There are only 2 weeks left in the term. My goodness! I almost feel like a veteran teacher (ha, not really). I have written the English exams and today I managed to staple about half of them together (about 150 exams of 6 pages). Logistics and resources for getting things done is definitely something I think a lot about now. Photocopying in other jobs was something I took for granted - especially photocopiers that also had the staple function!! But here, it becomes a different matter entirely.

With 2 weeks left in the term, I have finally reached the point where I can truthfully say that I am comfortable teaching all my classes. I can also honestly say that I am now enjoying all of my classes! My two grade 8 classes can be particularly sweet. Such as yesterday. I walked into class and asked if anyone else was feeling tired (it was a hot, hot day). "Nooooo, Miss! But we will sing you a song so that you do not feel tired!" And so they did. They really love singing - it's such a big part of their lives too. I have to say, I did feel much more invigorated afterwards!

Speaking of grade 8, while I was teaching one of the grade 8 classes the day before, part of the roof fell in on top of the other class next door. Luckily no one was injured. However, the student and teacher reactions were incredible. We moved all the kids out, cleaned up the debris a bit, and then everyone just carried on teaching as usual! No talk about the poor condition of the building or anything!

On an entirely different note, I have organised a staff vs. student soccer match for tomorrow afternoon, and everyone (staff and students) seems really excited about it, myself included! It's the first time the school has ever had such an event and I am really hoping that it turns out well. I will make sure to take some pictures!

Another piece of news is that I have established an Oshiwambo-French exchange with some of my colleagues! A few of the other teachers have been asking me to teach them French for a while now, and so each day I try to teach them different words and phrases. However, I decided to do this only on the condition that they reciprocate with Oshiwambo - I am now really trying to make a concerted effort to learn the language. We'll see how far I come in 9 months time!

Last note. The principal decided to suddenly order all female students (12-20 years old) to shave their heads. He thinks that girls waste too much time playing with their hair. I can't imagine how girls would react to this news back in Ireland or the States. I felt so bad for the girls today as they are really, understandably, upset by this new regulation. They have until Monday to comply.

Sunset View from Pete's House

Driving Landscape

Interesting observation today: out of my approximately 150 students, only one is left-handed! Perhaps only left-handed people (or ciotóg as we say in Ireland) notice these things!

I asked my grade 11 students to write an essay about how the internet has impacted their lives. I got some funny responses...

One student wrote that she is scared of using the internet because she might get cancer from the UV rays that are projected from the computer. Another student wrote that the internet might cause the next world war because of the false information that you can find on it. Finally, another student wrote that he's scared of someone else writing an email from his account and getting into trouble for it. He specifically said that he's scared someone will send it to the "American wildlife". I still don't know what that means.

By the way, Mum, you would have been so proud of me - as soon as we got back, I immediately started to handwash my dirty mound of clothes! To top this off, I did this despite the fact that we have had no water for the past week!

The first day the water ran out, we had just gotten back from a long run in the hot afternoon - we quickly discovered that the frustration of a water shortage is compounded when you have been looking forward to a cold shower but are left sweaty and smelly! We have also discovered how bad we are at water conservation. I would say that Pete and myself are generally pretty environmentally conscious people, and we don't even have a (flushing) toilet, but we still manage to go through a lot of water. And this is just doing basic living things such as washing clothes, washing dishes, bathing, cooking, drinking, brushing teeth etc.

We now get our daily water from Pete's school, which is very kindly letting us use their one outdoor tap for the moment. I am trying to learn how to walk with a bucket of water on my head but this is still a work in progress.



A peaceful water hole.

We picked up a freeloader along the way...

Just back from a brilliant weekend at Etosha National Park. Feeling tired after all the driving today, and probably got a bit too much sun, but still marvelling at do-it-yourself safari! We spent 4 nights camping at two different spots in the eastern section of the park. In the first spot, we could hear lions roaring nearby in the wee hours of the night. A bit too close for comfort perhaps. We also had a close encounter with a black rhino. As we were driving to a water hole one late afternoon, we spotted a large grey bottom poking around the corner. What could it be we wondered. As we turned the corner, the bottom moved quickly and we suddenly found ourselves face to face with a rhino, who decided that his best form of defense was offense. As he started to run at the car, we reversed, only to find that our friends' car was right behind us! Bit of a stressful moment really.

I will post photos in the next couple of days! Happy (Namibian) Independence Day and belated St. Paddy's Day!

Why Dogs Chase Cars, Goats are Scared of Cars and Donkeys Couldn't Care Less.

One day three friends decided to go to town to do some shopping. The three friends were donkey, goat and dog. They walked to the side of a road so that they could hitchhike into town. Not too long after this a bakkie slowed down for the animals. They were told that the trip into town would cost them $10 each. No problem, they said. The journey itself was pleasant enough, but trouble began when the bakkie slowed to a halt and the driver asked each animal for $10. The donkey paid the money and got out of the car. However, the goat, realising it didn't have enough money, threw $5 at the driver and ran away as quickly as possible. The dog then gave the driver $20, but instead of getting change, the driver pushed the dog out of the car and drove away.

This is why, according to my younger students, donkeys lie or stand in the middle of the road without a care in the world. They don't owe any money, you see. However, the miserly goat will get out of your way as quickly as possible, as it fears retribution for not paying the full amount. Dogs, of course, will chase your car, but at least now you know why.

Yesterday evening we happened to notice children riding donkeys outside the window. We decided to go outside to get a better look at this remarkable sight! Once outside, we also noticed the most beautiful rainbow I have ever seen. The entire arc was visible as it stretched across the sky.

Many people came for the event as you can see by the line streaming out of the church. The event began with a Holy Mass as the Vicar General had come to bless our new school buildings (we have 4 new classrooms!). The Catholic masses here are the liveliest I have ever been to, filled with songs and catchy drum rhythms!

I spent 5 and a half hours this past Saturday morning cooking for an event at my school. I can now proudly say that I know how to kill, pluck, gut, behead and de-claw a chicken. I don't think I will ever be putting this into practice though - I remain a vegetarian, much to the dismay of my colleagues.

As you can see from the picture of the pots, we began the morning by trying to cook 6 things at once. Unfortunately the power couldn't take this, and we were quickly left without electricity. Panic set in. Then 2 burners began to work. I wondered how we would ever get anything done.

But then the Indian Sisters very kindly allowed us to use their kitchen and we eventually began cooking in earnest. The meal consisted of chicken and meat cooked in a traditional way, potatoes, pasta (a big favourite here, especially served with jam), rice, traditional millet beer, ombivi (traditional spinach) and oshifima (traditional porridge that is very thick and that you eat with your hands). Delicious!

My Namibian dress. One of my older students gave me the necklace that I am wearing as as gift. These traditional necklaces are very precious and are made from ostrich egg shells.

Sunset activities in the village.



I always recognize this boy from a distance by his distinctive white wellies! We learned that boys generally herd cattle around the age of 7.


Look how tall the mahangu is getting (this is the same kraal where I took my original picture of the mahangu growing)!

On our way back to Outapi on Sunday, there was a large group of people fishing in an oshana - a swampy area that fills with water during the rainy season.



Here is one of our first glances of the sudden dramatic change in the landscape. I don't know if anyone else will think this photo is anything special except for us here in the North!

The (non-falling) falls, mopane worms (frog season is over, now it's time for these delicious snacks), and a tree with exposed roots that made the perfect riverside chair.

Kunene River

Last year, I went to a tailor in Congo-Brazzaville to have a Congolese outfit made. Since I did not bring the outfit with me (small baggage allowance), last week I decided to go to a tailor in Oshakati to have a Namibian outfit made. I am wearing my outfit to school today and so far the response has been very positive! My colleagues tell me that I look "very smart" and my students say that I am "looking very well!"

I had the most fantastic weekend. Myself, Pete and a few other volunteers headed up to the Angolan border for the weekend. The landscape changes so dramatically even after only 70km north of Outapi. First the earth becomes red and then the plateau, upon which most of the country rests, ends and the road dips down an enormous hill. Suddenly the landscape is lush and filled with rolling hills and there are mountains in the distance. It is truly a dramatic change after living in a flat arid environment for so long.

I also saw Himba people for the first time. The Himba people colour their skin with ochre and Vaseline to achieve a beautiful reddish hue.

Nearly all of the women I saw had babies attached either to their fronts or to their backs. The women had long braids with big, bushy ends. They wore many ringed necklaces upon their necks. The women were bare-chested; I wonder if this is to easier feed their children. They wore short leather skirts. Many also wore a beaded piece of jewellery across their stomachs. Upon their ankles were many ringed anklets similar to their necklaces. They were barefoot.

The men had shaved heads. They wore long, thin caps that fit on the centre of their heads. I think that there is a thin strip of hair underneath these caps after seeing a young baby boy with his hair shaved in this manner. The men wore material wrapped around their waists like short sarongs. They were neither bare-chested nor barefoot like the women. They wore sleevless t-shirts and leather sandals. They also carried sturdy wooden sticks.

We also travelled to the Ruacana Falls which are said to rival the Victoria Falls when they are falling. However, the falls were not falling despite the heavy rains recently. The falls are controlled by a dam that lies just over the border in Angola. We decided to explore the rocky outcrops of the falls and climbed over a wire fence. Not far away, we saw a stone marker in the ground upon which "ANGOLA" was printed in bold red letters. Angola! We spent some time in Angola and wondered if it was a land of opportunity. Guessing not, we eventually made our way back to Namibia.

We spent two nights camping by the Kunene River, which acts as a natural border between Angola and Namibia. One afternoon, Pete and I followed the sounds of children and came to a wire fence that separated us from another part of the river. We climbed over the fence and met with a group of about 30 children playing in the river. Two curious girls came towards us. They told us that they were a group of Himba children from Opuwo. More children came over. The children were hot and wanted to get back in the water with us. I told them that I would watch (from the safety of the river bank), but they grabbed my hands and dragged me in with them. Not only worried about the crocodiles (the woman running the campsite told us they were in the water "100 percent"), I was also worried about getting bilharzia! I could imagine worms entering my body through the soles of my feet as I stepped in the squishy muddy river bottom, and I am sure it is only a matter of time before snails start to develop in my ovaries.

But the water did feel really good.