Projects, committees and more!!

Now that the school term is in full swing, many projects and committees have popped up. I don’t always volunteer, but somehow I find myself helping to organize and get it going. I am part of the library committee which is probably the biggest and most daunting project as our school library has been neglected for many years, there is no shelf list of our current books, donated books remain in the back room collecting dust (and I mean A LOT of dust!) and its disappointing trying to find adults or learners who are willing to get their hands dirty and start weeding old books out, cleaning up and putting things back together. People nod their heads, “Yeah, we really need our young people to read more…improve the reading culture here.” But they don’t often follow through. You can motivate only so much.

Then there is the Wellness Committee which collects money from staff for taking care of teachers when they have personal issues like funerals, weddings or difficulties. We also have to plan end-term parties. I’m part of the newsletter committee, sports day and a reading project for learners with reading difficulties. I feel most strongly for this last project as its up my alley and there aren’t many people here who are experienced to help. We just assessed the learners and have started grouping them…once this project gets going, I’ll share and explain how I’ve set it up.

For the most part, I’m enjoying my stay here. It has been very lonely at times but I feel I deal with being alone quite well. The last few years in Italy, I was alone a lot…reflecting and planning my future. I’m doing pretty much the same here. I keep in contact with my family and kids very often and this helps. (Thank goodness for Whatsapp.) My life here revolves around the school….the school is my community. I haven’t had any language lessons and I don’t remember what I was taught during training. I occasionally go into the village…its just a store/bar and the post office….but it is still so blazing hot here that if you don’t have a good reason to be walking out in that heat, you shouldn’t be there.  Here, people speak a mix of Nama, Afrikaans and English. In one lesson, you will hear a local teacher stress the importance of only using and speaking English…. Then they will translate that for the class!!Because people here are so bi or trilingual, they don’t write accurately. Writing well is not a priority…they just don’t care….they can communicate and get by. And trying to convince 13-14 year olds that the difference between writing a sentence in the present or past is important, it just doesn’t sink in. Oh yes, I’m sure I have convinced and made it clear to a few learners, but mostly…they just respond “Yes, Miss…yes, Miss..” and then when I correct their work, I see the errors again!

After a full school day (teaching from 6.45-13.10) we have afternoon classes from 15.00-17.00 and sometimes sports practice after that! It is exhausting and sometimes ineffective…I marvel at how they think cramming lessons and information down their throats is going to motivate and help them learn. The management here only wants results…statistics, numbers…how many pass or fail…and of course, if the learner fails, the teacher is not doing their job! Oi vey! I enjoy coming back to my flat, turning on my fan and drinking a cold beer after my shower. I have come to appreciate the very basics even more. I don’t need much to be happy and to stay healthy.

Here are some photos from sports day. YES!! The learners run barefoot! And I tell you, there are a lot of thorns and stones and the heat was unbearable! It wasn’t clear what my duties were to be (as usual) so I appointed myself photographer. I proposed selling some of these photos to make money for the library…it was approved. People here are quite vain…kids and adults love their photos taken and want to see them right away. Then they tell you…”Miss, put that on Facebook!”