This morning a bunch of people from work went to a primary school in Alexandra Township to read to the kids and teach the older ones about saving. (We're a bank after all!). I was in a class of 6 - 8 year olds and it was really fun to see how keen the kids were (except for the two boys fighting in the corner). It was similar to the ALA in that respect, except you don't see kids fighting at the ALA. My colleague, Marisa , was really wonderful with the children and got them singing and clapping like they were on holiday. There are a couple of snippets of conversation I remember:
Neither Marisa nor I could speak the local language so the teacher, a big strong woman with a laugh made for a crowded pub, did a running translation for us. We were reading The Twits by Roald Dahl and one of the characters, Mrs Twit, is very ugly.
Teacher: What makes people ugly?
Small boy: Beer
Such wisdom in a child so young...
Mrs Twit's husband, Mr. Twit, doesn't shave, and the conversation turned to personal hygiene.
Marisa: Who shaves in your house?
Another small boy: My mother
Marisa: Which part of her body does she shave?
That's when I should have left the classroom.
Enjoy the photos!