In the latest blog from Winchester students on a placement in South Africa - part of the University's partnership with the Nelson Mandela Museum - student teacher Leah Knape talks about lectures, sharing Nelson Mandela's legacy and learning traditional African dancing.
Our third day of activities here and the fourth day after leaving the UK mainly revolved around the Walter Sisulu University and finally we had a car which had the correct amount of seats.
Ever felt like an A list celebrity? We have. As we entered the University everyone was staring, taking photos and asking for selfies.
At the University, we observed a lecture on Phonics for the English specialists. It had lots of call and response and the students often finished the lecturer's sentences. They wrote on a blackboard. We were all surprised when one of the students told us that the poorer students had their university education for free and discounted: like us. This is the same as their healthcare system, which again we were surprised at.
On day four we visited the Nelson Mandela Museum to discuss how we can implement the knowledge of Mandela's legacy and values into our school system in the UK. As future teachers, we were all very excited and took down lots of ideas.
On day five (Saturday) we had the most amazing morning. We were taught and joined in with traditional African dancing by ladies who came to our accommodation. They wore traditional clothes which consisted of probably a thousand beads each. "One of the better mornings of our lives". We have just finished off some traditional African food which received mixed opinions - but we all had a try!
The taxi argument here is still going on and we have been constantly stopped due to our big car. But we just laugh now: if we didn't we'd cry.
Currently all still present and correct: no one has been actually married off. (Yet lots of offers occurring daily.)
Read the first blog post Expect the Unexpected here.
More information about the University of Winchester-Nelson Mandela Museum partnership here.
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