Ups and Downs

This week has been... illuminating. I guess?

To start out with, I have been talking with an ex-learner of a former Peace Corps volunteer (she served maybe 8 or 10 years ago in Namibia?). I am meeting this weekend with hime and a group of his colleagues, who are trying to start a Trust to help with development, motivation etc. of Namibian children in an effort to better care for and prepare our vulnerable children to be the future leaders of the country. It is so cool 1) to see a former learner of a PCV really working to try to improve his country, as well as taking initiative to do something brand new, on his own and 2) to be consulted like I actually know something! It is also terrifying to be "consulted" because this group of Youth (essentially my age) seem to be assuming that I KNOW how to start a business, run a business, do everything. Totally bonkers. But it is simultaneously really cool to work through it with them.

Then the bad news of this week...
Our Catholic Brothers have continued with their aggressive/disrespectful treatment of learners. Not that they have significantly injured anyone or anything, but they demean and talk down to learners to the extent that I hear about 10 times per day, "Miss I hate him." This all came to a head this week, when in two separate-but-related incidents, our learners tried to stone/stab 2 of the Brothers. Injured one successfully with stones, but not the one they really wanted so they have continued plotting.

Now, we have had 4ish hours/day of study for our grade 10 learners for the last month or so, trying to help them prepare for their national exam series. I have gone to almost all of them, helped to supervise learners, helped to control learners, tutored them in maths/physics. I have also taken some of our more 'rebellious' kids into my class, because they seem to do better with less attention from the brothers (if you don't continuously antagonize them, they can sit and do work) and a more controlled, supervised environment. They have submitted to this willingly. Now, the Brothers say that I have been plotting with the learners against them (because I have been with the 'troublemakers') and my "study help" is in fact a threat to all of the teachers. I promise that I did apologize, but honestly I swear I have been trying to help! These boys have been threatening me for the whole year that they want to attack the brothers, and I have been trying to hold them at bay by having many, many talks with them, trying to counsel them as best as I know how, etc. What else was I supposed to do????? Gah!