The First Days of School

The first week of school is over...and, let me tell you, the first week of school in Namibia is much different than the first week of school in America. In the States, students walk into classrooms decked out with posters and signs. They also already have an assigned seat and maybe even a name tag. They know who their teacher is and where their classroom is and they probably arrived at school early, just in case. Basically, students and teachers hit the ground running.


















PHOTO: The walk to school looks a bit different these days, especially after an overnight rainfall.

In Namibia, the first week is more of an organizational period. During this time, students are transferring in or out of different schools. Teachers are meeting to figure out the time table (translation: class schedule). The school is waiting on supplies from the ministry (notebooks, chalk, crayons, copy paper) and from the school board (toner for the printer). Some of the supplies haven’t arrived yet...and never will.














PHOTO: A bit of water near my homestead (these are just baby oshanas!)

I didn’t actually teach a class until Thursday and ended up playing hangman on Friday because only 13 out of 35 grade 7s were present for English class (the last period of the day). Grade 5 didn’t have class all week because the teacher with their room key was away at a workshop. Thankfully, however, all the organization is now behind us; it’s now week two and the ball has started rolling...
The school’s newly formed library committee has also started meeting. We have many big tasks ahead of us (getting more books in both English and Oshindonga, rearranging the library’s space, cataloguing and organizing the books and teaching students how and why to use the library) but I am excited to get the project started.














PHOTO: Baby piglets on the homestead, born just a few weeks ago. Aren't they adorable!?

And, of course, a weather report. The rains have arrived and are hopefully here to stay. Although the rain creates big puddles everywhere and fills seasonal lakes called oshanas, I’m a fan of rainy days. It keeps things cooler and reminds me of a rainy (or snowy) day at home – the perfect time to dress in layers (which, to a Namibian-extent, I’ve done) and watch a movie in bed (check that off the list, too). Having to hike up my skirt or take off my shoes to walk to school is just a price I’ll have to pay in order to enjoy the benefits of the rain.

Christmas on the Beach

Alright I know it seems like I’ve completely dropped out of the blogosphere, but – don’t worry – I haven’t! I’ve just been on holiday, and it’s hard to keep a computer safe when you are traversing thousands of kilometres and camping in a tent so I just left it at home.

Photo: Trekking up Dune 7. Huge, isn't it??

First off, greetings: Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all! Also thanks to everyone who wished me a happy birthday and especially those that were forward-thinking enough to send a card in November (Grandma, Mom and Aunt Cheryl).

Photo: Our campsite in Swakop

As many of you may know, this is the first holiday season that I’ve ever spent away from home. And, honestly, I couldn’t be farther away from home (which turned out to be a good thing). It’s really hard to get homesick when it doesn’t feel like Christmas. And for me, there needs to be snow for it to feel like Christmas, so...Guess where I spent my Christmas? THE BEACH! It was great.

Photo: Cape Fur Seals - thousands of them. Oh the noises and the smells!

From the 24^th of December to the 2^nd of January, I camped with 20+ other volunteers in Swakopmund on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. While everyone else at the campground had several cars, a few large tents, a braai (grill) and sometimes even a fridge, we had over 20 one- or two-person tents, laundry hanging everywhere and empty bottles and backpacks littering the ground. But who needs fancy camping equipment to have a good vacation?

Photo: Our Swakop group on the beach on the last day of 2010!

Swakop is one of Namibia’s biggest tourist destinations, especially during the holiday season. To be honest, it felt more like little Deutschland than Africa. I spent a lot of time on the beach – walking, reading, splashing around in the icy cold water (the Benguela Current pulls up chilly Antarctic water). And what time wasn’t spent at the beach was spent walking around the city and eating at its many delicious restaurants. After realizing that I’d be eating oshithima almost exclusively for the next three months, I decided I wanted to eat as much good food as possible. That meant sushi (x3), fish and chips (x2), carrot cake (x2), chocolate cake, milkshakes (x2), oysters (ick), pizza (x2), Chinese, gelato, and too many coffees and pastries to count. The damage to my wallet and my love handles is bound to be immense but frankly I don’t care. It was completely worth it.

Photo: Our Nam Christmas tree

Another highlight of the holiday was a trip up the Skeleton Coast (so named for the many whale and ship skeletons occupying its shores). With a group of 20 and two rented pickups, we visited Cape Cross, home to a huge Cape Fur Seal colony and Walvis Bay where we climbed Dune 7 (one of the largest in the world). We also camped on the beach next to a shipwreck (pretty sweet, right?).

Photo: Camping on the beach next to a shipwreck

Now, (fortunately or unfortunately – I’m not sure) it is time to return to reality, i.e. the village, and start the term. Time to speak Oshiwambo again...and eat oshithima...and mark papers...and measure time by looking at the sun. Generally, to do what I came here to do...

Photo: The view from Dune 7

Video: Dancing to Waka Waka on the beach...is this Africa?