YFU South Africa Newsletter - September 2021 by YFU South Africa

YFU SOUTH AFRICA

Newsletter September 2021 Youth for Understanding South Africa

Make the world your home!

CONTENT

Chairman's Message Staff Updates Partner Schools Coloured Glasses YFU 70th Anniversary Inbound Students Student Trips Host Families

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A Message from our Chairman of the Board Dear YFU friends and colleagues It's the most wonderful time of the year at YFU SA...our new students have arrived and are firmly in the care of their host families! This means that after a largely scaled-back programme over the past year, our Q3 inbound and volunteer activities will again resume within the context of the applicable restrictions. I am therefore pleased to write this brief introduction at a time when our organisation is emerging from a period of uncertainty. In February this year, we were deeply struck by the sudden passing of our dear friend and colleague, Rynette Scholtz. Mamma Nettie, as she was affectionately known, would be proud of our volunteers and host families for their role in ensuring that we continue to advance the mission of YFU in South Africa and abroad. We are glad that our Q3 exchange students arrived in South Africa just a few weeks ago. Their arrival indicates that our host families and volunteers are again (or perhaps were throughout) ready to welcome the world! The geographic representation of our host families makes this a particularly exciting cycle; with the Eastern Cape region being well-represented.

A number of schools continue to extend their goodwill toward YFU SA , which we are most appreciative of. We will do our best to ensure that the exchange experience leaves a positive and lasting impact in our partner schools and communities. The appointment of four additional part-time staff members recently is also very exciting. The growth in our staff complement indicates that we are on the path to recovery. We wish them all the best in their respective portfolios and have no doubt that their efforts will contribute to the growth and development of our organisation. In this, the 70th year of YFU's existence, we consider YFU's mission to be as important as before. It certainly is a privilege to be part of a global community whose purpose is to make the world a little better. We thank our host families, students, staff, volunteers and all partners for their continued dedication and support. Best wishes, Jaymion Hendricks On behalf of the YFU South Africa Board of Directors

A Warm Welcome to Our New Staff Members! BY LENA GRONBACH Dear YFU community, It is with great excitement that we welcome four (!) new part-time staff members to the YFU South Africa team! Danie van Gass, Ngoako Mashitisho, Henning Lubbe and Nia van Wyk may be new in terms of their positions as YFU staff members, but they are by no means new to YFU. All four of them have a YFU background and we look forward to working with such a motivated, dedicated and diverse team of passionate YFUers! Danie van Gass, our new Inbound and Host Family Coordinator for Gauteng and the surrounding provinces, has close links to YFU through his sister, cousin and daughter, all of whom have been part of the YFU community in various capacities.

Danie van Gass

Ngoako Mashitisho

Volunteer and Inbound and Host Family Coordinator Training Coordinator

Ngoako Mashitisho, our new Volunteer and Training Coordinator, started off as a YFU exchange student to Sweden and joined YFU South Africa as a volunteer after his return. He has also been an active member of the global YFU community, e.g. through his internship with YFU Sweden and his participation in European YFU events such as the YES. Nia van Wyk, who will be supporting Ngoako in an assistant capacity, was our first South African exchange student to Japan and recently joined YFU as a volunteer and Coloured Glasses facilitator. Henning Lubbe, our new Placement Support Person (PSP) Coordinator, has been an active volunteer, orientation teamer and PSP for several years and will be in charge of our newly-expanded support system for students and host families.

Welcome to the team!

Nia van Wyk

Henning Lubbe

Volunteer and Training Assistant

Placement Support Coordinator

In Loving Memory of 'Mamma Nettie' Scholtz BY LENA GRONBACH & JAYMION HENDRICKS it is with profound sadness that we share the passing of our beloved friend and colleague, Rynette Scholtz earlier this year. Mamma Nettie, as she was affectionately known, passed away on 4 February 2021 after a short illness. We continue to mourn this incredibly deep loss, and will forever remember Rynette as a mother to countless exchange students, interns and volunteers, and as a dear and loyal friend and colleague. We are grateful Rynette was able to experience the outpouring of love and support from all corners of the world, as we all hoped and prayed for her speedy recovery during her illness. Her passing has left a deep void in our hearts.

During her 15 years with the YFU South Africa family, Rynette lived by the ideals of our organisation and she has left a lasting legacy in our network and in each and every one of us. Her impact is felt by a generation of exchange students and interns whom she embraced as her own. By embodying ubuntu, Rynette’s humanity bridged divides and challenged prejudices. Her reach transcends borders, race and cultures and she made our country, and the world, a better place. We will miss her unconditional love, generosity and her comforting hugs. We encourage you to remember Rynette by sharing a message, memory or picture on our virtual memorial wall.

It's Not a Good Bye - It's a 'See You Later'! BY LENA GRONBACH In mid-January, just as we were preparing for the upcoming programme year, I received a Facebook message from a YFU community member. Her name sounded vaguely familiar as she had previously worked for the YFU Global Office and had also been active as a volunteer and host family for YFU Estonia. The message read: "Dear Lena, I can't get the internship offer in YFU South Africa out of my head. Every time I see this announcement, my heart starts beating faster and I start asking myself would, could, should I try? I am curious, have you already found someone to assist you from February to May?" My first thought after looking at her profile was: "Why would someone with her level of YFU experience - and someone who is no longer a 20-something student or volunteer want to become an unpaid intern on the other side of the world?"

Little did I know that this rather random Facebook message would result in Airika spending the next six months in South Africa - despite visa challenges, a global pandemic, and our organization going through a rather difficult phase, having just lost our longeststanding staff member. She arrived in Cape Town with a big smile on her face (hidden behind her mask, but still visible) and she kept that smile and her positive energy until we had to say good bye to her on 21 August - the same day our new inbound students arrived. From planning and delivering Coloured Glasses workshops and trainings, to data crunching, doing school presentations, host family visits and virtual YFU events - Airika did it all. And not only that: She also had her very own 'exchange experience' in South Africa, discovering a new culture, meeting new people from different backgrounds, travelling, and finding a 'home away from home'. Thank you for everything, Airika - and see you later!

YFU School Partnerships in 2021/22 Our exchange programmes would not be possible without the continued goodwill and support of our YFU partner schools. Despite the difficulties posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, many schools opened their doors to our students this year.

In addition, a large number of schools across South Africa has expressed interest in working with YFU. We look forward to engaging with these new partners in preparation for the new programme year!

A special thank you goes to the schools that are hosting (or have hosted) a YFU student in 2021!

Hudson Park High School

Cradock High School

The King's School Robin Hills

Midrand High School

Steelcrest High School

Hoërskool Frikkie Meyer

Clarendon High School for Girls

Hoërskool Centurion

Hoërskool D.F. Malan

Hoërskool Waterkloof

Hoërskool Linden

Simon's Town School

Parktown High School for Girls

CBC Mount Edmund

Hoërskool Randburg

Coloured Glasses Trainings and School Workshop BY LENA GRONBACH Coloured Glasses is an intercultural workshop format developed by YFU. It follows the principles of non-formal education and is offered to learners, teachers, companies and the general public. The workshops aim to make participants understand the process of cultural adaptation and understanding through fun, exciting and interactive learning activities. Coloured Glasses workshops are based on the concept of cultural diversity, represented by the analogy that all human beings are born wearing a pair of sunglasses in a particular colour. When we interact with people from different cultural backgrounds, our perspective (as well as the colour of our glasses) changes. In April and May our temporary staff member and qualified Coloured Glasses trainer Airika Torn organized two training workshops for future Coloured Glasses facilitators in Pretoria.

Both workshops were well-attended and helped to establish the principles of this non-formal education method among our volunteers. In addition, our new partner school Midrand High School invited us to deliver a half-day Coloured Glasses workshop to a group of 40 teachers and staff members. Through simulations, role plays, group discussions and moderated feedback sessions the participants explored their own cultural perceptions and learned about communication, awareness and tolerance. In addition, the workshop provided an opportunity to get to know their colleagues on a personal level and outside of the formal classroom setting. It was certainly a Saturday morning well spent and we look forward to introducing the ‘Coloured Glasses’ workshops to other schools, as well as to community organizations, companies and universities soon! Are you interested in booking a Coloured Glasses workshop for your school or workplace? Contact us!

Join us in Celebrating YFU's 70th Anniversary! BY LENA GRONBACH This year the global YFU Community is celebrating an important milestone: our 70th Anniversary! What started in 1951 as a bridge between two cultures that had been enemies at war continued to united more and more cultures, connecting hearts and opening minds for a brighter world. In light of this special occasion, the YFU Anniversary Celebration Team would like to illuminate our collaborative work and we invite every single member of our global and local YFU community to join us in celebrating the 70th Anniversary of our organization! Starting with a virtual opening ceremony, the Anniversary Campaign kicked off on 24 April 2021 and will continue throughout the year, comprising a variety of exciting and fun campaigns and activities. We invite each and every member of our community to participate in at least one of the amazing Anniversary campaigns our Celebration Team has put together and to help us showcase YFU's impact and diversity!

So how can you get involved? 1. Sign up for the Anniversary Newsletter to receive the latest campaign updates and infos: Subscribe here! 2. Share your personal YFU story for our Anniversary Storybook: Read more! 3. Share a YFU Thank You Card with your host family or exchange student, a fellow volunteer, your teacher, or any other person who made your YFU experience special. Get started! 4. Submit your favourite exchange-related song for our YFU Spotify playlist here! 5. Join the Global YFU Community in our new LinkedIn group, connect with other YFUers and keep up to date with the latest news from YFU: Join us here! 6. Share your favourite exchange recipe (or a recipe you taught your exchange student) for our global YFU Cookbook! Happy 70th birthday, Youth for Understanding!

Open your Home to Aleksandar from Bulgaria! In exactly four months Aleksandar will leave his small home town in Bulgaria and board a plane to South Africa, his new home for the next five months. All we need to make his exchange dream come true is to find a loving host family for Aleks. Could it be you? Get in touch with us and learn more about becoming a YFU host family!

In his free time Aleksandar likes learning about investments, listening to real estate investing podcasts, reading psychology books, and meeting with successful and inspiring people to learn from them. He plays a lot of basketball and he likes to go cycling and and going out with friends. He really enjoys travelling, especially to foreign countries.

Aleksandar describes himself as an intelligent young person with big dreams and an even bigger motivation to accomplish them. He is not afraid to take risks and to stand up for himself.

His favourite subjects at school are geography, languages, history and psychology, because they give him a better understanding of the world and help him prepare for his professional future as a businessman. Aleksandar has been learning English for 10 years, Spanish for two years and Greek for one year.

His friends would describe him as a fast learner and his determination, especially when it comes to achieving his dreams and goals. Aleksandar is very interested in sports and says practicing various sports has taught him to be disciplined and to be both physically and mentally strong. Aleksandar and his parents live in a small town in north-central Bulgaria. His mother is a teacher and agronomist and his father works as a professional driver. In his family it is a tradition to eat together whenever possible, and to spend time outside when the weather is nice.

During his exchange he wants to try his best to make lasting friendships and to meet people from different backgrounds. He would love to travel and see different parts of South Africa, especially the nature reserves and the amazing wildlife - although he would prefer to live in a larger city. Aleksandar would love to play basketball with a local team, and to practice his favourite sport regularly and to become an even better player.

Nikola from Czech Republic: My Year in SA BY NIKOLA SLIVOVA I chose South Africa as my host country because I wanted to spend my exchange year somewhere 'exotic' and very different from my home country. The first few days after I arrived were quite busy and my host family took me to many places in my new home town, Johannesburg, and we even went to my new school to buy my uniform just two hours after I landed! My host family lives in Melville, a bustling and 'hip' area in Johannesburg. The main street (7th Street) is full of cute restaurants and shops and it has been declared the 12th 'coolest street' in the world. I live with my host parents, Niel and Nora, and my 2-year old host sister who has already become my best friend. My host family loves playing board games and we have games evenings with our friends almost every week. We also have a small book club and we enjoy going for walks together.

I go to Parktown High School for Girls, an all-girls school. Perhaps the biggest difference here is that I have to wear a school uniform and that there are many (strict) rules, including how you wear your hair. Making friends at school was very easy for me and everybody was very welcoming and interested in getting to know me. I also started playing tennis and touch rugby, but unfortunately all sports got cancelled after a few months because of Covid... One of the highlights of my time in South Africa (at least so far) was definitely our trip to Cape Town during the Easter holidays. We visited my host dad’s parents there and they have a beautiful beach house where we stayed. My host family also took me to Bela Bela and Sun City and we have a few other trips planned which I'm very excited about. What I love most about South Africa and its culture is that everybody is so friendly! I also enjoy watching rugby and the whole 'rugby culture' that comes with it - and I will definitely miss having a proper South African 'braai' (barbecue) when I'm back in my 'other' home, Czech Republic!

Sofija from Latvia: Living the Joburg Life BY SOFIJA LOGINA My name is Sofija, I'm from Latvia, and here in South Africa I live in Linden, a quiet and leafy suburb of Johannesburg. I have 3 host siblings: a host brother who is a year older than me, and two younger sisters. All of us get along very well and almost immediately after I arrived it felt like I was part of the family. I’m closest to my eldest host sister with whom I also share a room. We always try to have lunch together and talk about our day. On weekends we usually have tea outside and enjoy the sunshine. In winter we like to sit around the fireplace, play board games or read books and drink hot chocolate. One of my favorite memories is going on a Sunday picnic in the park. We baked a cake, bought some sweets, made sandwiches, and took crackers with dips. This day just made me appreciate the little things that we could still do, even though a pandemic was happening.

On my first day at school at Hoërskool Linden I was very scared that I wouldn’t be able to talk to anyone since it is an Afrikaans-speaking school. But my fears were quickly chased away when I arrived and everyone crowded around me and wanted to speak to me - thankfully in English! I didn’t speak Afrikaans when I arrived, but everyone in my family speaks English, and helps me with learning Afrikaans. I also have lessons once per week with a tutor and I am slowly trying to actually speak the language. One of my highlights so far was visiting my friend's farm during the winter break. Both of us were very excited because we could ride around on a ‘bakkie’ (pick-up truck), see animals and watch beautiful sunsets. South Africa has so many beautiful places, so one thing I would tell anyone wanting to come to South Africa would be: Don’t see South Africa as only Cape Town, because it is beautiful everywhere and wherever you get placed, it will be incredible!

Neele from Germany: My Time in Cape Town BY NEELE KERSTEN The reason I chose to spend my exchange year in South Africa was that I wanted to explore a complete new culture - and my mom was also my inspiration because she did pretty much the same thing around 30 years ago. My host family lives in Bellville, a nice suburb of Cape Town. I have two host brothers and they are 11 and 13 years old. My biological younger brother is also 11, so me and my younger host brother clicked pretty quickly. My host mom and I bonded in the kitchen and over food. We baked and cooked pretty much every day and of course we tried out some traditional recipes as well! One of the activities with my host family that I enjoyed most are definitely our many (day) trips - It’s always fun to travel while you traveling! We visited some beautiful costal towns, but also the day trips to Cape Town city were amazing!

On my first day at school (at Hoërskool D.F. Malan) I was pretty nervous. But my register teacher picked me up and introduced me to my “school buddy” who helped me during the first few days. Everything was so easy and everyone was welcoming and just super super nice to me! I joined the school's hockey team and really enjoyed it even though training was paused for a while because of Covid. I also chose Consumer Studies as a subject where you can basically bake in class - that was always so much fun! I was also in the German class where I helped my classmates learn German and it was just amazing to see them learning your home language. I couldn’t speak or understand Afrikaans at all when I arrived, but around the middle of the exchange it clicked and suddenly I understood everything. Speaking came more towards the end but the understanding part was a huge achievement for me. My advice to future exchange students would be: Talk, talk, talk. To everyone. Even the cashier or your teachers, just talk. Everyone is going to be a part of your exchange and you don’t want to miss out on that!

The YFU Farm and Wildlife Exchange BY LENA GRONBACH & MARILE COETZEE On 8 May 2021, four of our exchange students embarked on a special adventure to Thabazimbi, a small town in South Africa's Limpopo province. Neele from Germany, Emma from Switzerland, Maria Jesus from Chile, and Sofija from Latvia participated in our annual Farm and Wildlife Exchange which took place at Vlakplaas Farm. The farm is owned by Marilé and Bennie Coetzee, YFU host parents and passionate about giving our students the opportunity to experience life away from the hustle and bustle of the big city. In addition to exploring the farm, cooking together, fishing in the dam, sitting around the campfire and sharing stories and jokes, our students also participated in a number of excursions and activities in and around Thabazimbi.

This included a visit to the local veterinary practice where they had the opportunity to observe and assist with different procedures (including injections and dental cleaning) and learn about animal care. A number of slightly more exotic animals could be observed on the visits to a nearby Buffalo farm and a day trip to Marakele National Park. This was certainly one of the highlights of the week, especially the close encounter with a wild rhino. Time certainly flew for our students - as it does when you're having fun - and they thoroughly enjoyed their time at Vlakplaas Farm. A big thank you to the Coetzee family for giving our students this wonderful opportunity and for making them a part of your family!

Discovering the Bush: YFU Camping Trip BY KAREN HOVY & LENA GRONBACH In April 2021 Neele, Franziska and Emil from Germany (and our interim staff member Airika from Estonia) embarked on a four-day adventure to Kruger Park, South Africa's largest and most well-known nature and wildlife reserve. The tour was organized by Karen Hovy, a long-standing YFU host mom and volunteer, and an avid camper, traveller, and nature-lover. From Johannesburg the group departed in two fully kitted-out camping vehicles, passing Mbombela and Malelane. A breakfast break at Alzu (where the above picture was taken) and a quick stop in Middelburg to pick up Emil, were part of the itinerary. They then headed straight to Lower Sabie Rest Camp inside Kruger Park which would be their 'home base' for the next few days.

The group explored the various sights and 'wildlife hotspots' around Lower Sabie and even headed up to Skukuza for a day. Of course South Africa's wildlife did not disappoint and they spotted elephants, buffalos, giraffes (including three males having play fights), crocodiles, baboons, and various types of buck and birds. Two highlights included spotting a male lion, and a group of wild dogs running right past the car! Breakfast was prepared on the 'skottel' - a South African invention to make cooking over a campfire easier - and dinner was usually a typical South African braai (a.k.a barbecue) over the open fire. When they were not busy exploring the park, the students enjoyed the view over the nearby dam, swam in the pool, played cards, or simply enjoyed the beautiful nature and each other's company. It certainly was a trip to remember and a true South African adventure!

Our Hosting Experience with Gabi from France BY SIRKIEN VAN SCHALKWYK

Our family has been hosting YFU students since 2017 and this year we decided to open our home to Gabriel (Gabi) from France. We first heard about YFU from another host family and we started hosting because we wanted to share our beautiful country and culture and make a difference in a young person's life. Before Gabi arrived we had already 'met' him and his parents via Zoom and we had been chatting on WhatsApp. When we first him at the airport we were very impressed: he wore long pants and a formal shirt and almost looked like he was there for a business meeting! The language barrier between French and Afrikaans was difficult at first, but Gabi adapted very quickly and asked a lot of questions - often using his hand and feet and other creative ways of communicating.

We spent a holiday in Kruger Park and also visited the Garden Route as a family. Gabi loves his drone, so whenever we went on a trip with him we had to stop everywhere so he could fly it - but he took the most beautiful pictures and videos, so it was definitely worth it! Of course there were a few challenges as well: There was the language barrier and Gabi simply could not carry a cup of coffee without spilling it all over the place. As any teenager, he could sometimes be a bit of a a "know-it-all" - but then, we had already experienced this with our own son. Sometimes Gabi also pushed his boundaries and wanted to be more independent (which he was used to from back home). One thing we learned was that it's important to set firm rules in the beginning and to be consistent. Now that Gabi has returned to his home country we definitely miss him and the fun we had together. Our dog Pops probably misses him the most as Gabi had pretty much become Pops' personal 'play fetch' buddy. Now it's our responsibility again and I'm afraid we are not nearly doing it as well as Gabi did!

Our First Exchange Student: Emil from Germany BY MABEL MOABELO My name is Mabel Moabelo and my family is currently hosting our first YFU exchange student, Emil from Germany. We are a loving family of four: my son is 17, my daughter is 23 and studying in the United States, my husband is a inspector for the K9 dog unit of the South African police service, and I run a non-profit called Tender Minds from home. We first heard about YFU when my daughter became friends with a YFU exchange student (Anna from Italy) and we really wanted to give another student the opportunity to experience our beautiful country. We had been in touch with Emil via WhatsApp before he arrived and his English was very good, so communication was easy right from the start.

Of course having a new child in the house was an adjustment at first. Emil was relatively quiet in the beginning and I was worried how he would adapt to his new environment, school and the different culture. But he immediately got along with my son and both of them are the same age and go to school together. Another adjustment was that we had to shift to filtered water as Emil got sick from the tap water once. One thing we learned about Germany through Emil was that the Germans LOVE food and cooking! Emil's family actually sent us a package of German chocolates even before he arrived, and Emil loves cooking and making people happy through his food. One of my favourite memories is when he made homemade pizza from scratch for the entire family! Hosting an exchange student has taught us to be open minded and to be ready to learn from your host child. At the same time being a host family encourages you to explore your neighbourhood, visit local attractions, and see your country through new eyes.

Host a YFU Exchange Student in 2022! BY LENA GRONBACH As we slowly but surely move out of 'pandemic mode', and international travel resumes, we expect the number of exchange students who decide to spend a year or semester in our beautiful country to increase. Having welcomed nine students in August 2021, we hope to welcome at least twice as many in 2022! Building bridges between countries, communities and individuals is more important than ever, and opening your home to a young person from another country is one of the best ways to do this! As every year, we are looking for loving and caring families who are willing to open their home and hearts to one of our students. Our host families come in all shapes and sizes and from different backgrounds and areas all across South Africa.

A YFU host family provides their exchange son or daughter with a nurturing environment in which they can experience life in South Africa. They give love, support and encouragement as the exchange student confronts, considers and adapts to cultural differences by including them into their normal daily life. YFU South Africa receives students from all over the world, including Germany, France, Sweden, Italy, Chile, Argentina, the USA, and many other countries. Our exchange students are carefully selected and thoroughly prepared for their exchange experience in our country - and they cannot wait to explore South Africa's diverse culture, languages, food and traditions and to meet their new families! Are you ready to bring the world into your home? Then contact us and get started on your host family journey!

Cape Town Office

Lena Gronbach Cell: 082 464 3957 Email: Lena@yfu.org.za

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