The wheels on the bus go round and round….

Our first activity for the community elders through the Pensioners Committee was a day trip to Etosha National Park. I was thrilled to have been invited for a free trip to the park. It’s only 100km away but without a car I had only been just the once with my parents in June. Thanks to our donations from FNB, Nexus and OK Food we were able to rent the Outjo Secondary School bus and take about 65 of Outjo’s elders along with some members of the CACOC and the hospital (me, the social worker and a nurse).

I was told to wait for the bus at 6am so that I can go and get the elderly from the old age home where I live when the bus had arrived. I walked down stairs at 6:05 knowing full well it wasn’t going to be on time. For over an hour me and the four elderly going from the old age home waited as the bus traveled through the locations and the squatter areas trying to find everyone who was suppose to join us. It’s not often that I’m up that early and outside but it was nice that the five of us got to watch the sky change from black to blue and the pinkish sun rise over the mountains (still think I would have preferred sleep). Once we were all in and set to go I snapped some photos of everyone packed into the bus, men and women in their Sunday best Damara and Herero outfits, it was truly a great scene.

About 30km down the road a commotion had started on the bus. The driver pulled over and all 65 elders got off the bus (with my help, as it would be for the entire trip) to relieve themselves. For some reason the whole scene cracked me up. Here are 65 people dressed to impress popping a squat in the bush as a group and still insisting on having and English/Damara conversation with me. Sometimes I just think “I can’t believe this is my life.”

After we all boarded the bus again we were finally on our way to Etosha. As soon as we entered the gates Zebras, Gemsbok, Springbok and Wildebeast overflowed the areas. It was awesome to see these adults act like children as they stood up trying to get a better view or pointing to a new animal. I loved that as I tried to take their photo (I was there to document their trip) they got mad and said “Amanda, what are you doing the animals are over there, we want photos to remember what we saw”, oops my bad. It reminded me of the bus ride from camp GLOW traveling north of Windhoek with all the learners as many of them saw their first baboon, here it was very much the same.

The community activist who had worked so hard in arranging this day told me that many of them had never been to Etosha even though they lived in Outjo their entire lives and all anyone wanted to see was an elephant. Namibia’s great massive elephant (larger than most other African elephants) many had only heard about but never actually laid eyes on. And so our mission began, to see and elephant.

We stopped in Okaukeujo and visited the information center which, was actually very educational on the different types of animals they have there and what made Namibia’s elephants so unique. They also had a decent display of animal skulls which was really fun to see the old men get scared of a lion just by looking at it’s skull in relation to a house cat. At the watering hole everyone just sat around looking at all the animals coming and going. As the day got hotter we set up under a large picnic area to prepare for our braai.

While we were all eating and socializing someone had told us that there was an elephant at the watering hole. Some of the older men and I jumped up and raced to the hole. There were only a few tourists there (which I think made the moment so much more special). As the men approached the watering hole they could see the elephant and their smile got bigger with every step. Two men started to cry and I asked what was wrong they told me “look, it’s so beautiful, so big, I’ve never seen one before.” I almost started to cry. I just sat with these men for about 10 minutes as they became awestruck at this elephant. Soon the others would join and many would have much of the same reaction. I couldn’t help but laugh at some of the women who got really frightened each time the elephant would move or raise it’s trunk or ears. I tried to explain that we were safe but my poor language skills and hand motions I’m sure didn’t reassure them. Then another elephant came walking over to the hole and as if the day couldn’t get better everyone looked at me with a smile and started pointing to the new elephant as if to say ‘look another one!’ And so the hours passed with us just watching the two elephants drink and bathe. A truly wonderful afternoon.

The only frustration I had was that many of the tourists saw all these native people dressed in their finest clothing and thought oh a photo opportunity and instead of taking pictures of the animals attempted to sneak pictures of the elders (many only stopped as they saw me glaring at them). People are not animals, if you want to take their photo just ask permission, it’s really rude when you don’t. I am very grateful to the two tourists who did ask for permission and then stopped to chat about what was going on and exchanged emails so that they could send their photos to the group, thank you I’m sure the elderly had no problem with you taking their photo but just the gesture of asking was very respectful.

I will try to post photos on this blog but have had trouble in the past. If you want to view the photos or donate to future events for the Pensioners Committee please email me. We are hoping to plan a trip next year to Windhoek (Namibia’s capital) to visit the old and new statehouses. It should be great as I’m sure many have never seen their government buildings or their capital city.

Just slow down and enjoy the walk....

Everyday I walk between our two hospitals. They are about 3km apart and I normally enjoy my alone time, put in my ipod and just let my mind wander. Yesterday as I was turning the corner and heading up the hill I heard someone yelling my name from the new hospital. Looking back I noticed a women waving and running-ish after me. I had no idea who she was but I began back towards the hospital and greeted her. She asked if she could walk with me. I thought “why not?” She knew who I was and I didn’t wan to insult her by asking her name (probably for like the 50th time), it was clear we had met before. I noticed her shirt said National Disability Day and she had an apparent limp, so I figured that I she was a member of the PLWD committee (as am I). We walked the 3km to the old hospital, up hill, in the middle of the hottest day yet. I was shocked. Never did she complain, never did she ask to stop, never did she ask for my help (it’s not forgiving terrain). Like a champ she led the way through the bush (community back roads) to the old hospital chatting with me the whole way. She told me what it was like to live with a disability in Namibia and how most people are looking for a handout but not her. As an officer of the committee she gets on peoples cases if they are trying to not pull their weight. She said she understands that not everyone can pull the same amount of weight but everyone can contribute in someway to their own happiness and well-being, for those who can’t she’s there (and the committee). Wow. I was speechless. As we parted ways I wished her luck on her days duties and that I looked forward to our next walk or conversation. Each day I’m more and more impressed with the empowered individuals in this Outjo community. It’s moments like these and people like her that make it easy to be here and hard to imagine leaving. Moments which would have been missed if I had not slowed down.

You never know what the day will bring or who you'll meet....

One of the cool things about my job or lack there of, is that I have thrown myself into every community group (thanks in part to the Social Worker) in Outjo. I’m a member of our CACOC, HIV/AIDS Support Group, People Living With Disabilities Committee, Coalition on Responsible Drinking, Literacy Promoters and other things that I can’t even remember the name of anymore. This week I was told that I was now a honorary member of the Pensioners Committee, a committee who works for the benefit and needs of community members over the age of 80. I thought, why not, it seems right up my ally, right?

During the committee meeting I was able to follow a little of Damara and Afrikaans and caught that I was introduced about 13 times. I also understood that I was being introduced because I was going to be taking photos of the elders the following day. I have to be honest the idea of trying to find all elders in town, the 7 locations and squatter areas did not sound like too fun but I was really wrong.

I showed up at the Councilor’s office early in the morning so that the Councilor would drive the community activist (who also oversees the Pensioner’s Committee) and I around for the day as we tried to find each community elder. It was like a large game of hide-and-go-seek. Some of the locations were easy as a few elders or care-takers had gathered up a few in one or two spots. Other locations we had to go house by house looking for where “Johannes” was (for example).

Along the trip I was informed with how each location got it’s name and also some background information on some of the elders. Throughout the day I believe I met around 50 elderly, most being over the 90 years of age. At first I thought, wow, I don’t think I’ve ever met someone this old, and now I know thirty! I had the great opportunity to meet the oldest person in Outjo who can still understand when being spoken to even though she is set to turn 103 soon! I met the oldest Lutheran pastor, which turned out to be the parent of one of my coworkers. I met men who where 97 with more spunk then most 25 year old. Men and women who are too old to find regular employment but continue to make a living repairing old chairs or selling other good they have made. I was just amazed at the fact that these are some of the people who helped fight for Namibia’s freedom. They have been there for the ugly and terrible times and are still alive to tell about it.

Although I learned that my language skills still need a lot of work, through the translations I was able to learn so much about these amazing people. I know I wasn’t the best sport in the beginning of the day but at the end I really felt honored and blessed to have had this opportunity and could not wait for the next opportunity to bond with these wonderful people. Who would have thought when I agreed to join the Peace Corps and move to Africa that this is what I would be doing. I love the uncertainty of my life here in Outjo and that each day is different than the one before. I honestly can never guess what tomorrow will bring.

The photos of Outjo’s elders will be printed and put on display in the Outjo Museum for tourists who pass through and may want to donate to the Pensioner’s Committee to help fund activities, I know I cannot post all the photos on here but if anyone is interested in seeing the photos or donating to the Pensioner’s Committee please contact me.

Running with Okeleni….

It started out about two months ago. I had finally began to start my nightly run (I took ALL of winter off) again at dusk, when all of town shuts down and everyone heads home, including the Himba.

Ovahimba (Himba for short) are one of the only two remaining traditional tribes left in Namibia. They are everything you see in National Geographic, mud in the hair, covered in dark reddish brown dirt mixed with a buttery substance, cloth around their bottom and nothing on top, two bottom front teeth missing and their millions of bracelets and necklaces laid out in front of them to purchase. They are largely found in Opuwo but have migrated down the Kunene to Kamanjab and Outjo. The 30-40 Himba women in Outjo travel to and from town daily to sit on the main strip and wait for all the tourist buses to come through for a photo opportunity or to get traditional Himba jewelry (both are their means of income). For the first six or so months in Outjo I thought the Himba hated me. I would always attempt to greet them and they always looked angry and turned away. I figured it was because I wanted to talk to them and yet never wanted to buy anything, but recently that has all changed.

One night as I passed the Himba women packing up their things one younger spunky women jumped up and started running with me. I laughed as we ran for about a minute until she stopped and turned to return to her friends. The next night she was ready for me and we ran for our minute while I was still amazed that she wanted to run with me, I mean she didn’t have a sports bra! It continued this way for weeks. One night I had started a little late but I passed them as they were walking home and bless her heart with a baby on her back and all her jewelry packed on her head she grabbed my hand as we ran together. So it’s continued my Himba friend and I run hand in hand for a minute of my workout. When she stops we say “buh-bye” to each other and laugh. Today I was merely walking by since I’ve switched my running to the mornings this week and all the women started yelling “Okeleni, Okeleni!”(spelling could be wrong I know nothing about Ovahmba or Otjiherero languages), I of course had no idea what was going on and then out of a group of 20 or so women my running partner emerges with a smile on her face. It’s gotta be the greatest photo I can ever get in Namibia, but the memories will do. Breaking barriers in Outjo, one run at a time. Hand in hand with Okeleni, the highlight of my days.

Looking back....

As I was sitting in car on our way back to Outjo from Swakopmund I laughed at how much time can change as I tried to remember my past birthdays (and because I’m bored, I’m sharing with you).

On September 6, 1982 I ruined/made my parent’s second anniversary extra special with a surprise appereance.

20 years ago I turned 6 years old in Mrs. Ruckman’s class. My mom had made cupcakes for the entire first grade class. It was an exciting time as I had just started my first sports team ever, softball.

10 years ago, when I had my “sweet 16”, it wasn’t anything like the parties people have on the MTV show but we had a fun backyard swimming party full of my family and high school and waterpolo friends. Like I would for so many years, I enjoyed Jen’s birthday party and then days later we enjoyed mine.

For my 21st birthday I did the classic idea and went to Las Vegas with Jen, Kevin and roommate. I had quit drinking by the time I turned 21 and I don’t gamble so I made my friends go on the roller coasters and check out the interiors of the different casinos, not the usual 21st birthday. For humor Jen and I went to the “Thunder Down Under” show, yeah that was interesting as the 40-50 year old married women made fools of themselves.

For my 23rd birthday, I threw myself a party in my new apartment as a college grad. I bought tons of pizza and giant cookie cakes from Mrs. Fields and celebrated the day of my birth with my southern California friends. My new co-workers at CBU gave me flower which I killed in a matter of days. Stipp and Toni surprised me with a trip to Vegas to see Kelly Clarkson. She ended up canceling the show at the last minute but on a gondola ride I enjoyed the employee’s opera version of “Since You’ve Been Gone.”

When I turned 24 my closest friends from college had a get together near L.A. where we at Adrian’s delicious Mexican cooking and played cards all night (my favorite things).

Last year I celebrated my 25th birthday with Nikki and my parents, the reality that my next birthdays would be in Namibia, when I was called by Loma Linda School of Public Health saying I had to turn in my last paper by midnight. I left dinner headed home to fight with our home internet to turn it in. What a boring thing to do, but I got it in at 11:55.

And this year I was in Namibia, having a weekend with my co-workers going to coast.

Can't wait to see what next year's birthday holds ;)

dear dear Namibia

Dear co-worker who fed me this Sunday,

THANK YOU!!! It was amazing and I'll seriously trade you my chocolate chip cookies for your pumpkin fritters.

Gotta deal?
Dar

Dear Freezing Cold Water Showers,

I'm starting to appreciate you again. Please forgive me for the months of winter where I tried so hard to avoid you.

Glad to be friends again,
Dar

Dear Time Change,

I hate you. You’ve managed to mess up my sleep and running schedule and now I can't function right.

Cranky,
Dar

Dear Bugs,

Why oh why have you returned. Not only have I put my mosquito net down but you are still getting inside and eating me alive. Can’t we make a deal until Christmas or something?

Getting red and itchy,
Dar

Dear Mom,

I love that when you called yesterday and told me of exciting news you said “Oh, and since you won’t be here Friday….”, yes I won’t be there Friday, just like I wasn’t there last Friday or any of the Fridays for the last 11 months. I think it’s time we deal with the fact that I won’t be there for the next 14 months of Fridays either.

Very humored,
Your loving daughter : )

P.S. I joined the Peace Corps
P.P.S. Oh, but please keep the care packages coming

For those special Namiban men in my life…

Dear Security Guard,

You obviously got the point that I was a little weirded out by you and I know you understood when I asked please don’t watch me but tonight you hit a high note. As I was stretching after my run I heard something in the tree above the parking lot where I hang out and wouldn’t you know who was hanging out in the tree. It may have been late and pitch dark but your bright orange shirt gives you away. Please stop. There are so few places I can stretch and exercise without the old people watching me, why must you take away that one?

Not fooled by the monkey in the tree,
Dar

Dear Damara man who asked if he could test my vagina,

No. No sir sadly you cannot. I would also like to add that I’m really impressed by your English vocabulary but my answer is still no.

Not flattered,
Dar

Dear NamPost Employee,

I’m a little hurt that I was your second choice for a foreigner date. Maybe you could have had a shot had you not asked out the VSO first. True there is a good chance you thought she was me but still.

Never going to the lodge for dinner, doing laundry, talking, going for a cool drink or holiday-ing in Etosha with you,
Dar

***just a heads up

I want to thank everyone who's sent me letters or packages. I really do appreciate it and I promise I'm pretty good about saying thank you via email right away. If you have sent me a package or letter and never got a response there is a good chance I did not receive it and I'm sorry. NamPost is kinda like a crap shoot with packages you never know what they will deliver. So if you are worried about a package please email me and I can tell you the best way to send it and notify you as soon as I get it. I recently learned that I didn't receive two packages from my friends and it made me think that although I thought I received all packages I guess I would never know if someone never told me they sent it and I didn't receive it. So, if you are still waiting for a thank you, email me. Again apologies, one of the troubles with living in Africa.

starting to love the DRC

One of our doctors in Outjo is from the DRC and has decided to make it his job to educate me on current American news, he has a television and better internet access so I gladly appreciate his updates. His wife and I have hardly spoken to each other except about computers and internet for work purposes (she's also a doctor) but one day she touched my stomach and told me I was getting fat, which I did not appreciate as much as she might have thought I would. Anyways, her husband has totally made up for her fat comments, not only for my American news education but also in compliments. One day he said "We always see you running or walking around Outjo and I tell my wife look at how strong she is" (that is more of a compliment than the fat thing) and then last week I was feeling odd about turning 26 (seems old to me) and he said "Oh, don't worry you are still just a girl", thanks friend for brightening my days!

new job skills?

After work on Thursday I was changing my clothes to get ready for my run when someone tried to walk into my apartment. Luckily my door has a latch like the kind hotels have and so the person was unsuccessful. Worried I tried to dress faster, then someone attempted to come in again, and again. I finally yelled out "yes, who is it?", no response. I finally open my door and find my neighbor, the Cuban doctor and one of the elderly men. They both look at me in surprise, like shocked I'm outside (hello you were just trying to come into my house). I discover that they needed my assistance for communication purposes (what?). I'm a little shocked since I don't speak Afrikaans and my two years of high school Spanish hardly qualify me to say anything other then what time is it and where is the bathroom. For the next ten minutes the Afrikaaner man, soon joined by a women, speak to the Cuban through me. Of course what's so ridiculous about this is the man is speaking to me in English and I'm speaking to the Cuban in English so I'm not sure why I was necessary. I guess I have a new job skill now, translating/communicating for those who are too lazy to try. Seriously, what a weird afternoon.

Some of the things that have changed since arriving in Namibia:

- Walking for four or more hours in one day is no longer exercise but part of the job and a normal day.

- Someone proposing to me is no longer flattering but rather annoying. Also, saying yes is sometimes my only entertainment of the day.

- Snakes are mythical creatures to me, everyone tells stories of them and they tell me to be careful and what not but I still have yet to see one of these many snakes, so I put them in the same class as the boogeyman, unicorns and leprechauns.

- Being asked for money by my co-workers is no longer tolerated since I make way less then they do, which I know for a fact since I helped with the hospital budget.

- Talking about bodily fluids is totally acceptable conversation.

- I’m done being polite or nice, I don’t say “yes” to everything asked of me.

- Sometimes I play spider solitaire for hours to pass the time or to give me a break from work just like my co-workers, I feel it’s integration : )

- Like Namibians, I’m all about the freebies, t-shirts, food, tango (phone credit), hats, umbrellas, if it’s free I’m there!

- I floss my teeth just to have something to do during the night.

- Electronics breaking are no longer life shattering. As long as I still have something that semi-works life will be ok. The drama of them breaking has lost it’s thrill as it’s become an everyday occurrence. Currently I only have a shuffle that works and sometimes a camera.

- Personal hygiene is a thing of the past. I no longer care what I look like, at all. I don’t dress up for work anymore and I wear the same outfit everyday, it cuts down on laundry. Also, wearing things covered in dirt is totally acceptable cause even if I wash something it doesn’t stay clean long enough to make it worth it.

- Bugs and flies on my face doesn’t really get to me, except when a bug gets stuck between my face and my glasses, that’s kinda annoying.

- I’m not a clean freak anymore, I honestly have not cleaned my kitchen since arriving in January.

- Anytime I leave Outjo I consider it a vacation and will act like a tourist.

- I don’t really pay attention to people begging for money in front of the grocery store, I’ve seen this place for what it really is and the really poor people don’t have a way to get to the grocery store to ask for money and they are so food deprived that they don’t have enough strength to sit there all day long and pester tourists.

- I still find it odd when people ask “How long have you been here” my real answer is over 10 months. It totally doesn’t feel like it and were has the time gone.

My Namibian Birthday; with people yet alone

To fully appreciate the “Namibianess” (yes I’m making up words) of my 26th birthday, I must tell of all the events leading up to this weekend, all the good, the bad and the ugly.

My first plans months ago were to travel up north to Rundu to spend the weekend with the Kavango volunteers on the Kavango River looking at hippos and what not. Peace Corps had planned a committee meeting in Windhoek for the 5th and the 6th (my birthday) so I sadly canceled my plans and surrendered to the idea of being in the capital (not a big fan) with other PCVs sitting in a meeting. On the Wednesday just before, I was told via sms that the meeting had indeed been canceled and since it was too late to turn in a request for vacation time I decided staying in my flat laundry, watching movies and cleaning would be my birthday weekend, not much different from any other weekend.

When the VSO heard that I would be in Outjo she decided that we must go somewhere (she has a car). I love stupid touristy type things so I began listing all the places near Outjo I wanted to go but never could since I don’t have a car. I finally decided on Twyfelontein and the Petrified Forest. This is a collection of really old trees and the largest display of African rock art, another benefit is they are less than 200km away so it could easily be done in a day trip! Well the VSO invited some of our co-workers whom we are close with and everyone agreed to go where the birthday girl wanted, Twyf. Over the next few days my Namibian co-workers began talking and decided they wanted to go to Walvis Bay to see our old hospital driver. They began to put the pressure on me and the VSO to change our plans. To settle the dispute fairly I decided to flip a coin, we were going to Twyf.

Friday, September 5th four of us headed to the Craft Show in Outjo, which was hilarious. Many of the locals had booths to display their crafts or treats. The highlight in my opinion was the Afrikaaner men who are about my age. You see most Afrikaaner men wear really really short shorts but today I was lucky enough to not only have that view but many decided to go shirtless, what a birthday present!!!! Also on Friday, Thea (another PCV in Caprivi) was passing through on her way to Etosha with her mom and they stopped by the hospital to chat and to deliver a piece of birthday cake for me, thanks Thea and Thea’s mom, it was delicious and super sweet of you guys to do.

Around 7:15am on Saturday we picked up everyone to head to Walvis Bay : p (somehow the VSO and I just gave in Friday afternoon). By the time we left Otjiwarongo my co-workers were sipping/downing Windhoek Lager (beer) and I chewed on Mopane worms (Kunene classic), it was only 8:30am. The car ride was a mix of listening to American soft rock from the ‘80s and before. Highlights of course were the conversations, the family of baboons (seriously like 50) we almost hit outside of Kalkveld and getting beer splashed on me from time to time. I’m thinking this day can only get better.

When we finally arrived in Swakop I wanted to eat but my co-workers wanted to shop so we split up and I enjoyed a delicious lunch (seriously it was great) with a fellow PCV in Swakop and the VSO. Later we all went to the Swakop Aquarium (the Snake Park was sadly closed) which needless to say is no Monterey Aquarium. The main (only) tank was smaller than my backyard pool but there was tunnel underneath. We went during feeding time which was great to watch since the scuba diver was fighting a turtle who just never got enough to eat. At one point the turtle got the strap of his mask and snapped it off, the diver spent the next 15 minutes pushing/shoving the turtle away from him. This cute little German boy came up to me and asked if I would help him see in the tank so I spent about 10 minutes holding this little stranger on my knee has we shared the diver-turtle fight sequence together.

After the aquarium we went to the house of my co-worker’s aunt who was so sweet and offered a braai or a trip to the farm at a later time but we settled on some juice (I’m totally taking her up on her braai on the top of the mountain at her farm next year for sure). It was nice to see the Swakop location which is AMAZING compared to Outjo’s. My co-workers then decided it was time to get plastered (drunk) in the Walvis Bay location. Um, not really my idea of fun at all so I choose to stay over in Swakop at a fellow PCV’s house rather than traveling to Walvis and not being able to escape my invitation to a drunken night of entertainment.

In Swakop alone, I took advantage of a fast high speed wireless internet (almost forgot what that was like, wow) café where I could use my own computer. At 8 o’clock, when they closed I headed to the Lighthouse Pub and Restaurant for some pizza. The hostess gave me a table by myself and I happily sat there alone answering the many birthday smses I had received throughout the day. A few minutes later the hostess brought over a couple and sat them at my table with me, um awkward. They were obviously on a date and I was for sure a third wheel and interrupting the mood. I couldn’t help but laugh (on the inside) the entire time as all three of us sat in silence. It was really a weird date (well what I observed) the man (white) ordered food and beer and ate a bunch while the woman (black) sat there, didn’t say anything or eat or drink anything. I was more uncomfortable for them than I was for my party of one.

After the lighthouse I walked home to the PCV’s house and enjoyed a hot shower (a special treat for me) and watched the office as my cell phone died. Although I loved my conversations with my family, Nikki and a super long chat with Toni I realized that with a dead phone I now had no way to let the VSO know where I was so she can pick me up the next day. I sent out a sms that said “my phone is dead, I’m at the internet place tomorrow” and went to bed praying the message went through before the phone totally died.

Luckily, they found me and the hour time change was not agreeing with their hangovers. Since everyone was so hungover my co-workers slept and I seized the opportunity to put my shuffle in and finally listen to my music (so I had an amazing car ride back in my own world). The VSO was a great sport doing all the driving, and I thank her for the idea of celebrating my birthday. Eventually we made it back to Outjo, everyone sick and tired (combination of drinking, the temperature changes, and the ride itself) including me but definitely a classic Namibian birthday worth remembering.

Random moments and thoughts from the last 48 hours…

As I got on the train to leave Windhoek I found that the car was very crowded (unusual) and not one bunk area had a door (fabulous!!!).
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As I am meeting “new friends” on the train a woman kindly approaches me about my safety and informs me “You don’t need to be worried miss, no don’t be worried I will sleep with you tonight, in your blanket, with you.” (Um, ok you are now the only one I’m worried about on this train, not the angry drunks, the old men looking at me and my stuff in odd ways, ONLY YOU MISS).
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Holy crap it’s cold. Beyond cold, I can see my breath every second I’m on the train.
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Well my bright yellow “Stop TB” is kinda stained with black dots thanks to a washing machine and permanent marker and now I was wondering what on earth would I wear everyday. Luckily Namibia is awesome like this and I received a bright neon green “Drink Responsible” shirt, problem solved, thanks Namibia!!!
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I woke up in Outjo this Friday freezing. Seriously after a hot bucket bath and walking to work I was still freezing. After a few hours and a game of volleyball I finally got some warmth restored to my fingers, really Namibia who knew July was going to be so freezing, worst thing since I have no way to warm up, ugh.
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Razor wire fence ZERO – Amanda 1 (before our Drink Responsible Celebration as I was putting flags on our new fence)
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Razor wire fence 1,0000 – Amanda 1 (after taking the flags down, 1,000 alluding to the number of cuts on my hands)
You win razor wire fence, you win!
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An Afrikaner carnival in Outjo – of course! An Afrikaner country singing duo making an appearance, I’ve never seen a bigger Afrikaner crowd in Namibia – EVER! Wow, who are these country singing brothers?
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To celebrate America’s independence I thought about going to the Afrikaner carnival but settled on sitting in bed watching 3 seasons of the television show Weeds, something that displays America at it’s finest!!! Happy Independence America!!!!!!!!

oh technology....

Dear Macintosh Corporation,

Did I do something to you? Why do you insist on ruining my life? I have always been a Mac user and supporter but lately you have me questioning if you are out to get me. Yes, I was sad when my old iBook died the day I arrived in Namibia but I understood it was old and well I was lucky to have it as long as I did. I totally looked past when my brand new iPod kept screwing up and constantly needed to be restarted after freezing up every week. I have also begun to forgive you guys for the sadness caused when the shuffle my mom bought me (for safer running in Africa) didn’t work, straight out of the box. I mean that was sad, she was so excited to have bought it and put a message on it and I receive it in Namibia in it’s Apple packaging and it’s a dud. But, that’s life I guess. It’s just now my brand new MacBook, literally less than six months old is acting up and yesterday a DVD got stuck in it and broke the lens so I have to replace the entire CD/DVD drive, wtf? Hey, I’m a Peace Corps volunteer which means one, I’m trying to do some good in the world, two, I live on about 200USD a month and three, my computer is my life here. I cannot afford to keep getting Apple products fixed, especially when they are brand new and I’m trying to take super good care of them. You don’t have a store here and the only shop which sells anything Apple or could fix anything Apple is not exactly close. I mean this is getting ridiculous. So please whatever I did to deserve this forgive me and lets go back to the loving relationship we used to have before I joined the Peace Corps, SERIOUSLY!

Wishing for better luck with Mac products in Namibia in the future,
Amanda

"This is Namibia, you need at least two spares"

To give my parents a real taste of Namibia I had decided that we would be traveling on the back roads of Namibia, which are mainly dirt roads and not all are maintained regularly. We had left Sossusvlei early in the morning in order to get to Luderitz by early afternoon. An hour or so after leaving we were in the middle of a canyon trying to make our way out of it on the rough dirt road. All of the sudden we hit a sharp rock, twice, the front and back right tire. My father shared a few swear words and my mom just kept saying things like “Are you serious?”. We got parked the car on the top of a hill and walked the 500m to the last farm we had passed. I tried to ask the guy for help but he kept saying, “White man not here”, thanks buddy. Luckily it’s National Immunization Day time and the Ministry of Health is out driving to all the farms to immunize all children. They saw our car and stopped to help, unfortunately they were not going in our direction. The did however help us flag down a nice Afrikaner couple who with the help of their worker took the tires off our car and flagged down another car, a Dutch tourist couple to drive me the 50km to the nearest town to try to repair the tire. I left my parents in the middle of the Namib Desert, somewhere in a canyon with little water, food, no cell reception and a nice car with our entire luggage – this must have been the highlight of my parent’s trip! At the nearest town I was saddened when they couldn’t repair the tire and instead I had to buy a new one, problem they didn’t have the exact tire. I took what I could get and prayed it would work and then sat on the side of the road for 3 hours waiting for a hike back to the canyon. The elderly Afrikaner couple finally showed up at noon and drove me back and luckily the tire worked, using the other spare we were finally up and running.
Seeing how we didn’t have another spare, we drove very slowly to Luderitz (it’s official my mom hates dirt roads by now). We got there in the evening and luckily were able to buy new tires the next day. I felt horrible. I mean it’s really common but you never want your own parents to experience real Namibia. Luckily Namibians are super helpful. Every car that passed my parents offered to help in whatever way they could, giving water and what not. My gratitude goes out to the older Afrikaner couple that really went above and beyond in our situation. My poor mother stranded in the middle of nowhere for more than four hours, I’m surprised she survived with how worked up she can get as a worrywart. Luckily we were ok and everything turned out ok but my favorite part was one guy who stopped told my dad “This is Namibia, what were you thinking, you need two spares to travel here”, lesson learned. TIN

Last taste of Africa

Normally goodbyes at the airport can be very sad but not today. As my parents were checking in they where informed that their bags were overweight and needed to pay around $150USD. Um, no I don’t think so. First off their bags where much heavier getting here then they were departing (they had brought tons of stuff for me, heavy stuff) and secondly my mom didn’t really have a carry on so some luggage could have been given to her. The airline was being very difficult and acted like the only option was to pay. No, I simply informed them that we would not be paying at all and that if necessary they needed to get my parent’s luggage off the plane and allow them to move some things around (why the heck would they load my parent’s bags without them being completely checked in, stupid). So after 30 minutes of waiting as they tried to locate my parent’s bags (yes, my worry-wart of a mother is freaking out at this point thinking she is going to miss her plane, there are tears involved) they bring us the bags and we move things around and my parent’s finally get checked in. Silly, all the luggage was still going on the plane, what’s the difference between the weight being in the overhead versus the luggage compartment, I just don’t get it. So all the stress and frustration of my parent’s boarding fiasco took away from the fact that I would not be seeing my parent’s for about a year and a half. Thanks South African Air for taking away my goodbye, hope it was worth it. I’m just bummed that my parent’s last impression of Africa was this miserable; I mean seriously what a horrible way to leave this wonderful country.

Whoa my parent’s in Namibia

First impressions: “There is nothing out here” – so true
First meal: kudu pie – someone told my mom not to find out what a kudu actually looked like cause then she should eat it, haha
First morning: freezing cold shower – welcome to Namibia : )
First day: no credit cards work properly so relying on a Peace Corps salary – welcome to my life; lots of men with guns, small boarder control rooms, a variety of African body odor – I’m sure my parent’s were thinking why did we come here?

Yeah, my parent’s trip got off to a great start needless to say. To me it was funny cause this is my life but I can understand and appreciate their concern. Our first adventure was Victoria Falls, which was so beautiful. So loud and so wet but wow amazing. We spent that night in Katima where we did a Zambezi River tour and went looking for hippos, a nice relaxing night and we got lucky with a few hippos. From Katima we drove to Tsumeb stopping in Rundu where Justin a fellow PCV showed my parent’s a traditional Kavango meal. We ate lunch at a shack with a goat hanging from the wall preparing for the next meal. They gladly ate their pop (porridge) and random meats. It was wonderful.
Etosha was amazing we saw so many animals; a herd of like 25 elephants crossed the road right in front of our car. Many times we had to stop as the giraffes, zebras, springbok, elands or gemsbok got out of the road. It was really cool. In the evening we did a night game drive where we got to witness a territorial struggle of rhinos, a pride of lions and a spotted hyena. Seriously without seeing a leopard I still left the park completely satisfied.
Opuwo was great for my parents to see the traditional Himba life, yes it’s a little awkward doing one of those touristy Himba tours but I’m glad my parent’s got to see one of the very traditional people of Namibia. It was also nice to show my parents around the Kunene Region, my home basically, Outjo, Kamanjab, Opuwo and Khorixas and the fellow PCVs in those areas. After Khorixas my parents got their first taste of dirt roads as we went the long way to Swakopmund, for a few hours there was nothing or no one in site, I mean it was really us and the desert.
From Swakopmund we saw the giant red sand dunes of Sossusvlei, which brought great entertainment as my mom attempted to climb the sand dune. After the dunes we headed to Luderitz to see the penguins and the diamond ghost town and finally back to Windhoek. Overall my parents got an amazing look at a large majority of this beautiful country. It was a lot of road time but hey this is a big place it’s kinda what you have to do if you want to see it.

Nothing but time

A lot of thought went into this decision. First, my grandfather had passed away a few days before and he loved trains as a way of transportation. I thought it would be my way of saying goodbye or to honor his memory, or even my own type of remembrance since I would not be at the funeral. Second, I’m terrified to ride in cars in Namibia. Seriously I get an anxiety attack when I’m in them. Third, my hospital said to leave early cause I wasn’t my normal bubbly self since my grandfather’s passing and there wasn’t much for me to do at work. So in the end, I boarded the train from Otjiwarongo to Windhoek, a mere 300km distance.
No shocker the train was late. Real late. After my fellow PCV and I boarded the train we quickly got situated foolishly thinking we would be leaving soon. Three hours later we had fallen asleep. Well into the night I finally felt our train move, oh false alarm we only moved back and forth on the tracks in the train station for a few more hours. Once we finally got moving I couldn’t sleep because I thought the train was going to jump off the tracks, seriously I didn’t know trains made those movements or noises, I was so scared. Somehow throughout the night and morning I nodded in and out of a semi-awake sleep. Sometimes I would only sleep when the train wasn’t moving (which happened a lot). Around 7am we awoke and the train wasn’t moving. We were supposed to arrive in Windhoek at 6am so I was a little concerned. I could tell by the mountain range we were not anywhere near Windhoek and I was more concerned when at first not a single person on the train seemed to be moving, what was going on? Two hours later someone informed us that the driver had been off the clock around 7 so he stopped the train and got off and we were waiting for another driver to show up, we were somewhere in between Okahandja and Karibib. When finally arriving in Okahandja I was hopeful that we’d be leaving to Windhoek since there were no passengers and we were already way behind schedule. For thirty to forty-five minutes we moved back as forth on the same tracks in the station and then eventually made our way to Windhoek.
As we approached the Windhoek station all the workers were laughing and waving yelling, “Oh, just a little late” or “It’s about time”. We again did the back and forth thing in the Windhoek station and then around 1pm finally departed the train station. The whole adventure took about 18 hours to travel a distance that can be done in 3 hours in a car. In the end I decided that we had moved backwards more than we had moved forward and we had also been stopped more than we were moving. Oh TransNamib…well I guess it’s fine when you are like me and have nothing but time but thank goodness my parent’s had rented a car.

sixth sense?

Years ago I had a similar experience. I was 19 years old and sitting at home late at night while my younger sister was out having fun, classic. A feeling came over me and I began to worry about her, something inside me just felt like she wasn’t ok. Moments later the phone rings and as my mom answers I ask “What’s wrong with Lis?” Sadly I was right, something was wrong. Lis had gotten in a bad car accident. Luckily everyone would be ok after some doctor visits and surgeries.

Last night it happened again. I was reading “The Namesake” and just got to a part that I desperately needed a break from. I put the book down and took some time to reminisce about my grandfather. He’s really ill and when I left for the Peace Corps I realized it might be the last time I see him but more recently it’s become the sad reality. Lately, he has been on my mind a lot as his condition worsens while waiting to leave this world. As I was thinking about times I’ve spent with my grandparents I begin to think about actually going home and not seeing him there. The next time I visit my grandfather it will be at his gravesite. One of these days this week will not only be either my mom’s birthday or my sister-in-law’s birthday but will also mark the grandfather’s last day. Why blog about this sadness, well, it’s part of my experience here and part of my life. It was just too much to deal with at the moment so I decided to write about it. During my 30 minutes of remembering silly times with my grandpa my heart stopped and I just knew the phone was going to ring. I got up and walked to my phone and just then it rang. I answered knowing it was my mom and listened as she told me my grandpa was in a permanent sleep, we will never wake up again. The culmination of the last hour kinda hit me, I hung up on my mom (oops) and just took a minute to embrace what was happening. I’m not an emotional person normally so I took a minute, cried, and then tried to comprehend that life as I knew it would never really be the same again. It is apart of life and it’s not like he was taken unexpectedly, or that we haven’t had enough time to prepare but being the first close family member that I will loose I’m still unsure on how to deal with it and how to grasp the idea of the future without him in it. I can’t be too sad, he was in pain and he is on his way home, something he longed for in his last days. I’m just heartbroken that I wasn’t there, I couldn’t see him one last time, couldn’t hug him or joke with him. He is in a better place I know, but how do you say goodbye, especially if you aren’t physically there to say it and how on Earth am I suppose to go on with my mundane activities with all this baring down on me? I understand you just do and I will but that really just makes me sick to think about. Sorry for the depressing and odd ramblings of my life, I’ll try to be a little different in future entries. Other than issues back home, life here is fine.

oh yes I did....my bad

This Saturday was well a lazy day. Yes, I did not leave my bed for the majority of the day, ate a box of Choc-kits, half a medium bag of Nik-Naks and a variety of other junk foods. Really the day is over since it’s pitch black at night and I have nothing to show for it except watching season 1 of Heros and season 2 of The Office, fabulous!!!!

Oops, Sunday I did the exact same thing except I watched seasons 4,5 & 6 of Scrubs…wow, this is getting ridiculous. Thank God it’s Monday and I can at least go to work for 8ish hours of the day.

Camp G.L.O.W.

So once a year Peace Corps Namibia puts on a leadership camp for boys and girls grades 8-10 in Windhoek. Camp G.L.O.W. (Guys and Girls Leading Our World) brings around 75 learners from all over Namibia who have been identified as someone who is a leader or stands out or maybe has the potential to excel with the right direction. The learners are not the only one’s who benefit, 16 older Namibians (youth ages 19-35ish) are chosen to volunteer as facilitators (after training) to help guide the learners, watch over them and serve as a positive role model for the learners. You see Camp GLOW is trying to focus more on Namibians helping each other and the facilitators are the key to that process. The facilitators are chosen because they are leaders in their communities. I had the opportunity to go and observe this year’s camp in hopes to get some understanding of what running a camp actually takes or entails. First WOW, Nam26 in my opinion really did a great job, but it wasn’t easy. I think it’s Murphy’s Law that says something like “anything that can go wrong, will”…unfortunately this year’s Camp GLOW really lived up to that message, but despite all the things going wrong the learners had an awesome time and I think they really gained a lot from being there.
Although I was there to “observe” I was put to work immediately when a transportation crisis’ left learners and PCVs hours and hours away from Windhoek. Me and the other 27ers were assigned little jobs just to take some of the stress off the 26ers, I mean they had a lot to deal with it. After a day the 26ers decided that someone needed to fill the spot of a facilitator who couldn’t make it. Since I had already spent so much time with that group and had nothing serious to do in Outjo I decided to stay for the entire week and become a facilitator, which I must say was such an amazing experience.
Throughout the eight days I really got to bond with my 8 learners. During the different days I got to see a different learner excel. Each day has a different theme like “Team Building Day”, “HIV/ADIS Day”, “Leadership Day”, “Future Day” etc. It would be too much to write about the entire week but here are some highlights of my week through just a few of my amazing group members…

“B” is a learner who didn’t speak much, actually much may be an overstatement. She sat quietly for like five days just following what everyone else was doing. On “Leadership Day” one of the activities was to practice good public speaking, it took some silliness on my part but I got her to start making some noise. By the end of the exercise I was almost in tears as she read her speech with such confidence, so loud, with eye contact to each member, oh my gosh I wish I could paint a picture of this four foot mute stating her dreams and aspirations to our entire group, it was beautiful. As if I wasn’t proud enough after that during that talent show on the last day she was one of the main actors and really just did it with all she had, aw, wonderful. I sat in the back of the theatre room just amazed at what I was watching, it was as if she had finally got comfortable with the group and the camp and just broke out of her shell.

“Mr. President” is brilliant. I mean really he is so smart. Anytime any speaker or presenter asked a question he had the answer. When asked what his dreams were he said that he “wanted to become a doctor, find the cure for AIDS and then retire as the President of Namibia” something in the way he said it and after getting to know him and knowing his potential…I believe it. “Mr. President” really shined in his leadership abilities, he is a natural and leading our group just seemed like what he was born to do. I really hope he follows through with the plans he has for his school and community, something tells me he will.

“The Wizard” is another really quite one who just kinda went along with the group but on “Leadership Day” things totally changed. During a blindfolded obstacle course she masterfully guided half the group safely through the course all at once. It was awesome. After that day she had a new power that was just really cool to see develop.

“Somebody”. Anyone with facebook knows that all my status updates last week were about “Somebody”, well this is him. Somebody is a grade 8 learner from a village sort of near me. On the first day of camp the learners had to decorate a t-shirt using words that described them. This learner kept writing NB all over his t-shirt. He told me it was a nickname his teachers at school gave him and now everyone calls him NB. Later Jill found out what NB stood for because he wouldn’t tell me. NB is short for Nobody. What kind of teacher says something like that to a child, let alone repeat enough times so it sticks with them? My heart broke as I thought of this child thinking he was actually nobody before his life really starts. I decided this was not only unacceptable but I wasn’t going to encourage it by repeating that name. Starting that day he began to go by SB or Somebody. It was really cute if anyone said “I need somebody to help with this” SB would walk forward and state “I’m Somebody.” The best part of it was that on the last day when the learners were suppose to add things to their t-shirts that they had learned about themselves over the week Somebody changed all the NBs to SBs and wrote SOMEBODY all over it. Out of all the villages in Namibia, he probably comes from one of the worst so I worry about him but luckily he is close enough to me that I can go visit and check up on him.

These are just some of the stories from my group and there were seven other groups so just imagine how camp had changed some learners. Having professional Namibians come and speak to them about careers really made these learners think of all they can do. After a career panel where an accountant and geologist really sold their jobs half the learners wanted to go to university to be come one of the those two exciting careers. Gaza (the biggest music star in Namibia) comes from a really bad background much like a lot of the learners but has made something of himself and continues to work on changing Namibia. When he spoke to the learners it was one hilarious to see them go nuts that they actually were face to face with their icon but to have that icon encourage them to follow their dreams and not to get mixed up in drugs, alcohol and sex…probably one of the best motivators for them of the week. The week was filled with these moments that really made me so grateful for the opportunity I had to participate this year and help plan next year’s camp. It was the hardest week that I have had here, I worked 6am-11pm straight, always on, but it was also the most rewarding week. I feel so blessed for this past week.

I LOVE NAMIBIA!!!

Dear Semi Truck Driver,

Thank you so much for searching Outjo for the only American and returning my sandals to me. You made my day. You ROCK!

So Grateful,
DAR

reality bites

I was watching Garden State last night and one line from the movie really hit home for me..."I'm homesick for a home that not longer exists." That is exactly how I feel. As I am sitting here typing my grandfather is slowly dying. As I went to sleep last night I had visions of moments with him. It makes me miss home, makes me miss him. Although I have come to terms with the fact that I will never see him again (I'm not being morbid, it's a fact) I still cannot imagine home without him. My grandparents have lived around the corner from my since I was in fourth grade, they have been very much apart of my life for as much of it as I can really remember. The idea of returning to America, returning home without him there makes me ill. At times when I think of home and start to miss it my mind always tells myself that my version of home will no longer be there. It's not like missing something knowing that you'll get it again, I'm missing something that I can never get back. When I am done with my 27 month service my home will be lost forever, I will return to a different America, a different California, a different life. Sometimes that's too much to deal with. I really just don't know how I will ever be able to be home without him.

speical times in Namibia

Dear Semi-Truck driver somewhere in the Kunene Region,

You have no idea the value of the treasure in your cab. You have one of my reef sandals and one of my chacos (without backs) basically you have one of each of my favorite sandals. I hope you enjoy their presence as much as I would.

Thanks for the ride though,
Dar


Dear Inventor of the Cholera Cot,

You are a genus. It may just be the best invention ever. Although I have not had Cholera a recent case of explosive/runny diarrhea (thanks Namibia) has really allowed me to appreciate the concept of the cholera bed and gosh I really wish I had one. If you could make one portable so I could travel with it that would be even better. This may be too much information but anyone who has experienced a similar situation will understand, it ain’t fun. If you have any extra beds send them my way.

Impressed,
Dar


Dear Feet,

Why does something always have to be wrong with you? I need you, how can I make things right? When can we be up and running again, I hate these cracks between us ; )

In pain,
Dar

of course in Namibia

Today was hilarious and it's hard to explain the randomness of it all but I was fortunate enough to get a free ride from Windhoek back to my site by an Angolan priest working in the region. For the 3.5 hour car ride I was attempting to understand Porteguese (sorry can't spell this evening, nor do I care to spell check) with whatever Spanish I know and tried to communicate with the passengers using my horrible Spanish skills. I mean forget learning Damara or Afrikaans, today the only language I needed was one that actually isn't one of the the 10 or so spoken here. Oh and I must say Angolan music really puts Damara hymns to shame, the are fabulous.

Live from Windhoek...luckily

So well leave it to the boys to talk me into silly things. So four of us (PCVs, Chaz, Dave, Chris-the voice and me) were heading to Windhoek for training for VSN-Volunteer Support Network, a committee that we got accepted to. We were super excited and after looking in Otjiwarongo for over an hour for a free hike Chaz came through with a great ride that looked pretty safe. We climbed in the back of the truck with our luggage and the 3 consultants’ luggage and headed to Windhoek. We were about 20 km outside of Okahandja when we came over a hill and Chaz said “oh look a baboon” at that moment rather than looking at the baboon I looked at the road as I was against the tailgate door facing my friends. I saw that we were quickly approaching a stopped vehicle and not stopping in time “We are gonna hit” was all I could say and then bam, we were in our first Namibian car accident. Rather than pulling off to the side of the road to take a picture of the baboon the German tourists decided that stopping in the middle of the road on a blind hill would be smart. Everyone is ok and more of less injure free. The boys were my pillow so I’m great but the boys have some bruises for when we all kinda hit each other. Luckily a nice couple from Ondangwa stopped 30 minutes later and gave us a ride to Windhoek so we weren’t stuck in the middle of nowhere on the B1. As far as accidents go we are so very LUCKY and we know it. Had there been someone behind us I would not be writing this, Dave and I probably would not have survived or if the driver decided to try to go around the Germans we would have hit on coming traffic or we would have went on the soft shoulder and for sure flipped at that speed and well that would not have ended well. God was certainly watching over us yesterday.

Oh, weirdest thing the Germans’ back windshield was destroyed and our truck like a champ. With all the car parts and windows on the hood of our car there was a lone avocado sitting on the windshield wipers, funny huh, glass and an avocado.

Oh the time change is going to change my life…

Random pieces of the weekend in Outjo:

Saturday I was able to go to the cutest thing in Namibia. All the preschoolers in the location gathered for a type of “field day” or track competion. It was adorable to see children so excited about their events, I mean 3-6year olds running, jumping, participating in relay events, ADORABLE. The teachers were so into it as well and the parents, well they reminded me of my own mother at my soccer and waterpolo games. The kids didn’t get anything for winning but it didn’t matter. The children looked happier than most kids look on Christmas day. Seriously, what a great day, so much fun for everyone there.

Today officially was the time change in Namibia. The sun woke me up at 5:30 this morning when it normally doesn’t shine in my eyes until after 6:45. It was so hot by 7 there was no way I was going running. The good thing about the time change is that now it won’t be cold in the morning so my freezing cold shower (oh yeah my electricity and hot water are off, yea I’m actually in normal Namibia now) won’t kill me as much as it used to. Now it gets pitch black at like 6:15 at night. So much for my nightly runs, so much for my routine in Outjo, gosh now I’ll have to once again wake up early to run in the cold, at least now there is light.

Special note: rainy season is over. It’s hot (not summer hot, more like September in California) and dry. Oh winter cannot come quick enough.

I totally rocked some chocolate chip cookies today. Then to make the weekend more perfect I added some ice cream and enjoyed an ice cream chocolate chip cookie sandwhich.

Somedays the Namibian sky isn’t beautiful and breathe taking, somedays it just…is.

Is it culture shock? I don’t know. Is it homesickness? Probably not. What it is/was I still don’t know. The last few weeks have been rough. Not only was I physically ill but I think emotionally I was suffering. You see I, like most, joined the Peace Corps with some idea of living in a hut with nothing for two years, totally immersed in a community and culture and through my interaction and health programs in a sense begin to change the world. Being here is well-far from that. I don’t think my culture shock is from Namibia being different from America but more from my life in Outjo being not at all what I had expected. They tell us to come with no expectations and in a sense I didn’t. I also gave no preference when PC asked where I wanted to live and what I wanted to do. I guess I figured by giving no preference and openly saying I’ll live anywhere I figured I would get the job (no one really wanted) completely isolated from the world, in a hut with nothing and no job purpose, expected to make it up as I go…what I didn’t realize is that is the life I deeply wanted and I should have spoke up. I never expected to be in a town, a real western type town, completely separated from the community I’m trying to integrate into to, living in an Old Age home with hot, running water, electricity and security guards or doing graphic design type work at a hospital that doesn’t have the capabilities to even do that. Basically I never ever imagined THIS and well dealing with the reality has been hard, harder than I ever thought. I was told that sometimes being a PCV in Namibia is hard for that reason, people often feel guilty for their situation or depressed that they aren’t “roughing it” more. I have learned this the hard way.

Being the first PCV Outjo has ever seen and one of the few volunteers that have ever (any organization) lived here I have a lot of ground-work to do. People need to get used to a volunteer from America for one and two they need to get use to a PCV, someone who not only wants to work here but live here, be apart of Outjo too. For the most part Outjo is separated in three areas: town, location and squatter areas. Town is largely white, wealthy people, location is the working black population and the squatter areas are people who have almost nothing. There are some black families in town and they are the wealthier ones, doctors, nurses, judicial people etc. It’s unlike a lot of Namibian towns/villages because it’s small but very developed. It’s also a tourism spot since it’s the south entrance to Etosha so there are lots of lodges around, stores, paved roads, bakeries and such which are not common in the rest of the towns in the Kunene Region. Often times it doesn’t even feel like you’re in Africa. My reasoning for painting a picture of Outjo is to understand that the location is very far away from town, in all aspects. Not only is the location less developed and full of shebeens (bars) it’s up a hill and rests on the plateau that rises above Outjo. You can’t see the location from town, you can only see the road up into it. Town and location are completely separated which was probably the purpose in the set up years ago during apartheid.

I live in town, well the outskirts. It kinda goes me (town on the side), the in-between area, location and then the hospital. Outjo is rumored to be an “unsafe place” in Namibia, so I am not allowed to walk around at night or around the squatters areas. I try to walk through the location as much as possible but each day I return to town and leave the community that I’m trying to integrate into behind. This has been hard, really hard. I am trying but it’s just frustrating, and well I get depressed. I wish I didn’t live in a big town where it’s so hard to meet everyone or anyone for that matter. I wish I lived in the location so people would see that I’m here to live with them rather than just to come in for health functions and what not. I wish my language skills were getting better but town speaks a different language English and Afrikaans than the location (Damara) so I sort of don’t speak any language but a smile.

The feeling of being useless at work is just magnified when everything outside of work is also slow moving. Needless to say I got in a funk and well it was hard to get out of it. Of course once I started feeling better physically and was able to get back out in the community and walking around my attitude began improving. There are somethings I was prepared to struggle with but the feeling of complete uselessness and isolation from the community I’m trying to integrate into weren’t them.

So why my pointless venting, why share with anyone reading my blog about the trouble coping in Outjo. Some people have commented to me that the PC life looks tough (sarcastically) because of pictures or stories I’ve posted on facebook and this blog of my living arrangement and my recent vacation. They are right. First, I don’t take pictures of my time in the location, squatter areas or out in the bush. These are people, not a scene out of National Geographic and I am not going to put them on display. For many the only white person they have come in contact with is a tourist and I’m trying to give them a different view so I keep my camera for fun times with other PCVs of my co-workers children. Second, I’m hardly living the hard life but that in and of itself brings on a whole new set of difficulties. Trust me though, not a day goes by that this is “easy” and if I need a nice vacation to bring back some normalcy to my life or recharge my mental state well so be it, luckily I live in a beautiful country where that is always a possibility…basically, if you aren’t here, you don’t get to judge.

my first Namibian/American vacation

One good thing that comes from an upper intestine virus is that you have time (when you are awake) to update your blog. Yes, I am at home on doctor ordered bed rest for three days (I have already been at home sleeping for two so five might kill me from boredom). At least I finally have time to write about my first Namibian vacation, which I enjoyed Easter weekend in Swakopmund.

**(note I’m writing this on a lot of drowsy meds and did not bother to think while writing or proof read it, so sorry)

Thursday night:
Jill and Juice arrive from their sites and we enjoyed some of Jill’s homemade cookin’ and a ton of Reece cups that I received from Nikki in a care package. When I say a bunch I literally mean a bunch. I think each of us had a minimum of 12 cups. Needless to say we were on an extreme sugar high for the entire night where we took silly pictures and made them into a slide show that we enjoyed shortly after. Not only was it just great to see friends but to have some of American goodness was just another treat. Of course it’s a “you had to be there moment” but it was such a great night. Staying up late talking/catching up, eating junk and laughing for hours.
Friday:
Jill, Juice, Ghada (the VSO from Outjo) and myself set out for Swakopmund early in the morning. Jill and Juice had made some mixed CDs that we jammed to during the 3.5-hour car ride. It was just like being on a road trip with old friends. It was nice to be traveling in Namibia for once where we could enjoy a safe and sober driver (Ghada), seat belts, not worrying about hiking to the next point and American music not Damara hymns. As we traveled from the Kunene Region to Swakop the scenery drastically began to change. It became less green and the rolling hills turned into large mountains and then finally the last hour of the drive a barren desert. Seriously it’s like you are driving into the dead zone, there are not shrubs, no trees, just sand.
From the moment we drove into Swakop we were in awe. The palm trees, the stores, the smell of the ocean, it was like we had entered an entirely different country. It’s like a little Germany or little America, nothing like the rest of Namibia, probably the reason everyone holidays there. There are tons of restaurants, shops a movie theater; I mean it’s amazing!!! After checking into our hostel Juice and I changed into our swim gear and headed straight to the beach. There is one thing two ex-polo players had been missing in the last five months, swimming. Both of us being from California going to the beach was literally like going home. I never thought I was a California beach bum but I gotta tell you when I saw the ocean I had never been happier. I couldn’t stop running until the cold Atlantic was all around me. The water was super salty and really dirty but I loved every minute in it. At one point Juice started to yell at me to bring my attention to someone walking near our stranded stuff on the beach and forgetting I was in the ocean I got wiped out by a huge wave. I hadn’t been spun like that in such a long time. At once point I didn’t know where I was or what direction was up. I had to open my eyes to see which way the bubbles were going so I could find my way to the top so I can get some air. After a short breathe I got hit again. Our stuff was fine but I was all shaken up and caught in some seriously seaweed and a strong under current. Once I finally got a handle on the situation I was able to enjoy the ocean’s waves again but I’m still in shock that I let the ocean get the best of me, I mean I’m a swimmer for goodness sakes.
The four of us set out to eat a “real” meal not consisting of goat meat. Swakop has a nice little promenade with restaurants along the ocean and so my lunch/dinner of Oreo milkshakes and pizza was made perfect with the sound of the ocean. After eating I found the rest of my Nam27 friends (yes we took over Swakop that weekend). They had all been there for at least a day and their sunburns proved that they too had been enjoying the beach life.
Later that night we all (like 25 Nam27ers) took over a pub and began to dance the night away. The place was so crowded it felt like a sauna. Jill, Juice and I left and walked around the town. It was freezing in Swakop, which was a wonderful break from the normal hot temp. It was fabulous to see everyone at the pub but after a few minutes I was just overwhelmed and hot and well I just had to get out. It’s funny that out of all the Nam27ers I see Jill the most and even on vacation we spent almost all our time together. After our evening walk the three of us headed back to the hostel to curl up under the blankets and once again stayed up all night talking, the rest of friends staying with us came home super late but luckily we were still up to hear how the rest of the night pub hoping had went.
Saturday:
7am wide awake. Downfall of being a PC volunteer, you never sleep past 7am even when you try. I was determined to walk to the dunes, which are on the outskirts of town. Ever since I found out I was coming to Namibia I have had this crazy idea of sliding down a dune. Normally I’m the one with an excellent sense of direction but after taking Jill on a two hour walk into nowhere land we decided to head back to have breakfast and get ready for our next adventure…
Five of us decided to go skydiving, even though none of us can afford it on PC salaries. First they drive us off into the middle of nowhere, seriously. We were out in the middle of the desert and like a mirage a building complex appears and the car stops. All I could think was if they wanted to kill us they could, no one could find us-or help us. After signing our lives away and getting our instructions we loaded up into another van and the drove us further into no mans land to a tent. I took a picture of the 360-degree view of nothing, well sand. It’s crazy, the tent shaded all the workers who were packing the parachutes and well all around us was the “air strip”. After loading into the world’s smallest plane we (Jill and Rach went first and Juice, Betsy and I went second) flew above 10,000 feet were the view was beautiful, the ocean and sand dunes, AMAZING. Although this was my second time skydiving this time was so much cooler, the view, the instructors, everything was fabulous and my instructor let me fly, so cool.
Once we returned to civilization we met up with all the rest of our friends and went to a movie. It was so nice to feel normal again. The movie was not good but it was nice to enjoy the bad movie with all my friends. Everyone else went out pub hoping again that night but me, Jill, Rachel, Juice, Colleen, Aly, Natalie, Ghada grabbed a bite to eat at just enjoyed walking around. Most of us came home early, one because it was SO cold and two because we had an early morning to prepare for.
Sunday:
Easter morning, Juice, Aly, Jill and myself left at 6:45 in the morning to head to Walvisbay for a kayak trip. Our instructor was driving us on a large sand bank/peninsula called Pelican point. He pointed out all the wildlife we were seeing and points of interest knowing it was our first trip to Walvis. We kayaked in the lagoon and then out into the ocean to try to see some dolphins. I was amazed at how many seals and dolphins we saw. When they told us is was a guarantee to see seals I thought they were being a little cocky but my goodness I like we saw a couple thousand and not from a distance they were all around us. It was wonderful, it was like playing with the seals. Instead of an Easter egg hunt my friends and I went on a dolphin hunt. One of us would see a dolphin and we’d all paddle as hard as we could to try to get it to swim with us and play with us. Ah, it was so beautiful, a blue ocean, sand dunes as far as the eye can see on land and seals and flamingos everywhere. Skydiving was fun but this was a total different type of high or beauty. I’m so glad I did it, seriously one of the best things I’ve ever done. I can’t wait to do it again in June with my parents and in June there is a chance we will see whales!!!
Dinner was another great western meal topped off with soft serve, but after the weekend of such adrenaline rushes I was ready to sleep and regain my energy.
Monday:
We had been too tired and busy the previous nights to try to watch the sunset from the dunes but Monday Juice, Rach, Colleen and I got up early and walked out to the dunes in the dark to try to watch the sunrise. Swakop is covered by fog most of the day and well we never saw the sun actually rise but from the dunes we saw the sky change color, ha-ha. Silly idea but it was worth waking up early because just before we headed home Rachel and I went jumping down some dunes, weekend complete.
Yeah, a lot of people have given my a hard time about my weekend, saying oh didn’t know PC was so “rough” and what not. Being away from everything you know as normal for 5 months, missing every major holiday with your family, and being stuck at your site for months without seeing your friends is hard and without a vacation one might just lose it. Although that vacation was a break from reality it was so needed. At the end not only was I recharged and but I was dying to get home to Outjo.

Under Orion's belt

Two-month anniversary, yes I have been in Outjo for two months, where has the time gone? Two months and what have I got to show for it, no real purpose defined, no job description/function, no real community integration and my language skills in Damara and English have not improved but actually decreased. Seriously, what am I doing here, I need to get my act together. Two months and I don’t really feel like I have anything to show for it, it’s like I’ve wasted the last two months.
So let me share how I spent my exciting two-month anniversary of being a Peace Corps volunteer in Outjo…it was just another typical day…
First, I actually got to sleep in. Ok, slept in until 8. This is the latest I’ve slept since coming to Namibia. It probably has something to do with the fact that I couldn’t sleep the night before and didn’t actually fall asleep until after midnight, more than three hours past my bedtime. After waking up and surfing Facebook for a while I decided to go for my morning run. Because I was in such a fabulous mood I decided to go for an extra long run. It was fabulous. The only downfall was the cloudy morning I started running in faded. The sun seemed to peak through the clouds and no matter where I was running the sun decided to shine directly on me. Even in the morning, even on a cloudy day the Namibian sun is hot.
When I returned from my run I grabbed some breakfast and headed into town. In Namibia everything closes at 1 on Saturdays so I had only a small window to run to PEP to get more phone credit, the building store to get a hammer and nails, the post office to send a package to my Caprivi friends and to the grocery store if I wanted to eat this weekend. After strolling through town I returned home in hopes to improve my current bed net situation. My ceilings are super high and my walls are cement so I couldn’t really put my net up comfortably. It’s up against my windows because I needed the window latches to hold the net up. This means that as I sleep the net hugs the bed and in turn me, and in order for me not to touch the net in the night I sleep as straight as a pin in the middle. It’s really not comfortable and well if I’m going to be here for two years I might as well attempt to put this thing up right. So anyways, after adding two nails to bring the net away from the window I was stopped in my attempts as one of the elderly who live in my Old Age Home can and yelled at me for a good ten minutes. Apparently people are sleeping at 1:04 in the afternoon. I told her I was trying to get it done before 2 because that’s when I figured people would be taking their naps. She continued to ream into me about stupid crap and disregarded my question “When would be a better time to hammer?” Silly woman, seriously, as mean as she wanted to be she can’t get rid of me, the hospital and the government own the building-not her.
After that fun event I attempted to clean my apartment while watching RENT. Gosh what I would kill for a vacuum. Instead it took two hours to sweep my carpet with a hand broom. It was seriously the most disgusting thing I’ve done thus far. There was so much dirt and dead bugs, ew, I just felt gross afterwards. Then I attempted to clean my bathroom where the ants have taken over. After dooming (bug killer) the room there was a thick layer of ants with bees, wasps, beetles and moths in the mix. Ugh, seriously the grossest (is that a word?) day yet in Africa. It was really defeating since when I woke up this morning the dead moths are back on my bedroom carpet and well the ants have returned to the bathroom with a vengeance. I’ve decided to attempt to doom the outside of my bathroom (did I mention I’m on the second floor). Ha, maybe that will make the old woman come yell at me again, oh well.
After my horrible cleaning day…seriously 4 hours and only two rooms clean, in America I could clean a whole house in that time, I decided to go exploring in the bush surrounding Outjo. It was seriously so much fun until the weather quickly changed as soon as I was an hour out of town. As I attempted to get home in the massive storm I learned that you should never go exploring in the rain without the proper shoes. After a scary fall from some rocks I thought, maybe it’s best to just get home and stop goofing around. Wow, what a cold walk home. The crazy wind and the rain were so chilling. Maybe just the coldest I’ve been in Namibia. Luckily I live in a town, because there were quite a few times I got a little lost and with the storm it was hard to see the mountains and find my location, but the street lights helped guide me home. I got home soaking wet, freezing, legs bleeding and so tired, but gosh it was a great little adventure.
After dinner the storm passed and I went for an evening run. The clouds parted and after I finished stretching I just laid out under the stars, gazing off into la-la land. I was directly under Orion’s belt. The stars were so beautiful. I started thinking about the last four months, being in the Peace Corps, the fact that I’m in Africa starring at the stars, my family and friends who are half way around the world from me and what I’m going to do with the rest of my service and the rest of my life for that matter and well I decided to let everything go and just enjoy the moment under Orion’s belt just for what it was, a beautiful peace.
I laid there for awhile, I was just caught in a perfect moment. I didn’t even mind the bugs which were eating me alive, or the snakes which could have been making their way towards me, I just was…sometimes that’s all you can do is just be in the moment. Maybe it’s this Taoism book I’m reading finally getting to the best of me but it was just great to block everything out and just focus on Orion.
Oh just to update you, the little change to my bed net-LIFE CHANGING! It’s like a whole new bed, a whole new life, it’s amazing and wow I slept so great last night. And some of you may be thinking wow Amanda you are so active now, running, hiking, yes, yes I have become somewhat of an outdoors junkie. But don’t fret no matter how many runs or walks I go on I’m not losing any weight, it’s hard to lose weight when you eat peanut butter on everything, gosh I love that stuff. Well hopefully this week I will be doing the outreach that got cancelled last week and if so maybe I will have fun stories to share, if not another week of trying to find stuff for me to do, trying to find my place and how I can help in this town, oh Namibia, oh Peace Corps, oh my life!

gosh this a slow slow, SLOW day/week

In the four months I have been in Namibia I have learned that there are many things that I can tolerate and yet little things which really annoy me. For example I can tolerate the odd looks from the community, begging children, no having a clue what to do with eight hours of “work” a day, the power going out at random times, the million marriage proposals, transport problems always causing outreach to be cancelled, Namibian time, Himba boobies everywhere I look, the constant bugs in my flat and feeling useless 90% of the time. These are things have become the norm to me and I no longer really think twice about this stuff. But today as I walked to work, walked because I missed my ride cause well I just wanted a little bit more sleep and knew I would be doing nothing at work today anyway, so anyways, I was walking to work and I realized I hate flies. I hate flies almost as much as I hate ants. The thing about Namibia is if you are walking in the morning you get completely covered in flies. I normally only experience this on outreach days (like my week in Kamanjab) but really today as I was trying to swoosh the flies off me I remembered the hell of Kamanjab mornings and outreach trips in Outjo. I feel like a horse, and I’m surprised more horses don’t try to kill themselves. Seriously for about 10 minutes I try to move my head, wave my arms, do a little dance but the flies keep coming back. After 10 minutes I just deal with the flies crawling all over me (ew including my face and all around my mouth and eyes) and think ah, I hate flies. What is their purpose and why do they like me so much? So after four months serving as a PCV the only thing I realized I really can’t stand but tolerate because I don’t have any other choice is … flies. Is that bad? Shouldn’t I be doing a lot more personal growth, flies, that’s all I’ve discovered…wow.


Dear PCMO and staff,
I got my medications finally. You rock! Guess I won’t die from an asthma attack for the next four months as you gave me a huge supply. Thanks, I will stop calling and smsing you now.
Grateful,
Dar

God is great

Words cannot really describe last night’s sunset. I walked out of the elderly home and just casually looked to my left towards Otjiwarongo and literally had to catch my breath. It was so beautiful and I couldn’t look away. As I walked to the end of the road to get a better view I just stood there in awe. There were two huge yet perfect dark purple clouds joining at the bottom by a thin line. Behind the purple clouds the sky was the brightest pink and orange I have ever seen. Seriously, amazing in color. So deep, so rich. Right at the tip of the mountains and below the line connecting the purple clouds was a faint yellow ball. The yellow from the sun was really overshadowed and overpowered by the pink and orange in the sky. You could easily miss the sun if you were not starring as I was. To make the sunset even more fabulous there was a lightening storm in the purple clouds around the sunset, so for the 10 minutes I stood there I would see bolts of white light move through the clouds or the entire cloud would light up. Gosh it was so amazing.

For a moment time stood still. I just stood in awe, thinking how majestic, how wonderful, and how blessed I am to have been a witness to the most beautiful Namibian sunset. Don’t get me wrong every night here God does a magnificent show but last night, ah, last night He really out did Himself. I wish I had a camera that could have really captured the beauty of last night, or maybe if I was a skilled painter, this sunset beat anything Van Gogh or Monet or anyone has done thus far in terms of use of color. It was seriously one of the best moments of my life, so simple, so pure. In that moment I knew: one, that God exists, that He loves me very much and that yes, I am exactly where I am suppose to be. All that in a sunset you might ask, yes all that in a sunset, it was just that powerful. Like I said no words could really convey the beauty of the sunset but I thought I had to at least share with you just how amazing God’s creation can be. It was seriously the most beautiful night yet in Outjo, gosh God is great.

another day in Outjo

Oh, I love Namibia. This morning I woke up bright and early for my morning run and I got to enjoy the most beautiful sunrise over the Location. As I run up the hill perpendicular to the old age home (where I live) I could see the clouds lift over town and off in the distance fog is nestled in the valley created by all the hills surrounding Outjo. It was so beautiful. The sky a deep pink color with bright orange streaks. Seriously, a great way to start off the week. I love Namibia, I love Outjo.



Dear Namibian Rain,

Thank you so much for returning to Outjo. I was really beginning to miss your face. It has been so hot and all I want to do is run in the rain again. I know this is rainy season so why did you leave me so quickly. I enjoy your thunder and lightening storms and the way the clouds look as you fall. I really wish you intend to stay for awhile but the morning clear blue skies has me thinking you have found another place to go. Seriously come back, I miss you, I need you. I promise to be good to you, to enjoy every moment, even when the electricity goes out, JUST COME BACK! Please stay until winter.

Longing for your love,
Dar


Dear Funky Bump on my finger,

What the heck are you, where did you come from and how do I get you to leave? I really wish you would just go away, stop hurting and really, really stop growing. I would look in my med kit for some magical cure if I only knew what the heck you were. I can help but scratch and pick at you cause I find you so intriguing but now I fear you might get infected if you don't heal soon. You are driving me up the wall, please leave and never return.

Really Annoyed,
Dar

oh heck yes I did!!!!

So boredom has kicked in and well I have no desire to clean my apartment when I will be leaving for a week again. Instead, I have straightened my hair and put make-up on. Hot date? No, I am actually going to wash my face and put my hair in a pony tail and go for a hike alone. Sometimes you just need to feel like a girl, even in Africa.

Kamanjab

This week I spent a few days in Kamanjab, a small village/town in our district. Our outreach team did school visits to the primary school in the location and the combined school in town. One a few different occasions I was wondering through the bush on a little dirt path from the clinic to the different schools. I was walking with an ice chest of vaccines strapped to my back, needles in one hand, syringes in the other hand, wearing a long skirt, Chacos, glasses (cause I can’t wear contacts in the bush), with my hair in a braid enjoying the wilderness under the bright, bright sun and I started laughing - I was a perfect picture of the stereotypical American aid worker in Africa.
In Kamanjab I actually got to do something useful. I gave general hygiene talks (hand washing) and dental care instructions and demonstrations to grades 1-3. At the primary school in the location the Principal had everyone prepared so the students had brought their toothbrushes (those that have them) so we got to all brush our teeth together, it was really cute. So, yeah, I brushed my teeth at least four times each morning before lunch had come around. For the older kids we had a sexual/reproductive health talk with the girls, there is definitely room for improvement in this area for our outreach team, but hey it was the first time. We also gave all the 10 year olds, DP and polio boosters and the 15 year old girls got a tetanus shot….it was actually a really productive time in Kamanjab. Now I just have hit up every other school in the district, at least I’m doing something now.
So I’m home for the weekend (so glad to have my toilet again) and on Monday I will head out again but this time for outreach to the farms around Kamanjab. I have no idea what we will be doing and more importantly what I will be doing. It’s hard to give health education at the farms cause well my Damara/Nama is not up to par yet and I don’t speak any other language that is of use. Seriously I need to be more committed to my language development.
This week in Kamanjab I got to do a lot of exploration with my coworkers. It was really great. I was determined to find an elephant and my coworkers just wanted me not to kill myself in my efforts. Kamanjab is a gorgeous place, boring but so beautiful. It was so great to do some rock climbing (Gideon and I had a challenge on each rock, he won almost every time but to my credit I was wearing a skirt that got in the way), hiking and just to hangout with Namibians my own age. It was seriously a great week, but gosh I’m so glad to be back in Outjo.

lessons learned in the last 48 hours...

1. Never go grocery shopping when you are starving and about to go into the bush for two weeks, you will spend an ungodly amount of money (money which you do not actually have in the PC)

2. Never complain about not having anything to do because you will be shocked with the jobs you are given there after. Today I was in charge of fixing our computer's internet (I know nothing about computers, especially things that aren't Mac) and then I was dropped of at the local primary school to give health education....on what?????? so i walked in to 65 smiling faces (grades 1 and 4) and just laughed my way through a talk on hand washing and brushing your teeth...hope that's what I was suppose to talk about

3. Never assume just cause you were dropped off for a work function that you will be picked up, I really appreciated sitting on the corner waiting to recognize anyone who would be driving to the hospital, I wanted to walk but my counterpart refused

4. Once you question where the "other" computers in your hospital are that the Regional Medical Officer assures you are in use somewhere (although you have searched high and low in all of your hospital grounds and couldn't find the computers in question) they will magically show up in your office, with a new printer....hm....how did that happen and where did it come from

5. Never assume you know what is in your PC med kit, actually look through it weekly cause you'll forget what the great PCMOs have provided for you, I have been trying my best not to scratch my skin off that is covered in bug bites and last night I found two different sets of anti-itch bug bite cream in my med kit, whoops my bad, i guess that would've been helpful

I FOUND LOVE IN NAMIBIA!!!!

Dear Bed Net,

How do I love thee, let me count the ways. I never thought I could find a love like this. You are so safe, comforting, and always there for me. Just know I am in this relationship for the long run, I’m totally committed. Please tell me you feel the same way.

Looking forward to our date tonight,
Dar

oh life...

So I would like to thank PC for this experience. My standards of…well life have changed drastically. In the states when eating fruit I would probably throw away rotten fruit, say apples, bananas and pears, but due to the lack of fruit available in the country and the well abundance of money I make as a PCV, I have totally abandoned my previous ways of thinking. Today for instance I was holding a completely rotten apple and thought this is really really not good but instead - I ate it…all. This is not the first time I’ve done this so I am not really shocked that I did it but I was shocked that afterwards I grabbed the rotten pear and ate that too and well this is normal. Lack of money and well once I spend money on food, no matter what I gotta eat it, including moldy bread, bad milk and cheese, meat/fish/chicken that has thawed/been frozen again/thawed/frozen and finally just left out and things you buy thinking it’s going to be something totally different than what it turns out to be…all this I eat with a smile and think…this is my life?

I thought PC would open me up to new foods and I would finally learn how to cook but instead I remain a picky eater just with lower standards of food quality and sanitation. I embrace the PB&J sandwich as a staple meal for me and all bran/high fiber cereals as a necessity. Also, soda is a luxury I can no longer afford so water, water and more water is all I drink. I guess it’s good to finally cut down on the sugar and get a little healthy.

So while in Opuwo this week I slept on the floor of my friend’s living room with the windows open because they don’t shut and did I mention Opuwo is in the prime malaria region and it’s rainy season. My body (yes entire body) looks like I have a rash or the chicken pox. I am covered in bites and they itch soooooooo bad, thanks Opuwo, I’m in a real hurry to return.
Today I will suffer the wonderful car ride back to Outjo, this time I’m hoping we can actually make the 3 hour trip in half a day and that my life won’t flash before my eyes every few seconds. It would be great to see some more giraffes (saw 10 up close on the ride here) but I will take no animals for a safe and short trip….oh transportation in Namibia.

I’m convinced after this week that boths (bird-moths) have the ability for advanced skills, like typing. Last night on a few different occasions a both continued to pound on my computer keyboard, maybe it was wanting to write and email, either way better it was me out in that living room than Jill.

Dear Hospital Driver,
Please, please, please attempt to drive the speed limit today. On paved roads it’s totally ok to put your foot on the gas and not ride the break for the entire 5 hour car ride and on dirt roads lowering your speed limit is usually appropriate. At least one hand on the wheel would be greatly appreciated. Also, when in town and there are ten million children running around the roads please do no drive 160km/h, it’s just not right and scares the sh*t out of me. One last thing cows are not the same as bushes, you cannot drive through them as easily. I look forward to this fun/wanna kill myself experience today. It’s amazing that 300km takes 6-12 hours to actually complete but I guess I have become painfully aware that TIN.

Hoping not to die today,
Amandar

oh the things that pass the time Feb. 10 journal entry

So I ask, which would have been easier change my sandals because they are digging into my skin and causing my foot to bleed or take apart my medical kit and do a minor surgical procedure on my foot, cover my foot in bandages afterwards and place the same sandal back on?  I chose the second option because 1) I really like these sandals and 2) my ride to Opuwo is four hours late and I needed something to occupy my time - haha THIS IS MY LIFE!

Hi, and welcome to my blog spot.  Just so everyone knows there is no editing done so I apologize for misspellings and grammatical errors (Jill will always point them out to me, thanks Nam sis).  There is no purpose to this blog just the thoughts of the moment of stories from the the mundane moments that occupy the days of my 26 month service in Namibia.

The other day during my morning jog I came across some a section of road that was covered in brown leaves.  Wow I thought, the leaves fall here too.  As I approached the area I discovered it wasn't leaves but thousands of dead moths stuck to the road by at least one wing.  Odd one would say how can you mistake a moth for a leaf.  Well in Namibia moths are more like small birds normally the size of my hand or my face and they are in shades of brown, orange and red - hence the mixup.

Today I ate moldy bread.  The VSO said ew and told me to throw it away but I thought this looks like such a delicious PB&J sandwich and I'm in Africa so I shouldn't waste food and well PC doesn't pay me enough not to eat my moldy bread...I hope I don't get a stomach ache.  *side note I was still eating that same loaf of moldy bread for the next three days until I couldn't deny that my bread was indeed all green and not brown....I like to think this is one of the many things that separate PCVs from VSOs...WE are hard core!!!