A Good Day's Work

Last week I spent one afternoon moving dirt around, yet it felt like one of the most substantial things I’ve done since being here. A group from Norway has spent a month here in Tsumeb rebuilding a kindergarten. Tate, Jesse and I joined them for a day’s worth of work. It really is satisfying to know you’re working on something your community needs, even if it’s just for a day. The group we worked with is part of a reality TV show back in Norway. Crazy huh? They have to complete tasks like these in order to continue getting funding for more international projects.

How am I doing? Ek kan nie klan nie (I can’t complain). My Afrikaans skills are still below average, but I can get by in conversation. It’s funny I recognize most of the words people say to me, but I still don’t quite get the meaning. I try to just go with what I think they said. I don’t speak it that much. My brother Jesse gets me speaking it every once in a while just to make sure I don’t completely lose the language. What else? When I first got here I was running and doing yoga, but I quit. I don’t know why but I have no desire for either one. I walk a lot and play basketball. I get so sore after basketball it takes me days to recover. I’m meeting more people but I’m still pretty anti-social after working hours. I read a lot, do crosswords, and now I’m addicted to Solitaire. I never liked that stupid game but now I’m hooked. I’m even keeping track of my winning percentage. I win about 1 in every 20 tries. You’d think that would be enough for me to give it up. I’ll be spending the next two weeks in Ongwediva. It’s the real ‘North’ of the country in the heart of Owamboland. I’m getting trained on a life skills program for secondary school students. I’ll probably write my next blog on that. Peace.

A World Apart

This is Justine. She’s 10. I bet this picture could get her a million dollars if I told the world she needed it. I met her in Windhoek last week during Peace Corps Reconnect. Our Country Health Director, Lejeune Lockett (my boss), has developed a youth centre there in Windhoek. It’s called Young Achievers. Justine is a member of the group. She was carrying around this globe and looking adorable; probably not something she has to work at. I asked her if she could show me Namibia on the globe. No problem. Then I asked her where she wanted to visit. She said, “Canada.”
I asked why. “Because it’s peaceful there,” she said. I couldn’t argue.

I’ve returned to Tsumeb after a week at some posh resort outside Windhoek. Peace Corps Reconnect is a week where all the volunteers come back together, discuss our Namibian lives, and take hot showers. The hot showers were the best part. Spending a week in 8-5 sessions just wasn’t what I wanted to do. I did get some useful information though. I learned about a few grants we can apply for. I’m now in the process of writing one for our HIV/AIDS Support Group. The American Embassy has a lot of money to give toward HIV/AIDS projects (Thank you PEPFAR). The support group is designed to give emotional support to people living with HIV/AIDS, but it’s more than that. People are out of work. They want something to do, and they want something to eat. If all goes well our support group will provide gardening activities, sewing projects and other income-generation projects. Our centre has attempted to get this group going but has run into many hurdles. We had about 15 people register for the group last year, but most did not attended subsequent meetings. They started a sewing project but our sewing machines and materials were stolen. There are now burglar bars and a barbed-wire fence to discourage break-ins. I think if we get some funding and some food we could have ourselves a successful support group. Stigma will be an on-going problem. HIV+ people really don’t want anyone to know their status. We think some fear being judged just by entering our centre where ‘HIV/AIDS Support Centre’ is painted on the exterior. Wish us luck.