Nelson Mandela's cell at Robben Island

(above left: Picture of prisoners at R.I.)
<-- penguin!

(above: me and marina with penguins!!!)

(right: our birthday milkshake- notice the HUGE bug bite on my forehead, we have nicknamed it "the pimple")

Hello- I am still alive sorry for the huge slack in the blog posting. We had a very busy last two weeks that I must fill you in on. Last week was our first real week of work- which went well but was a bit of a change from slacking off for one whole week. I am working in Prep at the moment which appears to be mostly admin because the shcool year just started here. I am liking it more as I get used to it and the women in the office I work for are super nice. I am sorting the medical files, activity sheets, answering phones and right now entering parents cell phone numbers so we can send mass text messages (cell phones etc are HUGE here). In the afternoons I work in sport- which is good as long as the class is under the age of 11- trying to convince gr 12s to go swimming is pretty much impossible. It has also been really hot and since pe is always outside that can get a little tiring. Both Kady and Franzi work in the Woods (aka kindergarden) and Marina is working in sport in the am and the library in the pm (with the most hard-core librarian ever!) The week went by pretty fast- we did our traditional wednesday night out with the boarding matrons and on friday night marina and I planned to go up table mountain in the cable car to watch the sunset with a picnic dinner (it is 50% off after 6) but after cabbing all the way there we realized it was CLOSED due to wind- grrr. We were also supposed to be workign for a catering company at this huge horse race event called the JP met but we learned last friday night that it wasn't going to work out so we went out instead. The night was good- except we got a first real taste of being out of country when marinas phone got stolen out of her pocket :(. The weekend was really good except absurdly hot. We also went to see the pegnuins!!!!! with Penny and Patrick (friends from the lake) which was awesome, but possibly the windiest day ever (a tree broke at school). I was taking a picture of marina near a penguin and it was so windy she was almost blown on top of it- watching it waddle away was so cute though. It was a little wierd to see penguins in such a hot place but they really are everywhere down there. Penny and Patrick also took us out for lunch (thank you- real food!!) and we poked around in shops for a bit. Sunday night we celebrated my birthday by going to some beachside clubs and watch this band called goldfish live- who were amazing!! All in all a really fun night- we celebrated my 19th at midnight and cabbed home by 1230 in time to sleep for work the next day. My actual birthday was also quite a good day- although a little embaressing. On mon mornings we have assembly which marina and I have to attend. The new headmistress was going on a very long speech and we were a little... tired, and all of a sudden she announces my name and askes me to come down to the front to wish me happy birthday (I was in the back top balcony) so I managed to get myself all the way down there and they gave me a present and wished me a great birthday. I also got little gifts from Tribly- my "boss" in prep and Mrs. Wooley the headmisstress of prep. Mum and dad also sent me flowers :):) BIG surpise. We celebrated that night with milkshakes and cheese cake at a nice little resturant called calichias. On wednesday marina and I were in charge of a group goign to Robben Island (Nelson Mandela's prison for 18 years) it was very interesting- beautiful views of cape town, i survived the boatride and we were given a tour by an ex-prisoner. It is crazy to think what they went through such a short time ago. We are havign a quiet day today, made some brownies to take to our braai with the bishops boys tomorrow- and hopefully going to bed earlish. Planning on hiking table mountain this weekend- wish us luck!

Love to all- Hope you enjoy the pictures (Peter- our Castle castle is for you!)

xxx Heather (and some good old fashioned british love from marina as well)