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Published: February 28th 2013
Hello all my dear friends,
It is Thursday, the 28th in the evening. Tomorrow is March already. Six weeks without a refrigerator, but we did get paid! I don't know how much, but the machine gave me the money I asked for. It was out of ink so not printing receipts.
I have been having a busy week or so. First, school. I have done two very fun lessons, very cooperative learning. I get so jazzed when the kids are really working and enjoying it. We had been studying poetry a bit, so I decided we should have them write some poetry. So I remembered this format for a tiny little poem called a cinquain. It has five lines, one syllable in the first line, 2 in the second, 3 in the third, 4 in the 4th and 1 again in the fifth. (I have since run into it as 2-4-6-8-2) We have an extra lesson on Monday and Wednesday evenings when we combine two classes for an hour. So I was teaching 60 learners how to write a little poem.
I asked if they knew what syllables are. They did not! (I'm so glad I asked). So first I had to teach that. Then we were clapping the syllables in different words. Onomatopoeia is their favorite poetry word, so we did it last. (It has 6 syllables.) Anyway, long and short, I put them in groups of four to be help to each other. They each were writing their own. They really got into it; they all seemed to be calling us over (my co-teacher Lucia was there, too) to show us poems, to get help when they couldn't think, or just for encouragement. Then they were all writing lots. Some began to write other types of poems and wanted me to read them. One boy, Athenasius, who earlier borrowed my Strunk and White to read, wrote a really nice poem. It was a teacher's dream.
To cap that, for some reason a few days ago," The Lady and the Tiger" popped into my head. One of the things they have to do (the syllabus says) is read and learn to predict what is going to happen. What better story? I remember reading it in 8th grade and being horrified that there was no ending! I still remember that. I wanted someone else to tell me. My book groupies will tell you I usually read the ending of a book first. And my family could never accept that I absolutely do not enjoy suspense.
I found a nice radio show version of the story and got copies made. We read it aloud in class. They were pretty surprised, too. Then I had them write a paragraph choosing an ending and why they chose. Today we put them in mixed groups of tiger choosers and lady choosers. They discussed for a bit, then we came back together, and they really debated. They absolutely love to debate. This wasn't a formal one, but there are about ten girls who are really classy debaters. Anyway, two good days.
My other adventure was that Rachel and I went to Omgwelume (an 8 hour drive, then a hike, meaning hitchhike) It is where we did our practicing in January. The couple there were hosting a birthday party for her. One of our teachers used to teach in Oshakati (north center on map) and has a girlfriend there whom he was planning to visit. Our librarian, Bangula (sp?) came as well. She has family near there.
We got to Oshakati about nine, because we couldn't leave until we finished teaching. It was a lovely drive along the Kavango River, looking at Angola across the river. Cattle, goats and donkeys have the right of way. That region is richer than ours and there are TONS of cattle. When we got to Oshakati, Hillary (the teacher) really didn't want to drive another 30 k. to take us, so he stayed and made sure we got a hike. Hitchhiking in Namibia is a little regulated. There are "hike points" where you wait, and people with cars stop to see where you are going. If they are too, they'll take you, for a fee. But the fee is semi-regulated. However, at 9:00 at night beggars can't be choosers, so we paid more than we should have. And the man's car died as we pulled into Omgwelume. We spent that night at Ted and Jessie's (her b'day). I lay my sleeping bag on the floor and slept on top of it. I was surprised I slept so soundly and was not sore anywhere when I got up. We went into town around noon, met up with a PeaceCorps friend of some, and had lunch in a nice hotel restaurant. I had a Hawaiian burger. I'm not a huge meat eater, but when you have no choice for six weeks, it was sooooo good. I guess I am an omnivore! We then hung out at a water park. I hadn't brought my swimsuit, so didn't swim. But I had a lovely ice cream cone.
We stayed with another worldteach teacher, Jamie Long (math) that night. Her village is not far from Ongwediva (which is right next to Oshakati). We rode in the back of a pickup with lots of groceries, and they took a very long, but scenic way around, to deliver people and groceries first. Then they took us. Jamie has lots of movies, so I got some West Wing, Dr. Who, and the Princess Bride, Colin's favorite for many years. I'm trying to download something for my QuickTime to play Windows stuff.
I got some great pictures of Mia from Alba. They are on Facebook if you want to look. I just cried when I saw them.
It is getting late, so I will stop and hope to be back next week. With refrigerator (one track mind!) Love to all, and please keep in touch.l
Wendy
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Deborah Martens
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Exciting!
Your adventure to a new town sounded fabulous. I love cinquains as well! God Bless you for your wonderful teaching.