By Admin1 (admin) (pool-151-196-238-65.balt.east.verizon.net - 151.196.238.65) on Saturday, December 20, 2003 - 1:14 pm: Edit Post |
Chris Webb in Namibia
Chris Webb in Namibia
Mon, Dec. 8th, 2003, 04:19 pm
(I forgot)
In other news: I have sent a few aerogrammes. Adriana, Nik, and Gary and Joy should have received them by now. If you haven't, I'm sorry. I have not received any new mail. Please send me something... Anything! If you include music I'll write you every week. Just kidding, but I wish I had more music. Other things I realized: I should have brought a small pillow, short sleaved dress shirts (Mexican style), and more slacks. A pair of dressy sandals wouldn't have hurt either. Can anyone ship frozen Digiorno's pizza? I have no clue why they can never make good pizza here. Anyways, have fun. I might update before Christmas. If not: Merry Christmas everyone! Gesende Versfees! (Afrikaans)
!Gaise ha re!. (Stay well)
Link
Mon, Dec. 8th, 2003, 04:08 pm
Over one month
I'm still alive....
Yes, it's true. I am still alive and kicking in this remote desolate country known as Namibia. So far I have no plans of returning to America. Sorry for anyone who bet that I wouldn't make it past Thanksgiving.
As for what I've been up to, well that's a lot. It seems that never a day goes by without some huge task to complete. Today was supposed to be the beginning of Model School - practice teaching. But, like the African way that was postponed due to the Ministry (central government) changing the way report cards were sent out.
So, I last posted that my language is Khoekhoe Gowab. I found out a couple of weeks ago that my permanent site is Okombahe. If you can't find it on the map don't worry. It isn't much to look at. The village (or smaller than village as the map states) is aproximately 400 residents, a middle school, and a burial ground. At one time the place was the regional capital for the Damara people. Now it is simply a place for them to get buried. How will I live there for 2 years? I have no idea.
As for other things in my life: I am once again devouring books. If you want to send me something- send me some good books. Please! When they said that the Peace Corps office had a good selection of books I never thought it would mean the entire Star Trek library.
And in other sad news, we are now 43. One of the married couples and a girl with a loving boyfriend back home have left us. But, alas we all wished them a happy farewell (and one hell of a good party). We will miss them.
Thanksgiving was a blast. I don't know if it was better than Halloween, but I couldn't have asked for a better bunch to eat with. We worked in shifts to cook 8 turkeys, 4 pumpkin pies, 2 dozen peanut butter cookies, mountains of stuffing, and so much more. It was truly wonderful. As for Halloween, since I never mentioned in my last post, it was hilarious. I dressed up as a vampire and helped carve our "pumpkin." The pumpkin was really a watermelon with a scary face. We are learning very quickly that you make due with what you have.
In a couple of weeks I am spending Christmas in the resort town of Swakopmund. People in Namibia really don't celebrate Christmas like in America. Here it's a blazing hot summer, so why not spend it at the beach? Half of Namibia, a whopping 900,000 people, will join us in Jesus' birth. Of course for Namibians that means getting very drunk. I have never seen so many drunk people before I moved here. A 750 mL of beer is about US$1 at the bar! Unfortunately, cheap alcohol means that people get very, very drunk here. It's really good beer though. :-) While I am on the topic of alcohol, if you can find Amarulo- buy it. You'll like it. I'm not an alcoholic- but after seeing how little there is to do in some places around here, I empathize.
In good news, this country is wonderful, nice and gorgeous. I love my host family. My little brother Mubasen (which means see for yourself in Khoekhoe) is a 16 year old hellion. My mother Pauline is sweet. She's showing me how to make an oven out of a steel drum and bread in the sand. Every night for the last week she has been helping me to translate the Bible from Khoekhoe. When they say that clicking languages are the hardest in the world they aren't lying. But, I am loving the challenge. I think that after I leave here I might be fluent in 4 languages: English, Khoekhoe, German, and Afrikaans. Afrikaans is like a horrible version of German.
As for the beauty of the country. If I end up staying in Okombahe, imagine that out of my window in the morning stands a gigantic mountain. The sun rises over the mountain casting a red glow over the sky. What a way to wake up.
I am truly enjoying my time, my new home, and the wonderful people I have met.
Some of the other volunteers have websites. Unfortunately, I can't remember them all. Jonathon has a link to them all though: www.calboy.org Since Jonathon is in Otjiwarongo with me for model school and language lessons I'm probably not far off from some of his stories.
Link
Tue, Nov. 11th, 2003, 11:30 am
!Gai-tses
I am alive. I'll update as soon as I really can. I am in Windhoek right now for a couple hours before I head back to Otjiwarango for my community based training (CBT).
This country is awesome. I am loving every day. Although the bucket baths and a lack ofcommunication with people is challenging. Then again, I came here for a challege.
My group is 46, mostly all under 30. But, right now we are split up at our CBTs. My group is the largert CBT with 20 trainees.
What is a typical day?
Wake up at 6:00 (earlier if I run)
6:15 Bucket bath
6:45-7:30 Eat, get dressed...
8:00-12 language class (Khoe Khoe Gowab)
12-2 lunch hanging out in the city park with other volunteers
2-4 some diversity session or something
4-5 walk around before i go home
5-9 eat, rest, study at home
9 go to bed...... haven't gone to bed this early since middle school
In case you were wonder what my title says... it means good afternoon in Khoe Khoe Gowab. This exclamation mark at the beginning means you have to click. That's right I am learning to click. There are four clicks !, //, /, and one that looks like # but with only one vertical line. This is one of the hardest languages in the world to learn, but I am learning it very quickly. It's amazing to know such an interesting language.
I'm going now... but I wanted to tell everyone I am alive.
Next week I am in Okhandja then to my permanent site (don't know the location yet)... Then it's back to Okhandja for Thanksgiving then back to Otjiwarango. If you want to call me next week from about sunday night (my time) to friday night my number is 011 264 62 175056.
And I have received 2 lettsrs: one from adriana and one from nik ashley. Thank you both.
By Fr. Donald Seeks (user-33qtmvt.dsl.mindspring.com - 199.174.219.253) on Monday, May 24, 2004 - 5:17 pm: Edit Post |
Would like to say hello to Jonathon Stewart. Please say the greeting is from "Father Don"