That One Dam Party

Thursday, April 24th
Today is my Mom's birthday as I wrote in my last post. Love you Mom!! Yesterday, all of the trainees left to go to shadow a volunteer. Ultimately the site we are visiting is near where we are going, but myself and two other trainees are now in Outjo. Their sites are far south, but I am lucky and Outjo is actually my shopping town. I have access to buy groceries and such, but it is just the closest largest town. The volunteer I am shadowing is actually taking me to my soon-to-be home, Khorixas, which is about 200km away tomorrow.

Last Friday, Good Friday, we still had class but it was only 2hrs of language and then our awesome social committee organized a braii at a dam nearby. It would of cost N$70 for the entry fee into the park, but PC covered the costs as a surprise and we each gave N$50 for the cost of food. I got so enthusiastic of leaving town I felt like a little kid on a field trip. We all got into the combis and even sang some road trip songs - it was only a 5-15min ride which did not allow us anytime to get bored on the road which was perfect! It was a beautiful small little lake formed by the dam and surrounded by mountains (big hills). Myself and two other volunteers swam to the other side. I forgot how much I enjoy being in the water! It brings me so much joy and I am reminded how I have always been attracted to be around and especially in the water. It also made me reminisce about all of the good times with my family at Lost Praire Lake, Inks Lake, Canyon Lake and more. We have had a lot of fun times in unsalted waters. One of our trainers was the braii master and cooked all the meat with some assistance. A braii is just what they call BBQs here. We ate chicken, some red meat, potato salad, green salad, and bread. It was so very nice. I also got to throw a football around for a bit. I ended the day very satisfied, my body was exhausted from the sun, swimming, and football. Absolutely fantastic!

This trip was also one of the few times that I have actually been in a car since I have arrived in Namibia. My house is in walking distance from the training center so I walk every day to wherever I need to go. The main town is within a mile radius it seems. Within that radius there are a multitude of grocery stores including Spar, Spes Bona, Shop Rite, Mega Save, Pick-n-Pay and several more. There are a couple of farm market selling spots around town also. Three of the five places the trainees live are within a 3mile distance apart from each other. Long point made short-everything is centrally located. My host dad has two cars in which he takes to work or on various trips. I receive a ride when we go to church together. I have ridden in a taxi once with my host sisters to a church youth choir concert and several times caught a ride with someone's friend. It actually surprised me that despite proximity a lot of people don't walk if it is not within a mile and pay the standard fee of $10 to be taken home or wherever. We volunteers actually walk a lot and some host families have commented saying we walk too much, but I think it gives us the freedom to go where we want. It is unfortunate that trainees that live in Nau Aib or Vetersdaul must take the combi home as it is a far walk and can be unsafe. Tuesdays and Thursdays the combi takes them home an hour past class is let out so we can hang out together.

Delicious Braii Party Food

Time of PST is winding down and we have grown a bond with each other. I have to admit when we departed for our site visits yesterday, I was a little sad. Very soon it will be a much longer departure and the comfort of Americans everyday will be gone. I do have one health volunteer in Khorixas so it will be nice to have him show me the town and have someone from a similar culture to relate to.

Special Days

Thursday, April 17th
        Today is my brother's 25th birthday! I know he won't see this, but be told by someone, but oh how I love him and am so proud of where he is in life. He has become a very respectable man, a loving husband and a caring father- all by 25!! I know he will strive to be better and do more. I am honored to be your sister.
        This upcoming week also holds two other lovely birthdays- my sister and my mother. Earth Day holds a special place in my heart as my big sister, kind of second mom and one of my best friends was born. I am glad you continue to pave the path for me as I observe your steps in life and often times choose another which I know can irritate you;) I love you dearly and I know we will continue from each other through challenges ahead.
         My dear dear mother, anyone that knows her is aware of the rare presence they are blessed with. She holds an attitude and respect much different than most and often something I strive for. She deserves to be celebrated for absolutely fantastic woman she is.
         Another shout out should also go to the newest addition to the Whittaker Family, my nephew, as he will be baptized in 10 days. I am saddened by the fact that I will not be there physically to support this event in his life, but am reassured that he has many other family to be there.

As there are current and upcoming important dates happening in the US, there are also a few events that have happened over the past couple of weeks. Last Friday, there was a verbal mid-evaluation exam on our respective language. The whole week, I felt like it was back to final exams in college. People were so stressed out. I had to laugh a little because even if we did not meet Peace Corps standards there were not any negative consequences. Group 39 overall performed quite well and many surpassed the guidelines of scoring Intermediate Low by end of training. I received Novice High+, so it was very close to end of training service standard but not quite. There were three Intermediate High scorers which is absolutely fantastic!

KKG has lost one learner, but she will thrive much better in Africaans and am very happy for this change for her. My trainer wants the remaining two to score Advanced by the end of training, but I believe he is being very hopeful. He is quite fantastic and theatrical with his teaching. He has an 8yr old and twin 2yr old girls and think this helps with teaching us. He is very patient with us and our girlish outbursts of laughter. He is also very silly which helps engage us more in the lessons.

Yesterday (April 16th), we all got to find out our site placements for the next two years! I will be living in the Kuenene region in the town of Khorixas. From what I hear this is the heart of the Damara people which is fantastic because my KKG will be utilized here! My host family has a farm outside this town. I will be working with The Ministry of Health at the Khorixas District Hospital. I will find out much more once I get there and share with you all:)

Site Announcements (Map of Namibia on Ground)

KKG Class Site Placements

Mixed Emotions

Blog #6: Mixed Emotions

Monday, April 7th
My last few blogs I feel have been really logistical and I wanted to paint a picture for family and friends back home of my life here in Okahandja. This blog I want to try and focus on how I am feeling. It is a roller coaster.

Each week we have a resource volunteer that is currently serving come to be with us a week to provide their perspective and answer any questions we may have. Each one seems to agree the roller coaster continues throughout service. Just today I woke up full of energy and was super optimistic complimenting everyone near me and had a good presentation in KKG. Then by the end of the day, I feel conquered, overwhelmed and defeated.

I also have a hard time trying to determine the stressor. I don't know if it is the distance from family, friends and everything comfortable to me or Dad's death. Overall I am happy here, but I sometimes am swept over with this unexpected sadness. I am working on ways to handle all situations. A belief that has always comforted me is the only person to impress is God. I know I don't I need to impress Him for His acceptance, but the reassurance that the only Being I am here for is God is nice to have. I am someone that likes to please people, so taking all the people you know and the culture you are comfortable with and placing you in something completely different is quite difficult. As a people-pleaser, it can be wearing to try and honor and respect a family not your own, but treats you as such, and with a group of individuals that are in the same situation, but you still do not really have a great sense about.

My Personal Getaway

Random Thoughts...
One thing that I have gotten used to is coming home to a family and going to a church where I don't understand 97% of what is being said. I know I am being spoke to when I hear my name. My family speaks very good English which is helpful for integration, but English is only spoken when they want me to understand. I am very blessed in the respect that my family's mother tongue is Khoekhoegowab which is the language I am learning. This might help me pick up speaking or understanding faster. I try to pick out words and piece together the conversation, but my vocabulary is not extensive enough to form sentences most often.

A while back I quit thinking in US dollar and now I am thinking in Namibian dollars as my lunch allowance is in Namibian and that can quickly disappear if you continue to have that mindset. The rate is currently a 10:1 dollar ratio.

The food is not really a big adjustment here, but that is because I am also from Texas where meat is also a staple. All I have to do is go back to my country roots. I stepped away from my meat-centered diet when I was on my own, but I have adjusted back quite easily. I know crave meat and porridge for dinner. The porridge I kept reading about on other peoples blogs seemed so unappealing and bland and was so nervous of having that everyday. It is made from maize meal and is really easy to make. It makes me think of thick mashed potatoes that you eat with your hands. There is usually some meat juice sauce that you dip it in or you wrap the mai-i around some meat. Almost all meat has bones and is eaten from the bones - ground beef or boneless chicken is not really a normal commodity. I have started to enjoy eating food with my hands. My family stares a little bit at me when I eat with my hands, I think they find it amusing and that I am becoming a "true Namibian".

Cows Crossing Major Highway

The two biggest adjustments I have are cars driving on the other side of the road and no napkins anywhere. I still continue to look down the wrong side of the road before crossing the street. I just look up and down the road 6 times before crossing. And yes, no napkins! At first I thought they have a way to be cleaner or they wipe their hands on their clothes, but there is usually a damp washcloth that is shared or sometimes a small wash basin.

To end on a positive note, today I was picked to give a short introduction of myself to the entire class in my language and I think I did well! Another trainer who speaks KKG grabbed my shoulder in congratulations and had a huge smile on his face. My trainer was smiling during my presentation and another trainer who does not speak KKG, but can understand some, said that he does not recall a trainee that has spoken the clicks and the language so proficiently so early in training. I must follow this statement in saying that I am no where close to understanding or speaking at a level to hold a conversation more than 15 seconds, but this was definitely a proud and encouraging moment to continue in my efforts of language learning.

Also, for my family that wrote me letters prior to leaving, I was slowly opening them to last me during the entire training at least. I then decided I can always re-read the letters and am glad I did so. I greatly enjoyed every letter and each held its own unique personality from the individual. Thank you and I love you! I am so very blessed to have such support and love from home.

Looking Up

Tuesday, April 1st
Brand new month! Yesterday just got better and better! I practiced colors and food in Khoekhoegowab (KKG) with my host family. My Tima even got out spools of yarn with different colors to help me practice. They even teased my little 5yr old because I knew the colors better than her in KKG. She knows all the colors in English, speaks KKG and English fluently but does not know colors in KKG. A neighboring couple stopped by the house and the man actually visited Texas A&M University years back to observe the agriculture aspect. I believe he works in foreign diplomatic work and has worked in Europe and New York a couple of years.

IMPORTANT NEWS!!!! Today, my language teacher identified all four separate clicks that I was doing! This is the first time I did them all right! Now I just need to continue to practice so I can say it right every time!

Today my class' April Fools joke was to sit in on different language classes, most of them got a kick out of it. My teacher just told the attempted jokers to move on. He is very funny and teases us in class all the time. He is always jolly, but often looks serious. The head trainer fooled us all and gave us this detailed story of why we were actually getting our site placements today instead of in a couple of weeks. We all believed it for a few minutes, then realized it was still April Fools and he tricked us all.

Just got done presenting to an after school club today. My group goes tomorrow discussing "changing bodies" and I am also going to cook for my family. Wish me luck!

My host sisters and myself