I am compassionate

Time for another reflection question! This entry is all about compassion and self-reflection. Unlike my other blog posts I am not including any pictures I have taken myself! All these pictures are courtesy of Pinterest. I thought that some of my favourite quotes and sayings fit really well with the topics I would be discussing today. They might be a little cheesy, but who doesn't love a good mantra before the weekend?

Working abroad often causes people to increase their understanding of their own abilities, perceptions and goals. Has this experience pushed you to reflect on your own strengths and weaknesses in a way that you would otherwise not have been able to in your home country? What have you learned about yourself?

This experience has definitely pushed me to reflect on myself as a person in all areas of my personality. Being at home was much too comfortable for me and I never really feel the need to reflect on myself before. Living in a new and challenging environment showed me abilities I never knew I had before, some of my weaker spots and what a great person I have already come to be this far in life. Overall, I have learned to be really proud of myself. I am so much stronger than I ever imagined I could be. I leapt out of my comfort zone onto my first plane and landed on the other side of the world. 

I have realized that I am so much stronger and independent than I ever would have imagined. I grew up always relying on others, consulting people's opinions and being really nervous to do anything by myself. I did not have confidence in myself or my ability to make decisions. This experience has really helped me to change that. I have been really pushed from my comfort zone to think for myself and do my own thing. 

I have also realized I can be a very determined person. In the past procrastination and lack of ambition have really been my Achilles heal but those days are seemingly gone. I find myself going for what I want, asking more questions and powering through things until I am happy with the results.

I do not like to dwell on my the negative and prefer to call my "weakness" areas I can improve upon.

Since arriving in South Africa and in my time so far here I have learned a couple of areas that I can definitely improve upon. The first is that I am a very impatient person. I have found this with my never-ending battle with the difference of "punctuality" in South Africa. However, I am learning to calm-down, breathe and relax.

I have also realized that I should say yes more. As I mentioned I have been a very hesitant and nervous person in the past. In my time so far in South Africa I have really learned that sometimes I have to let go and just do something! This was actually something I realized in my pre-departure training. By saying yes more I am opening myself up to new experiences, meeting wonderful new people and I am filled with a lot less regret. 

How has this experience changed your capacity to be compassionate and self-reflective?

I already would consider myself to be a very compassionate person. Through my time at University I went through a lot of personal changes and transformed from someone who was not always so kind of compassionate to someone I am really proud to be. I think one of my greatest strengths is my ability to understand where people are coming from and do my best to make them feel better. I am really proud of the compassionate part of me as it is something I have really worked to improve in the past couple of years. 

I think that this part of my personality has grown even more since I have come to South Africa. I have felt compassion for people who are here who are struggling in a variety of ways. For example, at work I have been given the chance to attend two conferences. The first was about human rights and the gay community in South Africa and the second on gender based violence (re-cap coming soon!). The second conference really appealed to the compassionate part of me as I learned so much about the plight of women and children suffering from this. I felt so drained by the end of the day from being completely emotionally invested in this conference. I also felt so strongly that I needed to speak-out, change something, do something! This was such an overwhelming experience because I have never felt like this about an issue before. I believe that being in this environment and hearing first hand accounts of the horrors of gender based violence really brought out my compassion.

On a more personal level I have had to learn to be compassionate from hundred of miles away. I have been there for friends and family as they were all going through tough times. Not being able to offer a hug or be there over the phone was hard at first! But I have found new ways to be there for people. This is a skill I will for sure be using in the future as the people close to me become more spread out across Canada and the world. This is probably one of the best things I have learned from being here so far!

As for self-reflection I have also learned a lot of great skills in this area. I have never been one for journalling, meditating or even stopping to really reflect on my daily events or feelings. Being so far away from home and going through such a wide range of emotions has really forced me to change that now. I have started simply lying in bed before I go to sleep and really reliving the days events. If something has especially excited or upset me I try to really consider why I feel that way. I have even found my hyper-organized self making lists of things I am reflecting on so I can go back and re-examine them later. I am starting to feel much more in touch with myself and I am hoping this is a ritual that will continue permanently. 

School Visit in King Williams Town: Part Two

If you missed part one just scroll down! I would have included this all in one, but it was way too long.

After Amelia and I looked around the school and met the students we quickly ate our lunch before the awards ceremony was starting at 2. When we entered the classroom we saw this beautiful artwork on the board.

We took our seats and waited for the ceremony to start. While waiting we were introduced to several people including local principals, a co-worker of Rose's and lots of teachers. We were at the school to celebrate the teachers being finished a four week course in teaching children effective English language skills. Rose had taught this program and the ceremony was where the teachers would receive their certificates.

I have been to four graduations, tons of honours awards ceremonies, an athletic banquet and had lots of other things recognizing my own accomplishments. None of these even compared to how proud I felt of the teachers at this reception.

I had never sang at a reception.

I had never danced at a graduation.

I had never had a speech move me to tears.

I had never felt so much love expressed for an instructor.

I have never felt so proud of someone else for their accomplishments.

Teachers receiving their certificates. That is Rose in the red skirt

I was so happy I was invited.

The ceremony had stories! Every few stories were told and it kept the mood light and fun. I am not used to so much laughing at something like this. It was so refreshing.

The MC telling a hilarious story

There was also a ton of singing. People in the audience would burst into song and everyone would stand up and join in and dance. I was told all about this before I came here but this was the first time I really experienced it. It was so cool that everyone just knew the words to songs (except us) and even sang them with amazing harmonies. My favourite of all the songs was on that the teachers sang for Rose. As she was going up to speak and address the teachers they sang a song of thankfulness to her, it was so moving.

In between some of the speeches there were also these wonderful performances by the students of the school. There were two dance groups (one all boys, one all girls) and two poems that were performed by girls. These performances were my absolute favouite part of the day. They were so creative and well-practised. The two girls that performed the poems seemed very introverted when I met them at first but transformed while speaking. They were so confident and expressive and it was made very clear that this was due to the hard work of the teachers.

The girls dance. The sang while performing it and had a boy classmate play the drum

One of the speeches, she was so full of emotion

The boys dance

This was such a supportive atmosphere and a really wonderful ceremony. At the end when all the teachers were receiving their certificates I was so sad that it would be over soon. We all stood and danced and sang the song "This Little Light of Mine".  This was exciting because I knew this song and I was able to join in! The speaker emphasized that we must all take what we have learned today and spread our light.

Two teachers with their certificates

Warning: Majorly cheesy part ahead.

The little girl who's performance made me cry!

Although I did not learn how to effectively teach children how to learn English I did learn a lesson in compassion and appreciation. I also learned how to really celebrate. Doing away with the formality of North American celebratory ceremonies would be great! I know I keep saying it, but have never felt so genuinely happy and proud for someone's accomplishments. This ceremony definitely sparked a light within me, and I will definitely be letting it shine.

School Visit in King Williams Town: Part One

Last Tuesday was hands-down one of the top five days of my life. 

The girl on my left looks so creeped out by me! Haha

I was invited by Amelia and Rose to see a children's home in East London, and after come along to visit a school in King Williams Town for an awards ceremony for the teachers. I have to say this experience was not at all what I was expecting and I still cannot believe the impact it had on me.

Our day started a bit later than usual. Rose was not picking us up until 10:30, so Amelia and I headed out to get coffee and went for a walk. We chatted all about how excited we were for the day and about some fun upcoming plans we had for the week. It was so nice to just be able to relax a bit in the morning for a change.

Rose picked us up and we met two public relations students from WSU that would be writing a story about the visit to the school today. We headed over to a children's home in Southernwood (a rougher neighbourhood in East London) and got a chance to look around.

The main hallway of the home.

One of the bedrooms.

Rose has been working with this home for quite a long time and we brought some clothing and meat to donate. Amelia and I looked around and took pictures, and then we all sat on the couch and Rose told us a bit more about the home and the children living in it. One of the most interesting stories involved a 17 year old boy who had lived at the home for most of his life. He was Xhosa and approaching the age of a cultural tradition where the boys have a ritual ceremony and are circumcised. This boy is feeling really sad as he would love to have a ceremony like his friends, but has no one to hold it for him. They are currently trying to figure out a way to organize something for him so he could still partake in this tradition. Rose suggested that maybe he could share the ceremony of one of his classmates, it will be interesting to see how the situation turns out. 

After leaving the school we drove around East London for a bit before heading to King Williams Town. The drive there was SO beautiful. Rose showed us all around the town and told us stories all about her travels and schooling. The time FLEW by! Eventually we made our way to the school we were visiting.  

Pretty terrible quality, but a picture from the drive of the amazing view!

I should start by saying that schools in East London are even nicer than schools in Canada. They have beautiful grounds with tennis courts and tons of other fitness equipment. The children wear uniformed clothes and they are well-known for their amazing sports teams. I just assumed that pretty much all the schools in South Africa were similar to this. It turns out I just had not been to a school in a rural area yet!

The kids all running in to head home at the end of the day - what an amazing view from their school!

As soon as we arrived I was completely speechless. I had never seen anything like this in real life before! It was almost like being transported into a TV commercial that all North Americans are familiar with. I can now say though that absolutely nothing compares to seeing these schools in person.

Some of the girls after school enjoying frozen orange treats.

Amelia and I met the school's principal and some of the teachers upon arriving. They gave us permission to look around the school and get to know the students.

I think the pictures speak for themselves, so I will let you look at a few and shut my trap. All the kids loved having the picture taken and posed for us every chance they got.

Me with some girls from grade 5.

A classroom at the school all cleaned up at the end of the day.

The two girls in the front on the left LOVED posing for pictures.

An outside view of the school.

Some boys that went to the school, they did an amazing dance later!

Some of the boys playing soccer.

The kids playing a game after school was over.

The girl on the right performed a poem in the teachers ceremony that brought me to tears! She was so good.

Rose helped to do the fundraising for that jungle gym!

Me and some of the kids in their classroom.

  Part two of the trip will be coming soon!

Homey Hummus and Quinoa Salad

Alright! Who is ready for another recipe? You?

Fact: I brought that spatula from Canada because I can't cook without one.

I thought so! So let's get started.

Last week I finally found Quinoa in South Africa. If you know me, you would definitely understand how I almost cried in the aisle of Dis-Chem when I found it. If you don't know me, you might think I am insane you might even be wondering what the heck quinoa even is! Quinoa (you say it keen-wha) is a grain that is native to Peru and cooks up kind of like rice. However, quinoa is a complete protein which makes it a lot healthier than rice, and I personally like the flavour and texture a lot better. If you want to learn more here is the wikipedia page on it.  I used to eat quinoa pretty much everyday in Canada, you can buy a huge bag at Costco for pretty cheap. I had been searching for this EVERYWHERE since I have been here, and have already eaten it at least 6 times since I bought it. 

Already divided up into servings as well as a shot of my feet! I am an organizational freak

If you know me you probably also know how much I love hummus. I have been known to eat a whole container in one or two sittings and to sometimes I eat it with  spoon.... I digress. At home I make my own hummus every week to save money but also because I like the taste better. Mine is not as rich as the kind you buy in the store and makes a yummy sandwich spread or even a pasta sauce. Finding hummus in the grocery store here was also a near-tears experience, what can I say, I get excited about food!

Last week I was running low on groceries and needed to be creative to come up with something for lunch for the next couple days. I was attending a conference and even though lunch was catered I always feel safer bringing my own food in case there is not anything for me to eat. I made this whole thing in about 20 minutes and not to toot my own horn, but everyone who tried it said how delicious it was! I used red peppers and zucchini as the vegetables in this because that is what I had on hand. Asparagus, cooked eggplant, broccoli, carrots, tomatoes and onions would all be delicious in this as well, it is just about personal taste. If you can't find quinoa you could sub millet, couscous or brown rice, but I really recommend the quinoa. 

My pack of veggies I had to use. I used to squash to make delicious fries.

This salad was not only delicious, but reminded me of home. I felt instantly transported back to cooking in my St Catharines kitchen while chatting on the phone with my Mom. It might not remind you of your Mom, but I guarantee it will satisfy your hunger.  

Homey Hummus and Quinoa Salad

Serves 3 meal portions or 6 side salads

3/4 cup of dry quinoa 

1 1/2 cup of water

2-3 zuchhini chopped into half inch chunks

1 large red pepper chopped into inch chunks

seasoning salt

For the hummus:

1 can of chickpeas, drained with the liquid reserved

3 tbsp - 1/4 cup chickpea liquid

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp canola oil (at home I would use tahini, but I didn't have it here)

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 a tablespoon minced garlic

** I really do not measure this, I kind of just add and taste. Adjust the measurements as you see fit**

Start by boiling the water on the stove. Once the water comes to a boil reduce the heat to low and add the quinoa. Cook this for around 20-25 minutes. You will know it is done when the water is absorbed and the "tails" separate from the grain. They look like little threads that come off the grain, you can see it in some of the pictures. If you take a bite and it is tender it is finished. Remove from the heat.

In the mean time, add the zucchini and pepper to a frying pan and cook over medium heat. Add a few dashes of seasoning salt (or braai seasoning if you are in South Africa) and cook for about 8 minutes or until the vegetables are soft. I added a few tablespoons of water to mine to steam them a bit. Once the water is all cooked off add the vegetables and quinoa to a medium sized bowl.

I used the godforsaken hand crank food processor to make the hummus. If you have a real one at home save your sanity and use that. Add all the ingredients to the machine and process until smooth. Mine still had a few small chickpea chunks and I really liked the the texture. You could make it completely smooth if that is more your thing. Taste the hummus as adjust accordingly. I ended up adding a bit more lemon juice and a bit more cumin to enhance the flavour.

Add the hummus to the bowl and stir it all together. I personally liked eating this as a warm salad, but it is also delicious straight out of the fridge.

Invite over your vegan friends and enjoy!  

Naked Face: One Week In

Hello!

This is my first weekly post for my own Naked Face Project. I know this is late but I was so busy last week!   I was attending conferences, visiting schools and I even went to a fashion show - all with no make-up and unstyled hair! This week's post will be a bit shorter, I am just giving you an overview of what small changes I have noticed one-week in. First though let's rewind and talk about my start on this project. I started the project last Thursday not originally planning to. I was feeling really great when I woke up and simply decided that today was the day. I am happy I decided to start out of no where, because who knows when I would have worked up the courage again!

I thought similar to the originally Naked Face posts I would show you how much stuff I used to use on a daily basis compared to how much I am using now.

Before:

After:

I should also note the first picture does not picture my blow dryer or two straighteners yes two I use to get ready. It also doesn't have an jewellery either. I almost always wear earrings or a necklace everyday. I think the comparison is actually pretty impressive. I cannot believe I have gone from using all that stuff to just brushing my hair, applying a little moisturiser and being set to go. 

I also have decided to start wearing my glasses on a daily basis. I am near-sighted and really only need glasses to see in the movies or in the classroom. That being said I am pretty blind, and would really benefit from wearing them all the time. I have had way too many moments of waving at people who "looked" like my friends from far away to justify not wearing them. However, I am sure that most people did not even know I had glasses. I almost never ever wear them because I hate the way I look with glasses. I decided that for the next two months I should give up on that vain thought and wear my glasses as much as possible. I am already loving seeing clearly all the time, it actually feels weird not to wear them now.

What is Different

• I love getting ready. It used to take me anywhere from half an hour (minimum) to an hour and a half every day just to do hair, make-up and pick an outfit. Now it takes me five minutes. It has meant I can sleep later, work-out more and spend way more time with friends and I am loving it! Last Friday when Amelia, Ryan, Junita, Dennis and I went out for dinner (with the rude waiter) I got home late, worked-out, showered, ate (I didn't eat at the restaurant) and got to hang out with Amelia before we left. I was not crunched for time and could completely relax. This is something I could definitely get used to. 
• I am finally starting to get used to my normal face and natural hair texture. I know this might sound strange, but I am so used to wearing make-up and styling my hair that seeing my face and hair in their natural state is really strange for me. My face without make-up has much less defined eyes, and I find myself picking out my blemishes much more. I am hoping that I will get even more used to it as the project continues on. I talked about how strange my hair was with my friend Bailey and she explained it would just take some time to adjust to seeing the natural texture of it. Her words really stuck with me and I have been concentrating on that every time I do not like how my hair has looked this past week and a half.
• It seems that for the most part if I don't tell people I am not wearing make-up or styling my hair they do not notice! I thought people would a lot more, but it made me realize that maybe I do not look as different as I thought. The only person who has said something is Ryan. When we went out to dinner he looked at me and said "Uh, we are leaving in 5 minutes... are you ready????" and I saw "Yes", "Well you don't look ready" he exclaimed. Men. Who needs 'em. 
• I love being able to wipe my eyes and not having to worry about smearing my mascara. LOVE it.

That is all for week one. I will have more updates this Thursday!