Three Days and Counting...

This will probably be my last blog entry. I canceled my Internet service, so I'm now using Internet cafes. That makes spending hours writing a little tough. Plus, I don't think I'll much more to say since I'm officially done at the Centre and the clinic. That's not to say I won't be doing anything, but just not too much. I'm sure I'll have much more to write once I've been able to assimilate everything I've seen and heard. A lot of people have asked how this year has changed me, and I can honestly say "I don't know." I'll comment on that once I've gotten back to my "normal" life and started to sense a change in my thinking, biases and perspectives. Some of you may see it before I do - feel free to point it out.

I'll be leaving a bit of money behind when I leave, about R20,000. Nearly all of that was donated by family, friends and people I hardly know. I'm leaving it with Spiwo with instructions on where to spend it, mostly with the vulnerable children and a couple very needy families. Some of it will also help kick-start the food pantry Zethu is hoping to start this year. Rest assured it will all go to people who deparately need it. And, a big Thank You to everyone who did contribute along the way. It really made me feel that my work here was important and that people were behind me 100%.

My last few days were quiet and anticlimactic. I worked two days at the clinic and Tami wasn't there for either one. I talked to him on Thursday and it never crossed his mind that it was my last day. But, that's very much in line with the lack of thanks I got from him. The rest of the staff either forgot or didn't care much as they didn't say anything either. Spiwo said that they won't understand what I did until I'm gone - that may be true but it doesn't give one warm fuzzies.

I finished at the Centre yesterday and it was much of the same. I think many people really didn't know I was leaving. I told a couple people on Wednesday and they were shocked. In truth, I liked it that way better than having a big celebration, but a small acknowledgment would have been nice, too. I gave each of the cooks a scarf as thanks for taking care of me. They were very appreciative and I think they will really miss me.

I didn't see many other people. I have to be in Guguletu on Monday to drop off some things, so I'll make a few calls then.

On a fun note, we've set up some baseball games with a local team, the Phillipi Angels, for tomorrow. It should be lots of fun for the kids, and the coaches, too. I'll be sure to write about that later.

More to come.