The fruits of our labor

Here are some updated pictures of the garden. It has come a long way since December (see January post). I was blessed with abundance of tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, radishes, purple bell peppers, carrots, maize, sunflower seeds, flowers, and herbs. Baby papayas have even begun to grow...

No flowers yet...

Baby papaya

A few months later, fruit is starting to form!

The basil is ready to seed itself.

This variety of green bean is called "lazy housewife."

Two points for Namibia for political correctness.

Future pickles!

One of about a million jars of home grown and home-made pickles.

The flowers have bloomed and the papaya trees have quintupled in size!

Cherry tomatoes

Fresh :)

A burst of color.

Silly puppy

Another beautiful sunset...

Fish tanks, prayer calls, mosques, and mosquitos

Ed and I embarked on an incredible, month-long journey from Opuwo to Zanzibar. 433 pictures later...

and you can find our snorkeling pictures here:

Truth

"TO BE HOPEFUL in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty, but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness.
What we choose to emphasize in this complex history will determine our lives. If we see only the worst, it destroys our capacity to do something. If we remember those times and places—and there are so many—where people have behaved magnificently, this gives us the energy to act, and at least the possibility of sending this spinning top of a world in a different direction.
And if we do act, in however small a way, we don’t have to wait for some grand utopian future. The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory."

— Howard Zinn

Going mobile?

Does this really work? I have no idea. But its a novel thought...my feelings can be recorded at any given minute. Currently its pouring rain, rara is barking like a dummy and the thunder is booming overhead. Loves it. Now its back to my book! Night night

blog

I apologize for slacking on my blogging duties. I have gotten many emails in the last couple months asking about what I am doing and if I am still alive. To address these inquiries: YES I am alive and well. As to what I have been up to I will touch on the highlights...

1. The measles epidemic is now winding itself out. After a mass immunization campaign and a whole lot of madness, the end is in sight. Thank goodness.

2. Group 29 Mid-Service (yes I have been here longer than a year!) was awesome. I spent 2 days with my group at the Harmony Center outside of Windhoek. I was great to hear all of the awesome and exciting things my friends are working on, and the icing on the cake was being able to hang out by the POOL everyday! We talked a lot about COS (Close Of Service), and even got our COS packets, which was really strange. The general consensus is that the second year goes much faster than the first which means COS will essentially be the day after tomorrow. I have reached the point in my service where its time to start thinking about life after Peace Corps. Whaaaat? How is that possible???

3. I spent a week with the newest Health group (holla group 31) in Okahandja as their Resource PCV. They are truly a great group of people! It just so happens that one of my friends Lindsay is part of the new group, so it was extra special for me. Lindsay and I have only ever lived abroad together, which kind of boggles my mind. We both studied in Siena, and we traveled all over Europe together. She shares my gypsy, vagabond-esq spirit and I am so glad that her journey has brought her here.

4. While I was in Okahandja I went home to visit my family. As luck would have it, my Tate was home as well, and it was great to be wrapped in one of his bear hugs and hear all about the farm. Victoria's command of English has developed so much; the difference between Kinder and first grade is impressive. The boys are nearly eye level. My sister, ever the entrepreneur, has started a business selling perfumes. Mama is well, busy inspiring her students to a new level of success in Science. Turimuye is adorable as ever and regaled me with her entire repertoire of songs which she has recently learned at the Kinder. Virimuye, the little prince, is crawling and scooting around like a champ. During dinner, he carefully scooted himself between Victoria and Turi as they sat eating on the floor. They soon became engaged in a conversation about some silly thing, and while their attention was diverted Viri made his move. Checking to make sure neither was watching, he reached his little fist into Turi's bowl and promptly stuffed a handful of rice in his mouth. Needless to say, he was quickly discovered. The girls squealed and scooted further away from him, only to be stealthily attacked in the same manner just moments later. That went on for most of the meal, and I nearly passed out from laughing so hard.

5. I had a very unwelcome house guest. One quiet Saturday afternoon not too long ago I was walking to the bathroom and I saw something move under my extra bathroom door (my house is very weird in that I have two bathrooms: one which works and one which I use as storage). Realizing something strange was going on, I immediately stopped and took a step back. There, sliding blithely under the door, was a snake. Ed immediately sprang to action; he grabbed the broom and pushed the writhing serpent outside while I held the dog and kept her away from the action. After looking at the snake chart, I am fairly certain that it was either not harmful at all or mildly poisonous, but I did an extra thorough sweep and checked under all of the furniture just in case one of its buddies happened to be squatting as well. For the record, I will no longer be walking to the bathroom in the dark/barefoot.

6. While I was writing that last bit about the snake a GIANT spider just crawled across the floor heading straight for my desk. My office mate slapped it with her shoe and announced that it was only kind of poisonous. Apparently it makes your body break out in a weird rash. The adventures never end around here...

Ongoing lessons....

One year in Namibia...

This past weekend marked my one year anniversary in Nam. As part of our volunteer quarterly report, there is a section which asks volunteers to highlight what they have learned. I wrote the first things which came to my mind, and I will share them here now.

I have learned....

that in Africa, things will never happen "on-time" but they will happen in their own time. That I must just be patient. That flexibility is key. That just because something doesn't happen the way I think it should does not mean it won't happen exactly the way it's supposed to. That sitting through 5 hour meetings is an excellent opportunity for personal growth through meditation. That this too shall pass. That an inherited copy of the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook (circa 1979) is a wonderful read, and an endless source of inspiration for my culinary growth. That grocery stores in America are ridiculous with their 20 types of cheese, 50 kinds of bread, and other endless packaged food choices (thats the jealousy talking). That I can make from scratch or grow almost everything I truly need. That my definition of "edible" has expanded greatly. That watching my dog run around, watching my garden grow, watching children play a pick-up game with rocks, watching a storm blow in, and watching the landscape change with the seasons are all exponentially cooler than watching television. That family is the greatest gift. That water should never be taken for granted. That I am fortunate, because whether the water is off for 8 hours or 8 days, it will eventually return; it may not come when I need or want it to, but eventually it will come. That I must trust in the Universe...it has cared for me up to now, and I hope that it will continue to do so. That Peace Corps Volunteers are the greatest; they will come and beat-box original songs for you when you are too sick to move, share awesomely bad diarrhea stories, and are capable of devouring a giant tub of ice cream in a matter of seconds. That time moves incredibly fast. That I have so much still to learn...

Mother Bear

I just wanted to share some photos of the Mother Bear distributions I recently facilitated. Mother Bear in a Non-profit in the USA which sends beautiful, hand-crafted bears to children in Africa who have been affected by HIV. Volunteers knit and crochet the bears in the States, then Mother Bear packages and ships them around the world, so that they can be distributed to children in need. Mother Bear asks that the bears not be associated with any religious or political messages, they simply want children to know that there are people in the world who love and care about them.

I learned about this program through the Peace Corps grape-vine, and about a month after contacting the coordinator, two huge boxes arrived full of beautiful bears. They were distributed to the children in the Omapitiro Weyuva OVC class in Opuwo, as well as to the Sunshine OVC orphanage in Khorixas. Participating in this project was wonderful. It was humbling to watch the children's faces light up. Some had never had a doll or toy to call their own...

Sunshine OVC Orphanage:

Omapitiro Weyuva After-School Class:

Special thanks to Folo and Ernst for assisting with the distributions, Dave, my awesome driver, and Amy from Mother Bear for making this all possible.

Cheers! :)

Measles and the Prime Minister...

Measles has brought Opuwo to the forefront of National attention this week. On Tuesday, Health Minister Mr. Richard Kamwi and a delegation of high ranking officials from UNICEF and WHO arrived in Opuwo. Their goal was to lend their expertise in the crisis where possible, and to bolster National awareness of the situation here. To date, we have 1, 0 51 measles cases reported, and 15 deaths. As Minister Kamwi pointed out during the press conference he held yesterday evening, the fatality rate is relatively low (about 1.5%) compared to the expected 3-5% seen in many other developing countries, which is a sign that our case management is successful.

In his speech, the Minister pledged to avail all resources necessary from the National level Ministry of Health and Social Services so that Kunene Region can "bring this epidemic to its knees." Over the course of two days, he traveled to a few areas of the Kunene Region so that he could speak directly with staff members and experience the epidemic on the ground. What he discovered were issues such as chronic staff shortages due to the extreme rural setting of some of the health clinics, low immunization coverage in areas where clinics do not have access to EPI fridges or electricity (we have many such clinics), and the extreme terrain which is characteristic of Northern Kunene Region.

Today Minister Kamwi is out in the field again, speaking to health workers on the ground. It is possible that this visit will be the catalyst which Kunene Region needs to upgrade health facilities and increase outreach services. The Minister informed the delegation that 15 4x4 off-road vehicles will be allocated to MOHSS Kunene Region in order to help the 3 health districts (Opuwo, Outjo, and Khorixas) expand outreach services.

The delegation will also sit later this week to draw up a micro-plan which will help our region expand routine immunization coverage from the current 60% or children covered up to the 90% which UNICEF recommends. This could mean a major overall reduction of serious childhood illnesses.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel, and hopefully the awareness raised from our situation here will help the Ministry of Health expand health coverage, as well as help parents better understand the importance of vaccinating their children.

A time to sow...

My little garden is well underway (thanks for the seeds mom), so I figured I should share some phoooooootos...

Sowing the seeds...

The bottom half of 2 liter bottles make nice containers for starting herbs.

More planting...here's to hoping something can live in this rocky soil!

Just add water!

The seeds are in, now its time for the trees :)

2 papaya's (jagged leaves) and a little guava (narrow tapered leaves). They are N$ 5 each (thats less than $1 US dollar) at the Ministry of Agriculture nursery :)

Little trees...lets hope the goats don't eat 'em!

Rain, rain.

The first bean sprouts and cucumbers have broken through the soil.

Future pickles!

mmmm pickles :)

Little dog, big bone.

Maize (thats corn!)

Ed found some herb mix in Windhoek. The package did not specify what type of herbs, but it turns out CILANTRO is one of them! I can't wait to make some homemade salsa!

Sprouts: Cherry tomatoes (far left), followed by radishes and parsley, green beans (along top), sunflowers (center), cucumber sprouts, and maize.

Side view...

bell pepper sprouts are nearest, followed by cucumbers (left), sunflowers (running up center), and green beansssss (right).

Rara wearing her fancy new tag.

Ed surprised me with some lovely flower seeds. Can't wait til they bloom.

The papaya was looking a little rough at first, but the new leaves sprouting at the top are a great sign.

Whittling a stake for the beans. They are starting to get big, so they can use the extra support.

Its so amazing watching things grow. I remember endless summer days spent in the garden at my dad's house. We raised so many wonderful fruits and veggies in an environment that was nearly as intense as the desert I am living in now. The trick is water. I was probably the only 9 year old on planet earth to be fascinated with drip water systems, but in hindsight I think it was because I understood in some fundamental way the necessity of water. Of course, I don't have any fancy rainbird system here. Watering is done with a makeshift watering can--a 5 liter plastic bottle with holes punched in the top. It works remarkably well, and I like that it is both functional and eco-friendly. Hopefully soon, some veggies will appear :) I'll keep you posted.

peace.

Ombura

Our rains have come late in Opuwo. During "normal"years, the first rainy season typically arrives in October-November. It is now nearing the end of January and the rains are just getting started. Rain is such a blessing here...it cuts the humidity of the day, saturates the parched ground, and replenishes the spirit as well. It is amazing to sit out on the porch in the evening when the storm is gathering energy. First the intense gusts of wind strike, slamming any doors and windows casually left open. Then the thunder bellows off in the distance, usually only seconds before the drumming can be heard; here you almost always hear the rain before you see it. As the storm travels through the valley, the pounding water beats its way across every tin roof it encounters, like military drums announcing the approach of war. Only the toughest plants survive the pounding. Then, just as quickly as it came, the noise ceases, and the land echoes in a damp silence. Its magical, the sound of the rain falling. After only a few weeks the entire town is painted in shades of green and large pools have formed on the ground which will stay with us until the next dry season.

A storm approaching town.

Illegal goats, giant ant hills, monkeys, and more...

Greeting in 2010!

I hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday season! Mine was lovely, and I will share the highlights now...

Over the holiday, Ed and I packed up and headed off to the far North of my Region where we hiked along the Kunene River, which separates Namibia from Angola. The adventure began normally enough. We left mi casa quite early and set off for the hitchhiking point. It was about 20 minutes before we came across a fellow who happened to be going the same way, so we quickly threw our bags in the back, squished tightly into the front passenger seat, and our driver sped off. After taking a few moments to settle the dog, we took stock of the ride: travelling in the back of the bakki with us was a boy, a goat, and the apparatus they use for moving coffins. Our ride was, in fact, a hearse. Still, it was a nice bakki (and relatively new) so it didn't seem quite as creepy as one might suppose.

Anywhoo, after travelling along for about 20 minutes, we came to an abrupt halt. As is common around the holidays, the Namibian Police had set up a road block to check the identification of people entering or leaving the area.

After inspecting the driver's registration and other documents they demanded to see his permit to move livestock. Apparently, anytime you transport any livestock in Namibia you have to carry a certified letter stating that the headman has released the animal, and specifying the places it can be taken. The letter our driver was carrying allowed the goat only to be taken to the Opuwo area and not out of the region, which led the police to question whether the goat was legally obtained. SO that was a problem.

The other problem was that the office which handles these letters would not open again until the following morning, which meant that our driver either a) had to take the goat back to Opuwo and spend the night so that he could sort things out with the appropriate people, or b) he could surrender the goat at the checkpoint and carry on. Option c) involved him paying a fee of Namibian $300 so that he could carry on, but as the police officers pointed out, such a bribe would only get him through their checkpoint. Taking into consideration he paid N$ 300 for the goat in the first place AND he would likely get stopped at the next checkpoint, option c) was not so viable. Quite a dilemma.

While the driver was going around and around with the police, a local minister happened to approach the checkpoint heading the same direction we were. Being the loyal customers we are, Ed, the random kid from the back, and I quickly grabbed our stuff, climbed in with the Minister, and waved farewell to our goat-smuggling driver from the comfy back seat. Once again we were on our way to adventure. The minister was only travelling as far as the major turnoff, so after a very peaceful and uneventful ride, he dropped us on the main road, refused to let us pay, and bid us farewell.

While waiting for the next car to pass by, we entertained ourselves by inspecting a roadside pit latrine, investigating a giant termite mound, and doing a bit of bird watching.

Before too long the rumbling of tires could be heard on the tar road, and we started to get excited...someone was heading toward Ruacana. We were both a bit surprised when the truck ended up being the same one we got our first hike in...only this time the driver was alone. Abandon by his passengers, and on a deadline to reach the funeral, he decided to ditch the goat at the checkpoint. He was clearly a little bummed about it, but luckily he was not the type to hold a grudge as he was more than willing to pick us up and take us the rest of the way.

Once we hit the Ruacana junction, we had lunch under a tree and started walking. Somewhere along the way a car stopped for us, and gave us an unsolicited ride to the airport (i think people were confused about seeing two white people and a dog with large bags walking...) and from the airport we got another hike to the actual falls.

Unfortunately for us, the water was not flowing at the time. Judging by the sheer vastness of the free space for water to flow, I reckon that the falls would be incredible when they are actually flowing. Apparently the water is only turned on when Nam has need for extra electricity, so I am hopeful that one of these day the alarm will sound and the water will surge. But I digress.

We spent some time gazing over at Angola, then walked down to the falls and enjoyed the splendor. Well almost. At almost exactly the same moment we were struck by raging stomach cramps. Must have been something we ate (the night before our trip we bravely consumed all perishable objects in my fridge so that nothing would be wasted...probably not the greatest idea, as some of the items were questionable at best). Whatever the culprit, we were both scrambling into the bush. But once all that was over with, we moseyed on down to the would-be falls and enjoyed the view. From the falls area, we got a hike out to the road from a nice Afrikaner family who happened to be heading in the same direction we were. They were kind enough to give us a lift for free, and they even gave us a giant cool drink to enjoy for the ride. The generosity of people continually surprises me...

From the place where the family dropped us, we began walking along the river. The route was so gorgeous, but the most amazing part of the whole trip was the people we met along the way. Each night we camped next to tiny villages, and the locals were kind enough to show us safe places to get water (crocodiles are famous for attacking people here), and gave us permission to camp near their homesteads. Women traveled out of their homesteads to greet us, and people occasionally walked along the road with us, just to keep us company.

The sun was scorching, but we were blessed with a couple overcast mornings and some incredible thunder and lightning storms at night. Here are some photos from our journey...

The area near the river where we camped the first night.

The villagers place branches along the river's edge to keep crocodiles from attacking their children and livestock.

Rara and I resting under a tree in the heat of the day.

The morning after an intense rainstorm. Each morning we set out before daybreak to travel as much distance as we could before the hottest part of the day.

On the red dirt road.

For our afternoon nap, we found safe, shady places near the river...

Ed relaxing under a tree during a quick snack break.

This is a mobile school we found out in the middle of NOWHERE. The teacher stands in the front and the children sit on the floor inside of the tents. You can see their school work on display.

Ed's twin brother. We saw lots of monkey. Rara had a good time chasing them around.

Morning snack break. This picture makes me laugh.

Camping. Rara slept for a solid 2 days when we got back.

My blood-stained Chaco...apparently my foot burst open but I was too distracted by my ankle to notice. I thought the blood stain looked bad, but Ed said it made me look hard core. Haha Darn walk...you made me bleed me own blood.

Resting.

We were forced to cut our trip short by a couple days due to an unfortunate mud incident which left my ankle throbbing and sore, but all in all our trip was fantastic! While waiting to get a hike back out to Opuwo, some random dudes drove by a couple times, and because they didn't want us to wait for a ride, they decided to make an impromptu trip all the way to Opuwo...they were so kind to us and thanked us profusely for coming to Namibia to volunteer. It really was such a nice thing of them to do...we were both pretty amazed at the gesture. Anywhoo if you are interested in seeing more pictures of the trip you can find them here: http://picasaweb.google.com/ewyni119/ChristmasHikeWithAnika#

Cheers!