First off, my apologies for not updating this blog in forEVER. Secondly, my apologies for not having a clever and singular theme for this entry, as there is just too much that goes on in over a month’s absence that needs to be covered without worrying about literary aesthetics. Now, why haven’t I blogged in so long? Well, at first it was my resistance to all things positive, as I passed through the worst of the negative culture shock phase. I didn’t want to discourage my readers with more complaining, but I also couldn’t force myself to produce any sort of cheerful, sunshiny depiction of life at that point. Currently, I’m more up and down, but the downs are much less severe, and the ups are lasting longer. In addition, I have become super busy in the past month, insidiously, especially with the winding down of the first term. I only teach class six times a week, but I feel like I’m teaching constantly, and I often put in almost twelve hour days keeping the library open. This is the first year this school has had a real librarian, the first year everyone can come and check out books whenever they want, and the first year they have been encouraged, as a whole, to read, read, read! What I’ve discovered about myself is that I don’t particularly enjoy teaching (although I suspect this just has to do with the circumstances here such as huge classes, discipline problems, extreme ranges in ability, the visible effects of the learners’ quality of life, and lack of resources), but I do enjoy one-on-one or small group ‘informal’ teaching very much. That’s when I feel like I’m making a difference. They lack individual attention, and while this is somewhat draining for me at times as the sea of learners is never-ending, at least I feel like I’ve had a real connection with some of them at the end of the day. And, like the hokey-pokey, that’s what it’s all about! (For me, at least. And my apologies, one more time, for using the hokey-pokey to illustrate a point.) This wasn’t the situation I was expecting going in to this whole adventure, but you make whatever you can out of what you have, and then create your own meaning from there. And I’m quite happy with my situation, and the freedom it gives me to pursue extracurricular creative projects. For some reason, in the midst of my busyness, I up and announced to the school that we would be doing a play during term two, and try-outs would be next Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Which just created a whole new chaos of things for me to do, of which I care not to list right now, but include the challenge of the fact that very few of them seem to know what a play is (there isn’t a satisfactory translation in Otjiherero). I can’t help taking this one on, though—the prospect of a group of learners memorizing and performing a piece of creative fiction drama for the community is a bit of an earth-shattering concept that I know will excite, boost confidence and the sense of purpose for my learners as well as enlighten countless others. That is, if I can pull this off. It’s a short Namibian play I found in the library about a post-independence school with many problems both with learners and teachers. I’m also in the midst of a reading contest I created, which is measured by the number of pages individuals read. The classes are battling with each other, and 12A is currently in the lead with 11A close behind. I’m throwing the participants of the winning class a mini-party, and there are other prizes to be won by individuals. My mom sent a box of children’s books, which the grade 8’s read, while grade 12’s often bring more advanced young adult fiction to the table. They have to prove they read the book by giving me an informal book report where I ask them to give a plot synopsis as well as quiz them on characters and events in the book. Some of them prefer to really challenge themselves (I have a grade 9 learner who is brilliant in English and does this quite frequently,) while some of them prefer to stick to books they know they will understand in its entirety. Their reports are very fun to listen to, and give me a chance to correct the more glaring errors in their oral English syntax. There are a few of my learners who get so into it that it will take them about twenty minutes to explain a relatively short story. (I usually don’t have the heart to tell them to stop unless I’m really busy or have a long line of learners, plus, it’s good practice for them and good for the crowd of listeners to hear.) I’m also excited for computers that are, allegedly, coming soon. There’s a company here that donates computers, and my school is supposed to get eleven, with rumors of internet access. (That’s anywhere from 2 to 4 learners per one computer in my classes, but hey, we’ll take what we can get!) My primary concern is, despite the welded bars on all the windows, double doors with locks, and high fences surrounding the school, that these computers won’t last the year without being stolen. (I secretly hope that they will be bulky and not so brand-new). A few days ago, my principal came bounding into the library. “Carmen! Carmen! Come quick! They’re here!” He was calling. There was a big truck pulling up alongside the building, and we both starting acting like kids in a candy store, kind of leaping around in excitement. Turns out it was the ‘first installment’—the desks on which the computers will sit. They’re nice desks, really, and they were piled into the library and stacked on the tables. They are very heavy, and they are very much in my way, and I have no hopes that they will be moved any time soon without my employing the help of several strong learners. Also, I observed, they have no legs. I don’t know if we’ll be getting the legs. I don’t have a clue how they are to be assembled. I also don’t have any idea when the actual computers are coming, and once they come, how long it will take before they get set up so they are functional. Either way, I will have my hands full, because I hope to teach everyone in the school (I’m estimating about 360 learners) at least some basic computing. Keyboards are entirely unfamiliar to almost every single one of them, but I know the internet will blow their minds and really change their lives, so it must be done. In the words of one of my learners, “I want to see the internet, because I want to know what’s inside.” Who could put it better than that? Well, my wrists are sore from typing, and I think you’ve heard enough out of this blog. Stay tuned for my recounting of ‘the goat that was killed and eaten in my front yard,’ ‘the mishap with the stolen cell phone,’ and ‘the giant man-eating insect that took over Opuwo.’ Just kidding on that last one. So far, anyway. The eerie alien-bodied insects here keep getting plumper every day …
