For now

I realize that I am likely the worst blogger in recent Peace Corps history, but now that I’ve subscribed to decent internet, I really have no excuse not to update more often.  That admission was probably a mistake, just don’t hound me too much, guys, ok?

It’s been three months since I arrived at site (I can’t believe it!) and I’m starting to get into a groove here in Grootfontein.  Work is still painfully slow, but for now I’m trying to get involved in any little project that I can just to fill up my week.  I work for the Ministry of Health, a state organization where a development volunteer doesn’t fit in too well.  I have little supervision, which I know I will appreciate later once I have projects to work on and the freedom to pursue those projects, but for now the lack of guidance is a bit frustrating.  The Red Cross has taken me under their wing a bit and I am so thankful they are here.  I’ve become involved with the HIV support group, the kid’s club (an after school program for orphans and vulnerable children), and the granny’s club (a program to teach guardians how to care for an HIV positive child) all at the Red Cross.  I’ve also hooked up with the HIV Coordinator for the Municipality and she and I have been working on HIV Awareness Week, which is coming up in two weeks.  I also recently did a speech about the link between alcohol abuse and HIV and TB for International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illegal Trafficking.  I don’t consider myself a very effective public speaker, but I think it went alright.  New experiences, right?

Next week is the second round of National Immunization Days, where we go out and immunize any child we can find for polio.  These kids get so many vaccinations, it’s crazy.  And they’re usually not too happy about it…

One of the kids being immunized for polio during outreach.

I think about back home, there’s no way a mother would let someone doing outreach just come up to her door and vaccinate her child.  With all of the discussion about vaccines triggering different genetic disorders, it feels like we’re forgetting why vaccines exist in the first place.  In the states, we can become detached from the infectious diseases that vaccines protect against because we don’t see them.  The reason we aren’t affected, though, is because of the vaccines we’re becoming skeptical of.  Namibia is almost considered “Polio free” by the WHO, but without this vaccine, there’s no way that will happen.  I guess being involved in immunization outreach has made all of this vaccine discussion much more relevant for me. 

When I first arrived in Grootfontein, at the end of the rainy season, everyone I met was warning me of how cold it gets here in the winter.  ”In June and July, you won’t be able to wear sandals and you’ll have to wear a heavy jacket every day!”  Oh, don’t worry, I would reply, I’m from the northwestern U.S., it’s cloudy all the time there and in the winter it even snows!  Well, I should have taken those warnings a bit more seriously.  It is absolutely FREEZING here!  I knew it would get cold, but I didn’t think about the fact that none of these buildings have adequate insulation or are heated.  My sleeping bag and I have become very well acquainted and getting out of bed in the morning is like pulling teeth.  I know I shouldn’t be saying this, but I can’t WAIT for summer!  (Someone remind me that I said that in about 4 months when I’m complaining about the relentless heat)

Two weeks ago I finally moved into my very own apartment in the nurses housing in town.  Though I have yet to get my stove or a proper bed, it’s wonderful to be on my own.  I can do what I want and go where I please without worrying about someone wondering where I am.  I can cook crazy vegetarian food without my host family looking at me like a crazy.  I can wake up when I want, go to sleep when I want.  The best part, however, are the WARM showers.  Glorious.  

Much to my surprise, I’ve seen some of my friends on more than one occasion during my first three months at site, when we’re supposed to be on lock-down.  One of these meetings was for the 4th of July, where around 30 Peace Corps Volunteers gathered in Rundu to celebrate the decidedly American holiday.  

So, somehow, Namibia has made me ambitiously crafty.  I don’t know, it must be all of the time I have on my hands, but for the celebration of the 4th, I decided to MAKE a piñata.  What better time than the 4th to cut and tape cardboard into the shape of a goat and cover it in red, white, and blue?  I had no concept of the tissue paper-cutting, papier-mâché madness that would ensue.  My bathroom was saturated in a flour/water/tissue paper paste and it looked like an American flag had blown up in my apartment for about a week until I could clean it all up.  However, by the end of it, I had a fully functional patriotic-goat piñata.  It went over well with the kids, some of whom had never seen a piñata before. 

Freedom Goat!

Freedom goat about to be pummeled

One week until Group 29 reconnect, where I will get to see some friends I haven’t seen since April, then my first vacation since I’ve been here!  Four of my buddies and I are venturing to Chobe National Park in Botswana and Victoria Falls from the Zambian side.  Very exciting.

I will leave you with AFS (Another F-ing Sunset, as we call them around here) and some adorable kiddos.

All my love.

Snapped on the drive back to Groot from the south.

Love.