first day in the schools

today was our first day at the vaaloek school. we worked with kids, ages 10 to 11, on math using the computers which is very hard for many a reasons. 1 there is a huge difference in learning and comprehension between the kids that all come from the same class so the simple addition that mara was doing years ago ie 6+2=? was like translating greek for me - not even the symbols make sense- while for others they were done with their math games in 5 minutes when it was supposed to take 30. 2 the kids dont know how to use a computer or a keyboard for the most part. a girl today accidentally hit down the shift key while typing a 2 and made an @ sign and freaked out thinking she had done something wrong. they don't know that clicking on a red x will get rid of a window or that you can do other things with the computer all they know is that if they hit numbers and then enter it will be red and wrong or green and right. it just seems like there should be a program for learning about computers. i was astounded at uneven levels of understanding was between the kids.

anyway in the afternoon we took some of the kids for their surfing lesson and i was so surprised with the skill level of the kids in the surfing program. like some of them were really good and damn fearless. the water in cape town is truthfully just crazy cold. bone chill cold. i think its terrible in the hole-filled wetsuit that i borrow from the program. the kids however use never donated wetsuits sans holes and want to stay in the water forever and they will. i hope i can record some of them surfing they have really come a long way because most of them were apparently just learning how to swim 6 months ago. so impressive. 

also its my mama's birthday and it makes me kinda homesick but ive got good company to keep my mind off it. too bad the bodyboarders are gone; they were good at that. the church group of 20 gossiping children keen on playing with the dogs and not much else that now takes the bodyboarders' just give off a different vibe :)