MY PLACEMENT!!!

Here is an excerpt from my placement letter from the field director in Namibia. I'm so pumped!

Dear James,

Greetings from Windhoek! I hope you are getting excited for you year in Namibia. As you know, after much consideration, I have decided to place you at Mangetti Combined School. Mangetti CS is a combined school teaching grades 1-10 with about 360 learners and 14 teachers. It is located in the southern part of the Kavango Region in north-east Namibia. The local language of the area is Rukwangali and you will learn a bit during orientation to get you started. You will be the first WorldTeach volunteer at the school.

Currently, you are slated to be accommodated in teacher housing on school property. I did talk to the principal today, though, and indicated again that you are very interested in becoming involved with the community, which he was happy to hear. In fact, the school is overjoyed to receive a volunteer and the principal even said that the staff "jumped from excitement" when he told them. Mangetti is a very rural school, quite far from other towns. Therefore, it seems that the school and community feel somewhat marginalized. I think that your presence will do a lot to lift the morale of the school and community.

The two closest major towns are Grootfontein and Rundu. The principal says that many of the staff go to Rundu on the weekends and so it should not be a problem for you to get there for grocery shopping, etc. (There will be four WorldTeach volunteers in Rundu next year.) There is also a small shop at the NDC where you can find some basic needs. As I indicated, there is not electricity connected to the school at this time, though the wiring is in place and, this being Namibia, it could happen at any time or not at all.

Mangetti CS is interested in having a volunteer teach English and math Grades 8-10, and they say that your interests will be valued. I cannot emphasize enough that your assistance is greatly needed as they have difficulty attracting and retaining quality teachers due to the school's isolation. I am sure that you will be an amazing help and advantage to the school staff and be able to start many other projects and extracurricular activities that interest you.

BLOWN AWAY...

I am simply blown away by the generosity from my family, friends, and people that I don't even know that are supporting this endeavor that will take me to Namibia in just over 2 months. My last post a few weeks ago, I stated that I was $268 away from my goal. Over a span of about a week, I received over $1,500 in donations!!! Like I said...blown away! The more that I am able to raise, the greater opportunity I have to stay for longer than a year. I would really love to have that opportunity, but do not want finances to hold me back from continuing this amazing experience. That being said, my goal of $10,000 was kind of a rough estimate of what I was envisioning, so donations will still gladly be accepted. :) Y'all are absolutely amazing. I am so fortunate to have amazing people in my life and I try real hard not to take that for granted.

Lots and lots of love and respect to you all!

Also, be on the lookout for a post in the near future regarding my placement. It looks like I might not get placed with the Himba tribe in the Kunene Region. There is an equally amazing opportunity in the Kavango Region in Northeastern Namibia. I will send more details when I receive them. I just know that it would be in a village in a remote part of Namibia with no electricity and the school has running water. If placed there, I would be the first volunteer that village and school has had. For those of you who know me, know that I would be extremely pumped about that possibility. WorldTeach has been incredible and I am so thankful for them. They are an amazing organization and I am blessed to be a part of it.

If you haven't done so already...GO VOTE!!!!

2 more months!!!

I can't believe that I leave for Namibia in just over 2 months!! We don't have our departure date yet, but it will be sometime after Christmas. I am getting really, really pumped! It's been a looooooooonnnnggggg year awaiting this time. Since I was originally supposed to go to Kenya, I have been accepted into WorldTeach since last December 31st! It has been beneficial in regards to fundraising, but it is truly testing my patience. :) Although I am excited about my departure, I have quite a bit going on in the next 2 months; some exciting, some not so much. Here is a sampling...

• Finishing up this 2 week stint as a 5th grade bilingual teacher at Winn. It is awesome. I love the kids. It has made me realize just how much I miss having my own class. It's also challenged my Spanish skills as I have to teach Reading and Math in Spanish. Today, we learned about 4 different properties of Multiplication. I definitely had to check on some translations, not to mention the stinkin' concept!
• Having crown lengthening surgery at the beginning of October. For those of you who don't know what that entails; it's where the periodontist cuts my gums and bone so that my tooth shows more (so I can have crowns put on my root canals). Sounds pretty sweet, huh? :)
  
• Getting paid for the first time in 3 months! It's not going to be a whole lot, but it sure beats selling my stuff on craigslist so I have money.
• Going to visit my boys, Andy and Aaron, in Sprawlville, Arizona in the middle of October. :) Probably going to be a few tears shed at the end of that weekend.
  
• Witnessing history as Barack Obama hopefully wins the Presidential Election!! **Not trying to offend any McCain supporters, but Obama's my dude...and this is my blog! :)
  
• Saying good bye to my amazing friends, students and family in Austin on November 8th. It has been an amazing 6.5 years here. Most definitely will be some serious tears shed when my dad comes to bring me back to Ohio.
• Getting to hang out with my fam and friends in the Midwest!
• Going to see the Browns play (and hopefully win) at Cleveland Browns Stadium.
• Going to see the Cavs play (I have more faith in the Cavs...after all, I am a Witness) at The Q.
• Being home to see Ohio State whoop Michigan for the 5th straight year! O-H...
• Spending Thanksgiving AND Christmas with my fam for the first time in FOR-EVER...FOR-EVER (think Sandlot).
• Possibly meeting up with some fellow WorldTeach volunteers before we depart at a Mutual Kumquat show in Michigan.
• LEAVING FOR NAMIBIA after Christmas!!!!!

There is definitely much more to list, but I'm getting a wee bit sleepy, and I don't want to bore you any more than I already have. :)

Oh, and check out my amazing fundraising progress! Thanks to everyone who has helped! Those of you waiting to donate...what are you waiting for?!?! :) Only $268 more!!!

Love and peace to you all...

UPDATE

Thanks to all of the many generous donations made over the past 8 months, I reached my original goal of $6,000! I am now setting a new goal of $10,000. I misunderstood exactly how much I needed to pay WorldTeach and there have been some unexpected medical and dental costs to take care of. I have also raised my goal to ensure my goal of staying in Namibia for over 1 year. If I am to stay for another year, I will most likely have to purchase my own health insurance. I appreciate your generosity in donating towards my volunteer experience. Your willingness to support me allows me to help my community in Namibia to the best of my ability. I am just $358 away from my new goal!! Every little bit helps. Thank you kindly for your support!