Flexibility

This weekend has been all about flexibility.  Saturday, the Learner Representative Council arranged a really amazing performance of singers and dancers and speakers to welcome the newest members of our Rukonga community.  Starting on Wednesday, groups were registered to perform, and our LRCs were so on top of everything, that the program was set on Friday night.  This is something which usually doesn’t happen until about 30 minutes before the event.  All of the groups’ music was planned for and prepared before afternoon study on Saturday (again, something which is usually super last minute).  Everything was smooooooooth sailing.  I couldn’t have been more proud of the LRCs and group members for their preparation and forward thinking. 
 

But nothing can go that smoothly. 

Dinner came, and some of the LRCs were busily setting up the audio equipment.  But the connection between the amplifier and computer wasn’t working properly.  Trouble shoot: OK how about this computer? What if we turn it this way? Let’s take off the tape and see if we can put it back together. Nope. Damn.

Back-up plan: Microphone sitting on the table in front of two small speakers.  Worked like a dream… sort of. Only we couldn’t quite get things loud enough for the dancers to hear sometimes, and the rapping was out—because the microphone was occupied.  Although one learner did hold the small speaker in his hand with the mic, so that he was rapping with the speaker in his face.  That was hilarious.  But everyone did a remarkable job.  And the learners in the audience were respectful and sweaty and sharing water bottles with each other.  A pretty beautiful evening, overall. 

Which was really good preparation for today, because we woke up with no power.  This happens a lot on Sundays in Kavango.  Throughout the day, old and new students were totally on top of their time! Very few late comers to the dining hall, study periods or hostels (dorms).  Even without too much water for drinking, the learners were content to work and play.  Around seven, the power usually comes back on when these outages happen.  But today it took an extra hour.  Even through that hour, (dark, now), learners were laughing, studying, hanging out. Without showers, phone calls home, or washing which usually happens at this time, they were prepared for the long haul.  They were ready to fetch water from the river, if needed. 
 

But (obviously) the power did come back on, and still, the learners were patient! It was like Christmas when the water started flowing.  But the girls were patient. Toilets were flushed and water bottles were filled, but showers waited. Washing waited.  And now they’re all calling home without complaining to parents, just smiling faces talking to their loved ones.

I know a lot of these issues are not new to these kids, or don’t sound like a big deal to readers at home.  But I am constantly impressed by these learners’ never-ending flexibility and ability to push themselves in novel situations and rebound from setbacks.  They’re inspiring.

Teachers here are also flexible.  As we finish our hiring process for 2014, we are currently short a lot of teachers in the classrooms.  But was is so impressive is the willingness of all teachers to step up and teach extra courses, subjects and classes in the afternoons and evenings, sacrificing personal time for the sake of these learners' education.  I am so lucky to have such a wonderful and supportive group of colleagues to work with here.