Model School - Swearing In

Hello folks, I know I promised to try to be more consistent with my post but I lied.  Been busy but on the plus side, I have exciting stories to tell… well kinda.

MODEL SCHOOL

After site visit, the SUPEP trainees had model school. Trust me I didn’t really know what that mean either when I heard it. Apparently it’s when students come to school during their break so that we can practice teaching on them. How do we get them to come in on the holiday you ask? Well, we bribe them with food and stationary. I tried to imagine telling a bunch of students (grade 5-9) in America, that if they choose to come to school during Thanksgiving break, they would get a notebook, pen, and a snack at break. I wondered how successful model school would be in the States and lets just say that I was a little skeptical of how it would turn out when they said they hadn’t done this before. Not only was I worried about whether student would even show up, I also didn’t feel super prepared myself. We didn’t have textbook, I barely looked at a Namibian syllabus the day before we started, and have never prepared a lesson in my life.

Well the good news is that the bribery worked. The first day there weren’t many students but every day the number of learners increased. I don’t think that I can say the same about my teaching skills. I’d say my lessons were about ½ and ½. I did well on some and not so lekker (good) on the others. I guess it could be looked at two ways. I did well for not having resources and never preparing a lesson plan before on my life or that, holy cannoli! I’m supposed to do this for the next two year and I don’t have a clue where to start. I’m going to go with the former, it’s less frightening.

We were partnered with another trainee in our same subject. We taught 2 classes a day and observed the other 2. Namibian staff and teachers were also in the room evaluated us. My partner was excellent, always well prepared, bringing in aids, and managing her time perfectly. It was good to pick up tips from her but a little intimidating realizing I was not as skilled. She said that I did well but I don’t know how much is me being hard on myself and how much is her being nice. Either way I received mostly positive responses from the Namibian evaluators (a common complaint was that I talked to fast).

The students, however, seemed to love me. That was reassuring. We had the students fill out a survey at the end and there were comments along the lines of, “Ms. Kenney and Ms. Steph are the favorite teachers of my life.” and “Ms. Kenney was best teacher I have. Will there be model school again? You can call me. Here’s my number 081.298.2481. –love, Lydia.” So Model school ended on a positive note and despite all my anxiety, I was really proud and, yes, relieved when it when it was over.

FIELDTRIP TO WINDHOEK

We went to the Teacher Resource Center (TRC). I was pleased to see previous years’ tests, syllabus, and books that I could use for science and mathematics. My favorite part of the trip was to the College of Arts. I love places like that, being among beautiful paintings, walking through unfinished sculptures, and hearing the echoes of pianos being practiced. It inspired me! When I moved to site and get my own place I will have a 3 bedroom apt all to myself. I’ve always wanted a studio and I decided then that I am going to turn one of my rooms into an art studio.

AMERICAN CULTURAL DAY

In the beginning of PST we had a cultural day where all the Namibians cook traditional meals, we slaughtered some chickens, ate some worms, and dressed in traditional garb. Then it was the Americans turn. I was part of the Italian food crew. I know Italy is not America, but we were celebrating the diversity of the many cultures we have in America. And trust me its way better to have Italian, Mexican, Chinese, and Jewish food then just a bunch of hamburgers. So we feasted and they made us do the Macarena and we had a talent show. Then students from the different language groups delivered speeches to the families. Overall it was a enjoyable and exhausting day.

SWEARING IN

On September 20, group 36 transitioned from Trainees to Volunteers. It was great to be with my fellow volunteers, all 35 of us have made it this far together. It is common that a few people drop out after site visit, but our whole group has stuck through PST, and is now moved into phase 2, hopefully we all make finish out the 2yrs. We all left for our sites after swearing in and now the real challenge starts. I will be living with a new Host family in Rehoboth until Nov and then I move into my own place.

During phase 2 we start at our school. We do not have classes until Jan when the new school year starts, so we are to observe classes, familiarize ourselves with student and staff, integrate into our community, discuss job details with our supervisor, and co-teach. We do this for 10 weeks then have Reconnect, which is where all the volunteers meet back up in the first week of Dec. and talk about site and our jobs.  Then we have vacation because school in on holiday and our group has already planned to celebrate Christmas together in Swakopmund (a coastal city). Ok that does it for now, catch ya on the flip side.

Site Visit!

Hello Friends and Family, briefly recapping the last blog, I talked the 1^st week in Namibs, PST, and my Host family. I also mention not knowing what my permanent site placement was and that my fellow trainees and I were anxiously waiting to know where we would be placed for the next 2 years. Well on Tuesday Aug. 14, we were finally told where we’ve been placed. I WILL BE SERVING IN REHOBOTH at Vooruitsig Junior Secondary School. The anticipation of our site announcements was quite dramatic, I’ll just say the trainers knew how to buildup the moment. They created a large map of Namibia in the backyard of the community center by using rope as the outline of the country. Then placed rocks to mark the towns we would be going to. As they called out our Name and announced our site we received a packet that told us about our specific assignment.

    (waiting for site announcement)                  (standing in our locations on the map)

            The day after our site announcement we got to meet the supervisor at our site or a counterpart that we’ll be working with. Then that Friday Aug. 17, we left to visit our sites. The representative for my site was a man named Jimmy Engelbrecht, I learned that he is a life skills teacher/counselor at my school, he’s also a pastor, and that he and his family would be my new host family for the first 6 weeks at site. First impression of Jimmy: He was a stout man, wearing purple crocs, jeans, and South African jersey.  Note that all other supervisors and counterparts were dressed extremely professional, in suits, slacks, ties and dress shoes. Based off initial impression I had no idea how to take in this man and no clue to what my site was going to be like. I thought this could be a super chill to years or this could mean a completely disastrous 2 years. 

However, on the car ride to Rehoboth I got to speak with him on a more personal level. We talked about our families, I practiced my Afrikaans (he seemed pleased that I was trying). He asked me about why I come to be a volunteer and I talked with him about his experience at seminary. Had to stop on the highway for some baboons crossing. Then continued discussing the similarities and differences in the colonization of America and Namibia.  The more I got to know him, the more at ease I became. Jimmy is a kind and hospitable man and these traits became even more apparent when I met his family. The Engelbrechts welcomed me from the moment I stepped foot in their home. I feel extremely blessed to be taken, especially for the first 6 weeks when I will be settling into site.

Ok so site visit was from Aug. 17-23, during that time I got to see my city, school, permanent housing, met some colleagues, and shadowed a fellow volunteer. So here are some brief descriptions:

·      Rehoboth (my city):

o   Its one of the larger towns in Namibia, pop. ~26,000

o   Its only 87km (~56miles) south of Windhoek (the capitol)

o   Primary ethnic group is Baster, which is a mix of Dutch and indigenous Africans. They are lighter in skin color and are more westernized in culture then the traditional tribal ethnicities

                                         (Rehoboth)                                      (the main intersection)

·      Vooruitsig Combined School:

o   It is in the “location” which is basically code for ghetto. Location is the place where all the black Africans had to live during apartheid. It’d be similar to what we call an inner city  in America

o   It is severely understaffed and under resourced

o   Nearly all the 800 learners are Nama or Damara.(not Baster)

·      My Counterpart

o   His name is Harry Rencs

o   He’s the head of department for Science

o   He seems very helpful and like a good teacher. I’m grateful to have him as a resource.

o   He’s protective over me, which is really sweet.

(Mr. Rencs)

·      My Job:

o   I will be teaching some of the following (not exactly sure yet): grades 7-10 Life Science and Math. 5 grade Computer science. Possibly 7-10 physical science as well, but like I said, not sure

o   Possibly secondary projects: Science club, AIDS/HIV education, or Sports Coach

·      My Permanent housing:

o    It’s part of the teacher housing at Rehoboth High School (not my school).

o    It’s a 3-bedroom modern apartment, has indoor toilet and shower, electricity, and other accommodations.

o    I have the place to myself and the other apartments don’t appear to have teachers leaving in them, as far as I can tell.

(my Permanent housing)

I think that should do it for now. One other fun thing, I might be joining a women’s rugby club when I get to site, idk we’ll see. My blogs are no that exciting but if you care enough to know what my life is like here in Namibs then at least it’s informative. Love you Mom, Dad, Nathan, and Alex. It was encouraging to talk to you yesterday.

1st Week, PST, and Host Family!

Hello Folks,

            Please forgive the tardiness of this post. There’s a lot that has happened these last few weeks. I’ll try to cover most of it (at least the exciting stuff). Ok, so for those of you that don’t know, Peace Corps has a training period before the official start of your two year service. This time is called Pre-Service Training (PST) and it can be anywhere from about a month and ½ to 3 months. My PST is 2mos and I’m about half way through.

            My last post was written on the plane from PA to Johannesburg. At that point I was extremely thrilled and reasonably anxious about the unknown adventure that lay before me. However, there was comfort in the fact that the other 34 volunteers in my training group were in this with me and just as uncertain as to what to expect. Peace Corps didn’t give details about what language we’d be learning, what towns we’d be serving in, or what housing situation looked like. At this point all we knew was that there were possibly eight different languages we could be learning, that we could be placed anywhere in Namibia (urban or rural), and that we would work in SUPEP or SEED, of which your job description could vary drastically from someone in the same program. SUPEP stands for Secondary and Upper Primary Education Program (that’s my program!) and SEED stands for Small Enterprise Entrepreneurial Development. Those are the only 2 programs in our group, out of the 8 that Peace Corps offers; the others being Health, Youth and Community development, Environmental, Engineering, Agriculture, and HIV/AIDS. Our group is the 36^th group to be trained for PC Namibia and it seems the programs alternate between groups depending on the host countries expressed needs.

            Despite all the unanswered questions, after days of fatiguing travel, it was exhilarating to finally arrive in Namibia. As we stepped off the plane in Windhoek (Namibia’s Capitol), we were greeted by the PC Namibia staff singing to us in a native tongue. The sweet African rhythm built an air of breathtaking excitement that validated the reality of that moment. We were in Africa!

(Our arrival)

(Our field trip to Windhoek's Heroes Acre)

            From Windhoek we took a charter bus to Okahandja. Upon arrival we were welcomed again with song; it was a warm reception. For the 1^st week of PST we all stayed together at a hostel in Okahandja. We arrived in Okahandja on Thursday, July 26, the following Monday we were told what host families we would be staying with, Tuesday we met them, and on Wednesday Aug. 1 we moved in with them. That first week was fun and eventful. Us trainees bonded over card games, music, meals, and of course dancing! There was a wedding reception at the hostel the Saturday after we arrived and apparently everybody is invited to Namibian weddings, so a few of us joined in the celebration. That night many of us made friends with the locals. I’m thankful for that unique cultural experience. We also went on a hike to a place called Pride Rock; it over looked the entire town. Small lakes and dry bush land could be seen from the vantage point. Two young Namibian boys helps guide us up the rocky trail, one of the boys was barefoot. Along the way we got to see some baboons. Overall, the 1^st week was great way to easy into this new culture. The next step was moving in with our host family.

 

(the hostel)

            My host family lives in Veddersdal, a small neighborhood about 15min driving distance from Okahandja. Eight other volunteers have also been placed in my neighborhood, others from our training group are staying in different neighborhoods, and a few are in town. Peace Corps chooses to place volunteers with host families to help them learn about the culture first hand. It is to better equip us for our permanent sites. My family is the Van Wyks. My host dad is a pastor, both my parents are in their 60s. I have 3 host siblings ranging in age from 32-45. There is also a 6mos old baby that belongs to my host sister. He’s precious. My dad is so sweet to me, and my mom too. They live in a modern house and I am lucky to have electricity, indoor plumbing, and hot showers. For the most part its much more comfortable then I expected. For the moments that are strained, my host sister likes to remind me, “T.I.A. Sara, T.I.A.” meaning, “This is Africa.”

(my host mom)

Most of the families speak the language that we were assigned to learn, so we got our language announcement when we got our host family announcement on Monday July 30^th. Our group is learning different languages because there are many tribes that speak different languages and it just depends on the region your going to be placed in. I’m learning Afrikaans which is great because it the common denominator between most Namibians and therefore I will be able to communicate with more people, rather then if I was learning a tribal language. However, the downside is that some people have an idea of what site they’ll be placed at because of language that is spoke in the different regions; I unfortunately have no clue to where I’ll be placed.

Training takes place in the town hall in Okahandja. We have training M-F, 7:30am to 4:30pm with an hour lunch and 2 tea breaks, one in the morning session and one in the afternoon. We start every morning with songs, which is interesting because Namibia is a really Christian country and a lot of the songs we sing are worship songs. This routine was a pleasant surprise to me because I did not expect to start my day with worship every morning. Singing is one of my favorite parts of the day (that and tea break). After singing we usually have language classes, break, then some session, lunch, back to a new session, break, session, and then it’s the end of the day. These days can be long and draining but I really enjoy being with the other volunteers and learning skills for my job. So this is my life in Namibia thus far.

            ….Ok so this post has become quite lengthy, hopefully it won’t be long between posts in the future. Thanks for trekking with me guys.

I'm Leaving on a Jet Plane

The thoughts and opinions expressed in this blog are not a reflection of Peace Corps policy or beliefs.

I’m leavin on a Jet Plane – 7/23/2012

Hello Folks!
            I suppose this is the beginning of my adventures in Namibia (Southern Africia). This blog will attempt to explain my walk with the Namibian people as I serve as a Science Teacher in the Peace Corps. I’m excited to see what challenges and joys will come my way. I’ll do my best to share my life with you over the next few years, please pardon my ramblings….

A brief into:

            Why did I join the Peace Corps? I can’t remember exactly how I first heard of the Peace Corps, but I can trace back my interest to at least my 3rd year in college. The summer of 2008, before I started my 3^rd year, I did a 6-week internship through Fresno Institute for Urban Leadership (FIFUL). It was that summer that my entire life changed. It was the first intense volunteering experience I had and what I learned that summer has set me on a path that I believe wholeheartedly is my calling in life. Since then I have been trying to figure out how to live out that calling and somehow it has landed me here, on a plane getting ready to leave for Africa.

            My stomach is tight and my head aches from exhaustion, but there is a feverish excitement that feels as if it’s growing to big to be contained inside my chest. I know that when I stepped on the plane to leave Fresno last Sunday, in that moment, my life changed. Just like that summer in 2008, I don’t know how, but I feel God has set these plans before me. And I know as I continue to follow his plan, the adventure will be grand!!!

            What I learned that summer in 2008 was that God calls us to sacrifice ourselves on behalf of others (brothers/neighbors/strangers/enemies) in his name [this call is to all who follow Christ]. During the Fresno Urban Internship that summer, I was shown clearly the God of the scriptures. I began to understand love through Christ’s life and as I served I started learning how to love both others and God. It is this that I feel is my calling; to live a self-sacrificing love just as Christ did.

As I come to know him more and see his image bared through others (shout out to my community), I am taught how to love better. And although, I am poor example of his love, he has generously blessed even the limited obedience that I have given him. It is for this that I have been given many wonderful opportunities and blessings, one of which being the Peace Corps.

I hope that I am faithful in my calling. I pray that represent Christ in a worthy manor. I pray for my new friends and community that are to come, that they might be blessed to experience the love of Christ. Please, pray for me in this Journey, that I a faithful servant with unquestionable integrity. Please pray for strength and humility in me. I love you all so very much and miss all of you.