day 5 of namibia and i can already say i feel at home : ) we've had quite a few adventures over the past couple of days. on thursday, we went on a tour of the city. we visited a few graveyards, learned about palm trees, and discovered a history as young and alive as south africa's. i tried a fried worm (blech. tasted like the butt of a tree). we also tried fatcakes, which is basically a ball of that delicious greasy elephant ear dough... an all natural energy drink with sorghum in it... and fresh steak! as in, every morning, the market people collect some cows, kill them, and serve them throughout the day. they were butchering the pieces of meat right in the middle of all the market hustle and bustle, and of course there were flies everywhere... but- the meat tasted super good!
i also got a phone call at the house from my parents! it was so good to hear from them. i miss them everyday and wish they could come travel with me!! of course it was very difficult to hear the news about my grandfather... i have kind of been a mess all week over it. but, the people of my group were very caring and understanding, they gave me a card and some flowers... i just wish more than anything i could've been home to be with my family. i wanted to give everyone a hug, and just be there. it is so hard to think about... regardless, i was so pleased to talk to my june and dad, and look forward to our next phone conversation!
friday during the day we went on a "quest" of sorts through katatura -- the poorer township of windhoek. it was really interesting- i saw people kill a chicken! and pluck its feathers! and i then wanted to vom, obvi. haha. it was sad/gross/etc. and the chickens literally do move without their heads attached. what is that about? freaks. we also saw a live music group that had percussion instruments strapped to their ankles, so they would stomp around and make beats. it was awesome. we had a meeting regarding our first day at our internships... yikes- they start monday! i think i am ready. i am a little apprehensive but i am sure it will go well.
friday night nearly everyone in the group went up the street to our "local bar hangout" - the cardboard box. its actually a backpacker's hostel so there are a lot of travelin joe's walking around. it was nice to have some free, fun time with the group instead of the always "academic" learning things. we talked to a few of the people about their travels and their lives sound so exotic and adventurous. hi?
saturday i woke up early and went on a big hike up a mountain! it turned out to be quite the adventure. the mountain looked a lot closer than it actually was when we set out. but we were determined! we were off the "beaten path" to put it nicely- aka no trails whatsoever, we just walked through the brush and dry grasses and thorn bushes. it was so worth it though. we saw no animals, but we did see lots of different animal poops. it was so cool to be in the middle of the african wilderness! and the view from the mountain was phenomenal. as much fun as the hike there was, it was a lot more difficult to get back. we didn't really have a focal point/destination like the mountain on the way there... needless to say, we took the "scenic route," and eventually (after a few failed hitchhiking attempts) took a taxi home. hehe!
we met with students from the university of namibia, and had some awesome conversations about life in namibia and how it differs from life in america. it is amazing to learn their stereotypes of life in america - all glamour and glitter and ritz and famous people, new york and l.a. and all that jazz. yes, that is our country as a whole- i mean what? thats just nonsense... but i guess it is what our media portrays to the rest of the world. we talked alot about religion in africa, the aids / hiv epidemic, homosexuality, student life, etc. it was very interesting!
sunday we shopped around town and had a picnic in the parliament gardens. i saw naked, traditional african people covered from head to toe in red mud, and they tried selling me stuff, but i couldn't focus on their products, i was so weirded out haha. i handwashed my laundry and for some reason kept getting electricuted by the faucet- it was so weird! we have a very busy week ahead of us - starting our internships, classes, even our urban homestay. its a little overwhelming, but i'm sure once we get into the swing of things, it will all be fine and dandy. can't wait for what this week has in store!
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Thursday, August 28, 2008
to jane
From my journal - 14 August 2008
"It is so different entering nursing homes when you're not going to sing with Sweetwine. I always loved going and talking with all of the residents- but its so different if you can recognize a face. I wish more than anything that Grandpa was doing better. I cannot say that me and my grandpa are the closest of buddies, but I still have so many fond memories of him - like his delicious hash browns and his unconditional love for Grandma (and stray cats). Mom keeps telling me this will be the last time I see him and its hard to imagine him not sitting at the head of the table at holiday meals. When we got to the nursing home, he was doing surprisingly better than anyone had expected. He was sitting up and eating a classy hospital special- salisbury steak... It breaks my heart I won't be here for my dad should he pass away in my absence. Grandma was overwhelmingly positive, telling Grandpa to "eat up so he can get all better." I hope there is truth in her hopes!! I once again realized my mom is the most beauitful and giving person in the entire world- I know Grandpa appreciated all of the back rubs and attention and foot massages.... I think Grandpa remembers me though. Maybe not the 18-21 year old me but I think he sees a little blonde curly haired girl in his memories. He definitely remembers Dad- I will never forget when they made eye contact and both smiled today. I told Grandma I was going to bring her an elephant home from Africa and she said "I hope you mean an elephant ear!" Haha. So cute. It was very hard to say goodbye to both Grandma and Grandpa. Although, I promised Grandpa he would meet Cameron at Christmas - and I mean it."
Rest in peace Grandpa Carl, I love you and know you're with me.
"It is so different entering nursing homes when you're not going to sing with Sweetwine. I always loved going and talking with all of the residents- but its so different if you can recognize a face. I wish more than anything that Grandpa was doing better. I cannot say that me and my grandpa are the closest of buddies, but I still have so many fond memories of him - like his delicious hash browns and his unconditional love for Grandma (and stray cats). Mom keeps telling me this will be the last time I see him and its hard to imagine him not sitting at the head of the table at holiday meals. When we got to the nursing home, he was doing surprisingly better than anyone had expected. He was sitting up and eating a classy hospital special- salisbury steak... It breaks my heart I won't be here for my dad should he pass away in my absence. Grandma was overwhelmingly positive, telling Grandpa to "eat up so he can get all better." I hope there is truth in her hopes!! I once again realized my mom is the most beauitful and giving person in the entire world- I know Grandpa appreciated all of the back rubs and attention and foot massages.... I think Grandpa remembers me though. Maybe not the 18-21 year old me but I think he sees a little blonde curly haired girl in his memories. He definitely remembers Dad- I will never forget when they made eye contact and both smiled today. I told Grandma I was going to bring her an elephant home from Africa and she said "I hope you mean an elephant ear!" Haha. So cute. It was very hard to say goodbye to both Grandma and Grandpa. Although, I promised Grandpa he would meet Cameron at Christmas - and I mean it."
Rest in peace Grandpa Carl, I love you and know you're with me.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
jo burg and the what what
Jambo from Africa! I hope that this blog can be used as a means of keeping in touch with my loved ones and all the people I care about. Feel free to check it out at your convenience. I will try to update regularly on my adventures :)
The flight to Africa was so long! I flew from Chicago to Washington DC to NYC to Daqar then to Johannesburg. I was so excited to arrive I could hardly stand it! Sadly, it was dark when we arrived and the drive to our hostel was fairly uneventful - so hard to see anything. The city lit up at night was beautiful though :) The hostel we stayed at was actually a Catholic nunnery of sorts. It was really pleasant, with a big courtyard with lots of trees. Except- the trees have no leaves!! Because its winter here!! Who would have thought? I have spent the last week in scarves and sweaters... Darn my stereotypes of Africa being a hot tamale... womp.
The majority of our time in Joburg was dedicated to hearing various speakers from different institutions. We heard from the opposing political parties, a council of churches, even the US Embassy! It was really interesting to learn about the history of South Africa, particularly apartheid. It is so unique to hear people tell testimonies of their struggles during the liberation movement of the 1970s, it makes history almost come alive.
We saw some devastating parts of the city. I have never seen poverty to this degree in my life- literally shacks, or shantytowns, or whatever you want to call it. Six to eight people living in small houses made of tin, covered in scraps of garbage to keep the cold out, and gated with barbed wire. It is pretty unreal to see it all, especially when it is less then a kilometer (yes, the metric system) away from the richest township of Joburg, Standton. I cannot say I really dislike Standton though- mainly because when me and my friends ate lunch there last Friday, a man at the bar offered to buy our lunch. Yeah!!! I suddenly regretted not ordering dessert.. haha.
Regardless of the overwhelming poverty, the people are generally happy. Especially the children. They are loving and very friendly. There is a unique sense of character and integrity about the people I have met thus far. However, I would not say that these are a people of much hope. Not for a hope in the short term sense anyway.
I celebrated the big 21 in Joburg!! I was really un-excited to celebrate it with people I hardly knew but I was so wrong. My group is full of amazing individuals and I feel so lucky to be able to share this experience with them! Most are very camp counselor-ish and share alot of my passions for mankind. Anywho, at midnight, they all jumped on my bed and wished me a "Happy Birthday!" And two of my friends bought me my first drink at the theater that night :) Too fun!
Besides listening to lectures from people, we got to do a homestay in Soweto for the weekend. It was an amazing experience! My friend Melissa and I were assigned to stay with this old woman and her two daughters. The old woman, Ma Chanza, was literally - definition batty old lady. But one thing is for sure (you can ask my waistline) the woman knows how to and loves to cook (she even taught me a thing or two... i think i'm ready for top chef). She fed and fed and fed us. She was the neighborhood "social butterfly" so I got to meet alot of really cool people throughout the weekend- house doors here just stay open and friends pop in and out as they please. The sense of community is beautiful!
We had alot of adventures over the weekend homestay. I went clubbing for the first time in Africa- all I can say is- WOW. I already knew I can't dance, but I didn't realize how bad I was. But, I met some really cool locals, and road a motorcycle for the first time! (Sorry Danny!) And I started a bar fight!! Yikes. Some random man wanted to touch my hair and I said no awkwardly and turned around... then I guess another man came up to him and was like "Leave her alone! BAH!" And... then there were bottles breaking... and so on. It was pretty hilarious/scary/we left immediately.
Sunday morning, instead of going to church, we went to a funeral. Talk about a unique experience. It was basically the polar opposite of everything at an American wedding - there was loud singing and dancing. People were stomping their feet and banging their hands on the roof of the bus (yes, bus. the family rents a huge travel bus to cart the people from the house/service to the graveyard). The man had died from AIDs. It was incredibly sad.
On a lighter note, we finally arrived in Namibia today! Even though I truly enjoyed my time in Johannesburg, it is nice to get away from that big grubby city scene. When our plane landed, I literally thought we were getting dropped off in the middle of no where, Africa. Complete wilderness! Save for the WILD BABBOONS I SAW (<-- highlight of day). The city we're staying in, Windhoek, seems quite lovely, and I can't wait to get to know it better. Our house is basically LARGE and Real World-esque. There is even a pool (which I plan to do homework by, often). I live in a small room though with 5 other girls.. yikes. And there alot of rules concerning internet usage... blah. Including not using Skype, which was essentially my main source for contacting friends back home. Grrr!
Tonight a musical culture group welcomed us here with a performance of song and dance. It was very traditional and sounded like the soundtrack of the lion king :) We of course sang and danced along...
I know this blog post is more like a novel but I had so much to fill you in on. :)
AND... I hope this post finds you all in good health and high spirits. :)
I'll upload pictures as soon as I can!
God's peace!
The flight to Africa was so long! I flew from Chicago to Washington DC to NYC to Daqar then to Johannesburg. I was so excited to arrive I could hardly stand it! Sadly, it was dark when we arrived and the drive to our hostel was fairly uneventful - so hard to see anything. The city lit up at night was beautiful though :) The hostel we stayed at was actually a Catholic nunnery of sorts. It was really pleasant, with a big courtyard with lots of trees. Except- the trees have no leaves!! Because its winter here!! Who would have thought? I have spent the last week in scarves and sweaters... Darn my stereotypes of Africa being a hot tamale... womp.
The majority of our time in Joburg was dedicated to hearing various speakers from different institutions. We heard from the opposing political parties, a council of churches, even the US Embassy! It was really interesting to learn about the history of South Africa, particularly apartheid. It is so unique to hear people tell testimonies of their struggles during the liberation movement of the 1970s, it makes history almost come alive.
We saw some devastating parts of the city. I have never seen poverty to this degree in my life- literally shacks, or shantytowns, or whatever you want to call it. Six to eight people living in small houses made of tin, covered in scraps of garbage to keep the cold out, and gated with barbed wire. It is pretty unreal to see it all, especially when it is less then a kilometer (yes, the metric system) away from the richest township of Joburg, Standton. I cannot say I really dislike Standton though- mainly because when me and my friends ate lunch there last Friday, a man at the bar offered to buy our lunch. Yeah!!! I suddenly regretted not ordering dessert.. haha.
Regardless of the overwhelming poverty, the people are generally happy. Especially the children. They are loving and very friendly. There is a unique sense of character and integrity about the people I have met thus far. However, I would not say that these are a people of much hope. Not for a hope in the short term sense anyway.
I celebrated the big 21 in Joburg!! I was really un-excited to celebrate it with people I hardly knew but I was so wrong. My group is full of amazing individuals and I feel so lucky to be able to share this experience with them! Most are very camp counselor-ish and share alot of my passions for mankind. Anywho, at midnight, they all jumped on my bed and wished me a "Happy Birthday!" And two of my friends bought me my first drink at the theater that night :) Too fun!
Besides listening to lectures from people, we got to do a homestay in Soweto for the weekend. It was an amazing experience! My friend Melissa and I were assigned to stay with this old woman and her two daughters. The old woman, Ma Chanza, was literally - definition batty old lady. But one thing is for sure (you can ask my waistline) the woman knows how to and loves to cook (she even taught me a thing or two... i think i'm ready for top chef). She fed and fed and fed us. She was the neighborhood "social butterfly" so I got to meet alot of really cool people throughout the weekend- house doors here just stay open and friends pop in and out as they please. The sense of community is beautiful!
We had alot of adventures over the weekend homestay. I went clubbing for the first time in Africa- all I can say is- WOW. I already knew I can't dance, but I didn't realize how bad I was. But, I met some really cool locals, and road a motorcycle for the first time! (Sorry Danny!) And I started a bar fight!! Yikes. Some random man wanted to touch my hair and I said no awkwardly and turned around... then I guess another man came up to him and was like "Leave her alone! BAH!" And... then there were bottles breaking... and so on. It was pretty hilarious/scary/we left immediately.
Sunday morning, instead of going to church, we went to a funeral. Talk about a unique experience. It was basically the polar opposite of everything at an American wedding - there was loud singing and dancing. People were stomping their feet and banging their hands on the roof of the bus (yes, bus. the family rents a huge travel bus to cart the people from the house/service to the graveyard). The man had died from AIDs. It was incredibly sad.
On a lighter note, we finally arrived in Namibia today! Even though I truly enjoyed my time in Johannesburg, it is nice to get away from that big grubby city scene. When our plane landed, I literally thought we were getting dropped off in the middle of no where, Africa. Complete wilderness! Save for the WILD BABBOONS I SAW (<-- highlight of day). The city we're staying in, Windhoek, seems quite lovely, and I can't wait to get to know it better. Our house is basically LARGE and Real World-esque. There is even a pool (which I plan to do homework by, often). I live in a small room though with 5 other girls.. yikes. And there alot of rules concerning internet usage... blah. Including not using Skype, which was essentially my main source for contacting friends back home. Grrr!
Tonight a musical culture group welcomed us here with a performance of song and dance. It was very traditional and sounded like the soundtrack of the lion king :) We of course sang and danced along...
I know this blog post is more like a novel but I had so much to fill you in on. :)
AND... I hope this post finds you all in good health and high spirits. :)
I'll upload pictures as soon as I can!
God's peace!
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