Site Visit: Check

So I just got back from my site visit to Kamanjab!  It was great to see where I will be living for the next two years.  My new village is small and peaceful…yet also rowdy.  Like the sign that says "Welcome to Kamanjab is larger than Kamanjab.  I think that it will be a unique experience to live and work at a clinic in a very small village.  The clinic compound is BEAUTIFUL.  It’s the coolest looking clinic I have seen yet (even cooler than the hospital in nearby Outjo).  My favorite thing to do is sit outside on the Clinic deck and just watch the life and scenes of Kamanjab (I’ll post a photo of my sitting spot in another blog).  Is that too mushy?  In a rural village you have more than enough time to think and contemplate the greater things in life, so I have a feeling that ya’ll will get a softer more thought out view of the world as I see it. 

My flat is GINORMOUS!!  It’s a two bedroom with a large seating area and kitchen.  It also comes with a large back patio, which I have decided to equip with chairs of some kind.  I have created a sofa with the two extra mattresses from the spare bedroom in order to fill my apartment with something so it isn’t so empty that it echoes! I have included photos so that ya’ll can see and I’ll post a video once I get settled and it doesn’t look like I’m a squatter in someone else’s home!

I think I’m going to like living the small village life, and it will save me LOADS of money.  There are only two “convenience stores” and no ATM so I couldn’t even get money if I wanted to!  I’m so happy that Crystal lives so close to me and also lives in my shopping town.  I have to go to her town to do any kind of food shopping (and shopping in general) and, of course, eat at really delicious restaurants!  The other bright side is that with rare access to food and money and having more than enough time I should be able to get my workout on and get ripped with Tony Horton in P90X.  

For now I am happy to be home in Okahandja with my PC family.  It’s funny cause they described PC as taking PCV’s away from family and friends, giving us a new PC family and then they take us away from each other to different areas of the country.  I am not sure what I am going to do when my PC family and I separate.  Hopefully they’ll visit me and I will visit them in return.

 
Nay broke Nicole's chair!!

 
 In Outjo working at the soup kitchen!

 
My back patio------my front door

 

 
The view from my patio-----my dining/sitting room

Got my PHD over night! I live in the doctor's flat!

Site Placements Have Arrived!!

Yesterday we had a practice LPI (Language Proficiency Interview) and got our permanent site locations.  The best way to describe my LPI was that it was on the south end of a northbound cow.  However despite what I thought today they told me that I scored a Novice High (the requirement) and was very surprised that I am at the requirement only half way through PST.  Hopefully this means that I will be able to get better as time goes (maybe even be fluent..ya right… ha ha)  P.S. I’ll be interchangeably calling KKG Damara because it’s a more specific name to the language.  KKG is the label that the whites put to group together the shared (yet different) language of the Nama and Damara peoples. 

So after what I thought was a LPI catastrophe I was in big need of a pick me up…and a pick me up is what I got!  So my placement will be in the village of Kamanjab (phonetically pronounced ka-man-yob or ka-man-job based on accent) in the Kunene region (phonetically coo-nay-nay).  I’m at a health clinic working with HIV and Maternal Health!  SOOO happy that I will be in a health clinic.  I totally stressed in my interview that I wanted to work in the Medical field.

I’ll be living in a flat on the clinic compound with my coworkers.  Can I get an Amen for running water and electricity? AMEN.  There are two other PCVs in my village who are education volunteers.  My BFF Crystal is only about an hour or so away from me, which is going to be totally awesome.  She is placed in Outjo (phonetically ocho). That is the larger town in Kunene.  Jay, who is also learning Damara, will be about an hour and a half away as well.  Unfortunately CJ is closer to Rundu with no water, no electricity, and a half finished pit latrine…

The coolest part is that my family is from Outjo and are so excited that they finally have one of their volunteer children moving to their region.  My family honestly has been the best support for me and have connections everywhere! Ha ha.  The second best part is that Italy told me that there are elephants and giraffes that just wonder around the village!  How cool is that??

I go for a site visit on Friday so I will post more when I return!  Stay tuned everyone!

National Food Day

There are so many different cultures that make up Namibia and each have different foods that are a staple in their celebrations and daily lives.  So by splitting everyone by language groups we were able to eat all different foods.  We killed chickens and ate stomach and Mopane Worms.  Overall it was a good day trying all these different foods.  The Afrikaans had Brae (BBQ) and DELICIOUS Garlic Butter Bread.....I would seriously become obese if I lived at Alicia's host family.  The KKG group made Donkey and Pork feet with some Ash Bread.  Mmmmm....but also not Mmmmm at some times.  I'm not sure that I'll make Mopane worms a part of my daily meals!

Here are some photos!

 

 

 

Me and My Host Family: Riana (my mom) Italiana (my sister) Riaan (my brother) and Italy (my dad)

Multiple Updates. One Post.

So this is a two-on-one update; one on the Okahandja Hospital visit and one on the field trip to Windhoek.

Today we went to the Hospital to see the HIV/AIDS section.  It was pretty interesting to see how the hospital was laid out and what the people receiving treatments go through.  It was a really small space for such a large need in the community.  In one room the clerk, nurse, and doctor all shared an office and had people filtering through all the time.  The testing room and the counseling room were one room so there couldn’t be a test and a session going on at the same time.  We also got to see the Pharmacy and talk with all the different people involved in the Hospital process.  The amount of work that they do is amazing considering the space and the need.  David (a man in my group) asked what their needs were and the nurse responded with resources.  Working in such a small space is discouraging to everyone involved.  Wait times are longer because space and time are limited.  It was really enlightening to see the Hospital and be able to get a better view of everything that is involved.  Pam (a current PCV helping with our training) said that she recommends getting tested at a public clinic at least once so you will know what it is like for the average person getting tested.  Once I get to site I will definitely take that opportunity.

Last weekend we went on a field trip to Windhoek!  It was really a cool day.  Our first stop was Heroes Acre where the leaders of the fight for independence as well as other Namibians who do amazing things are buried in honor.  It was a beautiful monument and we walked all the way to the top and we got an amazing view of Windhoek from Heroes Acre.  As a custom people who go to the top sing songs so we chose some Namibian songs that we have been learning.  I will post the videos below along with some photos from the day.

Next we went to the mall!  Which is just like a typical American mall with stores and food shops.  It felt like we were transported back to the states with pretty much the same stores but with different names and styles.  I picked up some much needed Q-tips (aka cotton buds) at a store called medicine world which was this HUGE pharmacy/rite aid type of a place. 

Next we went to a few open markets where we ate street meat (which was AMAZING) and refueled with some water and ice cream.  It was really cool to see all the different vendors selling their items, they even had worms but I’m waiting to eat those!

This Saturday is Namibian cultural food day where we will get to eat foods from all the different cultures of Namibia.  My host mother is going to be cooking which is awesome because her food is delicious! (or //Khoaxa in Khoekhoe)

Hereoes Acre

 

 CJ Sleeping and Benna playing pool
 
 

Mike (the Afrikaans trainer) and I----Street meat 

Top Left to Bottom:

Jackson, Johanna, David, Nay, Angelina, Jurgen, Emily, Jay Cherie

Rachel, Remsey, Elaina, Alicia, Kelly, Ephraim, Amy, Sallay, Olivia, Me Crystal, Benna, Bonnie

Denise, Selma, Beauty

(bottom row) Jamie, JJ CJ, tour guide and Mike!

Khoekhoegowab

Hey Everyone!

So I'm officially living with my (AWESOME) host family and have gotten my language assignment! I'm learning Khoekhoegowab which is a native language that uses clicks.  It is challenging but also very interesting to learn.  I seem to be picking it up alright and my host family all speak it as their native tongue.  The language uses 4 different clicks that are translated into symbols before the word you use the click with.

The four clicks are:
/ which makes a tisk sound
// which makes a squirrel chirp kind of sound
! which is...i guess best described as... indescribable..
≠ which is like a sticky type sound like if you eat something sweet and your tongue sticks.

I'll post a video once I know more you ya'll can hear the different clicks (not saying they'll be perfect) but written good morning would be !gai //goas so the symbols indicate which clicks go where.

Host family is great.  I played futbol with the kids yesterday which was a lot of fun.  It's great that they all speak my language because I will have language lessons at training and language lessons at home which all started last night.  They made me feel right at home and told me that I was now a part of their family.  With my family being so far and my new PC family all living apart it is nice to have another new family.

My language group

Where the Lion King was filmed

Today we got to go hiking in Okahandja.  We climbed Pride Rock (you know where Lion King was filmed)  and had a great time.  We had to cut through a families property to get there so the kids decided to become our guides up the mountain.  We were bear crawling up rocks and got thorns in our shoes but we made it!!

p.s. if you haven't guessed the Lion King wasn't actually filmed here....it was animated...

The Journey to the Present

In the words of the ever-so-wise Anthony Bourdain:

“The journey is part of the experience-an expression of the seriousness of ones intent.  One doesn’t take a train to Mecca.”

What do you call a no-sleep, delayed flights, long layovers, and 17 hours of air travel?  PC moving day!!  But no matter the troubles life is always about the journey (thanks for reminding me Anthony), I’m glad to FINALLY be in Africa after all this time (Yes Ryan Jones I’m finally in Africa).  South African Airlines is seriously luxury for economy class: equipped with on-demand movies/TV/music/games, A travel pack (see below for photo) including socks/eye mask/toothpaste/toothbrush), loads of room (comparatively) and free drinks…unlimited free drinks.  The guy next row over drank about 12 little Brandy shooters.

Once we touched down in Namibia safely, got our bags (both my were there!) we boarded a bus to Okahandja where we are currently undergoing training.  It is here that we learn our languages (I find out on Monday) and our placements (fin out in April).  The drive into the town was beautiful and we had an indescribable sunset.  You may notice from my photos that it sure looks a lot like Colorado in some of the photos.  This is kind of nice because it’s like I took some of Colorado with me to Africa.

And while I sure am missing all of you at home I’m truly enjoying myself here and am excited to start this new chapter in the ever-evolving story of my life.

I have Internet access here in Okahandja so I’ll be able to keep ya’ll updated with the language, placement, and the day-to-day life of a trainee in PST (pre-service training)

  

 
 Our first sight of South Africa (top left)
A African Proverb that applies to our group (top right)
Look Familiar?  From the Airport to Windhoek Namibia looks a bit like CO (bottom left)
Already found a use or two for the duct tape we packed Momma! (Bottom right)