YOUTH FOR UNDERSTANDING SOUTH AFRICA
’S CULTURE SCOPE 21 JUNE 2012 IN THIS ISSUE: PAGE 2 - VOLUNTEER TRAINING 21ST APRIL - PRETORIA PAGE 3 - NEWSLETTER TEAM PAGE 4 - DURBAN TOUR APRIL 2012 / MY YEAR IN 200 WORDS PAGE 5 - APRIL UP COUNTRY VISITS / CROSSWORD PUZZLE PAGE 6 - KNITTING PROJECT / WHAT’S YFUing / FACEBOOK UPDATES FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY
ISSUE #01
Welcome to YFU South Africa’s first issue of the Culture Scope! This is the official newsletter of YFU South Africa delivered to you by the Junior Volunteer Council (JVC). It will be published bi-monthly filled with the news from all over the country and across the YFU world. It will feature a cross of all the happenings regarding YFU’s exchange students, host families and volunteers, as well as fun information regarding the organisation. There will just be plenty of fun for everyone.
PAGE 7 - SOME FUN WITH NUMBERS PAGE 8 - FROM THE DESK OF THE CHAIR
As we are in the midst of winter, many of our inbounds prepare themselves for a journey back to their home countries. They will begin to realise all that has changed within the year or even six months that they have spent in South Africa. It is a sad time for many host families and students, because it is never easy to say goodbye to your newest son or daughter. As for the students, saying goodbye to their new families will just be as difficult. While we reach the end of one thing we can look forward to the beginning of another. On the 31st July we will be welcoming our newest group of exchange students, who will embark on a trip that thousands before them have already taken, but yet it never gets old.
VOLUNTEER TRAINING 21ST APRIL—PRETORIA
T
he difference between giving the perfect advice and counseling, the importance of understanding these two concepts was one of the many important issues discussed at the volunteers counselors training held in Pretoria, conducted by a very friendly and professional intern at the Pretoria office, Gabriele Tervidyte.
Part two, Active listening had a same setting but this time, the partner had the opportunity to respond, be it commenting or asking a question. We then also gave our feedback and found that a few of us ran out of things to say and some did not know when to “interrupt”. We then had a half an hour lunch break, giving us some time to converse and get to know each other better, and of course enjoy the delicious food. Training resumed and the importance of limiting ones personal judgment while counseling was discussed. We were then again asked to pair up, and given a set of quotes and questions, each pair had to pick one question and was asked to present and share our thoughts thereafter. That then marked the end of the training with some self-set advice on how to develop.
Learning in progress, do not disturb.
The question, “what qualities are needed as a counselor?” was presented, and out of the many points that were mentioned the group established that keeping an open mind, listening, expertise, and not being judgmental were the skills needed to become the ideal contact person in YFU and a great friend, colleague in everyday life. The team of 8 (it is such a shame that we were so few) then participated in a two part exercise that required us to sit with our backs to each other. Part one required that we communicate to our partners and talk about something very dear to us and our partners remain completely silent for 2min – they only listen, we then gave our feedback and discovered that for some, finding what to talk about was a challenge, and for some, talking at that moment was the easiest thing to do and could be done for ever, as well as the expectation of a response also made it somewhat difficult to carry on talking. On the other hand, the “listeners” to some extent found it reasonably difficult to channel their concentration to the speaker, and also felt the need to respond with the simple “Mmm” and “Aha”, this exercise was called Passive listening.
Back row: Fez, Thys, Paco Front Row: Gaby, Rynette, Magda, Barbara, Selelo, Nina, Paulina
I personally found the training very informative and extremely helpful, it was simple and very understandable, most of all, I enjoyed getting to know new individuals from different walks of life who found each other in the YFU family! Thank you! :-)
By: Selelo Maake (Returnee)
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M A E
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Tetelo Tee Mabiletsa
Barbara Buitendach Born in 1990 and raised in Pretoria, I’m a city dweller in heart and soul. As an only child I was always searching for friends until my parents brought their god child Patricia to stay with us. In 2008 my mother’s friend approached us about hosting an overseas exchange student and Jana from Germany came into our lives. We were convinced that we would do it once and that would be the end of it, but the next year my mother became a volunteer and contact person and into our home and hearts came Cadine from Austria. Since then our lives were never the same again. The whole family became involved and joined as volunteers. I became a junior contact person and started assisting with orientations. Suddenly my family grew every year with new students in the country, into our home and into our hearts. I’m a 4th year Vocal Art student at Tshwane University of Technology. I study opera singing and music theory and hope to go into teaching next year. My passion is teaching music theory and/or singing to primary school children. I’m also a Christian and an active member of the music ministry in our church. I would love to continue being an older (host) sister (and later a host mother) for future exchange students. “Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent” ― Victor Hugo
And all the contributions from around the country also deserve a very special thank you. Without out you we would just have a very blank page with all our love on it.
I am a 20 year old film and media productions student at the University of Cape Town. I’m a bundle of personality with a curious mind and a desire to exchange experiences and knowledge with the people I come into contact with. My experience with YFU is purely based on the fact that YFU is a global family imparting wisdom of the various cultural diversities yet we celebrate these differences. “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” – St. Augustine
Exchange student to Sweden in 2007, intern in Denmark in 2009 and full-time YFU SA volunteer. When I say full time, I almost mean it is foolish how much time I spend with YFU, but it is a large part of my life, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. When not YFU’ing I am studying towards my degree in International Relations and Political Science at the University of South Africa or watching unreasonable amounts of sport and enjoying the worlds social media. I am also on the YFU South Africa Board and part of the vibrant and exciting JVC. For now that is all and you will be hearing plenty more of my thoughts through out our future newsletter publications. "It always seems impossible until it is done." Nelson Mandela Ngoako Mashitisho
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Durban Tour April 2012 On the 2nd April 21 YFU students started their journey from Pretoria or PE to Kwazulu-Natal. In the late afternoon and evening everybody arrived in Amanzimtoti . The first day we visited a croc world. Very interesting but we all longed for the beach! This was luckily our next stop. Girls tanning and guys playing rugby. Chilling at the beach and there just happens to be a camera.
The next day started in the middle of the night…only the early bird catches the sunrise in the harbour. We were divided into two groups and we went out on a boat to see the work of the KZN shark boats followed by a documentary and a dissection of a shark. On Thursday – the funniest day of all – we went to Ushaka marine world. First the aquarium or the dolphin show and then relaxing in the water park. The last two days were “chillaxed” beach – bowling – beach – shopping – more beach…but then Sunday came and our sweet lives found an end.
By: Nina Klauß (Austria)
My year in 200 words Being an exchange student is not always easy, and during my stay the question “is this the right thing to do?”, has popped up a few times (maybe even a bit more...) – luckily those thoughts quickly disappear again and when they do, I realise how lucky I am, being able to do this and get this unique experience! That is why I can only use one word for my exchange year, amazing! I have been on tours which have given me; endless laughs with my (host) family and friends, made me get charged by a hippo, playing “Werewolf” (YFU game) till my head was close to exploding of keeping laughter in me, almost fallen five metres down a waterfall, been locked in a cell The famous pose on Robben Island, and made me have only a basin with water for bathing and only a long-drop as toilet for 14 days – the memories are endless! In only one year I have been fortunate enough to see almost all corners of a new country, been part of another family, created friends in South Africa and all over Europe, learned a new language, experienced how things work in a very different country, and had a personal growth I could not have achieved without my exchange year – the list goes on forever and it is all part of making hold in the famous sentence “Your exchange year is the best year in your life”. All this, in only one year…
By: Alexander Rauff (Denmark )
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APRIL UP COUNTRY SCHOOL VISITS Our national director, Nina Voges, took an expedition to the Gauteng Province where she was accompanied by the Gauteng regional head, Rynette, and Paco, who is an intern from the Netherlands. Together they visited schools in and around the province to expand the YFU relationship with potential students and host families. “During the two weeks Rynette, the intern Paco Bleeker from the Netherlands and I, visited 16 schools in Middelburg, Witbank, Rustenburg, Krugersdorp, Britz and Bronkhorstspruit. The aim was two-fold, namely to establish contact with new schools where we have never been before. We introduced our program to the principals, handed them flyers and posters and explained the concept. In addition we also set up appointments for presentations during which our in and outbound programs would be explained fully to the students. While our aim at this time of the year is mainly to find potential host families, we have also used the opportunity to market the outbound program. We were very well received at all the schools and they have expressed a positive attitude towards working with us. All the schools provided us with the opportunity to do presentations.� Dr Voges said. CROSSWORD PUZZLE TEST YOUR YFU KNOWLEDGE
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KNITTING PROJECT There was an article in the local Middelburg newspaper, placed by Mid Med Hospital about the people in the hospital knitting blocks for the renovation of the children’s ward. Mariana, our volunteer in Middelburg saw the article and decided that it was an excellent community project for YFU to get involved in. YFU started knitting. Boys, girls and volunteers from both Middelburg and Pretoria knitted with enthusiasm. Between the bags of blocks received from Pretoria and the ones filled in Middelburg we were able to hand over with pride 5 bags of blocks to Matron Annatjie Smit, the organizer of the project. Annika van Rooijen from Austria represented YFU at the tea given by the hospital and the blankets on display were lovely. A big “thank you” to Annika, Emma, Anni, Paula, Alexander and Nils from Middelburg and Lieselotte, Magda, Barbara, Ouma Barbara and Tannie Isabel from Pretoria for all the effort you put in and to Henri for all the coffee he made while his family was knitting.
WHAT’S
ING?
FACEBOOK UPDATES FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY Magda Buitendach (host mom) - “Nog net 8 dae
It’s a lifestyle. Whether we’re preparing for orientations or laughing our butts off with fellow volunteers, we’re all working together with a common goal for YFU. Every now and again, each region engages in activities ranging from orientations to family days... 25 May – 27 May: Re-Entry Orientation (PE) 31 May – 3 June: Re-Entry Orientation (PTA) 8 June – 10 June: Kruger National Park 25 June - 28 June: Pre-Departure Orientation (CT)
dan gaan Henri huistoe. My hart wil breek maar ek weet hy gaan nie vir altyd weg nie, want vir altyd sal hy in my hart wees!” Laura Jørgensen (Denmark) - “only 1 week left in South Africa” Anaïs Ars (France) - “I don't care about the animals you know! I just want to enjoy my last week end with all the exchange students” Paula Magdenfranz (Germany) - “What an awesome (host) brother I have.” Dominik Holzherr (Switzerland) - “Just came home from another YFU orientation - sadly it
26 June: Current inbounds leave
was the last one :( Thank you guys for making
31 July: New inbounds arrive
you YFU for offering us this amazing
Watch this space for events and activities in your region!
this weekend and the whole year EPIC and thank opportunity :). Already sad to lose this YFU family :(“ Emmiina Partanen (Finland) - “Only one week left in South Africa! I just did a test packing and
FOR UP TO DATE NEWS, PICTURES, ACTIVITIES AND GATHERINGS:
found out that 2 bags and 46 kilograms will be enough for all my stuff I wanna take back home:) I'm sooo relieved right now ”
FOLLOW US ON TWITTER - @YFUSouthAfrica LIKE US ON FACEBOOK - YFU South Africa VISIT OUR WEBSITE - www.yfu.org.za
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SOME FUN WITH NUMBERS
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FROM THE DESK OF THE CHAIR I trust everyone has enjoyed reading our first edition of the Culture Scope! In this section, as the JVC chairperson (Ngoako Mashitisho), I will sum up the newsletter and just share what ever I feel may have been left out in the publication, or anything that I have come across in my (our) ordinary lives that may be relevant to everyone. For this edition I came across a very true and meaningful piece on almost ALL the emotions one goes through at the end and even during an exchange year. It encompasses the feelings of everyone involved in the exchange process, families, friends and of course the exchange student. So here it is, go through all the emotions:
"A year has passed and now we stand on the brink, of returning to a world where we are surrounded by the paradox of everything and yet nothing being the same. In a couple of weeks we will reluctantly give our hugs and, fighting the tears, we will say goodbye to people who were once just names on a sheet of paper to return to people that we hugged and fought tears to say goodbye to before we ever left. We will leave our best friends to return to our best friends. We will go back to the places we came from, and go back to the same things we did last summer and every summer before. We will come into town on that same familiar road, and even though it has been months, it will seem like only yesterday. As you walk into your old bedroom, every emotion will pass through you as you reflect on the way your life has changed and the person you have become. You suddenly realize that the things that were most important to you a year ago don't seem to matter so much anymore, and the things you hold highest now, no one at home will completely understand. Who will you call first? What will you do your first weekend home with your friends? Where are you going to work? Who will be at the party Saturday night? What has everyone been up to in the past few months? Who from school will you keep in touch with? How long before you actually start missing people barging in without calling or knocking? Then you start to realize how much things have changed, and you realize the hardest part of being an exchange student is balancing the two completely different worlds you now live in, trying desperately to hold on to everything all the while trying to figure out what you have to leave behind. We now know the meaning of true friendship. We know who we have kept in touch with over the past year and who we hold dearest to our hearts. We've left our worlds to deal with the real world. We've had our hearts broken, we've fallen in love. There have been times when we've felt so helpless being hours away from home when we know our families or friends needed us the most, and there are times when we know we have made a difference. Just weeks from now we will leave. Just weeks from now we take down our pictures, and pack up our clothes. No more going next door to do nothing for hours on end. We will leave our friends whose random e-mails and phone calls will bring us to laughter and tears this summer, and hopefully years to come. We will take our memories and dreams and put them away for now, saving them for our return to this world. Just weeks from now we will arrive. Just weeks from now we will unpack our bags and have dinner with our families. We will drive over to our best friend's house and do nothing for hours on end. We will return to the same friends whose random emails and phone calls have brought us to laughter and tears over the year. We will unpack old dreams and memories that have been put away for the past year. In just weeks we will dig deep inside to find the strength and conviction to adjust to change and still keep each other close. And somehow, in some way, we will find our place between these two worlds. In just weeks. Are you ready?"
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WOULD YOU LIKE TO BECOME A HOST FAMILY OR BECOME AN EXCHANGE STUDENT?
Well you have no reason to waste time. Please feel free to contact any one of our representatives in a region near you. Cape Town (Head Office): Tel - 012 423 1677 Email - info@yfu.org.za Pretoria (Rynette Scholtz): Cell - 082 464 3957 Email - scholtz1@telkomsa.net Port Elizabeth (Iris Goeda): Cell - 082 464 3950 Email - iGoeda@aspenpharma.com
THABO AND PIERRE