First Week in Port Elizabeth

Yesterday I had a session with first year students entering college.  The session entitled, “Beautiful Me” was to help them realize their strengths and sustain positive attitudes in their studies.  I facilitated an interactive exercise where they worked in groups to articulate behaviors that support feelings of confidence, hopefulness, thankfulness, peacefulness etc.  You get the picture.  At the end, a speaker from each group shared responses.  They were fantastic!  One student speaker had all of us laughing when he shared that they came up with a behavior to support joyfulness that began with the letter “s” but wasn’t “school”.  He continued and read a poem that the group wrote.  I will meet with them again next week to address ways to succeed academically and can’t wait!

Today, I conducted a presentation in a township college, and about 30 lecturers were there. The lecturers were wonderful, caring, compassionate, and open to change. They face many challenges as they teach students who have low marks and don’t qualify for regular college admission.  Most of the students come from poor backgrounds and are easily discouraged.  These lecturers (term used here for teachers at the college level) are very dedicated to helping the students achieve but face an uphill battle against regulations from the higher government bureaucracy requiring them to do things in a rigid way.

In the session, I encouraged them to share their challenges and brainstorm ways to address them.  They participated with enthusiasm and I was proud to be among them.  David attended as well.  At every session he attends, he makes new contacts and is organizing his own schedule of activities.  On Monday, he will meet with the head of the business education program.  Yesterday, he met a university law student at the grocery store, and they are talking about ways David can contribute to the law students.  There is no shortage of opportunities, and David is full speed ahead.

 In a short while, we're being picked up by Piet and Elize Naude to go for drinks at the Beach Hotel.  Piet is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University and a friend and colleague.  He is a philosopher and business academic with a passion for ethics.  Every time we’re together, the conversation is deep and fascinating.  Anette and Michael Knight (Anette is my primary host) will join us. Michael is an environmental scientist and head of conservation for the South Africa Parks. A fantastic guy! He just got back from a visit to Dubai where he is consulting with them on how to sustain wildlife. It turns out, that Andre, my friend who is providing our accommodation, has a birthday the very same day as David – February 25.  A celebration here in PE will take place and then we leave for a few days in Cape Town toward the end of the month.

Now for a relaxing weekend before Week Two! 

My friend Thoko Batyi from previous visits here.

David with the Bishop.  David will soon be giving a "sermon" at the church.  Stay tuned!

Facilitating a workshop with the lecturers

Dinner with friends and colleagues from the University