I'm Never There Unless I'm There

This morning MB and I were introducing the "new" Mark from Canada to the ways of the center and we got into a conversation about the pool at Katutura. Apparently, the employees at the pool are supposed to close the pool at 5pm every day, but close at 3pm as long as MB isn't there with the kids, because if they closed early and she knew about it, Mb would tell their supervisor. So she said, "I don't really know what actually happens, because I'm never at the pool except for the days I am there there". I stood there, in the middle of the kitchen, thinking for a few seconds about what she had said, and practically fell on the floor laughing, and MB turned and realized as well, and we laughed really really hard for five minutes. Gosh, it was hilarious.

Bianca and I went to the Windhoek Tourist Information Center this morning. I booked a trip to Etosha to see some animals. It leaves Saturday, and I return to Windhoek Monday afternoon. Then Tuesday morning, Bianca and I are taking a trip to Sossusvlei. That's the place with the huge dunes. Then, Sunday the 17th I maybe will go to see some wild cats at a conservation center.

I've been learning some crazy clapping games and songs from the kids. It's fun.

I also now have 6 bracelets on my right wrist. Three are from the kids, one is from mom and dad, one is from MB, and one is from my trip to Nicaragua last year.

I spent some time with the older girls today, mostly the ones 11-16. We started talking about boys, and that moved to talking about their periods and sex. Two twelve year old girls were telling me how afraid they are to get their periods. They were asking me how much it hurts and when kids in the US get it. Apparently there are girls here who are eleven or twelve years old and are sleeping around with boys their age and older. This one girl Jessica, I am told, has been having sex inside the church near the BNC, in bathrooms, at the soccer fields...I was totally amazed. But most of the girls were telling me that they haven't done much more than kissing or something they call "squeeze", which is basically dry humping, or at least what I was interpreting as this. They wanted to know so much about everything! From boys in the US to getting their periods to how to kiss a boy. I can't tell what they actually know and what they are just trying to get me to say. But they didn't know what tampons are, or if they knew, had never used one. But most had no idea they even exist.

MB and I are talking now about the situation with Jessica. Apparently Elfrida, the girl who told me about Jessica, could even give Mother Theresa a bad reputation, as MB puts it. And Rozein, who was sitting with us, is extremely gullible.

On Tuesday Maroldi was at the house because MB took her to the dentist to get her chipped teeth fixed. When Bianca arrived, MB and I were explaining to her that if anyone ever took out a knife on her or tried anything on her, that she should just curse them out. MB starting imitating what she should do in a situation like that, saying "you know what? I'm not fucking in the mood for any of this!" and she and I went on and on laughing and imitating the cursing. Apparently Maroldi heard the cursing, and on the car ride back to the center with MB, Maroldi asked if cursing was allowed in "Mary's house". And MB said "ohh, did you hear some cursing? Katrina and I were just explain to Bianca that if any man tries to touch her, or takes a knife out or tries to touch her private parts, that she should just scream and curse. But you know that you should do that, right? You know that you should scream for help." And Maroldi said to her "oh yes Mary, I know." and Mb asked if anyone had ever tried touching her, and Maroldi said to MB, "Yes, one day I were walking through PPS and man grabbed me and was trying to take my clothes off but I screamed for Sha and the other girls and Sha came and he let me go". MB then explained that some men do that sometimes to girls, even if they say no, and Maroldi said, "Yeah, like Gideon." Let me remind you, Gideon is the father of 14 year old Hilde's baby. He is 21. So Maroldi started telling MB that while Gideon was living with Hilde after the baby was born, he apparently tried to touch Edelsien, who is Hilde's twelve year old cousin, and after Edelsien told her Granny, Gideon was kicked out of the house.

I just feel so helpless when I hear stories like this.