Holiday is HERE!

Call it vacation, call it holiday, call it what you will. We are officially FREE and gearing up for a fun three weeks of travel around the country! Here's a glimpse at our impending adventures:

- reuniting with the rest of WorldTeach in Windhoek for a mid-service conference
- taking a passenger train overland to southern Namibia
- camping in Gondwana Canyon Park
- backpacking 53 miles through Fish River Canyon
- relaxing in Luderitz - a little bite of old town Germany in southern Namibia
- visiting the desert ghost town of Kolmanskop
- camping under the stars on the iconic dunes at Sossusvlei

Apologies in advance for the potential 3-week blogging hiatus. If we have a chance to update from the road, we will do so. Happy holidays to you all!

School's Out!

We made it! Today was the last day of school. Instead of mailing out report cards, every student had to return to school today to pick up their report cards. It was sweet to see the receiving of report cards from the side of the teacher - all the kids comparing grades, screaming for joy, hugging each other, and heading out for the holiday. And it was funny to see them in their "street clothes" and not their uniforms - they all look so much older. Most of all, it was touching when a few learners who improved so much this term ran up to hug their teachers and thank them profusely for teaching so well.

In honor of the last day of school, which I think everyone remembers fondly, enjoy this favorite high-energy last-day-of-school homage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MU6qDI_DRc4

TIA Tuesday - That's So Nam

TIA Tuesday gets a photo theme this week. Enjoy some classic signs that I've seen in my travels. These are soooo Nam.

Favorite graffiti at school. Sorry Rihanna, Namibians tend to gets their L's and R's confused. 

First of all, they stole my dream name for a tent rental company.
Second of all, they have "the most reliable, affordable, and flexible erections in the region."

"NO GANGSTER RAP MUSIC ON CELLPHONES"

Even the official map has some essential spelling errors.

"Strong coffee TASTE." Not the real thing.

So Africa.

Two Highs and a Low

High: I had two weeks' worth of laundry to handwash, so instead of moping I pumped up Motown's Greatest Hits and shook my booty while washing every piece of clothing I own. Beautiful start to the weekend!

Low: changed into a different pair of pants only to find a COCKROACH inside. I don't think my legs will ever stop feeling creepy crawly. Some days it's easy to hate living in the bush.

High: took an early Sunday morning trip to Oshikango with my Japanese roommate to go to the BRAND NEW KFC(!!!!!!). Discovery: town is very uncrowded and lovely on Sunday mornings. Before coming here, I hadn't eaten KFC since I was maybe 10 years old. But as my roommate said, "you may think it's just chicken, but it is so much more than chicken here." Also, I bet you Namibia is the only place you can eat KFC while watching donkeys with their front legs tied together hop by outside the window. I half expected a chicken to wander through the front doors, but clearly they already know that would be a bad idea.

Here's to wrapping up a weekend and looking ahead to four days of learner-free school. Reuniting with the rest of the vols on Friday! Glory be.

(also, still looking for books to read...send 'em my way!)

Wanted: Books!

In the almost four months that I’ve been here, I’ve managed to run through every single book on my Kindle and my Amazon wishlist, so now I’m in DESPERATE need for book recommendations!!

What books do you think everyone should read in their lifetime? Please leave a comment or email me with your must-read book titles. Looking forward to many, many more great reads over the next few months!

Loss & Love

Before tonight, I never realized how deeply a heart can ache for someone else’s loss. When I logged on for my nightly dinnertime email check, I received an email that a dear, dear friend of mine from home’s dad had unexpectedly passed away. The pain I felt for her loss was unreal and unexpected and cut me deep, which at some level probably reflected my unspoken, deeply woven fears for losing someone I love while I’m away. I collapsed in inconsolable tears, hyperventilation, and literal pain in my chest.

This comes after a string of great losses, heartaches, and challenges from many of my brothers and sisters back in America. Each one cuts deeper and makes me realize just how far away I am. That I can’t comfort someone with a hug when they need it. That my only option for responding to their pain is through email, which continues to be too impersonal for me. That I’m missing out on sharing directly in people’s lives while I’m 8,000 miles away.

At times, it seems impossible to understand the sovereignty of God in our lives. I want to kick and scream at Him for how unfair it is to put such pain in others’ lives. But this I know to be true: that He is faithful and full of grace in the midst of devastating grief; that He surrounds us with community to love on us in our time of need; that He creates sweet blessings out of the greatest trials in our lives.

I’m at a loss for how to respond to God’s mysterious and heartbreaking plan for us. Tonight, all I can do is “pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know that this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” (Eph. 3:16-19)

TIA Tuesday...Almost!

I forgot about TIA Tuesday again! Does it count if it's still Tuesday in mountain time, pacific time, and hawaii and alaska? Hope so...sorry central/eastern time readers!

I have become at once the most admired and most hated teacher because I finished all my work on Monday and thus have two straight weeks of no work to do at school while everyone else panics. Lack of planning = TIA.

Went all the way to the post office to inquire about three missing packages, including one that's been on its way for four months. They were not helpful and just said, "oh well." TIA.

Exited my grocery store to see KFC across the street. There's a KFC this close to me?! How did I not know?!!?! Here's to more weight gain. TIA.

On the subject of gaining weight (and thinking of a myriad of new excuses for it): tried to wear my black pants this week and they no longer fit. TIA.

Counting down the days to my Southern Namibia Backpacking Holiday. TIA!

The Good Life

You know those moments in your life that are just surreal? Where you have that half-a-moment, out-of-body thought, “is this real life?!?” Last year, I spent a lot of time reflecting on why I love the people I love most in my life. This year, I’m reflecting on life’s surreal moments - both good and challenging.

So in honor of Ben&Jerry’s free cone day and the best day of the year (and my friends' apparently closeted love for lists), here are 23 surreal life experiences from the last 365 days:

1. 22^nd birthday at Bricktop’s

2. Seven sweet days at the beach...discovering the perfect donut

3. Surprising friends in Nashville

4. Every Sunday at Grace

5. Getting off the plane in Namibia

6.  Last night at Vanderbilt

7. Every morning at NICE

8. Community communion Sunday lunch in Nashville

9. Weekends in Rundu

10. Friend reunions in DC

11. Homecoming bonfire

12. Watching the sun rise two weeks ago

13. Maggie&Jonathan’s wedding weekend in Houston

14. “Behold the Lamb of God” – both times

15. Every afternoon spent coffeeshop hopping

16. Setting up Ms. Skelton’s first first grade classroom with sweet friends

17. Garth Brooks live

18. First Full Moon Pickin’ Parties at Warner Parks

19. Living with fantastically unexpected roommates this fall

20. Christmas pajama party

21. Running my first half marathon

22. Setting up the Christmas tree at home

23. Every moment spent snuggling with friends

Happy April 12th, y'all!

Exam Season

Exams have always been my favorite time in the school year. Don’t get me wrong – I don’t enjoy taking exams, but I love all the extra free time to actually get the things done that you need to do. It turns out that exams are just as enjoyable as a teacher!

Exam season in Namibia has been an administrative adventure. Most schools do not set exam schedules until a few days before they begin and you often don’t know what you’re supposed to do for exams until the last minute. With all the confusion and disorganization, you’d think this was the first year anyone had taken exams. But no – Namibia just seems to reinvent the wheel every time they do something.

Thankfully, my school planned exams relatively well and thanks to my ability to plan in advance (also a skill that’s seemingly lacking in Nam), I’ve been very relaxed since exams began.

Here are some American/British English differences that will help you in this blog post:

write an exam = set/prepare an exam

take an exam = write an exam

grade an exam = mark an exam

proctor = invigilate

points = marks

test = exam

quiz = test

grade = symbol

Technically, schools are allowed to write exams within three weeks of the last day of school, so we began exams on April 5. The learners and teachers are still required to be at school from 7:30 am until the end of the last exam. The learners usually write one exam each day. If they only have one paper, they often don’t begin until 11am. Since teachers are not required or encouraged to teach during exam time (although they can if they really want to), the learners are left unattended during that time. Although invigilators are told to sit with their classes all day, no one does, so the school grounds are a ruckus all morning.

Many subjects write more than one “paper” during their exam. For example, during November exams – which are set by the Ministry – Grade 8 English writes three papers. These papers are like individual exams. Each paper has a different focus – reading and directed writing, continuous writing, listening, etc. All of our English classes only wrote one paper this term – reading and directed writing – because teachers feared we wouldn’t have enough time to mark our exams otherwise. Each grade’s paper was 13-19 pages and lasted 1.5-2.5 hours.

In addition to setting and marking exams, each teacher invigilates an exam almost every day. There is a detailed invigilation schedule for all 35 teachers – another sign of organization at my school. You do not invigilate any of the classes you teach, partially to avoid teachers favoring or helping their learners and partially for learners to get to know different teachers and vice versa. The first day this proved to be terrible. I invigilated a Grade 12 class that treated me like American students treat substitute teachers – they tried to push every button they could to get away with the stupidest things. They were rude, inconsiderate, and disrespectful. Thankfully I put my “good teacher shoes” on and stood up to them every time by calling them out when they lied to me or were disrespectful. By the end of the day, they understood I was a force to be reckoned with and shaped up a little, but I sure was grateful I wouldn’t have to invigilate them again. My ability to be confrontational has improved exponentially in this job, which is a big deal since most of these Grade 12 boys are bigger and older than me.

The rest of invigilating has been great. I’ve gotten to know some new learners and most of them have been really great at writing exams – no cheating so far! Invigilating has also allowed me to get a lot of work and “work” done – some days, marking exams; some days, reading for fun.

All of the learners wrote their English exams last Wednesday – the second day of exams. I have worked tirelessly since then to mark all of my exams. 190 exams = 2,864 pages of WRITING. This is by far my least favorite part of being an English teacher – marking writing. Not because it isn’t interesting. Just because it takes forever.

Good news – I finished by 1pm on Sunday! I know several English teachers who haven’t even begun marking yet. Once I enter their grades into their report cards on Monday, I will be FINISHED with my work, leaving me with ten more days at school to read for fun (or database for fun, which is what I did all afternoon – call me a dork, but there’s nothing better than making a database that does what you need...and making it look beautiful)! I’ve already finished four books since exams began.

As I said, exam season is the best. Holiday in T-12 days!

100 Days!

In honor of reaching day 100 in Namibia, here's a list of 100 things that are true about my life here. Only 237 days until I'm home!

Things I’m used to:

1.     cold showers

2.     cattle on the roads and pigs in the yard

3.     not ever knowing what to expect at school

4.     hitchhiking

5.     reckless drivers

6.     a lot of “me time”

7.     handwashing my clothes

8.     killing cockroaches swiftly

9.     going to bed when the sun sets

10. waking naturally before the sun rises

11. not ever using hot water to wash the dishes

12. unexpected power, water, and cell/internet service outages

13. umbrella = sunbrella

14. sweating constantly

15. Oshikwanyama greetings

16. eating food past its expiration date

17. trying new foods

Things I love:

18. sunsets (and, more recently, sunrises)

19. being called “sister”

20. laughing with learners

21. an inbox full of meaningful emails from home

22. catching up on books, movies, and tv shows

23. BBC global news podcasts

24. watching learners learn

25. justifying eating whatever I want “because I’m in Africa”

26. gaining weight and people thinking it’s beautiful

27. how slowly time passes on the weekends

Things I miss:

28. being surrounded by people who know me well

29. parmesan & brie cheeses

30. good Mexican or Italian food

31. sweet tea

32. going to church

33. calling home every day

34. relaxing socially

35. easy communication with friends

Things that are challenging:

36. being the only white person for miles

37. teaching

38. eating a balanced diet

Things I eat a lot:

39. oatmeal

40. pasta

41. cheddar cheese & crackers

42. apples

43. onions

44. bread

45. cheap Namibian cookies

46. Rice Krispies

47. eggs

Things I’m so glad I brought:

48. wide-mouthed Nalgene

49. an American surge protector

50. Kindle

51. photos from home

52. high capacity external harddrive

53. headlamp

54. Chacos

55. my clothes packed in Ziploc bags

56. 36-pack of Bic Mark-It permanent markers

57. cheap watch

58. Staples One-Touch stapler (the Rolls Royce of staplers)

Things I should have left at home:

59. non-Nike shorts

60. several of the dresses and skirts that I packed

61. whiteboard markers

62. construction paper

63. crayons & markers

Things I love receiving:

64. phone calls from Dad

65. weekly letters from Mandy

66. unexpected packages

67. electronic encouragement and updates

Things I use every day:

68. hot water boiler

69. frying pan

70. devotionals

71. Vineyard Vines bag – embarrassing, but useful and durable

72. fan

Things that are hanging on my walls:

73. photos from home

74. letters that I’ve received

75. maps: world, Africa, Namibia

76. “Namibia by the Numbers” list: just recently made it to 25 cold showers

77. emergency info

78. scripture encouragement

79. school calendar

80. coffeesleeves and postcards from Nashville

81. encouraging quotes calendar

82. two Hatch Show Print posters

83. AP quote canvas – “we pray that somehow in the spring the roots grow deep”

Things I’ve watched:

84. Friends (seasons 1-10)

85. The Office (seasons 2 and 5)

86. Parks & Recreation (season 2)

87. How I Met Your Mother (seasons 1-2)

88. Sex and the City (seasons 1-3)

89. Planet Earth

90. Lost (season 1)

Things I’ve read:

91. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

92. The Poisonwood Bible

93. Room

94. The God of Small Things

95. How Soccer Explains the World

96. A Thousand Splendid Suns

97. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

98. Water for Elephants

99. Streams in the Desert

100.  Jesus Calling

TIA Tuesday

Some weeks, TIA Tuesday is harder than others! I guess after three months you start to get used to the crazy things that happen every day.

No one arrives at school at the correct time on Monday because no one understood the time change. TIA.

The second it stops raining, everyone begins complaining about the heat. Rain=floods and cooler weather. Sun=evaporation and more heat. TIA.

Invigilation. TIA.

I found a four-legged wall spider in our common room. I assumed it must be dead and didn’t bother dealing with it. Later that night, I found it had just attacked (and killed) a rather large baby dragon fly-type bug. TIA.

Watching “Glee” with your Japanese and Namibian roommates several nights each week after dinner. TIA...wait, no. TITW (This is the World).

Happy Birthday, Dad!!!

If you haven't noticed the trend, these two weeks in the middle of springtime are BIG weeks in the McGee family - all three of us celebrate our birthdays! My dad, the real Bobby McGee, celebrated his big day on Sunday.

first iphoto capture on my computer. hilarious.

My Grade 8 learners were beyond excited as "Mr. Bob's" birthday approached (they came up with that nickname all on their own). Last Friday, they eagerly wrote birthday messages on the board and sang "Happy Birthday" for two videos I took of each class.

from 8A

from 8B - not sure they've heard of B.o.B...or if my dad has any likeness to him...hmm

Unfortunately, it's really hard to upload videos from where I'm at in Namibia! I've tried a different method everyday since Friday and still haven't been successful. If you want to watch it without audio, you can check out my youtube page. Otherwise, I'll upload them in December.

Regardless, if you are a reader who does not personally know me (apparently there are a lot of you!) or have not had the great opportunity to meet my dad, he's the best. Like, actually the best father in the entire world. He is exceedingly patient, kind, supportive, loving...and hilarious!

Teaching me the love of baseball

See? Isn't he the best?

So...happy belated birthday, Dad!!! Hope you've felt the love from all over the world!

Flood Update

Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba declared a state of emergency last Wednesday due to the flooding in north-central Namibia.

The news is finally hitting international circuits. It’s about time – this is a huge deal! 62 people have died (at least 21 of which were learners walking to or from school), 247 schools have close, almost half of the health clinics have been washed away, and more than 10,000 people have been displaced. In a country of only 2 million people – a million of which live in the north-central regions – these numbers become much more significant. Angola has reported 113 deaths and nearly 35,000 displaced people due to these same floods.

North-central Namibia is essentially a floodplain, so when record rains are received in southern Angola or northern Namibia, the land simply fills with water. There is no natural or man-made drainage so everything floods. Each year, the floods are welcomed because they bring much needed fish and water to sustain the region for the rest of the dry year. However, when there is this much water it clearly becomes a problem.

Oshakati, the town with the highest population up north, has been washed out. According to reports from my colleagues, several major shopping centers are completely under water and the main road that connects us to the town has been washed away. Though Oshakati’s flooding is the most well-known and highly-reported in Namibia, the reported flood measurements as of last week are actually highest in the village of Engela, which is situated just three kilometers north of my village.

Thankfully, the last two days have been pure sunshine and it looks as though today will follow suit! The water surrounding my house has dried enough that we can now leave our house without wading through it. It’s important that the floodplains and oshanas dry enough this weekend as more rain is expected next week. If the current levels do not drop significantly, the flood could become even more catastrophic.

Expats living in north-central Namibia are not spared from the flooding. Peace Corps has relocated most of its volunteers in these regions to new sites farther south in Namibia. Hannah and Kyle’s schools have been closed for over a week now – right in the midst of end-of-term exams – because learners could not make it to school without wading through water that is sometimes over their heads (not to mention these oshanas are full of water snakes!). Bernie and Bret’s only road to Oshakati has been washed out and they’ve been without water for almost two weeks. A water pipe burst in their village but is under the floodwaters, so the damage cannot be located or fixed until the waters recede; the government has had to bring in tanks of water to serve the school and village. My school’s sewage system has been overwhelmed and has backed up, so far irreparably, which creates for sewage-infested floodwaters in places.

Strangely, this is the second catastrophic flood I have experience in the past year – first in Nashville and now here. The two floods could not be more different from each other but are both uniquely devastating. I've tried to use better judgement in this one. Eventually, humanitarian efforts may be needed here. Since it is unknown when the rainy season will end (it should have ended a few weeks ago but the floods came very late this year, supposedly due to global warming), it’s difficult to predict what the long-term effect of these floods will be for 2011. Namibia literally will not see any rain between these floods and next January, so the water is necessary. But many crops have been washed away and villages decimated, so the long-term toll could be huge.

Any hydrologists or engineers out there who want to come to Namibia and prepare them for the next one?

Being an Inspirational Teacher

What does it mean to be a good teacher? This article in the New York Times really caught my attention. Teaching in a school system where the ultimate goal is a score on a national exam, it's difficult to coax the full potential in your learners. Every lesson I write I have to check against the national syllabus. Every assignment I give grade 8 must align with the requirements for their Continuous Assessment Marks. My grade 12 learners are obsessed with achieving high marks on their November exams, even though it's only April.

Without a doubt, all of my achievements have been shaped by previous teachers. The ones who let me voluntarily do extra topical poster-board reports, the ones who suggested books above my level to challenge me, the ones who gave me really bad grades on papers so I would be humbled and begin to improve my writing, the ones who urged me to follow my passions instead of staying in the rut of my major. Those are the good ones.

With such high stakes placed on test scores and continuous assessment, when is there time (or resources) to allow learners to work outside of the box? How can I be an inspirational teacher at this school, in this country?

Just some thoughts for your first day of the best month of the year :) Happy April, y'all!