Yes, it’s been a long minute since I blogged, I reached a point where I honestly felt that I had nothing to say, maybe it had to do with reading way too many posts on social media, trying to absorb all the anger, confusion, prejudice, and unchecked trolling that abounds. I stayed quiet on my stoep and continued to listen to Crime documentaries while I crocheted away, yet another wildly coloured blanket being foisted upon my poor children or anyone I deemed ‘blanket worthy’
I have crocheted dolls with different skin tones and hairstyles and I am proud to say that I hook a mean dreadlock,,,ja! Come for me! Cultural appropriation? Whatever sweetie.
Much of my time on my stoep has been dominated by me ruminating on the fact that I have reached a stage in my life where I am viewed as ‘elderly’, on my way to enjoying my ‘Golden Years’
Much talk of pension plans and way too many messages about Hospital Plans and Frail Care and the inevitable offers of Insurance to be left for the offspring in the event of my untimely demise. Scary stuff.
But here I am, still teaching, and this time in a school with CHALLENGES to say the least. Where children instinctively wince when you approach them, anticipating a smack on the side of the head, where people attack each other over a pencil and way too many only have one meal a day, eaten at school.
The smell of unrinals mix with the meal of the day in dusty and mostly filthy passages. Children are crammed into classrooms with dilapidated desks and few textbooks, discipline is meted out swiftly and harshly in most cases and it leaves one with PTSD at the end of most days.
In an effort to cheer up the surroundings I embarked on making uplifting and bright posters with the Educator’s name, all beautifully laminated, which I then gave out to teachers. Whether they really wanted it was not my concern, and most of them looked quite happy. Of course I punished a few by NOT making them anything..how sad my revenge, did they notice? I simply can’t make a ‘ happy poster’ for a person who tells me that my problem with discipline is because I treat the kids like humans,,,,let that sink in...
My good friend at school received a laminated masterpiece of Spongebob and a Purple Rabbit, and it became our Go To Response to the surreal nightmare of many of our days at this Institution ....in time of madness we have the Purple Rabbit darling, what else can we say?
And so...we came to COVID 19 and lockdown and the world was literally forced to take a pause.
We were sent home, and told to stay there. Washing hands became the new trend and the Corona Greeting was invented. And....the internet erupted as thousands of people embarked on this journey together. A dizzying array of videos have been posted daily, and still continuing, of how and what and where people are coping with all of this.
Online Teaching has taken its place amongst those that have access to it, while thousands more continue life in various abodes all over South Africa. Irate parents bemoaning the fact that they have to teach their children at home and why should the teachers be paid? I just want to mention that educators did not intentionally cause the Pandemic, we are powerless against this scourge, much as the LGBTQ community is blameless for any Natural disaster that might befall the world.
Much speculation and doomsday utterances are entertained, and apparently TicToc is now our salvation, where anyone can be as silly or irreverent as possible and get high on their ‘Likes’ and become instantly famous.
During this time amazingly wonderful people have moved out of their comfort zones and have been making masks and collecting food parcels for people who live in abject poverty, while celebrities bemoan their forced incarceration in their mansions. Ricky Gervais is on it!
