At last! Not wanting to research an essay for my teacher
training has finally allowed me the time to write a post! Three seasons have
passed since last contact; Summer, Spring, and Summer; as we were lucky enough
to be in the UK for July and August, followed by a beautiful Spring and
wonderfully hot Summer here in South Africa these past few months. So, what
have the Willmores’ been up to during all this time?
Firstly, our visit to the UK was amazing. To see family and
friends after four years away was such a treat. And a week away in France
showing off our French skills was the icing on the cake. On return home to
South Africa a new school year loomed for the children with Amelie moving up to
College, as did a visit to Home Affairs to pick up the children’s newly
acquired citizenship. Or so we thought…
 |
| On the beach in France with my family. |
After joining this queue and then that queue and then the
other queue, we finally got to a desk to pick up the children’s South African
Birth Certificates. On finding out that Laurence had acquired British
citizenship without permission from the South African government, instead of
the children being given theirs, Home Affairs had decided to take Laurence’s
away. We were shocked, and Laurence was suddenly a foreigner in his own
country. Dealing with government that doesn’t function is a painful anxiety
inducing process so, like ostriches, we decided to bury our heads in the sand and
leave that problem for another day. South Africans are adept at circumventing
the government as part of their way of life. People here are installing solar
panels and bore holes at a rate of knots whilst the electricity and water
infrastructure implode all around. A desire to stay in this beautiful country, or
no choice to leave it, is an ever-present topic of debate.
Just before Laurence lost his citizenship, we crumbled under
the children’s pressure to get a dog. And why get only one when you can get
two! This led to the arrival of Poppy and Libby, two little Yorkie cross
Maltese poodles. With one being loyal, disciplined, and intelligent, and the
other being completely wild and unruly, they reflect their owners’
personalities rather well. And with (almost) no favourite between them, I will
leave you to decide who mirrors who. They have been a wonderful addition to our
family and have helped Elowen and Joel with their fear of dogs. This being a
good thing out here in South Africa where a lot of people seem to keep them for
added security. It is something I have unfortunately been on the sharp end of,
having rescued both a neighbour’s dog and our puppy Libby from the jaws of a
bull terrier who had escaped from its property. A trip to hospital for me and
our neighbour, and many trips to the vet for our neighbour’s little dog and our
little Libby too, was the unfortunate result. It was savage and frightening,
and a reminder that people taking things into their own hands is not always a
good thing. We are all recovering ok thank goodness.
 |
| Amelie holding Poppy, Joel, and Elowen holding Libby. |
Staying with the theme of animals, we spent a long weekend
away on a game farm in rural Limpopo province. Idyllic thatched cottages
nestled in the foothills of Africa; one would be fooled into thinking it was a
million miles from anything. The monkeys, however, must have been laughing at
such an assumption. Within 24 hours of arriving, they had raided our idyllic
thatched cottages, leaving a trail of banana skins in their wake! Lesson 1 was
to lock the windows. Lesson 2 was to carry a mop whilst eating, as we found out
during breakfast on the patio one morning. A monkey observing our banquet from
a nearby tree was clearly tempted by our granola. He promptly jumped down and
started to chase me round the breakfast table grabbing a handful from my bowl
as he ran. A conveniently placed mop allowed me to regain some control, as I
clutched it like a sword and shooed him away. He retreated after a long
standoff, which allowed us to continue breakfast, mop in hand. A deer stood
watching the whole affair; she was obviously used to all forms of monkey business.
As the most senior monkeys, we duly apologised, and she carried on with her
day.
 |
| Didn't even throw them in the bin! |
 |
Me and the mop vs the monkey,
with the deer watching on... |
 |
| The three munchkins by the pool. |
 |
| Family time. |
 |
Someone spent too long
on the beach in their speedos! |
Following our weekend away, Joel and I had to dust off our
coats as we were off to the UK. Joel’s visa for South Africa had run out and we
no longer had a way of renewing it. Bar for the ice-cold weather, it was
awesome timing, as I got to celebrate my nephew Simeon’s 7
th, my
brother Daniel’s 30
th and my 40
th birthday in the UK with
family. Joel learnt how to toast a crumpet on an open fire with a toasting
fork; it doesn’t get more British than that! And Simeon learnt how to blow a loud
and annoying sound on a South African trumpet called a vuvuzela; it doesn’t get
more South African than that! Thankfully we left the vuvuzela in the UK with
Simeon to terrorise my sister, Hannah, and brother-in-law Rich, much to their
dismay!
 |
40 and 30! South Africans would call my brother
a Laat Lammetjie, which means late lamb. |
 |
| The winter version of my family. |
 |
The British support for Ukraine is amazing.
And I'm proud of my mum for hosting a Ukrainian family. |
 |
| Joel toasting crumpets. |
 |
Simeon with his Vuvuzela. The South African
supporter's instrument of choice at a football match. |
It was back to the sun in SA for the rest of Summer, to
continue my 40th celebrations with Laurence’s family, and to return
to my studies as I train to become a qualified teacher. Along with my military
experience, I’ll have children leopard crawling and marching to the tune of
spellings and maths sums in no time!
It’s been 8 months of ups and downs. A theme of greedy
animals seems to be a fitting description running through it all. We hope that politics
recovers, South Africa recovers, Libby and I recover, and that Laurence’s
citizenship is also recovered. There is a South African spirit that makes all
this possible…
From the wilds of Africa to the wintery cold of the UK. Autumn
and Spring are on their way. And with a new season comes a new chapter. On to
the next adventure!
Lots of love to you all,
Jess x
A few extra photos...
 |
| The day after the Queen died. |
 |
| Saying Good bye to emigrating friends. |
 |
| And I love my students too! |
 |
| The Boyz. |
 |
| Christmas celebrations at Riversands Primary School. |
 |
| Grade 2 Christmas fun. |
 |
| How many children can fit in my car? |
 |
It turns out that 24 can...
as I took them to the preschool graduation. |
 |
| The graduating children at Buttercup in December. |
 |
Elowen on the rugby field playing against
the local Alexandra township rugby club. |
 |
| Joel and his taekwondo. |
 |
A still from a video of Amelie playing rugby with some
of the French rugby team after a match against South Africa. |
 |
The end of another wonderful season
with my hockey family. |
