Term 3, my very last term in Namibia, has officially
started, which means I have less than 100 days left in this country. I made it through my first week back, but I
won’t lie, it was not easy. Our
time changed last Sunday, which signified the start of spring (it feels more
like summer and my thermometer says it is 81F at 10:45 am...I'm sure it is wrong). We sprung our clocks forward, making it
dark again when I wake up. There
is something about waking up when the sun is still down that is a little
depressing to me. It makes the mornings
harder than they already are.
However, they aren’t just proving to be difficult for me; they’re also
messing with the students. Since
many of these kids do not have electricity in their homes, some have no way of
knowing that it is time to get ready for school. They depend on the traditional alarm clocks of the rooster
and the sun, which is difficult with this new change, and causes about 1/3 of the
students to show up to first period late.
Our first week back, I spent time going over the English exam
with my 9th graders, and then we transitioned into a group project
that they will be presenting for my sister and brother in-law. Each class has been divided into groups
of 5-6 people. They are required
to choose one topic about Namibia so that they can teach Mark and Amanda a
little bit more about their country.
So far, things seem to be off to a good start. We have some kids talking about Namibian history, others are
talking about traditional food and clothing, and others are going to explain
the language of Oshikwanyama.
Although this is more for Amanda and Mark, it will be good for the
students to get practice talking in front of others and working with different
types of people. I was that
teacher I disliked growing up, and put the kids into random groups. No way was I going to let them
choose...it would have been a hot mess! As for my BIS classes, I
started introducing all of them to the library. We went over the different rules, sections of the library,
etc. Already, about 40-50 books
have been checked out, and in a week, they will have about 100
or so more books to choose from!
This weekend I was supposed to go to Etosha with some of our
LRC students (similar to Student Council), but unfortunately the date got
switched to next weekend, which means I can’t go because MY SISTER WILL BE IN
NAMIBIA!!! Yes, in exactly 6 days
I will get to hug Amanda and Mark for the first time in 8 months. The McLaughlin girls will be reunited
at last. My heart is so happy
about this, and I can’t wait to see their reactions to many things, like living
with no running water and bugs constantly in the house. I'm talking giant lizards...
Back home everyone is transitioning into fall, which is
by far my favorite season. I love
the changing leaves. The
transition into fall clothing. The
idea of months of family related events on the way. Since I am missing this and all things
pumpkin (I LOVE PUMPKIN), a little homesickness has crept its way back into my
daily routines. However, with only
3 months to go, I know that a year without all of these things will make them
that much more wonderful when I return.
Here’s a short list of things I look forward to when I return:
- · A real shower, or more importantly, a bath tub
- · A more active lifestyle
- · A nice haircut where I feel pretty
- · Edamame and other unique foods that are impossible to find here
- · Almond milk
- · G-free muffins and anything with a cake like texture
- · Christmas lights
- · My precious Fabian
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