Netball, Exams, and Sunburns-- Oh My!

Here are some highlights from my life these past few weeks:

Netball Court: The first half of the cement has been poured and it's looking really good! Now the guys are just waiting for the next round of cement to arrive so they can keep going. Here are some pictures of the progress:

Measuring the boundaries and leveling the sand.

The first load of cement/concrete arrives!

A little over half the court covered in cement...now we need
to do the rest!

Also, I made a video to introduce you to some of the players that will be benefiting from the court. Watch the video below to meet them!

We still need your help! Once again, a HUGE thank you to those that have donated, we are so close! If you haven't donated yet, please considering giving even US$10, that will get us one bag of cement closer to our goal! If you don't think you can donate, please share the video with others to spread the word! This is a great cause that will be enjoyed for years to come =) (And just try to say 'no' to those faces...you can't!)


School: Last week we had our last day of classes, and exams are now in full swing. For the last day, I surprised each of my math and science learners with a pen, a pencil, a rubber, a note, a good luck marble (from our points system) to use on their exams. I have never seen kids so excited over office supplies...I took a group photo with each class and many insisted on holding their goodies bags in the picture.

Say 'hello' to 9C! I'm gonna miss those smiles.

Now exams have started which means the school has descended in to a sort of organized chaos (sometimes less organized than others). My math kids wrote their exams yesterday and the results are somehow. I'm trying to keep my head up and count every correct answer as a victory instead of each incorrect answer as a failure. If I stay positive, I think I can emerge from exams relatively unscathed.

Life: With time winding down so fast (less than three weeks, omg!) I'm trying to make the most of every second here. A few weeks ago, I went to a learner's house for the afternoon. She cooked porridge for lunch and then attempted to teach me to do some traditional dances. However, the steps were a little fast for this oshilumbu to pick up, so don't be expecting any dance awards from me anytime soon. I also helped her fetch water and watched in awe as this girl carried a 20 litre jug of water on her head with no hands over uneven terrain. Amazing. I carried 10L on my head with my hands and still managed to spill a bit. Also, my neck really hurt after...


This past weekend we went up to the river with our friends Jan, Johnny, and Otto for one more hike/camping weekend. We had a blast, hiked about 20k, swam in the croc infested river (don't worry, Mom, we were in the fast moving water and totally safe), slept in the sand under the stars, had an AMAZING braai, and got some epic sunburns. (Mine breaks into my top 3, and those that know me know that's saying something...)

View from the top.

This weekend I'm hosting our Namibian Thanksgiving party which should prove to be a great time. Although I'll be seriously missing celebrating Turkey Day with my family (and Auntie Ann's sweet potatoes!), we're doing our best to bring a little taste of home to Namibia.

Oh, and I applied for some jobs, a couple of long-term sub positions around MA, so everyone keep your fingers crossed!

With so little time and so much to do, my mind is constantly in a million places, but I think keeping busy is good-- it keeps me distracted from the plethora of intense and conflicting emotions that are currently swimming around my head. While I'm obviously excited to come home and see everyone (and having a washing machine again will sure be nice), I'm also incredibly sad to leave my colleagues, learners, and friends. I've had such an amazing experience this year, and I'm going to make the most of my last three weeks! See you all soon!

In the meantime, enjoy the adorable piglets that have
taken to hanging out outside my house!

Nothing but Net(ball)

My time at Onamutai Secondary School is winding to an end, and I'm realizing I haven't really done much that will leave a lasting impact at the school. Sure I've imparted wisdom and knowledge into my kids that they will remember forever (or more likely until the day after their exam...) but I haven't really left anything tangible for the school to enjoy for years to come. Other volunteers have done some great fundraising projects, from building a kitchen to purchasing school shoes for learners that can't afford them. I wanted to do something in my last month here, so I asked my principal what he thought we needed. His instant reply was a netball court.

You see, our school is an MCA school, meaning it has been resourced by the Millennium Challenge Corporation. We are fairly well equipped when it comes to academic supplies: books, lab equipment, computers, etc., but the sports equipment is severely lacking. Like most American high school students, athletics are the most enjoyable part of school for many of my learners, the only reason they attend in some cases. However, the conditions that these kids play in would be unimaginable for many American students. I have observed (and participated in!) several netball practices and what I see breaks my heart. The courts are just lines in the sand, the hoops are missing nets, the girls play in their uniforms, barefoot, on hot sand that is riddled with broken glass, rocks, and three inch long thorns. The balls are deflating and the hoops are being held up with rocks. They often fall over in the middle of practice and it is only due to sheer luck that no one has been injured yet.

The school is trying to give the girls a real court to play on. We have selected a spot near the soccer field, and holes have been dug for the poles. All that is needed now is funds to purchase cement. I am hoping that you, my loyal readers, can help me with this. My goal is to raise about $1000 to cover the cost of cement, labor, and hopefully nets and a few new balls. Even a small donation will go a long way to reaching this goal. If you don't think you are able to donate, perhaps you can spread the word to others who might be able to. I am confident that together we can give these girls the court of their dreams.

A proper netball court will go a long way in improving the safety and happiness of these players, and future players in years to come. The girls, myself, their coaches, and the entire Onamutai community would be forever grateful for your assistance.

To donate to this great cause, please visit the YouCaring site here. YouCaring is a free fundraising platform that allows 100%  of the donations to go to the cause.

Thank you in advance!
Jamie

Getting Real

So, it's been a LONG time since I've posted and so much has happened in my life since my last post. Here's the quick version: I got a last minute job teaching 8th grade math at the school I student taught at, so instead of spending my last few months at home working and preparing, I moved down to MA at the end of August and started a full time teaching job two days later. Yup.

Because of the job, I have been extremely busy, hence the lack of updates. As stressful and crazy as it is to teach 82 8th graders, I do love it. I know it's preparing me really well for both teaching in Africa, and for whatever teaching position I get when I get back. It's nice to be back in the Math Dept at Taunton High where I know everyone is looking out for me.

The job has also caused preparations for leaving to become slightly complicated. I haven't been able to start packing since I'm not living at home, and being in another state has made all the medical components into a nightmare (HUGE thank you to my mom who spent days on the phone with the insurance company and probably like twelve different doctors...). That being said, my shots are (mostly) done, my visa application is in, I'm submitting my loan deferment application tomorrow and aside from actually packing, I'm starting to feel like I have most of my stuff together. Oh! and I found out my departure date! I leave from NYC on the morning of December 30th, and will land in Namibia on the 31st. Happy New Year to us! I haven't found out where exactly I'll be, or what I'll be teaching, but I hope to hear soon, and I promise I'll let you know!

I wish I could say my mental preparations were going as well as my physical preparations, however, as anyone who has been around me lately can attest, I am an emotional basketcase. I've been joking that I feel like I'm pregnant with mood swings every hour. I go from being wicked excited to finally being able to live out my dream, to incredibly sad that I will have to leave everyone I love for a whole year. I've gotten really comfortable with my new life-I have a good job, I'm close to a lot of my friends, I've started dating someone-and the fact that I'm about to give all of this up for a year is terrifying! I know that it will all be worth it, that my friends will all be here when I get back, I'll find another job, que sera sera, but it's still hard to think about. So to everyone who has listened patiently to me complain over the past few weeks, THANK YOU. Your consoling has done wonders and I would not be managing right now without you. To those that haven't seen me in a while-fair warning, I'm not the bubbly optimist I usually am...
I've also recently gotten in contact with a handful of other people who are going to Namibia with me, which has been really exciting. It's nice to talk to other people who are going through the same thing, and I can't wait to meet them. I know that by this time next year, I'll have 13 great new friends.

Before I finish this very long and extremely overdue blog post, I want to ask everyone for a favor. Since I suddenly landed this job, it means that my planned fundraising efforts at home in NH have gotten squashed. Although I am making pretty good money, I still am hoping to raise a bit more to help cover the expense of the trip, as well as to have some to use for an in country project (building a library, starting a new club at my school, etc). I have gotten donations from a few people and would really appreciate any amount anyone can donate. If you would like to contribute, you can donate online (the information is in the previous blog post) or if you'd rather mail something to me, you can let me know and I'll send you my address. I really appreciate everyone's support!

Make sure you bookmark this link, or enter your email in the "Follow by Email" box to get emails when I update the blog. I'm hoping to be updating fairly regularly from here on out! Thank you to everyone, this wouldn't be possible without you! =)

Peace,
Jamie

Begging for change (well, sort of)

Hi again everyone!

I promised to let you know how you can help, so here goes:

In order to take part in this program, I have to pay a $5,995 program fee. "But wait," I hear you say, "why do you have to pay to volunteer?!" That's a good question. This fee covers my housing for the year, my airfare to and from Namibia, basic health insurance, as well as the costs to run the orientation and training sessions. Although some wealthier nations that WorldTeach operates in subsidize these costs, Namibia cannot afford to, which is part of the reason why they need volunteers so desperately. It is a lot of money to pay, but when you look at what it covers, it is a very fair price (I wouldn't be able to live many places in the US for a year for $6000!)  Once I am there, I will be paid a $350 per month stipend to pay for food and living expenses.

This is where you come in; I need your help to raise the money to participate in this program. Remember, you are not just sending me to Africa, you are providing a classroom full of deserving students with a qualified teacher for a year that they would not otherwise have access to.

If you would like, you can make a tax deductible donation to WorldTeach on their donation website. Just make sure you put my name in the "Name of WorldTeach Volunteer" box and select the "Contribution to Volunteer Fee" option on the "Donation Specified For" box. (Please note that there is a $1.50 transaction fee on all credit card donations under $100.) If you would rather make a donation directly to me to be applied to my program fee, please contact me and I will send you my address. 

I appreciate anything you are able to give; every little bit helps and a promise to bring you back a souvenir as a thank you! Thank you so much for your continued support! Keep checking back for updates, and as always, let me know if you have questions!

Jamie