Busy, Busy, Busy

This week has been insanely busy so far; I wake up around 6am and don’t get back to my house until about 7:30 or 8. I came home from Regionals on Sunday afternoon around 6:30 and fell asleep almost immediately on my couch… I’m turning into such a party animal here.

Monday morning started on the wrong foot, to say the least. Let me preface this incident by saying that Corporal Punishment, although widespread throughout much of Africa, is not something I’ve had to encounter much since being here. I’ve been told that it happens, and sure enough I’d witnessed it once or twice during pre-service training, but it’s never been very extreme and my reaction was usually no more than a wince. Typically it entails a teacher slapping a student on an open palm with a stick, or something along those lines. Many volunteers are faced with corporal punishment on a daily or weekly basis; their schools practice it frequently. I am fortunate enough that at Motokwe Primary, I’ve never seen it happen. Until Monday, that is.

During the morning assembly, while all the students were supposed to be singing a song, a few girls in Standard 3 were giggling and not paying attention. I watched as my School Head (equivalent of a principal in America) stared them down, until finally he interrupted the song by shouting something in Setswana. Then, to my horror, I watched him make a fist with his left hand, raising his index finger just a bit so the knuckle stuck out, and punch two of the girls in the head. Punch is perhaps not the right word to use, because it’s not like he wound up beforehand… but there was certainly some force behind it. Rage bubbled up from my gut as my eyes started to mist over, and I unknowingly let out a shriek. The teachers standing around me just laughed at my reaction, saying I was not accustomed to seeing that sort of thing. Your damned right I’m not, and no one should be, I thought. I didn’t know what else to do, so I turned on my heel and walked straight into the library as a tear fell down my cheek. I was embarrassed for reacting so emotionally, but I was furious with what he did.

Later on in the day I went into Mr. Monnane’s office and, when I was able to suppress the instinct to haul of and give him a swift uppercut, sat down to discuss what happened with him. I explained that I’m absolutely not on par with corporal punishment, and that he will gain nothing but fear from the students if he continues to practice it. I tried to help him understand that these kids are simply too young to know better, and that sometimes they will misbehave, but it’s better to talk to them about it than to just resort to physical violence. None of the other teachers utilize that sort of thing, so he should take a lesson from them. He seemed genuinely open to my opinions and what I was trying to explain, so I left his office feeling a little better. I hope to never have to witness that again.

On Monday afternoon, to get my mind off of all the drama of the day, I decided to go for a run. My typical run entails being followed closely by a gaggle of children or community members who jog for a few feet and then stop and yell at my retreating backside. I try to go a few days a week here, but sometimes it’s simply too hot so I opt for working out in my house. Ever since I arrived to Motokwe, my neighbor Dimpho comes outside to laugh at me when I go for runs, telling me how crazy I am. I always invite her to join along, but her excuses are many and they are varied. However on Monday I was standing and talking with a new teacher who had just arrived to Motokwe Primary last week (to replace the beloved Mr. Kgati), and when I invited Dimpho she agreed! So I also invited the new teacher, Methe, and to my shock she also agreed! I was so excited to have running partners I could barely contain myself. I raced back to my house, geared up in my exercise clothes, and met them at the gate.

The goal was to go 2km down to the junction with the main road, then turn around and come back for a total of 4km. We got hardly even 1Km out of the gate before their lungs were bursting and they were knelt over panting, laughing at me as I jogged in place waiting for them to be ready to pick up the pace again. Finally Dimpho said, "Neo, we are not made for this. Stop torturing us". So we decided to walk the rest of the way, and despite the fact that I missed out on a workout, I thoroughly enjoyed the long walk.

Our conversation turned to the struggles facing teachers in such remote villages as Motokwe. They lamented over indifferent parents, friction with the School Head and other administrative leaders, and students who don’t do their homework because they are too drunk (may I remind you that I work at a primary school – kids between the ages of 7 and 15). It was good for me to hear their side, because for a long time I had been bothered by the apathy of the teachers in Botswana and how they constantly tell the students how stupid they are. Now, after this conversation I’m still not going to stand behind them and defend their words, but at least I can respect their frustrations.

To my surprise, as I was walking back to my house this afternoon I saw Dimpho and Methe sitting on my front stoop, dressed for another run! I gladly hurried inside to change and let Dimpho set the pace, which not surprisingly lasted about 5 minutes before we gave up and walked for an hour. But, I am it thoroughly and we have a lot of fun. Mostly, it’s just fun for them because they spend the whole time laughing at me, but I’ll take what I can get. Who knows, maybe some day soon I’ll start a running club for all the teachers to join!

I’d also like to thank Kristen Weir and Darby Dozier for some pretty rad care packages!! I can’t upload the pictures at the moment but I will be sure to do so soon. Darby, you literally read my mind with everything you sent—from the Biotin vitamins to the face wipes to the headbands, it was exactly what I’ve been wanting lately. And Kristen, I can’t begin to tell you how excited the teachers were when I showed them all the school supplies you sent. Especially the paint – we haven’t had an art class at Motokwe Primary in years, and they went through the roof when I told them they could share the watercolors. Thank you so much, you are amazing!

On that note, I want to mention a special email I received yesterday from a complete stranger. A very sweet couple who now lives in Connecticut visited my home church, Green Tree Church of the Brethren, around Christmas time and apparently saw a posting (on the bulletin board, I’m guessing?) about me and the work I’m doing in the Peace Corps. Upon reading it, they decided to send me a package filled with school supplies and things for the children I work with! Once again I am touched by the love that Green Tree spreads to all the people involved in their works, and I am astounded by the generosity of the human spirit.