Engaipe~Today was so sad!!I went into work this morning to say my last goodbyes to my students and the other teachers.Peter taught the first 3 periods as I circulated around helping students.I focused on Paulo during 1st and 2nd.He is an 8th grader who speaks very little English because he has recently moved from Angola.There are at least 5 other Angolans in the class that try to help him as much as possible, but he still just sits and draws shapes and never actually writes anything down about them or understands what Peter is talking about.So I sat semi close so that I could keep an eye on him.I realized he had no idea how to use a formula because he didn't understand what "base" and "height" were.So I explained that and how to plug it into the formula for a triangle.I did a few practice problems with him while Peter moved onto something else with the rest of the class.Then the whole class made flashcards together so that Peter made sure everyone had the right things written down to remember.I swear they are unlearning their formulas.Paulo must have spent 10 minutes perfecting his rectangle and then just sat and stared when he got to circle because he didn't have a compass to make a perfect circle.But he did end up getting everything down.I hope he at least somewhat understands.

During 4th period, I just sat and talked with the other teachers in the staff room.I was going to leave after 3rd because the next class he has is 9th period, but they have a staff meeting every Thursday after 4th during break and everyone wanted to say goodbye then.Sue, the principal, and Bruce, the vice-principal said a few words explaining to the rest of the staff (some of whom are part-time teachers) what I did throughout my stay and saying thank you.Bruce made a point to genuinely thank me for all of the NASA stuff we brought because he's already started using it with his students since they are currently learning astronomy and the students love it.He's been handing out some of the materials for the students to take home.They always bring it back.Bridget made sure everyone knew how I had got her in touch with my mom and how her students and she were going to keep the digitizing and organizing the archives into a curriculum going.Sue was just thankful that I was very self-sufficient and that the students loved me as she has been dealing with a lot the past few weeks.On behalf of the school, one of the teachers made me a container made out of elephant dung.How nice!LolIt is very pretty actually and no, it doesn't smell.She also made me placemats which I love and she started knitting something for me with two porcupine needles.I really wish I could knit at this point, but I think I'll end up using the needles for my hair (a very common use for them here).HahaAll of the teachers had signed a card for me.It was really very nice.JI made sure I supplied all the websites that people had asked me for; I almost forgot.I'm going to miss them and teaching math. L

I left Combretum around 10:20 and walked to the market in town.I did a little shopping and walked around town for awhile.I saw Harry when I was trying to barter with one of the women.I made him miss his robot, but it was nice seeing him downtown.Right after that, I met Kayla at Zoopark for lunch.They had already bought their lunches, I had not, and so I shared with them.It was a gorgeous day again and we just sat talking and relaxing in the sun.A man saw all the food we had and my bag of stuff and immediately came over to beg.It's probably the first time I've been pinpointed other than when I wore my Miami sweatshirt.He wouldn't leave us alone for awhile, but we saw him later with a giant pack of cigarettes.He wouldn't take any of the food we offered.Kayla started to explain all of the Chinese people that have recently immigrated to Namibia.Apparently, the prisons are so full in China they have been sending people to do construction work in other countries.They've been taking a lot of work away from the Namibians because the Chinese bids are so low.They don't really pay their workers well and make them work overtime every day of the week.You can see them working even on Sunday.In her village, she is Oshwambo, the Chinese have even started to invade with their Chinese huts.Everyone seems to be looking forward to the World Cup.Namibia is anticipating a lot of people passing through/staying in Windhoek and Swakopmund so they are building more hotels to accommodate everyone.Kayla is excited to see some friends and ex-interns of PAY that she hasn't seen in awhile.I wish I could visit then.It will be a very exciting time to be in Namibia.

After we sat for awhile, we went to Polytechnic of Namibia where they go to school.Kayla held my giraffes because she didn't want to be seen with a tourist.LoljkHarry picks them up at Polytechnic when they are volunteering.Due to time restraints, we missed the first load of people and had to wait till 2.Instead, they showed me around their campus.It was very nice.I met several of their friends, whose names I'll never remember.I really have crammed too many names into my head in the past few weeks.I'm lucky I remembered the majority of my students and kids at PAY.Eventually we found out that Harry had to go to a last minute meeting and forgot about us so we jumped in a taxi instead.We got there around 2:30 or so and I was helping a senior study math for his exams.He was lost on some of the geometry, but I think the teacher had no clue what he/she was talking about.The questions were asking for sides of triangles when there was no possible way to figure it out…I tried everything.This is actually quite common in Namibia as well as mistakes in their textbooks.I also helped him with matrices.When it was time for sports, I realized no one had made the sandwiches.And we still had no can opener.So Harry took me to the grocery store to get a cheap can opener.By the time we got back, we had 5 minutes to make the sandwiches, which they call making bread.Someone had opened the can while I was gone, but did not do anything with it.I recruited 4 people to help make sandwiches with me.We were amazingly fast, but after all of that, I didn't really get to hang out with my kids on the last day.LSo sad.Some of them stuck around after bread to say goodbye and take pictures, but others had to get home.A lot of people kept forgetting that it was my last day.I haven't been here long enough for it to be my last day already.L

Mom and I walked down to Sardinia's, the Italian restaurant, to eat dinner.When we got back, I speed packed a few things.It's nice to have a completely empty suitcase to shift some of the weight.Patrick invited us to go to the Warehouse with his friends and Sassquia so around 8:30 we went downstairs to meet them.He is too funny!I love it!There was a Cuban band playing at the warehouse.It wasn't very crowded, which is surprising because the Warehouse is always packed.It was ok, I preferred Ele Motho, but they were still good.Sassquia was dancing the whole night and up on stage numerous times.LolI danced for awhile.Megan and Sarah, the interns from University of Toronto, showed up with their two housemates.It was nice talking to them for awhile.However, we couldn't stay very long because mom and I were tired and still not completely packed.

We leave for the airport at 7 tomorrow.We actually stop in Botswana along the way, but do not de-board the plane.It will be about a 3 hour flight with the stop.Well I really should finish my packing and get some sleep.My head has been pounding for the last few days and has been keeping me awake.:/Hope everyone is well at home!!!

Love you and miss you,

<3 Shannon