The Internship

While completing our final semester in the Masters program at the UT School of Social Work, our roles at Botshabelo will be as Clinical Social Worker interns. There we will participate in therapeutic processes with children of all ages, as well as adults and families in the village that surrounds the orphanage. Though we are not quite sure what our days will look like...we are certain that our time in South Africa will be an incredible journey filled with joy, challenge, uncertainty, connection, learning, peace, laughter, sadness, and most importantly, growth.


About Botshabelo

The Cloete family started Botshabelo 20 years ago--out of the darkness of apartheid--where Con and Marian (the couple) spent their entire life's savings to care for the children of South Africa. Con and Marian, along with their three adult daughters, their partners, and their children, established Botshabelo as a place where about 150 children without families could have a place to belong. Ilene and Ayla will also call Botshabelo home for the next four months, living and working alongside these amazing individuals.
Since 1990, Botshabelo has worked to become a self-sustaining community and, more importantly, a place of safety and family to South Africa's AIDS orphans and economic orphans. The community includes an orphanage, school, village, medical clinic and organic farm.

To learn more about our new home, visit: www.botshabelo.org

Monday, February 1, 2010

It's like a headache...but in your hand

We are NEON white... luminescent if you will



Ayla and Ilene sooo excited to eat fries and a shake at Wimpy Burger.... little did they know how disgusting it would be



The Tree Ayla loves (in this pic you cant really see its amazingness)



Our friend Lebo attempting to eat icecream at our outting to the mall


Other tidbits from the last couple of days:

1) Ayla fell in-love with a tree.

2) Ayla may or may not have broken a bone in her hand playing volleyball (as evidenced by her swollen palm, and also how we came to the title of this blog- when Ilene asked her if it hurt).

3) Ayla wins the world championship of "best volleyball coach EVER" (Fabio, you'd be so proud of your daughter) because Ilene actually got the volleyball over the net...more than once!

4) We are SOOOOO white that the kids here could use us as flashlights (AKA "torches") at night.

5) We did our laundry on Saturday and the clothes are still not dry.

6) We discovered that the ketchup and mustard here is more like fingerpaint than condiments (in color AND taste).

7) Although Ilene was craving ice cream, Milky Lane's attempt at it was a disappointment (although watching our friends eating it was HILARIOUS!).

8) We have perfected the two ingredient tomato & cucumber salad.

9) We have been promised some authentic South African eats- chicken heads, intestines and feet- basically every part of the chicken in America that we aim to avoid.

10) Ilene received mail that was sent only 10 days ago!! (people, where are Ayla's letters of encouragement and adoration???)

-Ayla and Ilene
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3 comments:

  1. blue dragonflyFebruary 1, 2010 at 6:46 PM

    Somehow I'm not too surprised that food from "Wimpy" burgers wouldn't be uber tasty. Glad to know that you're falling in love with trees (looks like Ilene's digging that tree quite a bit too) and becoming master volleyball players - I hope you're hand is ok, Ayla!

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  2. Susan and FabioFebruary 1, 2010 at 7:05 PM

    I can't help but notice how food emerges as a major theme! Love all the photos and stories. I hope Ayla's hand- headache is better.

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  3. NancyFebruary 2, 2010 at 11:16 AM

    What a great blog! I meant to just read one entry for now but couldn't... had to read them all. You guys rock! Loved the giant slug. Keep up the good work!!

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