Edition 49: Winter 2009/10

Sarah du Plessis of The County High School, Leftwich, writes to tell us of her tour to South Africa and Swaziland with her students.

I read your magazine religiously and love the dose of wilderness I get while reading it. I couldn’t let the opportunity pass to write in about the success of our recent school tour to South Africa and Swaziland. The pupils we took were amazing and I am so proud of them for being willing to embrace the spirit of Africa so warmly.

For me, it was a very rewarding trip. Perhaps I am biased (I grew up in South Africa) but I do believe experiencing the culture of my homeland can change you forever. I do accept it is a country full of contrasts, but to experience it will leave you inspired by the spirit of its people. South Africa is good for the soul!

Although we had limited time, we packed lots in. We had a spectacular week-long safari in Kruger National Park, the nearby Tshukudu Game Lodge and Swaziland’s Milwane Wildlife Sanctuary. We were privileged to see baby rhino up close, and we also went walking with lion cubs in a true wilderness experience.

However, when we were organising this trip we wanted to ensure that our pupils gained an insight into the real South Africa, not just what the brochures offered. One of the highlights for me included a trip to the Hector Pieterson Apartheid Museum. Having lived in South Africa during the apartheid regime, I was very conscious of allowing our pupils the opportunity to learn about this period of South African history. We were all moved by the stories in the exhibitions; the suffering of so many became very real for us on that day.

I was also incredibly inspired by visiting a small rural primary school in Swaziland – it gave us such an insight into the difficult circumstances in which many people live their daily lives. Over half of the children who go to the school are orphans, having lost their parents to HIV/AIDS. The memory of our pupils connecting with these children while playing is, so far, the most rewarding moment of my teaching career.