Teaching and Learning

We've just about finished week 3, because of the many and varied issues most of our students have with visas means that we don't start tutorials until this week. It's been strange waiting this long to get to know my classes. Tutes began and so now I have 50 or so new faces to get to know. I realised last semester that I recognise people regularly by their hairstyles, which doesn't work so well in a population that about once a fortnight changes the hair extensions, corn rows or other designs of their hair. But I'm slowly learning - the names are getting a little easier.
Some of my students have awesome names - Mwazvita, Naa-Odaaley, Lwamainsa, Bonang, Zwakele and Ditso. I, of course, absolutely mis-pronounce and otherwise do violence to their given names, which usually have lovely meanings. Still, I'm trying. I have managed to get my head around Thokozani and Sibongiseni, so things do get easier. And now Nthabiseng and Sibusiwe are walks in the park!
The strangest part about my life here, which I'm slowly coming to recognise, is that I'm actually not exposed to much of 'Africa' as it is sold in the tourist books or novels. I was told about the Shona hierarchies and kinship regimes the other night and it struck me that I really am having a very urban and western experience here. I don't know of or hear of or experience life outside of a very middle class, urbanised, Westernised worldview and framework. Obviously, living in Jozi means that going along to traditional ceremonies is not really on the cards, but it feels like my communication here is one way, and that is less than satisfying. Of course, that's not entirely a bad thing, but I really need to make an effort to experience something other than that which I could have anywhere else. I'm going to Zandspruit this weekend to do our community engagement programme at Masakhani Primary, so I'll at least see some of what 'real life' is like in the informal settlements.

PS. My internet is still "intermittent" which at the moment means not working at all, but as soon as it's up and running I'll post some pictures!