August 10-16

August 10

I woke up feeling really good this morning. I packed and went to breakfast. It was an interesting time talking to the owners of the lodge. The combi (bus) was an hour late. We were all pretty antsy to get on our way. We were taken to the hike point. I was traveling with two others. We waited for a bit then decided to find a car. I ended up squished as I had never been in a hike before. My head was stapled against a window by a huge hiking backpack…compliments of one of my travel mates haha. We got out in Okahandja and walked to group 38’s Cultural Day. It feels sooo good to not be the newbs now, although I don’t really feel like a veteran yet. I knew many of the trainees already, and met a few more people. I stayed there until the end of the cultural event. I help set up food for my host family (Afrikaans table). I was able to sneak some really awesome food. Fyi, the best food is the Afrikaans food because it’s the closest to American food  (potato salad, bbq meat, coconut donut things, garlic bread). It’s always the most popular table with Americans. The Group 38 Culture Day was…better than my group’s. They did a fashion show and seemed to have a really good bond. However, that’s also due to them being 40 in number and only being 3 weeks into PST. After they had cleaned up, I hung around the training center. I’m becoming pretty good friends with some of them, and I also love getting to know people. We watched a movie and then walked to Rhino’s, a bar and restaurant. Disclaimer: I did not drink with the trainees, which is a big no-no between current PCVs and trainees. I had such a good time with them! I was going to go home, but a bunch of current PCVs wanted to hang out. We ran to the market for exercise and food, then walked back to a pcv’s place. Let’s just say the next few hours were kind crazy. I got home at 830 and hung out with my second host family. I love both of my host families so much. I went to bed around 1030.

August 11

I talked to my dad for a few minutes when I woke up. Hiking stresses me out a bit, although I’m not bad at it. I knew that once I got to site I’d feel better. I had to walk 2kilometers with nearly 120 pounds of other people’s stuff plus my own. I went with 5 other PCVs to Brewed Awakening for breakfast. It was expensive. I went with two others to hike out. It took a while for all our three hikes today. The first ride was to Otjiwarongo with a former Namibian National Soccer Team Player. We got some food then went to the hike point. The second hike was from an Afrikaaner hunter. We had a really hard time getting a hike from Otavi. I thought we might have to stay with some friends of ours. We got picked up by one of the two coolest young Namibians I have met. He was exactly like an American young person, but he was an Electrical Engineer. He was brilliant. We had such an awesome ride with him. I was dropped off at my place. I ate dinner and went right to bed. I fell asleep really early.

August 12

I woke up extremely exhausted, sore, and a little sick. My mood was a little below average too, but that’s too be expected after being away from site so long. I went to the clinic and did weight and temperature all morning. I read gardening stuff and did excel expense lists. Lunch was just wheatbix, kind of a downer after having normal food at the conference for a week. Later in the day, I practice Arabic then watched 24. I went home and had Canned Fish and yisima (I love that stuff) for dinner. I played 5 games of UNO with a bunch of family members and won two of them. They are getting much better! I went into my room and played RTW for a bit then watched 24. Then I went to bed.

August 13

I woke up and walked to school early. I worked in the office all day. I was feeling really lousy in the morning. I’ve felt pretty worthless the last few days and the next week or so (after this post). It’s mainly because my projects are ALL school related, but school just went on break. The second factor is that my supervisor was gone for 5 weeks due to family emergency. I really want to do something at the clinic, but she’s the one I need to talk to. Anyways, I was soooo productive today. I researched my garden and talked about future projects with people. I also made a wishlist for my mom and dads’ care package J. I was in a skyhigh mood. I am also going to get a language tutor. I need to learn the language better, as well as have something to keep me busy and productive during work hours. I went and bought Toppers. Then I went back and tried to practice Arabic. Fyi, I realize it seems strange to be practicing language which has no purpose here, but there are a few reasons why  I am trying it. First, I plan/dream to move to the Middle East after Peace Corps Service and want to have some exposure to the language. I can be pretty forward thinking sometimes. The second reason is that I am surrounded by Rukwangali all the time and it just saps the energy out of me. It becomes boring after a while. Also, Rukwangali is spoken by about 80,000 people on the planet. One of my disappointments with going to Namibia was not getting to learn a language that I will ever use again. Arabic is spoken by a huge number of people and the location is my dream location to work in. I am definitely learning Rukwangali still. After Arabic, I played RTW, listened to music, and watched 24. I went home around 550. It’s getting lighter out later and warmer as well. Dinner was yisima (porridge) and a part of a huge fish from the sea. My family and I played some UNO. Then I went and watched some 24 and Big Bang Theory, then went to bed.

August 14

I did not sleep well. I took my clothes to the clinic for one of the workers’ mother to wash. I hadn’t had my clothes washed for some time because  my supervisor’s cleaning lady, who normally does my clothes, hasn’t come to the clinic because my supervisor is gone.  I walked back home in the morning to practice gardening. It didn’t go extremely well, although I learned. It was my first time and I am doing a specialized technique we have been taught. The work was harder than I thought. My hands got blistered and very dirty. Two local men came to my house and asked me to do their microfinance proposal for them. I said no, but that I would help them. I went back to the clinic and read gardening stuff and journaled. I had wheatbix for lunch. Later in the day I practiced Arabic, typed my journal, and watched 24. I was stoked that my laundry was done by the end of the day. It put me in a very good mood. I went home early. I went to bucket bathe because I was very dirty. I went to relieve myself and I was super irritated because a young girl kept watching me and FOLLOWING me from about 200 yards away. I was extremely irritated. Fyi, you just use the bathroom anywhere outside. Even though it was slightly warm outside, the bucket bath was cold and not enjoyable. After I dressed I felt very dizzy, weak, and faint so I opened up cans of baked beans, black beans, and salsa. It was all I had. I still ate dinner, which was my favorite meat. This type of meat has no fat and has the most amazing flavor. I found out this day that the mystery meat was SPRINGBOK! Wow! I went to my room after and started the first book of the Ender’s Game series, Earth Unaware. It was AMAZING. I could NOT put it down until 11pm! It was so exciting to have a book I was excited to read.

August 15

Tried to do my normal prayer, but failed. I walked to the clinic and then the school. I went and bought toppers. At the store where I bought the toppers, I asked to see the garden in the back I had heard about. I was expecting a little tiny thing, but to my amazement, the garden was like a professional garden. It was HUGE!!!!!! It was soooo beautiful! They had tons of different kinds of vegetables. They even had flowers. I noticed they didn’t use Permaculture methods. There were two modern beautiful houses. There was even a bbq and two very large yards behind the houses of GREEN grass and a few trees. It reminded me of America and I really missed my home. Not homesickness, but close. I really do miss America. I read some more stuff that gave me project ideas. The reading materials were about microfinance and grassroots soccer. One of the teachers tried to get me to do his hw for him, but I refused. I went back to the clinic late and practiced Arabic. I finished UNIT 1!!!! Then I watched Big Bang Theory. I went home and read by the fire. I talked with the headlady about the garden. Then I had a 15 minute conversation with her and I didn’t need any translation! I understood almost everything! I was so proud of myself. I scoff at those who think I am not learning the language. I played Uno with my family and then went to read Earth Unaware. It was so good! I stayed up until 10pm.

August 16

I woke up around 515am and prayed. I talked to my mom and dad. I was so stoked. My camera and everything hadn’t gotten to a PCV’s parents who were bringing it with them when they came to visit Namibia. I was so nervous, stressed, and upset that I wouldn’t get the stuff here soon. However, it came back!! They shipped it to another guy whose coming to Namibia this next week. I went to the clinic and then to school. I mainly wrote letters to people in the US and spent time with the teachers. The teachers and I left for Rundu. By the way, I had major hiccups allll day, and it became quiet painful after a while. I went and bought peanut butter, bread, and butter and walked to the PC Office. I watched TV and read the news. I walked to my place around 530. I was in a really good mood. I watched one of the two channel’s my friend has, the 2013 World Track Championships. Three other PCVs came in and I had a really good talk with them. I asked them about vacation price, such as Cape Town South Africa and Victoria Falls in Zambia. These are my two main international vacations I want to take. They told me it was pretty expensive, but they said they had saved the money from the PC stipend we get. Also, I don’t drink at all and that removes hundreds of dollars of expenses. We also talked about cameras and photograph (one of the PCVs is the one I jokingly blame for making me buy my new camera).I went to bed after talking to them.