Gqaina

We have now been at Gqaina Primary School for almost two weeks. We were picked up from Windhoek by the principal and driven for 4 hours to get here (not actually a very long journey by Namibian standards). Apparently seatbelts aren't mandatory here - they weren't even an option in our case, but we were so tightly packed in with supplies for the school - mainly toilet roll and tinned pilchards - that it didn't matter. We arrived on Sunday and school started on Tuesday. That meant that the children arrived back from holidays on Monday, Tuesday or even Wednesday. Despite having volunteers at the school for years, the children still seemed fascinated by us, coming up and introducing themselves, stroking our skin and, several times, saying "Sir you are very fat, are you eating too much?".
Teaching is a lot harder than expected, and it's especially tricky to take arts lessons with no coloured pencils or PE lessons with no balls. Our imagination has certainly been put to the test, and long hours have been spent at the dining table trying to think up ideas for lessons. It is getting easier with more practice however, but it's a steep learning curve.
Days are long here, but seem to be packed with so much. We have to get up before dawn for a staff meeting at 0700 (or about 10 past by African time). The school day lasts until 1 o'clock, and we teach an average of 5 or 6 periods out of 8 each day, ranging from Grade 1 reading all the way up to grade 7 Arts. Then it is siesta/nap time, when it's too hot to go outside. The afternoons are spent doing maths study or library duty, and before long there will be computer classes too. What's left of the day is spent cooking (which takes an age, our stove is pretty basic) and going outside to play with the kids. They love football, rugby and just general messing about. Bed time is 9 o'clock at the latest.
One thing the kids really love is getting their picture taken. As soon as you take a camera out they are all crowding round wanting to pose for photos. Here are some of the best ones.