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.