Muizenberg

9/10

1387869_10201129576031090_81657067_nWednesday did offer a great day for out-door! Spending some hours surfing and then fresh up and get some lunch really put you in a good mood. I was excited to meet the MBC members for the first time and today it was soccer on the schedule. You could really tell that they had arrived because of all the energy they had. It was a nice time playing soccer with the kids and time flew by while being all into the game. Some of them are very competitive, still it’s all for fun and not so serious. It was so cute when one of the boys told me I was a good soccer player, it’s a sport I like but haven’t been playing for many years. That’s what I love about MBC, you get to do all of these activities you wouldn´t do at home.  Tomorrow we have the surfing with the kids and on Friday we are going on a hike to the Devils Peak. Hope the weather will be on our side. I did expect it to be a lot warmer here now, but because of the wind and the fact that it´s only the start of the summer you still need to wear warm clothes. However, next week it’s predicted to be sunnier. Compared to Sweden where I come from it is a lot better weather, I don’t miss the autumn at home now!

Charlotte, 20 Swedish volunteer

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One month with the MBC …

 

Eloïse, Reunion Island

BOS Earthwave Beach Festival – 19 & 20 October 2013

Logo BOS EarthWave 2013Who doesn’t remember the record of 110 surfers riding the same wave during the 2009 Earthwave Festival at Muizenberg ?

 Come to live an even more intense moment with the MBC on the magnificent beach of Muizenberg on 19 October. The weekend of 19 & 20 October, the BOS Earthwave Beach Festival returns on Muizenberg beaches.

This year, for the sixth edition of the festival, two new records are to be beat: ” most surfers riding the same wave ” and ” the longest touch rugby game “.
Several activities will be proposed: tandem and longboard surfing events, standup paddleboard racing, skateboarding and plenty of activities for kids.

DSC_27835 surfers from MBC will have the opportunity to participate to this festival through inter-schools surfing championships. Who will represent the MBC? It’s time for the selections !

This weekend will be an extraordinary moment for all the MBC members, who can support their champions ! It’s sure that I will be in Muizenberg on 19 October to my first BOS Earthwave Beach Festival, to encourage our members in good mood and for enjoy this weekend 100 % surfing and pleasure.

Eloïse, Reunion Island

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Tidal Pools

Every fortnight new volunteers arrive, at the ready to help MBC. This week we welcomed two new volunteers and therefore decided to try a new activity. Along the beautiful Muizenberg-St. James coastal walk are tidal pools by the ocean, so we grabbed some wetsuits and went for a swim, snorkels in hand. After a tentative entry into very cold water, everyone was splashing about and trying to master the art of using a snorkel without breathing in half of the tide.
Eventually it became too cold and Wayden proceeded to teach us how to ‘skip stones’ by the pool edge. This is sg I’d never tried and managed to fail at miserably. It goes to show that it is not just the kids that are learning at MBC – we all learn and help each other.

- Dan Hughes, Worcester, GBIMG_5403

The Meaning of Marriage – Joke of the Week by Philasande

In marriage, you have three rings.

The first ring is your engagement ring.

The second ring is your your wedding ring.

And the third ring, is suffering.

Breaking Bad Habits

“Good habits formed at youth make all the difference” Aristotle

Although I have been in South Aftica since May and surfing for nearly two months, today I had a beginners lesson and went back to basics. MBC is linked to local surf school, Learn2Surf, and with two solid hours of instructing it was exhilerating to break the bad habits.  The beauty of it was, I had no clue that I locked my legs or looked at my feet instead of to shore – and now I feel like I’ve had a surfing break through.

I, myself, believe that I have broken many of my own bad habits since coming to SA – and not just surfing ones. I no longer shuffle along, looking at the floor when I walk on my own, oblivious to my surroundings. There is something about traveling that makes you more confident and self-assured. Perhaps it is because you begin to learn more about yourself.

In my time here, I have also been taught many skills by others – I can observe better, surf better, eat like an American and even clean a wetsuit properly.

I hope I set a good example to MBC Members, maybe they will follow my lead in learning, growing and breaking bad habits. After all, the good habits formed at youth make all the difference.

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY WAYDEN – 12 TODAY

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Boys of Steel

Asi and Phila at the cinema“You just have to decide what kind of man you want to grow up to be, Clark. Whoever that man is, he’s going to change the world” Jonathan Kent, Father of Superman, Man of Steel

At Muizenberg Beach Club, the objective is not only to give its members amazing opportunities but also to teach them a valuable set of life skills.

Our most recent endeavour was to get the kids to commit and persevere with MBC and their goals. Our solution was the star chart. The idea is that each child would get a star for every session they attended and extra for good behaviour – sometimes stars are even taken away for bad behaviour. The child with the most stars at the end of the month gets a surprise ‘reward’.

Yesterday evening was the much anticipated reward night. The winner and the runner-up, Asi and Phila, were taken out for burgers.

It was particularly fitting for Asi, who pipped Phila to the top spot by one star which he had earned for sharing his chocolate with another boy who had none… And thus ended up in Spur for their ‘buy one get one free burger’ night. That little piece of chocolate he gave away earned him two massive burger meals!

I wonder how the other boy felt, what he thought when Asi gave him his chocolate. I’d like to think it will inspire him to copy Asi’s altruistic behaviour in the future, especially in an environment where it is more common to grab and fight over scarce treats.

What really strikes me is what a humble guy Asi is. It was almost as though he thought he didn’t deserve his reward. When Ant revealed the surprise part of the evening – to watch Man of Steel at the cinema – he almost walked away in disbelief! That tells me his act of kindness really came from his heart.

Asi recently confided that he’d like to be a police man or a fire fighter when he’s older and you can tell from his loyal and kind nature, he excels tremendously in helping others.

We often talk at MBC about role models, someone the boys can look up to and learn from. I believe they have a role model amongst themselves. It may not be a pro surfer or a celebrity but it is someone they can actually relate to – one of their own.

When the evening was over, Ant received an SMS from Phila reading “Wow!!! I had the time of my life, it was awesome! The stars are worth fighting for”. His gratefulness made the evening a million times worth it’s value and I’m sure whoever they grow up to be, they will always remember MBC and their reward to see Superman.

Tok Tokkie – Joke of the Week By Philasande

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A pastor was walking down the road and saw a small boy trying to ring a doorbell but the doorbell was out of reach.

The pastor walks over to the doorbell and rings it for him, he turns to the boy and says

“What now?”

and the boy replies – “now we run”

A Relief For the Steenberg Community

Wayden_Godfrey“It is so great to see kids out playing like this on the beach, I’m glad it is a common activity for them” Muizenberg Police Officer, Friday 14th June

In a recent report* from Kevin Southgate, Chairperson of Steenburg Community Police (April 2013) it is believed that gang violence is escalating within the Steenberg area. The local police enforcements have tried to combat the problem by increasing police patrols however it still leaves the community worried about their security.

The main concern for most residents is the safety of the children as ‘incidents of gang violence seem to erupt during the school holidays’. MBC provides positive activities for its members in a safe environment, giving them the opportunity to leave the area and have new experiences.

Whilst playing soccer with the kids on Muizenberg Beach a few weeks ago, a police officer (who had been riding up and down the beach) stopped by our soccer pitch and commented on the nature of the children. Programs such as MBC are as much a relief to the community as they keep children away from the gangs and teach each child skills that can help them gain more from their lives.

Texas