Hi everyone,
The pictures you can see are, me on my first day at work, the school gates, 4 girls who helped me move in, and my house.
Best wishes.
Barry
Thursday, 29 January 2009
Arriving in Africa
Well here I am in Namibia and it is very hot!
The journey to Windhoek was very long, and I stopped in Johannesburg for three hours waiting for my transfer flight. On arrival, a VSO representative, Ehrens, took me to some flats where I stopped for three nights. During that time I was briefed on such things as health issues, security, culture and the education system. I was taken out to a typical African Restaurant, where I was given fried caterpillars. They were a bit crunchy and not very tasty, to tell you the truth. I was also shown around a township, given various tasks and then left to find our way back home. I managed it, and got back in plenty of time. Windhoek is a strange place with very modern shops in the centre and poor suburbs, where people live in small tin houses with no water, electricity or sanitation!
On Friday I travelled up to the North of Namibia to a place called Onguadiva, where I stopped with a very nice lady called Penny. She showed me around the local area and told me about the schools I may be working with. I also met some other volunteers from many parts of the world. They were all very nice to me and made me feel very welcome. Security seems to be a very big issue here and lots of volunteers have been robbed. I am going to try to be very careful and make sure that I keep myself safe.
The animals and insects are amazing here and so far I have seen Baboons, Ostriches, Impala, Tortoise, many birds of prey, Goats, cattle etc. In addition there are some really cool bugs here and Mr. Holderness would love to have them back at Parkside School. A lot of the birds have very pretty plumage and today I saw a bird like a Robin but with a blue chest, unfortunately I was unable to take a picture of one as they were too quick. There are also a lot of lizards here and they seem to be sunbathing wherever you go, some of them as long as 30 cm.
Tomorrow I am being taken to my home for the next eleven weeks. It is in a place called Oshikuku, which is a very nice name. I hope that it is also a nice place to stop! I will also start work tomorrow and have to be there for 7.00 am. As Namibia is two hours ahead of Norwich, that means I will be starting work at 5.00 am, English time.
I will let you know how my first day in Oshikuku is, as soon as I can.
Best wishes to everyone in England and especially the children at Parkside.
Barry
The journey to Windhoek was very long, and I stopped in Johannesburg for three hours waiting for my transfer flight. On arrival, a VSO representative, Ehrens, took me to some flats where I stopped for three nights. During that time I was briefed on such things as health issues, security, culture and the education system. I was taken out to a typical African Restaurant, where I was given fried caterpillars. They were a bit crunchy and not very tasty, to tell you the truth. I was also shown around a township, given various tasks and then left to find our way back home. I managed it, and got back in plenty of time. Windhoek is a strange place with very modern shops in the centre and poor suburbs, where people live in small tin houses with no water, electricity or sanitation!
On Friday I travelled up to the North of Namibia to a place called Onguadiva, where I stopped with a very nice lady called Penny. She showed me around the local area and told me about the schools I may be working with. I also met some other volunteers from many parts of the world. They were all very nice to me and made me feel very welcome. Security seems to be a very big issue here and lots of volunteers have been robbed. I am going to try to be very careful and make sure that I keep myself safe.
The animals and insects are amazing here and so far I have seen Baboons, Ostriches, Impala, Tortoise, many birds of prey, Goats, cattle etc. In addition there are some really cool bugs here and Mr. Holderness would love to have them back at Parkside School. A lot of the birds have very pretty plumage and today I saw a bird like a Robin but with a blue chest, unfortunately I was unable to take a picture of one as they were too quick. There are also a lot of lizards here and they seem to be sunbathing wherever you go, some of them as long as 30 cm.
Tomorrow I am being taken to my home for the next eleven weeks. It is in a place called Oshikuku, which is a very nice name. I hope that it is also a nice place to stop! I will also start work tomorrow and have to be there for 7.00 am. As Namibia is two hours ahead of Norwich, that means I will be starting work at 5.00 am, English time.
I will let you know how my first day in Oshikuku is, as soon as I can.
Best wishes to everyone in England and especially the children at Parkside.
Barry
Sunday, 18 January 2009
Time to leave!
Well, the time to leave has finally come and I fly to Namibia from Heathrow tomorrow. The visa and passport finally arrived on Friday, with only two days to go! There is a small problem as my Visa runs out on the 14th April and I am not flying home until the 19th April!!!!!
We stop a couple of hours in Johannesburg, but should get to Windhoek in the afternoon of the 20th January. We will spend two days in Windhoek and then travel north to our placements on the Friday. I'm travelling with two other Heads Shay, from Bath and Geoff from Exeter. We go our separate ways on Friday, but we are not too far apart (100 km or so) and will hopefully meet up at weekends. I am told that I will be working with one particular school initially and then work with more as time goes on. A colleague from the 'International Placements for School Leaders' Team, has sent me a picture of a Namibian Primary School, which I thought you may like to see.
The next posting to this blog will be from Namibia, with abit of luck.
Best wishes.
Barry
We stop a couple of hours in Johannesburg, but should get to Windhoek in the afternoon of the 20th January. We will spend two days in Windhoek and then travel north to our placements on the Friday. I'm travelling with two other Heads Shay, from Bath and Geoff from Exeter. We go our separate ways on Friday, but we are not too far apart (100 km or so) and will hopefully meet up at weekends. I am told that I will be working with one particular school initially and then work with more as time goes on. A colleague from the 'International Placements for School Leaders' Team, has sent me a picture of a Namibian Primary School, which I thought you may like to see.
The next posting to this blog will be from Namibia, with abit of luck.
Best wishes.
Barry
Saturday, 10 January 2009
Hi Everyone,
Well it has been an interesting few days! With eleven days to go before I fly to Namibia I was informed that my Visa for entry into Namibia had not been granted and I needed to complete a new Visa entry form and send my passport to VSO in order to try and get the correct documentation before departing. In addition, I was also informed that my CRB check had not yet come through, and that I may not be allowed to go without it. Oh dear!!! I spent half a day telephoning VSO, CRB and Norfolk Police offices as a consequence, trying to find out where the hold-up was. It was at Norfolk Police, they finally rang me Friday to say that they had processed it and sent it to the CRB offices. It is now a matter of time and whether it can get back to VSO on time.
On the positive side I went shopping on Wednesday and bought enough medical products to open my own chemist. I'm not sure what a lot of the pills do, but I am told I may need them. Anyway, I think I am pretty well covered now, although I didn't buy the gumshield! (VSO in-joke). I've had to have lots of injections, including meningitis, typhoid, hepatitis A and B and on Monday I will be getting my third, and last, rabies jab. Luckily the malaria tablets I am taking don't seem to be affecting me too much so I will continue with them while I'm there.
Following the problems with the Visa and CRB checks, the week ended on a positive note when Vicky from VSO telephoned me to say that they would accept my current CRB from Norfolk as an alternative if the new one was not returned on time.
Just the Visa to go and I should be almost ready.
Barry
Well it has been an interesting few days! With eleven days to go before I fly to Namibia I was informed that my Visa for entry into Namibia had not been granted and I needed to complete a new Visa entry form and send my passport to VSO in order to try and get the correct documentation before departing. In addition, I was also informed that my CRB check had not yet come through, and that I may not be allowed to go without it. Oh dear!!! I spent half a day telephoning VSO, CRB and Norfolk Police offices as a consequence, trying to find out where the hold-up was. It was at Norfolk Police, they finally rang me Friday to say that they had processed it and sent it to the CRB offices. It is now a matter of time and whether it can get back to VSO on time.
On the positive side I went shopping on Wednesday and bought enough medical products to open my own chemist. I'm not sure what a lot of the pills do, but I am told I may need them. Anyway, I think I am pretty well covered now, although I didn't buy the gumshield! (VSO in-joke). I've had to have lots of injections, including meningitis, typhoid, hepatitis A and B and on Monday I will be getting my third, and last, rabies jab. Luckily the malaria tablets I am taking don't seem to be affecting me too much so I will continue with them while I'm there.
Following the problems with the Visa and CRB checks, the week ended on a positive note when Vicky from VSO telephoned me to say that they would accept my current CRB from Norfolk as an alternative if the new one was not returned on time.
Just the Visa to go and I should be almost ready.
Barry
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