Brandberg: A trip of really high highs and really low lows

45 minutes he said; we will be back in Karibib in no time he said… Nearly 3 hours later and I am hopping out of the bed of the covered bakkie as it is still rolling to a stop. My legs are wobbly, my entire back is in pain, and my neck is stiff as can be. I wipe the sand off my left arm only to reveal another layer of sand. This is the culmination of my trip and ascent of Brandberg Mountain, Namibia’s tallest mountain. From the beginning of the trip to the end, myself and my friends experienced a range of incredible highs and unbearable lows.

Starting from the beginning, we woke up bright and early to go to Brandberg Mountain from Karibib. This was a 3 hour drive, give or take. The catch was that our ride was a covered bakkie (pickup truck) that sat 4 up front, 5 including the driver. There were 11 of us with full backpacking backpacks. This meant 5 with 5 bags in the front and 6 with 6 bags in the bed. No one was going to be comfortable.

I was one of the lucky ones to sit in the bed of the truck. There was a thin mattress and some pillows to protect our tailbones. We piled in our bags and then squeezed in our bodies. It was tight and uncomfortable, but we thought we could handle it. That was until we got to the gravel roads which covered about 85% of our trip. We bumped and bounced around. The thin mattress provided little to no comfort, and if there were any screws or knobs our backs’ found them. On the especially big bumps, our heads smacked the ceiling of the cover. Despite or discomfort we found plenty of humor in it. We were fresh and eager. We switched positions multiple times until we found the best of the worst.

Eventually we got to the nature reserve of Brandberg and picked up our guide. That’s right. We picked up another human being with a backpack and shoved him in the front cab for another hour long drive to the trail head. Once we got to the trail head we all got out and let the blood rush back into our limbs. In front of us was a giant slab of reddish granite rock. The peak wasn’t visible and wouldn’t be until day 2. We said goodbye to our driver and finally started the adventure we had all been waiting for.

The hike started off in sand. Gradually the sand became small rocks which became big rocks which eventually became giant steep slabs of granite. The landscape in front of us and behind us was unique, with the reddish granite rocks going straight up in front of us and a vast plain of nothingness at our backs. We could have been on another planet especially since no signs of civilization were visible despite being able to see for miles. In its own way it was beautiful.

The hike was strenuous and because we started in the afternoon the heat was pressing down on us. Luckily there was a nice consistent breeze. We trudged along following our guide up between rocks and sparse vegetation. Throughout the hike our guide pointed out Rock Paintings. Some of these paintings were quite faded and hard to see, but others were very much visible. The paintings were reddish brown and white and depicted men, women, and animals. It was pretty amazing to see these works of art that were some 5,000 years old.

We hiked upward making our way to our campsite. When we made it the sun was already beginning to set, so we set up our campsite and ate. For me dinner was a sweet chili tuna packet on a brotchen. We made a little fire to sit around, but as soon as the stars came out our sights where set to the sky instead of at the fire. I honestly can’t remember a time when I had seen as many stars as I did on Brandberg. It was spectacular.

On day 2 we woke up, broke down camp, ate breakfast, and started. We hiked just a short bit to another campsite with access to a spring for water. We set up camp here and purified water. We then started our trek to the summit. This was an interesting hike. There were the usual steep inclines and maneuvering through rocky passages, but in between there were also large flat plains. After a couple hours of hiking the peak was finally visible. In another hour of pretty steep incline we made it to the highest point in Namibia. At 8,550 feet we could see for miles. It was a wonderful feeling to be up there looking down on the country. At the top we found a tin with notes from other hikers. We left or own names and messages to add to the collection. The work it took to get to the summit was well worth it. We made our way back down to our campsite for some much needed rest and relaxation. We played cards until it was dark and the stars came out again.  

Day 3, we woke early and hit the trail as soon as we could to try and beat the heat. We were walking back to the bottom to finish our hike. We went down the same way we came up. Going down proved to be much easier than going up had, but still was fairly strenuous at times. Our biggest worry however, was not making it down, it was whether or not our ride would be waiting for us. We had only been able to shoot off a couple of texts to the driver to let him know when we would be down. At the bottom there would be very little shade to cover us from the afternoon heat.

We all made it back to the trail head just before noon, and our bakkie was nowhere to be found. There was also no cell phone reception. For the time being we could only wait and hope that he was on his way. Our guide went off to find reception and returned later with bad news. Our driver had gotten a flat tire. We had to wait for him to get it fixed then make his way to our location. Between us, we had very little water. Most of us brought only enough for the hike down not anticipating a long waiting period for our ride. We shared what we had and drank sparingly. We eventually hiked to a ridge where we could get cell reception. Our guide informed us that our driver could be lost and mentioned the possibility that we might have to camp another night or hike 5 miles to the nearest farm. Neither sounded like a great option considering we had almost no water left. Some of us found some shade and hunkered down hoping that our driver was on the way. Eventually, we got word that he was back on the road but had gotten lost. He was close to our location and our guide was able to talk him back in our direction.

Finally, after almost 6 hours of waiting we spotted the bakkie. It was a welcome sight to see. We walked off the ridge to the bakkie, expressed our gratitude to our driver for his perseverance, and hopped in…all 11 of us plus 1 guide after 3 days of hiking in the dead of summer. With my legs hanging out the back of the bed of the bakkie we made our way to drop off our guide. This was a little over 1 hour of bouncing on gravel roads in a most uncomfortable position as the tailgate popped open time and time again. After dropping off our guide and saying our goodbyes we piled back in. We found a slightly better formation; laying our bags on the bottom and sitting on top of them. We had another hour to the nearest town.

At the small town of Uis, we stopped at a rest camp for drinks and happened upon a pool/bar/restaurant. It was glorious. First stop was the bar for water and cool drink (soda). Second stop was the pool. We stripped down to our underwear and jumped it. I don’t think there could have been any better feeling. It was pure joy.

After the pool, we ordered food and drinks. I don’t know if it was because of all of the things that happened before, but I’d say that the chicken burger was probably the best I’d ever had. This gem we found in Uis helped erase some the pain we endured earlier that day. Unfortunately we still had to make it back to Karibib…a 3 hour drive on mostly gravel roads. So once again we piled into the bakkie. This was the longest 3 hours of my life. I sat by the tailgate, back bent, legs squished, screws poking and prodding different parts of my body. We tried to keep the back window down to keep the dust out, but the heat and mustiness of the air was unbearable, so we opened the window. While the breeze kept us cool, the dust caked our bodies inside and out. I used a bandanna to breath but still found myself wiping the grit off of my teeth. I and the rest of my companions in the back endured the pain. We had some good laughs in doing so, but ultimately we couldn't wait to be out of the cramped space. When we finally made it to our destination it was a huge relief. To be able to stretch our muscles and to be able to take a breath without sand were treats.

Despite some of the tough times during this trip, I would not change anything. The hike was incredible and we got to see some amazing sights. Yes, the transportation situation was pretty miserable, and being stranded out in the middle of nowhere for hours with little water was harsh. But hiking to the tallest point in the country, seeing a unique landscape, gazing up to an unbelievable amount of stars, and celebrating at the Uis rest camp are all memories that I will cherish forever. And to do it with the group that we had made it all the better.

Oh, and I definitely have a greater appreciation for water and spacious vehicles. 

Food For Thought: Thanksgiving Edition

Breakfast –

• strawberry flavored maize porridge (like oatmeal but cheaper and less healthy)

Lunch –

• same old same old: Left overs and PB&J

Dinner –

• Spicy Beef Soup (Family recipe)
• Bangers and Mash

Snacks & Desserts –

• banana bread
• Corn flour shortbread

Thanksgiving:

Justin, Kaan, and I celebrated Thanksgiving as best we could. We decided to hold our Thanksgiving on Friday rather than Thursday because we had the day off thanks to elections. Here is what our menu consisted of:

• Roast Chicken (turkey is a little difficult to come by)
• Stuffing
• Mashed Potatoes
• Gravy
• Baked Mac n Cheese
• Cornbread
• Green Bean Casserole
• Pumpkin Pie
• Beer Powder Beer (ready in 24 hrs)

It was all delicious. The neighborhood boys enjoyed it too.

Settling In

Sometimes you just have to make your own fun here, and by sometimes I mean most of the time.

It was a huge team effort of blood, sweat, and tears. But after just a couple hours of work the team successfully scraped together an entire Settlers of Catan game set. Some cardboard, paper, and crayons have pieced together a lifetime of fun (or hopefully at least 2 years of fun).

The game was built in Windhoek, but now resides in Swakop where visitors aren't just encouraged to play. they're forced to settle.

Changes to the game:

• the name from Settlers of Catan to Settlers of Namibia
• Wheat to Mahangu
• Sheep to Game
• Ore to Diamond
• Knight to Bushman Warrior
• Victory Points: Shebeen, Pride Rock, Car Wash, Church, Fat Cake Meme

On a side note, the first 3 games played have been won by...Me.

Being Korean...But Not Really...Not Yet

“I’m not Chinese”

“I’m Korean, but I came here from America which is where I grew up”.

“I don’t speak Chinese”

“You’re damn right I know Kung-Fu!” (It’s a lie; I don’t know Kung-Fu)

These are just a few of the lines that I say or at least think of saying on a daily basis here in Namibia.

Apparently, everyone from America is white and everyone that is Asian is Chinese. If I’m not Chinese, I am Japanese. Once in a blue moon does someone actually guess that I am Korean. I have even been called Indian, both in the Native American sense and the Indian sense. There is a Native American themed restaurant chain here (don’t ask me why), and there are Indians here working on construction projects. I also once was mistaken for a New Zealander, but generally I am Chinese here. It’s not a big deal. It does not and will not affect my success here as a Peace Corps Volunteer. Is it extremely annoying? Yes. Can it be funny sometimes? Absolutely. Do I want to bang my head against a wall? Not quite yet.

I think this is due to equal parts ignorance and history/experience. I don’t think geography and cultural classes are of utmost importance here. When it comes to people of other backgrounds, knowledge seems to stem from history/experience and media.

At some point a pretty significant number of Chinese immigrants came to Namibia. Many Chinese own what are literally called China Shops. They sell really cheap and random products and they don’t typically hire Namibians. The other source of Chinese comes from construction. China has invested a lot in Namibia constructing roads and other infrastructure. In Swakopmund, I often get mistaken for a miner since a lot of Chinese work for the mines. These are the Chinese people that most Namibians have had experience with, so this is the group that I automatically get put into. I should also probably note that I get it from everyone: Black and white, young and old, educated and uneducated. It doesn’t matter; to all of them, I am Chinese.

As I walk down the street I here whispers of “China” and “Chinese”. People greet me with “Nihao”. Children have asked me if I know Kung-Fu. On occasion I get the good old “Ching-Chang-Chong” line. My reaction to all of these remarks usually goes one of two ways depending on the situation and my overall mood at the time. Sometimes I just completely ignore it all. I keep on walking like I didn’t hear a thing. People aren’t too persistent here, so they’ll just stop. The other thing I’ll do is stop and talk to the person or people.

I’ll explain that I am not Chinese and that I don’t speak Chinese. I then either tell them that I am from America and end the conversation there or sometimes I tell them that I am Korean, but grew up in America. At times I even say these things in Afrikaans: “Ek is nie Chinese nie. Ek praat nie Chinese nie. Ek is Korean maar ek kom van America af”. (I am not Chinese. I don’t speak Chinese. I am Korean, but I come from America). This always catches them off guard.

Regardless of what I say, the response I usually get is “ohh, ok”. Whether they understand it or not is trivial. On special occasions when the person seems nice and I’m in a good mood, I explain further that Americans are not all white, but in fact can potentially be of any race or ethnicity. Again I get “ohh, ok” as a response, but it makes me feel good that I tried.

More recently, I have tried to be proactive. A teacher from the primary school in town asked me to talk with the 7^th grade class about entrepreneurship. I was more than happy to do this. Here is how I started my presentation:

“Good morning everybody, how are we today?”

           “Good sir, good”

“My name is John, and today I’ll be talking to you all about entrepreneurship, but before we begin raise your hand if you think I am Chinese.” (nearly every hand goes up) “Ok, now raise your hand if you think I am Japanese” (the remaining hands go up) “Ok, guess what? You are all wrong”.

     “Sir, you’re Korean” says one boy from the back

“Yes, that is correct! Thank you! I am not Chinese, not Japanese, I am Korean. Thank you.”

Then I proceeded with my presentation (which went very well), but not before making certain that 106 kids know that I am Korean. Hopefully, they will tell their family and friends and hopefully word will get around, so that maybe overtime people will recognize me as the Korean-American business volunteer instead of just another Chinese guy. With Swakopmund being a large community it will be an upwards battle, but I know that even just a small impact can go a long way.

My Host Organization

I've mentioned before that my Host Organization and primary project is a COSDEC (Community Skills Development Center). Here is a little bit more information about it:

COSDECs are vocational skills training centers. There are 9 centers located throughout Namibia. All of the centers are governed by the COSDEF (Community Skills Development Foundation). The mission of these COSDECs is "to provide focused, practical skills training that incorporates business skills, entrepreneurship, and life skills and to relate the training programs to opportunities in the local economy in terms of demand for goods and services." The target market are unemployed youth and school drop-outs, and the very inexpensive course offerings attract this market. A typical course is 7 months long with a 3 month job attachment, and the total cost for a course of this length is only $700 Namibian. The courses are offered at such a subsidized cost thanks to significant outside funding.

The particular COSDEC that is my Host Organization is COSDEC Mahetago located in the township of Mondesa, Swakopmund. The current courses that are offered to trainees include:

• Basic Welding & Fabrication
• Basic Joinery & Cabinet Making
• Basic Plumbing & Pipefitting
• Basic Bricklaying & Plastering
• Basic Office Administration & Computing
• Basic Food Preparation & Serving
• Basic Clothing Design

I will not be working directly with any of these courses. Instead I will be working with the center's new Business Development Center (BDC). The BDC has 3 main functions: 1) incubation units, 2) business courses, and 3) mentoring. The BDC will also offer the community a resource center with computers, printing, and other business resources. 

My main responsibilities will be to assist in developing the BDC's activities in a professional and sustainable manner. Sustainability is essential, especially considering that I am a volunteer and not an employee. Any developments that I assist with at the COSDEC must be able to continue without my presence. For example, if I develop a business course on bookkeeping, the course must be able to be taught by an instructor without my help. Furthermore, if that instructor leaves, there must be sufficient documentation about the course so that a new instructor can teach the course without aid. 

So there's a little bit more detail on my work situation, but I will also be sure to continue to keep you up to date on all my projects.

Pictures of COSDEC Mahetago:

Food For Thought (Oct-14)

While living with a host family my diet was pretty dependent on what my host mom bought and cooked. I could have been pickier and more demanding, but that’s not me. I was always well feed, so who was I to complain.

Since moving to my own place in Swakopmund the game has changed. I now buy the food and cook my own meals. Sometimes myself and the other Swakopteers, Swakopmund volunteers, (I just came up with that) get together and one might cook for all or we might cook as a group. This is always a nice occurrence, but for the majority of my meals, I cook for myself.

Some examples of what I have been cooking/eating:

Breakfast (nothing crazy, just quick and easy stuff)

•  Eggs, toast, and fruit. This is pretty standard. I’ll scramble the eggs, cook them over easy, hardboil them, or maybe put them in a hat.
  
•  The other main breakfast I have is yogurt with granola. Simple, easy, delicious.   
• Oh and of course I may just throw together a PB&J. Always a winner.

Lunch (even easier than breakfast)

• Leftovers from the night before.
• PB&J…
  

Dinner (keeping it simple to save $, but getting creative when I can)

• Rice or lentils with beans. Yep, that’s what we got to do on our Peace Corps budget. I usually add in things like onions, carrots, dice tomatoes, or frozen vegetables. Sauce packets and spices help add flavor as well.
• A pretty good one pot dish I made was chickpeas and sausage cooked with chicken broth, onions, diced tomatoes, and garlic.
• I made chili, just like mom makes it back home. The only thing missing from the recipe was bacon because I can’t afford to use mince (ground beef) and bacon in the same dish. It’s a shame I know.

Snacks & Desserts (not much to say here)

• The popular snack recently has been popcorn. No microwave, but who needs one when you have a pot and stove.
• The only sweets I’ve made so far has been sugar cookies, but I’ll be baking up some more sweets for sure.
  

Only in Swakop (part 1)

Some things you can do in Swakop that you probably can’t do elsewhere in Namibia:

10/17/2014, 7:30pm – Went to a tea shop owned by Bridgette, a very kind German woman, who happens to help run a French club here in town. On Fridays they like to have French movie night. For $40 we got the movie, a glass of wine, and snacks. The movie was “36 Quai des Orfevres” or “36^th Precinct”. It was a cop drama and was quite good, and also there were subtitles so we could understand. Going to French movie night at a German tea shop was not something I was expecting to do in Africa. We will definitely be attending again.

10/18/2014, 5:00pm – Around low tide we hit the beach, went out to the rocks, rolled up our sleeves, and endured the incoming waves. Why? So we could collect muscles of course. An individual is allowed to collect up to 50 muscles a day. It’s easy fishing as they are all over the rocks. Also there is no competition; we were the only ones out there. We collected about 80 good ones, and brought them back for dinner. We got some good sized ones, but even the smaller ones had good meat. Master Chef Justin cooked them with butter, garlic, white wine, onions, basil, salt, and pepper. We had it over pasta with garlic bread as a side. It was delicious. Definitely was expecting to be able to get fresh caught muscles, for FREE. Without a doubt, muscles will be on the menu quite often over the next 2 years.

An Introduction to Swakop(mund)

Swakopmund is a coastal town surrounded by the Namib Desert. Unlike most of Namibia it enjoys an average temperature range of 59 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit. Rainfall per year is less than 20mm, but it is common to have moist and foggy mornings. The name of the town is derived from the Nama word Tsoakhaub (excrement opening) describing the Swakop River in flood carrying items such as dead animals into the Atlantic Ocean.

A Brief History:

Swakopmund was founded in 1892 by German Captain Curt von Francois to act as the main harbor for the German colony. Just south of Swakopmund is Walvis Bay, Namibia’s only deep sea harbor, which had already been claimed by the British. Swakopmund quickly became the main port for imports and exports and thus became an important town for the German colony.

In 1904 the Herero Wars began. This was a series of fighting between the Herero tribe and German colonists. During a four year period the Hereros rebelled against German colonization. This caused the Germans to increase their military presence in Namibia. The increase of soldiers coming through Swakopmund actually spurred development in the town. Unfortunately the uprising also brought infamy as a concentration camp was established in Swakopmund. Herero prisoners were forced into labor and thousands died.

Development continued until World War I. In 1915, South Africa took control over the German colony. The import/export business coming through Swakopmund was transferred to Walvis Bay leaving the town economically depressed. Fortunately, it was recognized that Swakopmund had potential to be a holiday resort town. Since the early 20s, Swakopmund has continued to develop as a holiday destination, but very little other developments happened. Then in the 70s a uranium mine was built inland which helped bring new development to the town. Regardless, tourism is still Swakopmund’s largest and most crucial industry.

Today:

Nowadays, Swakopmund remains a popular tourist destination. There are an abundance of hotels, coffee shops, restaurants, bars, and souvenir stores.  New development is coming in including a new beach front hotel, housing, sports facilities, and shopping centers. Adventure tourism is popular with sandboarding, quad biking, camel tours, fishing trips, and skydiving. In one day you could go sandboarding on the dunes in the morning, attend an art gallery in the afternoon, and then enjoy a nice dinner by the beach.

Much of the original German architecture still stands. Some of the notable German buildings include the prison and the old train station which is now a hotel with a movie theater and casino. Walking through town you will hear plenty of German being spoken.

The beach is nice; however, it does not remind me of a beach resort as they want you to think here. It just doesn't have the feel or the year round weather to justify being called a beach resort. On the other hand, I can’t complain as it is very nice to be able to enjoy a beer on the beach. There a number of good restaurants around, none of which I've been to due budgetary restraints, but I’ll save my 5 cent pieces.

Overall:

Swakop is nice. I have everything I need and then some. There are plenty of things to do, places to go, and people to meet. That being said, it is still Africa. Just because the town is a holiday destination with German architecture and nice hotels and restaurants does not mean that I am no longer in Namibia. The aftermath of Apartheid is very much apparent. The blacks live in the location, coloreds live in another township, and the whites live in town and other nicer neighborhoods. There are very few bars where you will see a mixed crowd. The distribution of wealth is immense. Life is not easy in the location. There are many uneducated and unemployed people, and even the employed may not make enough money.

I was placed here for a reason, and after only being here for a short time I can already see so many opportunities to help the community. I may not be living out in the bush in a mud hut fending off wild animals as I had pictured, but I will absolutely be helping a community and its people, and this is ultimately why I joined the Peace Corps in the first place, so I couldn't be happier.

My New Home (Away From Home)

I am all settled in my new home away from home. For my Mom’s sake, I cannot just say it is my new home because as she has said many times before, “Home is where your mom is”. Regardless, I have fully moved into my place in Swakopmund.

My house is situated in The Location. Essentially all towns in Namibia have what is referred to as The Location. This is where the blacks lived during Apartheid and it still where the majority of blacks live today. For the most part, the housing is formal with cement or brick houses on designated plots of land. They are on the grid with running water and electricity. On these plots of land however are many informal houses. These are typically tin or wooden shacks that are used as living quarters or just extra space. There are informal neighborhoods where the majority of houses are shacks with no running water or electricity. These neighborhoods spring up out of necessity.  

The Location in Swakopmund is called Mondesa. It is a pretty large area that is just outside of town. From my house it takes 30 minutes to walk to town (at a decent pace). There is a Woermann Brock by my house. WB is a Namibian grocery store chain. Most groceries here are South African. There are also a lot of other informal stores around which include hair salons/barber shops, tuckshops (mini convenient stores), kapana (grilled chopped up meat), shebeens (bars), and other random stores. Most of these informal stores are set up on the person’s property. There are also schools and churches in Mondesa.

My house is a 1 floor split unit in my landlady’s backyard. The other unit is occupied by Justin a fellow PCV. My unit is one big room and a bathroom. When you walk in the kitchen area is on the right, bathroom is on the left, my bed is in the back right of the room. It’s not much, but I can’t complain. I especially cannot complain because I have hot water. It actually gets chilly in Swakopmund, so a hot shower is quite the luxury. Namibians say that you will experience all 4 seasons in one day here. This is somewhat true for them, but definitely not for a New Englander. On the outside there are clothes lines to hang my hand washed clothes (there is a laundry bar in town which I plan on going to at least once a month). Justin and I also hope to up our gardening game as well as get or build a braai stand (grill).

My commute to work is about a 15-20 minute walk depending on my pace. Once I get a bike it will be a breeze. I still have to get to know my neighbors, but I seem to be surrounded by some good people. There is my landlady, Vicky, who is very friendly. She has a son, Eddy, who has way to much energy. One neighbor is Justin’s supervisor, Michelle. Another runs a sandboarding business, so I’ll make good friends with him. On the other side is a guy getting his master’s degree online.

I don’t know what the next 2 years has in store for me, but I at least know that my accommodations are comfortable and secure…

Final Weeks of PST

The end of PST is a lot harder than the start. Even though we get a lot thrown at us in the first few weeks of training (homestay, language, etc.), the last couple weeks have been much harder to bear. After getting a small taste of what service would be like from shadowing we had to go back into training mode. I know that I personally never fully came back. I was just ready to go and start my service, and I am sure many others felt the same way.

Unfortunately, we still had to endure 3 weeks of training with lots of language, medical/safety, and Peace Corps policy sessions. Even though much of the information was important it was difficult to stay focused. Each day seemed a little be longer than the last. I think the only thing that kept us going and kept us positive was the light at the end of the tunnel. We all knew that September 25 was just around the corner.

It wasn’t all bad however. We had a couple of fun days during our last weeks of PST. We went to the Von Bach Dam, just outside of Okahandja, for a braai (bbq). We swam, jumped off the dam into the water, and ate some good food. It was a much needed fun and relaxing day. Also, on our last Friday we got to return to Windhoek. Myself and others went to a Chinese restaurant for some pretty tasty food. A lot of people bought supplies for their sites. I did not since I knew I’d be able to get everything in my town, so instead I just hung around and enjoyed the day. The next day, our last Saturday, we held American Culture Day. We cooked our favorite American foods for our Namibian host family and trainers. We split up into different regions and cooked different dishes. I obviously was in the Northeast Region. We prepared pizza and chili dogs. Unfortunately, lobster and clam chowda was not in our budget (nor really available). Other groups made brats w/sauerkraut, chips and guac, gumbo, apple crumble, etc. There was even iced coffee which reminded me of Dunkin Donuts. It was nice to show our appreciations for our host country nations by showing them a little of our culture.

Finally, the last week rolled around. On Monday we prepared to meet our Supervisors/Counterparts from our host organizations. Then on Tuesday we met them. I was lucky enough to have two representatives come to Okahandja. There was Ivan the center manager and Katrina the SME coordinator. We had the chance to talk and get to know each other a little, but there were also sessions to attend. The purposes of the sessions were to reiterate the roles of each person and organization and to make clear the purpose of the Peace Corps’ being. This continued through Wednesday, then September 25, 2014 finally happened.

Looking back to our first day of training, it had seemed like this day might never come. It came…and then it went. First, since I was leaving after our Swearing –In Ceremony I had to have all my stuff packed and ready to go. For those of us leaving we kept our things at the training center so that we could leave immediately. We all gathered at Kukuri where we had stayed our first week in Namibia. Everyone was dressed to impress. Some of us wore suits and dresses, while others wore traditional clothing depending on what language they had been learning. The hall was packed with PST Trainers, Peace Corps Staff, Host families, and other community members who had helped us. The ceremony included performances by the Okahandja Youth Choir, speeches, our swearing-in, awards, and presentations from each language group. The Youth Choir was great. They sang two songs and each was amazing. Speeches were given by our PST Training Manager Benna, Peace Corps Country Director Danielle, Charge d’Affaires Mr. John Kowalski, and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce & Industry Mr. Tarah Shaanika. We were sworn in by the Country Director and Charge d’Affaires. Then each language group had a presentation. One of the Afrikaans speakers made a nice speech. Other groups did speeches, dances, songs, and poems. Overall the ceremony was short and sweet.

Following the ceremony was some finger foods and a lot of goodbyes. It was bittersweet. While I couldn’t wait to get to Swakop, I also had to say goodbye to a lot of great people. Fortunately, we will all see each other again in December.

And so concluded 10 weeks of training. Now the real fun and work begins.

Host Family (during PST)

I first met my host mother (Mama Louda) at our training center for a brief meet in greet. She was very nice (and her English was pretty good!). We talked briefly and I made sure to tell here that I did in fact eat meat. Meat is a staple in Namibians diet, so having to host a vegetarian can be a bit of a hassle for them. It seemed that this would be a good fit, and she spoke Afrikaans which would certainly help me learn the language. Also, just as it was my first homestay, it was her first time hosting as well, so we were both in for a totally new experience. I was also excited to hear that I would have little brothers and sisters.

The next day, after training, I threw my bags in a truck and got taken to my new home for the next 9 weeks. When I got to my house I was introduced to my host family. I met my two brothers Junior (grade 9) and Jason (grade 2). I also met my sisters Kayla and Charnay (grade 5). My sisters are actually my mother’s nieces, but nieces and nephews are considered sons, daughters, brothers, and sisters here. Kalya stays at the house sometimes while Charnay lives at home. I also have two older brothers, Hilton (24) and Roger (25). Hilton lives and works in the next town over, and Roger lives and works in Windhoek. They come home on the weekends every now and then.

Mama Louda works for the Ministry of Agriculture here in Okahandja and is gone during the day during the week as am I. The boys and girls are at school during the days except during a 2 week holiday. In the evenings everybody is around. Dinner is served anytime between 6 and 8. Eating usually takes place in the family room watching TV, but people can eat wherever they want. On the weekends the family stays home for the most part. We don’t have a car, so going into town or to the shopping mall is usually out of the question.

My host mom is amazing. She manages the family by herself (I don’t know anything about the father). She gets the kids ready for school every morning, goes to work, and then comes home and cooks dinner. She is very accommodating. I feel bad saying this, but I don’t have any responsibilities at home. The women of the household pretty much are responsible for the household duties. It’s just the way it is here. It is pretty impressive how well my host mom balances all of her duties.

Junior is your typical high school freshman. He likes sports, video games, and hanging with his friends. He is a nice kid, but he does spend most of his time out with friends. He comes home for dinner then leaves afterwards. With Jason, I have my hands full. He spends most of his free time at home. Having him around gives me the true younger brother experience. He likes soccer, movies, and playing with my tablet (he once played Temple Run for 8 hours nonstop). He is hard to say not to, but sometimes I have to; otherwise I would have absolutely no time to myself. Hilton and Roger are sometimes around on the weekends. When Hilton is home, he likes to hang with his friends. I’ve had the pleasure of hanging with them, and it’s been nice to hang with Namibians of my own age (though their use of Afrikaans slang makes it nearly impossible to pick up anything they say). It is also nice when Roger is home. He has a job in the capital, but is also an aspiring rapper. We talk about music, movies, and America a lot. My mother’s nieces who also stay with us a lot are also very pleasant. They help with the household duties, but are your typical young girls.

My homestay experience is coming to a bitter sweet end. I have thoroughly enjoyed the experience, but it will be very nice to have my own place and more freedom. I absolutely will visit my host family whenever I am back in Okahandja, and I fully expect to stay in touch with them after service as well. My time spent with my host family has been amazing, and they have helped make this transition both smooth and pleasing. I will miss them dearly.

The BIG Announcement

Wednesday, August 27, 2014 was the day of the big announcement…SITE ANNOUNCEMENTS.

Before this however; CED volunteers took a trip to Windhoek. We stopped by the Namibian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI), and the Peace Corps Office where we talked to associates of the Financial Literacy Initiative (FLI). After these meetings we went back to the training center in Okahandja. We had to sit through a session on Minor medical incidents such as burns, cuts, and bites (spiders, scorpions, snakes). Then finally we got to the part of training that we have all been waiting for.

We were taken outside where there was a map of Namibia made of string with rocks marking the various towns and villages that people would be staying. We were blindfolded and then one by one our names were called. Each person was escorted to their spot on the map. Once we were all placed, we were able to take off our blindfolds and find out where we would be spending the next 2 years.

Prior to all of this, some people had a good idea of where they would end up based on the language they were assigned. For me, learning Afrikaans did not narrow down my placement. I only knew that I would not be in a northern region because those regions speak the bantu languages. I did however hear rumors that suggested where I might be. First I heard that two CED volunteers would be placed in Swakopmund. Since there is a married couple (Steve & Barbara) here we all assumed that they were getting those placements. Then it was found out that they were going to Keetmanshoop. This was discovered because Steve blogged it. How they found out where they were going ahead of time is a mystery to me. But this left the two spots in Swakopmund open for the 4 remaining CED Afrikaans speaking volunteers.

Swakopmund is on the coast and is probably the biggest tourist spot in Namibia. It is popular among German tourists. It has an abundance of shops and restaurants and activities. One might ask why it is a place a Peace Corps volunteers would go. Well, while there are some wealthy people there, there are also extremely poor people. In fact, the gap between the wealthy and the poor in Swakopmund is the one of the widest in Namibia. So there is a lot of work to be down.

If you haven’t guessed by now, I am one of the two CED volunteers going to Swakopmund. The other is my good friend Kaan who hails from Wayne, NJ. I don’t know why, but where ever I go I can’t seem to shake people from Jersey.

We will join another CED volunteer (Justin) who is already there. I can’t even begin to describe how excited I am to be going to Swakop. However, I can’t say that there is not a little disappointment. I feel that I will miss out on the true African experience. I think it would have been really cool to be in a rural village living in a mud hut. Also, I feel that I’ll also miss out on some of the unique cultural aspects. These are things that I would have loved to experience. Fortunately, through traveling I hope to get my fair share of exposure to rural Africa.

Overall, I really shouldn’t be complaining because I know that I am going to have the time of my life in Swakop. I’ll start by saying that skydiving is most definitely an option in Swakop (sorry mom). Also, just being on the coast is nice. Having access to fresh seafood is definitely a plus for me. Another plus is I won’t have to go far for shopping. Some volunteers live quite far from a town with a modern grocery store. Location is probably the best perk. Swakop is not far from Walvis Bay, Windhoek (the capital), Spitzkoppe (rock climbing mecca of Namibia), Brandberg (the tallest mountain in Namibia), and the Skeleton Coast. I still have a lot to learn about Swakop, but it seems to have a lot to offer, and I can’t wait to get there.

Obviously as a Peace Corps volunteer I’m not going to Swakop just to have the time of my life. I’ll be working with a COSDEC, Community Skills Development Center. The main goal of COSDEC is to provide practical skills training and related services with the following three objectives: entrepreneurship, job creation, and basic training for higher training institutions. Essentially, I’ll be helping the organization with empowering young adults to become entrepreneurs or to become employees at other businesses. Part of my job will be helping the COSDEC with their day to day, and the other part of my job will be training the trainees who come to the COSDEC. I cannot wait to get to work. This is what I’ve been looking for: a job where I can use the skills I have to help people in need.

I can’t be more specific, because a lot of what I’ll be doing won’t be defined until I get there. From what I’ve heard there is a lot of freedom for CED volunteers. I look forward to managing my own initiatives as well as projects outside of my organization. I know I have a lot of hard work ahead of me, but I also know that the next 2 years are going to be amazing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swakopmund

http://www.cosdef.org.na/

Nam Food

Here are some typical meals I have at homestay:

Breakfast: ·         corn flakes with warm low fat milk (or sometimes warm water and full cream!) and sugar ·         eggs on buttered toast ·         coffee or tea	Lunch: ·         On weekends when prepared by my host mother, lunch is similar to dinner ·         During the week, I’ve just been having PB&J with a piece of fruit
Dinner: ·         Either porridge, rice, macaroni, or spaghetti o   With a meat (beef, chicken, pork, sausage) cooked in a brown sauce sometimes with a few vegetables (usually canned peas, carrots, and corn) o   And a side of potatoes or carrots ·         One dinner which I enjoyed was a grilled cheese, onion, and tomato sandwich with a side of sausage	Dessert: ·         Haven’t had dessert, but cake would be served for special occasions

Overall, the main food groups here are carbs, protein, and sugar. Its either filling and savory or really sweet. The porridge is made from maize meal which is corn ground up into a flour like substance. It’s kind of this bland stuff that falls in between rice and mashed potatoes. It is usually dressed up with a brown sauce or gravy, and I actually enjoy it. It’s a “stick to your ribs” type food. The major downsides of my new diet are the lack of vegetables and the amount of oil used in cooking.

Eating habits here are also a little different. My host family never eats at a table as a family. We take our dishes to watch TV or sometimes my brothers eat in their rooms. Also, I am always served first followed by the other boys. This seems pretty common among the other volunteers too. I’ve also never used a knife except to spread peanut butter and jam. Pretty much every piece of meat that I’ve had, I have eaten with my hands. Lastly, everyone here is in the clean plate club. No food ever goes to waste. Even left over bones are thrown outside for the dogs, nothing that can be eaten or chewed on goes to the trash. This has definitely not been a problem for me.

There is also the traditional cooking which is much more interesting and unique. We had Traditional Cooking Day, where trainers and families cooked traditional food for us. All of Namibia’s regions and tribes were represented. The day started off with the slaughtering of 3 goats and 5 chickens; not your typical morning in the US. (I apologize if the picture is too graphic for you, but it is a way of life and how people sustain themselves)

Everything was cooked over a grill or in cast iron pots over wood fires and embers. In addition to goat and chicken the other meats that were cooked included donkey, ostrich, warthog, lamb, and some kind of fish. Oh, and every part of the animal is used, and I mean every part. Mopane worms were also on the menu. A lot of breads, porridges, and stews were made.

I’m not 100% sure what was on my plate but I know there was some chicken, goat, ostrich, donkey, a worm, fish, bread, beans, porridge, a lung, and some other stuff. Most wasn’t too bad. The lung was not a favorite of mine (I also had intestine, stomach, and esophagus during the day). The ostrich and worm were actually pretty tasty. I’m can’t remember what was in the cup, but it was sweet with a touch funkiness.

Overall, it was a really fun day. I tried some food that I’d gladly have again, and tried some that I hope I never see on my plate again. When all is said and done, having a full plate of food in front of you is never a bad thing.

I’ll be sure to post about food again once I am on my own and cooking for myself (on a very tight budget).

Life in Okahandja

In Namibia you have cities, towns, and villages. Windhoek is a city and is as urban as it gets here. Okahandja is a town. In many ways it is similar to a town in the US. It has a main strip with grocery stores, convenient stores, banks, churches, the post office, town hall, etc. Like any place there are good parts and bad parts, but I’ve yet to feel unsafe. The biggest grocery store here, Spar, is quite good as it has pretty much everything that a grocery store in the US would have. The bar we volunteers frequent, Rhino, is also similar to a townie bar with a projector for sports games and serves decent food. Our version of Starbucks is The Garden Café. This is where we all go for a cup of coffee and WIFI. In a sense, we are pretty spoiled living here during training. Some of us will be placed in similar towns throughout Namibia, but many of us will be placed in rural villages where the nearest town could be hours away. Most of the countryside is savannah, tall grass with short trees and shrubs. What was suprising to me was the rolling hills. Namibia is not as flat as I had imagined. I’ll speak more about the countryside and wildlife when I actually get to experience more of it.

The majority of Okahandja residents live in suburbs which surround the town. Those who actually live in town are typically wealthier. There are also suburbs which are sometimes referred to as the ghetto where the houses are mostly tin shacks. However, the suburb that I reside in with my host family is in the middle. My suburb is called Veddersdal and is the farthest away suburb from the town center. The majority of the houses are cement flats. It’s pretty uncommon to see a two story home here. There are paved roads in my suburb, but many of the streets, including my own, is a dirt road. All houses have some sort of fence around it. For my home, you walk in the front door to a living room with couches and a small TV. Only 2 channels, but they love their Soapies here (soap operas). To the left is a bathroom and 2 bedrooms. To the right of the living room is a kitchen and the garage which is used as a bedroom and has a computer used mostly for games, videos, and music (no internet). Through the kitchen is a make shift room used as another bedroom. There are windows in each room, and the all windows have iron bars to prevent break ins. Overall, it is small, but very homey and I do feel safe in it.

I also can’t complain about amenities. We have electricity and running water (tap water all over the country is safe to drink). The kitchen has a refrigerator, stove top and oven.  There is also an electric kettle which is essential considering the hot water geyser is broken. This means no hot showers! To wash I pour hot water from the kettle into a bucket and take it to the bathtub. I add cold water and then proceed to wash by dunking my head in, splashing water on myself, and using a face cloth. It’s different, but honestly not as bad as it sounds. The same goes for not having 4G and WIFI at all times. It’s different, but surprisingly I really do not miss it as much as I thought I would. It is kind of nice not being connected 24/7.

Overall…Ek kan nie kla nie (I can’t complain). I have everything I need and can get pretty much anything I want here in Okahandja. I have clothes on my back, a roof over my head, and food to eat (and don’t worry, I’ll be sure to blog about the food here).

1st from Namibia

Hey all,

This is my first post from Namibia! We arrived at the Windhoek (the capital) airport Wednesday July 22 in the afternoon and took a bus directly to our training site, Okahandja, about an hour north of Windhoek. We were greeted by Peace Corps staff and trainers as well as a choir who sang us some songs.

At our training center we are sleeping in dorm rooms. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are provided. It has been very cool staying with all the other volunteers. We are Group 40 (the 40th group to go to Namibia) and there are 49 of us (one of the larger groups that has gone). Pretty much every corner of the Continental US is represented which is pretty cool. The training program is 3 months long and so far we've just been doing introductions, getting to know what we can expect in the near future. Tomorrow we will all get our language assignments. There are 7 languages spoken here and each volunteer will be assigned 1 to learn. On Tuesday we move in with host families. Every volunteer  stays with their own host family for the rest of training.

Moving in with a host family definitely makes me a little nervous, but I am also extremely excited. It will be an incredible experience and will help tremendously with integrating into the culture. As for what I will be working on after training, I still have to wait a month to find out. I got to read some position descriptions and pick preferences, but its pretty much out of my hands. I'm not to worried about it, because I'm confident that wherever I end up will be an incredible experience.

We've had a lot of downtime the past couple of days. Its given us a chance to hangout and get to know each other. We've explored town, went on a hike, been tossing frisbees and footballs, soccer games, yoga, running, card games, and so on. So pretty much we've just been having a great time. There is also a bar across the street. The beer is nothing special, but a draft is 17 Namibian dollars or roughly 1.70 USD...No complaints here.

The real training and cultural integration starts this week, so our downtime is going to decrease, but I'm looking forward to everything. We've only been here for 5 days, but its been amazing and best (and probably the worst) is yet to come.

This was our plane from JFK to South Africa.

This is Group 40 having just arrived at Windhoek Airport. This picture made its way into newspapers.

What I'll Miss Most

As excited as I am to get to Namibia and start an incredible adventure, I can't stop thinking about all the things that I am going to miss when I am away. In no particular order here's a few of them:

Good Beer
Going to Concerts
Late Night Tasty Burger
Skiing
Watching Sports (mainly football and March Madness)
Fenway Park
New England Seafood
Cannolis from the North End
The White Mountains
etc...

But of course what I'll miss most is the people. The best part of wherever I've been has undoubtedly been the people that I've been lucky enough to surround myself with. Whether in Westboro, Boston, Poughkeepsie, NYC, Australia, etc. I always have amazing family and friends to turn to. The past four weeks is evidence of this.

My college buddies surprised me in Boston and left me with some truly unforgettable memories. Went to Denver and had a great time drinking beer and rock climbing with my brother. Had another amazing 4th of July cookout with the Blois family where I had the best clams and lobster that I'll have for a couple years. Headed down to NYC for some good times with some good friends. Then lastly, had a spectacular going away party where family and friends came to see me off  on my journey.

I'm truly going to miss people more than they know. However, while I'm going to miss family and friends, I can't wait to meet my fellow Peace Corps volunteers. I look forward to forming amazing relationships with some amazing people.

Packing List

Here's a brief run down of what I've stuffed into 2 checked bags and a carry-on.

Work Clothes:
Dress Shirts
Khakis
Dress Shoes
Dress Socks
Ties

Regular Clothes:
Polos
T-Shirts
Jeans
Shorts
Workout Clothes

Footwear:
Sneakers
Running Shoes
Chacos
Flip Flops
Hiking boots

Electronics:
Laptop
Tablet
Cameras
MP3 Player
Smartphone
Small speaker
External hard drive (loaded with movies)
Extra batteries

Other:
Toiletries
Camping/backpacking gear
Workout gear
Kitchen knife
Taco seasoning (apparently a luxury)
Small gifts for host family
Ukulele (to learn)

Probably some stuff I'm forgetting to list but you get the idea.

Expectations

So while hiking solo for 3 days in the White Mountains, I had quite a bit of time to think about stuff. Among other things, I thought a lot about what my expectations are for my Peace Corps service.

When I first got the invitation to go serve in Namibia I started forming all sorts of expectations for myself in terms of what I wanted to accomplish and what I wanted to learn. It was exciting to think about all of the possibilities and opportunities. However, as I thought about it more I started cutting back on my expectations. It's not that I don't think I have a lot to give and to learn (because I know I do). It is because I want to go into this experience with a completely open mind.

It is hard to have  expectations when you don't really know what to expect. My living and working situations are largely unknown to me right now. If I go to Namibia with lots of expectations, I am going in with a fixed mind set. Open mindedness will better enable me to adapt to the environment that I am placed in. I think this essential to being a successful volunteer.

That said, I do have "big picture" expectations. First and foremost I expect to make a difference. I can't say how big of difference I will make, but I will leave the country confidently knowing that I helped in some way. I also expect to learn. There is no doubt that I will come away with more knowledge and skills than I arrived with. I expect to be challenged. I don't expect there to be too many easy days, and I know I'll have to overcome many unique obstacles. Lastly I expect to come away with experiences and relationships that I will happily carry for the rest of my life. I've yet to step on Namibian soil but I know that the entire 27 months will be incredible.