Library Logistics

This is a tangi unene (big thanks) for all of you who donated games, toys, cash, books, and school supplies for me and my learners. Opening up the two huge duffels my mom and sister brought over and seeing all the great things inside made me nyanyukwa momwenyo (happy in my heart). I really mucho shinene appreciate your generosity and thoughtfulness. I set everything out on a table in the library to show the other teachers what is now available. Some didn't really care and just wanted to take a piece of candy (I've already told you how I feel about them), but others were really interested, though they didn't know exactly how to play the games and use the various supplies. This week I'm going to show them after school all the neat materials they can now use for teaching. When the kids come in with a math question and they see that table glittering with colorful fun, their eyes light up and they say, 'sir are those things for us?!' and I tell them 'yes, my nice friends from America wanted to give these to you and this year I will teach you how to play them' which sends them on their way with huge smiles.

The table that glitters with colorful fun: checkers, sliding number game, yoyos, jigsaw puzzles, Rubik's cubes, magnets, calculators, various thinking toys, and much more that is not pictured

I moved my teaching operations center (desk) into the knowledge dispersement headquarters (library) and am still getting the instruments of logophilia (books) and tactile learning mechanisms (games) arranged and organized because last year the room was a complete mess. This year I want the library to be a functional place where kids can come ask me questions without hesitation and also a space where they can read books and use the games so these donations don't just gather dust.

I was able to escape this building, the teachers' "lounge", which the learners are afraid to enter

Last week the principal and I made a trip to Oshakati to Benz, the Home Depot of Namibia and bought materials to build shelves to install in the library. It's enough for six sturdy units with three shelves each which will easily accommodate the books and games. Any cash contributions that were sent my way went towards the purchase, so know that your donations went to a good cause which I will make sure doesn't go to waste. I'm not asking for more but if anyone is feeling extra generous these days, I could buy dictionaries. I previously bought the school one Oshiwambo/English dictionary and it's a major favorite of the learners.

Three shelves are constructed thanks to my erector set skills

Before

After (still under construction)

Thank you again! From Namibia with love, Parker