Category: Impressions

Some exciting developments have come into being since Shannon’s arrival and I’ve just been enjoying the company enough to not really care too much about blogging…sorry.  So I’ll just go ahead and throw these out there as they have definitely changed things around here for the better:

1. Dart Board.  A real Unicorn dartboard with real steel darts.  We play this pretty much all night, every night.  Thus far we’re pretty good competition for each other.  Look out for us on the co-ed dart circuit this fall.

2. Mattress.  Gone are the days of stiff necks and aching backs.  During our travels around the country we stopped in Otjiwarongo, bought a mattress and strapped it to the top of the truck.  I’m just thankful it never took flight during our drive.  I would have been sad and some Himba man would have been extremely happy.

3. Hammock.  Shannon was awesome and brought me this hammock for two that folds up into a bag about the size of a grapefruit.  This is a daily pleasure and will continue even upon my return home.  Slap strap!

4. Hot Water.  Sure, this deserves it’s own post, but the less time I spend writing the more time I can enjoy the shower.  When last in Windhoek I bought a new heating element for the 200 liter tank I have strapped to my house.  After a day of scraping the calcium deposits out it was good to go.  Goodbye bucket showers, goodbye!

5. Milk Chocolate Oreos.  Have these hit the states yet?  I’ll bring some home with me.

6. African Gas.  nuff said.

7. Bike Wheel.  Remember my tales of my ailing bike?  Well, I attempted to solve all my problems by purchasing replacement parts while in Windhoek.  I even managed to get a new rim to replace the rubber one that came with my bike.  Success on all accounts minus the simple fact that the sales guy sold me a rim that was 3 inches to small.  Nice.  In my excitement upon finding this out, I left the tire and tube out on my porch.  The two apparently felt they had enough of me and rolled away during the night never to be seen again.  A local man came by not long after and was able to fix my old rim, give me a replacement tire and the bike has never been better.  I’ll be training him in computers over the next couple of months to help him get a job as he is currently unemployed.  I’m sure I’ll write more about Godwin as time comes.

8. Tobasco Sauce.  I have managed to discover that the green tabasco sauce is right up my alley.  I wonder if it’s good on cereal because it’s good on everything else.

Not only have I managed to have a few hot showers, but I have managed to completely reimmurse myself back into western life in the few days I have been in Windhoek.  Sushi, Pizza, Indian Food, Taxis, Movie Theaters, Shopping Centers…it’s been nice.  Strange thing is, I really could live without these things.  Yes, they are enjoyable, but not really what I need.  Part of the allure of these things is being able to experience them seldomly…they’re luxuries.  I’ve been able to find new appreciation for the everyday pleasures I once had.  I know that as soon as I get back to the U.S. I will quickly lose the appreciation, but I won’t lose the experience.  It’s something everyone should try ever so often.  Put yourself out there, get out of your comfort zone and then maybe you might find out what makes your life so great.

Now if I could just convince myself to give up on all forms of electronic communication…that would be a real trip.  But then how could I share everything with you?

Sunday afternoon I had a couple little visitors outside my house.  Two young kids were going through my trash.  Normally, I might have found this strange or would have told them to stop, but this isn’t that strange to me anymore.  They made their rounds in my neighborhood and I only asked that they put the trash back in the cans once they were finished…what is wrong with me?  I know one thing, if they don’t do it during the day they would just come back at night.

I think the kids told a couple of older people because I had more visitors today who were a bit older looking for 5 liter empty plastic bottles.  They took my old bread that I left on my porch.  Apparently the saying is true here, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

I learned something this past weekend when I asked if people were headed home for the day…assuming it meant that they were just going to go to their house here in Opuwo. The response was ‘No’ and that it is too expensive to just go home for a weekend. I was confused, but then realized that most people don’t actually live here in Opuwo. They got a job here at the hospital, are placed in housing at the hospital and have their families and homes elsewhere. Now it makes sense.

Like Kenyans, Namibians find a fascination with a 26 year old white man running for the fun of it. Some laugh, some whistle, some join in…the rest like to stare. I guess it just doesn’t make that much sense that a person would exert energy when they don’t need to…come to think of it, I kind of agree. I hope to switch to soccer soon.

No where is the answer.  It’s pretty amazing really…there are no big airplanes that fly over Opuwo and thus no contrails.  The sky here is cloud free all the time, no haze and just as blue as it comes.

My program manager quit after one day of my being here.  The Woodruff boys really do ruin Africa.  This should be fun.

You might find this a funny post, but it really is something that can’t be ignored.  People just pick their nose here.  Security guards, waiters, people at the bus stop…everyone just does it…well, I should say the guys do it.  I believe I have found the reason though…there’s just so much dirt and pollution in the air that you can’t avoid it.  Your nose truly becomes a booger factory operating at the highest capacity.  Good times.

I recently had a discussion with a local regarding his feelings of foreign volunteers in Kenya.  He had an interesting perspective to offer.  He said that there have historically been a lot of international NGOs with a strategy in mind to approach African nations…this however is an incorrect assumption.  Even having a strategic approach for one African nation is incorrect.  Why?  The answer is simple really.  There are thousands of tribes even within Kenya and each has their own customs, practices and ideals by which they live their lives.  To have a single approach for such a large number of inherently different groups is foolhardy.  Additionally, the approach is often to impose the will of the donor upon the recipients instead of listening to their needs.  Example being I am a donor and want to spend $10,000 on a bunch of computers, however, the recipients can’t even pay for their electricity or it is only on for an hour a day.

Now, I cannot make the generalization that all international NGOs behave in this manner, but it does bring to light some of the issues that we are facing.

One last comment.  There is a definitely lack of nationalism among the people here.  There are no “Kenyan” customs because of the tribal variations I have discussed.  In America we often vote along party lines, here the voting is tribally determined.

I was riding around yesterday in a Matatu and in front of us was a crowd of young men going down the street ripping off political posters. At first I thought it was just some school boys cleaning up the walls outside their school. I was mistaken. They were tearing down any poster that was not for their party, ODM. Now…a little rivalry is good and all, but I can see how things like this could get out of hand. There were no police around…there are really never any police around…so this sort of activity goes unchecked and people often wonder why riots occur here.

On a related note, as a result of the national elections this year the number of street hawkers (2nd hand goods sellers) in the city center has ballooned and congestion is at a high. No police enforcement, no restrictions. It’s pretty amazing to witness actually and I hope to get a video or pics of it to share.

In the meantime, I’m going to go buy a mirror for my apartment. Try going without a mirror for a week…it’s interesting.