And so it begins with a LEAP..

Preface:

I am working at a school called LEAP Science and Math School in Johannesburg, South Africa. It is a charter school that focuses on students from the Alexendra township. Alexandra was one of the oldest South African townships and is now sandwiched between two major freeways on the edge of Sandton. All the learners of LEAP attended the township schools of Alexandra before being selected to join LEAP. The history of low achievement in Math and Science in these township schools has meant that very few learners from Alexandra have been able to study tertiary courses which require math and science. LEAP 3 is an intervention to help change this pattern.

Day 1

We arrived at the airport a day and a half after we left. Talking about the Brazil game we saw on the plane, everyone kept commenting and asking if I had seen the game yesterday…it was an odd thought that it still felt like the same day for me.

We left SD on the 28^th at about 7am. I slept maybe for an hour and a half that night, so I was a delirious mess to say the least, at the airport. My vision was blurry and processing any questions from TSA and customs made me seem like a mumbling terrorist….or maybe it was my disheveled hair, unshaved face and uneasy look I had to me.

The Tambo airport was beautiful and the accents were amazing. I am a sucker for anyone with accents and the South African accent is beautiful. I want to come back with a SA accent.

We were picked up by 2 LEAP staff members and 2 LEAP students. One woman named Sara is a permanent staff member at LEAP and is from San Francisco. Janette is another staff member who hailed from Johannesburg. Then there were two students who came too. They are both 11^th grade boys named something and something. I really couldn’t understand their names. They have Zulu names, but one of their names translates to “Love everyone.” Anyways, both boys were amazing and helpful and I cannot wait to actually talk to them and remember their names.

We went to a steak house and I had a burger….nothing special but one interesting custom I learned is that it is proper etiquette when shaking someone’s hand is that when you extend your hand to shake, your other hand grabs your shaking hand’s wrist. If you are wearing a long sleeve shirt, you should pull it up a bit so you can touch your skin. It is interesting and it will be hard to get used to that.

I love travelling and learning these small things. It really opens your eyes to how different cultures are and how similar they can be at the same time.