The New and Improved BNC

Monday was jam-packed. I rode the bike to the center and began tutoring Bonita at 10am, then Milandri at 1130am. They both seem motivated to do well but I fear the exams may be difficult for them to pass. Unfortunately I am teaching them some things that in some cases they should have learned already. Still, we enjoy each other’s company and I try to make it as fun and interesting as possible by telling stories and being silly at times. By 1pm the school kids begin showing up. Cathy is still at the center and she does a lot of work organizing and administrating during the afternoon. Some of you may remember her from the last time I was here. She is a very sweet, loving lady who really wants to push a consistent academic program for all of the kids. She has asked me to teach 5th and 6th graders in reading/English. There is another guy here named Luke who teaches 5th and 6th grade math so we split the grades, teach one, then flip.

The dynamics of the center have certainly changed- it’s more productive and for the better. There is only a little free time at arrival then again during a brief 15 minute break, other than that it’s all academics. I am happy to have the 5th and 6th graders because these were the youngest of the kids I remember from 2006. Innocentia and Tete are two of the 5th graders (If you look back at the February 26, 2006 blog posting you can see a picture of them when they were younger.) The game plan I have for the tutoring is to do a mix of read-alouds, spelling, writing, and something creative- maybe drama. Friday is sports day.

At the moment there are a lot of volunteers helping out. All together there must be about 6 or 7 girls from the US and two more volunteers show up later this week. Though I have not had much time to get to know them, they all seem dedicated and fun.

Tuesday was similar to Monday. It's been nice seeing a new familiar face everyday... I'm still looking forward to seeing Esme and Meroldi. Esme is away at a soccer tournament in South Africa and Meroldi is at boarding school across town.

The temperature here has taken a nosedive. I have put multiple layers on and the ride to and from the center has left my knuckles frozen! Although the sun is nice and warm during the day, it’s definitely winter here for the next few weeks. As I remember even August will be chilly at night. Fortunately Marybeth gave me extra jackets and gloves to keep warm.

If any of you are curious about anything (the center, certain kids, cultural questions, or anything else to do with Namibia) please ask away and I will try to write about it. I’m writing the blog for your interest so if there is anything beyond my day to day minutiae that you’re curious about, drop me an email and let me know! Hope all is well for you… God bless you!

The pictures are of Innocentia and Tete as well as some of the scenery outside my bedroom door!