Buckie driving!

I have officially driven in south africa! my family and i were hanging out at the car wash, and by car wash i mean a stream that has been slightly damned up that people back their cars/ buckies (trucks) into and wash them. This is when they found out i have a driers licence... so i was to drive that evening to one of the sister's house. so keep in mind it is an old buckie, with no power stearing, the gear box was complete crap and i am driving on the other side of the road. also there were four in the back of the buckie and two others in the little cab with me. :)
believe me i have seen much worse.
But all was a success... and the boys were praising my driving skills!
but it was an adventure... oh the alignment was also off and the stearing wheel in general wasnt very responsive. I did manage to get a few people to honk at the sight of me driving!

this past monday started 3rd term and the beginning of the morning, everyone teachers and students gathered for an assembly. it was all in Tshvenda , but basically a pep talk to do well in school... keep in mind this is a public school and we were all lead in prayer and a little sermon was given... the whole time i was thinking wow this would never be aloud in a public school in the US.

i am officially half way through and i also have really struggled this week. I have had several very upsetting cultural things thrown in my face this week. I wont really go into them here but belive me it has been so hard and i can see why these kids struggle to even come to school. So many things are working against them... but as my advisor for the program mentioned, this is why we have volunteers to learn about these things and to then get things changed for the better.

So some people have asked for me to tell more about my family. Well i live and share a room with an 18 yr girl, Maduvah. We walk to school together everyday and have become good friends. She is my little insight into the culture/ the school etc.
there is also 2 other sisters one 20 and 35 ish living at the house. But the 20 yr old just went back into town for University. there are also 3 other silings, 2 sisters and a brother who live on their own and have families in near by villages. So visits are frequent.
My mom, Maria, is the hardest working women i have ever met! she gets up around 4 and goes to be long after i do. I am also finding out not only has she raised here 6 children, she is also raising my "brother" her grand son , who is 11, and at least 3-5 other kids.

Plus, there are the 3, 20 year olds who work for the family when they arent in school... so need less to say our house is a happening place. people always coming and going... i quite like it.
Lots of laughing. we had in improptu dance off the other night... lots of smiles and laughing with that.

I am still teaching some of my 11 grade students and everyday we become closer and closer. i think they start understanding more and more. I am only teaching science to them but i am also staying after school to tutor them as well. They are enjoying teaching me Venda... a few more words are added every week.