I love Africa!Today was gorgeous.I don't know if I'll want to leave in August.

This morning I met with Peter Omura the teacher that I will be subbing for during his paternity leave.I went to the school and he gave me a tour of the campus.The Combretum Trust School does not look like a school.It's basically a bunch of tiny houses that have all been fenced in.Each house acts as one or more classrooms depending on how much they could split it up.Some of them are extremely tiny with an easel white board or a one meter square of chalk board.Peter's classroom is much different…you can almost tell that he is an American teacher.The walls are covered in posters or reminders.He also has a small white board he brought with him for their homework assignments.His chalk board is extremely cool because one side flips around into a grid for graphing.He basically talked about what I'll be teaching to each of his classes.There are 9 35 minutes periods, but he has asked for as many double periods as possible.He explained that even with 70 minutes, I will only get as much done as I would in 1 normal class period in America.I will be teaching 1 class per grade 8th-11th however some of his classes are advanced.Also, he has extra classes where he is allowed to do anything math related and obviously has a lot of fun thinking of new activities that would peak their interest.

Peter obviously tries very hard to help the other teachers in the school see the value of hands on activities and wait time and other things that good American teachers use without thinking.I think he is struggling with the fact that while they listen, they do not take his advice.Most of the teachers grew up during the apartheid and were under very strict rules to never act out and always listen to the teacher.They weren't allowed to have their own opinions; therefore, in their own classrooms they throw anyone out that is disrespectful and lecture almost every day not caring who pays attention or not.With these teachers, the current students have also been taught to never act out and always listen to the teacher.He said it is frightening how they'll agree, but have no clue what you're talking about.Very few students ask questions or even speak during class.He's even said things that are very obviously wrong to quiz them and they agree with him.The highest grade these students usually receive is a 50% and they are extremely happy if they get any where near that grade.Peter uses the back of classroom posters for his students to draw concept maps and vocabulary.However, he said students even here try to sneak around back to smoke or come in late with excuses.There is no time in between classes, but there is also almost no distance between the buildings.They have one tiny copier and an overhead that Peter uses because he brought it from America.The Combretum School is also about outreach to other teachers and school in the area; however, without money there can be no outreach and without outreach there can be no money.Double edged sword, but Peter has volunteered to do outreach without pay so they're starting it up.On Monday he will be talking about differentiation. J lolThe students are on midterm holiday until Monday so I will be trying to find a more stable internet connection so that I can do some research and figure out how I want to teach these topics.

After we talked for awhile about my placement, he needed to stop for directions at a coffee shop so he could take me home.We had coffee and I basically updated him as much as I could about what is happening in America.He has been in Namibia since 2004, but is hoping to move back now that he has a newborn.The only problem is he has to wait for the US and the UK (where his wife is from) to get a passport for his son and his wife has to interview with the US embassy before they acknowledge that they are married.I am definitely a minority here, which I don't mind at all.Most white people here are ex-patriots that will eventually return to their home countries.Others will come of course and some of them live here, but not many that I've met.Plus my hair color definitely makes me stand out.I've only seen one other little girl with red hair and hers was strawberry blonde.I feel like I'm in China again, but with not quite as many people staring at my hair color.

When I got home it was only about noon.It seems like there are never any clouds in the sky and the sun is always warm so I went and read outside on the porch.The view is gorgeous.After about 30 minutes I could tell my arms were getting red so I put on sun screen.I ended up spending about 5 hours outside reading, talking with the people below us, playing with their dog, talking with Hopson, and talking with Robert and Charles who edit their documentary in the spare bedroom during the day.The heat does not linger without the sun.It got progressively colder during the sunset which was gorgeous!!Those five hours seemed like forever though.Time seems to stand still.No one is ever in a rush here.It's pretty amazing and very relaxing.I went inside and waited for my mom to get home to start dinner and soon realized that my face is burnt.Lucky me…even getting burnt in winter.LolI have a sunglasses tan, I look rather ridiculous.

There is no oven or microwave here so we cooked over the fire, which is very common anyway.We had lamb, baked potato, and salad…all very good.More relaxing now.

I will be doing my research tomorrow and probably going to the township.The township is where the black people lived during the apartheid.We are currently staying in what is known as Luxury hill.It was where only white people lived during the apartheid.They are more integrated now though.Next weekend we are planning to go to the Etosha Pan to see the animals.Should be fun! :)

I will add more pictures later...I can't upload too many without using all of our GB of data.