Rachel's Adventures in Africa: Back in the Northern Hemisphere

Well it's been a while since I last blogged. That's because once the World Cup started in SA there was literally nothing bar soccer happening in Clarens! The village caught 2010 fever and it took over our lives. Vuvuzelas were being blown from about 4am each morning right through the day and evening from at least a couple of weeks before the first match. The kids were all given World Cup beanies, learnt the 'disci dance' (the official world cup dance) and the shops sold all things soccer including flags, wing mirror covers and sweeties.

It was fun watching the games on a big screen in the township or together in people's homes. South African's are a lot more patriotic than us Brits which was great to see. And the excitement when Bafana Bafana scored was unbelievable.

Anyway, part way through all of this I found out that I had been successful in my application for a job with Tearfund. I was so suprised as I really hadn't felt that my phone interview a couple of weeks previously had gone well and I had convinced myself that they had offered it to another candidate. So I quickly booked a flight back and left South Africa on 1st July. The last couple of weeks in Clarens and my time back in the UK has been a bit of a blur so far and it's only just sinking in that I've really left. I had a lovely evening the night before I left where I just invited loads of people over and served mulled wine (it's freezing winter in Clarens at the moment). We had a great time and then the next morning I was off. I travelled in true African style to the airport - packed into the back of the bakkie with all the suitcases. It was actually the most comfortable spot I reckon as I got to sleep all the way!

I start my new job next week and am busy trying to decide where to live. Tearfund are based in Teddington so I'll be somewhere around there. I'm going to be the administrator for the Central and East Africa Team. I think it will encompass all sorts of things and I'm excited to be a part of what Tearfund are doing to mobilise Christians worldwide to fight poverty.

I'm not sure what I'll do about this blog. For now I'll leave it but I may use it to tell you what's happening in different Tearfund projects around Africa once I'm familiar with them.

Thank you so much for reading over the last however-many months and for sharing in my African Adventure - I know it's not over, it's just taking a different shape for now.

Some pictures from the World Cup:

Moshoeshoe and his friend about to watch the match