Extra time...

I'm actually sitting in a classroom right now doing "observations". I've been jotting notes down about the classes and learners,not too much new information though. they're just like the secondary students in the States: a handful to manage at the least. The interesting part is the teachers. Since the unemployment is so high here (I've heard anywhere from 30-50%) a lot of people become teachers just because it's a steady salary. Not many go into it for the joy of teaching others. Kind of strange because in the States you DO NOT go into teaching for the money...it's more of "will I be taken care of while I slave for these kids?" if anything.

So I'm just going to try and play catch up with any of the pictures I've had lying around. These next couple are from a campsite nearby my school. It was started by the community to help bring in some revenue and previews a few aspects of what the San people live like. Granted the actual campsites are completely different(such nice bathrooms!!), they have small exhibits where travelers (I imagine not many "tourists" go there) can learn about the San.





Here are some pictures left over of my school visit. First is the view from the car down the 60km road from the nearest town to my site, followed by the view from the car of my first impression of my school (holy crap it's a military compund!...jk, more like wow it's so nice!):





Here is a picture of my principal, me and a lower primary teacher after dinner the second night. Below it is a picture of the hostel that is almost finished being built. It'll allow access to hoousing for more of the students which will be awesome because some of them have to walk very far through the bush to school (yep, just like you mom).

and my 7th post...that also may have gotten deleted...

Wow, it feels like I have been here for months but looking at the date I haven't even been here a single one! All things considered life is great here in Africa. Yeah, that implies there are a few things not going great but isn't that the case everywhere? Things have been really busy, we have our first exams next week so I'm a little nervous for that especially since I speak Afrikaans the worst when I'm in class. Out at a party with my family I'll be okay and can manage but in class my mind goes blank. There have been a lot of things on my mind that have been distracting me and keeping me mentally tired so I definitely am not at my best but just have to work around it.

My family is doing awesome! I really like them a lot, I've heard some not so great stories about the interactions with other volunteers and their families. I don't think I mentioned this last time but two other volunteers are also part of my family. I think they are both nephews to me, or whatever the cousin version of that is. My friend Kim is also just three houses down and her aunty is always over at my house so we hang out a lot. She's learning a different language so we just sit around and have tea time discussing the various going ons, sometimes work on our homework but try not to and relax.

This past week has been pretty busy actually. Outside of the upcoming tests (which I doubt anyone has studided for) I organized for a group to come show us some dancing on Saturday since we didn't have an activity planned, had to give a speech with Kim on Friday in exchange for said dancing group (which I wasn't notified until Thursday late), and planned a pizza party at this resort nearby for our entire group for Friday evening. So that is part of why I'm tired, at least I'm becoming somewhat proactive again so can't complain. Oh, and we had a gathering of sorts last night (Sat.) that I guess I was in charge of but that was just a bunch of us hanging out.

One thing that I like and dislike is that everything here has more of that small town feel. It's great because when I was doing all these different things people were really personable and would work with you on it. For example our little pizza party, there was 50 of us. Most places in the States would require a deposit, reservation, etc. but I told them we didn't want to sign up for anything but maybe we could just order a bunch of pizzas. I gave the guy the order ahead of time and he made sure it worked out. Things haven't been refined into a by-the-book process, so there still is that personable touch which I really like. That being said it isn't as refined so some people would feel uncomfortable not having that set of rules and clear process. We call it working on Africa time haha. For example the event where we gave a speech was supposed to start at noon, I think it started at 1500 (3pm), the key-note speaker cancelled, sound system was late, etc. It is just something you go with though and work it out as you can. I think our group did really well and should have the patience for it, which is great if we're all going to be teachers (the 10 business people weren't there)!

Patience, I think that is something that either gets lost or developed over time. I know both are true for me; I'm really patient in regards to some issues but others I will just turn away from immediately. I really applaud people who strive to have it in all areas of their life, or at least the very difficult areas. For example social workers, they are some impressive people. I do not beleive I could last in many of the positions out there, I woudl become to fed up and just leave. I know not something a teacher should be saying but to me being an educator is much different. Being able to help others understand math is a genuine joy I have. Ever think about what your genine joys are? honesty I do not know if I could list mine for lack of really knowing what they are. Maybe that can be another side distraction this week!

Speaking of patience, sorry for being so out of touch! I'm in the process of trying to see if I can set up e-mail on my netbook and the interet cafe is a little expensive. I'll try and get it worked out soon so I can stay more in contact!

this was supposed to be my 6th post...I think it may have gotten deleted...

So I've moved in with my host family. They are awesome! I was actully a little worried when we were meeting our families. I was actually reassigned from my original family because the father was worried about having a male volunteer living with his daughters (they were 24 and 19, also had a son who is 28). Coincidently enough, I'm living in a house of all females...I think. There are supposed to be 3 girls (one has a daughter) and a boy. One of the girls, Nadia, left to stay with her father and I haven't really seen the boy. Rosa is the one with a daughter named Lien whom I've been helping brush her teeth each night (the daughter, not the mom). Jessica, the 3rd of the bunch, is on break from school and is helping me a lot with under standing my mama (or meme as some of the volunteers say).

Here in Namiabia the official language is English but this was only instituted in 1990. So while the children are pretty well spoken many of the elders (including my mama!) don't speak any English. That being said mama and I still are able to communicate pretty well for me only being here a couple days. Laughter is definitely something that takes very little to understand. For example: my entire set of linens was pink my first night. Definitely a little amusing. My reassignment was actually a swap between volunteers and the original one for them was a female so they set up the room under that impression. Now I have a brown curtain and some blue bed sheets to off set some of the pink.

But life here is not all that different from back in the States. I wake up each morning, go for a run (with other volunteers), bath, eat breakfast, and then head to "school" to study Afrikaans and Namibian culture. I come home, hang out, eat dinner, watch some soapies (soap operas), study a bit then hit the sack. Yeah, my bath involves boiling water on the stove then pouring it into the tub but the fundamentals of the routine is pretty much the same. I imagine when I get to my site the same will apply. I'll wake up and do my morning chores, head to work, then come home and work some more (I am a teacher after all...), clean up and head to bed.

We watched a movie that I believe was based off of the reason for Children's day. Children's day is a national holiday that celebrates the uprising of black students in response to the delibrately inferior education they were receiving. It's a national holiday in Namibia and may even be continent wide, I'm not sure. Whoopi Goldberg is in it if you're curious, I think the movie is called Serafina but not exactly sure on the spelling. It was a good movie to watch and has a great message but I'll be honest, I was definitely not in the mood for it. I was more concerned about the massive amounts of margarine in my food and by massive amounts I mean the roof of my mouth gets coated with fat as I eat.

I think a big thing that so many people forget a lot of times is this: We're all human. On the surface things are all over the place but inside there's a beating heart that gets each one of us through the day (unless you're in surgery, then you may not have one). People in the States think Africa is some crazy foreign place out in the bush and our host nationals here think America is some paradise where everyone is a celebrity ("Chris do you know ....?"). Yeah, the standards of living are totally different but the actual living is very much the same.