The humour and teamwork makes going to work a real pleasure. - next week is going to be equally as exciting im sure. I really wish i spoke Xhosa - it would make teaching easier.
The first day of teaching was a very different experience for me. Teaching the theory part of the course is at the library here in Khayalitsha. The idea of the construction course is to teach the community to construct foundations to there current living in "zinkplaat" homes. At present they build these homes directly on the dune sands. A dangerous conduit for rising damp, tuberculosis and lung ailments and rodents. Building a waterproof membrane plinth out the ground is the lesson.
The students also get a free meal each day. The first day i arrived at the dishing up table for my lunch. I went last behind all my students. There was absolutely nothing left for me to dish up. Not even a rise granule. I didn't say anything and just went and sat down at my desk. An older lady then stood up and in Xhosa went completely off at the 40 plus students. I didnt know what she said but she completely lost it. Sounded like a William Wallace call to arms and i was hugely motivated. Dunno what "my freedom" is in Xhosa, but i was very ready to run at the enemy with all my might. My plate after that very motivating speech filled up with food pretty fast.
The first day of practicle assignment in the vegie patch was also interesting. After a week of theory at the library. Thats also the day we received our brand new sponsored toolbox of tools. Spades, tape measures, trowels, plumblines etc.
After preparing our trenches and working very hard as a class removing a mountain of broken glass from the site. Setting up and digging trenches. We all where very tired. I dismissed the class and went to the toolboxes and found them completely empty, Yikes!!
I ran to where the students where leaving the site, one student had grown immensely in size. Under his jacket he must have put on 20kg. And i just said that due to no tools in the boxes, i wouldnt be able to finish there training. The course would have to stop immediately. I then went inside into my little shed classroom . I just then heard clank, bang, doosh. I went back out in about 10 minutes. Nobody was there, but all the tools where neatly in the boxes. Not a single one was missing. Gavexa full box of everything back to the facilitators. Didn't have to micro manage each days inventory.
To my mind teaching is about respect and dignity. When as the teacher you show this quality, Students do reciprocate.
Ive designed and help build numerous homes in informal settlements around cape town. Ive also designed many single classroom spaces attached to homes. Due to the compact nature of the urban developement. The locals have genius like created school classrooms spread out through the entire informal settlement community. Im a small part of a team that facilitates this by doing the drawings. formalizing these single classrooms across an informal settlement school environments.
Architecture is designing across the full socio economic devide spectrum. Thats what makes it so very exciting.
