Mike Pavich – Punahou School – Math Dept.
TWB-SA 2005:

A New Year, A New Team, Upgraded Accommodations, And Another Great Experience

My reflections will be just a series of statements that try to capture my view of this fabulous experience:

• The Peer family and extended family still give so much to the Team that for me, I can’t think of words suitable to describe my appreciation. After so many summers of opening up their homes and lives to “strangers”, when do they run out of hospitality?
• The warmth and appreciation of Umtata and its people are phenomenal !
• The Beauty and Poverty of South Africa still provide a contrast that I cannot deal with.
• The Resoucefulness of our teaching colleagues in SA still astounds me, “I will not wait for the Government to help, my students need it now!” Their ability to improvise is amazing!
• Getting to know the Team especially rookies Mano, Deb and Ralph was great. The entire team was so talented. Vets Jim and Erin were very helpful and gave me guidance early on.
• Being affiliated with TWB really aligns us with a Worldly Common Cause and provides a vehicle to so many more programs.
• With International Focus now shifting to Africa it feels good to have been there trying to help. So much more needs to be done.
• Ghana Guys!!! Need I say any more? Talented, Hardworking, Funny and so giving!!
• Thanks Tammy and the rest of my Family for believing in our Program and supporting my absence.
• Yunus, thanks for “changing my life” and believing that I might have the compassion and skills to share what I have learned while working at Punahou.
• Visiting Mdlangaswa- Punahou’s sister school- was quite a treat, the growth was nice to see.

Many mahalos for such an enriching experience and the opportunity to grow!

Mike Pavich