Service and Sand: New People and New Places (aka shadowing)

Wednesday morning I left with 3 others to Otjiwarongo for shadowing. We met at the training center and were scheduled to leave at 8 am. Well, that didn't really happen and we only left around 10:30, but hey we're on Africa time as they call it here. There were 6 of us traveling together so we took 2 cars. We rode with some guy that our trainers knew and this was our first taste of hitch hiking. I rode with 2 other girls in a tiny car that already had 2 other hikers. It was about a hour and a half hour drive to Otjiwarongo. It's more north than Okahandja and a lot bigger. Otjiwarongo has around 30,000 people (according to the census but the people I stayed with said it was probably closer to 80,000). My first impression of Otjiwarongo was that it was really pretty. There was grass (grass!!!!!!!) along the side walks and there was a beautiful church. We pulled up to a gas station where we got out and paid our driver $150 Nam. From there I met up with the people in the other car and waited for the people we were staying with to pick us up. Oskar and I were shadowing a young married couple Julia and Trent. They're both volunteers and have been there for around a year. They have amazing stories. Before they joined the Peace Corps. they taught English in Korea. They're both really nice and I am really glad I got to stay with them. 2 other trainees Scott and Ben were suppose to be staying with a volunteer Steve but since Steve's place is tiny (smaller than a UNCC suite!) and Steve lives near Julia and Trent, Ben and Scott stayed with Julia and Trent as well.

Julia and Trent are both teachers and live in a teachers flat that is an extension of the hostel that the kids stay in. Julia teaches 5th graders and Trent teaches 8-10. Julia's school is yards away from her place. Most of the kids that go to her school stay at the hostel that is attached to it. This means that there are kids outside screaming and playing at all times. Trent's school is about a 25 minute walk away.

The flat that I stayed at was really big in comparison to what I imagine most teacher flats to be. The flat had a living room that consisted of a dining room table, a couple of chairs, and 2 hostel beds that guests would sleep in. Then there was a tiny kitchen, a bedroom that I stayed in, a shower room, a toilet room, a master bedroom where Julia and Trent slept in, and another bedroom where 2 guys slept in. All the walls were cement as were the floors. They had running water but it wasn't usually hot so whenever they wanted to do dishes they would use a hot water boiler to heat up water and then use that to clean. A lot of the stuff in the flat was left over from the last volunteer that stayed there.

On Thursday I went and watched her teach. She teaches 5th grade English and that day there were learning about stories. Most of the kids wore school uniforms and all of the were colored (black). There were enough desks and chairs for all of the students but a few had to double up. They were very curious about who I was and at the end they were able to ask a few questions about me. I got asked how old I was ( definitely not the first nor the last time I will get this one) where I was from and what languages I knew. They were generally pretty well behaved.

On Friday I observed Trent who taught 2 English classes and 2 BIS classes (basic information sciences). The kids had to wear uniforms to school everyday except on Fridays. Friday was when they could wear casual clothes. A lot of the guys looked like they were in a Chris Brown music video and the girls looked like they were going to a club.

Each night we cooked food. Wednesday night we made salad, pasta and sausage. Thursday night it was a different type of salad, and left over pasta. Friday night we did a potluck dinner where Scott made corn chowder and we all pitched in sides or dessert. Saturday night was all about leftovers. On Saturday went to a trade fair in Okakarara. It was very similar to the expo we went to the first week. Then after a bunch of other volunteers and the people shadowing them came over and stayed the night. It was really fun meeting new volunteers and just relaxing with them. The entire time I was shadowing I felt like I was on vacation. I was so happy to be away from the trainers and training in general. Today (Sunday) we got a ride back to Okahandja.