Year 2 Begins!

Well, Year 2 has an entirely different feel than Year 1. If Year 1 is “please let me survive this day,” and “only 43 days til vacation,” and “I can’t believe these teachers!” then Year 2 (thus far) is “I can’t believe the kids are under control!” and “ I never want to leave the village!” and “ I enjoy this meaningless chit-chat!”

Suddenly I’ve emerged as a real teacher. I’ve mastered the trademarks: the look of death, the be-quiet-please tone, the delicate art of passing out and collecting all my materials, and the vast array of threats and rewards. I know what I care about (violence, stealing, disrespect), and what I don’t (tucking in your shirt, papers on the floor, crooked lines and scribbles).

It appears that despite my efforts last year to block out the village whenever possible, (the burden of 50 hellohellohowareyouI’mfineandyou? conversations and the occassional “I need an American wife” being too much to endure after 6 hours of battle with 6th and 7th graders) I have met quite a few villagers. I do recognize faces and sometimes names when I walk to the shop. My relationships with people I see often have fallen into an easy comfort, no longer requiring massive amounts of energy for basic interactions.

The final shift I’ll comment on here is this: I like it here. There have always been elements I’ve enjoyed (night skies, meaningful work, PCV friendship), but they have only been enough to make me say “it’s alright” in response to the “How is Namibia?” question. But the honey-slow pace of life, the goat poots and their slow-motion gentlemanly duels, and the kid voices everywhere have finally gotten to me.

Maybe I will be one of those returned volunteers who is all smiles about their PC experience after all!