Next Village Experience - January 2010

Hi Guys
Here are the village experience logistics for January 2010.
Essentially I will be in the village from the 4th january, so you are welcome to arrive on that same day with me, or soon thereafter, but not pref not much later then the 5th. Of course, you can arrive later if the dates are better for you, but then you will have less time with me there as teacher as I leave between the 9th and 11th Jan. This is not the end of the world, as there will be other tutors who I would have selected and given some training to and the experience is far less about me being there, and you will be well looked after.

TRANSPORT:

So you would need to get there yourself, by flight or by bus or however, but let me know. I will attach some info on this, but Greyhound bus is prob better. With greyhound (www.greyhound.co.za) its R425 one way max (i.e. there are various discounts available)and is an overnight trip. Then you will meet a shuttle in EL to go to Hamburg (R100 one way). So thats about R1050 total for travel expenses. Flights to EL are also an option and shuttle from airport.

INVESTMENT:

In the village, for mud hut accommodation, Xhosa food and Xhosa lessons, daily opportunities to volunteer, the investment is R250 per night (R200 for students/scholars/special cases). You are investing in a sustainable initiative that benefits the whole village and yourself. The prices are also open to fluctuation based on how long you want to go for and the nature of the experience you wish to have. Just send me a mail. I will make you a deal.

INCLUDES:

- accommodation with a host family in a stunning village close to the coast and opportunities to live and experience different parts of the traditional culture.
- 3 Xhosa meals daily (you may wish to bring some snacks - see attached info doc - you may have to email me for this)
- Xhosa tuition every day. make sure to bring some materials with you or enquire from me - I have materials for different levels.
- opportunities to volunteer in the community, at the clinic/treatment centre/heritage site, or art and craft centre, which has provided murals and altar pieces of South African history that have been taken around the world. This may be a small fee extra to cover the volunteer co-ordinator and guide. It also may not be.

YOU NEED TO:

Let me know how many nights you wish to stay and what dates you wish to arrive and leave, then book your bus tickets asap. School holidays coincide closely (School goes back 13th Jan 2010).

Please let me know any queries, but do first read over the attached info pack. It has all info, booking forms and indemnity forms. Please email me for this.

Many thanks,

Do let me know if you have any further queries.
Craig
info@learnxhosa.co.za
072 6090 666

Audio Cd Content

CD 1: (Covered in the Level 1 Course).

Lesson 1: Pronunciation, reading the language and Greetingse
Lesson 2: Introduction to Verbs and Prefixes
Lesson 3: Sentence Building Blocks and NB 1st Sentences
Lesson 4: Greetings, Names and Appropriate Titles
Lesson 5: Introductions and Pleasantries
Lesson 6: Integration Orals and extra lessons

CD 2: (Covered in the Level 2 Course).

Lesson 7: Negatives
Lesson 8: Past Tense and Negative Past Tense)
Lesson 9: Asking questions
Lesson 10: Na as and / with / have
Lesson 11: Conversational Application for daily usage
Lesson 12: Integration Conversation Orals

Phrase CD 1:
- The Phrase CD is really just a convenient collection of all the phrases found in CD 1 and 2 without all the explanations and teachings in between. It is really just an effective tool for touching up and revising your Xhosa skills, specifically in preparation for CDs 3 and 4.

CD 3: (Covered in the Level 3 Course). More Verb-based Constructs, giving immediate oomph to your conversational ability. Each lesson has clear grammatical explanations, with exercises, sample conversations or comprehensions.

Lesson 13: Using Nga- to say by means of, about, for, and some locative
Lesson 14: Object Concords (OC)
Lesson 15: The Subjunctive, the potential and some useful constructs
Lesson 16: The Recent past continuous tense and the Remote past tense
Lesson 17: The Locative
Lesson 18: The Locative 2 - Positional Words

CD 4: (Covered in the Level 4 Course). The Noun groups. This course is quite academic (i.e. requires commitment and dedicated learning, as do all the others), but it still focusses on immediate and practical conversational application. It gives the Xhosa learner a thorough overview of the noun groups and a good practical understanding of the many ways in which they can be used.

Lesson 19: Noun Groups and Verb Links 1-4
Lesson 20: Verb Links to noun groups 5-8
Lesson 21: Verb Links to noun groups 9-15
Lesson 22: Summary of Noun groups and Verb Links - All, the whole and every
Lesson 23: Concordance and the Power of the noun Groups
Lesson 24: Conversational Application

Wed 16th December is Reconciliation Day

Mandiseli, Ben and me are inviting volunteers to come and help at the (informal) “community centre” in Makhaza, Khayelitsha
It’s the place we are running the home-gardens project from, and where we are encouraging other community focused activities
We are helping the community to make it a beautiful place and need lots of hands and love to help

You are invited J and please invite your friends and family

Wed 16th December 2009 10:30 – 2:30

An indication of who is coming would be very helpful - and we should share lifts where possible so please let me know who can offer and who needs a lift. thanks

Please bring: Your wonderful self and a smile is all that is required

optional
A bit of money to buy fruit from the neighbouring fruit vendor if you want a snack or want to share with local volunteers (support local business)
- A water bottle or cup to drink from – there is a tap there
- Gardening gloves / hat / suntan lotion …
- Some black bags for rubbish
- If you have some tools … we are putting up a lapa, there is a fence to fix – few big holes in it! …
- (we would like to use locally recovered/recycled materials – scrounge for discarded wood etc and be innovative .. but some nails, wire, hammers, … really help a LOT)
- If you have some gardening tools (we do have a few – depends how many come. if you wish to donate an indigenous shrub / tree, or fruit tree please contact me re what will be suitable and bring compost and mulch for it too

Directions:
N2 towards Somerset West. Take the R310 Baden Powell off ramp and turn right towards Muizenberg – cross over the freeway. You’ll pass a collection of sculptures on your right; soon after that. 1st turn right into Landsdowne Rd (the sign left says Macassar and the sign right I think says Khayelitsha, but don’t worry its 1st right after the sculptures!)
1st left opposite a taxi rank / open space
Pass Nkzimlo school on your right
Next left at the end of the school yard
You’ll pass a play park on your right, bit further on a church under construction
Where the road makes a sharp right turn – the “centre” is on the corner on your left
We’ll be there
From Muizenberg coming along Baden Powell drive – it’s the last left turn before the N2 – rest as above

Love and blessings
Elizabeth Meiring
Art of Living Teacher
elizabeth@artofliving.org.za
+27 82 497 6428