Navy court shoes, silver grey stockings. If you have to ask me what I remember about my school clothes, then it is probably that. I walk through reception, probably the first time in 24 years in daylight, on a week day, at the school where I matriculated. Goudrif High School. I notice the school emblem against the wall with the slogan (is this the right word for leuse as we call it in Afrikaans?) Roepingsbewus and I suddenly wonder if it was always there. I recon that I did not visit this part of the school enough to actually remember.
Elsabé Lartz meets up with me just as I exit the ladies room – the one for staff and teachers only, prohibited for use by kids. This is now part of the area that I am allowed to move around in. Strangely enough, I am convinced that this ladies room was bigger than what it appears now. We walk to my car to take out the things I brought with. She asks me a few questions – what year I matriculated, what my maiden name was, do I have kids. Mrs. Lartz will be at this school for 20 years in 2022. We missed each other in the school passages by 4 years.
She tells me that I probably still remember where the school hall is, letting me walk ahead of her. The moment I walked into the hall, it was as if 24 years disappeared. The shy, uncertain matriculant is back for a moment. A flood of memories flash through my mind. I recall the night we were announced as Prefects in grade 11, how we practiced for hours and hours for the Revue in that same hall.
The stage stands proud with stairs and various platforms, ready for a Revue to take place on it. The hall still smells the same. Is it not amazing how smells can take you back in time? I can still relive the layout of the tables while writing the various exams in matric – probably all the exams for that year were written there? I cannot remember. I only remember the one around August / September and then the finals in October / November.
She asks me how it feels to be back at the school. My answer was one word – Weird. I stand opposite the Head Girls nameboard against the wall. I take a picture for my sister who was Head Girl in 1994. A while later, the sound team come in to set up a microphone for me (one which I decided not to make use of). One of the boys asks me if I have music that I want to play. I have this dumbstruck look on my face – that is certainly something that I DID NOT think of. Music and a slideshow. “Maybe next time” I answer them.
The bell rings for a break, the kids enter the hall. More than what I had expected. Mrs. Lartz said that she asked her grade 12’s to invite other kids that are not Consumer Study students. I hope I have the translation right here! I can never remember the English for Verbruikerstudies.
This time round my nerves are gnawing at me, a bit more than usual. It feels like I will be judged by the young hopeful kids in front of me, about where they are now and where they will be one day, measured by me and what I say to them and how I am presented to them. I know this is not true and push through the gnawing to deliver my message.
I even sing a song for them, one that I remember from church as a child. “Weet jy nie, weet jy nie, jy’s ‘n tempel? Vol van lof, vol van krag, vol van vreugde” hand movements and all. For the life of me, I do not know the English version of this song, so I am not even going to TRY to translate that one. A few looked at me as if I am Crazy Daisy, others giggled because they knew exactly what I was talking about.
They were, by far, my most interactive audience to date (not that I have done this a 100 times before – this is the fourth school that I have visited). When I asked the question – “Who of you knew that Flamingos are not born pink?” the hands shot up into the air, answering the question that was asked.
Seed was sown, that I know. One girl, who appeared to be in tears, came to thank me for the beautiful message. Absolutely a Holy Spirit inspired moment and all the glory be to God, not to me. Another girl’s spirit was so open and receptive, I spotted her a mile away and told her that too.
Those who chose to take a picture with me for Facebook and Instagram, looked more than chuffed with their aprons. When I look at the photo, I can see the laughter and giggles of the kids. I can feel and see the energy, remembering how it was being 17 or 18 years of age. In a way I miss that, but I am also grateful that I have moved on and am where I am in my life.
The more things change the more they stay the same. This I saw that day again. I wonder how many people have walked through those passages and classes? How many have matriculated there? It feels like an impossible calculation to do. 24 years have flown by in an instant. In the blink of an eye.
I realised again that being a Teacher must be one of THE most difficult jobs under this sun. To teach children from different backgrounds, domestic circumstances, cultures, habits and who knows what else, so that they UNDERSTAND and are able to write exams and pass, is most certainly not everyone’s cup of tea. Not everyone is made for that, I am certainly one of them who is NOT made to be a Teacher!
My prayer is that each student, not only the Consumer Studies students, got a little something that day. That God will water it on the right time so that the trees will grow to produce His fruit, reflecting Pink Feathers for Him.
My mind wanders back to the slogan. Roepingsbewus. I chew on this for a while. What does it really mean? I use Google translate to get the English word. Vocation Conscious I see on my screen. I think to myself, WHAT does Vocation mean? I do not think I have even heard of this word before!!
Yes you guessed it, I Googled the word Vocation too. The meaning? A strong feeling of suitability for a particular career or occupation. WOW!!! This revelation seems even better than the Afrikaans version that I wrote. But it comes down to the same thing. It means to be CONSCIOUS of your CALLING (and in worldly terms career and jobs) that God has called you for.
How interesting is this? The slogan and message that was portrayed comes down to the same thing. God is TRULY AMAZING!!!!!! May everyone that go through those school passages, live that slogan in this world that we find ourselves in.
In my mind I can hear the tune of the school anthem, as I remember it. The words that I am singing in my mind are most certainly wrong, but I am singing it to myself and I know I will remain ROEPINGSBEWUS (or VOCATION CONSCIOUS as I have learnt it is translated into English). Without realising it and making a conscious effort in my life after school, I feel that I have been living this slogan in my life.
Jy is… deel 4
