Fall Break 2008- Rafting down the Orange River
The name sounds innocent enough, right?!?! Well my simple, relaxing trip down the Orange River turned into an adventure to remember. I believe everything that could go wrong this week did but we still had an incredible time. The problems started before we even go to the river! The rafting company called to tell me my payment was not going through and that I had 24 hours to correct the problem or I was not allowed to go. Unfortunately, I was in the middle of Etosha National Park and the credit card was in Windhoek. Thankfully, one of the staff was able to find the credit card and call me with the information. With 3 hours left before my deadline I called UMKULU and corrected the problem; apparently my 5 looked like a 6. Whew! I could still go!
The night before we left our driver called to tell us he did not have a passport to get into South Africa. With no other option we continued with the plan for him to drive and decided to deal with immigration when we got to the border 8 hours away. On the trip down the starter in the combi gave out and we had to push start the van in true Little Miss Sunshine Style. About an hour from our final destination we had a flat tire. Once we reached the border we started to have real problems. The Namibian officials did not like the way our visa's were stamped in our passports but let us leave Namibia after we explained our study visas.
When we reached South Africa a policeman thought it would be entertaining to harrass the American tourists. He told the men (all 3 of them) to leave the van and produce the permit. He claimed that we needed a permit to drive into South Africa and since we did not have the proper papers that we could not enter South Africa legally. Except, we were technically already in South Africa. People started getting fruturated, askind questions, and trying to reason with the man. He responded to this by telling us that we would have to spend the night in the holding cell until we had the proper authorization to enter South Africa. He continued this game for about 15 minutes directing it at us girls and continuously asking if we were crying yet. Finally, he relented and said he was joking and to go on through to immigration. Afterwards we realized that he was looking for a bribe and was going to continue to threaten us with jail until we offered him money.
Remember how I said that our driver did not have a passport? Well, the only one of us who remembered to bring our drivers liscence was Jason. Unfortunately, he had never driven a standard in his life. So in front of the lovely police officer Jason drove a stick shift for the first time ever. Miracously, he did not stall!!
Once we reached the base camp we met the 4 other people on our trip. One couple, Pascal and Annya, were from Switzerland and were spending 3 weeks in Cape Town cycling. Pascal spent 3 years of his life cycling around the world! He had incredible stories about his travels and was very much free spirit. The other couple was from Cape Town and were 21 and 23. It was very neat to meet people our age and to spend a week getting to know them.
The next morning we started our 5 days on the river. The scenery was pretty spectacular! The river is in the middle the Namib desert. Directly by the river it is green and there is a ton of plant life but 200 yards in either direction and its desert again. Every day we would see something different. We would paddle our 2 person rafts until the 'right time' and then set up camp. We slept outside everynight on only pads. It was an experience! The food our guides made for us was great! I am sure it only tasted so wonderful because of how tired we all were at the end of the day. Did I mention that the Orange River is more like a lake? The water level was very low and there were only a few rapids each day so we paddled hard!
We would end the day around 4 and then spend the rest of the evening hiking and sitting by the campfire. It truly was a blast! On the Monday Jason got really sick with what we believed was heat stroke. After several re-hydration tablets and some rest he felt better the next day. On Wednesday he woke up with a headache but seemed fine. Suddenly, he was shaking, cramping, and running a really high fever. He was unable to walk to a raft by himself. We were 40k, or 2 days, away from the take out point. Phil and Reon, our guides, cleared out 1 raft and put him in it. Then Phil and Brett took off with Jason to the take out point. It was terrifying. Phil was truly scared because he believed Jason's illness was Malaria and that it was "life-threatening".
The rest of us followed at a slower pace but completed the 40K in 6 hours. It was an exhausting day. I had Jessica, Jason's girlfriend of over a year, in my raft the entire day. She felt helpless and spent 6 hour playing the 'what-if' game. We found out that they had transported Jason to the closest hospital which was 3 hours away in South Africa. The Namibian officials at immigration would not let Jason leave the country because of his visa. Instead, they forced him to get ahold of our program director and have a copy of the group visa faxed to him. Apparently our guide, a Namibian, through a fit about this and made matters worse.
Thankfully, the initial blood work has come back negative for Malaria and they are concluding that it was tonsilitis that was worsened by heat stroke. The emergency took us off the river a day earlier than expected so we had 2 days to hang around at base camp before our bus ride home. This time at the border they fixed our visa's so we would not have the same problem again!
It was quite the trip! People fell out of rafts, fell down mountains, we saw baboons, goats, and lizards, we jumped off cliffs, put our life jackets on like diapers and rode down rapids, made new friends, and saw more of a gorgeous country!! The list of 'problems' truly is never ending but it made the trip worthwhile!
I have posted tons and tons of pictures on my picassa site as usual. I post almost every picture online so that if my computer crashes I will still have access to all my memories from this trip! I only have 6 weeks left! I can not believe how quickly this semester has gone by! I hope you are all doing well and staying healthy. Have a great Halloween and I will post again soon. I still owe you a post about Walvis Bay and Swakopmound!
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Friday, October 17, 2008
A rural experience...
Wow! I can not even begin to explain how incredible the past 2 weeks have been. I spent 6 days on a farm in Khorixas, 2 days at the national park, and 3 days "up north". I was terrified for the rural home stay. I have never gone with out electricity, running water, or access to a toilet in my entire life. However, it was one of the most incredible and uplifting experiences of my life.
After travelling 6 hours North-West of Windhoek we finally arrived at our various farms around 6pm. The trip up was very uncomfortable because of the heat but it was only a glimpse of things to come; I was happy if the temperature dropped to 100* by 10pm so I could sleep! My worries about the home stay dissolved as soon as I met my Ouma. She is 72 years old and is one of the strongest women I have ever met. She lives on the farm by herself and takes care of 6 donkeys, a dozen or goats, and numerous hens and roosters. Her home was the most well kept and the largest on the communal farm; she built it herself. Ouma, meaning Grandmother in German, opened her heart and her home to me immediately. She did not speak any English so her 29 year old Grandson came to the farm for the week to be my translator. He was very kind but I did not form the connection with him that I did with Ouma.
Our first two days we were picked up by my program to go to academic speakers and local leaders. But from Friday on we were able to spend the entire day on the farm. We would wake up early to let the animals out and start the fire. Every meal is cooked over an open fire. As a result, Ouma has a terrible cough and asthma that is chronic. All day long we were busy; collecting wood, collecting water, doing wash, taking care of the animals, or just doing random chores around the farm. She never stooped. Around 3 pm the heat would become so oppressive that we just sat. One day I was sitting in the sun reading and my thermometer read 133.6*F. The heat was insane! I can not believe how dirty I got! It is very dusty and dry...I was gross!
There are so many challenges to living in a rural area but what hit me the most is how far removed these people are to medical care. One day while we were at another house we heard an awful scream from one of the little boys. He had fallen on some barbed wire and had cut/punctured his head. With every heartbeat blood would squirt out of his head. The parents were very shaken and started pouring water over his head to clean it out. One of our girls ran into the house to get the first aid kits we had been provided with. My instinct was to say, "put pressure on it and get in the car; we need to get to the hospital." When Danielle came back with the first aid kit she had to pause and put on gloves before touching him. The HIV/AIDS rate in rural areas is 1:2. We finally were able to get the wound to stop bleeding but it should have been stitched. However, the closest hospital was over 15K aways and no one in this area has a car. They are very isolated and, in an emergency situation, most people will die before ever completing the 2 hour donkey cart ride into Khrosxias. If we had not been there he would not have even received a disinfectant for his cut.
Speaking of donkey cart rides...if you ever have the opportunity to ride one THINK! The donkeys are not trained, the carts are unstable since they sit on only 2 wheels, and the people are not kind to the animals. That said, it was fun to drive the cart when there was only 3 of us on it! However, trying to fit 9 adults and 2 kids on a single donkey cart and going 13Ks to a high school and back is an awful experience. It was the only time I was uncomfortable at my home stay.
On Sunday, we dressed up in traditional clothing and gathered at one house for an informal church service and a farewell party. The Americans were in charge of cooking and it was a challenge to cook for 40 people with 3 pots, no sharp knives, and over an open flame. The food turned out OK since they ate it all.
One of the biggest lessons I learned from this experience is how materialistic I am and how little I truly need to survive. Food in rural areas is seen as necessary for survival; they do not eat food simply because they enjoy it. There is no television, radio, or books on the farm. Most people were not able to complete high school and are illiterate. Ouma lives simply and values every possession she owns. Things are not disposable.
I was also in awe of how welcome I was in her home. I am a white woman. She lived the majority of her life under the apartheid regime. Her husband was tortured and killed for fighting against the South African regime. She was forced to carry a passbook with her every where she went and was treated more poorly than animals but I was welcomed into her home. I can not believe her absolute forgiveness and inability to hate my entire race. She has every right to hate the white race but she does not. This is a trend I have seen all of Southern Africa. The people have forgiven and moved forward after apartheid. The effects of the regime are still seen all over the place but the people themselves are working tirelessly to bridge gaps and complete the reconciliation process.
This was one of the greatest experiences of my life. I learned more my capabilities to survive in harsh circumstances than ever before. I learned that communication transcends language barriers and how comforting it is to work beside someone quietly. I also learned that if you want your clothes to be cleaner than they ever have been than hand them over to a 72 year old rural African and you wont believe your eyes! After all, when I tried to do my own wash she told me to stop 'playing with my clothes' and let her clean them!
Once we left the farms we drove to Etosha National Park to spend 2 nights at the Hallai campground. This campground is a 2 hour drive from the entrance of the park and along the way we saw Elephants, Lions, Zebras, Springbok, and tons of other animals. The park is larger than the Netherlands and is home to all the African animals you would expect. It was wonderful to see the animals in their natural habitat. When we arrived at the camp ground we all jumped into the pool!! After not showering for a week it was the most wonderful moment of the trip!!
At night we would walk to the watering hole that is a part of the campground. The watering hole is man made and sits just outside the fence of the compound we were staying in. You sit up high and are able to observe all sorts of animals. One night there were 6 lions, 6 rhinos, a herd of elephants, springbok, zebras, and a ton of other animals at the watering hole together. It was a magnificent site. Unfortunately, we were unable to take picture there because the flash at night would scare the animals away. But not to worry, I have TONS of pictures that I'll post tonight on my Picasa web album site. We went on several game drives before we left the park and it was truly the tourists destination. It was the first time I felt like a tourist in Africa. We have been concentrating so much on the academic program that we have not visited any typical tourist destination. You can not get more tourist than going on a safari!
Next we went up North and visited with a King and went clear to the Angolan border. It was great to see the border but, sadly, we were unable to cross over. I did get to see Angolans breaking past guards to get into Namibia and others jumping fences to get in! The Chinese have really taken over the business in the North and to do so have begun to sell goods extremely cheap. Many Angolans come over to Namibia buy goods for personal use and to sell before going home at night.
I am sorry this post is SO long! I feel like I have barley touched the surface of what I have seen and learned but I am sure I'll fill you in better when I come home. I leave tomorrow morning for fall break. I am going rafting down the Orange River for 7 days with a group of students from CGE. It will be the first time we have had more than a single day off since we have come here in August! I can not wait to recharge and see more of this majestic country. In 2 days I will have travelled the entire length of Namibia!
After travelling 6 hours North-West of Windhoek we finally arrived at our various farms around 6pm. The trip up was very uncomfortable because of the heat but it was only a glimpse of things to come; I was happy if the temperature dropped to 100* by 10pm so I could sleep! My worries about the home stay dissolved as soon as I met my Ouma. She is 72 years old and is one of the strongest women I have ever met. She lives on the farm by herself and takes care of 6 donkeys, a dozen or goats, and numerous hens and roosters. Her home was the most well kept and the largest on the communal farm; she built it herself. Ouma, meaning Grandmother in German, opened her heart and her home to me immediately. She did not speak any English so her 29 year old Grandson came to the farm for the week to be my translator. He was very kind but I did not form the connection with him that I did with Ouma.
Our first two days we were picked up by my program to go to academic speakers and local leaders. But from Friday on we were able to spend the entire day on the farm. We would wake up early to let the animals out and start the fire. Every meal is cooked over an open fire. As a result, Ouma has a terrible cough and asthma that is chronic. All day long we were busy; collecting wood, collecting water, doing wash, taking care of the animals, or just doing random chores around the farm. She never stooped. Around 3 pm the heat would become so oppressive that we just sat. One day I was sitting in the sun reading and my thermometer read 133.6*F. The heat was insane! I can not believe how dirty I got! It is very dusty and dry...I was gross!
There are so many challenges to living in a rural area but what hit me the most is how far removed these people are to medical care. One day while we were at another house we heard an awful scream from one of the little boys. He had fallen on some barbed wire and had cut/punctured his head. With every heartbeat blood would squirt out of his head. The parents were very shaken and started pouring water over his head to clean it out. One of our girls ran into the house to get the first aid kits we had been provided with. My instinct was to say, "put pressure on it and get in the car; we need to get to the hospital." When Danielle came back with the first aid kit she had to pause and put on gloves before touching him. The HIV/AIDS rate in rural areas is 1:2. We finally were able to get the wound to stop bleeding but it should have been stitched. However, the closest hospital was over 15K aways and no one in this area has a car. They are very isolated and, in an emergency situation, most people will die before ever completing the 2 hour donkey cart ride into Khrosxias. If we had not been there he would not have even received a disinfectant for his cut.
Speaking of donkey cart rides...if you ever have the opportunity to ride one THINK! The donkeys are not trained, the carts are unstable since they sit on only 2 wheels, and the people are not kind to the animals. That said, it was fun to drive the cart when there was only 3 of us on it! However, trying to fit 9 adults and 2 kids on a single donkey cart and going 13Ks to a high school and back is an awful experience. It was the only time I was uncomfortable at my home stay.
On Sunday, we dressed up in traditional clothing and gathered at one house for an informal church service and a farewell party. The Americans were in charge of cooking and it was a challenge to cook for 40 people with 3 pots, no sharp knives, and over an open flame. The food turned out OK since they ate it all.
One of the biggest lessons I learned from this experience is how materialistic I am and how little I truly need to survive. Food in rural areas is seen as necessary for survival; they do not eat food simply because they enjoy it. There is no television, radio, or books on the farm. Most people were not able to complete high school and are illiterate. Ouma lives simply and values every possession she owns. Things are not disposable.
I was also in awe of how welcome I was in her home. I am a white woman. She lived the majority of her life under the apartheid regime. Her husband was tortured and killed for fighting against the South African regime. She was forced to carry a passbook with her every where she went and was treated more poorly than animals but I was welcomed into her home. I can not believe her absolute forgiveness and inability to hate my entire race. She has every right to hate the white race but she does not. This is a trend I have seen all of Southern Africa. The people have forgiven and moved forward after apartheid. The effects of the regime are still seen all over the place but the people themselves are working tirelessly to bridge gaps and complete the reconciliation process.
This was one of the greatest experiences of my life. I learned more my capabilities to survive in harsh circumstances than ever before. I learned that communication transcends language barriers and how comforting it is to work beside someone quietly. I also learned that if you want your clothes to be cleaner than they ever have been than hand them over to a 72 year old rural African and you wont believe your eyes! After all, when I tried to do my own wash she told me to stop 'playing with my clothes' and let her clean them!
Once we left the farms we drove to Etosha National Park to spend 2 nights at the Hallai campground. This campground is a 2 hour drive from the entrance of the park and along the way we saw Elephants, Lions, Zebras, Springbok, and tons of other animals. The park is larger than the Netherlands and is home to all the African animals you would expect. It was wonderful to see the animals in their natural habitat. When we arrived at the camp ground we all jumped into the pool!! After not showering for a week it was the most wonderful moment of the trip!!
At night we would walk to the watering hole that is a part of the campground. The watering hole is man made and sits just outside the fence of the compound we were staying in. You sit up high and are able to observe all sorts of animals. One night there were 6 lions, 6 rhinos, a herd of elephants, springbok, zebras, and a ton of other animals at the watering hole together. It was a magnificent site. Unfortunately, we were unable to take picture there because the flash at night would scare the animals away. But not to worry, I have TONS of pictures that I'll post tonight on my Picasa web album site. We went on several game drives before we left the park and it was truly the tourists destination. It was the first time I felt like a tourist in Africa. We have been concentrating so much on the academic program that we have not visited any typical tourist destination. You can not get more tourist than going on a safari!
Next we went up North and visited with a King and went clear to the Angolan border. It was great to see the border but, sadly, we were unable to cross over. I did get to see Angolans breaking past guards to get into Namibia and others jumping fences to get in! The Chinese have really taken over the business in the North and to do so have begun to sell goods extremely cheap. Many Angolans come over to Namibia buy goods for personal use and to sell before going home at night.
I am sorry this post is SO long! I feel like I have barley touched the surface of what I have seen and learned but I am sure I'll fill you in better when I come home. I leave tomorrow morning for fall break. I am going rafting down the Orange River for 7 days with a group of students from CGE. It will be the first time we have had more than a single day off since we have come here in August! I can not wait to recharge and see more of this majestic country. In 2 days I will have travelled the entire length of Namibia!
Thursday, October 2, 2008
A Great Man
On Saturday our family lost an essential member. My Grandpa Bud finally lost his battle against ALS. I am told he died peacefully and was surrounded by love and family members. It has been very difficult to be in Namibia this past week. I wish I could be there to provide support for everyone at home and share stories and memories of a wonderful man. Instead, I am going to share my most poignant memories here.
Grandpa Bud was a truly wonderful man. His greatest joy in life came from meeting and interacting with people. He loved everyone for themselves and conversation with him always came naturally. Thankfully, his passion for people lives on in my sister. Grandpa knew someone wherever you went and he genuinely cared for them.
As kids we were always so excited when we would get a call at 9pm telling us Grandpa and Jody were on their way over. We knew it meant Krispy Kreams and a delayed bed time. The visits were never scheduled and that's what made them so special! It was always wonderful to watch Brian and Grandpa interact with each other. When Brian was going through his shy stage (OK, his entire childhood) Grandpa could always get him to talk and to laugh. I believe its because they shared the same level of humor; Grandpa was a perpetual little boy.
One of the things I loved most about Grandpa was his chuckle when he knew he was being silly and acting like a kid. He truly enjoyed life. I always knew if I could count on Grandpa to believe in me and my dreams. He always supported my decision to study at Beloit and to come to Namibia this fall. Grandpa would tell me to go for it and that he knew I could do anything. He constantly told me how proud of me he was for my determination and independent spirit.
This past March I was lucky enough to spend a week with Grandpa in Tucson during spring training. The entire trip was incredible! We had wonderful conversations and we were able to share memories and my dreams for the future. I was given the opportunity to know my Grandpa as an adult. It will remain one of my most treasured memories.
There are so many more memories I would love to share and stories I would love to hear. We lost an incredible man this week! He loved his family more than anything and kept us entertained with wonderful stories and surrounded by love. I wish I could be there on Friday to celebrate this incredible man with you. My love goes out to all of you and please know I am keeping you in my heart.
I would also like to thank Jody for the incredible love and care she gave to Grandpa. Their love should be an inspiration to us all. I feel honored to have witnessed the love, devotion, and respect they had for each other. It was such a relief to know that Grandpa was receiving the best care in the world. I love you very much!
I will write more this week about seeing the Namib Desert and kayaking with seals and dolphins!! Until then know that I am thinking of everyone at home and sending all my love back to Colorado!
Grandpa Bud was a truly wonderful man. His greatest joy in life came from meeting and interacting with people. He loved everyone for themselves and conversation with him always came naturally. Thankfully, his passion for people lives on in my sister. Grandpa knew someone wherever you went and he genuinely cared for them.
As kids we were always so excited when we would get a call at 9pm telling us Grandpa and Jody were on their way over. We knew it meant Krispy Kreams and a delayed bed time. The visits were never scheduled and that's what made them so special! It was always wonderful to watch Brian and Grandpa interact with each other. When Brian was going through his shy stage (OK, his entire childhood) Grandpa could always get him to talk and to laugh. I believe its because they shared the same level of humor; Grandpa was a perpetual little boy.
One of the things I loved most about Grandpa was his chuckle when he knew he was being silly and acting like a kid. He truly enjoyed life. I always knew if I could count on Grandpa to believe in me and my dreams. He always supported my decision to study at Beloit and to come to Namibia this fall. Grandpa would tell me to go for it and that he knew I could do anything. He constantly told me how proud of me he was for my determination and independent spirit.
This past March I was lucky enough to spend a week with Grandpa in Tucson during spring training. The entire trip was incredible! We had wonderful conversations and we were able to share memories and my dreams for the future. I was given the opportunity to know my Grandpa as an adult. It will remain one of my most treasured memories.
There are so many more memories I would love to share and stories I would love to hear. We lost an incredible man this week! He loved his family more than anything and kept us entertained with wonderful stories and surrounded by love. I wish I could be there on Friday to celebrate this incredible man with you. My love goes out to all of you and please know I am keeping you in my heart.
I would also like to thank Jody for the incredible love and care she gave to Grandpa. Their love should be an inspiration to us all. I feel honored to have witnessed the love, devotion, and respect they had for each other. It was such a relief to know that Grandpa was receiving the best care in the world. I love you very much!
I will write more this week about seeing the Namib Desert and kayaking with seals and dolphins!! Until then know that I am thinking of everyone at home and sending all my love back to Colorado!
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