Off to Ireland Westies go
It's an amazing, once in a lifetime opportunity and we are very excited.
POLOKWANE – It’s an amazing, once in a lifetime opportunity and we are very excited.
These were the words of two Westenburg Secondary School learners who were chosen to play in the Limpopo Youth Orchestra in Ireland last week.
The learners left on December 3 and returned on Tuesday.
Naomi Adams (15) and Abram Hamilton (16) started playing for the Limpopo Youth Orchestrata about four years ago when a representative from the orchestra visited the school and invited the learners to join as a development programme in the community.
Adams plays the violin and Hamilton the chello. “I knew nothing about music or how to play an instrument. Now I can read music and I play the violin,” Adams said.
But visiting another country and learning about their culture while meeting new people is not the only thing that had the learners excited about their trip to Ireland.
It was their first time flying as well.
“This will be the first time I will be flying and I have mixed emotions. I’m feeling scared, nervous and excited at the same time,” Hamilton said.
Bettie Boom, the deputy principal at Westenburg Secondary School said it was good to see children from the community doing so well and making use of opportunities that came their way.
“I am very proud of them and the school is proud of them for putting Westenburg Secondary School on the map and doing so internationally. Keep up the good work,” Boom said.
There were initially five learners from Westenburg who were chosen to go to Ireland, but some of them did not have the necessary documents ready on time.
