The Beginning to an End

They look much more serious than they are...

Today and yesterday are holidays here in Botswana - Presidents Day - and then for the rest of this week the schools are not in session, it is the student holiday. Sort of the student’s break off of school. So we had thought that we would be having our last day at the school this coming Friday. However, once we returned from Victoria Falls and received the news that the school is not only closed this Monday and Tuesday but for the whole week we were bummed.

Working outside in the sun to keep warm

Picture with the Std. 5 teacher, Mma Julia, and the school principle, Mmaphama
So last Friday was our last day in the classroom. As you can imagine it was a hard day, as most goodbyes are. Last week we worked everyday that we could in the classroom. However, it was not a normal week. The whole school was preparing for these big exams on the 28th. So the students and the teachers were cleaning out all the rooms and taking down posters in the classrooms to get it all ready for some 200 + students to come and take their exam. The exam is for Standard 7 students to see if they could move on from Std. 7 and into Form 1 (like high school). It is a big qualifying test and many students - not just those from Old Naledi - come and take the test here.

The other standards were also preparing for their end of term tests. So for our last week I spent a lot of time typing up tests for the teachers. There is only one computer that is shared and a printer. The school can not afford a copy machine, so once I have typed the test I have to print enough for all the students taking the test. All week I worked on getting pictures with my students. And getting pictures of them gardening, in the std. 5 plots and also getting a whole class picture. I did what I could, not all my students were ever there on one day, but I got some great pics to always remember them. And for them to always remember us. As a gift to them before I left I printed off pictures of me with each student. Thapelo - a boy in my class - has asked me for a photo of me every day for the past month and a half. So he was very excited. As they all were too, most have probably never had a photo of themselves. I have never seen 17 and 18 year old boys get so excited to have their picture taken and to strike a pose. It is amazing for them to then see the picture they just took on a digital camera.



So I gave them all pictures, a school supplies kit that had a ruler, pen, pencil, eraser, and pencil sharpener for each of them and then extra for the class, and then I brought in biscuits (cookies) for the class to share. It was a hard day to get through. My students were so wonderful. They were all so grateful for their gifts and all gave me a hug and sang me a song that had my name in it. I really grew close to a lot of my students, and if we had the time to stay longer I think I would even grow closer and learn more about them. I learned that one of my students - Thapelo (he likes to talk to me) - wakes up at 4am to get to school. He takes a 45 min bus ride to the bus/combi station, and then cannot afford a combi (3 pula - 50 cents) to Old Naledi so he walks there. And then does the whole trip again to get home. It is weird because I think out of everyone here I was the most hesitant to help in the classroom. I was so afraid that I would fail, that I wouldn't be able to teach and I would hurt the learning process more than helping it. But I ended up loving it! I loved getting to know all my students and hanging out with them. The last few days that I was there all of my students - and others - would come and sit and eat with me, Jayne and Marinda. It was wonderful to sit with them outside the classroom and talk about issues and things they enjoy. They love asking us questions about America and comparing or telling us about Botswana. It is amazing the pride that they have for Botswana - which all Batswana have for that matter. They are always telling us that Botswana is a peaceful country and that we do not fight, we talk. They add that Botswana is small - only 1.6 million people and if there is a problem they just talk about it. It is amazing to see the pride that they have in their country. And it is also well deserved.

I also exchanged addresses with they school and my teacher so the students and I can write to each other. I want to hear how they are always doing. Several students told me they had aspirations to skip Std. 6 and go straight to Std. 7. I don't know if that is possible, but I think some are smart enough and if they try real hard, maybe they can. I want to know what happens. It was a difficult day. Hard to imagine that it was coming to and end. Questions just kept going through my head. Did we do enough? Will they remember us? Did we have an impact on them? Should/Could we have done more? I suppose all typical questions when you leave something that is important to you.

Tomorrow we will work at Tlamelo and we will be there for the next 3 days here. They were also closed for the holiday, which is hard because that means that kids go without meals for several days. It is also hard because these next few days we are going to have to say our goodbyes all over again to all the kids at Tlamelo. I wonder if they will fully understand. I think that it is hard to tell a kid goodbye and leave when they may not understand and they wonder why we did not show up the next day. The next few days will be hard to swallow - hard to go through.

This coming weekend we will spend doing last minute stops, souvenir shopping and packing. Then Monday we will leave for Cape Town. We will be leaving Botswana for good, but hopefully not for forever. I think we all hope to someday be back here. It is hard not to fall in love with this country. Especially when you see the pride that people hold for it. I think that we will all leave a bit of our heart here.

Today we are off to a museum in Gabs and then maybe and picnic in the neat area where all the government buildings are.

On a very happy note - Jayne's Birthday was July 17th - 21st!!! WooHoo. We went out to Primis restaurant and had some great Italian food. It was a great time and I am sure a wonderful memory to have a birthday in Africa! HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAYNE!!!