Day in the Life
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Oshikuku
by Alicia Smith, Summer 2010 Volunteer
Community
Oshikuku, a village in the north-central Omusati region of Namibia, approximately 40 kilometers from Angola, was my home for eight weeks during the summer of 2010. Oshikuku’s surrounding environment is entirely rural, subsistence farming, with several scattered small lakes and waterways that also support a fishing lifestyle. Area residents live in basic concrete homes and homesteads.
Oshikuku is currently categorized as a village, but may reach ‘town’ status in the near future. It hosts a simple Pick ‘n’ Pay grocery store which stocks many basic necessities and foods, including some fruits and vegetables. A new Village Council building looks like it could have been dropped in from Windhoek. Pep Shop sells elementary school supplies, beauty products, towels, a few clothes, and the like. Sleepy businesses include several ‘China’ shops, a few bottle stores, a bakery, car repair, and tombstone manufacturing, along with three churches. You will frequently find local families lingering at a typical Namibian open market, which always has fat cakes, oranges and bananas, and some clothing and jewelry. 
A regional Catholic-operated hospital adds an excellent attribute to the village’s welfare, featuring a New Start HIV clinic and educational services. Its lobby of long wooden benches is always full of villagers in need. I was pleased to have an opportunity to watch a World Cup football game with doctors and Swiss Intercorps and Peace Corps volunteers in the open-air waiting area of the hospital’s AIDS treatment center.
The core of the village is approximately a half mile square with sand streets dissolving into the surrounding brush. I could easily walk from one end to the other and a little further to the hospital. You will always share the streets with countless goats and chickens. While the only paved road is the highway passing by on the north side of the village traveling from the northwest in order to support traffic to the hydroelectric plant just north of the Angolan border, it offers easy access to Oshakati, a substantial town 30 kilometers east. With a population nearing 33,000, Oshakati offers anything you could need, including Kentucky Fried Chicken. The driver of a crowded taxi will be happy to take you from Oshikuku to the main shopping area and large markets in Oshakati.
I experienced few language problems as English was fairly prevalent, so I was almost always to attain some form of communication. I wish I had tried harder to share their language as much as they tried to accommodate mine.
A lovely attribute of the village is the cooperative Oshikuku Basket Project offering beautiful handmade baskets created by local women from area reeds and grasses, highlighting a traditional Namibian art while providing a means to economically and socially empower women. Located above the car repair shop, you can purchase freshly woven pieces of all shapes and sizes that still retain the sweet scent of recently cut stems. I was lucky to be able to squeeze many baskets in my bag to bring home.
Nuuyoma Secondary School and Mupewa Primary School
When beginning your placement, be prepared to be flexible. My original role was to teach beginning computer skills to the teachers at Nuuyoma Secondary School, a large 8th to 12th year hostel school incorporating about 800 students from many surrounding villages. Through the principal’s misunderstanding, not the result of World Teach communication, this job had been fulfilled by the Ministry of Education days before I arrived. I was so lucky to live with another long-term World Teach volunteer who recommended I visit Mupewa Primary School, a few blocks away. Because of Bonnie’s helpful direction, within a few days I was able to create a much redefined role for my placement in Oshikuku. I taught 6th and 7th grade reading and writing at Mupewa and taught basic computer literary to the Mupewa staff. I also restored the use of the Nuuyoma school library. I was very pleased with the outcome.
I soon came to love Mupewa’s students, approximately 200, and its 12 exceptionally committed staff members. Mr. Angala, principal and teacher, and Mr. Paulus, assistant principal, teacher, and go-to person with any need, worked remarkably hard, yet made me instantly feel welcome and put me straight to use. I taught three or four English classes a day for both grades. Because I am a 6th grade writing teacher in Colorado, Mrs. Nafine and Mr. Paulus, both teachers of reading of writing, were very receptive to current teaching philosophies. Though I tried not to impose a U.S. teaching style into their work, they did seem to enjoy and appreciate the curriculum unit I built as I proceeded through the summer. I was thrilled to be able to share some ideas through that, though I learned the most by watching their patience and student enthusiasm. Mupewa’s staff was very committed to the learners and their teaching.
I found the painted animals on each concrete block classroom building especially endearing. I taught in the Elephant and Jackal classrooms. The bare concrete floor classrooms did not have electricity, but plenty of sunlight from the sometimes operable swinging windows. Classes of 40-45 learners crowded in with weary wooden desks. Nevertheless, students were well-behaved and enthusiastic about learning. They were required to speak English at school and loved the well-stocked library with almost all English books. But the lack of toys, equipment, and activities was initially quite startling.
Every Monday morning at Mupewa, all learners, grades 1-7, gathered in their classroom rows in the sandy courtyard for the weekly assembly. Mr. Angala spoke with encouragement and short announcements, followed by singing. Often one of the classes would perform a song and dance, followed by more singing. A local minister presented an always optimistic message and prayer, which was followed by more singing. My favorite memories stem from these assemblies and I am still moved thinking of them.
Because Mupewa did not have computers, the staff interested in computer basics would meet me after school at the Nuuyoma computer lab on Tuesdays through Thursdays. Attendance was a bit sporadic since all the teachers worked so hard and had families at home. The curriculum I developed, utilizing the Ministry’s International Computer Driving License handbook, was extremely basic, beginning with turning it on and operating a mouse to elemental word processing and a bit of Excel.
Nuuyoma’s library was a place of chaos and misuse. The incredibly outdated printed materials hadn’t been used properly for years, but I revamped the entire system and held an open house at the end of my stay to introduce its organization to the Nuuyoma staff, even if they dropped by primarily for the cookies.
My Blue Back Door
As soon as I arrived, it seemed the whole village knew where I lived. My house, where I lived with a fabulous World Teach volunteer of four years, was the one with the blue back door. Very often I would find children at my back door wanting their picture taken. They loved to see their faces on the digital camera’s back screen. It was great to be able to become acquainted through a viewfinder.
The little white concrete block house I shared with Bonnie, surrounded by a sandy yard with a palm tree, had 2 bedrooms, a bathroom, cold running water, a living space with a large table, and a tiny kitchen stocked with all the essentials. I cooked meals at home and did laundry using the pump in the back yard. It was always sunny, so clothes dried quickly on the line. My room had a wooden platform and mattress and a locking metal cabinet. Large windows with pretty burlap curtains let in sunlight, and very flat large spiders that simply clung to the walls and ceiling. I brought my own sleeping bag for bedding and hung a mosquito net above. Though few mosquitoes are present in the summer, it’s best to be cautious. I was also very glad to have brought a shortwave radio allowing me to tune in one BBC station for some news and many World Cup games.
I lived only a few blocks from the schools, the markets, and the taxi stop, so was very lucky to be so centrally located. I also was very lucky to be near a Peace Corps volunteer and two Swiss Intercorp volunteers. Bonnie, my roommate, immediately introduced them to me, so I had many helpful people to call upon. (Yes, a Namibian cell phone is a very important investment upon arrival.)
Challenges, Rewards and Additional Thoughts
I was immediately struck with the difference in work ethic from what I am accustomed to, which isn’t to say that the constant drive in the United States is the ideal. But I found it very difficult from time to time. I saw so many little problems that could have been solved so easily, such as where to keep the library or computer lab keys, which I had to find in a different place almost every day. Inefficiency was something else I lacked patience for, though came to terms with towards the end of my eight weeks. But, I also learned that it wasn’t my job to ‘fix’ everything. Namibia is a new country which is still trying on ways of doing things. Patience, I believe, became my greatest reward.
Namibia has many beautiful natural places, and I am very glad to have taken advantage of the chance to see them. Etosha National Park, the Okavango River in the northeast, the Himba region in Kaokoland, the Cheetah Conservatory in Otjiwarongo and the Namib-Nakluft Desert are all inspirational memories.
I found the investment in an internet ‘thumb drive’ essential for communication home and to other volunteers. It’s a very simply, though a bit expensive, system that I was so please to have. Even though a summer is short, sharing stories with family, volunteers, and World Teach became a huge bonus. A Namibian cell phone is also wonderful.
Ruacana
Jennifer Loughnane, Summer 2010 volunteer
Community
During my time volunteering with WorldTeach Namibia I lived in Ruacana. Ruacana is a small town located in northern Namibia near the border between Namibia and Angola. Ruacana is a very small town, with most residents living more in the bush, rather than “in town”. However, due to its proximity to the Ruacana Falls and local Himba villages, Ruacana is a popular tourist destination.
Along its one paved road, Ruacana is home to a petrol station, a mini-market, a bar, a health clinic, and a hotel/restaurant. Just up the road, you can find both the Ruacana Secondary and Primary Schools. The high school is a boarding school and a majority of the teacher housing surrounds the campus. The primary school, in contrast, is a village school, and many of its students walk to school daily.
Host School
I was placed at Ruacana High School, a boarding school with approximately 875 students. The school taught grade levels 8-12; however, several students were older than their American counterparts would be.
The school day began early, at 6:50am, with the morning assembly; although, the breakfast bell rang earlier at 5:30am. Classes began at 7am; however, frequently classes began later because the morning assembly ran longer or teachers were not quite prepared to begin class. The culture of the school dictated that teachers did not arrive to class until after the bell rang. I was spoken to for arriving to class early, but I continued to do so anyway.
The school operated on a 7 day schedule with alternating block and traditional periods. From what I could tell, the block periods were reserved for core subjects—such as math, English, history, science, etc.—and traditional 45 minute classes were used for electives and non-academic requirements, like life skills.
The day ended at varying times depending on which day it fell in the schedule. Days 1-4 ended at 1:15pm and days 6-7 ended at 2pm. After classes finished, students had a break for lunch at the school dining hall, and then returned to their classrooms for afternoon study hall, from 3-4pm. The afternoon was then free, until dinner at 5pm, which was followed by evening study from 6-9pm.
The students at Ruacana High School are heavily involved in extracurricular activities. They would welcome any activities that WorldTeach volunteers want to implement at the school. They also will not hesitate to solicit a volunteer to get involved in an activity that is already operating at the school, but not very active.
Teaching Assignment
As a WorldTeach summer volunteer, my primary assignment at Ruacana High School was to teach ICT skills. In this capacity I was responsible for teaching all students basic computer skills, with a strong emphasis on Microsoft Office programs.
I was also assigned to teach one class of life skills to an 11th grade class. This class met more frequently than the others; so, I was able to get to know several of these students better than most.
Finally, I was solicited to be the debate club moderator and accepted. In this role I attended infrequent club meetings and practice sessions. I also occasionally traveled with the team to competitions and was able to see more of the country and meet other teachers!
Living Arrangements
I was fortunate to be assigned to my own house at the school when I arrived. The house was very spacious, and consisted of a bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and living area. It was sparsely furnished but contained all of the essentials. I was also lucky to have a working refrigerator, freezer, and stove. I also had both running water and hot water; however, occasionally the water supply would be used up and there would be a day or two without water. The gas station/convenience store is a short walk from the school campus, and sells basic food and household items. For alternative shopping options, and for a larger selection of items, I had to travel to Outapi—a much larger town that was approximately 2 hours away.
Language Issues
Because I was working with older students, who had a better grasp and understanding of English, the language issues were not too difficult to handle. However, the younger children, who frequently visited the campus outside of school hours, had much more limited language skills. I found the most difficult issue to be understanding, rather than expression. Many of the Namibians with whom I interacted were very literal, and did not understand sarcasm or exaggeration. As an individual who is prone to use sarcasm excessively, it was initially challenging for me to think through everything that I would say and assess how it would be literally understood. However, being so immersed in Namibian life helped make adapting and transitioning much easier.
Greatest Challenges
My greatest challenge in Namibia was transportation. Hitchhiking was essentially the sole mode of transportation to and from Ruacana. “Hiking” is a common practice in Namibia, but it took me about a month to be comfortable with this mode of transportation. Another difficulty that I faced, associated with transportation, was the distance between Ruacana and larger towns. As I already mentioned, Ruacana was about 2 hours away from the nearest large town. Finding a ride to Outapi was typically always easy. However, it was always stressful trying to find a ride back to Ruacana because many people did not need to go that far west and were unwilling to take hikers all the way there.
Greatest Rewards
The people who I met in Namibia were some of the friendliest, kindest, and most welcoming people who I had ever met before. The students were eager to learn and actively sought me out for additional assistance or just to hang out, after school hours. Before I arrived in Ruacana, many of the students had never seen a computer, and by the time I had left all of them had used a computer. Through my involvement in extracurriculars, I also got to meet students and teachers from other schools, who taught me so much more about Namibia, human interactions, and education than I would have ever imagined. Living and teaching in Namibia has definitely had a major impact on my life, and my experiences during my time with WorldTeach will definitely not be forgotten any time soon. And that was after only 2 months!!
**Additional Note: For some reason, that I still do not understand, Ruacana High School does not change its clocks during the winter months (June-October); therefore, the school, and ONLY the school is an hour ahead of the rest of the country.