WHEW!

Wilhelmina, Elise, Anne-Marie, Martha (grade 5)

Tuli, Hileni, Fenni, Hilya, Hileni, Beatha (grade 7)

Tomy, Bruno, Jagongela aka Michael Jackson

Petrus, Samuel, Herman, Tobias, Matheus



Matheus, Alfeus, Isaac

Matheus (he wrote the letter to my mom)

Jamal

Grade 5 learners looking at pictures on my computer

Grade 7

Grade 6

Grade 6

Outside of Lano, my new home

Grade 5

The praying mantis who welcomed me to Lano my first night

In my room with Hilkka, Hileni and Taamba

Grade 7 boys

Andreas, Jagongela, Johannes

Well, week one was really surprisingly difficult. There are so many things that you prepare yourself for and expect to deal with, but there are so many things you could never anticipate. We were trained and coached and warned, but once you are just plunked into a situation where this different, deep, traditional culture is completely surrounding you every moment from every direction… there have been several times that I pause and look around and realize…I know NOTHING, NO ONE, NO WHERE. There is not a thing that is familiar. It’s a difficult feeling to explain, and it feels very out of reality.

Week two was much better, and week three has been better still. The rollercoaster of ups and downs has slowed. I’m getting settled into a routine, and the kids make me so happy. The hardest part right now is figuring out what I should be teaching…there is nothing in place for me to follow, no textbook or lesson plans, just the competencies learners are expected to reach by the end of the year, such as “appreciate and understand poems.” Which is not an easily measurable goal. I am confident I am teaching to their actual needs, but I know there is a level they are expected to reach and skills they are expected to master by the end of their grade – it’s not just what Lindsey thinks they need.

The learners are fantastic. They started quite timid and quiet but have loosened up so much. My largest class is only 23 learners, which is incredible. Their English skills vary. Most can speak a good amount of phrases, it’s the comprehension that is minimal. Their behavior is incredible, the worst I’ve had to do is ask a few to stop talking. They have even started stopping by for visits. At one point on Sunday I counted 12 learners in my little 8x10 room. They aren’t a bother, they just want to be around. We listen to music, draw, play cards, look at pictures and play games on my laptop, take pictures with my camera…they LOVE having their picture taken.
There is also a Peace Corps Volunteer here. The kids find Brittany and me pretty fascinating. They touch our hair and skin and nails, marveling at the paleness. “It’s so smooth!” “Miss, do you use relax?” There are definitely times in the village or in town when someone just STARES, especially if the two of us are together, oh boy. Yesterday I had an older boy take a picture as we walked by! Our village has some neat little homes in the main part, and the outskirts have the homestead farms with huts. There are a few shebeens (bars) and markets. There are always herds of cows or goats plodding along. When you walk through the village, you must greet everyone, which is a process. It goes like this:

Me: Walalapo, meme/tate? (Did you sleep well, ma’am/sir?)
Person 2: Ee. (Yes.)
Me: Nawa. (Good.)
Person 2: Ee. Walalapo, meme? (Yes. Did you sleep well, ma’am?)
Me: Ee. (Yes.)
Person 2: Nawa. (Good.)
Me: Ee. (Yes.)

The initial greeting is hard for me to figure out, because you say “walalapo” until like 3 p.m. It’s something to do with the position of the sun before you begin the afternoon greeting. I said the afternoon greeting to a man around 2:00 and he corrected me, then said “Who teach you Oshindonga? You are not well.” Then there’s a greeting for night, which is not to be confused with the good night greeting, which is actually more like goodbye/sleep well.

I’m also getting used to the Namlish. It’s pretty funny when it slips out. My favorite is “Is it?” Namibians say this in place of “Really?” For example (actual conversations):

Me: “I just played soccer with the boys.”

Colleague: “Is it?”

Or

Me: “I didn’t even know you left!”

Colleague: “Is it?”

Then there’s “Isn’t it?” which replaces “Right?”

Colleague: “We have sports this weekend, isn’t it?”

Oh, and asking for directions is HILARIOUS! The response will be someone snapping their fingers in the general direction and saying, “It’s just that side.” Seriously! That’s an honest response.

Also, Namibians tend to swap Ls and Rs. So yes, I am Rindsey. If they hear my name without seeing the spelling, they will pronounce it correctly (with an L sound), but then spell it with an R. If they see it before hearing it pronounced, they will say it with an R sound. Love it! (There are definitely certainly sounds I have trouble pronouncing so I think we’re even)

Ok, I have 9 million things to say but I think that’s enough. Hopefully it will not be another 3 weeks before I can update.