On Jolly Holiday

Just a note to those of you who use this blog as reassurance that I am still living…

I will be starting my month-long “holiday,” as they say here, on the 25^th of April. I’m still not sure where I’m going, when I’ll be there, and if internet is feasible.

So, perhaps there will be no blog posts. Perhaps there will be many. As with everything this year, I never really know what’s happening until it has already begun.

I’ll miss my new digs in Orotjitombo and Opuwo, weirdly enough (which doesn’t bode well for December). But I’m onto a month of continent-trotting with some WorldTeach gals.

Wish me luck that my bank account doesn’t spread itself too thin.

Here’s to hoping I see you soon in cyberspace. Cheers.

The Calm After the Storm

Folks, we’ve come to the end of term 1 at Orotjitombo PS. The school closed 4 days early due to the fact that the maize meal and the food budget were completely depleted. No maize meal, no food, no kids. So, away they went.

There was a flurry of activity, a mass of learners throwing their belongings into my closet, shouting, car engines stalling, and then…

Nothing. Sweet, sweet nothing.

Today, I walked to the entrance of my stuffy little house to find the school grounds empty. The students were gone. Most of the teachers were in Opuwo. There was no singing, no shrieking, no hysterical crying, no laughing, no “Miss, can I have a sweetie.” The only sounds I could hear were the wind whipping around the buildings, the creaking of my door hinge, and the sporadic clink of the flag beating against the flagpole. The dust swirled across the yard, and I realized how much I have missed the quiet.

I did. I love just standing there, surrounded by quiet. I know this is a freakish characteristic by many people’s standards. But I need it as much as food, water, and beer.  

As much as I love being around the learners, and as boring as “quiet” gets after 2 days, I thought I was going to have to stick my head in the sand, ostrich-style, if I didn’t get a break from ALL THE NOISE, ALL THE TIME. Endless. Children, teenagers, they are like energizer bunnies. Especially when there is no TV or videogames to distract them. And that’s a great thing. But baby-sitting 318 kids for 4 straight months is a little harrowing. One can only take so many times of being woken up by a hand reaching through their window asking for soap at 5 o’clock in the morning. Gives me a panic attack every time.

Tonight I went on a very short jog. It was short because it was impromptu, and I was wearing flip-flops. I was walking the 1 kilometer to get to the patch of sand where I get cell service, enjoying how the wind blows away all the sound from the village, and I all of the sudden decided I do enough walking, walking isn’t fast enough, screw walking. So, I took off my flippy-floppies and started Forest Gumping it down the road. I haven’t run in over 3 months. I used to run nearly every day. I don’t know what provoked it. Maybe the heat has made me more bat-shit crazy than usual.

I’m not saying this was some spiritual moment for me. I’m not even saying I enjoyed it. I couldn’t really, because the whole time I was having an internal struggle.

This is a nice thing. I love running. Let’s keep going…Someone’s staring at me behind a bush right now. I know it. And tomorrow everyone will be talking about how the white girl thought she was being chased by something. I should definitely stop. I can’t stop. I’m like an Olympian up in here. But I’m wearing my school shirt. This is ridiculous.

For a 7 mph moment, I felt like my normal (that's relative) self. Not the girl that only takes 3 showers a week, eats cold tinned beans for dinner, and is constantly and spastically waiting for another African-shaped curveball to be pelted at her face.

For the record, though, I’m good at navigated curveballs. And I like my life in Namibia. A lot.

But this place gets loud sometimes. And bustling, and crowded. And because my ears are apparently connected to my lungs, this cacophony of…life makes it hard for me to breathe. Also, sometimes it smells like poop at my school. This also makes it difficult to breathe.

I’ve got to say, I like the breathing thing. I’ve missed it.

It’s been a mind-blowing, mind-numbing first term. It went by in a storm of bewilderment. I couldn’t tell you why, but for some reason I visualize the word bewilderment as an elephant awkwarding itself down a Slip-and-Slide (Seriously, this image actually pops into my head. In cartoon form). This also aptly depicts my floundering through term 1. Not pretty, humorous, loud, ultimately good fun.

And now, for 2 more beautiful days, I will stare at my wall and do absolutely no more than listen to the sounds of nothing. 

Easter Break Shenanigans

Today was my last day of teaching for Term 1.

Let me clarify. I am required to be at school until April 24^th. However, the next 19 days will be dedicated to proctoring and marking exams, as well as a lot of sitting around and twiddling your thumbs. Or so I have gathered from my coworkers.

Regardless, I can say that I am happy to be finished with lesson planning and grading homework assignments for the next month or so. Yes, yes I am.

Now, last weekend was Easter weekend. A four-day weekend. So what does one do on a four-day weekend in Namibia?

Head to the coast.

Thank. God.

I truly did not realize how much I missed the ocean and less dusty air until we were cruising down the Western coast of Namibia, the road hugging that beautiful blue.

Sentimentality aside, we arrived in Swakopmund, beach town and home to many wonderous things. Like real stores and seafood and bars. Oh, my.

Day one went like this. Our friend and driver on this weekend bender, Louis, asked Ashley and I if we wanted to go ride his quad around on the dunes.

Obviously we did.

I even got to drive in a straight line on flat ground for about 30 seconds. I’m pretty sure I will be going pro soon.

This outing was followed by a few drinks and the question, “Do you girls want to go skydiving?”

Why is that even a question?

So, this happened.

Look at them nostrils.

Skydiving was awesome. That’s an insipid and generic thing to say, but it was.

However, I think I have some sort of adrenaline deficiency because not only was I completely calm for the entire ride up and fall down, the first thing out of my mouth when the parachute opened was not “THAT WAS SO COOL,” it was “Hey, what was that bit of weird red colored land that I saw on the way up?” My instructor and I then had an educational conversation about where they make salt.

Like I said. I think I need to throw myself out of a plane without a parachute to get those butterflies. Still, so much fun and totally worth the money. Thumbs up.

The rest of the weekend was a blur of good food, fun people, jumping around in the ocean, and das boot (If you don’t know what that is, I’m not going to explain it. It’s very undignified. But you can peek at the background of the photo on the right.)

The ride back to Opuwo was long and hot, as I was smooshed in between Louis and Ashley on a mattress on the center consol in the cab of the bakkie.

That was a lot of prepositions.

And I just felt compelled to make you circle them all.

I obviously need a break from teaching.

Uhh…well leave it at that. Much love to all y’all! And happy belated Easter!