March 30 Approaching End of First Term
March 30, 2007
Today I attended meeting with the school board and management that was 6 hours long! The entire meeting was conducted in Rukwangali which meant that I followed about 1/1000th of the meeting. I mostly stared out the window and watched the learners play soccer and the newborn goats bleat. The topic of the meeting was an investigation of a supposed affair between a teacher and one of his 15-year-old students. It is a taboo thing for sexual love to exist between teachers and students, yet it seems to always be happening in Namibia. At worst, the teacher will be fired from Kahenge (though not blacklisted from teaching). He may be kept; ironically, he is one of our best teachers. He will definitely not be arrested or go to jail.
I'm not sure what to make of it all. It is an act I find morally repugnant, yet as each day passes, I find it--along with similar cultural differences--less shocking. I have to be very tactful about my comments and not distance myself from others. It is a trait I am cultivating. Not to be angry when teachers will not show up at the school for a week straight, when learners cheat in front of my eyes, or any sort of obvious corruption. It might be an immoral act in my opinion, but it's not worth the soft power I would lose to take a hard stance.
Otherwise, and as usual, life is pretty good. Last week, Independence Weekend, I got 5 days off and visited some friends in the Kavango. Turns out, I was not the only person with the same idea--there were 17 people sleeping on the floor in their small house! Some highlights of the weekend: catching up on gossip, seeing a lion at close range, and also laughing for pretty much 5 days straight. Some downers: someone was sick every night we were there (you just get used to it in Africa), and sleeping on the floor for 4 nights and probably getting less than 4 hours of sleep every night. One thing you can say about the Peace Corps is that it is hardly dull and rarely comfortable. In a very gratifying way, those rare moments of comfort or companionship (or good food) become greatly treasured.
Today I went for a run for the first time that I have been at Kahenge. Maybe it seems insignificant from afar, but it took a tremendous will to start myself running. When I first came to Kahenge I was stared at constantly. Children would peek into my windows, they would follow me from afar; adults would just unabashedly stare! It got to the point where I would do whatever I could to not stand out, to try to be invisible. And that meant, definitely, not running. But today I made myself run. First, I put on my shoes, and then I stretched, and then I took one step out the door. And then I ran. Wouldn't you know, it wasn't nearly as embarrassing as I dreaded it would be. Yes, I was stared at. Some children ran with me part of the way, and at one point I even had to run around a herd of cattle standing in the road. It went so well that I think I will try it again tomorrow.
The first trimester is almost over. The learners will have their finals in two weeks. I have high hopes for the second term. Hopefully, my students will start passing my tests and asking questions in class. I have a lot of projects I want to start as well; such as, finding computers so that Kahenge will have a computer lab, encouraging students to use the library (it is locked pretty much every day) and to get more books. I will apply for many grants and shower Kahenge with money, self-sustaining community projects, and perhaps even teach the students a thing or two.
During the holiday between the 1st and 2nd terms, we are called back to the capital to attend a "Reconnect" workshop. They say if you make it to Reconnect, you will last for two years. Almost there! It will be really good to see all of the other volunteers that I haven't seen for 3 months, to recharge batteries, and to stock up on essential consumer goods: movies, fast food, and candy. Can I make it for 2 years? I think so. The challenge now is not surviving, but thriving; to create a sustainable world that I can sanely live in.
Last week a learner at Kahenge was eaten by a crocodile. He was swimming across the river to fetch a dugout canoe when the beast got him. His friends watched him being dragged under but could do nothing. The government is trying to catch and kill it, but so far no luck. He is probably gone for ever. People seemed shocked when they heard the news but not nearly as shocked as I was (or you probably were). Animal attack is just a danger of living out here, I guess, whether it is by crocodile, or snake or elephant.
After Reconnect, I am going on a ten day trip of Namibia through a tour company called "Crazy Kudu Wild Dog."
Today I attended meeting with the school board and management that was 6 hours long! The entire meeting was conducted in Rukwangali which meant that I followed about 1/1000th of the meeting. I mostly stared out the window and watched the learners play soccer and the newborn goats bleat. The topic of the meeting was an investigation of a supposed affair between a teacher and one of his 15-year-old students. It is a taboo thing for sexual love to exist between teachers and students, yet it seems to always be happening in Namibia. At worst, the teacher will be fired from Kahenge (though not blacklisted from teaching). He may be kept; ironically, he is one of our best teachers. He will definitely not be arrested or go to jail.
I'm not sure what to make of it all. It is an act I find morally repugnant, yet as each day passes, I find it--along with similar cultural differences--less shocking. I have to be very tactful about my comments and not distance myself from others. It is a trait I am cultivating. Not to be angry when teachers will not show up at the school for a week straight, when learners cheat in front of my eyes, or any sort of obvious corruption. It might be an immoral act in my opinion, but it's not worth the soft power I would lose to take a hard stance.
Otherwise, and as usual, life is pretty good. Last week, Independence Weekend, I got 5 days off and visited some friends in the Kavango. Turns out, I was not the only person with the same idea--there were 17 people sleeping on the floor in their small house! Some highlights of the weekend: catching up on gossip, seeing a lion at close range, and also laughing for pretty much 5 days straight. Some downers: someone was sick every night we were there (you just get used to it in Africa), and sleeping on the floor for 4 nights and probably getting less than 4 hours of sleep every night. One thing you can say about the Peace Corps is that it is hardly dull and rarely comfortable. In a very gratifying way, those rare moments of comfort or companionship (or good food) become greatly treasured.
Today I went for a run for the first time that I have been at Kahenge. Maybe it seems insignificant from afar, but it took a tremendous will to start myself running. When I first came to Kahenge I was stared at constantly. Children would peek into my windows, they would follow me from afar; adults would just unabashedly stare! It got to the point where I would do whatever I could to not stand out, to try to be invisible. And that meant, definitely, not running. But today I made myself run. First, I put on my shoes, and then I stretched, and then I took one step out the door. And then I ran. Wouldn't you know, it wasn't nearly as embarrassing as I dreaded it would be. Yes, I was stared at. Some children ran with me part of the way, and at one point I even had to run around a herd of cattle standing in the road. It went so well that I think I will try it again tomorrow.
The first trimester is almost over. The learners will have their finals in two weeks. I have high hopes for the second term. Hopefully, my students will start passing my tests and asking questions in class. I have a lot of projects I want to start as well; such as, finding computers so that Kahenge will have a computer lab, encouraging students to use the library (it is locked pretty much every day) and to get more books. I will apply for many grants and shower Kahenge with money, self-sustaining community projects, and perhaps even teach the students a thing or two.
During the holiday between the 1st and 2nd terms, we are called back to the capital to attend a "Reconnect" workshop. They say if you make it to Reconnect, you will last for two years. Almost there! It will be really good to see all of the other volunteers that I haven't seen for 3 months, to recharge batteries, and to stock up on essential consumer goods: movies, fast food, and candy. Can I make it for 2 years? I think so. The challenge now is not surviving, but thriving; to create a sustainable world that I can sanely live in.
Last week a learner at Kahenge was eaten by a crocodile. He was swimming across the river to fetch a dugout canoe when the beast got him. His friends watched him being dragged under but could do nothing. The government is trying to catch and kill it, but so far no luck. He is probably gone for ever. People seemed shocked when they heard the news but not nearly as shocked as I was (or you probably were). Animal attack is just a danger of living out here, I guess, whether it is by crocodile, or snake or elephant.
After Reconnect, I am going on a ten day trip of Namibia through a tour company called "Crazy Kudu Wild Dog."
posted by Complacently Neurotic at 7:22 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home