Back to School, back to school, to show my daddy I am not a fool...

    Today was the first day of school for our students. We arrived around 7 o'clock and lined up with the teachers in front of the main building, the students gathered in lines according to their grade. As the students assembled in place in front of the main office building, a teacher read scripture to all of the students. After the reading was read the same teacher lead the entire sea of students and faculty in prayer, asking for guidance and perseverance in this new coming school year. ( Keep in mind this is a public school 90% of the country is Christian and of that 90%, 85% is Lutheran) At the end of the prayer the students broke into a spiritual song. It was definitely a new experience coming from the Tacoma District where saying Merry Christmas can be argued.

    One of my favorite moments was when the principal asked the entire student body if they read over the holiday. Most students raised their hands. She said she was happy to see so many hands but she knows they can lie to her, but someone is looking over you and knows if you are lying right now. And then she asked who knows and they all screamed GOD. After their response she threatened he is watching you…he knows. I guess that is one way to promote reading that I can now throw in the back of my pocket...

    

    At the end of opening ceremony we went with our students to our respective classrooms. I will be teaching 7th grade English and general 1st grade. In my 7th grade classroom we had 38 students in a small classroom that is also used as the school library. In Namibian schools it is rare that anything educational happens on the first day. They mainly use this day to complete enrollment and blocked schedules.

     

   After two hours we released our students for a break. Students ran free around the school yard with no supervision. All of the students were interested in meeting the other student teachers and myself. This break mainly consisted of "learners" touching our hair and pushing at our skin. After "my hair appointment" I told some kids to stop crawling on the 12 foot brick wall. not sketchy at all.

   

    At this time I also switched over to my first grade classroom. First grade is the first year of school for most students. This is the first year that first grade instruction is in English, many of the students actually don't speak English and only know the language of their tribe...challenging? My first grade teacher was about an hour late from the break so I ended up playing duck duck goose with the entire class outside our locked classroom.

        

     After many, many rounds of the goose game the teacher came back and we entered the classroom. For some reason or another they think I am a music teacher so the teacher asked me to teach the students a song. Observing opening ceremony, I thought it would be kosher to teach my students a few camp songs. (thank you FLBC) At the end of singing time with 32 of my new first graders, I showed pictures of my family,  our dog, and snow!

         

    The day was exhausting but fun! Since they do not actually start instruction and studies in school for the first week my group is heading up north tomorrow. We will be riding a 13 passenger van for 10hours to visit the indigenous area and schools. I am crossing my fingers that my stomach will bare with me on unpaved, bumpy roads...good thing I don't have fainting flu or anything...oh wait

Video of opening ceremony....

Ready to change lives at 6:30 am....haha

Boys breaking it down for the song " Jesus is The Only Way"

Principal addressing students

Praying

Some of my first graders ready to get in the classroom

These three cracked me up, it took t two of the boys to carry the backpack as the girl watched.

Some more of my first graders :)

Love Kari Lee<3