Back in the Game...

Now that I have the internet, I guess I have no excuse for not blogging on a regular basis. Life in Ogongo has started to calm down a bit. We started school last Monday, after being closed for 5 weeks. I hit a rough spot around week two of the unanticipated holiday. I had this overwhelming feeling of helplessness. The flooding was greatly affecting my villages, learners, colleagues and friends,but I kept hitting dead ends when trying to find ways to help. I was stranded in my village knowing that learners weren't able to get to school and even worse, people were losing their lives due to the flooding (Over 100 people have died in the northern regions). On top of all of this, I was struggling with the fact that I was not even able to do what I came here for – to teach.

Fortunately my spirits rose quickly over the past two weeks. I took a much needed vacation with a fellow volunteer, Adam, whose school was also closed and was also feeling some of the same frustrations. We took a road trip to Okahao, Opuwo and Ongwediva to visit other volunteers. We spent two nights in Okahao with Jen, going to her school and celebrating her birthday, along with EricaEmily, Aleks, Chris and Chloe. The celebration included custard filled donuts, punya punya (red wine and coke), laughing and a lot of venting! It was really great to be able to share my frustrations and successes with other volunteers going through similar situations. I'm not sure what I would do without them here! After Okahao, Adam and I took three different hikes to get to Opuwo, home to the Himba, Dhimba, Herero, and of course, Will, Carmen, and Ayoola. Opuwo has an amazing mixture of culture – modern and traditional. Walking down the main street of Opuwo I observed all of the following: a Herero woman in a Victorian style dress with big shoulders and elaborate headress, a man wearing a Fubu jersey with aviators, many topless Himba women wearing only goat skin skirts and traditional jewelry, a boy standing on the side of the road in only his underwear and knee high socks, many learners in clean cut uniforms, Dhimba men carrying walking sticks, wearing brightly colored traditional “skirts,” and the occasional Oshilumbu (white person). Opuwo is also home to The Diplomat, a hopping bar with a disco ball and sunken in dance floor! And the greatest part about it was that everyone thought I was an amazing dancer...ha...little do they know, I lack any resemblance of rhythm. We ended our road trip with a relaxing weekend in Ongwediva, where we met a bunch of other volunteers and stayed at a nice hotel (with amazing food!). On Friday night we saw Gazza and Tate Butey in concert (two popular Namibian artists). Aside from the obvious lip syncing, attempted pickpocketing and tear gas, it was a great show!

After being rejuvenated and re inspired, I returned to Ogongo with high spirits ready to begin teaching again! It felt great to be back in the classroom and see my learners. I missed them more than I realized! And they were so ecstatic to be back as well – I would be too after spending five weeks of cultivating and pounding mahangu! I spent all of Sunday reconstructing the timetable for the whole school to include the two new teachers. The teachers seem to be happy with the new schedule and very grateful of the work I put into it. I am crossing my fingers that it will not have to be changed again! This week at school was great, but quite exhausting. I was ready for the weekend. This morning I walked to the Agriculture College with Rouja, Paulina, Beatrix, Amalia, and Hallelujah to cheer on the Ogongo soccer team. We watched two intense games....in the intense heat. There is another two games tomorrow morning that I am thinking about going to. The soccer team trains everyday outside of my house and every since one of my colleagues told them that I was a pro soccer player, they keep asking my to play with them. I don't think they understand that it is possible for me to have played soccer for 10 years and not be a star player. I think they are just impressed that I girl can play, since that is not common here (unfortunately). One of these days I will get up the nerve to practice with them. Until then, I will just enjoy watching them – quite pleasing to the eye!

Word of the day: eskola = school

MY SCHOOL