still a waitress at heart...

Hey y'all..back in town, this time I'm at the white internet place though because the coloyred one shut down (the owner probably got shot..)

So what's been going on? Well, first of all, I've had a GREAT weekend, which started actually Friday morning when everyone from the volunteer house took off to the station.
At the Kibbutz we had a rummage sales, kinda like a flea market and everything was ridiculously cheap. a shirt was like 5 Rand , which is like 50 cents. It was open to the community as well and we organised the market to kinda get more people from the flats around involved in the kibbutz. So we had free tea and coffee and because people started to come in at around noon bit by bit, I decided to serve them at the table. It was mostly eldery women who came and they are all really poor so most of them have never been to a restaurant before where they would have been served. And (something I didn't even think about) they (as coloureds)sure as hell have never been served by a white person before! So they were a bit stunned when I greated them and asked whether I could bring them a cuppa tea or coffee...it was great fun though and I guess part of me will always love being a waitress.
So after a chat and an introduction about the kibbutz we had the flea market and it was a huige success. we made about 2000 Rand and half of the women from the community who had been there came back in the evening, asking how they could participate. Mia, the coordinator for the volunteers asked me if I wanted to do stuff with the women, like going to the gym, taking walks or just socialising since they all really liked "the white waitress". So yeah, maybe I'll do that.
On saturday I got of quite early to go into town and go on the net. But they didn't have connection at the cafe and the place for the whites was closed. So I walked to the coloured swimmimg pool and for about two hours I was the only white person there. Not that it bothered me, but you just notice things like this.
Since the pool is not really in town (and this is where you catch a minibus taxi to the kibbutz) and I didn't feel like walking all the way back there, I decided to take the risk and just walk back straight to the kibbutz. I mean, it was around 3.00pm so I thought there wouldn't be too many gangsters hangin' around...
Everything went fine but when I turned into Robertson street (the dangerous one...and the one, where the kibbutz is), my heart was beating a bit faster. Not a lot of people on the street, just two coloured guys walking on the other side of the street. All of a sudden though, one of the turned around to me, crossed the road and started walking towards me. Yeah, there goes an adrenaline rush. I though, that's it, you're getting mugged now.
He said with "salute" which is a ganster greating over here and I replied with it, adding a polite "how are you doing". He was fine, passed me and I had just thought of me being lucky, when he came back, telling me I should wait. It kinda annoyed me the game he appearantly played, I thought, why doesn't he just take my bag and fuck off?!
Anyways, I obviously didn't say any of that, just answered his questions about who I was and what I was doing here (of course, emphasizing that I worked with street kids at the kibbutz, that it's voluntary work so for a good cause and that I don't get paid at all, which I was hoping made clear that there was no poiunt in mugging me...).
So we were chatting while I tried not to stare at his huge scar on his neck or the prison tattoes on his arms. He had lots of dollar and Pound signs tattoed which means that he's a thief.
And then I did something weird. I thought, hell, if that's a gangster trying to hurt me - tough shit, he's got me now. But at least the some others might not bother me. So I asked him to walk me home to the kibbutz. He said, no problem, so we walked down Robertson st, passing loads of other not very trusting looking people and we talked about his family, and his baby daughter and what he's doing and loads of other stuff...I just thought, as long as he talks he won't hurt me. Or so I was hoping. And it worked, I got to the kibbutz, a bit shaky but also feeling stupid cos maybe that had just been a decent guy but because veryone is giving you hoorror stories about the people here you can't pass a person on the street without worrying about being shot.
So yeah, after I got back to the house, I took a shower and tried out my new after sun lotion (here goes sunburn number two) and met Juan, a kibbutznik (the only non-christian on the kibbutz) who has been to jail many times during the apartheid because of his political underground activity for the ANC. An amazing, very wise man, who knows a lot of shit about a lot of shit. I love talking to him and he invited me me to meet some of his friends in the community. That was great, well, they were all a bit drunk from brandy straight from the bottle (very common activity on the weekends here since there is nothing else to do) but very friendly and so interested in my culture and my travels.
Sunday I just chilled, tried to sleep in but didn't work cos I was wide awake t 6 in the morning. So I did my nebs and stuff and started to clean the house until lunch time. In the arvo watched some DVDs with Nick and Shamane from the kibbutz and in the eve, the girls all came home so we shared weekend stories.

Yesterday we had our weekly meeting with the kibbutz staff and talked about some of the projects. I demanded some help from the boys for the library (they start getting the idea that I should pay them for building up THEIR library..?!) which I'll sort out with Ivan, who works with the boys. Souldn't be too big of a problem though. The creche is still a disaster and the girls are getting frustrated cos they're not getting any support. They had a pretty good concept for it but no one's willing to actually change things.
Because Nick is leaving Thursday, they'll need someone who's doing the driving for the kibbutz..and guess who that's gonna be..?!
Exactly, ME!!! And I don't wanna hear any shit from whoever's seen my Twingo car....I AM A GOOD DRIVER! The scratches on the sides were not my fault!! :)
Nah, I had a test drive with Shaenette, the head of the kibbutz andthere's not really anyone else who could do it cos Angie doesn't have a license, Kate and Sarah are scared and Doreen doesn't wanna do it. So that leaves just me and whoever might come as the next volunteer.
And just in case Colin's reading this: I am very good at driving on this side of the road with the kibbutz-van without your instructions, THANK YOU VERY MUCH! :)

So that's been my life here for the last few days. my cold has moved from my sinuses to my lungs so just to let you know: I don't feel to great. Same with Doreen, we're sharing a room so I guess that was bound to happen. The girls have decidedcto quit smoking so now we have to sick ones in the house and the other three are grumpy/bitchy/binge eating due to the lack of nicotine. Great. :)
The heat is not as bad anymore but I'm still popping them vitamin/salt/calcium pills.
Got an appointment on Thurs, 23rd at the CF clinic in Cape Town to say hello. Might get a lung function there and hook up with some local CFers. Should feel better by then.

This weekend I think I'm going back to chill'n surf backpackers, to get some rest, time off from the kibbutz and maybe try to surf (since I din't get to do this in oz, due to this nasty knee injury....HELLO SIDEBAR IN SYDNEY!!!)

ps: have added some more pics...have a look!