Nothing too exciting happened during the last week, work went on as normal in the Juniors and by Friday everyone was exhausted! It was one of the boy's birthdays on Friday so we celebrated by eating cupcakes and crisps and then dressing up. I decided to go for the bow-tie and builder hat look while other people rocked afro wigs and sparkly moustaches. It's always so much fun having a party in the Junior class because the children enjoy it so much - they especially enjoy seeing grownups dress up in silly clothes.

During our cooking period this week we made Caesar Salad (complete with yummy homemade croutons and chicken)! We're teaching the children about the different food groups at the moment so we decided to cook healthy food this week. I was with the Juniors Thursday and Friday of last week and they made unhealthy food (doughnuts with chocolate). I'm so glad I was there because they were delicious...

While we were finishing off the salad one of the autistic boys made a run for the door and actually managed to get outside the Enrichment Centre compound because someone had left the gate open. We all got quite a fright but managed to catch him just before he entered the Junior Phase of the school... This is a perfect of example of why they have been given the nickname 'runners'!

As the weather is getting cooler everyone is getting ill - I don't think I've ever wiped so much snot away in one week. At the moment the temperature is perfect during the day, it's not too hot and not too cold but in the mornings you find yourself having to put on an extra three layers. The swimming pool at the hostel is definitely being used less, apart from the occasional boarder who's had enough of studying and wants to throw themselves into cold water.

Yesterday however, quite a few of the boarders wanted to go swimming in the afternoon because it was 28 degrees and we went paint balling for our hostel outing. We all left Mitchell House in the morning and arrived at Predator Paintball about half an hour later. After setting up the braai area we collected our gear and had three - very intense - games of paintball. The first game was in a small field full of tires and huge water barrels and we each got 20 "bullets" to use. The second game was in a much more difficult environment with long grass, towers and bunkers and this is where Kathryn, Zoe and I got shot the most... Kathryn was ambushed by the hostel master while she was hiding out in a bunker and got shot in the back, leg and head, Zoe got shot on the elbow, leg and back and I was shot on the bum. I don't know if any of you have been paint balling but getting hit is painful. 

In the final game however, we managed to get our attackers back - starting with the hostel master who I shot multiple times while lying ready behind some bushes... At one point one of the hostel boys made a run for Zoe and myself while firing madly, but he soon turned around again after Kathryn popped up from a nearby bush. Don't mess with the gaps!

We finished off the paint balling with a braai and then drove back to the hostel bruised and sore. It was a great day and I think it was the kid's favourite hostel outing yet. It was lovely to see that they enjoyed themselves.

Hostel Team

First field in action

Last field

War wounds

Zoe's elbow shot, owow!