On the 10th of April I did a Global Awareness presentation about South Africa. I presented it to a class in the Chestnut Hill School, there were 20 students who are all between the ages of 11-12. It was a great opportunity for both me and the students. The students were studying South African history at the time and they loved having me there to answer all their questions. I loved being able to share with them all the things I love most about South Africa. It made me feel a little closer to home.
I put a lot of effort into preparing my presentation because I wanted it to be fun but also educational. I talked about a few topics namely diversity, sports, history, famous South Africans, wildlife, languages spoken in South Africa and what life presently looks like in South Africa. To make things more interesting for them, I wore a very traditional South African dress which all the girls loved. With each topic, I asked them questions and I gave the space for them to also ask me questions. I was so surprised to see how interested they were in every bit of information I shared with them. At the end of my presentation both the students and the teachers could greet me in three different South African languages.
This was definitely one of the best experiences I had in the US. They made me feel extremely welcome and important. I realized how passionate I was about teaching and just being able to teach a class about my country was amazing!!! Most important piece of advice that I could give is to just have fun with the children sitting in front of you. Be passionate about what you’re sharing and it will be remembered forever. I would encourage every single person to this presentation. It makes you feel a little closer to home.