My Last Full Day

Wednesday March 19th


Sleep evaded me last night. I just didn’t feel quite as cosy & settled as I have done & my head buzzed like a siren. So when the alarm went off at 5am – I was already up & willing the sun to rise in its spectacular fashion so that I could take some pictures. Alas – too much cloud this morning & the photos were not very special at all.

I arrived at Whizz Kidz at 7.30am – no wrong turns – no anxiety on the highway & was given the most beautiful welcome. Most of the children arrive at 7am & everyone was pleased to see me. I have even learned a little South African Makaton signing. (So different to the UK system – that I have had to sit on my hands for the last few weeks for fear of confusing the children even more)

What a day. The team sought me out – even those who had been a tad evasive previously - came to ask for guidance on this or that. Sarah – the shining star had attended a 2 hour seminar last week on Applied Behaviour Analysis. She threw her arms around me within seconds of arrival & asked if we could talk. She brought her lecture notes & wanted me to explain some of the terminology in the handouts she was given. Why do theses organisations have to use so much jargon. I am a behaviourist & having completed a week long course on IABA – I struggled to get my head around the terminology. Its an “American thing” I suppose – why use one simple words – when ten complicated ones will do? So we spent a half hour going through the notes & paying particular attention to the terms she had underlined. Half way through – Deborah – the Principal came in & discreetly took our photograph. I suspect it will go on the centre web site which is presently under construction.

I had an amazing day. The kids remembered me. A little girl whom I devised a basic programme for to address her tactile defensiveness – came up several times & touched me. By the end of the day – she was initiating games of tag – she rubbed my arm many times & held hers out to be rubbed in return. And in less than two weeks! Wow. Cammie – the little guy who recently had an operation for his severe epilepsy & who needed Speech Therapy – has started therapy. He has been moved to another class where he is doing really well & when prompted to say my name – said – “K ….K …..K ….. Kate”. Everyone clapped & I almost cried.

Even the “die hard” staff in the senior end of the service – sought me out. We had quite an honest – though heated at times - discussion. They wanted to know how they could “make” a lad do his work. They described their anger – their frustration when he wouldn’t engage. Hand over hand guidance had been taken too literally to the point of “You will do this”. It took a while – a lot of examples – with intermittent “I understand how frustrated you must feel” – thrown in – but they got it. By Jove – they got it in the end. It really was a Eureka moment when they realised that if such strategies were going to be effective – they would have been a long time ago. Hopefully now – the path they take with this lad – will reap rewards. And even if it doesn’t – at least the stress levels of all concerned – will be less.

At break time I played in the garden & many of the children laughed at my attempts to juggle one handed. After 10 minutes – several of the kids were bringing me more balls – I must have had 6 or 7 at one point. And who said these non verbal learning disabled kids can’t learn? As well as a solid education – they need to have fun. And boy – did we have fun today? Just as I was saying my goodbyes – I felt myself becoming quite emotional. As I hoped for a sharp exit - I was presented with a package. I opened the paper & inside was 2 canvas shopping bags. Nothing spectacular in that except that all the children had made hand prints on the bags & their name had been written next to their print. One of the most precious gifts I have ever been given & something I will keep & treasure my whole life. I drove out of the gates with tears running down my face & I knew one day – I would return. If I had to choose one project to help – to support or to revisit – there is no doubt in my mind that Whizz Kidz would be it.

This evening – I went again to the Italian restaurant nearby. The Oysters were very good – although last week they were exceptional. Within 10 minutes of arriving – the power went off again. It is called Load Shedding & a tactic used throughout the province to save power as the power stations are coming to the end of their life. So I read my book in candle light which was kind of nice & got taking to a woman who having lost power as she started to prepare dinner - had taken her small children out to eat as an alternative. She was lovely – really friendly & a lot of fun. She made me laugh with a story she told me. Given that it started – “Did you hear the one about the department of health official” – I can be forgiven for thinking she was telling me a joke? It goes like this? The government decided to hand out free condoms as part of the HIV prevention programme. A clerk at the Department of Health responsible for the packaging of the condoms – stapled a health promotion flyer to each pack of condoms. Right through each one! God knows how many condoms reached the various clinics – outreach programmes etc – with a lovely hole in each one. I laughed until I almost choked. Rather than venture back & find my way up the stairs in the dark – I stayed at the restaurant until the power returned. I had a good day today.

I can’t quite believe how quickly the four weeks have passed by & tomorrow I have to leave. I have found my feet – my confidence - my bearings & it feels that I just as I have it sussed - it is time to return to the UK. Could I stay longer – probably but the longer I am off my life – the harder it will be to get back into it. Life – work & time – waits for no one.