Editor's note: Leslie Michael is a 58- year- old woman who taught school in Richland School District One. She left for Namibia, a country in southern Africa on the Atlantic coast, in October for a 27 month stint as a Peace Corp volunteer.

Hi Y'all!

It feels good to say that. I have been helping out at workshops, and next week I have to attend a workshop on developing a library. I have finally gotten a taste of the hot weather everyone here has told me would happen.

The past three days it has been as hot and humid as it is in Columbia in the middle of the summer. Sleeping has been hard. It is just so funny to me because last week I got up in the middle of the night and got two blankets because I was so cold.

Megan, my roommate from Greensboro, N.C., will only be here until the end of the year. It is nice to have someone around. Megan is a Health Peace Corp volunteer.

I have learned several things about the Lower Primary (grades one- four) schools here in Namibia. Students are taught in their mother tongue until grade four. There are 13 different languages in Namibia. English is taught as a second language. From grade four on, English is supposed to be the only language spoken.

Reading is to be integrated across the curriculum and not taught as a subject. The subjects are first language (mother tongue), second language (English), mathematics, environmental science (social environment; health, safety, and nutrition; and the natural environment); arts; religious and moral education; and physical education.

Kindergarten was turned over to the private schools in the mid 90s. The Ministry of Education recognized the need for public kindergarten in Namibia. In 2007, 15 teachers and consultants met to create a program for pre- primary (kindergarten). The program is child centered and is based an active learning.

The past few weeks I have been able to help in the training of the first group of teachers in my region. I have enjoyed this very much and the teachers in the training were very good. I hope I will get to do more of this.

Leslie