Chachachachachchanges

Sorry for the delay in writing. Kind of forgot I had a blog. It's been a crazy few months! What has happened? Well...

Recently I attended our end of service conference in Windhoek. This conference was the last WorldTeach requirement that I needed to complete. So after this term finishes up I'm donzo. Weird feeling.

Teaching wise, this term could not have gone any better. We're in the last week and I can really see how far some of my learners have come. I have kids who wouldn't say a word in the beginning of the year that are now difficult to get to stop talking. In English.

I finished up my syllabus a little early and had some time to do an enrichment unit on poetry. We studied poetic devices and tried to decipher the meaning behind poems like Heavenly Grass, I Measure Every Grief and a few others. The highlight of this was the assignment where I asked them to write their own poems using poetic devices. There were some good ones, and one learner (one of my favorites shhhh) wrote a poem about me leaving. Total suck up, but it's really cute.

Time Can Separate People

Days come, months pass as time goes on

Guess what I mean, time can separate people

Our American handsome teacher is going back

He is leaving us

Think it out, our international teaching organisation

Sends us a brilliant teacher

But time is money

He is going

Confident and kind he is

He don't tolerate nonsense

Guess who? Mr. Usher Jason

Time can separate people

By Fiyeikodimwe (Anna) Ndinoshinge

There's also currently a teacher strike in Namibia. A lot of kids are out of school right before examinations. Teachers are demanding higher salaries, housing allowances and...vacation time? I'm going to go with that. Anyways it's hit a few regions including Khomas, Karas, Erongo, Oshana and Omusati. I'm sure you all know where those places are. The important part is that it hasn't hit my region yet, so my learners are still going to school. But the last two regions border mine, and there was recently some marches and arrests nearby in Oshakati. I told my learners that it doesn't matter if the entire country is out of school, they'll still have class. Fortunately I heard that the teacher's union and the ministry of education are close to a deal.

My roommate Bret McSpadden just became the new field director for WorldTeach Namibia and moved down to Windhoek. I'm extremely happy for him and think he'll do a good job...except now I'm really bored living in a four bedroom house by myself. Good thing there are kids running around all the time.

Two weeks ago we had a staff end of the year party. My principal thanked me for all the work over the year and wished me well...even though I'm still here for another month and change. It was nice to feel appreciated and kind of served as validation.

I'll be coming home in December. I really don't know exactly what I'm doing...and each time anyone asks me I internally freak out. I am looking forward to seeing family and friends and enjoying a nice dark winter lager and playing some Irish music.

Ka ende po nawa (Stay well!)