Heading North!!

This term break I didn’t have any visitors or important trips planned so I stayed around my site for some days and got organized for the next term. There were no teachers and the learners had gone home so it was very quiet and relaxing. In my two years service, I’ve seen quite a bit of Namibia but I hadn’t traveled to the Oshivambo-speaking area up north. The Peace Corps places many volunteers in this densely populated area for our Education, Health and Community Development programs. So what better time than now to pay my colleagues a visit?

I planned a trip to visit Natalie Lopez (fellow Californian!) who teaches in a small village about 50km from Outapi. Outapi is near the Angolan border and the trip probably takes over 15 hrs straight from my site in the south. I decided to break it up and spent one night in Windhoek. Then it was a 9 hour kumbie ride up to Outapi where again I spent the night at another Volunteer’s place before heading out to Natalie’s village. In Windhoek I decided to splurge and spent the night at the Hilton!(maybe no biggie for YOU but for this gal.."Hmmm..shower or bath..? How about BOTH?!") Drinks poolside, hot water, real comfy bed AND TV! And the best part was breakfast! It wasn’t cheap but I’d go there again just for the awesome breakfast!

The next day it was 2 more hikes out to Natalie’s village called Iilyatek. When we finally arrived, it was real quiet and the landscape is so different from my area: green, low-lying trees, shana ponds, lots of cattle and some goats. Two other Education volunteers joined us: Emma and Hannah….and Hannah’s cat, Fella. This kitten was the mascot of the trip! Because the school breaks are 4 weeks long, it’s not so easy planning what to do in the break time and sometimes volunteers are not allowed to remain in the school hostels. So we are encouraged to go visit other volunteers around Namibia. It was fun spending time with these young ladies. We exchanged experiences and complained about the Peace Corps and all the inconveniences that serving in the Peace Corps offers. Natalie’s flat is comfortable and pretty spacious. We watched movies and played cards. Natalie has to fetch water and the toilet is a pit latrine so washing dishes, clothes and bathing can be challenging but it was satisfying to see another volunteer’s perspective on living and working in Namibia.

Some photos are from our visit to Outapi and the gigantic Baobab tree. It is estimated to be over 1000 years old! It was once a bar, store, church AND post office! Other photos are from Natalie’s place and her school. There is also a mission in her village and some learners live there during the school year. I was also treated to a local meal of mahagu (porridge/polenta), grilled meat (capana) and spicy tomatoes and roasted nuts. We ate at the local market and everything is eaten with your hands…no utensils. It was delicious but spicy hot!! Meats and food here in Namibia are always prepared with spice or other hot flavors. They are not big on veggies but boy!  Do they LOVE their meat!!

I am back at site now and the second term is off to a slow start. Many kids are still on the farms and won’t get here till probably next week, even though today is the official first day of school. I have a PC training this weekend and then the following weekends in June and July will be filled with school events and I’ll post photos. Its winter here now so it’s gotten colder at night and early morning but the cloudless sky and bright sun warm you all up. I’ve gotten into a routine here but am also preparing myself for the end of my service. 

THE NAMIBIAN COAST IS EXTRAORDINARY!!

 April marks the end of Term 1. It went by pretty smoothly and I was well-organized with all my tests prepared so even when they announced last minute that the last days of exams would be crammed into the next two days, I was ready! I marked all my exams and moderated others and then helped out with completing the reports and class schedules on the computer. We managed to finish all and now the learners are gone, most teachers have left and I’m spending a relaxing weekend alone.

In the past month I have taken a trip to Luderitz to see the magnificent coast! What a grand time I had! I want to thank Travis Matthews for having me at his place for my stay. He was so welcoming and included me in all his weekend activities. He is a PCV and works in CED (Community Economic Development) and collaborates with the Chamber of Commerce and local businesses. I met his local friends and they showed me all around town. It was great to be near the ocean again and this place has a much more low-key feel to it. The weather was great, went out to breakfast, had coffee and cakes in the afternoon and the braai (BBQ) on the beach in the evening! I even had some yoga lessons on the beach as Travis has started teaching yoga to some locals. (the photo with kids in water shows how resourceful kids are here…they use condoms as floating devices!!)

What a lovely time! I met some wonderful people, Phil, Alna, Liz and Paul and learned a bit more about Namibia. It is refreshing to get another perspective about life here and discuss some of the serious issues facing this country. Up till now, most Namibians I’ve met aren’t interested to discuss these things. Liz and Paul have transformed some old boats into apartments and decorated their property in true beach style with colorful succulents and collections of bottles and shells. It all reminds me of Santa Cruz.  Alna works for a TV station in Windhoek and travels with her crew covering stories in Namibia. She was in town to cover the installation of wind turbines for a new wind-powered energy station in Luderitz. Phil was my private cabbie; so generous and he had some fascinating stories to share for such a young man!

They also took me to Diaz Point where the Portuguese navigator Bartolomeu Dias erected a cross in 1488 upon his arrival from Good Hope in South Africa. The bridge to get to the point was destroyed by the mighty waves on this coast so you must hike up the short path at low tide. We also went to Kolmanskop, the sandy ghost town where diamonds were once mined. It was a thriving town before WW1 but by the 1950’s, it was totally deserted. It’s really eerie with lots of great photo opportunities. It was Easter Sunday so the gift shops were closed but I really enjoyed the tour and I had my own private tour guides! We went to Agate Beach to have a proper braai and BOY! do these Namibians love their meat! They are ready to brave the sand dunes with their bakies and braai at a moment’s notice!

Back here in the village, winter is soon to be upon us. I’m still wearing short sleeves and shorts but I put the fan away. Stay close by for the next adventure!

WHY DON’T SHE WRITE??

I see that I haven’t posted on this blog for some time. The months seem to race by and I keep putting it off… apologies. The first school term will end in a few weeks and we are just heading into the exam period. That means lots of testing, last minute assessments and late-night marking. I have been a teacher for quite some time but the workload, expectations of staff and cultural differences in schools here are difficult to comprehend. I maintain my classes and after-school activities and attempt to keep projects going. Collaboration from my Namibian counterparts is not always forthcoming and the realization that some projects may die out after I leave is something I expect. Our PC goals are to create sustainable projects but it isn’t always easy. I’m proud of what I have accomplished and learned so far. I know that my presence here has made a difference for some learners and colleagues and that is what matters to me.

I am pleased at the progress of the library. We now have a mandatory reading period during the school day and so learners came pouring into the library in February to borrow books. What delight to see them reading in the corridors and promote reading in the class!! Many kids at this school cannot read and so seeing other learners busy with books has encouraged them to check out picture books and feel part of the group. We have taken on library prefects who help check out and shelf books and teachers are also coming to the library. This is one project that I know WILL continue and contribute to the performance of learners at this school.

My English and Art classes are coming along. I’m fortunate to have a projector so learners can take notes from the screen. I didn’t have any art supplies so I used the donated supplies and some crayons and paint to put together some lessons. I tried to teach them a tidbit of Art History (!) and showed them photos of Rome/Italy to expose them to some western art culture. Too bad I don’t have the creative assistance of my talented cousin, Cyndi! Oh! What we could create!

The other projects I am working on include the school newspaper, a program for non-readers, a study skills program for the grade 8 learners, afternoon classes to help prepare learners for exams, collaborating with the orphanage and improving the children’s English through song and dance (thanks, Diane!.) On the weekends, I try to go into the village for walks or go to church to sit in on the mass in KKG. It is pretty safe and I know my way around now. Most everyone recognizes me and will say hello… but I’m still waiting for that invitation to the farm! I lead a very simple life here… no car, shopping or television to distract me. I wake up in the morning to the most spectacular sunrises you have ever seen! I need to pinch myself and remember how lucky I am to have this opportunity to be here in Africa!

Over the mid-term break in March, I took a 5-day camping trip with some other PCV and we drove up the northwest coast of the country in a 4x4. It was glorious!! The area is so remote and we drove past Himba villages and through rivers and washed out roads. We camped at the Kunene River along the Angolan border and also saw the Epupa Falls. There was a lot of driving but we saw so much and I even celebrated my birthday in style! (thanks Jen!) That's Jen, Nathaniel and Andy with me on the trip. Only 1 flat tire and Jen was always ready to test the river water before crossing!

I plan to go to Luderitz for Easter but haven’t yet made plans for my school break in May. We should be having some PC regional trainings soon and that will give me an opportunity to catch up with other PC volunteers and exchange experiences. Down here in the south of Namibia, we are placed in more isolated sites and don’t see other PCV very often so I look forward to meeting others.

Enjoy the photos and I will post others soon!