EIL Intercultural Learning

Danielle Rosenberg Polak and Qiqa Mcilong ration out fruit to the children at an awareness talk in Freedom Farm township.

As our final week here in South Africa looms, special moments and memories have already formed. After spending time with the NGO, we then moved on the HIV and AIDS Clinic, where we are volunteering now. This is a day hospital with a special ARV unit (the medication taken when you are HIV+ and your CD4 count is less than 250). The unit is divided into sections where there are doctors, counsellors, nutritionists and personal advocates. All of them are there to help and support clients who have contracted HIV.

Just about three weeks here and wow, what a whirlwind it has been. We arrived in Cape Town to be greeted by a member of SASTS and were orientated at a volunteer house for one night. The big thing about South Africans is their sense of time, everyone is very laid back along with being super friendly. We then were transported to our host family where we were greeted by a big family of a grandma, grandpa, their daughter and her husband and their three young children.

Hi folks, just wanted to give a quick update on how myself and Ciara are getting on in Nigeria, almost a week in. We have just finished orientation with SYTO Nigeria in Ibadan and we have settled in nicely to the pace of life here. So much to see and do and think about - Nigeria is an unbelievably diverse, complex and friendly place. Yesterday we were taken to the mosque by our guide who is a Muslim and we prayed with the congregation, having done the ritual washing before we entered the place of worship.

On return to Ireland, Barry (GAP volunteer 2009) organised workshops in his school to raise his pupils awareness of HIV&AIDS (5th Class Tyrrelstown Educate Together National School)