"Why did you want to be a teacher?"

I have heard this question probably a hundred times. It usually follows after I tell someone that I majored in international affairs and not education. If you had asked me before I left, I probably would have said that education is an integral part of development which I want to be a part of. Or maybe I said I needed a job that I could do that would get me working on the ground in Africa.

Now...I'm not so sure. Teaching is by far the most difficult thing I've ever had to do in my entire life. Running calls on an ambulance? No problem. Getting 40 teenagers to listen to you while you drone on about grammar rules? Forget about it.

This job has so many different aspects to it that it would take me a few hours to write about. You're a counselor, mediator, representative, manager, and so many more things, all at the same time. Sometimes it seems like it's too much.

I'm not sure if I've talked about the learners I have the privilege to teach. They're amazing! Granted, I am at one of the best schools in Namibia, they are so motivated to learn. Well, most of them are. In grade 11, you almost always will pass to grade 12 unless you really screw up on examinations. But that's not going to happen, because they're brilliant. Well not really, but they put so much effort in that I can't even compare it to home. Over the year I'm sure I'll write more specifically about some of them.

Rewarding doesn't even begin to describe my feelings of this new job. Hell, it's more like a lifestyle. But the point is...I really like it. I think coming here, specifically to Namibia, to work specifically as a teacher, is one of the best decisions I have ever made (let's hope this feeling lasts).

Now you'll have to excuse me, the herd of pigs owned by my school has invaded my yard for the third time today and I have to go route them with a stick.

Jason