Namibia is a country twice the size of Texas but with 2 million people within its borders. Not many of the people have cars, but there are many ways to get around and definitely a lot of ground to cover.
In order to get around Namibia, you have to hike, take a taxi, or ride in a kombi (a large bus or mini-van), or a bakki (a pick-up truck). The taxis are just people who own cars and people pay them for rides. Petrol is expensive, so even if someone gives you a ride and it’s not their profession, you should contribute some money to help cover the costs.
The ride into the nearest town is a 40-minute drive, and fortunately there is a hike station just down the road. I do not have a hard time finding a taxi, but the challenge is finding a full enough taxi. If the car is not full – meaning at least four people in the back of the car and sometimes two people in the passenger seat. If they are not full, they will drive around, and drive around, and drive around – until they have a full car. Only then, can you leave!
The government provided transport for all of the volunteers to Tsumeb, the location for our mid-service retreat. We were taking a kombi there, and told to arrive in Oshakati to meet the driver by no later than 7:30 AM. The other volunteer in my town, Salif, and I met at 6:15 AM to make sure we had plenty of time. Of course our driver scoured Okahao for a good 25 minutes before leaving the town.
Unsurprisingly, our transport was late. We arrived in Oshakati at 7:30 AM, and did not get a ride until 10:00 AM. This is how transportation in Namibia works…they will get there when they get there. There is no rush, and they will always be there “now”. There are three ways to say “now” in Namibia…”now”, “now now”, and “now now now”. Each now represents more urgency, so you learn that if someone says “now”, it could mean sometime later that evening, or maybe even tomorrow morning.
Our driver came for us and we were met by a handful of the other volunteers that had already been picked up. We headed to Ondangwa to pick up the remaining four volunteers. Along the way, we stopped and ran whatever errands the drivers felt like – getting some more credit for their phones, or maybe a cool drink – and also picked up more and more passengers, until quickly, our kombi was just about at capacity.
We tried to tell the driver, “We have 12 total passengers! We need to leave room!” But it didn’t seem to sink in.
Finally, we arrived in Ondangwa and as we predicted, there was no room. The driver had to call a friend with a bakki (pick-up truck) to come to get all of the luggage from the various passengers, and then try to make room for the rest of the group. Of course, we eventually all fit and made it to Tsumeb.
On our way back, it was very similar. We were originally scheduled to live at 8 AM…this quickly became 11 AM and we were finally picked up at 1 PM.
The inconvenience and cramped quarters in the taxis, combis, or bakkis, make me appreciate the ease of our transportation at home. While it can be long, hot, and aggravating, it’s also fun. You learn to just go with the flow as you have no control over the driver or the situation. If you are late, you are late! If a four-hour trip takes six or seven, that is how long it takes. It is pretty liberating to just let go of control and let someone else be in the driver’s seat.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Independence Day at Shaanika!
My roommate, Jen, is Canadian, and today was Canada Day. With the proximity to the 4th of July, our Indepence Day, we decided to bring an Independence Day celebration to Shaanika Nashilongo! It was FANTASTIC.
Jen and I woke up and got decked out in our patriotic attire (red and white for her, red, white and blue for me). Conveniently, Jen bought some face paint. So...we painted our faces with stars and stripes to represent Canada and the USA. We looked ridiculous and awesome.
The learners were confused and excited when we came to school, and the teachers in the staff room were ready to get decorated! Jen celebrated Canada Day last year, and so they knew it was coming. We painted most of the teacher's faces, and Jen even had Canada tattoos! It was fun to see them all get so into it! This culture just does not hold back and embraces everything. No one seems to care what other people think of them, or if they look silly. Lots of photos were taken, and hope to be able to have fast enough Internet to post them soon!
We also bought a bunch of sweets and snacks to share during break time. It was great to share about our holidays and bring a bit of home to Namibia! For those of you celebrating in the USA and reading...enjoy the fireworks, BBQ, beer, and sun on my behalf. Missing all of you and the good ol' U S of A!
Jen and I woke up and got decked out in our patriotic attire (red and white for her, red, white and blue for me). Conveniently, Jen bought some face paint. So...we painted our faces with stars and stripes to represent Canada and the USA. We looked ridiculous and awesome.
The learners were confused and excited when we came to school, and the teachers in the staff room were ready to get decorated! Jen celebrated Canada Day last year, and so they knew it was coming. We painted most of the teacher's faces, and Jen even had Canada tattoos! It was fun to see them all get so into it! This culture just does not hold back and embraces everything. No one seems to care what other people think of them, or if they look silly. Lots of photos were taken, and hope to be able to have fast enough Internet to post them soon!
We also bought a bunch of sweets and snacks to share during break time. It was great to share about our holidays and bring a bit of home to Namibia! For those of you celebrating in the USA and reading...enjoy the fireworks, BBQ, beer, and sun on my behalf. Missing all of you and the good ol' U S of A!
End of Week Three
The weeks are flying by. It's hard to believe I'm already at the mid-point of my experience in Namibia. This weekend I am scheduled to meet up with the rest of the summer WorldTeach volunteers for our Mid-Service weekend. We will spend time talking about our experiences so far, catch up, share best practices and struggles we have had teaching computers. We will travel to Tsumeb, a town about 4 hours away for the weekend.
In my third week here I've definitely settled into a routine. For those that are interested, I thought I'd share what a typical day/week looks like for me in Namibia...
5:30 AM - Alarm goes off...time to wake up. It is still dark outside at this point since it is winter here! The mornings are cold, but it's hot during the rest of the day.
5:30-6:30 AM - Get ready, make breakfast.
6:30 AM - Head to school. Mondays and Fridays we have morning devotion with the school, and usually every morning we have a briefing from the principal.
7:00 AM - Classes begin.
7-10:45 AM - 5 periods...I have a handful of free periods when I can plan lessons, so I will typically teach 2-3 classes in the morning.
10:45 AM - Tea break! There is a meme that has hot tea and bread you can buy, and all of the teachers meet in the staff room. Usually there is a lot of laughter, marking of papers, and relief in having a moment to have a break from the learners.
11:15 - 1:30 PM - 3 more periods. I usually have full afternoons of classes, so busy teaching during this time.
1:30 PM - Run home to have lunch!
On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I teach the teacher classes. These are from 3-5 PM, and usually run late. When I'm not teaching, I'm relaxing after school in the sun and planning lessons for the next day.
5:00 PM - Jen and I go for a run around Okahao. The sun is setting and the day is finally getting cool. It's a beautiful time of day and always an incredible sunset.
6:30 PM - Make dinner. Yes, I have to cook every meal for myself. For those of you that know me well, this is a feat in and of itself! I am learning to make some new things but definitely look forward to the day when I can go out to grab a bite to eat!
7:30 PM - This is when the World Cup games begin. We usually have a group of learners come over to ask to watch the game after their evening study ends at 8 PM. It's fun to watch the games and see the excitement and intensity with which they stare at the TV! Jen and I watch and usually play with my Scrabble Pass-N-Play option on my iPad. Keeps us entertained!
Another especially entertaining thing to watch on in the evenings are the 'soapies'. This is a show called 'Shades of Sin' and it is all the rage here in Namibia. Mind you, there is only one channel you get on TV here, so everyone watches it. It is a Brazilian soap opera dubbed in English. It's awesomely bad...like, really, really bad. Kind of like a car accident...you don't want to look but you can't help yourself!
8:30-9:30 PM - Shower, read, go to bed. Get ready to start it all over again!
It's a simple routine and it's nice to not have many options. You learn to find ways to stay entertained and are really so exhausted at the end of most days that it's a joy not to have much to do.
In my third week here I've definitely settled into a routine. For those that are interested, I thought I'd share what a typical day/week looks like for me in Namibia...
5:30 AM - Alarm goes off...time to wake up. It is still dark outside at this point since it is winter here! The mornings are cold, but it's hot during the rest of the day.
5:30-6:30 AM - Get ready, make breakfast.
6:30 AM - Head to school. Mondays and Fridays we have morning devotion with the school, and usually every morning we have a briefing from the principal.
7:00 AM - Classes begin.
7-10:45 AM - 5 periods...I have a handful of free periods when I can plan lessons, so I will typically teach 2-3 classes in the morning.
10:45 AM - Tea break! There is a meme that has hot tea and bread you can buy, and all of the teachers meet in the staff room. Usually there is a lot of laughter, marking of papers, and relief in having a moment to have a break from the learners.
11:15 - 1:30 PM - 3 more periods. I usually have full afternoons of classes, so busy teaching during this time.
1:30 PM - Run home to have lunch!
On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I teach the teacher classes. These are from 3-5 PM, and usually run late. When I'm not teaching, I'm relaxing after school in the sun and planning lessons for the next day.
5:00 PM - Jen and I go for a run around Okahao. The sun is setting and the day is finally getting cool. It's a beautiful time of day and always an incredible sunset.
6:30 PM - Make dinner. Yes, I have to cook every meal for myself. For those of you that know me well, this is a feat in and of itself! I am learning to make some new things but definitely look forward to the day when I can go out to grab a bite to eat!
7:30 PM - This is when the World Cup games begin. We usually have a group of learners come over to ask to watch the game after their evening study ends at 8 PM. It's fun to watch the games and see the excitement and intensity with which they stare at the TV! Jen and I watch and usually play with my Scrabble Pass-N-Play option on my iPad. Keeps us entertained!
Another especially entertaining thing to watch on in the evenings are the 'soapies'. This is a show called 'Shades of Sin' and it is all the rage here in Namibia. Mind you, there is only one channel you get on TV here, so everyone watches it. It is a Brazilian soap opera dubbed in English. It's awesomely bad...like, really, really bad. Kind of like a car accident...you don't want to look but you can't help yourself!
8:30-9:30 PM - Shower, read, go to bed. Get ready to start it all over again!
It's a simple routine and it's nice to not have many options. You learn to find ways to stay entertained and are really so exhausted at the end of most days that it's a joy not to have much to do.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
First Oshiwambo Church Service
This Sunday I went to my first Namibian church service. Namibia is a Christian country, with 95% of the population identifying as Christian. We have a large Lutheran church in Okahao. I asked one of my colleagues if I could go with her, and she was excited to take me. It’s a big church, with a large congregation. The entire service is in their native language, Oshiwambo, so I didn’t understand much! I brought my Bible in English, so I was able to follow along with the scripture readings. The singing was definitely my favorite part! The men and the women have such beautiful voices. The men really sing here! No one holds back, and it makes for an entire church congregation choir. The only song I recognized was the Doxology, but it was sung in Oshiwambo.
To say that I stood out would be an understatement. I was the only white person in the whole building. This gave cause for a lot, a lot of staring. You have to go up to the front to offer your offering and again to take Communion, so there wasn’t a soul in the place who did NOT see me and wonder who I was.
Mrs. George, my colleague, did her best to interpret the highlights of the three and a half hours long service. It was very, very long, especially not in English. While there was a language barrier, worshipping God is a universal experience, and it was amazing to be with others praising the Lord in the middle of Namibia.
To say that I stood out would be an understatement. I was the only white person in the whole building. This gave cause for a lot, a lot of staring. You have to go up to the front to offer your offering and again to take Communion, so there wasn’t a soul in the place who did NOT see me and wonder who I was.
Mrs. George, my colleague, did her best to interpret the highlights of the three and a half hours long service. It was very, very long, especially not in English. While there was a language barrier, worshipping God is a universal experience, and it was amazing to be with others praising the Lord in the middle of Namibia.
Teaching: Week Two
This week was my second week teaching at Shaanika Nashilongo SSS. Having a week under my belt made for a more confident, prepared Miss Dana.
My classes for the teachers began on Tuesday. I am teaching an advanced class and a beginning class. Both classes meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays for one hour in the afternoon. Preparing for these classes are especially time consuming, but it was fun to interact with the teachers on a new level. My advanced teachers are pretty advanced, and we will begin with Microsoft Excel this week. My beginners are definitely beginners! I have some of the older teachers in the group, and it’s exciting to see them make an effort to learn about computers. The turn out for all of the classes has been great. Almost all of the teachers attended at least one of the classes. In typical Namibian style, many beginners missed the first day, so I scheduled a make up class on Wednesday.
Teaching my Grade 11 and 12 learners has been a combination of exhausting, rewarding, overwhelming, exciting, and frustrating. It is challenging, to say the least, to teach a class of 45 learners when there are only 20 computers and chairs. Many of my learners are standing in the aisles and do not even get to access the computer throughout the class. It’s hard for some of them to even see my demonstrations over the heads of their classmates.
Some classes are very encouraging, and others, not as much. Sometimes they are very engaged and ask questions, others give me blank stares. It’s so hard to gauge the comprehension of what I’m teaching them. I began all of the classes with a basic knowledge assessment and learned that a handful know a little bit about computers, but most of them know very little, if anything at all. Based on the results, I made the decision to start from the very beginning. My lessons so far have focused on the parts of the computer, the parts of the keyboard, and getting familiar with your computer (turning on the computer, logging in, learning the desktop/icons, how to minimize, maximize, close, etc.). It’s pretty incredible realizing that you have to start as basic as how to double-click on the mouse, how to click and drag to highlight, and use the cursor. These are all completely unfamiliar terms and skills to most of them. I do my best to walk around the computer lab to see if they can actually practice what I’m teaching. I find a lot of them struggle with the basics and really need more guidance and one-on-one instruction than I am capable of providing with such a large class.
In addition to the large class sizes, the classes are only 45 minutes long, at best. Many of the learners show up late, causing a delay at the beginning. They have a rotating seven-day class schedule, and so I only see each class twice every seven days. With the short amount of time that I’m here, I can’t help but feel like I will struggle to get beyond the basics and teach them all that they really need to know. They are so interested to learn more and I hate that I will leave before we can go into more depth.
Last but not least, often times the computers don’t work! Right now, there is a problem with the server and a window pops up that we don’t know how to get rid of. Hopefully the technicians from the Ministry can come out first thing on Monday, but I am learning that I have to be flexible and be able to teach computers without the computers…
All that aside, I’ve found a lot of success roping them into my teaching style by showing them how fast I can type! I project my screen onto the chalkboard and look straight at them while I type 70 WPM. It’s amazing to see their reaction. Learners run up to crowd around my computer, exclaiming in disbelief! This has been one of my favorite parts of teaching so far. Then, I begin by asking them if they want to learn to type that fast, and all hands are in the air. I tell them that if they listen to how I will teach them to type, practice using the typing skills program I put on the computer, then they will learn how to type, fast and the right way. This gets them very excited and all eyes are on me for the rest of the class period! I’ve been teaching them about the home keys, and walking around to each computer asking each learner to show me their fingers on the home keys. Even after the lesson, I have to correct many hands and fingers…it’s just such a new and foreign concept.
The last way I have found success is candy! Some things do not change, no matter where you are. Kids love sweets. I bought a few bags of candy and gave them out to learners who volunteers to give answers to some activities we worked on. This exponentially increased the number of volunteers for answers…shocking!
While there are many challenges, it is extremely rewarding to teach a subject that is so new to them and so useful. Namibia feels a century behind the US in so many ways, computers and technology one of the glaringly obvious areas for development. I’m excited to be part of Namibia’s Ministry of Education’s movement to improve this area in their schools, and really do feel like I’m making a valuable contribution to the learner’s computer literacy!
My classes for the teachers began on Tuesday. I am teaching an advanced class and a beginning class. Both classes meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays for one hour in the afternoon. Preparing for these classes are especially time consuming, but it was fun to interact with the teachers on a new level. My advanced teachers are pretty advanced, and we will begin with Microsoft Excel this week. My beginners are definitely beginners! I have some of the older teachers in the group, and it’s exciting to see them make an effort to learn about computers. The turn out for all of the classes has been great. Almost all of the teachers attended at least one of the classes. In typical Namibian style, many beginners missed the first day, so I scheduled a make up class on Wednesday.
Teaching my Grade 11 and 12 learners has been a combination of exhausting, rewarding, overwhelming, exciting, and frustrating. It is challenging, to say the least, to teach a class of 45 learners when there are only 20 computers and chairs. Many of my learners are standing in the aisles and do not even get to access the computer throughout the class. It’s hard for some of them to even see my demonstrations over the heads of their classmates.
Some classes are very encouraging, and others, not as much. Sometimes they are very engaged and ask questions, others give me blank stares. It’s so hard to gauge the comprehension of what I’m teaching them. I began all of the classes with a basic knowledge assessment and learned that a handful know a little bit about computers, but most of them know very little, if anything at all. Based on the results, I made the decision to start from the very beginning. My lessons so far have focused on the parts of the computer, the parts of the keyboard, and getting familiar with your computer (turning on the computer, logging in, learning the desktop/icons, how to minimize, maximize, close, etc.). It’s pretty incredible realizing that you have to start as basic as how to double-click on the mouse, how to click and drag to highlight, and use the cursor. These are all completely unfamiliar terms and skills to most of them. I do my best to walk around the computer lab to see if they can actually practice what I’m teaching. I find a lot of them struggle with the basics and really need more guidance and one-on-one instruction than I am capable of providing with such a large class.
In addition to the large class sizes, the classes are only 45 minutes long, at best. Many of the learners show up late, causing a delay at the beginning. They have a rotating seven-day class schedule, and so I only see each class twice every seven days. With the short amount of time that I’m here, I can’t help but feel like I will struggle to get beyond the basics and teach them all that they really need to know. They are so interested to learn more and I hate that I will leave before we can go into more depth.
Last but not least, often times the computers don’t work! Right now, there is a problem with the server and a window pops up that we don’t know how to get rid of. Hopefully the technicians from the Ministry can come out first thing on Monday, but I am learning that I have to be flexible and be able to teach computers without the computers…
All that aside, I’ve found a lot of success roping them into my teaching style by showing them how fast I can type! I project my screen onto the chalkboard and look straight at them while I type 70 WPM. It’s amazing to see their reaction. Learners run up to crowd around my computer, exclaiming in disbelief! This has been one of my favorite parts of teaching so far. Then, I begin by asking them if they want to learn to type that fast, and all hands are in the air. I tell them that if they listen to how I will teach them to type, practice using the typing skills program I put on the computer, then they will learn how to type, fast and the right way. This gets them very excited and all eyes are on me for the rest of the class period! I’ve been teaching them about the home keys, and walking around to each computer asking each learner to show me their fingers on the home keys. Even after the lesson, I have to correct many hands and fingers…it’s just such a new and foreign concept.
The last way I have found success is candy! Some things do not change, no matter where you are. Kids love sweets. I bought a few bags of candy and gave them out to learners who volunteers to give answers to some activities we worked on. This exponentially increased the number of volunteers for answers…shocking!
While there are many challenges, it is extremely rewarding to teach a subject that is so new to them and so useful. Namibia feels a century behind the US in so many ways, computers and technology one of the glaringly obvious areas for development. I’m excited to be part of Namibia’s Ministry of Education’s movement to improve this area in their schools, and really do feel like I’m making a valuable contribution to the learner’s computer literacy!
iPad Debut in Okahao
The iPad makes an appearance and Namibian learners and teachers are awestruck.
Literally…excitement over the iPad was rampant! Pretty exciting to see the faces of those who have not seen anything other than a PC and and iPod react to the iPad.
I brought my iPad to school to play music during class when the learners are working on an activity. At the end of each class, I show them the iPad, including the album of photos of my family. They have a hard time believing that I am the first-born, Ethan, when you are the tallest! People do not have pets here, so it’s hard to explain that Rosco is my dog and my pet. I also like to show them how green it is where I live compared to Namibia. They love seeing the photos, and also seeing the iBooks feature and all of the books that I can read on one machine. They get a real kick out of me showing how to turn the pages using my finger!
The teachers were pretty ecstatic too. One teacher, Mr. Ndaamekele is surprisingly techie, and he freaked out the first day I brought it to school. I’ve let him take some time to play with it, and the first song he chose to play on it was Katy Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl”. I found this pretty entertaining…he played it out loud in the middle of the staff room and talked about how much he loved this song and the music video!
Literally…excitement over the iPad was rampant! Pretty exciting to see the faces of those who have not seen anything other than a PC and and iPod react to the iPad.
I brought my iPad to school to play music during class when the learners are working on an activity. At the end of each class, I show them the iPad, including the album of photos of my family. They have a hard time believing that I am the first-born, Ethan, when you are the tallest! People do not have pets here, so it’s hard to explain that Rosco is my dog and my pet. I also like to show them how green it is where I live compared to Namibia. They love seeing the photos, and also seeing the iBooks feature and all of the books that I can read on one machine. They get a real kick out of me showing how to turn the pages using my finger!
The teachers were pretty ecstatic too. One teacher, Mr. Ndaamekele is surprisingly techie, and he freaked out the first day I brought it to school. I’ve let him take some time to play with it, and the first song he chose to play on it was Katy Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl”. I found this pretty entertaining…he played it out loud in the middle of the staff room and talked about how much he loved this song and the music video!
My Namibian Colleagues
My Namibian colleagues are fabulous. I really lucked out with an amazing staff of teachers.
Jen, my roommate and fellow volunteer, was out of town this week so I was on my own to start building ties with my fellow teachers. One of the nights I invited a group over to my house to watch the Ghana-Germany World Cup game. I picked up some cool drinks (what they call sodas), a six-pack of Windhoek lager (the favorite for beer), chips, and hoped for the best. It was a great turn out, with Miss Josephina, Mr. Kanjala, Mr. Enjala, Mr. Hamatuma, and Mr. Shivute coming over for the game. It was fun to socialize with them outside of the staff room and watch a great soccer match!
One of my favorite teachers goes by the name of “Kuku”. Kuku means “grandmother” in Oshiwambo. The first time I met her, she introduced herself as Kuku, and said, “You are now my granddaughter!” From now on, when she sees me, she greets me as her granddaughter, saying, “Good morning, my granddaughter! How is the morning?!” I’ve never met someone who embraced her grandmother-ly-ness so much! My favorite thing about Kuku is the entrance she makes into the staff room. She struts in with a little walk all her own, and loudly announces, “Kuku in the staff room!” Just so that everyone knows that she has arrived!
I also made a very strategic move and brought sweets to share in the staff room. This made me lots of friends, quickly. I just bought a bag of these candies called chocolate eclairs (dangerously good) and shared them during our break. People were appreciative and it was fun to share something with everyone. That is one amazing thing about Namibia – everything is to share. They really live the mantra, “What’s mine is yours” and it’s such a great way to approach life.
Jen, my roommate and fellow volunteer, was out of town this week so I was on my own to start building ties with my fellow teachers. One of the nights I invited a group over to my house to watch the Ghana-Germany World Cup game. I picked up some cool drinks (what they call sodas), a six-pack of Windhoek lager (the favorite for beer), chips, and hoped for the best. It was a great turn out, with Miss Josephina, Mr. Kanjala, Mr. Enjala, Mr. Hamatuma, and Mr. Shivute coming over for the game. It was fun to socialize with them outside of the staff room and watch a great soccer match!
One of my favorite teachers goes by the name of “Kuku”. Kuku means “grandmother” in Oshiwambo. The first time I met her, she introduced herself as Kuku, and said, “You are now my granddaughter!” From now on, when she sees me, she greets me as her granddaughter, saying, “Good morning, my granddaughter! How is the morning?!” I’ve never met someone who embraced her grandmother-ly-ness so much! My favorite thing about Kuku is the entrance she makes into the staff room. She struts in with a little walk all her own, and loudly announces, “Kuku in the staff room!” Just so that everyone knows that she has arrived!
I also made a very strategic move and brought sweets to share in the staff room. This made me lots of friends, quickly. I just bought a bag of these candies called chocolate eclairs (dangerously good) and shared them during our break. People were appreciative and it was fun to share something with everyone. That is one amazing thing about Namibia – everything is to share. They really live the mantra, “What’s mine is yours” and it’s such a great way to approach life.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
