no more school, no more books, no more learners' dirty looks

Hello, everyone!!! I wish I could say that we had some distinctly "African" experiences this past month, but school was our one & only life.

Oh, my goodness, it has been nearly a month since our last blog.

It has been extremely busy here. But first of all…THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!!
We could not believe the money that was sacrificed to benefit our school. Our plan was to get the textbooks & dictionaries, but now we have so much more to spend!!! At this point, not sure how to use the extra. Our Lord will have to direct us. There are so many things we could use it for…a car, trip to Northern Africa…just kidding. Books for the library, whole sets of literature that English classes could study together (THAT’S a dream!). They want a soccer field, volleyball court & netball court. Although I am not a sports fan, I can see the need for it here, & to be able to join w/ other schools for competitions, would be very nice for them. But then, the desks are downright safety hazards, there is absolutely nothing in the classrooms except 40 desks & chairs. Bookshelves would be nice, cork strips on which to hang their best efforts, waste baskets (dust bins, as they say), an in-school store where they could buy the supplies that they never have & to buy somewhat nourishing food. The executives are making some improvements--we now have sidewalks outside a block of classrooms & one running from the staff room to the upper-primary rooms--Yea!!! I will no longer have to negotiate the mud & water puddles when I go to classes (or balance precariously on the broken pallets they put over some of the larger puddles). Anyway, your concrete support is greatly appreciated.

Easter was different for us this year. We made it to the Good Friday service which included a re-enactment of the passion. It was very disturbing to both of us because there was so much laughing--the “actors” were friends of the church members & our guess is that there might have been some inappropriate casting. It seemed, however, to hit both of us at the same time: this is what it must have really been like, with a lot of laughing & jeering and seeming disrespect by the locals. It was painful in the all-too reality. Jim was asked to read for the Sat. vigil, but we could not go. It started at 8pm & we would never have been able to get a taxi at 10pm. Sunday morning we had about a 3+ hour downpour. It seldom rains like that. Usually heavy wind & rain come blasting through very suddenly, & don’t last more than an hour. So, we were unable to get up to the road & we doubted the road to the church-town was passable. Sometimes we seriously question if this is really what God had in mind for us!

Once the Easter weekend was over we went into full-swing exam prep. We were unable to get any information on exactly how exams are handled. They are over now (today is our 1st free day--yea!!!) we still don’t know how they are handled. Somehow we muddled through. My English learners received VERY low grades from me. Jim, on the other hand gave out 27 A’s in his Grade 7. Next term he won’t be so easy!! He can’t be, Grade 7 takes National Exams at the end of the year. That puts a lot of pressure on him. The last two weeks were very stressful. The learners were fighting, teachers were belligerent & rude. If Jim & I didn’t have each other, we would have never made it through intact.

Our founder/owner came by the school a few days ago. We had met him in passing in Windhoek during orientation, but he hadn’t been here. I think he was sick. He asked for a meeting w/ teachers & staff. After grumbling that they weren’t going (it was after “knock-off” time) nearly all the teachers were there. He & the exec. Treasurer, whom we talk to frequently, extolled the virtues of the “Americans” and how we do so much to help raise the academic excellence of the school & how we must stay for another year--or more. They are personal friends with the Minister of Ed. & the President, they can pull strings. However, the words were nice, but it was very embarrassing & the next morning the staff room was a bit chilly. Fortunately our colleagues didn’t know that we went out to dinner with them after the meeting, or we would not have been able to show our faces. I really can understand their resentment toward us, but if they don’t have some native-English speakers around their children, the country will continue to sound like an uneducated, backward country. Teachers’ English is deplorable & that’s what the learners hear, day in & day out.

We are wrapping up Term 1, filing all the paperwork & getting ready for Term 2. It will be better, we are sure. At least we won’t be starting out behind on day 1. We learned a lot & have plans that we hope will improve the classroom environment. One of the plans involves the use of duct tape and glue. As much as their talking drives us crazy, we love these kids.

Our first-born & my 2 sisters will be arriving May 4. We will be traveling from 5th to 12th. Then we have nearly 2 weeks before school begins again. Not sure what we will do or where we will go. We have a 4-day in-service in Windhoek from May 20 so maybe we will check out the central-south regions.

Oh, I hear the taxi outside. Jim must be back from running errands. Oh yea, he came with the Exec. Treasurer & two daughters, and here I sit in my ‘jamies & bed-head!!! And the house is filthy. Oh well, life goes on.

Our best to all back home.

sharon