Here we are again, battling with the incredibly slow school internet this time. It's taken me half an hour to get to this stage, lol. Anyway, onto the last week :)

Wednesday 9th March (Day 27)

Pretty average day today, didn't do much in school, just a grade 7 lesson, then went and played the grand piano in the hall. After lunch I just chilled and went down to the Koncerthus to help Flic paint the wall. We were supposed to pplay tennis at 18:00, (yes, on a court with no net) but then it dropped dark and we had an enourmous strom. Not much rain but loads of lightening and deafening thunder, it ade a whistling noise sometimes.The power kept going off during it, which was fun, you could hear the screams from all the kids in the hostel. At one point lightening landed about 5/6m away from the balcony where I was standing filming.

Thursday 10th March (Day 28)

One of my more busy days teaching. Period 2 and 3 I covered 2 gr12 Africaans lessons, how you might say, not as difficult as it sounds as they had to do their work in test conditions, so all I had to do was kept them quiet, which is MORE difficult than it sounds. Then period 5 and 6 I had gr 1 and 2 which was quite good, they're so cute, lol. Gr 2 were a bit more of a pain but they were ok, they just sang to themselves all lesson while they worked. I couldn't really stay mad at Gr 1's as when they left they all gave me hug, awww :) In the afternoon I played pool at the hotel where I learnt quite alot of new stuff, getting better now. In the evening it poured with rain again and we hadanother storm. Stuck inside yet again. I gave a piano lesson later though.

Friday 11th March (Day 29)

Today marks the day that a month ago I left home, looking back time has flown by! I was only supposed to have 2 periods today but I got given anoth 5 to cover, again, all Africaans! Same as last time though they had to work in test conditions, although some still tried to ask me questions, alot of people here still think that us volunteers are South African, lol. During today I ended up teaching about 5 different grades, a very long day. After lunch just walked round town for a bit and listen to music, so boring at the moment, there is nothing to do, and I'm not exagerating. You can go walking but it's not safe on your own, and currently I have noone to walk with. Then in the eve I went on FB, wrote a letter to send to England, took me nearly an hour and a half, then watched a film, quite a good evening.

Saturday 12th March (Day 30)

Had a rehearsal at the Koncerhus from 09:00, it was supposed to be a dress rehearsal but it still kept being stopped. Got to lunch at 12:30. Then we just releaxed for a bit before heading down to school to get on the school bus at 14:00 to go to the Nuttcracker ballet. The journey was very hot and took about 3.5 hours just for 3 hours there. On the way we saw a snake on the side of the road, alive and with it's body lifted right of the floor, probably a cape cobra. When we got to Bloemfontein we went and had a Mcdonalds, very good, then headed to the theatre, which was very immpressive. The ballet was ok, not really my thing though, but the music was brilliant, played by the free state orchestra :) Tried to sleep on the way back but was impossible, to noisy, the road to bumpy and the seat far to small. Way easier to sleep on on the coach on tour. Then we eventually arrived back at 02:00!

Sunday 13th March (Day 31)

One incredibly boring day! Had breakfast and then came back and dozed for 2 hours and listened to music. Then it was lunch, followed by more sitting around, listening to music, playing chess against the comp (you dont stand a chance when I get back Vj, Max and Amo :P) and playing tennis against my wall :/ Flic, Becca, Wiehan and Megan were all away so had no-one to go out and do anything with. After dinner just went on internet and went outside for a bit. Cannot wait for cape town.

Monday 14th March (Day 32)

Just taught 2 gr 8 classes today, sharps, flats, tones and semitones, not very difficult stuff. They still do some of the stuff that Gr 4 are currently doing, and 99% of them cant name the keys on a piano, having done it for the last 5/6 years! Something has got to change, I'll think of something. After lunch I went and booked my hair appointment, sent my letter to england (50p) topped up my phone, did a bit of shopping and bought more Biltong. Quite productve really. Then in the evening I did study with Becca, then we walked down to the hotel and had a drink and played pool which was good. Then we had to walk back to the hostel in the dark. It was quite scary and not the best thing to have done, as most of he streets arn't lit, prime mugging time and area!

Tuesday 15th March (Day 33)

Had Gr 4 to start, they were ok, better than last time. Took some photos with them in class which was good. Then I had another grade 8 class. They were horribel. Gave out my first 4 demerits to this class, and there's only 8 in it. 2 of them decided to bunk the last 10 of my lesson after getting permission to go to the toilet, so they both got 1, then another 1 was eating during class and carried on when told to put it away, then gave me a wrong name when I asked her to write hers down, then the last one kept talking, and when I asked to move, repeatedly, she didn't, and just completely ignored me, she also gave a wrong name. They were not happy when I went and found them in their register class to get them to sign their demerit form, quite alot of moaning and raised voices. Unluckly for them, their register teachers were having none of it and just yelled at them, so they all signed. One nearly didn't and had a big argument, in the end she did. They all now hate me, lol, but who cares, I'm their teacher, whether they love me or hate me they have to do as I say. Next lesson should be fun with them, if they mess around then they'll just get more demerits, lol. Then we had an hour long passion play meeting, I'm helping with the costumes during the week it runs. After this I had my hair cut, a very different experience to in England.I walked in expecting to just have my hair cut, but got told to sit down in front of one of the sinks. I thought they were just going to went my hair, ready to be cut, but then they washed it, I didn't know what the heck was going on, lol. Still, after having it ut it got styled and the best bit is it only cost 5 pound :D Didn't really do much in the evening, just made a list ready for cape town.

Wednesday 16th March (Day 34)

Taught Gr 4, 2 Gr 8 classes and Gr 9 today. Gr 4 were horrible, worst I've had yet. The one class is ok, but this one is just a nightmare. I tried to take a photo with them but they just messed around. The Gr 9's are usually a real pain and I was told to prepare my self, ( Iwas only covering the lesson, still music though) I went in ready to just kick people out the class if they messed around, but for some reason they were all quite good. One guy at the had done no work, but I still told him to write his name on the paper so he'd get 0. He must have thought I wa sa complete idiot, he wrote his name down as John, even though I know his real name, plus I had a register in my hand, no called John in th class believe it or not. So I told him to write his proper name down, I got given Jonathon. What a TWAT! After lunch did some more shopping then went up into the mountains with Wiehan. It is so beautiful, waterfalls, big mountains, lakes, just amazing. I still didn't see a snake though, I so want to see one (not passing one like in the school bus) so I can get a picture. I'm not leaving SAtill I get one, lol. I took my penknife with me, as I always do when in the mountains or up by the dam, just in case, it's a good thing to have when you're there. The at least we had some defence if something happened :/ In the evening I started packing for Cape Town, then went and got toast and sat and watched Harry Potter :D

I leave at 07:00 tomorrow for Cape Town, although I won't arrive untill Saturday afternoon. I so can't wait, it's going to be the most awesome week ever :D The markets look amazing, I going to come back with so much stuff. If anyone wants any wine, then now's the time to place your order, I've just got to figure out how to get it back to England though :/ Anyway, I'd better be off, hopefully I'll be able to upload the rest of my photos aswel when I'm at the backpackers. Bye :)