Yossarian in Africa

Feb 4
Nkurenkuru is becoming a town! We will be only the second town in Kavango (after Rundu). I’m not exactly sure what being a “town” will do for them as opposed to being a “village.” People keep saying that it will bring more businesses to town, I think just having a paved road would do that. They have started construction of the town offices, and several government officials are in town for election training. There will be an election to select town officers, and then a big celebration of the new town status. The president is coming to speak at the election. I’ve heard conflicting reports, but we are hoping it is not this coming weekend because we are planning to go to Rundu.
Lindsey’s school, Nkuruenkuru Combined, had athletics this past week. They had high jump, long jump, shot put, discuss, and several running events. They didn’t have the mattresses they typically do for high jump, so they just used a shovel to turn up the dirt similar to the long jump pit. None of the kids were going over the bar like they do in the Olympics. Most went feet first, but a few dove or flipped head first over it. I got some great pictures of this, I was the official photographer. Lindsey was one of six judges, which meant she recorded everyone who came in 6th place. The school was divided into three teams: red, yellow and blue. Each learner was required to participate in three events, there were four age groups for both boys and girls. The entire day, the students who weren’t currently in an event would be standing in the sun cheering and chanting their hearts out. Friday it was from 2-7, and Saturday 7-5. The teachers (13 of the 28 showed up for the mandatory event) sat under a large tent for shade. The top four in each event will go next week for a meet with local schools. The best there go to Rundu, then Windhoek, then South Africa. My school doesn’t participate, but occasionally our teachers will play their teachers to football (soccer) or netball. Maybe I can arrange a basketball game.
The test over sequences I gave to my 9th grade learners was too easy. Several of them got perfect scores. Only a handful didn’t have a clue. Monday I’ll be starting fractions. I went to the science lab for the first time. It was an easy lab, just measuring small objects in graduated cylinders, but they really seemed to enjoy it. It just took a really long time; they are such slow workers.
Last weekend I bought some mince and chicken filets in Rundu. In Nkuruenkuru, the only [non-canned] meat you can get is chicken (which has a funny taste), sausage, and occasionally pork chops. I made some delicious burgers from the mince, which is like ground beef, but doesn’t stick together quite as well. The chicken fillets were also really delicious. It has been a nice change, because we were eating pasta almost every night, sometimes rice. Have made a batch or two of potato salad that was really good, too. I have been eating fruit for breakfast, we have a tea break midmorning where I have been eating strawberry jam on buttered bread, but we just got some peanut butter, so now I plan to be snaking on PBJs.
During tea break on Friday my teachers started talking about American Politics. They are all supporting Hillary in ’08, which I found pretty shocking. I guess maybe she is one of the only politicians they are aware of, but I wouldn’t expect males in a seemingly sexist society to back a female president. They were likewise surprised that I was not opposed to a female president. A few of them had heard of Barak Obama, they thought it was great that he is “Kenyan,” but Hillary is still the favorite. I had trouble explaining that Senators start campaigning before officially announcing they will run for office.