We've been exploring Durbanville...

I’m writing this on the 3^rd of September.

So this is me on nightshift again… This time I’m working in the CHILLI unit which is for the children who are a bit more difficult. The unit is based around therapy for the children to help them better themselves.  Usually volunteers don’t do nightshift here, there is a staff member who sits up in the house but she’s off sick so my manager chose me as she knows I’m interested in this kind of work. I’m well chuffed! The only problem is that, because there are both girls and boys in this house, I REALLY have to stay up all night to make sure they don’t go into each other’s rooms. Most of the houses are single sex so you can have a bit of a nap in the small hours if there’s not much going on. Of course these naps are unofficial, as far as management is concerned we’re wide awake. This is my second night in a row in CHILLI so I’m knackered. I tried to sleep today but the kids in my house were blasting out a Lady Gaga album from around 11am so I only got a few hours sleep (nightshift hours are 9pm-7am). Much as I approve of their choice of music I wish they could have waited until around 3pm to play it…

We’ve spent the last few days getting to know the staff, volunteers and children here at Durbanville which has been nice. One of the good things about nightshift is that you are free during the day (once you’ve woken up…) so it’s a good time to chat to people and explore Durbanville itself. From our wanders around we have so far located several supermarkets, the SA equivalent of Boots (Which sells dry shampoo and Tre Semme hairspray… YUSSS), several bars and a tonne of takeaways (chinese, pizza, Maccy D’s, KFC…). The spending will have to slow down soon but for now we’re so excited to be here! To me it already feels like home here. We have friends, a routine and some favourite hang-outs already… what more could we ask for? The other night we took three cars to Stellenbosch, a city nearby with a big student population, to go clubbing. Wednesday night is student night so everything was cheap (-er than normal…). Was a great night! We realised on the way there that a few of us had forgotten our IDs so we were having a bit of a panic but the first club we went to didn’t ask for them. The bouncer at the second club wanted to see them so we had to blag our way in showing him our stamps from the last place and being super nice. In the end some of the German guys convinced him by telling him that we’re volunteers… loving the perks of this job!