Sunnyside Primary School in Pretoria
This is the school I attended when we first arrived in South Africa from Scotland. I was 9 years old and I arrived toward the middle of their school year. A brand new country, a brand new school, a whole different way of living....Everything was so new and foreign to me that I honestly thought my classmates were speaking another language. I was initimiated and confused by the accent because it was so different and I had a hard time understanding it initially but I soon got the hang of things and started making friends.I was the new foreign red head with the funny accent. Ironic because I was the one who thought they sounded funny.
I didn't recognise any names at first in the FB Group, except for one wee boy who had posted a picture of himself as I remembered him. From there, I found classmates who's surnames had changed and they remembered me.
It took me back almost thirty years and the memories came flooding back. Playing marbles with the boys in the dig outs on the playground, playing elastics with the girls and swapping pretty writing papers. Attending parties and having my first crushes on boys.
The great news is that we're having a reunion brunch at the end of the month to get together, catch up and share old photos from that time.
I then took a chance and went to find classmates from my primary school in Scotland - Bellfield Primary School but I couldnt' find anyone as there is no dedicated group. I'll be adding one soon. I dug out my old Bellfield Primary School T-Shirt today (the only item of clothing I have kept for 35 years). I put it on Kaylin (my four year old) and took a picture of her wearing it. More memories came flooding back. This time memories of school in Scotland and the friends I had there, playing violin and drying our pokees on the radiator when it snowed....
Have you kept in contact with anyone from primary school?
Kaylin wearing my 35 year old primary school t-shirt
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