The National Institute of Special Education for Visually Impaired in Namibia is quite altered from a school system that one coming from Wisconsin would be familiar with. The physical set of the entire school contains three linked buildings. A lower primary, a middle school and a junior secondary. The hallways of the school are sidewalks […]
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The team and I traveled to Swakopmund to explore another part of Namibia and become adrenaline junkies June 5-7. On the way to the ocean we stopped at a market and practiced our bargaining skills. Next, our destination was Dune 7 which is the second tallest dune in the world standing over 300 meters tall. […]
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Before I came to Namibia I mainly informed people I would be teaching at a school, but we have become much more than teachers in our first two weeks! We have become parents, role models, friends, teachers, guidance counselors, colleagues and much more. Each day we drive up in a large white van and we […]
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On Monday, June 1 we started out our day at a Monday meeting. At NISE, or the National Institute for Special Education, each student grabbed their chair from a classroom and had an all-school assembly. Here the principal Mrs. Marillize Fransman spoke of general announcements, updates, introduced each member of the team, especially Prof. Patty […]
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An unfinished brick building with bunk beds crammed into two small rooms, a small kitchen, no storage for household items, surrounded by more than 100 Chinese acres of fields. This is not the kind of orphanage I imagined. I imagined a building, with lots of beds lined up, kids playing and chairs to rock babies […]
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“Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world” is a very meaningful quote said by Nelson Mandela. Through education we develop new theories, learn important concepts, and most importantly, we are able to effectively communicate with others to hear and share their stories. Over the past three days while we […]
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PREFACE The arrival to Windhoek was, for all parties, filled with some unavoidable events. Truly, what a surprise it would be for the eight Pointers to make it to Namibia! I am bound to write about these events, but you are welcome to stop now. Tweet about your latest meal, search Google for puppies, or […]
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There is a saying that I am sure everyone knows, “There is no such thing as perfection.” I believed in this saying wholeheartedly growing up. Perfection was something worked at, but never accomplished. However, stepping out of the van today, for the first day of school, left me in a state of perfection. Emotions are […]
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Our first week at the School for the Visually Impaired is more than I could have imagined. When you arrive, you fall in love with the kids. Your heart breaks into many pieces that day, and everyday that follows a piece of you is left behind. On that first day, we all received hugs from […]
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I can’t believe we are about half way into our trip already! Today we had some free time and Prof. Li found a place for those of us who were interested to go for massages. It was the perfect mid-trip relaxation after a long flight, sleeping in hotel beds, and lots of walking. I got […]
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