Trying to Upload Pictures

Ahhh sorry everybody, I just spent 1 hour this morning uploading about 20 pictures, and then the internet went :(

I dont have time to try again, but tomorrow is my day off so shall try again tomorrow!!

Might as well update you on my last few days while Im here! So yesterday after I updated my blog we all went and made pancakes for lunch! Special treat - my profile picture is a picture taken yesterday with 4 of the boys!

Then this morning, after making their breakfast I took the four toddlers out for a big long walk. Its great because at the moment on the game reserve we can roam around as much as we like. They are soon to be putting elephants and lions within the game reserve which is sweet and sour. It means obviously we could have elephants on our doorstep and lions too - but we will no longer be able to go for walks beyond our electric fence! Which will be such as shame.

This morning on our walk we saw a very big ostriche, a very quick impala running away from us (I told the boys they had to be quiet - they wouldn't listen!! ha) and we also saw some really cute wathogs walk past... ugly but cute things they are.

Friends have also been asking me lots about what the food is like here! I have to say it is great! We all share a meal every evening with around 15 of us. Chris is a great cook, and because she has to make the food stretch she's always cooking stews and large dishes. We had a lovely buttnersquash curry the other day that was delicious. They have a lot of butternut squash and pumpkin. In South Africa we also have a ridiculous amount of peanut butter, the kids request it almost every lunchtime and Chris made a Western dish which was like peanut butter chicken stew! Very bizzarre.

I eat my own lunch and breakfast in my cottage, so its simply cornflakes or oats for breakfast, and then just bread for lunch. Gets a bit boring!!


As I told you yesterday we have a new baby boy here so in total we have 13 boys and just one girl. I will go throught heir names for you:

Our 5 big boys:
Kagiso,
Tshepo,
Tom (the only easy name!)
Nglanglan,
Fetsi,

Our Toddlers:
Tshepang,
Koketso (or Koki as we call him),
Tshepo David, (Or Tshepo Didi, or Didi)
Kamo

Then our 1-year olds:
Orebelle (our only girl!)
Tshwarelo

Our babies:
Lebo
Lehtlogonolo
Neo (pronounced Nao)

As you notice we only have one girl, Im told that that is quite usual in Africa, or near here anyway. When girls are given to husbands, the husband has to pay the family, or in effect buy her as a wife. So families, particularly in the townships are more likely to want to keep the baby girls as it will later provide some sort of income. Whereas boys would not. Its bizarre because in England and many other countries it always seems to be the opposite, historically boys were more wanted to carry on the family name!

But it just shows what these families living in poverty have to deal with.

We cherish Orebelle our little girl here, shes beautiful and has the best sense of humour out of all of them! I hope to attatch a video soon of her laugh. It is great, she has this sily giggle!! She is a bit of a flirt though... going up to all the boys to kiss them!

Uncle Hans (One of our other volunteers) is our handyman, he is here with his wife and she hels with the children. He has made little tools for the boys and things for them to play this! Brooms, sweeping equipment and even a wheelbarrow! The children always watch the Papa's as they garden and clean the premises and always want to join in and help! So Hans has made some great toys so that they can feel they are helping!

As I said, I will try again another day to upload some photos - sadly the internet connect is quite bad so it takes so long, please bare with me.

Hope your are all well, Im told its been lovely weather! Enjoy!