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…