Mustard Seeds

"Faith is a mustard seed," Jesus told us (I think it was Jesus... Anyway... a representative of God said that once). That is so true.  It's also true of almost every other emotion, feeling or action.  Give someone a small opportunity for leadership, and with proper TLC, that leadership can take root in that person, so that a leadership tree sprouts from their ears.  Give someone a little bit of love, and that love will grow within that person--both for themselves and for others.  Humans are remarkable creatures, and this idea that we can take just a little hint of some emotion, feeling or action from others and grow and create our own shows me how incredibly interconnected we are. 

Working with kids, you get to see this ten hundred times a day.  "Johannes, can you collect the papers, please?" "Hey Teresa, great job on your art project!" "Douglas, thank you so much for your focus in class today!" "Thank you so much for giving me your attention right away Simon!" "Jason, your smile is infectious! Thanks for bringing it to class." "Juliette, you are such a good friend." Watch the seeds grow.  A hug for a fourteen year old can save her life.  It's inspiring and terrifying to see just how much of an effect these small phrases can have on young people. 

Because unfortunately, fear and animosity are also like mustard seeds.  Just a little bit of these demonstrated or created by teachers will also grow inside a learner, if it's allowed to.  And this can lead to these learners fearing creativity, non-self, change and authority. It can create these vicious cycles, where once adulthood is reached, these feelings are taken out on the kids--a "this happened to me, and I hated it, so now I'm going to do it to you" mentality, instead of a "how can I make things better for you, this time around?" one.  Now you've got an environment which isn't safe or conducive to learning, because it's full of fear and anger. 

It's the job of the teacher not to let their emotions run them.  It's our job to ensure a positive and safe learning environment for the learners, no matter how you feel about a co-worker or even the kids themselves.  It's a teacher's job to love our learners no matter what.  I'm not saying it's our job to coddle them; consequences for actions are extremely necessary for learning and correction of behaviour.  Planting the seeds of self-love, positivity and growth is our job.

Grade 11s studying seeders

Grade 8s watching transplanting

Positivity Revisited

This term has been pretty positive! The school is getting its feet underneath it, and we're starting to walk forward.  It's pretty awesome.  My only major issue with things has been how discipline is handled here.  I am very lucky, in that no teachers at my school hit learners, and the principal is serious about consequences being directly linked to the problem behaviour.  But teachers here are so negative in their approach to effecting changes in learners' behaviour.  In my experience, this is a major waste of energy, time and soul.  I've been super lucky with positive reinforcements and creating more intrinsic desire to be good.  So as explained, one of the troubled classes has been writing down three positive things they could have done instead of a negative behaviour.  It's been working really well, the class teachers are totally on board with the idea, and the class's behaviour has improved 10 fold! The class teacher was reading through the notes today and found this one.  I almost cried it made me so happy.  My heart melted.  It reads:

"Keep it positive as our lovely teacher said. (Miss Mayer Rachel) We congratulate you, our leader, May God bless you for changing our class, if you were not there we could have suffered. We thank you miss! Thank you thank you. Our favourite teacher! YOU ARE THE BEST OF THE BEST! We salute you comrade! Keep it growing! Best wishes for you!"

The power of positivity and a calm, purposeful but loving tone.

In the famous words of Legally Blonde: The Musical "Keep it Positive!"

There is a class at our school which has been labelled as "The Bad Class." This class has quite a number of behavioural problems each day and constantly are being punished and yelled at. With good reason. They make fun of each other, hurt each others feelings, and all around make a lot more noise than is necessary during study times, when silence is expected.  So they get punishments like extra cleaning, staying late or essay writing, as well as stern talkings to.  And teachers know this class, going in. And there in-lies the problem--their negative behaviour has created all sorts of constant negative thoughts about the class. 

And the class thinks about themselves negatively.  They call each other names, mutter about how "Oh it's our class. How could we ever be alright?" or talk about each other in other languages that not everyone speaks. 

So I felt some inspiration to change this negative energy.  Inspired by both New Girl's douche jar and the "knotholes for a swear" from summer camp, I combined the two for the "Positivity Jar."  Say something negative? Write three positive things you could have done or said and put it in the jar.

Changing the negative to positive from the inside out.  The other class teacher and the student council member responsible for the class are both behind it, and I'm going to leading personalities in the class individually to get them to support it as well.

I've got high, positive hopes for this!

Phobias: Asking for help

When I was in the seventh grade, I didn't understand trigonometry on the first day we learned it.  I was confused about how to start to solve a homework problem, and for the last few minutes of class, we had to complete two homework problems and show them to the teacher to leave. We were allowed to work in groups.  A kid named Nick showed me how to answer the question, and walked a few of us through it.  I wrote down the answer. Then the teacher wanted me to show my work.  So instead of asking him (the teacher) for help, I turned back to Nick, and to this day, I promise the words that came out of my mouth were, "Hey can you show me how to start the problem again?" while looking at his paper. I was asking a classmate for help, and the teacher thought I was cheating. The teacher flipped out.  I had to sign "The Book" three times, and I thought that meant detention (turns out five times=detention-graduated detention free). I was mortified and terrified and thought my life was over.

I associate that moment in my life with my fear of asking for help.  I don't know if it comes from before that, so that's why I didn't want to ask the teacher, or if it came from asking Nick for help and then having a grown man yell at me six inches from my face, but I HATE asking for help. It terrifies me.  I feel like a nuisance and like I am incompetent.  I know that this is foolish, and have been working on it for ages. Professors and employers of mine have heard the story above, and graciously and wonderfully helped me ask for help. But this is still a journey. 

And so, in Namibia, I find myself in a system where everything needs to go through committees and through management offices.  In my head, this plays out as asking for help, so this often turns into my worst nightmare! It means that to get things done, I have to go against my natural instinct to fend for myself all the time.  Problems get solved more slowly here, but by more people.  It works, but it is so different from everything I know in my own experience that it often seems impossible.

But I am here to learn how that works.  And I am trying.  So teachers and learners of RVS, thank you very much for bearing with me while I learn how to ask for help in the way expected here.  Thank you so much for your patience as I face one of my biggest fears every day with this. I love you all very, very much, and I appreciate you.

Hope

Term 2 was rough.  It was busy; it was chaotic; it was filled with cultural and personal clashes; it was filled with role discovery, role changing; it was hard; it is over. 

Term 3 will be hard.  It will be filled with schedule clashes; it will have meetings that go on forever; it will be future-defining for learners; it will be evaluative; it will be good.  Teachers have been hard at work for a solid week now, and we are already getting into the swing of things.  I am super impressed at how well everyone here has hit the ground running with lessons, planning and we're already starting assessing learners on our bi-weekly schedule.  Files are submitted, schemes of work are complete, and the management of this school is doing everything in its power to empower teachers for the second round of evaluation from the head office of the ministry this term.

Learners are participating in a drama, we've gotten the sports program going already, and entertainment programming has started rolling in to the committee for approval.  We've set our goals in Life Skills, and now we're moving into communication skills.  Listening, calm communication and compromising.  From there we're moving into sex ed, and I couldn't be more excited!

Bring. It. On. Term. 3!

Taking on Namibia part 2: Ft. Hannah Montana

Day 12: HANNAH!!! HANNAH! Your flight was cancelled! and then delayed.  But we found you!!! YAY!!!! Now quick! We were going to give you some relaxing time in Windhoek to get coffee and shower and all that, but never mind! Pack up the car, it's off to Etosha, cause we have to make it there by sunset, or the gates will be locked. Let's go, go, go! 
Phew! Made it.  Now there's relaxing time at the camp site... Gnocchi and pesto for dinner, wine by the flood lit watering hole with Abby and her sister and Hannah equivalent (bff from college. Mini-Ithaca reunion and LIONS!!!!!! and bed time for Hannah and Rachel. Flying and driving take a lot out of us. 

Day 13: We drove up through Etosha and saw SO MANY ANIMALS! Rhinos, leopard, hyena, elephants, zebras, giraffes, antelope, kudu, springbok, wildebeests, warthogs, birds, oryx... the list goes on and on.

 

We arrived at the campsite in the north, and made campfire pizza. Unfortunately, the watering hole at that site was much less bumpin', but it did mean an early night, which was nice. 

 

Day 14: Before leaving Etosha, we checked out a watering hole, which WAS bumpin' and narrated animals' lives for a while.  Then we headed out to Jamie's place! Lunch at Zebro's in Oshikati was delicious! Chicken and various salads for me, chicken burgers for the other ladies.  We went to Pick-and-Pay (time #1) for delectables for dinner, and Amarulla for dessert.  We also got ice cream. Whatever. We ate a lot. Jenn made hummus for dinner, and we all loved it! Upon arrival at Jamie's, we had some chore time: did some mending, lesson planning, car cleaning and washing.

 

Day 15: We hit up the Ongwediva Trade Fair with Jamie's friend Kristy.  Delicious meat (though not actual kapana), mupane worms (made me gag, but Hannah liked them), traditional breads and marulla jam. Also all kinds of sweets.  We got LOTS of stuff, which I will not list here, as it will probably end up being presents for a lot of you, dear readers.  That night, we went to Rocha's Portuguese restaurant for dinner, and checked out Paulson's (Jamie's co-teacher's) bar.  Pretty standard shabeen experience, with lots of guys and very few ladies. Paulson and his family did a nice job taking care of us, and we were home well before we turned into pumpkins!

 

Day 16: Good byes were said by all :(  We left Jamie's pretty early, and returned the car to Tsumeb, where my directional skills FINALLY kicked in and I found the rental place lickity split.  Goodbye, dear friend. I miss you! N157396W, you'll be in my heart forever. Hiking back to Divundu was actually a breeze, as hiking goes! Free hiked Tsumeb to Grootfontain, then a combi/van to Rundu (could have stopped less, but whatever. Got there in plenty of time!), then we found a combi going to Katima Malilo, which dropped us in Divundu, but made ZERO OTHER STOPS. For those of you who've hiked from Rundu to Divundu in a combi before, you know how huge this is. Zero dirt road.  Hannah and I arrived safe and sound at my flat, and the kids arrive the next day!! YAY! We had ... something for dinner, but I don't remember what.

 

Day 17: The kids are back in town!! YAY! Hannah and I helped register incoming learners with other teachers.  I was so smiley it was a bit ridiculous. The kids must think I'm insane.  Hannah and I also baked cookies and made pizza for a pre-birthday dinner. 

 

Day 18: Birthday and classes.  School started! Hannah came to all of the classes, and we had question time.  The kids loved asking her about celebrities she's met and what she thinks of Namibia.  She did a wonderfully eloquent job of answering questions and being loving and caring toward all of the kids I love and care about so much.

 

Day 19: Hannah hiked out to Rundu in the afternoon to catch her bus from there to Windhoek.  Goodbye my dear!! Love you!!! I am so incredibly lucky to have a friend like you! So that you can bring me things :-) Now for me, it's work work work!!! This term is going to be great; I've got a feeling!

 

(today) she's arrived safely back at home after a stop in London.

Taking on Namibia part 1: Jamie, Jenn and Rachel in a car around Namibia

Day 1-2:
This holiday was amazing.  Two other volunteers and I rented a car out of Tsumeb (pronounced Chumeb), and took Namibia by storm! We drove up to Jenn's in Erango Region, and spent on night at her place.  She's got a nice flat, but no running water inside.  Made me feel lucky once again for the modern amenities at my school.  Way to go Jenn! We drove to Brandberg, the highest mountain in Namibia, on day one of the holiday.  Unfortunately, we did not hike the whole thing, due to my current lack of functional pack, but we did hike up to the White Lady cave paintings.  They were super well maintained.

After the short hike up to the cave paintings, we had a lunch of delectables (copyright pending Jenna Weintraub)--apples, cheese and crackers at the base of the mountain.  Then we drove on to Spitzkope, another rocky-mountain area with more cave paintings.  We camped there for the night, and enjoyed more delectables and red wine as we watched the sunset.  In the morning, we had some trouble with wind, as it almost blew our tent away as soon as we got out of it.  The wind was crazy! Before we headed out, we climbed up some of the rock formations, and took in some marvellous views! Vastness and rocks. Reminds me of what I think Arizona or Nevada looks like.

Day 3: Bright and early, we headed over to Swakopmund.  That was some crazy context right there.  Driving through the mid-west, and then into beautiful sand dunes, and then suddenly, rocky, misty, cold coast.  We walked along the coast to find lunch at the Garden Café--unbelievable savory pancakes with chicken and mushroom for me. Veggie stir fry savory pancake for Jenn, and mince meat savory pancake for Jamie.  Paired with milkshakes and lots of coffee, and followed by a trifecta of creamy cheesecakes and meringues. Then we walked around town a bit more, and got more coffee at Slotown Coffee. Yum. Everything about everything this holiday was about food! That night, we cooked pasta salad and couscous for food in Sossusvlei.  Thanks Jamie's mom for the great pasta salad with feta, Greek dressing, veggies and our own addition of tuna. We also bought these unbelievable honey-explosion pastries.  We went out for Mexican and margaritas for dinner, followed by DARK BEER at the Brauhaus.

Day 4: The next morning, we drove down a really long (300km+), really bumpy (washboarding everywhere!) dirt road to the lodge on the road to Sossusvlei, Camp Agama. This place was BEAUTIFUL! They had a rooftop look-out, where you can look out over the plains, and the campsites had privacy wind-screens, and hot water in the showers in the evenings.  All-in-all, a beautiful place! We enjoyed our pasta salad and honey explosions and wine as we watched a simultaneous sunset and moon rise exactly opposite each other. Spectacular. I took that moment to just sit and take it all in. No camera, just my eyes to try and comprehend the vastness and beauty. 

Day 5: The next morning, it was off to the dunes and vleis (dried up lake beds).  We climbed sand dunes and ran down the sides, made friends with a bird, and caught more amazing views.  Once again, this place was a completely different scene--like walking on Mars, almost.

Obviously, after a hot day in the sun, we were seeing mirages of frozen treats, so it was ice cream for all, and then back to the camp site for couscous (saving some for stuffing peppers that we accidentally left at the hostel in Swakopmund--thank goodness we were going back!).  
Day 6: The next morning was Jamie's birthday, which obviously we turned into "Let's eat dessert all day" day.  Breakfast was at an adorable moose-themed bakery at the turn of the road toward Sossusvlei. Apple pie, chocolate muffins, cinnamon rolls and coconut dreams.  Wonderful! Then it was hit the road back to Swakopmund. 

On that road, I think it was the C-14, is a pull off with a toilet. Awesome. Only the toilet is a HIKE away from the actual pull of with a sign. Also, the flies at the pull off (no where near the toilet, mind you) are absolutely dreadful.  Just use a bush, loves. Seriously. Not. Worth. It.

Before Swakopmund, we stopped in Walvis Baii for lunch and flamingos.  Lunch was perfect. I got a seafood bruschetta with mussels, clams, prawns and cappers, and a seafood soup.  We then walked around and shopped a bit, then found coffee and carrot cake (note that this is a continuation of desserts all day day).  Jamie and I went to get the car, and Jenn went to the bank. Poor Jenn. Turns out roads in Walvis Baii don't really go straight (think Boston roads).  So Jamie and I got a bit lost finding the car. When we finally got there, I pushed the unlock button on the keys. Nothin'.  Manual unlock works. Phew. But the battery was dead in the car.  Thank goodness there was a cricket tournament in Walvis Baii that weekend! Come here middle school cricket team! Let's have some team bonding and push start our car! Much thanks to the coaches and team who got us going again!! I'll always remember to turn the headlights off.

Back on the road to Swakopmund, we actually saw a sunset, which is rare there, because it's so hazy/misty/cloudy by the coast all the time.  Arriving back at the backpacker, due to a change in plans, the three of us shared a double room (HUGE BED, and they gave us towels!) instead of camping or having two double rooms.  After so much go-go-go, we watched a movie and ate ice cream and Amarulla (think Baileys) milkshakes. And thus ended "Let's eat dessert all day" day. Happy birthday Jamie!

Day 7: We had sort of a slow morning, then we headed up to the first day of the Henties Bay fish festival, which had far more meat than fish.  I got new sandals, because I was sick of wearing out the cheaper ones from Jet/Mr. Price etc.  When I got back to school, all the kids were like, "Cool Jesus sandals!" I'm hoping they'll last! We also ate super fresh calamari, fries with so many different dipping sauces, and iced coffee. Now here's the thing about iced coffee here. It is coffee, with a huge scoop of ice cream in it.  Delightful! We also found hummus, pesto and stuffed olives.  I like the first day of a festival, before it's really really started. People are still excited about things, so they'll let you try EVERYTHING! Sure! Try one of each olive, and sample each hummus and dip and sauce.  Thanks!  Back in Swakopmund, we had pizza for dinner (after accidentally going to a non-pizza restaurant that was attached to the pizza place and being judged by a bunch of Germans).  One more Brau at the Brauhaus, and then it was bed time--lots of driving the next day!

Day 8: We woke up at 4 am to drive to Luderitz.  Dad, I felt like you driving to Wisconsin since we were driving well before sunrise.  It made me feel really cool and responsible and important.  We stopped for breakfast in Okahandja, and again, I felt like you, dad, because I made us take our time and sit down to breakfast instead of eating in the car. I would like to say, I get it now.  The driving continued past Windhoek almost all the way to Keetmanskoop, when we stopped and ate our couscous stuffed peppers.  We made it to Luderitz at almost exactly the same time as Mariella, Kristin, Emily and Taylor! Oh haaaaiiii ladies! Unfortunately, they all caught something so trips to various clinics and pharmacies were in order for that group.  Jamie, Jenn and I celebrated the end of a long car trip with more seafood at a visit to the Yacht Club, where we made friends with some lovely people from Luderitz.  They invited us to a braii for the next night.  Cool!!

Day 9: Jenn and I let Jamie sleep in (because we FORCED her to go out and dance with us the night before), got our tickets for the Kolmanskoppe Diamond Boom Ghost Town and then we hit the road out.  Breathtaking.

After a day of picture taking, we met up with our new Luderitz friends, and braiied and danced until the wee hours. 

Day 10: We slept til 1.  Awesome. So. Awesome.  Then we got iced coffee (remember--ice cream + coffee) and "breakfast" by the bay.  The we met up with our Luderitz friends at Diaz Point.  Here it where I will explain to you a recurrent theme from this trip: Lonely Planet guide to Namibia sucks.  Diaz Point is a conquistador point where the Portuguese explorer erected a cross to stake claim.  Also at this point are sea lions, penguins and a SERIOUSLY WAY COOL CAMP SITE.  You can camp inside of old boats.  And there's a café with great coffee, red velvet cake and mussels directly out of the ocean.  Seriously, Lonely Planet, nothing on this??? Worst.

Day 11: Heading back up to Windhoek, because Hannah comes tomorrow!!!!! !! !!!! !!!!!!! Met up with Bret, who GRACIOUSLY and WONDERFULLY let us crash at his place.  Indian food for dinner, and Dab at a hipster theatre bar.  Can't stay up too late though, cause Hannah's flight gets in early!!