My beard is gone. Yes, school has begun and many ups and more downs have happened, but I feel this is my big new: I ditched a huge part of me just a short week ago. I was with some friends and the last beard trimmer I knew I would see for a while so I took advantage. It was odd, to say the least, to run my fingers over my chin and not have them disappear. Being beardless also bring to attention how ridiculous my hair has gotten. These days I am posting at a computer lab at the teacher resource center at the ‘town’ next to my school, so I don’t know if I will be able to get pictures up but if I do, you all will see how wild it is. I decided not to go to the razor with my whole face for the fear of looking like a woman, and am glad I did. I nearly got to 200 days of beard growth….wild. I still got some good days going on the hair though, haven’t had a proper hair cut since two Christmas’s ago, ha. K, down to some serious, you know, volunteer issues. School started this week, finally. This is considered the most serious trimester of them all so I am anxious to see how it goes. The schedule is set, and we actually switched classes the first day which I considered a minor miracle. I have spent the better part of the week reasserting myself, since I kinda got a little lax toward the end. I had 12 learners going around the school grounds picking up trash for minor infractions of my newly installed discipline plan. I think it will work, and I vow not to use pointless punishment like hole digging. A major focus of my plan is to have learners explain, in English, what they did and why it is wrong. We shall see. I am planning on not worrying to much about the success of my students and focusing more on my secondary projects, one of which I will kick off tomorrow. People are obsessed with pictures here, not unlike we are in the states, its just they don’t really have access to any here. With this project, I will take their pictures, collect slightly inflated printing costs, get them printed on one of my many trips to town, and put the proceeds toward school supplies. Hopefully, after a successful round with the learners, I will open it up to the community. I am also starting a remedial math ‘club’. This is in response from my principal who is looking to improve the basic math skills of those performing low in math. I will basically focus on fun math activities that teach them something at the same time. Suduko, 24, and other generic games will basically be all we do. Those two things, in addition to trying to start up a running club will be most of my time this term. There is also an Education Diversity Tour happening during the August break, focused on showing learners the wide range of environments Namibia has to offer. They go to the coast, Etosha (the awesome game viewing park), and a Cheetah Reservation. 30 learners get picked, and I think it’s all paid for….somehow. All learners have to do is answer a writing prompt and send in the application. I am hoping to mail many of those next week. I am also involved in something called the Northern Girls Conference, designed to bring 80 girls from the four O regions in the north together to focus on women’s empowerment, goal setting and HIV/AIDS awareness. Its basically two workshops, one to train the Namibians that will run the actual workshop a month later, which we also help with, sustainability….eyang. I and another guy are basically the token dudes, with us throwing our two cents in every now and again. Ha, no I am actually very happy to be involved. Sounds like a lot going on, but you have to keep in mind that there isn’t really much to do here most of the time, so I am still pretty relaxed. The weather is cool, in fact this week I pulled out the fleece I thought I would never wear. It’s actually cold at night. I am not the new guy in school anymore; we finally picked up the three teachers we were missing all last term. The learners are happy they finally have something to do. The goodwoman is not enjoying her time in the DR, from the last email I received. The harassment combined with a poor working environment (an understatement) is really pushing her. It’s a very difficult time for both of us right now; we haven’t spoken for more than a total of 4 or 5 minutes since she has been in country (Feb 15). In the future, we will laugh and smile talking of these crazy days we are living, but right now it’s difficult. On that high, I am gonna write some more emails. I hear some are sending packages. I cannot overstate how great those are; I really look forward to getting them. Letters are also so great to receive, and to the card pumping family: Thank you Goodfellows. Here is a new wish list if you are interested (cause I cant really update the blog properly via internet café).
Updated Wish List:
Food (any, cause I prob aint got it here)
Mac and Cheese Packets
Coffee
Fun things for the kids (stickers, pencils, erasers, anything really)
Any school supplies (they are here, but I am poor J)
Did I say food?
New Pictures
New Music (college dudes, get on it)
A news paper, pref sports page and front page, pref Washington post (but it would all be news to me)
Can you send beer?....if yes, then good beer. Don’t really remember what it tastes like.
For sending details, check previous posts. I think the blog is misbehaving (there’s some Namlish for ya) and you have to click on a post to get the side bar. If not, I dunno.
Cheers till next time.
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