Category: Peace Corps-year1

This week was different than expected. Sam and Sara, PCVs from my group, live in small villages and have the option to stay the holidays with other volunteers in their region. They came to my town to stay at the primary school hostel since it has plenty of spare room. I invited them for dinner their first night in town and we’ve had dinner every night since, taking turns with the cooking.

Not only have we shared dinners, but Sara and Sam spent the first two nights with me since the hostel property was locked. The volunteer who lives there is traveling and forgot to make arrangements before he left. Having that issue resolved, they moved in, but they prefer my kitchen. Unfortunately, their kitchen is roach infested and does not have the luxury of a 3-burner stove with working oven and a microwave like my kitchen. Their kitchen has an all-in-one appliance of a toaster oven combined with two burners on top, one of which does not work well.

My matrone noticed their coming and going every day and after I explained their situation, she said they should stay with me again, at least while Ester is gone. They moved back over here. My dancing like no is watching was short lived but we’ve been watching movies together, playing some cards, but mostly playing a ‘new to me’ game, Settlers of Catan.

The other surprise of the week was receiving a big package from my family just in time for Christmas. Family kept asking what I needed or wanted so I finally put together a list. My brother’s wife, Barb, jumped on it, promptly bought everything, packed and shipped it. I scoffed when she was told it would arrive in 8-10 days since I have not received school photos of my grandkids sent around November 1st. When the family realized Barb bought everything and sent it already, they chipped in and made it a family Christmas package. I was notified of its arrival on Thursday and picked it up Friday, just over a month from its shipping date. Still no photos…

My favorite is the hammock and the suspension system. I started using it right away and have allowed myself one treat a day until Christmas. I feel guilty since I know this package cost an arm and a leg and I really don’t need anything, but I also must admit how happy it has made me!

All for now with all my love

I have the place to myself this week. Ester and the baby went to visit friends in Windhoek and Martha went up North to be with family. I realized this is the first time in 4 months that I have been alone for more than several hours and I am loving it. My housemates are great, it is more about just not having to consider anyone else for a while. I can crank the music up and dance like no one is watching… because no one is watching.

I have lists of all the reading and prep work I would do this week for teaching. My teaching schedule was updated to include 8&9 grade Physical Science, 8 grade Computer Studies, and 11 grade Mathematics. I have 4 sets of lesson plans. I am happy with the changes, but it means a lot more work. I reviewed all the syllabi and confirmed or updated some schemes of work and weekly planners, but I was mostly sidetracked with thoughts of Christmas.

I have been following a Celtic Advent Calendar (http: contemplativecottage.com), using my sweet little manger scene given to me by dear friend, Anna, long ago. Now I needed more Christmas cheer. Following ideas from a craft book I checked out from our town library, I got to work on dough ornaments. I also made paper snowflakes, yarn hats, and fabric candy canes. I painted a dried branch and made my Christmas tree. I am happy. I made enough to give some as presents so I feel good about that too.

I feel Steve with me because he loved the Christmas season so much. I am grateful for so much in my life that it feels shameful to ever feel sorry for myself. But I do feel sorry for myself because I miss Steve. Will anyone ever know me as well as Steve did? Will anyone ever care for me and make me laugh as much as Steve did? Will anyone ever want to just sit quietly with me and hold my hand? I am so grateful to have had him but sometimes I feel sorry for myself to not have him anymore.

Life goes on. I have much joy in my life. I enjoyed being inspired to bring Christmas cheer into my new home. I enjoyed sharing crafts with new friends and showing them how to make some.

All for now with all my love

Wednesday was the start of our Summer/Christmas holiday. Teachers are off until January 7, which is the start of the school year in Namibia. My PC group is not allowed to have visitors or take vacations until March because they want us to spend these first months integrating into our community and to prepare for teaching. Some exceptions are made if we travel with host country nationals (HCN) or we are collaborating with nearby PCVs, and we can visit nearby PCVs between Christmas and New Year. The idea is we should spend this time learning about our community and its people or enhancing the work we will do here.

Long story, short. I was ‘rush’ approved to go to Swakopmund on Friday after a work colleague (HCN) asked if I could travel with her to help with her 2 young children and because she does not like to drive alone. I could travel back with my school’s principal and his wife (HCN) on Monday. I had to find my own accommodations which were easily arranged with fellow PCVs. It turned out to be a coastal tour with some collaboration along the way.

I spent the weekend with PCVs from my group 48, Megan (site Henties Bay), Nicole (Walvis Bay), and Maggie (Swakopmund). Derek (Swakopmund), from group 47 and in the Community Economic Development sector, hung out with us all weekend. It was a fun-filled weekend with lots of laughter and activities. Derek and Maggie discovered their common passion for movies and music and would often break into song. Derek and Megan would challenge each other with ab workouts or sprints and just routine teasing. The running jokes were about Nicole’s ‘posh’ PC lifestyle and Megan’s supposed lack of movie/TV/music culture.

The reality is that all of us have ‘posh’ PC lifestyles compared to our PCVs in rural areas. We have electricity, indoor plumbing (although Derek must walk outside for his), and easy access to shopping. Still we are needed in our schools and community, we face challenges with integration and language, we are striving to be effective teachers and we take these responsibilities seriously. So, we also spent time before, during, and after activities to talk about these things, to collaborate and share ideas. We visited Nicole’s school, where she will have her own classroom (posh) and helped her figure out seating logistics. We shared ideas about classroom management and time management.

Besides the fun and comradery, the highlights of the weekend were seeing the flamingos and walking around the lagoon in Walvis Bay, hiking up Dune 7 and seeing the ocean from the top, cooling my feet in the water and watching the sunset over the Atlantic Ocean.

All for now, with all my love

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December 1 was our region’s Thanksgiving celebration, our Friendsgiving, and it was just what the doctor ordered. I made a sweet potato casserole and volunteered to show volunteer, Kelly, how to make the stuffing/dressing and gravy. I think there were 12 of us but I am not 100% sure. I do know that it was a fun crowd and I felt at ease with everyone. PCV Will, an English teacher at the primary school, is a generous host and has it down to an art form.

Sam and Sara, from my group 48, were there and it felt like seeing long lost friends. We saw each other every day for over 2 months and then nothing after swearing in. It is a bit of a shock to not have your training buddies around anymore even those you may not have been close to. They are your Namily and like family, they may frustrate you or you take them for granted, but you miss them when they are gone.

I helped volunteer Bryce problem solve his Mac ‘n Cheese dilemma which was basically to do nothing, I showed Kelly how to make dressing, I attempted making gravy, but the power went out and it never thickened. We decided to eat without it since the last of the fried chicken strips were done and all the other sides were getting cold. It was a feast!

Zach was the DJ of the day and much to my surprise it was mostly oldies and according to him, not because of me. Think “The Big Chill” with everyone moving to the music as they were preparing their dishes and hanging out. Maggie and Rose brought their dogs which is always added entertainment. Paavo, a teacher at the Primary School and the hostel superintendent, is a kind, sweet man who opened the school kitchen to us and shared in our celebration.

December 2 was my housemate’s son’s Baptism. There were about 20 baptisms which took a long time. They honored 4 couples that are getting married this month and then there was some kind of gift exchange, and there were multiple preachers. The service was 4 hours! There was lots of singing, no instruments, just singing and celebration noises they make. The kids can go in and out of the service and mostly play in the yard. Unfortunately, the babies are held, rocked and are mostly unhappy if they are awake. The service is not usually this long. It was due to the baptisms and a bunch of end of year announcements and activities. Oh, it was all in Oshiwambo so I could not understand the words, but I could still get the gist of what was happening. A family reception followed at a local resort and I felt honored to be part of their special day.

All for now, with all my love

Partial student population

Why??

Crazy!

These have been melancholy days starting with Thanksgiving. I have been good about having a plan or mentally preparing myself for days that may be difficult such as our anniversary or Steve’s birthday. I will celebrate Thanksgiving with all the PCVs in this region next Saturday, so I did not plan anything for the actual day. It wasn’t so much about Steve this time, it was ‘why am I here?’

Life is different, I walk everywhere, to school, to get groceries or other shopping, to check my PO box. There are no screens on my windows and it is too hot to close them, so I sweep and dust the debris every day and deal with bees and mosquitoes (topic for another post). However, I live in a relatively modern home, in a relatively affluent town and I am working at one of the top government schools in the country. So, ‘why am I here?’ was on my mind.

I was also missing my family and friends that know me, that know my sense of humor, know when I am just being goofy and trying to make them laugh. I am grateful for my fellow PCVs that I got to know during training, my housemates are very welcoming, and I am developing friendships with colleagues. However, friendships take time to develop and even longer when there is a language barrier. No one in this country really knows me and it is because I am who I am which is pretty guarded. People generally like me, they trust me, but I am not the life of the party, I am older than most of my acquaintances, and I imagine that I am a bit dull. So again, ‘why am I here?’

I was also thinking about teaching in January. Will I be an effective teacher? Will the learners understand me? Will I understand them? The good teachers I know and remember put their heart and soul into teaching. Will I do that?

This has truly been a time of doubt for me but NOT a change of my resolve. I am here because my belief in the Peace Corps mission and goals remains the same. I am committed to completing my service. I am here because this is where I have been asked to serve. This community wants and needs me. I am here because I want to be here.

I’ve included a few random photos. One the daily assembly but this is after the 10 and 12 graders have completed their exams and are no longer at school. I can’t believe that some learners where sweaters and vests and they leave them on even when the temperature risen to 33C (91F). Also, can you believe Black Friday is a thing here?

All for now, with all my love

I live in the teacher quarters of the girls’ hostel for the secondary school. The hostel has a superintendent, but the day-to-day operations are handled by the matrone, Helena (not her real name). From the first day, I knew she was someone to have on your side because she offered meals to me until I got settled in and was able to go food shopping. She also said to just let her know any time I needed a meal, if I was sick or indisposed or any reason, and I could take my meals with the girls. Helena lives in a stand-alone house on the property with her 5year-old girl and her 7month old daughter.

The hostel can accommodate 80 girls. Most of the girls come from villages that are too far away for a daily commute. A few of the girls are orphaned and the hostel serves as their foster home. The buildings are about 80 years old with limited funds for upkeep. I think they do an amazing job of keeping it comfortable and functional. It looks very institutional and rather intimidating, but I think it is a pretty happy place. I wake up to girls singing in the shower, several come by regularly to play with Blessing, and I never hear harsh words of reprimand.

Helena loves gardening and makes sure the grounds are well tended. She often works alongside the men. She also likes baking and asked me for a cake recipe for her daughter’s birthday party at school. She had never made one from scratch, only a box mix from the store. I sent her the link to one I found on the internet similar to what I would make. It turned out well and then she made a sponge cake from the same site. She is now hooked on getting recipes from the internet!

I like visiting Helena and we are slowly getting to know each other’s story. Most recently I learned that she has a 20-year-old daughter in Windhoek, that her 5-year-old daughter is adopted, and that the baby is a late-in-life, surprise baby. I know she grew up in this town, but she was gone for many years and came back when she took this job about 3 years ago.

On another note, the weird cylinder structure, in the photo, is a shared ‘watering hole’ on the hostel property. These are at all the schools I have visited and some other public places. Some work and some don’t. They were needed when there was no or limited indoor plumbing. Inside the metal mesh are rocks and maybe other special materials to filter the water. There are multiple spigots at the bottom of the mesh structure. You can see 2 of the spigots in the photo. This one works but I have not seen anyone use it.

Namibia is a land of extremes. The Namib Desert with its extreme dunes runs next to the Atlantic Ocean, Namibia’s western border. The Kalahari Desert runs through much of Namibia’s eastern border. Most of Namibia is arid and dry but there can be extreme flooding when the rains come. Even without flooding, locals say that when the rains come, everything turns green overnight. I have not witnessed the rains and I have not seen the desert dunes yet, but I have witnessed other extremes.

Included are a couple photos of the lush entrance to my school and some trees from my hostel grounds. Juxta-positioned to both are the dry grounds on the side and back of the hostel and the church property across from the school.

Claudia, the German teacher, invited me to help her bake Stollen (German breakfast bread) and gingerbread cookies and to swim in their pool. She graduated from our school and now she is married with a 3yr old daughter and a 5yr old son. It was a fun day with a fellow teacher and the pool felt wonderful!

Claudia’s mother tongue is German, her husband’s is Afrikaans. They both speak to their children in their mother tongue, and in English. Ursula, the 3yr old, has a unique language of her own creation. Her father describes it as the inflection, accent, and pacing of English TV but the words are a mix of German and Afrikaans. I find it amazing!

Another interesting thing I’ve learned is that some blacks know and understand Afrikaans, but they will not speak it. They will speak English. It doesn’t take much sensitivity to understand this. Afrikaans was the national language under South African rule and apartheid. After independence in 1990, English became the national language, but Afrikaans is still spoken throughout the country. Coloreds and Basters don’t seem to have the same aversion to Afrikaans. Surprisingly to me, even though the young nation has come a long way since independence there are racial tensions between the diverse ethnicities, not just between the whites and everyone else.

All for now, with all my love

My first week at school and my home for the next 2 years has been good. My housemates are Ester, her 5-month-old son, Blessing, and her cousin Martha who serves as Blessing’s nanny. Ester teaches Entrepreneurship and Development Studies (a social studies class about how to develop countries) at the same school where I go. Ester and Martha come from the North and their mother tongue is Oshiwambo although they both speak English and Afrikaans very well. Ester’s grandmother sends her home with mahangu, so she makes oshifima/pap regularly, the common porridge that is used to scoop up meat, gravy, stews with your hands. Ester and Martha also use mahangu to make oshikundu almost daily, a fermented drink which can be alcoholic but theirs is not. I am developing a taste for both oshifima and oshikundu, they grow on you.

My school is one of the best government schools in the region and in the country. It was an Afrikaans school prior to independence and still has a heavy Afrikaans and German presence although most learners are black with Herero, Nama/Damara, Oshiwambo, and other ethnicities. The classrooms and grounds are well kept, the learners have textbooks, the teachers are thoughtful and caring but the classrooms are over-crowded, and resources are slim. They seem more skilled than some other schools at fundraising to augment their government funding. People apply from all over to send their children here which is why there is a hostel for both boys and girls. They take learners of all skill levels, not just high-level learners or from wealthier families. I live in the teacher quarters of the girls’ hostel.

One of the white teachers and her husband are both 3rd generation in Namibia with their grandparents migrating from Germany. They own a crocodile ranch which is part export business and part tourism. They sell skins to mostly European countries but there is also a demand in Asia. The ranch has a restaurant, an events venue, and a couple rooms available on air b&b. They invited me to lunch there yesterday to meet a British couple that have made Namibia home for the past 9 years. It was a delightful meal sharing interesting perspectives among old and new citizens/workers in Namibia.

I will start teaching in January when the new school year starts. Currently I am observing as many classes as possible, not just Physical Science and Math which is what I expect to teach, but all kinds of classes. The idea is to familiarize myself with the culture of the school and styles of teaching. I am also learning what resources are available at the school and getting to know the key staff who can help me access the resources – i.e. Admin staff, copy room staff, IT staff, and all those people who do so much behind the scenes. Once my teaching load is finalized, I will start preparing lesson plans.

It looks like my experience will be in a city, at a comparatively great school, and I will have many modern conveniences such as clean water, indoor plumbing, electricity, easy shopping. At the same time, this is a developing country with extremely high prevalence of HIV/AIDS, teenage pregnancy, domestic violence, gender inequality. Peace Corps has been asked to serve this community and I will serve the best I can.

All for now, with all my love