different languages! He was adorable. We all thanked our gracious guests as we departed. As the last one out, I had the special pleasure of another song by Esha. As we stood out in the courtyard while the delegates and guests boarded the bus, Esha sang Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" for me! What a delightful evening!

Western Cape Primary Science Program

2009-10-23T20:15:00.000-07:00

Delegates had an opportunity to visit the Western Cape primary Science Program to learn more about teacher professional development support. This program trains primary teachers in the methods and content of teaching science, with an emphasis on environmental science. Beginning with a visit led by Sven to their wetland education area and bird blind (which they call a bird hide)we walked through a small wetland preserve that has been in existence for over 50 years. We went into a bird blind to watch some of the 50 species of birds that call the wetland home. There were calla lilies throughout the grassy areas. A species of frog lives inside the calla lily flower but we didn't get to go peeking through the lilies to find one. We returned to the center to be greeted with tea, milk tart, and other assorted tea cakes- a tradition we are met with frequently here in South Africa that we find quite nice and so civilized! After a presentation on the work of the center, the teachers broke into small groups with staff to discuss special topics such as instructional materials, support for content learning, etc. hey have a nice web site at http://www.psp.org.za/ . The delegation presented several nice gifts for the Center to Director Leslie Liddle and staff and a certificate of appreciation.

Morning at the Aquila Reserve

2009-10-23T19:42:00.000-07:00

Page, Charlotte, Cliff, Debra, Andi, Carol, and Jan departed for a 2 hour early morning ride up to Aquila, a private game reserve, to go on a mini-safari. We were greeted at the lodge with champagne and treated to a delicious breakfast in the main lodge. It was a beautiful building with a thatched roof. The breakfast was an extensive buffet of eggs, meats, fresh veggies, beans, and fruits (love the passion fruit!), cheeses, cereals, fresh breads and pastries. The hot dishes were cooked in cast iron pots on individual cast iron stoves. After breakfast we departed in our open vehicle for a 3 hour safari ride throughout the extensive reserve. We saw all of the big 5 plus ostriches, water fowl, several types of antelope, zebra, giraffe, and more. Scroll down further and you will see the photos of the fauna.

The photos taken on safari are available for downloading at: http://picasaweb.google.com/pagekeeley/AquilaSafariPhotos#

Cape Floral Kingdom

2009-10-23T19:00:00.000-07:00

The Cape of Good Hope is part of the Cape Floral Kingdom, the smallest but richest of the world's six floral kingdoms. This comprises a treasure trove of 1100 species of indigenous plants, of which a number occur naturally nowhere else on earth! The park abounds in these beautiful protea. African daisies grew everywhere but somehow I didn't get a photo of them! Noticethe red color of the rock lichens seen throughout the park.

We Are Who We Are Because of Who We Were- The Origins Museum

2009-10-23T17:50:00.000-07:00

We visited the Origins Center at Wits University - a world class museum with artifact and multimedia exhibits that showcase Africa's rich and mysterious past- the cradle of human civilization. The above title is the motto of the museum. Between 150,000 and 200,000 years ago modern Homo sapiens evolved in Africa. They then left the continent and settled throughout the entire world. With head sets we started our journey with the origins of humankind in Africa and then moved through the development of art, symbolism, and ancient tools. The journey then continues through an amazing exhibit of the diverse African rock art and the stories told on these ancient rocks. Many of the rocks showed the hunting of the eland, an African large antelope that is still revered today. We also had an opportunity to see the art and experience through video the oldest known ritual that is still practiced today – the San/Bushman trance dance.

Gold Mining in South Africa

2009-10-23T14:04:00.000-07:00

Driving along in Johannesburg one will see these huge flat mountain-like features. This picture was taken from the bus as we drove to Soweto. What appears to be a mountain is actually the tailings dug up from years of gold mining, a major industry in S. Africa that utilized cheap labor in the mines during the apartheid era. Environmentally they pose a problem because of cyanide leaching.

Hector Pieterson

2009-10-23T07:46:00.000-07:00

After our tour of Soweto, we traveled to the Hector Pieterson Museum. Hector Pieterson, age 13, was the first student to be killed during the 1976 Student Uprising in Soweto. He has since become a symbol of the youth resistance to apartheid. The famous Soweto uprising started as a peaceful protest march organized by school students in Soweto against the Bantu education system. Imagine- school students protesting against the inequity of their education- that is how important education is to Africans! One of the main grievances was that Afrikaans, regarded as the language of the oppressor, had to be taught in 50% of the classes and the other 50% had to be taught in English.

Hundreds of students joined the protest march planned by the South African Student Movement (SASM), to the Orlando Stadium East where they intended to meet with the authorities to voice their grievances. They carried placards with slogans – ‘Away with Afrikaans’, ‘Amandla Awehtu’ (Power to the People), ‘Free Azania’ (Free South Africa) and sang ‘Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika’ (God bless Africa), now the national anthem of South Africa.

Refilwe, our guide, is explaining the famous photograph of Hector Pieterson being carried after he was shot when police confronted the marchers and ordered them to disperse. Despite the peaceful nature of the march, the confrontation turned violent and a number of students, including Hector Pieterson, were shot and killed. What was a student march, quickly erupted into an uprising, which spread to many other parts of the country. The photograph shows a young man, Mbuyiswa, carrying Hector Pieterson in his arms, and captured the attention of people throughout the world, highlighting the injustices of apartheid. The park also has a plaque honoring Mbuyiswa.

Although we didn't spend a lot of time at the museum since lunch ran so late, we had enough time to read much of the exhibits and learn so much that we did not know about the Soweto riots. For example, many of us knew it was a riot against Apartheid but we had no idea it started as an organized, peaceful march by school children!

Soweto- Mandela's House

2009-10-23T07:23:00.001-07:00

Nelson Mandela's home where he lived before he was imprisoned is now a historic site. The fenced part is looking from the back corner of the road the house is on in the Orlano district of Soweto. Next to his home is a restaurant - I don't know if this was a family business or if it is merely named after him because it is next door. Mandela now has a home in the affluent section of Soweto.

Soweto- A Township of Many Contrasts

2009-10-23T07:11:00.000-07:00

The bus tour through the township of Soweto was quite sobering. Housing ranged from the shack slums to the matchbook houses built by the government for the Soweto residents to the luxury homes of the rich and famous (where Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu live). The painted towers are left over cooling towers from a power plant that are now used for bungie jumping.

Dining in South Africa- Cape Town Fish Market

2009-10-23T06:40:00.001-07:00

Dining in South Africa is certainly a culinary experience. The restaurants are fabulous and the variety of foods and cuisine, quite eclectic. For the foodies in the group, we enjoyed the variety of eating establishments chosen for us by the People to People program as well as ones we discovered on our own on our "meals on us" nights. Our first group lunch was at the Cape Town Fish Market in Johannesburg. Despite the fact that it took so long for our group of 40+ to be served a 3 course lunch, it was quite good. Notice the bar area that has a revolving sushi bar! Over 50 varieties of sushi slowly revolve around the bar and when you want one, you just take it off the "track" and the number on the plate records what you took. Most chose the fish which was excellent. Notice our Louisiana co-leader, Charlotte, and delegate, Rhonda, also from Louisiana found a taste of the Bayou Country right here in Johannesburg! For my entree, I had the African chicken curry served in the traditional iron curry pot. Yum!

Education in South Africa

2009-10-23T06:13:00.000-07:00

Both Dr. Marisa Rollnick and Dr. Linda Marais (that is Dr. Marais in the photo receiving a certificate of appreciation from our delegation and gifts for her program) gave us insights into teaching and learning in South Africa. Imagine trying to teach science with few materials, no water, and sometimes no electricity. On top of that, the teachers are often lacking credntials to teach science and professional development can't be offered during the school day which means it is only available on holidays and weekends, when teachers need to take care of family. Imagine trying to teach students who go home to a home where their parents may be missing for up to a month at a time while they seek work elsewhere and the children become the de facto parents; or even worse, children who live in families devastated by AIDS where they are left to raise their younger siblings. It is so sad, yet these children cherish their education and see it as something very important to their lives.

Imagine trying to teach in a country that has 11 official languages- Zulu (the most frequently spoken), English, Afrikaans, Ndebele, Xhosa, Sepedi, Sesotho, Setswana, SiSwati, Tshivenda, and Xitsonga as well as numerous European languages and other African languages such as Urdu. The primary language used for teaching in the schools is English even though it is not the mother tongue of many students. One of the delegates asked Linda Marais, Director of the TRAC program (see http://www.trac.sun.ac.za/ ) if instructional materials were translated into different languages, much the way they are in our country. The answer was an emphatic NO and the reason was surprising. While acknowledging the difficulties of learning science in a language that is not spoken at home, she also clearly stated the goals of teaching science: to prepare students for jobs, and to live and fully participate in a democratic society.Having students understand science in their native language isn’t the real goal, it’s opening students to opportunity.To do that, they have to know science in English. Particularly for jobs in science and engineering. Thus these subjects are taught only in English and surprisingly, the students we met where quite fluent in the language.

Different Views of Table Mountain and the "Table Cloth"

2009-10-23T02:35:00.000-07:00

The view of Table Mountain (top photo) from our hotel was breathtaking! Table Mountain is an iconic part of the landscape in Cape Town. Whether we were coming in to Cape Town, at our hotel, down on the water front, etc. the many views of the mountain were awesome! Driving to and from the airport to Cape Town, we could always see the mountain zebras grazing on the bottom slope of Table Mountain. Table Mountain is famous for its "white table cloth" which descends on the mountain top in early evening, made up of thin, wispy clouds that appear to flow over the "table top" only to dissipate into the air part way down the slope. You could see the condensation being balanced by the evaporation- almost like an equilibrium situation. In the early evening the warm moist air rising from the south during the warm day condenses into a cloud layer as it reaches the cooler mountain top, spills over the mountain and dissipates when it reaches the warmer, lower altitude of the mountain. At least I think that is the explanation! The guest group went up the funicula to visit the top and several of our group hiked up the mountain on our day off.

A Shimmering Silver Tree!

2009-10-21T01:48:00.001-07:00

This beautiful tree grows on the Cape Peninsula and can be found on the slopes of Table Mountain. It grows in the biome area called fynbos- characterized by the shrubby vegetation. It gets its name from the silvery sheen caused by many fine satiny hairs on its grey-green leaves. It feels soft and velvety and shimmers when the sun hits it. It is now a protected tree.

Nelson Mandela Bird of Paradise

2009-10-21T01:45:00.001-07:00

The Bird of Paradise looks like an exotic bird peeking out of a broad leaf. Although many of us associate the orange vaiety with stem cuttings at the florist shop, tropical place like Hawaii, or California where it is the city flower of Los Angeles, it is actually native to South Africa. It grows wild in the Cape. This yellow sepaled variety is named after Nelson Mandela and is in the Kirstenbosch Botannical Gardens. At the Botanical Garden, the curator had access to 7 yellow Bird of Paradise plants and spent the next 20+ years hand-pollinating them with each other to increase the stock. Their first yellow bird of paradise introduced to the trade market (you can buy seeds in the U.S. from companies like Thompson and Morgan) was released under the name 'Kirstenbosch Gold'. In 1996, they were given permission to re-name it in honor of Nelson Mandela.

Flora in South Africa- The Cape Floral Kingdom

2009-10-21T01:34:00.000-07:00

The flora are beautiful in South Africa. From lavender jacarunda trees in Johannesburg to the majestic proteas in Cape Town- as Vanessa would say- they are "drop dead gorgeous"! On Saturday we strolled through the Kirstenbosch Botannical Gardens. Walking among the Cycads felt like a scene out of Jurassic Park. The calla lilies bloom everywhere!

The plants we saw in the botannical garden and throughout our excursions on the Cape belong to the Cape Floral Kingdom - the smallest of the six Floral Kingdoms in the world, and is the only one contained in its entirety within a single country. The Cape Floral Kingdom is characterized by its high richness in plant species (8,700 species) and its high endemicity (68% of plant species are confined to the Cape Floral Kingdom). The Cape Floral Kingdom thus compares with some of the richest floras worldwide, surpassing many tropical forest regions in its floral diversity (read more on the Fynbos and Cape Floral Kingdom at: http://www.plantzafrica.com/vegetation/fynbos.htm )

The Informal Settlements

2009-10-20T22:44:00.000-07:00

Poor, Middle Class and the rich- A Huge Contrast!

There is a huge contrast between the very poor, the middle class, and the very rich in South Africa. Often you will see these "informal settlements" (South African term for towns composed of small metal shacks constructed by the residents). These shacks are put up by the poor, often Zimbabweans and others seeking work in South Africa, and they expand across the landscape sometimes as far as the eye can see. Entire families can live in one small metal shack with the rook held on by stones or tires on top. Most have no electricity and no plumbing. Often communal toilets are set up on the perimeter and buckets used for waste in the homes. Housing for the poor is a huge problem. The government has built many housing developments of small, nice houses for these people but then they turn around and sell them to make money (especially when they have no jobs) and go back to living in the shacks. After seeing this, I have an entirely new meaning for the word "disadvantaged." As you drive by on the bus, which is how these pictures were taken, you can see the sense of community these people have- it is a community, regardless of their living conditions.

Weaver Birds

2009-10-20T14:13:00.000-07:00

These nests are made by weaver birds. When you look up into the tree, there are many, many nests. The birds weave these intricate nests- almost like a basket! There is a nice little YouTube video on Weaver birds at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFNT6uq0WAw

Weaver birds get their name because of their elaborately woven nests (the most elaborate of any birds'). The nests we saw seemed to be made of grasses and small twigs- they were round with a small round opening facing downward. If you gave me some fine grasses, twigs, and fibers, I don't think I could come close to making what these remarkable birds can weave with just their beaks and feet! The birds apear to be quite social and very noisy! When you lok up into a tree, you see many nests, often several on the same branch! The birds build their nests together for protection. Usually the male birds weave the nests and use them as a form of display to lure prospective females. If she likes the nest, she mates with the male.

Great White Shark Cage Diving

2009-10-20T14:08:00.000-07:00

I was torn whether to go great white shark diving or go on safari for a day. I just couldn't come to Africa without seeing the big 5 so I chose safari for our "free day". Five of the group- Stacylynn, Sephali, Melissa, Pam, and Kathleen went shark cage diving near "Shark Alley"- home of the world's largest congregation of great whites! And they got up close and personal! Here are a few of their photos and a video taken by Melissa of a Great White breech by the boat.

Cape Buffalo!

2009-10-20T14:05:00.001-07:00

The Cape Buffalo is one of the "Big 5" animals in South Africa. Natives refer to them as the "black death" since they are widely regarded as a very ornery and dangerous animal. The Cape Buffalo gores and kills over 200 people every year in Africa. Buffalo are sometimes reported to kill more people in Africa than any other animal, although the same claim is sometimes made of the hippopotamus. They are grazers and are frequently found along wet, muddy areas. At the reserve, the Cape Buffalo were along the river and several were under the trees over near the lodges. While there were only a dozen or so at the reserve, the group going on to Kruger will probably see the large herds!

Cheetahs!

2009-10-20T14:02:00.000-07:00

The Reserve had a few cheetahs that were part of a rehabilitation program. The cheetahs were kept in an enclosure and were actually quite tame. They are used to people, having been raised as orphan cubs, and can be petted. One came right up to Cliff and licked his hand and cliff got to pat him as did Carol and Debra! I know Cliff will forever cherish his cheetah moment. They are beautiful cats! As the world's fastest land animal, they are able to run up to 70 mph in short spurts. They are said to be easily tamed and very loving. They have been kept by humans for around 5000 years, often trained for hunting. They purr (very loudly as we can attest!) and also hiss, and chirp.

Sadly, the cheetah is extremely endangered and one of the most vulnerable of the big cat species. Though they are a protected, their numbers in the wild and in captivity are declining. They are very sensive to habitat encroachment, often killed by poachers, and killed by farmers to protect livestock. The cheetah suffers from a lack of genetic diversity in the wild and in captivity. They do not breed easily in captivity (unlike most other wild cats). After seeing a cheetah up close and personal, I will be forever in love with these magnificent cats and will be sure to donate to cheetah conservation efforts.

Lion and Remains of a Lion Kill

2009-10-20T14:00:00.001-07:00

Zebras, Impala, and Wildebeest

2009-10-20T13:57:00.001-07:00

Giraffes at Aquila

2009-10-20T13:53:00.000-07:00

A New Meaning to Sticking Your Neck Out!

These giraffes are really fun to photograph. Fortunately I had my zoom lens and could get good close ups!

Aquila Reserve- Safari, Sunday October 18th

2009-10-20T13:43:00.000-07:00

On Safari!

Today we got up early to head for Aquila, a private reserve two hours north of Cape Town. We were greeted at the reserve with champagne and then a nice breakfast in their lovely lodge. The 7 of us got in an open air vehicle, led by a guide and started our three hour safari through 1000's of acres of the reserve lands. By the end of the day, we saw the "big five" plus more! Cliff had an up close and personal encounter with a cheetah but those pictures are on my other camera and the batteries are dead. On Wednesday a small group is headed to Kruger National Park for the extension trip and an amazing 3 day safari experience. For those of us who couldn't get to Kruger, this was second best. One can't leave Africa without seeing the animals in the wild!

Street Performers

2009-10-19T04:28:00.000-07:00

Song and Dance!

These children were wonderful street performers. These girls danced barefoot while their mother drummed. Their energy was amazing. I don't think they ever stopped and wow- could they ever shake their hips! The young girl, who must of been around 6 years old, was beautiful! These boys were quite talented too. I can't wait to play their CD!

The Boulders- Saturday, Oct 16th

2009-10-19T04:21:00.000-07:00

More Pics from the Boulders

The beaches are beautiful here. Delicious group lunch of sea bass at a local waterfront restaurant. Besides the penguins, we were treated to street dancers and singers out on the sidewalks in front of the craft vendors. Of course we all shopped to support the "local economy"!

Thar She Blows

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Southern Right Whales off of Cape Point

The bay was full of southern right whales. Here is a pod of 4-5 whales feeding in the bay. Magnificent!

Baboons and Cobras

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Don't feed the baboons and watch out for the cobra!

Baboons are common in Cape Point and can be quite a nuisance. They have been known to grab women's purses and empty them out looking for food! You can see them along the road side. There are warning signs to not feed the baboons- it is against the law. There was a slo a warning sign for the resident cobra living near the visitor's center by the funicula up to Cape Point lighthouse.

Cape of Good Hope National Park- Saturday, October 17th

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Cape of Good Hope

Another heaven on earth! This national park occupies the south western tip of Africa. Driving toward the park we saw baboons along the road. They are the equivalent of our pigeons and sea gulls and it is against the law to feed them. They have been known to harass tourists! Driving into the vast park, the ocean and mountain views are stunning. Ostriches and kudu graze along the ocean, well camouflaged eland graze in the distance, the Cape point lighthouse (at the south western tip of Africa) provides a stunning view. The flora are magnificent- wild protea flowers everywhere. Interesting lizards and beautiful red and orange lichens on the rocks. A gorgeous day!

More Ocean Views

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Two More

Here are two more photos to go with the previous post!

Taking a Coastal Drive

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Stunning Ocean Views

As we drove from Cape Town through Hout Bay, Chapman's Bay, Sweet Water and Scarborough, on our way to the Cape of Good Hope, we saw these stunning ocean views, including this overhand we drove under cut into the mountain. As our guide Vanessa would say, it's "drop dead gorgeous"!

African Penguins- Saturday, October 16th

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African Penguins at Boulder Rock

Today we saw the African Penguin Colony at Boulder Rock in Table Mountain National Park, Simon's Town, South Africa. Boulder Rock is famous for its thriving colony of AFrican Penguins as well as its beautiful sandy beaches and glistening blue water. These vulnerable birds can be viewed from close range as they wander freely in their protected habitat.

Johannesburg to Capetown on Friday, October 16th

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Flying into Cape Town

On Friday, we departed Johannesburg for a 2 hour flight to Cape Town- the Southern part of South Africa. As we descended from the clouds, we could see beautiful towering mountains, lush green fields and vineyards, beautiful beaches- a jewel of a city. Cape Town is the most popular desination on the African continent and it is easy to see why!

We safely landed and made our way to another lovely hotel- The Southern Sun Cape Sun Hotel. Groups headed to the Waterfront for dinner and entertainment, and much anticipation for tomorrow's adventure!

Gramadoelas Exotic African Restaurant

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Extraordinary African Cuisine!

Tonight the group had dinner at this famous Exotic African Restaurant- Gramadoelas. Not only was the food incredible, but the decor was outstanding! Visit their web site at: http://www.gramadoelas.co.za/ The Clintons, Queen Elizabeth, and other famous people have eaten there and it's easy to see why! The host is so gracious and the food absolutely sumptuous. Some of the items on this very extensive buffet included "Mosonja" Mopani Worms in a peri and onion sauce (and yes- several of us tried them and have the photos to prove it!), Bobotie (a spiced beef with egg custard topping, "Umngqusho " Samp (dried corn and beans), "Moroho" wild spinach, Snoekpaai (a cape fish pie), mussels in garlic cream sauce, Ostrich casserole cooked in red wine with olives and mushrooms, baked pumpkin soiced with cinnamon, and more, and more, and more...and the wine flowed and the desserts were delectable. It was a wonderful evenong of food and good company. Visit he web site to see their recipes! And the photo is from the web showing what mopani worms actually look like when they are harvested and then sold to restaurants!

Girls in Science

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Girl Power!

South Africa's next generation of Women Leaders in Science and Technology! These girls were just delightful and so proud of their education!

TRAC South Africa

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Visiting a Science, Mathematics, and Technology Program

This morning we went to visit TRAC- a non-profit program throughout South Africa that supports physical science, math, and technology in South Africa's secondary schools. We watched a class in the lab working with sensor equipment to analyze acceleration graphs. The students were as interested in us as we were in them and we had a wonderful opportunity to aobserve and ask them questions. When I asked the girls how many wanted to be engineers, they nodded enthusiastically. The program really encourages students to be creative, enjoy math and science, and solve relevant problems. What impresses me most about the students in South Africa is how serously they take they education and how much they value it. The TRAC program is quite impressive in bringing these opportunities to disadvantaged students.

Nelson Mandela

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Bigger than Life!

This statue of Nelson Mandela is bigger than life, like the man himself- truly an inspirational leader.

Sanibonani!

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We arrived in Johannesburg after a very LONG 15 hour flight.

The pilot told us the flight from JFK to Johannesburg is the second longest direct flight from that airport (JFK to Singapore being the longest). After a day of serious jet lag, we arose this morning feeling refreshed and ready to learn about science education in South Africa. I felt like I needed to pinch myself- am I really on this amazing continent in this country of such rich diversity and history? The people here are so friendly. Our guides are wonderful and the delegation is a diverse group representing K-12 classroom teachers, university professors, science education consultants, district science coordinators, etc.

Today, Dr. Marissa Rollnick from the Marang Center for Mathematics and Science Education at Wits University spoke to us about the status of science education in South Africa. Her talk gave us new insights into the meaning of a “disadvantaged school” and equity in education. Wow- we could have listened to her all day. After lunch at Mandela Square, we headed over to Soweto to visit the Hector Pieterson Museum. Hector was the first child shot and killed in the Soweto riots. Did you know the Soweto riots started with a massive organized protest by school children who did not want a Bantu education. They were forced to learn 50% of their lessons in English and 50% in Africaans and no lessons in their own language. The children rose up in protest because of the inequity of education for the black children. The violence that ensued against these children and families who only wanted a fair education was a tragic episode in the history of South Africa. The museum was quite sobering.

Photos are a challenge to upload on the Internet here so pictures may have to wait until we return. More tomorrow…

Follow Our Trip!

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Family members, colleagues, and friends of the People to People Science Education Delegation, we invite you to "come along" with us to South Africa by following our activities on this blog site. Charlotte and I will try to post regular updates and photos so you can see what we are doing and leave us comments if you wish. You can also click on the Followers button at the left to be an official follower of our trip and let us know that you are "joining" us on this exciting adventure. Check back after our departure date, October 12th. We are looking forward to sharing the highlights of our professional and cultural experiences with you! We will start posting shortly after we arrive in Johannesburg (after a good nap to recover from jet lag!).

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