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!
Friday, October 17, 2008
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!
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Sushi and Zebra?!?
Yes, somehow the combination of Sushi and Zebra was perfect! Our group is starting to feel comfortable breaking off into smaller groups on the weekend. On Friday, I went with 2 other girls to the culinary schools sushi restaurant and had a blast. NICE Sushi sits on a rooftop overlooking downtown and has a wonderful view. I had never been to a sushi restaurant before and it was the first time I had real sushi; Whole Foods doesn't count! I ordered the spicy tuna rolls and fell in love. The restaurant is very reasonable too since it is culinary students who prepare your meal. It was very nice to be a group of 3 instead of 24.
After dinner we took a taxi to Joe's Beerhouse to met up with the rest of our group. Joe's is the epitome of tourist stops in Windhoek. Its outdoors and has a very extensive game menu. One of the girls had ordered a Zebra steak but could not finish it so I had a bit out of curiosity! Amazingly, Zebra tastes like the best fillet Mignon I have ever had. It was wonderful but I doubt I would have been able to have more than a bite. Eating Zebra just seems wrong! At Joe's we ran into a bunch of American students from Semester at Seas who were in Windhoek. It was great to talk to them and made me realize how much I know about Windhoek already!
Life here is great! I can not believe I have been gone for over a month already. This week we are going to the coast. We'll leave on Wednesday and go to Walvis Bay and Swakomound. Saturday will be a free day and a group of us are going on a half day kayaking trip to see seals, whales, and dolphins! I am SO excited since I have never seen a whale outside of Sea World! I have also firmed up plans for fall break. I will be going on a 7 day/6 night rafting trip on the Orange River. The river is the boundary between South Africa and Namibia and it takes you through some of the most unspoiled and beautiful spots in Southern Africa; according to the website! I can not wait!!
I will not have access to Internet from Wednesday afternoon until Sunday evening but I will be sure to update my blog when I return from the coast! I hope you have a wonderful Sunday and GO BRONCOS
After dinner we took a taxi to Joe's Beerhouse to met up with the rest of our group. Joe's is the epitome of tourist stops in Windhoek. Its outdoors and has a very extensive game menu. One of the girls had ordered a Zebra steak but could not finish it so I had a bit out of curiosity! Amazingly, Zebra tastes like the best fillet Mignon I have ever had. It was wonderful but I doubt I would have been able to have more than a bite. Eating Zebra just seems wrong! At Joe's we ran into a bunch of American students from Semester at Seas who were in Windhoek. It was great to talk to them and made me realize how much I know about Windhoek already!
Life here is great! I can not believe I have been gone for over a month already. This week we are going to the coast. We'll leave on Wednesday and go to Walvis Bay and Swakomound. Saturday will be a free day and a group of us are going on a half day kayaking trip to see seals, whales, and dolphins! I am SO excited since I have never seen a whale outside of Sea World! I have also firmed up plans for fall break. I will be going on a 7 day/6 night rafting trip on the Orange River. The river is the boundary between South Africa and Namibia and it takes you through some of the most unspoiled and beautiful spots in Southern Africa; according to the website! I can not wait!!
I will not have access to Internet from Wednesday afternoon until Sunday evening but I will be sure to update my blog when I return from the coast! I hope you have a wonderful Sunday and GO BRONCOS
Saturday, September 13, 2008
An African Wedding and more Pictures!
Good Evening!
Last Saturday night I was given the privilege of being invited to a wedding reception. My host Mom, Tully, took me to her cousins reception at the Vocational Training Academy Hall in Khomsdal. The reception was suppose to start at 5pm but we are in Africa so it started at 7. One of the best parts of the reception was that half of the people were in traditional dress. Each tribe has its own dress and they are all beautiful! When the bride and groom, an American from Chicago, finally made their entrance they were proceeded by the 'elders' waving brooms and chanting their traditional songs. It was remarkable. The food was served buffet style and was typical Oshavambo fair. My favorite was the curried carrots! They were awesome! I can not wait to bring them back to my family.
The rest of the week I was shown how a Namibian family in Windhoek lives. They work very hard and have very little free time. Tully works full time at Standard Bank and Bjorn is a plumber during the day and delivers food at night. His typical work day is from 7am-10pm. I did not get to see him very often. I was able to watch Sports Center and ER on their TV which was great! They have 2 little girls named Inga and Erna. Inga, who is 8, was not pleased to be sharing her house with me but the Erna was thrilled. They also have a 'live in nanny' who just came to Windhoek from the North. I do not believe she is paid anything but is given a place to sleep, bathe, and is provided food. It was interesting to see the interaction between her and Tully. Namibia was just ranked the most unequal society in terms of wealth in the world. Class is a very large barrier that is defined by race, ethnicity, and geographic location.
The cost of food here takes up almost 60% of these families monthly income. A loaf of bread, in real dollar amount, would cost 13.59 in the USA and a 20 pack of diapers would be $76.00. I did not understand the impact the global food crisis is having on the poor until I arrived here.
Today, was on the best days! I came back from my homestay around 7:30 and went for a run before walking downtown to get some real coffee. If I walk far enough I can find freshly brewed coffee everyday! Whew...no more instant coffee! Well not all the time anyways! Then I came back and sat by our pool for hours reading The Economist and Newsweek. It was great to get my news fix for the week. I also was able to talk on the phone to my parents for about 1 hour. It was very refreshing to hear their voices and to realize that I am not as far from home as I thought I was. I can not thank you all enough for sending e-mails, commenting on this blogs, and making it known that you are following my adventure and thinking of me! Its wonderful!
I have uploaded some more pictures to my picasa web album. Here is the link http://picasaweb.google.com/kristinannehubbard/WindoekWeeks123 for the new album. You can also just go to http://picasaweb.google.com/kristinannehubbard at any time to see if I have updated my photos. Dad- just put that link in your favorites and it will be much easier!
I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!
Last Saturday night I was given the privilege of being invited to a wedding reception. My host Mom, Tully, took me to her cousins reception at the Vocational Training Academy Hall in Khomsdal. The reception was suppose to start at 5pm but we are in Africa so it started at 7. One of the best parts of the reception was that half of the people were in traditional dress. Each tribe has its own dress and they are all beautiful! When the bride and groom, an American from Chicago, finally made their entrance they were proceeded by the 'elders' waving brooms and chanting their traditional songs. It was remarkable. The food was served buffet style and was typical Oshavambo fair. My favorite was the curried carrots! They were awesome! I can not wait to bring them back to my family.
The rest of the week I was shown how a Namibian family in Windhoek lives. They work very hard and have very little free time. Tully works full time at Standard Bank and Bjorn is a plumber during the day and delivers food at night. His typical work day is from 7am-10pm. I did not get to see him very often. I was able to watch Sports Center and ER on their TV which was great! They have 2 little girls named Inga and Erna. Inga, who is 8, was not pleased to be sharing her house with me but the Erna was thrilled. They also have a 'live in nanny' who just came to Windhoek from the North. I do not believe she is paid anything but is given a place to sleep, bathe, and is provided food. It was interesting to see the interaction between her and Tully. Namibia was just ranked the most unequal society in terms of wealth in the world. Class is a very large barrier that is defined by race, ethnicity, and geographic location.
The cost of food here takes up almost 60% of these families monthly income. A loaf of bread, in real dollar amount, would cost 13.59 in the USA and a 20 pack of diapers would be $76.00. I did not understand the impact the global food crisis is having on the poor until I arrived here.
Today, was on the best days! I came back from my homestay around 7:30 and went for a run before walking downtown to get some real coffee. If I walk far enough I can find freshly brewed coffee everyday! Whew...no more instant coffee! Well not all the time anyways! Then I came back and sat by our pool for hours reading The Economist and Newsweek. It was great to get my news fix for the week. I also was able to talk on the phone to my parents for about 1 hour. It was very refreshing to hear their voices and to realize that I am not as far from home as I thought I was. I can not thank you all enough for sending e-mails, commenting on this blogs, and making it known that you are following my adventure and thinking of me! Its wonderful!
I have uploaded some more pictures to my picasa web album. Here is the link http://picasaweb.google.com/kristinannehubbard/WindoekWeeks123 for the new album. You can also just go to http://picasaweb.google.com/kristinannehubbard at any time to see if I have updated my photos. Dad- just put that link in your favorites and it will be much easier!
I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Google E-mail
Hi All!!
My school e-mail account is having trouble here and I am going to start using my google e-mail address as my main account. Please send e-mails to kristinannehubbard@gmail.com from this point forward! Thank you!
My school e-mail account is having trouble here and I am going to start using my google e-mail address as my main account. Please send e-mails to kristinannehubbard@gmail.com from this point forward! Thank you!
Generosity
Nearly a week ago I found out my cousin Kent had passed away very unexpectedly. Its been very difficult to not be home to comfort my family and to mourn with other people who loved him. On Thursday, we had started our urban homestays and I was very excited about the wonderful family I was given for 10 days. It has been difficult to be away from all of my new friends while trying to deal with Kents death. Yet, it has given me a lot of time to contemplate and realize how important generosity is. Kent was the most generous person. Not only with material goods but with something infinitely more important; his time.
He never missed a family holiday, celebration, or a random get together. Kent was always willing to help out in anyway he could and gave so much to all of us especially his mother. I have always said that it is my family that gives me the strength and the courage to try new things and to go to new places. It is their support, belief, and undying love for me that makes it okay to leave home since I know it will always be there when I return. Home is more than my house on Hoyt Way; it is that incredible mix of people I call my family. They have all generously helped to raise me and shape me into the woman I am today.
A few days prior to his death Kent commented on this blog. He wrote for himself and Aunt Helene. For the rest of the day I had a 'warm-fuzzy' feeling picturing Kent patiently showing my Great Aunt how to find my blog and leave me a message. I know they read it together and were thinking of me at that moment--that is something I will cherish.
This week while living with a family in a foreign country, working in a foreign government, and attending a strangers wedding I have realized that the most precious gift you can give someone is the generosity of your time. Take the time to call your best friend, your Mom, or someone else important to you. Take the time to grab a cup of coffee with someone and waste an afternoon just sitting there. Take the time to tell people you love them and find little ways to show them. After all, "Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time".
I apologize for not giving you an update on my trip this time-- I will by Saturday. It was healing to write this post and to know that you will be reading it and will understand who I am and who my family is!
Stay Safe and enjoy the last days of summer!
He never missed a family holiday, celebration, or a random get together. Kent was always willing to help out in anyway he could and gave so much to all of us especially his mother. I have always said that it is my family that gives me the strength and the courage to try new things and to go to new places. It is their support, belief, and undying love for me that makes it okay to leave home since I know it will always be there when I return. Home is more than my house on Hoyt Way; it is that incredible mix of people I call my family. They have all generously helped to raise me and shape me into the woman I am today.
A few days prior to his death Kent commented on this blog. He wrote for himself and Aunt Helene. For the rest of the day I had a 'warm-fuzzy' feeling picturing Kent patiently showing my Great Aunt how to find my blog and leave me a message. I know they read it together and were thinking of me at that moment--that is something I will cherish.
This week while living with a family in a foreign country, working in a foreign government, and attending a strangers wedding I have realized that the most precious gift you can give someone is the generosity of your time. Take the time to call your best friend, your Mom, or someone else important to you. Take the time to grab a cup of coffee with someone and waste an afternoon just sitting there. Take the time to tell people you love them and find little ways to show them. After all, "Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time".
I apologize for not giving you an update on my trip this time-- I will by Saturday. It was healing to write this post and to know that you will be reading it and will understand who I am and who my family is!
Stay Safe and enjoy the last days of summer!
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Discovering Windhoek
We have been in Windhoek for a week now and I have truly enjoyed the experience of getting to know the city, my housemates, and the staff at CGE. We have some fantastic people working at the house and they make it feel more like a home each day. We are all still adjusting to the idea of living with 23 other people and sharing 2 toilets. Each morning presents a new challenge of fighting for mirror space, sink time, and just moving about the house. Everyone has made an effort to be respectful and quite in the evenings. I have made my bottom bunk into my own personal 'fort'! I hung a sleeping bag from the top bunk and it has allowed me a semblance of privacy as I am sleeping! Needless to say, others have followed suit!
This weekend we had a student forum at the house and 20 students from the University of Namibia came to meet us. It was a great experience to meet people our own age and hopefully I will be seeing them again. A group of us spent most of our time this weekend walking around Windhoek and trying to figure this city out. We have also made several trips to the local Pick-N-Pay to pick up Coke Light and other necessities that the center does not provide.
On Monday I started my internship at the Electoral Commission of Namibia. My supervisor, Hilda, had been out of the office for 3 weeks training voter education officials around the country. Namibia is also having a very significant by election on October 31st. This election is the result of SWAPO firing its regional councillor and leaving the position open. The office is working diligently to register voters, make information available to the public, and to set up the ballots and actual voting locations. The office was insane on Monday with people coming in and out all day long and speaking in indigenous languages. I was told to sit and observe her daily routine but it was overwhelming to not understand what was being said and to occasionally hear my name mentioned. On the walk home I started getting very homesick, frusturated, and felt very isolated as an American abroad. It was the first day I had struggled being so far away. I think it finally sank in that I am half way around the world!!!
My internship is a full day on Monday and a half day on Wednesday. Today was a lot better at the office. I was able to help my supervisor prepare for an hour long radio show about the upcoming election and sit in on a division meeting were I finally began to understand what is going on. I was also put in charge of narrowing an application pool from 75 people down to 15 for my boss to review! I could not believe I was given that responsibility. Hopefully, I made quality selections but, regardless, I have a new admiration for people who hire others on a daily basis.
Tomorrow we start our urban home stay. We will be living with a family for 10 days and I am super nervous about it. Sadly, I did not have the best experience with my previous home stay but I have decided that anything will be better than my time in Soweto. Also, I will have my own room!! It will be great to have some alone time in the evenings! I have also decided to 'become vegetarian' on my home stays and for most of my time here. The meat that is served in Namibia is mostly lamb, goat, and beef. Many families also prepare certain delicacies for their students including sheep stomach and cow intestine soup!! At the house we always have tons of salad, fruit, peanut butter, cereal and veggies to keep us happy, in addition to ,chicken. So eating meat at home is not such a risk!!
We start classes tomorrow and I am anxious to get started on a more normal routine. Orientation is officially over!! Yesterday was our grand finale. We went to a guest house outside of Windhoek and spent the day doing team building activities and we finished with a brai. A brai is a BBQ with TONS of meat and a few salads. One of my reasons for deciding to not eat meat was that last night we were served Kudu, Namibian game, at our brai. Did I forget to mention that the guest house has a pet Kudu that wondered around all day nuzzling us and eating our homework?!?! So the image of eating him stuck vividly in all our minds when we discovered that our meat was, indeed, Kudu!! With that I am off to do some homework for class tomorrow. I hope you are all doing well and I look forward to hearing from you soon!
This weekend we had a student forum at the house and 20 students from the University of Namibia came to meet us. It was a great experience to meet people our own age and hopefully I will be seeing them again. A group of us spent most of our time this weekend walking around Windhoek and trying to figure this city out. We have also made several trips to the local Pick-N-Pay to pick up Coke Light and other necessities that the center does not provide.
On Monday I started my internship at the Electoral Commission of Namibia. My supervisor, Hilda, had been out of the office for 3 weeks training voter education officials around the country. Namibia is also having a very significant by election on October 31st. This election is the result of SWAPO firing its regional councillor and leaving the position open. The office is working diligently to register voters, make information available to the public, and to set up the ballots and actual voting locations. The office was insane on Monday with people coming in and out all day long and speaking in indigenous languages. I was told to sit and observe her daily routine but it was overwhelming to not understand what was being said and to occasionally hear my name mentioned. On the walk home I started getting very homesick, frusturated, and felt very isolated as an American abroad. It was the first day I had struggled being so far away. I think it finally sank in that I am half way around the world!!!
My internship is a full day on Monday and a half day on Wednesday. Today was a lot better at the office. I was able to help my supervisor prepare for an hour long radio show about the upcoming election and sit in on a division meeting were I finally began to understand what is going on. I was also put in charge of narrowing an application pool from 75 people down to 15 for my boss to review! I could not believe I was given that responsibility. Hopefully, I made quality selections but, regardless, I have a new admiration for people who hire others on a daily basis.
Tomorrow we start our urban home stay. We will be living with a family for 10 days and I am super nervous about it. Sadly, I did not have the best experience with my previous home stay but I have decided that anything will be better than my time in Soweto. Also, I will have my own room!! It will be great to have some alone time in the evenings! I have also decided to 'become vegetarian' on my home stays and for most of my time here. The meat that is served in Namibia is mostly lamb, goat, and beef. Many families also prepare certain delicacies for their students including sheep stomach and cow intestine soup!! At the house we always have tons of salad, fruit, peanut butter, cereal and veggies to keep us happy, in addition to ,chicken. So eating meat at home is not such a risk!!
We start classes tomorrow and I am anxious to get started on a more normal routine. Orientation is officially over!! Yesterday was our grand finale. We went to a guest house outside of Windhoek and spent the day doing team building activities and we finished with a brai. A brai is a BBQ with TONS of meat and a few salads. One of my reasons for deciding to not eat meat was that last night we were served Kudu, Namibian game, at our brai. Did I forget to mention that the guest house has a pet Kudu that wondered around all day nuzzling us and eating our homework?!?! So the image of eating him stuck vividly in all our minds when we discovered that our meat was, indeed, Kudu!! With that I am off to do some homework for class tomorrow. I hope you are all doing well and I look forward to hearing from you soon!
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