Rustenburg

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My new life in Rustenburg has begun, but not in its routine.  I had no intention of getting up when my alarm went off at 6am.  Instead I relished in the fact that I could still continue sleeping, because as of next week I will have to get up.  

I had a list of things to get, and I had no time to waste, because I have seven different classes for which I need to prepare at least the first lesson.  I have attempted preparing for the semester in classes 2 and 3, but the amount of material to get through per class is too much to handle in two days, hence I have reduced it to Lesson 1 for the rest of the classes.  Quite a dramatic change of accomplishments, I'll admit. 

Waterfall Mall is large.  I walked from one side to the other passing mostly clothing stores, whilst desperately in need of a place that sells bathroom curtains (zero), welcome mats (tick), curtain holders, pots and other household goods. I spent the other half of my morning (the first half was spent sleeping) in the mall.  

I got out just as the rain started to pour down, and then went to Virgin Active.  My general exercise plan was to start swimming, but their pool is being retiled, so I will only take the plunge end of May.  They have a wider selection of weights, which impressed me, though the overall atmosphere of the gym depressed me - I wished to return to Brightwater Commons, even if just to see Kerry and the girls in Katabox class again. 

Got home, my washing still on the line, now having received an unwelcome second rinse, and plummeted into making lunch.  My staple diet for the last two days has been toast with cheese and mayonnaise.  Thank God for toasters!  Despite my best efforts to work on my lesson plans, I just needed that afternoon power nap.  Slept 2 hours. 

Woke up with a searing belly ache (?), prayed it away, made myself a cup of Five Roses tea and sat on the stairs outside, soaking up the rest of the sun as it went down.  And then off to work!  In the evening, I had a funny chat with my dear friend John about what pots to put in an oven and which not - apparently pressure cookers go on the "not to put in oven" list.  Failure to do otherwise results in months of agonising over possible faults with pressure cooker.   And in severe cases, depression. 

So I am shifting between how frogs survive during winter (subject matter of class 5) to which curtain holders look appropriate in size and style for my curtains to how to write the best press release of all time (freelance work).  All whilst looking for a solution to rid my room in Rustenburg of red ants.  That last sentence, by the way, is an example of alliteration, the repetition of the same letter of adjacent or closely connected words. 

I sense my English will not come in handy much over here, and my blog and friends will be my only outlet and inlet for this language, but don't be surprised if Afrikaans and German words start slipping in, or my grammar gets twisted in a linguistic knot.  Most of the people I've heard speak in Rustenburg are Afrikaans.  Tot later!  Ta ta!





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