Ghost towns, and a changing perception of time

I will post photos soon to complement this narrative...but I wanted to report on a recent trip to Luderitz. It is an interesting place; it is extremely remote - unbelievably so! It takes over 10 hours to travel there from the capitol of Namibia, Windhoek. See the map below:

Luderitz was founded as a port city, and grew in importance when diamonds were discovered nearby. The architecture, at least in town, is very German/European in style. It is also well known for the dolphins, seals and penguins that inhabit its coastal waters.

Kolmanskop, about 5 miles outside of Luderitz, is an actual ghost town! It was founded to feed the diamond industry, and was abandoned in 1950 when more and better diamonds were disovered in Oranjemund, also in Namibia. Today, the ghost town is losing in the battle against nature - sand dunes have literally taken over the formerly grand structures.

Both Luderitz and Kolmanskop are extremely remote and rugged. A local told me that only the most rugged Namibians can survive in Luderitz. There are stores there, including 2 grocery stores, but it is difficult to get supplies, and they are imported and thus quite expensive. Unemployment is also high.

Perhaps it is due to the holidays, where many Namibians head north to their home villages, or stick close to home, but both towns were very ghostly and quiet. For me, as a German American, I found Luderitz ghostly for another reason. The German architecture is beautiful, yes, but it is also an ominous reminder of a dark past of the German occupation of Namibia. The architecture looks grossly out of place. The remnants of German control can be felt in many places in Namibia. Just this morning, I attended a church service conducted completely in the German language. (There were 2 black Namibians there - the rest were white Germans or Namibians.)

On another note, I feel a noticeable shift in my perception of time. In Sarah Ban Breathnach's book, Simple Abundance, she warns against addiction of all kinds. Often our addictions seem innocent. Living in Namibia and experiencing time in a new way has given me insight into my own addictions. In the U.S., I was extremely addicted to overscheduling, technology and the need to always be in touch and to communicate. By necessity, that has changed here. We have been taught from the beginning to accept and embrace ambiguity and flexibility. It is not an easy adjustment, but it is teaching me a lot. Recently, I spent a few days not evening knowing what time it was! It felt like a completely different way to live, simply going with the flow of the day and the contours that surface. Neither way is better or worse, simply different. I may have been "more efficient" at home - but perhaps here I am coming closer to unearthing the things that really matter to me, and catching glimpses of how I can best be of service. I think this is part of all of our journeys; thank you for letting me share mine.

Desiderata, by Max Ehrmann

Go placidly amidst the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexatious to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals; and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.

And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul. With all its shams, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful.

Strive to be happy.

Defining a New Professionalism

As the holidays wind down, I have been given some time to reflect.

The primary goals of the Peace Corps are to provide development assistance to countries who request it, and to foster understanding between the U.S. and other countries of the world. Above and beyond that, the journey is deeply personal. We are here to serve, and this often manifests on a deeply personal level. We aim to support, to accompany, and to mentor the students and community members in our villages. We also know that each of us, as Peace Corps Volunteers, will also be deeply transformed. Within this personal transformation lie many complexities and tensions. I will discuss some of these here.

Throughout my Peace Corps training and service thus far, I have observed a turbulent war within myself. It is one between finding and claiming my voice, speaking out against injustice, yet at the same time needing to take a step back, LISTEN and let the local community lead (for they know their culture, needs and local community best), and be culturally sensitive. It simply isn’t my place to always be vocal about my beliefs or convictions. Namibia is not my country or my culture and my role is to accompany people on their journey to realize their human rights, to facilitate discussion, and to encourage and foster local leadership. Positive examples I follow and admire are Margaret Wilson and Rita Conceicao of Bahia Street, Nancy Bacon of Sou Digna, and Molly Melching of Tostan. The quote by Lilla Watson, an Aboriginal activist, sums it up quite well,

"If you have come here to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together."

So, on a personal level, my journey is to reconcile the advocate within with the need to step back, to listen and to remain culturally sensitive. What I have discovered is that this may mean that I progress and move forward in some ways, while seemingly reverting in others. In the end, we must have faith that life is revealing the lessons that we are meant to be taught.

Howard Zinn also discusses a compelling conflict or tension which I find relevant to my experience here. In a lecture he gave at Reed College, Zinn talks about professionalism, the commonly accepted concept of professionalism vs. challenging the status quo. He talks about a new definition of professionalism, of redefining one’s profession, contributing, enhancing, and challenging when necessary, but not to adhering to a static or stale definition of professionalism.

At this juncture, and for the rest of my life, I am attempting to embrace these tensions and complexities, working to accept and embrace them. I strive to reconcile and to piece together the contrasting pieces of the puzzle, to form a more informed worldview and a more nuanced approach to development. For this is a journey whose destination will never be met – it will be an ongoing journey of give and take. For now, I will work to embrace my own voice while also remaining culturally sensitive and stepping back for local leadership to take the helm. I will work to realize my authentic, creative self and try to cast aside doubts regarding a seemingly less-conventional path. And finally, I will work to live Zinn’s definition of professionalism as also challenging the status quo, working to realize progressive ideals and creating new definitions of what it means to be a professional.

The best any of us can do is try – to strive each day to do our very best, and to constantly challenge and move beyond real and perceived boundaries. I have come to believe that everything you do matters.

As Lao Tzu said, “Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habit. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.”

This can be scary, but also exciting. Let us start now! And let us contribute to the collective consciousness of the world in a positive way. It is despite, and even because of these tensions and challenges that we can seek to serve and to be our best selves, to be of service to others, to our communities and to the global fellowship of those seeking justice.

Stand up today; the time is now.

Namibia: Land of Contrasts

As stated in the Namibian national anthem (see end of blog post), Namibia is truly a land of striking contrasts. Here are a few that stand out:

- Namibia is a true rainbow of people: colored or mixed (these terms may sound strange to Americans, but they are used widely in Namibia), white, black, Asian (mainly Chinese) and many more

- Reconciling a history of colonialism and then apartheid with today’s modern, integrated Namibia

- Small, primitive villages vs. the modern capitol of Windhoek which resembles an U.S. or European city

- Language: Afrikaans vs. English vs. the many tribal languages. In 1990, when Namibia achieved independence from South Africa, the language of instruction in schools changed overnight from Afrikaans to English. This was also when Namibia invited the Peace Corps into Namibian schools to help bolster the education system and the transition to English as the language of instruction.

- In terms of geography:

o Sand dunes vs. ocean

o Desert vs. jungle

o Dry landscapes vs. floods in the north

o Cool, humid coast vs. unrelentingly dry and hot desserts in the middle and south of Namibia

- Lifestyles and people:

o In the small villages of the north: homesteads and huts, usually no electricity or water, inhabitants have to carry water in jerry cans for many miles to meet their basic needs

o In the south, there are many modern, contemporary structures. There is westernized architecture and housing. The reason for the big difference between infrastructure in the north and the south is that under German colonial rule and then the South African apartheid regimes, southern Namibia was built up and modernized with roads, water pipelines, electricity, etc., while northern Namibia was left mainly to the native people and not “developed” as much in terms of infrastructure.

- Namibia has great inequality. It is one of the countries with the highest Gini coefficients (measure of inequality within a country - 0 being the most equal, 100 being the most unequal). Compare Namibia (63.9) to the U.S. (40.8) and Brazil (54.7) in terms of their Gini coefficients. This is strikingly apparent – in Windhoek, one can see many people driving luxury vehicles and dressed to the nines; meanwhile, in many of the townships and villages, people are literally on the brink of starvation, fighting to survive day to day.

- One can also perceive a contrast or struggle in terms of the human rights movement in Namibia. The liberation struggle was led by the current government party (SWAPO – Southwest Africa People’s Organization), championing ideals of freedom, liberation and democracy. However, there is today a conflict between some of the human rights organizations in Namibia who accuse the government of acting too slowly to realize the human rights language that is in the Namibian constitution into an applied praxis for Namibians. The government has been known to vocally criticize these organizations for accusing them of not realizing human rights ideals when they are the “liberators” of the country. It will take time for human rights norms to truly be actualized and embedded in the fabric of Namibian society – but this can be said of most nations of the world!

There are many more contours and contrasts within Namibia, but these are some of the most apparent. It is a diverse, multifaceted, beautiful country – and one that I am constantly learning from and about. Below is the Namibian national anthem, which as I mentioned, emphasizes Namibia as a land of contrasts.

Namibia, land of the brave

Freedom fight we have won

Glory to their bravery

Whose blood waters our freedom

We give our love and loyalty

Together in unity

Contrasting beautiful Namibia

Namibia our country

Beloved land of savannahs,

Hold high the banner of liberty

Namibia our Country,

Namibia Motherland,

We love thee.

(** Also, as soon as I return to my site I will post photos from recent holiday travels. ** ) HAPPY HOLIDAYS, EVERYONE! Sending big love and light to all family and friends!

Baby Dumping and the Vagaries of Poverty

Imagine you have carried a baby to term, you have started to love it, felt it kick inside you. Yet, a few days after it is born, you leave it in a garbage dump a few miles away from where you make your home in the informal settlement.

This is exactly what happens on a regular basis here in Katutura, a vast, sprawling neighborhood of Windhoek, Namibia’s capitol. Before we jump to conclusions about the mother, let’s explore with compassion the likelihood that she may have felt she had no other options. She was staring the gun of poverty which was pointed straight in her face. Of course it is wrong to dump your baby, but so is poverty. Human rights violations are rampant in the slums of Namibia, and in informal settlements throughout the world. Inadequate sanitation, dangerous streets, under-resourced schools with teachers who may or may not teach, violence against women and children – these are all facts of life for many. What is really apparent as you drive through the slums is the expanse of Namibia’s ‘shebeen,’ or bars. As an outsider, it is so easy to judge, “why do people spend all of their money on beer?” Yet when you feel that the mental escape of an alcohol-induced buzz is all that will numb your pain, the choice seems easy – drink your cares away. Of course, drinking, alcoholism, and drugs make it all worse – tearing apart Namibian families, whittling away at the fabric of the society. Yet, the roots of these ills isn’t people’s ‘poor self-control,’ the alcohol itself, or the young women’s act of desperation as she makes the heartbreaking choice to discard her baby and try to forget. The root of most social ills here and all over the world, is poverty, and the growing gap between rich and poor. Where I am staying now in a nice part of Windhoek, entire houses are looted and cleaned out because people are desperate and angry at always having nothing.

So if poverty is the perpetrator, what can be done? What I see here in Namibia is that a system of political apartheid has been replaced by a system of social and economic apartheid. Patrick Bond has written extensively about global apartheid and makes a compelling case in his book Against Global Apartheid that something must be done to disassemble and drastically rethink the international financial institutions of the World Bank and the IMF, which primarily serve the interests of the global elites, the most-developed nations and the international corporations. Africa and heavily-indebted poor countries have little voice in these very-powerful institutions.

Visionary leadership is needed at all levels – from the grassroots to the middle class to the upper levels of political, economic, policy and legal frameworks. The situation is David vs. Goliath, yet the Davids of the world must unite against and hopefully with the global Goliath, the nebulous and insidious system of global apartheid. President Pohamba of Namibia himself fears violence if there isn’t a quick solution to the unjust system of land distribution in Namibia. And so it is all over the world – the Melian Dialogues states, “The powerful do what they can, and the weak suffer the most.”

Bill Grace writes about this eloquently in his new book, Sharing the Rock. He urges humanity to champion “the common good.” This must happen on a personal level, in our very thoughts, habits and actions, but also in the broader political and policy systems that we collectively create as humans inextricably bound on Earth. We cannot deny how interconnected we all are. Part of Bond’s argument is that we must also not blindly and fatalistically accept our fates before, and the inherent injustice of, global apartheid. We have the capacity to envision and create a more just and equitable world, where perhaps some have to accept just a bit less, but many can inch forward toward a realization of their most basic human rights. Let profit not continue to come before people.

So I am brought back to Katutura, where I was last night. “It is just down that road, where a lot of baby-dumping occurs,” my Namibian friend tells me. I ask how often. Very. We hear of it on the news all of the time here. Later, I ask my friends if they think the citizens here in the informal settlement are OK. They think yes, that they often come from northern Namibia where they also have led very simple lives. Yet when I consider how hard it would be transcend that situation, to rise up out of poverty, when it seems all the odds are stacked against you, when your only role models frequent the shebeens every night, it seems arrogant, naïve, somehow wrong not to acknowledge how extremely difficult it would be to claim an education and a brighter future for yourself. (Consider that Namibia has over 40% unemployment.)

It is possible, but we also need mechanisms for people to help themselves, to get support, to transform the systems that keep people stuck in the cycle of poverty. My friend said it very well. He is a well-off Namibian whose family has a nice home and two cars. For this reason, he doesn’t open his mouth in Katutura, he dresses down and keeps his head down. People can tell, even then, that he is not from there. He doesn’t have the pain of survival etched into his face that most people in Katutura do. You can’t show weakness there, and soon that hardness becomes a part of your face. Yet if you wake up in your own bed, your friends and family love you, you have the luxury of a nice breakfast and your favorite things, this kind of necessary survival, of fight, of hardening, doesn’t finds its way into your face. This is only to acknowledge the many disparate realities that each of us face. It isn’t to diminish one person vs. the other’s experience. No matter what, we all, as humans, face pain.

Perhaps by becoming increasingly aware of this, by advocating for social, economic and political reform, and be experiencing compassion for those who feel confined by their choices, we can together work for a brighter, more just and more fair tomorrow.

Post-apartheid Namibia

Here is Namibia, the remnants of apartheid are at times very apparent. In Swakopmund, where I am currently staying, there are many indicators of the post-apartheid era. Some restaurants, bars, salons, etc. display signs that say “Right of Admission Reserved,” and some have bells which require staff to “buzz” patrons in. I have been told that these are sometimes used in a racist manner. Perhaps during apartheid, these measures were legal. After independence, these overtly racist practices were eliminated. However, in reality, the legacy of apartheid lives on. A World Teach Volunteer here was dating a white Afrikaaner who suddenly broke up with her for “being too nice to black people” after he saw her walking down the street with a black colleague.

As shocking as this initially sounds, it is important that we, as Americans, be very honest about where we are ourselves in our journey of race and reconciliation. Depending on where one lives or our individual realities, such overt racism may be less common and less accepted. However, in the U.S., many of our systems are engrained with institutionalized racism. Michelle Alexander makes a compelling case about this in her book, The New Jim Crow. Alexander argues that the war on drugs and the system of mass incarceration are systemic methods of enforcing legalized racism. Due to many factory and other jobs being lost during industrialization and globalization, some poor and often black individuals turned to drugs for income, and were in turn sought out and jailed for drug crimes at an extreme and disproportionate rate. Law enforcement agencies were rewarded for harsh crackdowns on drugs, and most arrests were of young black males. Additionally, black neighbourhoods were policed much more strictly than others. Today, the vast majority of our population’s inmates are young, black men. This exacts a tragic toll on African American communities and on our society as a whole.

For our Peace Corps Namibia ReConnect Conference, one of our trainers, another Peace Corps Volunteer, and I presented on white privilege and comparing and contrasting the Namibian and U.S. Journeys of race and reconciliation. This fostered a vibrant discussion on the topic. A main point of the session was how we, as people of privilege, also have associated obligations. We talked about the importance of being an ally, and using one's relative privilege to champion the common good. When I studied and worked in Kenya, this was a lesson which our professor artfully instilled in us. Here in Namibia, it is equally important.

Apartheid ruled Namibia only 23 years ago. Namibia is still young in terms of an integrated society. Perhaps Namibians can learn from the U.S.' struggle for race and reconciliation, and from our history of slavery, Jim Crow laws, civil rights, the war on drugs, affirmative action, and our own grappling with systemic and institutionalized racism. This is part of our work as Peace Corps Volunteers, to share the best parts of the United States and our culture, while being honest about our own societal flaws and challenges. We must work to build bridges and inroads of understanding between the U.S. and other countries. In turn, we will learn just as much from Namibians. We must also take these new understandings home, trading and exchanging the best parts of our cultures and ways of life, each mutually learning from our histories and the many lessons contained within our unique histories.

The Coast

Our group is currently spending some time at the coast. The Namibian coast is gorgeous - sand dunes, beautiful sandy beaches, and a gorgeous ocean and sky. The weather here reminds me of Seattle - gray and overcast.

December in Namibia is like December in a lot of European countries - things basically shut down for the holiday period. Many Namibians head to the coast for holiday. I am enjoying seeing new and different parts of Namibia, and hope to do some dune hiking and a lot of beaching.

Again, happy holidays to all, and much love!

ReConnect

This week our group is at the Peace Corps ReConnect conference - an opportunity to compare notes, gain more training, and to take our language test. My language test was for Afrikaans, which I definitely need at my site. I was so happy to test higher than at the end of my training. Thank you to my tutor, Nathalia! :)) It has been great to see everyone.

Now we are headed to the coast to celebrate the holidays. I will post more stories and photos soon.

I wish ALL of you an amazing holiday soon. Sending love and light your way!

International Human Rights Day – December 10

To celebrate the upcoming International Human Rights Day, which will take place on December 10, our school created a “human rights tree.” All of our students were invited to trace their hand and write their name and the human rights which they value most. You can see below our signs raising awareness about Human Rights Day, and our students taking part in this human rights action. It is our hope that through activities such as these, students will become aware of their human rights, and be able to advocate for themselves now and in the future. The rights which our students valued most were EDUCATION and FREEDOM.

I have also worked with my students on human rights in the classroom. Our ninth graders studied case studies of forced evictions around the world. This is quite a pertinent topic as forced evictions take place here in Namibia. Human rights violations are rampant – I see daily the right to education, safety, health, and much more violated due to the challenges of poverty.

It is challenging here – and I have the privilege and benefit of coming into this situation “fresh” with “fresh eyes,” not having been fighting this battle for years. You can see in the gloss of some people’s eyes that they simply accept the perceived or real limitations that poverty places on us. Yet we must fight and try our best to transcend. As a teacher, this must be done for our students. There are days when you want to give up – when it is too hot, when things aren’t going the way you had planned, when the cultural divide simply seems too wide to even attempt to cross. Yet the “success” that one might achieve in this situation has a lot to do simply with not giving up.

I begin teaching in earnest in January – hopefully to the 9th and 10th grade English classes. (We had been team eaching this term.) It is quite a daunting challenge. School supplies are in short supply. Teachers must provide our own basic supplies such as paper, tape, glue, etc. I am looking forward to teaching, in a deep and unexpected way. I do feel I was placed in this community for a reason. But I will also not say it is easy – daily, I am reminded of the stark contrasts between the people and cultures of Namibia and the United States. This is one of the primary goals of the Peace Corps – to foster understanding between the U.S. and other countries of the world, and to provide development assistance where it is requested. On a personal level, this leads to an interesting conflict – the need for diplomacy and cross-cultural sensitivity often usurps the personal journey to find my voice and to speak out against injustice. One must walk this divide very carefully – it is not my place to judge or comment regarding another country and culture. There are so many layers of culture, history, norms, etc that I simply cannot understand yet. And in the interest of strong collaboration, and in favor of locally-led leadership, it is important that I remain purely in an accompaniment mode, to work alongside my colleagues and community members as we all work to realize our human rights. It is more important to let the local community lead than for me to speak out with my own voice. So it is this intercultural tightrope that I work to walk daily. I love my community and compare it to the informal settlements in the novel Shantaram – the author speaks about how he sees a certain purity of spirit amongst the inhabitants, and a real beauty within that. So it is here as well – when living in varying degrees of poverty, you cannot hide behind material possessions, vice or distractions.

My mentor from graduate school, Bill Grace, calls this the “wisdom from the margins.” This is the applied, on-the-ground realities that individuals know best who are living with various injustices. There is valuable knowledge in this wisdom. I can only seek to be a student of this learning.

Finally, I am including a photo of my neighbors, and a photo of the stunning Namibian sky. I don’t know what it is, relation to the equator or what, but the sky here appears vastly different than the sky at home. I continue to be captivated by it.

Omaruru

This past weekend I spent in Omaruru, which is a town nearby my site. It is a lovely little desert oasis, and the scenery becomes lovely on the way towards Omaruru, with shrub-covered mountains stretching into the distance.

I included some photos below. The first is of the dry riverbed. Because Namibia is largely desert, the rivers only run during the rainy season. Soon, this riverbed will be rushing with water as summer is here and it will rain this month and next.

Below you will see a photo of the Omaruru scenery, and also some of the interesting plants and cactuses that are native to this area.

Finally, below is an interesting 1907 building which has been refurbished. Inside, there is a café and shop. You can also see the guesthouse pool where I was lucky enough to spend some time. This was a very welcome break from the extreme heat and dust of my village!

Sending much love and light to all of you ~

Strike continues…

I wrote the post below on the 12th..fortunately, the strike ceased on Nov 13th.

Since I last posted, the strike has continued here in Namibia. The Namibian National Teacher’s Union (NANTU) is demanding higher wages and better benefits for teachers. Especially in Windhoek, Namibia’s capitol city, teachers cannot afford to live on their teacher’s salaries. Therefore, teaching has been suspended for over two weeks. We are now in the third week of the strike, and many schools are without teachers. It is an unfortunate situation; while waiting for the negotiations to conclude, the students are suffering. They are sitting in classrooms without teachers, lesson plans, guidance, or proper instruction. You can see both sides – yes, teachers should be paid adequately; yet also, one sympathizes with the students who are being denied their right to education.

The atmosphere is tense; the students are meant to be taking exams and are asking when and how they can take their exams. Meanwhile, no teachers are present at many schools. The classrooms are left in chaos and disrepair, with students running rampant across the school grounds. Administrators and support staff are caught in the middle. Parents and community members are in an uproar. The government does not want to give in and offer the salary increases that teachers are demanding. It is unclear at this point how all of this will end up.

Otherwise, our school community has been busy with a “Fun Day” and Talent Show. The day-long event was an income-generating activity for the school fund. A group of dedicated parents and teachers worked very hard to pull the event together. We had egg races, apple bobbing, tug-of-war, 3-legged races, and sack races. We sold soda, candy, chips, hot dogs, “poinky” or African stew, and special, home-made “ginger beer” (non-alcoholic).

The day was a success, with a lot of kids showing up for the fun day, and many also performing at the talent show. We were also pleased to see many community members show up for the talent show. Perhaps the most important part of the day was simply giving the kids something positive to do with their time. We live in a small community with very scarce resources. There are not a lot of activities for youth to engage with on the weekend. This is one of the main reasons that our village suffers from alcohol and drug abuse – without positive alternatives or outlets for their energy, youth start drinking. Throughout Namibia, alcoholism is a huge problem. Some women, for example, are so addicted to alcohol that they do not, or cannot, stop drinking - even during their pregnancy. Many of them DO know the dangers of fetal alcohol syndrome, yet they continue to drink because they are so dependent on the effects of alcohol. Even people living with HIV/AIDs often drink excessively, claiming they cannot stop. So it was in this spirit that our event tried to also offer a positive alternative to some of the negative behaviors that our youth can easily fall into.

The talent show was a success, with our students really showing off their talent and singing and dancing skills. The most important part was for them to develop and display their self-confidence. I am proud of our students, and honored to be a part of their community.

I am including below some of my most recent photos.

This photo shows the stunning Namibian sky. I have been captivated by the sky here lately. For some reason, it looks so different than at home. What I also like about this photo is the rugged beauty of the sky contrasted with the reality of the location (township where most of the community lives). You can see the roof to one of the family’s chicken coops. It is made of corrugated sheet-metal, with an old sink and toilet placed on top to weigh down the roof so it does not blow off. This is common practice here, and quite clever – people use old tires, or anything heavy to keep their roofs secure. Even with these efforts, it is so windy here that sometimes these efforts do not work, and the roofs blow off.

The second photo is another beautiful photo of the Namibian sunrise behind our village.

When you see scenes like this . . . it is easy to believe in God.

Below are photos from the “fun day” and talent show. The first is the egg race, and the second is some of our students with their 1st place trophy! The black pot is the Namibian way of cooking “poinky” or African stew.

I will conclude this post with a quote that my dear friend Jennifer Lucero Earle recently posted on her blog. It ties together nicely the spirit of our student’s talent show:

"When the flame of creativity is shared, all benefit and no one single fire is diminished. Passions shared and combined can create a bonfire big enough to light up the entire sky…I spark creativity in others while tending my own creative flame." - by Joanna Powell Colbert

Thanks for following my blog, and I would love to hear your feedback, comments, or questions! Please, stay safe and well!

Strike in Namibia

Here in Namibia, there is a teacher’s strike taking place throughout the country. Since Tuesday, no teachers have been working. The students are at school all alone, with no one leading them. The teachers are asking the Ministry of Education for pay increases – they claim they cannot support themselves properly on their current salaries. As a Peace Corps Volunteer, I am also required to stay off school grounds during the strike.

The strike makes me think about the human condition and how we are never quite satisfied…..being in Namibia makes me realize how very materially pleasant my life in the U.S. was. Here it is a real luxury to have your own car or own home – and so many people do not have proper food or basic staples such as soap, toothpaste or school supplies. Yet, sadly, when I was in the U.S., I took all of this for granted. I was often wanting what I didn’t have – to serve overseas. Now of course I miss the amenities of the U.S. This happens over and over again. Even amongst the Peace Corps Volutneers here – those of us in villages envy those in larger towns or on the coast for having a posh life and access to amenities. Those in the city regret that they are not having the “real Peace Corps experience.”

And now that I am not allowed to be on the school grounds, I realize how much I miss teaching and working with my students. But that gratitude and appreciation is sometimes missing while I AM at school. We often want what we don’t have…so the question is, how can we be present and grateful for what we do have? And how can we use our own privilege to be allies for those who do not have a voice?

Here at my site, I live with a homestay family that has very little. It is a grandmother supporting two children. It became clear right away that the family is suffering. I have helped as I can, and others from home have helped as well. But what is a sustainable solution? Fortunately, I thought, there are government programs that can help. It is not, however, that easy. When I called the Ministory of Gender and Child Welfare, I was told it would take 3 weeks for a social worker to visit the family – then it will take 2-3 months for the “emergency” food support to be distributed from the government. Even then, it is only a 3-4 month supply of food. For people that are truly hurting, this timeframe really doesn’t help them. Retired people like my host grandmother earn N$500 per month, which is only $63 USD. This is barely enough to buy staple foods, let alone to pay for utilities, clothing, school supplies, school fees, basics such as soap and household products, etc. I have heard many people here even say that things were better under the apartheid system – because then things were much more affordable. From the U.S. perspective where freedom is often among our top values, I find it hard to believe that you could place a value on affordable goods over your own independence. Yet, when one lives in poverty, your material needs are your number one thought and goal. I see that as the root of most social issues. In my community, so many people live in poverty, and this can contribute to a downward spiral of alcoholism, teenage pregnancy, HIV transmission, less planning and preparation for the future, despair and lack of hope, etc.

It is within this context that a few messages emerge - to work to be satisfied with what we have, to advocate for social justice and an end to poverty, and to do what we can to ally and accompany others on their journey towards realizing their human rights.

Exploring site, hunting expedition and more...

Below are photos from around my site, and from a hunting expedition for Kudus and Oryx yesterday.

The first one shows how our site has changed a lot and has a varied history. It was originally a mainly German town, functioning to serve the surrounding farms. Since then, many of the buildings have fallen into disrepair, and there are no longer banks or stores in our town.

This is our village clinic.

Khaibasen Sewing Project and Cooperative – women work together to sew clothing as an income-generating project. You can see on the other side where it used to say “Standard Bank,” which has since closed.

These photos are from the hunting expedition in a farm nearby my site. You can see the scenery, us in the truck, and the Oryx.

Tsumeb, Windhoek and Sports Day !

Below are pictures from Tsumeb, Windhoek and Sports Day ! I have included captions as well. Enjoy! Comments are welcome!

Above is the abandoned mine tower in Tsumeb. Tsumeb was built around a large copper mine. The mine is gone, but a copper smelter remains.

The next group of photos are from the Namibian National Museum, located in Windhoek in the "Alte Feste" building.

Above is the Namibian coat of arms, found on the flag of Namibia.

This is the Namibian flag, with me documenting it. :)

The poster above urged voters to participate in the 1989 election for a free and fair Namibia. Namibia gained independence in 1990.

The photo above shows the 1st President of Namibia, Sam Nujoma, kissing Namibian ground upon re-entering the country after 30 years in exile.

Above is Mr. Nakale Leo, one of many Namibian prisoners kept on Robben Island during the fight for independence. Namibia was first under German colonial rule, and then under South African control, and an apartheid system. Honoring those who were brave in fighting for their country!

A dark part of Namibia's past, this photo documents the genocide of the Hererro people of Namibia under German colonial occupation.

This is the large, new Namibian independence museum, set to open in January of 2013. It was funded by the South Korean government.

Above is the beautiful Namibian Parliament. The parliament gardens are stunning. Especially hard to believe given that it is located in the middle of a desert!

Sports Day at our school - our men's team won! We invited 5 other schools to compete. The men competed in soccer and the women in netball - sort of a Namibian equivalent of basketball. It was a great day of athleticism!

A Deadly Mix: Poverty and Desperation

In Namibia today, many young women, due to the vagaries of poverty, and a basic violation of their human rights, are forced to make the implicit exchange of sex for money or other material support. These concepts have become such predominant facets of Namibian society that the term “sugar daddy” has become commonplace.

Later in life, such an unequal partnership, with unequal power imbalances, and the false belief that because the man supported the (often) younger woman, that he then “controls” or “owns” her. This misconception on behalf of the man, is false. Of course, no one can own anyone else. Too often, this illusion on the part of the man, results in a “passion killing.” A “passion killing” is the murder of a woman a man has supported. He can’t accept that the woman took his support, and then later broke up with him.

This trend in Namibian society must change. What can be done to reverse the trend of “sugar daddies” and “passion killings”? Change must occur on a number of levels in order to keep our young women and girls safe; these inclde policy measures, local organization, engagement and entrepreneurship to combat poverty, economic development to shore up the economy, and providing more jobs for Namibians. Addressing this issue must occur at the all levels: national and local, as well as at the very personal, individual level – teaching young women to respect and protect themselves, and teaching young men to respect both themselves and the women in their lives. We must educate the young women and men about these issues and to advocate for their own futures. Youth must be educated such that they understand and grasp the importance of education. They must take control of their education, career and training, and thereby of their lives and futures. They also need to understand the inherent dangers of becoming involved with “sugar daddies” and the related and serious risks of “passion killings.”

At least from my personal and cultural perspective, freedom, agency and independence are among the most important aspects of life. Young women must fully comprehend that they are compromising their future and independence, freedom and control over their own lives when they become dependent on others. Education, on the other hand, improves young people’s prospects for a brighter future, better jobs, and a pathway out of poverty.

Poverty is at the root of most global social problems. Our national and global leaders must work together to reduce poverty and increase security and opportunities. But their responsibility does not alleviate us, the citizens, from our obligation to strive for greater opportunities and security for all.

These steps, taken at the local and individual levels as well as at the national and global levels, will need to work together in concert to reduce the problems of “sugar daddies” and “passion killings.” These issues should be replaced with respect, dignity and the preservation of basic human rights for all Namibians, and all people everywhere.

Shadowing

This week I am shadowing another PC volunteer in a larger Namibian town. It is great to learn best practices and teaching techniques from other PC volunteers. Namibia is beautiful and diverse. Being now more in the North, the lush diversity of Namibia is apparent - mountainous, green, stunning landscapes!

Next week, I am looking forward to attending a training about gender equality and youth empowerment. It is a PC organization called "Guys and Girls Leading our World." Namibian students can actually attend a week-long camp on this topic in Windhoek, Namibia's capitol.

PC provides endless learning opportunities and I am enjoying this journey very much.

I will post pictures soon ~ I hope that all of you are doing well.

Have S’More !!

Below are photos from the past few days. You can see my host Oma cooking the traditional “Vet koeks” – fat cakes…basically like Namibian doughnuts or fry-bread. They are delicious, but you can only eat one!

You will also see a photo of the scene from near our yard.

Next…you will see photos from tonight. It was quite an exciting evening! You can see me cooking over the fire. Then, I decided to introduce my host family to the American delight of S’MORES! They loved it…pictured below are my host sisters enjoying the S’Mores.

Finally, you will see my host sisters in their beautiful traditional Ovambo dresses! Next week I will be shadowing another Peace Corps volunteer in a nearby town to learn about her experiences and advice for best practices and approach. Then hopefully I will be in Windhoek for training on gender equality and youth empowerment.

Conservation

I have been noticing how many of my community members are natural environmentalists. Not only is Namibia a leader in the environmental conservation movement with numerous nature conservancies, many inhabitants practice a very green lifestyle.

For example, in my current homestay, we recycle everything that we can. Any fruit and vegetable scraps are fed to the chickens or other livestock. Apple seeds are kept so that they can be planted and hopefully grown into a tree. Any bath water is saved and used to water the trees and plants. The tap outside also collects water used from washing and is used to water the garden.

This really brings to light how wasteful I was back in the U.S. – with long showers and baths and throwing away a lot of unused food. Living a different way helps to make you think about resources in a different light. It may be poverty that is driving many Namibians to use their resources carefully, but all of us can learn from their conservation techniques and green lifestyle.

HIV/AIDS in Namibia

Here in Namibia, 1 in 7 people are infected with HIV/AIDs. The signs of HIV/AIDS are not loud and overt, but rather seem to lurk just beneath the surface. I have only been here for 9 weeks, 8 of which have been in training and quite removed from the “real life” of Namibia. Now, having been at site for a little over one week, the signs of HIV/AIDS are beginning to appear. They tap you on the shoulder at unexpected moments:

- A colleague had not been feeling well. I asked her if she had a headache. She said, “No dear, I will tell you what is wrong sometime. But not today.” I hope that I am wrong, but I fear for the worst.

- A friend tells me that, even though she is married, she gets tested for HIV every 3-6 months because she feels that you “can’t trust anyone.”

- At a friend’s house, her friend comes over to cook cornmeal porridge outside. When I asked her why, she said that he is HIV positive and struggling very much. He often comes to her house to cook food if he doesn’t have anything. The harsh antiretroviral (ARV) drugs that are used to treat HIV/AIDS patients are very effective in prolonging one’s life, but make one very sick and weak, and demand a diet rich in nutrients and a high level of self-care.

- In my village, one of the youth leaders plans to host a type of “soup kitchen” with nutrient-rich foods for HIV/AIDS victims in the afternoons. She will plant a large garden and serve vegetables at the kitchen to help those on ARVs cope with the harsh side-effects of the drugs.

- A classroom poster on the walls of many Namibian classrooms feature president Hifikepunye Pohamba pleading, “ALL Namibians must join together to fight HIV/AIDS”

Condoms and most forms of birth control are free here, as are ARVs, but despite birth-control being free, teenage pregnancy and rates of new HIV infections remain high. Sadly, what makes HIV/AIDS even more difficult is the social stigma faced by many. Not only must they struggle with the physical symptoms and treatment, and their own mortality, they must face prejudice and alienation from their friends and family. This does seem to be improving, but nonetheless, one can only imagine what a daily struggle this would be. It is a grim reality, but one that must be faced head-on. Shifting cultural and social norms, strong policy around prevention of new cases and care for existing cases, and a compassionate, human-rights centered approach will be necessary to combat this sinister disease.

Swearing-in and moving to site

This past Thursday was our official swearing-in ceremony. We are now officially Peace Corps volunteers. The ceremony and reception was quite inspirational. We sang the Namibian, African Union and US national anthems, listened to an amazing youth choir, and enjoyed a number of excellent and motivational speeches. Each of our language classes also presented response speeches in each of the respective Namibian languages.

The new Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Namibia, reminded us to strike a balance between American pragmatism, idealism and tolerance. Mr. Gilbert Collins, the Peace Corps Namibia Director, urged us to visualize our community where we hope it will be at the end of our term of service. He likened this journey to a quote by Nelson Mandela, “After climbing a great hill, one will find there are many more to climb.” I have found that to be true – just when you think you are gaining your cultural footing, you slip and discover that things are much more complex (or just baffling) than you ever could have imagined. That is why it is important to integrate ourselves into our communities, to try NOT to view ourselves as outsiders (even though in some sense, of course we always will be). Gilbert went on, citing a speech that was given in honor of Peace Corps recent 50th anniversary:

“The Peace Corps opens borders, but more importantly, minds and hearts. It is more than 27 months of service, it is a way of life. . . eventually it becomes human meets human, heart meets heart.”

The swearing-in ceremony left me feeling inspired, motivated and ready to finally begin my Peace Corps service. I am grateful for the training we have been given and feel confident, but also realistic, about beginning my service.

Immediately after the ceremony, my supervisor (Mr. Peacock) and I left for my site. After a Stoney Tangawizey (ginger soft drink, like ginger ale, but WAY stronger), we were off. We headed directly to my new home at Oma Mathilda’s house (pictured below). Oma is a German-speaking Namibian woman of the Damara tribe. She speaks fluent German because she and her sister used to work for a German family. She is almost 70 years old and thus spent most of her life in the apartheid system which ruled Namibia until 1990. Since Germany colonized Namibia, many of the older Namibians speak German. Oma and I speak German at the house – her German is better than her English.

This was something I struggled with – speaking German in a country where the Germans did not leave a kind legacy. I have wrestled with my emotions regarding the German and Afrikaans languages – both could be argued to have been languages of oppression here in Namibia. But I observe in my community the many different colors of Namibians, which ranges from the very dark like Oma Mathilda to the very white descendants of Germans or of mixed German and Namibian blood. You can witness this, and see how peacefully people live together. Namibia has been, and remains, one of the most peaceful countries in Africa. All of this gives me hope and allows for the waters of forgiveness and reconciliation, even in one’s own heart, to flow.

Back to Oma Mathilda…living with her in her house is truly amazing. I feel like I am one of the boxcar children! We cook all of our meals outside on a fire. We gather firewood to make these fires. Oma has an amazing yard – with a lemon tree, a mango tree, an anise seed bush, cacti, chickens and lots of flowers (and honestly, a lot of random trash as well!). Her late husband built the house all by hand; it is made by sand/mud. Living here is a sort of romantic, surreal and calming experience. It was a real parody the first night I was here. My bedroom light didn’t work. So Oma called over her neighbor to trouble-shoot. It was then that I noticed that the “electrical wiring” is a very haphazard system if wires running through the sand-packed walls. I watched as the neighbor twisted some random wires together and then twisted plastic bags on top to seal it off. Finally, we got the light to work and were able to continue our evening.

Another amazing thing that first night was a hot-coal powered iron. No electricity required! Oma poured hot coals into the iron and ironed her clothes with it – truly the old-fashioned way.

I feel fortunate to be here, and already am feeling at home in my community. I have included photos below of the beautiful African sun in Okahandja the morning of our swearing-in ceremony, myself and a group of fellow PC volunteers being sworn in, Oma, our chicken and a landscape shot of Namibia.

Again, I have to quote: “I am searching, I am seeking. I am in it with all my heart.” - van Gogh

Cross-cultural Exchange

Today the Peace Corps Volunteers hosted our homestay families and trainers for an American meal. We served Mexican, Italian, Southern Comfort foods, Asian, Salads, Breakfast foods and desserts. It was a nice event, and our community seemed to appreciate the diversity of the foods. You can see in the pictures below our welcome sign for the event and the truly American apple pies that I baked. There is also a photo of my with my Namibian host father and sister, receiving their appreciation certificate. The other picture is another trainer and me with our language instructor, Auntie Martha. This coming week we are official sworn in as Peace Corps volunteers, and then I will depart for my site. I will post again soon!