What a week!

Well what a week it has been and I cannot believe we are 4 weeks in with only 2 more weeks left in the community. This week was horrible to say the least, with MDT drama, with a presentation that I know had so much more potential had we worked well as a team, lots of tears and fighting amongst all of us, but we came out of it stronger and all the better for it. Friday, us 4 OT’s spent a lot of time in CDC painting and decorating, and putting up posters and sorting out the classroom as all the children went on an outing. We were smiling again as we reflected on the week we had just had. It was a good end to the week, we laughed and shared had amagwinya (no idea how to spell) and to end off the week, my little client’s mom messaged us saying thank you for everything we have done for her and sent a photo of my little client in the CP chair that I fabricated for her. They loved and were so grateful that we would take time out of our week to come to their home and help their little child. It definitely made all the tears worth it when we knew that we were making a difference in this little girl’s life. It kind of brought me back to reality, to the very reason why we do this. It is not for the marks or how many hours we clock in, it is about our clients, and it truly was a beautiful reminder. And something that I needed. Thursday afternoon we had a tutorial with just the OT’s and one of the speeches. One of our class members spoke about an organisation called GAPA. I battled to sleep that night thinking about all that she had to say as I reflected on how what I learnt in Zim related to wonderfully to what the grannies of this community are doing. GAPA, are a community of grannies that are supporting one another and are a part of various income generating projects in their fight against poverty and AIDS. As I reflected that night, I remembered in Zim how we spoke about occupational consciousness, and how through collective occupation, there is a connectedness. And in my eyes, this connectedness can move mountains. That there is empowerment through collective occupation. These grannies all coming together as part of a collective for a cause close to their hearts, and through being a collective, through BEING a part of something and DOING, and LOVING this occupational collectiveness, their consciousness is awakened, and they are empowered despite the generalisation that grannies cook, they knit, they loo after children, they are old and frail. NO! Through collective occupation, it has brought meaning to their lives, it has brought purpose. I love that so much. And Mariam also spoke about a group of grannies in their community where they were working at, and how through identification with one another, they are empowered. And these grannies are coming together to support one another as they all are taking care of a child with a disability, and what I found so beautiful and so inspiring is how they did not want this support group for their support, they wanted to form this support group so that they can help other grannies/mom’s/caregivers in their situation. That other people never have to go through what they are going through, alone. That other caregivers will have the support that they never had. It was so touching. I am so proud of the other community group for running with this. It is inspiring, and the way they talk about it is also inspiring. A fire in their eyes as they reflect on the first support group meeting. This is what makes this degree all worth it.

A tough day in community

Today was a very frustrating day. Today is the first day that I have shed a few tears over community, just over frustration. I am so frustrated by how many projects there are, or not even just projects, just SO much to be thinking about all at the same time. I was also frustrated with my MDT team. I was so hoping it would not get to this, and I have tried so hard to be patient, to be easy going, to be mindful of how MDT can go wrong, and how to be civil and mature in some situations. I really have tried hard, but I feel let down. The lack of initiative really frustrates me, and that is often the reality of groupwork, where the work is left to one person or one person has to be the policeman to make sure something happens. We need to work in collaboration with one another. I think today was just a frustrating day and I feel like such a moaner. But on top of the case presentation, Thobi and I realised the downfalls of the activity box, and again I was so frustrated. In recommendations, I feel that sometimes they really are not thought through properly. it really gets me because we are so intimidated by this list of recommendations often unrealistic. We were recommended to implement the activity box at the creches so that more of these activity boxes could be made for surrounding crèches, but this activity box is not workable yet. Yet our recommendation was to already implement. I am moaning now, even with a voice in my head saying, I too could be guilty of such recommendations. The activity box is such a great idea, don’t get me wrong and the first initial activities that were done worked well at Lethu, but as time goes on we have realised that the example box is not even near completion, the activity file has about 6 Zulu translations missing, it is so difficult for us to follow due to the numbering and order of the activities placed in the file, and some of the activities are too difficult for the age group of Lethu. And also, the obstacle course activity is not economically feasible for us to buy the equipment because all sponsorship letters sent out were unsuccessful. So now I feel like we are starting this all over again where this project of the activity box could have been closed off so nicely at Lethu. In retrospect, I know I will look back at this one day as a learning curve, and it would have taught me a lot but I just feel that people need to be very careful with recommendations and make sure that projects are ready to be implemented before recommending that it be implemented. Group 3 did so well with this idea, and I feel because there is SO many other things going on in the community, so much to think about, that not enough attention is being paid to some of the great ideas. I think if there was enough time, and fewer things to think about then the result of some of these brilliant ideas could be feasible and the progress will be seen and implementation and intervention will be successful. We will work through it, and we have a plan going forward, I just had a frustrating day. But it ended off with me feeling a little guilty about thinking I had a frustrating day, as we entered the home of one of the community members homes during our home visits. This gogo told us the story of the two children she was taking care of. Both had been abandoned by their mother, one left in the house alone at one month old for two days, and the other left on the street at just three months old. Heartbreaking. Makes you really think about the petty things we worry about, like working in groups, and unrealistic recommendations. It’s a hard pill to swallow when you realise your own silliness.

Annnnnd its back into the community, full speed ahead

Today felt like a productive day yet it still had its ups and downs. It was very difficult for me going from Zim to the community after being on such a high for a week in Zim, back into the realities of community, marks and presentations. But I feel that I am blessed and fortunate to have had a week of rejuvenation and passion building for this beautiful profession that we get to do every day. I am hoping that I can carry forth this passion into every aspect of the community because community is slowly creeping its way into my heart, I feel like it is something that I could do forever. It’s exciting. Today a group member confided in me about some group dynamic problems, but I think this is inevitable when you are working so closely with a group of people for so long. It gets difficult when 3 or 4 different people have opinions or the level of eagerness, passion and enthusiasm differs within a group. It can be difficult for everyone to come to an agreement, this is what I find so frustrating with groupwork but we are going to have to deal with group work for the rest of our lives working in MDT’s, working in places where we will be with the same people for years and years. I feel like this community block is teaching us so many skills not only as therapists for clients but to be almost “business” people dealing with emails, phonecalls, meetings and admin. It is difficult when all of this new world of OT is thrown at us in just a short space of 6 weeks but I truly believe being thrown in the deep end is sometimes the best way to learn. Today Thobi and and I were in the clinic with Meghan while Thandi and Chanelle completed the shopping for CDC. I am SO proud of my group because the way that the CDC project has been tackled is in a manner of empowering Nthombi and the teachers to do things for themselves, accessing the budget, going shopping with the students and every single step of the way in CDC has been in collaboration with Nthombi and the CDC’s. It is so great to see, and it was so special today as we started putting the stimulation corner together for the CP children, the excitement of Nthombi and the teachers as we all worked together to make it happen. It is amazing to see how just one corner of the crèche done up is already making it feel more like home. I cannot cannot wait to see the end result before we leave. After we leave, there will be more that needs to be done but because of the way Nthombi and the teachers have been a part of every transformational step, they will have the skills to do it for themselves. to have the courage and ability to access the budget, brainstorm ideas and implement them. And to me, that is what sustainability is all about! I love it, it excites me.

THE CONGRESS

I was so excited to begin the congress not knowing what to expect or how it would all work. The congress was held at a beautiful hotel in Harare, Monomotapa Crowne Plaza Hotel. It was beautiful and we as the congress guests were treated like royalty as new water bottles were given every few hours to every seat in the house, we had endless supply of every tea imaginable as well as pastry treats and toasted sandwiches every tea time, and an indulgent buffet every lunch time. I couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt as we sat inside the walls of this hotel indulging happily as there was such poverty and strife surrounding Harare. It’s a difficult feeling to deal with, as what can you do?? The congress began with the keynote speech from an incredible woman. What struck a chord with me was when she said: “where is the dance in OT?” we are occupational beings and we as humans embody occupation. A running theme throughout the congress was this aspect of singing and dancing- as an occupational collective, that there was connectedness in collectiveness. CONNECTEDNESS IN COLLECTIVENESS. I could argue that no research needs to be put into this saying, for if you were a part of this congress in the beautiful country of Zimbabwe, no thesis or write up could explain the feeling of connectedness in collectiveness. As OT’s and OT students from all over the world came together in Zim, through laughing, engaging, learning, singing and dancing- we were connected through this collectiveness. It was beautiful. The keynote speech set up the rest of the congress, and to our absolute delight UKZN was already put into people’s minds as Elelwani shared in her keynote speech, an epitome of a collective through dance by speaking of and showing part of our UKZN Flashmob. Who would have thought that a day of fun and excitement in my incredible class would resound so much with what I thought was the theme of this congress- dance and connectedness through collectiveness. So blessed to have been a part of this congress. Throughout the week, we were privileged to be a part of many lectures and workshops that challenged everything that I have ever learnt, as well as enhanced all my learning that I have learnt over the past four years. I think a big realisation for me was how narrow-minded my thinking was. Yes our client is the most important part of treatment, but what about treatment that extends far beyond just our client. What about their family, their dependents, their community’s awareness, the community barriers, the community positives that may assist in optimal living for your specific client. My eyes were opened to the endless possibilities of what can be achieved in treating your client. It’s more than just an individualistic approach, if we extend our intervention further than that of the individual and their problems, and rather focussing on the much bigger picture and the ABILITIES of the individuals, we would make a much larger impact. I wish with all my heart that my whole class could have experienced what we experienced, but after this week, I will encourage my class with all that I am t attend Uganda OTARG in 2015. That will be our year where we all come together again after a year and a half of working and experience in the real world, and we come together to experience OTARG together as a collective. Imagine the endless possibilities of MY class after attending something like OTARG. It excites me as I know that the passion will be even more ignited after attending a congress like OTARG.

ZIM, YOU WILL ALWAYS HOLD A SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART

My family and friends were worried about us going to Zim having heard all the horrible stories and it just have been the elections and the presidential inauguration was happening while we were in Zim. I guess their concerns were justified if one had to Google the hardships of this country or pick up a newspaper and see the headlines involving Zim. However, strangely enough I find myself wanting to defend this country as I feel it has become a part of me. The people of this country outshine all the negative in my eyes. When I think Zimbabwe, I think beauty that was manifested through its people. The way the people would go out of their way to make sure you were happy the genuine smiles and humbled hearts and natures of the Zimbabwean population is beautiful. Our first day in Zim started with a huge fright, and not the one you would expect from Zim! Megz and I entered our hotel innocently walking through the lift onto the 3rd floor as our lecturer hid behind the corner and gave us the fright of our lives. It was hilarious as we all broke down into a fit of giggles and smiles on our faces as we realised WE MADE IT TO ZIMBABWE! This was definitely a prelude to the rest of our trip- giggles and smiles on our faces. The night before we left for Zimbabwe, I found myself all of a sudden nervous for the prospect of Zim. How silly it seems now as I cried with my mom and sister expressing my concerns for this trip. Catching a taxi on our own from the airport to the hotel, why was I so scared? The taxi trip was wonderful. Our taxi driver spoke of every town we passed by on the way to the hotel, this taxi driver had a love for his country and he was proud to share some of its heritage to two South Africans. On our first day we met yet another local who was sitting in our hotel room with two of our lecturers with his music that he composed playing in the background. It had been an hour in the country and we were already surrounded by the beauty that is the Zim people. We then decided to go to a local market called Avondale. I was so excited to already indulge ourselves into the culture of Zimbabwe. At this market, we spoke to the market sellers about the beauty of the rocks they used to make their beautiful ornaments, and how the dark rock came from another African country and the locals spoke of the US dollar and how expensive it was to live in Zimbabwe, and the hardships of being a market stall holder in these difficult expensive times. Yet they still had a smile on their face and a spring in their step as they bargained the best deal they could for us South Africans. I love markets in general, and this was a special one. Megz and I returned to the market on our last day to buy some presents for our families. Every stall owner remembered us and chatted with us as if we had been going to the market for years. I loved that. And I love Zimbabwe.

THE JOURNEY LEADING UP TO OTARG 2013

It was towards the end of the year last year that we were approached by our lecturer to think about submitting an abstract to OTARG. OTARG was explained to us and we were already excited at the prospect of going. Looking back now, almost a year later I cannot believe that I sit at my laptop now and it is all over. Where almost a year ago, we had no idea of the growth and experience Zim would actually hold for us. I love thinking like this, because looking back, we had no idea what was in store for us then. NO idea. Every little thing that has happened between then and now has happened, and life is good. Between then and now, life has actually been tough. I went through a lot in my family, and I never thought I could get through one of the hardest times of my life, but I did. And here I am. It gives me hope and it gives me hope for the saying of hope that I live by... We have this hope as an anchor for our souls. I will hold onto Hope. It has got me here. And I will hold onto perseverance. Perseverance has got us here today. I say “we” because if it wasn’t for my partner in crime, Megan, I might have given up in coming to OTARG. She kept me grounded when I just didn’t want to bother with all the admin and politics anymore, where I was giving up in our dream to go to Zim, but Megz wouldn’t let us give up. Our abstract was accepted and we were over the moon. We were being given the chance to share our blogging journey with people we actually had no idea we were going to meet and inspire. I LOVE that I can blog and reflect back to that stage where our abstract was accepted, because flip we have come a long way! So we faced barrier after barrier in coming to Zim, I won’t go into too much detail but basically not receiving funds because we had only accessed one source for funding and I completely understand that at an undergrad level, there are other people who would be priority. So first barrier, and this was averted by deciding to fundraise. My mom is the most incredible woman and pulled out all the stops to make sure my dream came true of going to Zim. She did not have to do that, but she did. And the fundraising response was unbelievable. Anonymous payments were made to the account, people from overseas such as Australia sent through money. I was completely and utterly humbled and heart warmed by the generosity of people. They were allowing me to make the Zim dream come true. I know not everyone will read this, but I just wish everyone could know how incredibly grateful I am. You have no idea the opportunity that you gave me. I didn’t even know then how expansive and special this opportunity and experience would be, but my goodness, you all allowed me to grow in ways I never thought possible. Who thought my OT passion could get even bigger, my heart humbled so incredibly and my heart touched by the generosity of people who helped me and the amazing people I met in Zim. So grateful. So thank you!! Our next barrier faced was missing prac and just general politics. I won’t go into this, but I am just grateful that we stood our ground, and against all odds, we decided that we would go. We had worked too hard for this to let this go. We decided that we knew what we were doing, and we had faith that the Zim experience would far outweigh the cons of going. We did not know for sure that this would be the case; yes we took a huge chance in deciding to go not knowing if the experience was really worth the cons, but that faith paid off. It was worth every single sleepless night of worry and every tear shed! So Megz and I worked hard at our presentation, spending hours deliberating over blog posts and putting our experience into the best way that we possibly could. We did it. And now it’s all over, and I sit here with passion in my heart as I reflect on our Zim journey.

Nduip. The Zimbabwean dream that became reality

Nduip. Hello in Shona. I was most privileged to attend OTARG 2013 hosted in Zimbabwe. OTARG is a congress for OT’s, promoting Occupational Therapy is Africa. OT’s from around the world come to this conference such as the president of WFOT (World Federation of Occupational Therapy), and I was blessed to meet the likes of Jennifer Creek, Rosemary Crouch, Vivian Alers- we read their textbooks! We learn from their work. There are no words to describe this conference and the feeling that it has left me with. I have decided tom blog as much as I can when I can to get all my feelings out, and also for this incredible time to not just become a memory, but for it to be recorder so I can look back on this time and reflect on what it taught me, how it made me feel and the lessons I learnt from this experience. I deliberated on how I should go about blogging Zimbabwe, and I have decided to take a look at my experiences through activities that took place in Zimbabwe. And my feelings surrounding every event. I think this is the best way to collect and order my thoughts, because right now, my thoughts and feelings are all over the place!

“My neighbours told me what you do here, it is so good”

An incredible morning in the heart of Kwadabeka as the community gogo’s joined Meghan and Jani in an exercise programme. The MDT did not know what to expect at all. We were told that we could join and we put on our takkies and exercise pants and joined this great group. It was so much fun and so uplifting to see a group of community members coming together to improve their health thanks to the guidance of the rehab team. Making such a difference to the lives of these people. It was a beautiful sight to see, everyone in unison-just as a community should be. Shouts of motivation coming from one another to spur each other on, laughing and giggling as people became tired and they all felt each other’s pain yet joy at the same time. I looked around at this sight, and felt joy in my heart. I also had the privilegeof speaking to one of the local gogo’s as we walked together with her walking stick. She said “My neighbours told me what you do here, it is so good”. It was just so great to hear that her neighbours were talking about it, that the rehab team were becoming known in the community. Having word of mouth recognition of people that are on their doorstep to help them is so uplifting. I think that’s a huge part of community, gaining the trust of the community and making yourself known in a positive light in the community. I cannot wait for the next exercise group! Not only was this a great day for the OT students but again, allowed an opportunity for team building for the MDT. We started having some issues with regards to transport, and OT’s always being on time but waiting for up to 30 minutes for the speeches, this was becoming frustrating but we handled it well and asked if we could come to an agreed time that would suit everyone. This allowed for our frustrations to be alleviated, for peace to be kept and for compromise to take place.

Monday blues

Today was one of those difficult days. Sunday I spent a lot of time going over the handover and looking at what needs to be done, organising everything into a file so that I am organised and ready to tackle the week. But as community goes, nothing really goes to plan. But that’s ok, I am learning this and I think because I am so used to structure from being on three blocks already, to have minimal structure is quite difficult to adjust to. But today was a good day at the clinic, we facilitated the Down’s Syndrome group which was great. I love down’s syndrome, these special angels are the whole reason I started OT. We had one little girl in a standing frame and we played with playdough allowing for sensory stimulation, weighbearing on the table, bilateral coordination using both hands with the rolling pin and fine motor coordination. What I love about community clinic is how unpredictable it is. You never know what is going to happen and I LOVE working alongside the physio, helping where I can and seeing how they treat. Today we had to leave the room while Meghan and Jani gave advice on sex for someone who had a loss of sensation- they were not expecting it and in that moment, you need to provide that client with the information that he needs. Meghan and Jani also came into contact with a disorder they had never heard of, and google was out in a matter of minutes as they searched for what this condition is and how they can treat in that moment. I love that. It is exciting and the information that the rehab team relays to the clients is so valuable and meaningful. We learn in OT about fancy programmes and intervention where in a place like Kwadabeka, information that may seem small and silly to us is so important to someone. Today in the clinic also showed me how much we do actually know. Sometimes we tend to forget that we actually do know a lot and we CAN treat, and that we are, “experts” in some fields. Such as a wheelchair a lady with TB spine was using, the transfers into this wheelchair were horrific because the wheelchair was so old school that the sides did not come off. Now, with one look at the wheelchair we could decipher all the barriers to independence, all the hardships that the caregiver must be experiencing having to transfer the client into that wheelchair. And we took a look, and could clinically reason as to why this client needed a new wheelchair that would allow for more independence. This client’s life and that of her caregiver’s will be made easier and happier because we know how to change their situation. Its motivating to know that we can help in this manner. I named this post Monday Blues, and as I am reflecting on this day, my mood is being uplifted as I come to these realisations. Today we also went on our very first home visit to the most wonderful lady. She is bed bound due to a nerve injury and elepahantitis. Our job is to make her life easier before she goes for her operation in September. In this case, we really get to challenge our OT abilities in making adaptations to her home environment and creating assistive devices so that this client can keep some of her independence in cooking, cleaning and personal management, I am so excited to help this lady and I look forward to seeing the outcome of our home adaptations and assisting this client in gaining some independence.

Monday blues

Today was one of those difficult days. Sunday I spent a lot of time going over the handover and looking at what needs to be done, organising everything into a file so that I am organised and ready to tackle the week. But as community goes, nothing really goes to plan. But that’s ok, I am learning this and I think because I am so used to structure from being on three blocks already, to have minimal structure is quite difficult to adjust to. But today was a good day at the clinic, we facilitated the Down’s Syndrome group which was great. I love down’s syndrome, these special angels are the whole reason I started OT. We had one little girl in a standing frame and we played with playdough allowing for sensory stimulation, weighbearing on the table, bilateral coordination using both hands with the rolling pin and fine motor coordination. What I love about community clinic is how unpredictable it is. You never know what is going to happen and I LOVE working alongside the physio, helping where I can and seeing how they treat. Today we had to leave the room while Meghan and Jani gave advice on sex for someone who had a loss of sensation- they were not expecting it and in that moment, you need to provide that client with the information that he needs. Meghan and Jani also came into contact with a disorder they had never heard of, and google was out in a matter of minutes as they searched for what this condition is and how they can treat in that moment. I love that. It is exciting and the information that the rehab team relays to the clients is so valuable and meaningful. We learn in OT about fancy programmes and intervention where in a place like Kwadabeka, information that may seem small and silly to us is so important to someone. Today in the clinic also showed me how much we do actually know. Sometimes we tend to forget that we actually do know a lot and we CAN treat, and that we are, “experts” in some fields. Such as a wheelchair a lady with TB spine was using, the transfers into this wheelchair were horrific because the wheelchair was so old school that the sides did not come off. Now, with one look at the wheelchair we could decipher all the barriers to independence, all the hardships that the caregiver must be experiencing having to transfer the client into that wheelchair. And we took a look, and could clinically reason as to why this client needed a new wheelchair that would allow for more independence. This client’s life and that of her caregiver’s will be made easier and happier because we know how to change their situation. Its motivating to know that we can help in this manner. I named this post Monday Blues, and as I am reflecting on this day, my mood is being uplifted as I come to these realisations. Today we also went on our very first home visit to the most wonderful lady. She is bed bound due to a nerve injury and elepahantitis. Our job is to make her life easier before she goes for her operation in September. In this case, we really get to challenge our OT abilities in making adaptations to her home environment and creating assistive devices so that this client can keep some of her independence in cooking, cleaning and personal management, I am so excited to help this lady and I look forward to seeing the outcome of our home adaptations and assisting this client in gaining some independence.

Kwadabzz

This post will be more of a reflection on how this first week was. Coming into the community, I was excited at the prospect of working in a place where the rest of my class have loved. And I vaguely remember them saying how it was difficult to begin with because you are trying to find your place, and find out what to do and the amount of projects that needed to be done. I am feeling the exact same way. Community block is not structured, thing happen slowly, and trying to wrap my head around the handover and what needs to be done seems daunting and the pressure to get them all done is seeming to feel unrealistic. I was reading in handovers that we need to remember that we can’t do everything. I realise this but I don’t like it, I don’t feel comfortable knowing that we will have difficulty making something sustainable- this word, sustainability is so important in the community. There is no point in us coming into a place, doing things and then it doesn’t get carried over, and this carry over not happening is due to a number of factors- the fact that the place you go to has so many other responsibilities or they do not understand the importance of the carry over or the learned helplessness becomes a problem and this was evident at Zakhe, where the caregivers rely on the students to make things happen and they sit back. I have spoken o the other groups from block 1, 2 and 3 hoping that they would shed some light on how to get started, how to manage everything and how to fit into the culture of the community. And the answer every time was: Niks, we felt the exact same way, hang in there; it will get easier once you get your head around everything. Some groups admitted to work only starting to manifest in week 3. I know I should not compare myself to other groups but it was comforting to know that we are not the only ones feeling this way. I think the way forward would be to have regular meetings, split the projects so that there is someone responsible to make sure that those recommendations that need to get done are done and to keep in mind that we need to be realistic and help the community wherever we can as well as that famous word: SUSTAINABILITY. I loved going to Zakhe. My heart breaks for those little ones that are facing the hardships and cruelties of life at such a young age. Having just learnt about developmental delays it was interesting to enter the baby room and meet a little 17 month old boy who is not crawling yet and can hardly sit unassisted. It’s sad and I wish there was more that we could do. I know I will fall in love with community; it’s where my heart is. Once we start making things happen and get the ball rolling, exciting things will happen in the lives of those we come into contact with. I just know it.

MDT Shisanyama

MDT drama or no drama We were warned from three groups previously about MDT drama. I never quite understood it because surely, we all have the same goal, and ultimately that it to help this community, and working together would only benefit them as well as teach us about other professions? But that hasn’t been the case with the previous groups; they dubbed it “MDT drama”. As the Awesome Foursome group, we decided that we would keep an open mind in meeting the speeches and audio’s. We did, and so far working as an MDT has been fun and exciting. On Wednesday, we were at Clermont clinic and the clinic became busy within a matter of minutes. 4 children arriving at the same time as well as another two adult clients. This gave us a little taste of the unpredictability of community- Meghan and Jani only had 2 clients booked, yet the rest were walk ins. What an incredible afternoon it was, we were faced with conditions that we didn’t know because the children had not been diagnosed, and I sat with Jani, the physio, Ntobeko, and Wrenna, the speeches and myself and we all did therapy with this child. We all brainstormed together showing which aspects we knew the best about and even Jani said it was so valuable to have the input from two other professions which created optimal holistic treatment. This was great and I love how we all came together for the benefit of a client. Of course there is always going to be miscommunication or personality clashes, but this does not only happy inter disciplinary but within disciplines too, we as professionals in the making need to learn how to handle or sorts of people and personalities and learn to work together for the benefit of the community. So far (even though it has only been a week), we have managed to work well together. It has been fun and interesting learning about different professions, seeing some of the treatment interventions that they do and incorporating all holistic treatment into our plans. This week we also got to experience the real community with the MDT. The speeches have been there before so they decided to introduce us to Shisanyama- best ever! They took us to a dodgy little spot in Clermont hidden amongst the run down shops surrounding it. We entered and each contributed R20, we picked a huge steak and boerewors which they spiced and placed on the braai for us. We cut up the meat and placed it into separate packets and bought fresh fresh white bread and ate our shisanyama and white bread. It was absolutely delicious and a morale building activity for the MDT. I really enjoy the speeches and they seem to be as motivated as we are which is so helpful!

"We are the world, we are the children"

“We are the world, we are the children”. Today we were given the opportunity to go to RP Moodley School to have training by the OT’s at the school in order to inform our project at Kwadabeka, Clermont day centre. I did not know what to expect in this training but I was excited to be given this opportunity to learn. And today we had our first taste of what meetings are all about with community. Community really does involve a lot of planning, deliberation and meetings! We spent some time in the junior primary classrooms and were introduced to their routine which we hope to implement some aspects into Clermont. I had 6 pieces of exam pad covered in ideas and discussion that we had with the OT’s. It was so great to see and compare how structure at RP Moodley is so beneficial, in comparison to the lack of structure and amost chaos at Clermont day centre. The children at Clermont could benefit so much from the structure that was displayed by RP Moodley and the functional activity ideas could also be so beneficial to the learners. It is difficult because I have now seen how lack of resources in a community can be of detriment to the learners as at Clermont, there is limited space and there is a variety of levels of functioning in the school which makes it difficult to separate the classes according to function/age etc. AT RP Moodley, I was heartwarmed by the children singing “we are the world, we are the children” as part of their morning exercise regime (which would also be great to become a part of the structure, even though it is in the timetable at Clermont, I would be interested to see if it is being implemented and the structure of the exercises), the children all singing in unison was a beautiful site to see. Makes all the planning and hard work worth being part of this degree. Although we are only two days in, I think today we saw how we can slowly implement some changes into Clermont day centre that will be of great benefit for the children and the teachers. I get frustrated that things can’t happen immediately as you want them to happen due to lines of communication, financial strains and the amount of time we have in the community. I have to remember that we need to hold onto the small steps, and I think for short term aims that we have come up with as a group, they are realistic and achievable. We are at a great advantage that that Meghan has developed a good relationship with the RP Moodley OT’s as this allows for sustainability of the project in terms of training up the teachers, which will form part of medium term. The OT’s said that we are here to assist Meghan in the foundation of providing a structured programme for the school, and we will try our best to do so. This is an exciting project! We are excited by it. Still nervous about all the other things we need to focus on, I am hoping it will all come together in my mind soon as to how to handle the unpredictability and “unstructuredness” of community./ For months now, I have been working according to structure, and now not knowing what is happening day to day is quite overwhelming.

Kwadabzz, Awesome foursome day ONE

Day 1 community Wow. Our supervisor said we would hit the ground running and although our first day was fairly relaxed, I think she was so right, after reading all the handovers and going through what is expected of us this block, I am feeling a little overwhelmed. I guess I feel like this every first day of every block thus far. Today was a little easier than the last three but the nerves and butterflies were still there. Its like starting a brand new job every 6 weeks! Having attended all three previous groups handover presentations, I thought I had a pretty good idea of what to expect but when you are in the situation, it feels like I know nothing. But I know we will get there. I am very lucky to have an awesome group, we all get along really well and I have one of my closest friends with me. Fourth year does that to you- you create unbreakable friendships as you become reliant on each other’s laughs and company to get you through this year. I am excited for this block. I absolutely love the idea of working in a community, and I cannot wait to be immersed in the community and not only help the community, but allow for the community to teach me. I have a feeling this community has a lot to teach me. Day 1 of block 4 done, so grateful to be ending off our blocks with community. Need to learn to de-stress a little and for my abilities to not be clouded by the seemingly overwhelming feeling of community work, its day 1 and I already have had a realisation. Let’s see what’s in store for the next 6 weeks. HEAD UP, HEART STRONG.