Lucky Star Barefoot Marathon

The marathon was awesome! Held on October 20, the Lucky Star Marathon runs from Walvis Bay to Swakopmund along Namibia’s coastline. The marathon is sponsored by the Walvis Bay-based Lucky Star fishing company, who make pilchards. Pilchards are my favorite type of canned fish here, kind of like giant sardines in a spicy tomato sauce which goes great with oshifima. I know am the proud owner of a Lucky Star t-shirt.

The marathon itself was run under ideal conditions. Because Namibia’s coast is cooled by the Benguela current, a cold-water current that comes from Antarctica, it is usually cool and misty. Marathon day was no exception, with overcast skies and temperatures around 50 or 60 farenheit at the start. My friends Chase & Erin drove me to the start—well, almost. Their car died about 3k from the beginning, and a nice race worker took us the rest of the way.

The race began on time – no mean feat in Namibia. At the start, I was running with two 23-year old Peace Corps volunteers, Paul and Adam. Within the first 500 meters, they sprinted ahead of me, fueled by youth and enthusiasm. As I watched them turn a corner away from me in the distance, I thought to myself, “I’ll catch up to you guys.”


The first few k’s wandered around the affluent town of Walvis Bay, which was controlled by Britain and then South Africa. When Namibia gained independence in 1990, South Africa retained control of Walvis for another four years before finally ceding control back to Namibia. Walvis is the only significant port in Namibia, and goods which come into Walvis are shipped to Botswana, Zambia, Congo and Zimbabwe. In fact, after the marathon I met Frans, a trucker who is friends with another volunteer. He drives frozen chickens from Walvis Bay to Lumumbashe in the Congo. Hopefully, I can convince him to take me with him on one of his trips.

After Walvis, the race headed straight up a good coastal road, with large sand dunes on my right and the cold Atlantic Ocean to my left. I stuck pretty steadfastly to my pace of 9 minutes per mile. There were more people than I expected on the running route, because the race was also being run as a 4-person relay for school kids. So, every 6.5 miles, there was a big group of kids waiting for the runners from their school to come in. These kids were amazing: many were running on the tar road barefoot, in flip-flops, or merely with an ace bandage wrapped around the ball of each foot. Over 50 schools from around the country participated, including several teams which were brought by WorldTeach and Peace Corps volunteers. It was a smart, interesting way to get kids hooked on running.

As the miles pounded on, I continued to feel good. Around mile 18, I caught up with Paul, one of the 23-year old Peace Corps guys who had sprinted ahead of me. We chatted for a bit, then I ran on ahead. Seven miles later, I caught up with Adam as well. With just over a mile to go, I sprinted to a 3:55 finish, a personal record, and the satisfaction of running faster than the 20-year olds. Overall, I had what will probably my top-place finish in my life: 36th place! Of course, only 79 people finished, but I still like to think I came in 36th.

Float Like a Butterfly, Clomp Like a Donkey

One of my absolute favorite things about Namibia is running. It might seem odd to love running in a place with little water and temperatures that routinely get over 100 degrees farenheit. However, running here is my haven, my challenge, and my way to explore rural Namibia.

When I first got to Namibia, I was getting back to running after foot surgery six months earlier. My first runs were fairly tentative – 20 minutes here, 30 minutes there. But pretty quickly, my Peace Corps friend Robin and I started running together a couple of times a week after work. We always ran on a gravel road that headed away from the mission, and if we timed our runs correctly, we could sometimes catch a sunset on return trip. Those runs were also a welcome chance to process all the cultural adjustments that I was going through with a more experienced volunteer.

As I became more confident both in my running ability and in my navigation skills, I began to head off the gravel road onto the sand and dirt tracks that crisscross the landscape here. There are no maps of these tracks, but more often than not, following one eventually led to a small village. During these ‘exploration’ runs, I found four villages that don’t appear on any map: Ohamutsi, Oshipala, Okangombe, and Oshiputu. The locals know where all these villages are, of course, but to me each one was an exciting discovery.

When winter came, I got more serious about training for the Swakopmund Marathon, which I will run tomorrow, October 20 (wish me luck!). Grudgingly, I dragged my butt out of bed at 5:30 each morning to run, because there was never enough daylight to run after school. These morning runs became my favorite time of the week. Each morning, I left my room in dim light of dawn. The sky began to turn colors during the run, from pale bluish to a glowing stereoscope of oranges and reds. Then it faded nearly to white, and finally the sun rose, a giant fiery ball hanging on the horizon.

I’ve had many running companions during the year in Namibia. On one of my first morning runs the hostel dog, Lolly, came to the mission gate and asked to come with me. Lolly and I have become good friends, despite the bite she gave me during my first week here! She’s young and in pretty decent shape, so I thought she might be able to do 8k or so. However, after just about 3k, I turned around and she was nowhere to be seen. Oh shit, I thought, I’ve lost the hostel dog. What are the kids and the staff going to say? Panicked, I aborted my run and spent the rest of my time zigzagging back to the mission shouting her name. She knew her way around, however. When I got back she was there, waiting for me and wagging her tail.

On many runs, children and occasionally adults run along with me for a kilometer or two. In the morning, groups of young children on their way to school often join me. Despite their long grey slacks, button-down white shirts and dress shoes, those little buggers can keep up with me for over a mile! On these runs, I feel a little like Muhammad Ali. When he trained for his “Rumble in the Jungle” with George Foreman in Congo in the 1970s, local kids swarmed around him during his runs. I don't have a swarm around me, but last week I had a respectable group of ten tykes running with me for 40 minutes. Unlike Ali, however, I don't "float like a butterfly and sting like a bee." Let's just say that I'm a bit less graceful.

During evening runs, occasionally an old meme (an older woman) in traditional dress and head scarf runs alongside me for 25 meters or so, which her friends always think is a hilarious joke. Meme Relax, who I greet when I run through her village, shouts at me, “Hurry, hurry!” But my most faithful running companion is Gotard, who works in the hostel and loves running. He has shown me many new running routes. Two weekends ago, for my final long run before the marathon, he took me to a rural Angola border post which was just 12k or so away. Gotard has caught the running bug, and he plans to race in a half-marathon in Oshakati next weekend.

When I’m alone, of course, I have a lot of time to think on my runs. One thing that I’ve been thinking about a lot is trying to raise funds to start a scholarship fund at Canisianum. Our school is excellent: while the passing rates on the national exams hover around 30% nationwide, the passing rate at Canisianum is 99%. Unfortunately, not every learner who is strong academically can afford a school like Canisianum. I’m thinking of using the marathon (well, perhaps the ‘post-marathon’) as a fundraiser to establish a scholarship fund. A year’s tuition at my school is approximately US$100. If I could raise US$5,000, interest on the principle alone could fund five learners every year in perpetuity.

I’m curious to hear what you think of this idea – particularly if you have any experience with establishing scholarship funds or foundations. What sort of safeguards can you build to make sure the money goes to learners who need it most? How are such funds set up and managed? Would you – dear reader – be willing to part with $50 or $100 to allow more kids access to quality education?

Well, that’s it for running here in Namibia. Wish me luck on the race tomorrow!

The Funny Side of Fighting AIDS

The HIV/AIDS epidemic in Southern Africa is terrible. Most countries in the South African Development Community have infection rates ranging from 15-25% of the population; Namibia’s rate is just under 20%. Despite the seriousness of the problem, a half-page job advertisement in last week’s newspaper made me laugh, and I give to you here, almost in its entirety:

Ministry of Health and Social Sciences

Namibia Global Fund Programme
The Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS), as the Principle Receipient (PR) of the Global Fund Grants, continues implementing the planned HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis activities. Given the existing staffing levels of the Programme Management Team, it is becoming increasingly difficult to ensure the smooth implementation of some aspects of the HIV/AIDS programme activities. It is against this background that the Directorate of Special Programmes (DSP), is looking for suitable qualified and experienced candidates for the following position:

Condom Logistic Officer

Duties and Responsibilities:
• Monitor condom stock levels countrywide by exploiting reports from the end-users distribution points;
• Promptly respond to logistic need whenever it arises;
• Identify causes of any shortage in condoms and report to the Condom Logistic Manager;
• Check condom stocks at all facilities in order to have an accurate starting point for quantities to distribute according to the population needs;
• Create, maintain and manage data of end-users distribution points for condoms;
• Promote condom use at any contact with end-users and monitor any increase in demand induced by that promotional activity;
• Anticipate any shortage of condoms at the end-user level;
• Compile annual plan and report and forward to the condom logistic manager on matters of condoms;
• Liaise with stakeholders for information and collaboration on condoms; and
• Submit reports on distribution of condoms activities.

The contract is valid until 31 March 2009, with the possibility of renewal. To start as soon as possible. All applications to be submitted: Global Fund, etc.

As you can see, America is not the only country where job titles become grossly overinflated! Come on, this job is for a glorified condom delivery person! Worse yet, there is also a Condom Logistics Manager to whom the Condom Logistics Officer will report. How many people work in the Directorate of Condoms?

The ad states that the Ministry of Health receives funding for this programme from western donors. I would bet that the Ministry has just received a large infusion of cash and, not wanting to lose the money, has created a make-work position. Although the job notice itself is amusing, it calls into question the effectiveness of aid given to poor countries. Does the money help to solve the problem, or does it merely give someone in Africa an easy job with a good salary?

Teacher Talk: Classes in Namibia

One important difference between school organization here and back home lies in the classes. In the U.S., most high school classes last approximately 40-50 minutes, with a short period between classes for students to move to their next room. Occasionally, some schools use a ‘block scheduling,’ which allows double periods for many classes, especially science classes that require a lab. Many teachers have their own rooms, but not all. Most students take English, Math, history, a science class, a foreign language, gym, lunch, and some type of elective.

In Namibia the classes are 40 minutes long, but there the similarity ends. Learners sit in the same class, in the same seats, all day long. Classes are designated with the grade, adding a letter for each different class in the same grade: 8A, 8B, 9A, 9B, etc. All the students in one class take all the same subjects together; learners who struggle in math but excel in English cannot take remedial math and advanced English. My school has made some provision, however, for additional classes for learners who want to push themselves.

More confusing is the wide array of subjects students take. At my school, learners in grades 8-10 take nine ‘promotional’ subjects: Oshindonga, English, Maths, Life Science, Physical Science, Geography, History, Agriculture, and Business Management. Additionally, learners also take once-a-week non promotional classes in Religious and Moral Education, Computer Skills, Life Skills, and Physical Training. That’s right, the learners have ONE PERIOD PER WEEK OF GYM. Now to some of you that might sound great, but young 14-year olds need to burn off energy more than once a week!

Back home at my old school, student schedules usually remained unchanged from day to day, from week to week. Period 1 was Math with Mr. Factor, period 2 was English with Miss Sym A. Lee, and period 3 was chemistry with Dr. Mole. Here, each class’s schedule changes from day to day. The schedule is so confusing that only in the third time have I begun to get my schedule memorized. On Monday, period 1 could be English, but on Tuesday it’s math, on Wednesday it’s history, etc. Moreover, some classes meet seven times per week, some five, some three, and the non romotionals meet just once.

Although this system seems ludicrously complicated, it does have its advantages. Let’s say that I taught the same topic to both 9A and 9B, but with 9B we didn’t finish because goats invaded the classroom and we spent some time kicking them out. Back home, I would have to cover that material the next day before I could move on. Here, I can go back to 9B during the afternoon study period and finish the lesson, because that same group of learners are still together. Also, teachers will occasionally ‘trade’ or ‘sell’ periods to other teachers who need extra time to finish a topic or give a test. The flexibility is actually quite nice. If I notice that many of my learners are struggling before a test, I simply teach an extra lesson to the class during the afternoon study time.

The rigorous nature of the schedule does not mean, however, that it is rigorously followed. Principals will often call teachers out of their class for meetings. Our principal, Mr. Kalipi, has occasionally called a staff meeting in the middle of the school day, leaving all the classes without teachers. Just this week, he called a meeting during our last period to discuss how we would make up the periods that were to be lost due to a field trip on Friday. I kept thinking, “How will we make up the periods that we have lost by sitting in this meeting?”

A glaring difference is in the amount of time that learners are left unsupervised. Back in NYC, our administrators drilled into us that we could NEVER leave a classroom unsupervised. “What if,” they said, “one learner stabs another with a pencil during the 60 seconds you are out of the room? Then YOU will be responsible for the lawsuit.” As a result, if I desperately needed to go to the bathroom, I had to flag down a passing teacher to watch my class while I ran to the can.

Here, the learners are frequently left to fend for themselves. There are no such things as substitute teachers here. If a teacher is sick, at a workshop, or merely sleeping in the staffroom, the class will simply remain without a teacher. When the principal calls a staff meeting during the day, the learners sit in their classes. If I need to use the toilet or make a photocopy during class, than I just do it. And you know what? When I come back in the room, they’re all fine. Oh sure, they might be talking to each other instead of reading, but not one kid has gouged another’s head out with a pencil yet.

It’s futile to talk about which system is ‘better’ or which one is ‘right.’ However, it is helpful to see that there are advantages and disadvantages to both, and to recognize that there really is no one ‘right’ way of educating.