Thanksgiving and Most Amazing Dance Party Ever + P.S.

Soo... this is out of order but I feel like I should write it b/c we did have a thanksgiving dinner... it was huge and good....and I just realized that I have to pay for this icafe, so i better go. but I will talk about dance party + thanksgiving later!

P.S. A few things I learned: if you want to send me something here (address I can email you), put it in a package that is hard to open, aka, wrapped multiple times. also DO NOT write something that someone else would want on the customs slip. Also, address it to sister ami shah, and put multiple pics of jesus on it. DO IT, and send me things yayyyy! jk. althouhg if you guys have extra floppy disks that you would like to donate to my school, you should actually send them, b/c they use them here, and i'm pretty sure most comps there don't even have floppy disk drives. Also any ideas about peer health edu programs, public health, aids, or anything that will make me qualified to do the HUGE job I am setting out to do!

Hello from Omuthiya

Hiii! So, I am now visiting my permanent site in Omuthiya. I am lucky to be in a small town that has internet access and also basic amenities. I'm also about an hour outside of two major cities in each direction. It is really funny, b/c everyone gets really confused when when i say ami is my name b/c to add to the collection of things my name means, here it also means 'oh me'? I'm sure that will amuse those of you who have been telling ppl to pronounce my name "ah-me" for years, hahaha. They also take the greeting thing really seriously. Like, you greet each person (mostly older ppl) in turn, with the same long greeting (walala po, eee, nawa tu, eee nawa). Its cool b/c I can participate without having to say much, but i think they all think i am funny, which is probably true, lol. but yeah, so I am an HIV/AIDS coordinator, and I think my job is basically whatever I want it to be b/c they created the program to get a peacecorps vol. Just kidding... well not completely, but what they want me to do is to develop a Peer Education program for people that is not limited to HIV, but behavior change, stigma, alcholism, etc. Also, they want me to develop their computer skills and internet capabilities, but as there have been three vols here in the last 6 years, it seems like a lot of people are pretty well versed in computers. Also, they want me to particpate in income generating activities and help them to get funds for these activities, and on top of that, I should be incorporating OVC (orphans and vulnerable children) into this. and start a school newspaper and if possible other confidence building activities. Sprinkle in a little community development, and its gonna be a packed two years. I am a little worried b/c i'm not sure if they are just giving me info b/c they wanetd a pcv or they really need help. I'm also worried that there are already other organizations doing what i am supposed to be doing, aka unicef, (aka it would be amazing if i could actually work with unicef). If I can pull it off, it seems like it will really exciting, especially b/c there are ppl here who will help me out, as opposed to other jobs that I've heard about, but it also does seem like it will be slow going. Other ppl have much swankier jobs working for non-profits in major cities with much more structure, which kind of worried me at first, but I think that I am actually best suited to this position, where I can kind of make my own way. Besides, it seems like sitting in an office is just not my destiny...as you can probably guess if you know the other things I can do. I did freak out when I first got here, b/c I am staying at a homestead, and I guess I just wasn't prepared for it. It is very pretty in this traditional sense--at night, when they all sit around the fire and cook and eat dinner and play their battery powered radio, and I can't see the bugs, it is amazing. BY the way, as you probably could have guessed, my fear of bugs is a constant source of amusement. I dont know if this was the exp I was originally thinking of, but you have to hand it to the peacecorps, they did listen when i told them what i wanted to do, and i think that I can really make a tangible impact here, which is more than we're taught to hope for ("its the little things you will remember") which I am sure is true, but itd be nice to have a big thing to cherish too. we'll see. THanks for all your commments... if you have a user name, that doesn't say your name (or if i dont know what it is) pls leave your name at the end of the comment! thanks!

Hello from Okahanja!

Hey guys, sorry it has taken a while to write from here, but internet access is a little bit limited. There’s one internet café in town, and the guy pretty much just opens up for the peacecorps volunteers… he’s extended his hours for us! So basically, here are the facts: we’re in Okahanja, which is a town about an hour outside of Windhoek (pronounced Vindhok). Apparently I can’t be too specific on this blog, but I guess if you want more details you can email me. Namibia is really beautiful… pretty much like all the pictures with dust. There are 67 of us training to be volunteers in Namibia, 45 education and 22 Health volunteers. Last week, we spent an entire week over viewing all the things we are going to start doing later on… apparently making lists of our goals and objectives on flip chart paper is a Namibian tradition. Besides that, everything has been great. Our training staff is really nice, and many of them are very close to our age. We start each day by singing the Namibian and American National Anthems, and two other songs (although now that we are in our technical week, we took of the two songs, which were actually really awesome). Then we have sessions… broken up by two very awesome tea times, lunch, and dinner. Unsurprisingly, it only took me a day to adjust to tea time—now I am hungry at 10:30 on the dot everyday. Maybe I always hungry then and didn’t know for what… tea time where have you been all my life? Unfortunately, the other food eaten here is mostly meat… a lot of meat. Ah well. Anyways moving on to more serious things, our technical week has been amazing! We’ve met with really prominent gov’t officials, doctors, and also seen two hospitals, a traditional healer, and a home based care center for HIV/AIDS in the location (here the word “location” means what traditionally were black townships/slums… they’re not necc slums, b/c some are nicer than others, but they are usually poorer areas). Namibia is a really exciting place to be in terms of HIV/AIDS work because of the combination of the high rate of infection and co-infection with TB and also the government’s willingness and helpfulness in attacking the program. Everyone in Namibia can get free ARVs and counseling if they qualify and free testing. That is amazing for a country with a budget of like $2 mill. But I’ve also realized that I have a lot to learn and my job could be really really frustrating b/c of cultural differences. I had this great convo with one of my favorite trainers, and basically she told me that in Namibia, it is not only socially acceptable, but expected for a man to date more than one woman at once (one of the problems leading to AIDS I guess). I mean, its not necc a bad thing (I am working on being culturally open…but it doesn’t mean I am gonna be ok with it in my own life!), if women know and protect themselves, but if they don’t it’s a problem. Also there’s not really a concept of time, but that is better for me as I am always late everywhere. The language I am learning, the Oshindonga dialect of Oshiwambo, is primarily spoken in the north, so I am guessing that’s where I am. All the health volunteers will have running water and electricity… although everyone is trying to scare me by telling me about very long and thick millipedes. UGHHH. I had a larium (the malaria propalaxis (sp?) we’re taking, which gives us vivid dreams and hallucinations, among other side effects) about bugs last night which I will spare all of you. But really I have been very good about bugs… they’re kind of everywhere and I’ve dealt with it! I haven’t screamed once. Amazing if you’ve ever seen me around a bug. But anyways, back to Oshiwambo, all I know is greetings, so Walala Po! (good morning, sort of, but that is not a literal translation). What is amusing is really the Nomlish, or Namibian English… an example is… I am coming means, I’ll be back in 20 minutes. just now means some time soon, and now now means now. It seems like what a lot of ppl speak, although the universal language is really still Afrikaans among ppl that don’t speak the same dialect. Although a lot of the black Africans say they will not speak it to a white person no matter what. I guess they are still dealing with the legacy of apartheid here but, things are getting better it seems, and the Namibian government is doing a decent job even though there are problems like unemployment and alcoholism. One example of something they are doing right is the clean water that the majority of the country can safely drink from a tap! Ok sorry that is a ton of information… its so much, I didn’t know where to start, and now it was kind of coming out all in one breath. Or that is what it must seem like, but I honestly don’t even know how to edit it, so sorry guys! Next blog may or may not be more organized… be flexible… (aka the motto of the peacecorps!). kala po nawa!

Reassuring Ideas

Hey guys!
Thank you once again for all the support, I'm gonna miss everyone so much. Today I had my first day of staging--I finally became a peacecorps trainee! I will not lie, I was scared out of my mind until I walked in, but the process was pretty reassuring. The Namibian ambassador introduced us to our staging! Very exciting... he was eloquent and pretty honest about the situation in Namibia. He also gave us some more details on Namibia, which I am sure many of you have been waiting for also! All in all the staging is not bad... people seem all right, they gave us monayyy to feed ourselves well, and they are sort of answering our questions about Namibia. I kind of started dozing off after the 4th or so ice breaker/morale prepping activity, but i'll chalk it up to a lack of sleep from the weekend. Its a little weird b/c they are assuming that we did not read any of the info they gave us. Maybe that is a good thing b/c it was a lot of stuff, and I am sure that I ended up glossing over some of it. For example, they introduced their safety plan, which is a five point action plan called VSSS (Volunteer Safety Support System), which was in the initial workbook. For the benefit of those of you worried for my life, the five points are

• Information Sharing- providing accurate information about Volunteer service to interested individuals
• Volunteer Training- equips volunteers with cultural, language, and health and safety issues
• Site Assessment- the Peace corps strictly regulates where Volunteers will live and work to make sure they are safe and secure
• Emergency and Communications Planning - Maintains contact with the peace corps office, also requires all volunteers to learn an EAP or emergency action plan to ensure that volunteers can be contacted in case of emergency.
• Incident Reporting and Response- volunteers are encouraged to report safety and security violations and the peace corps responds swiftly

Yayy! Safety. Girls, send it to those boyfriends who think i am a goner. I may still be, but probably b/c I'll trip and fall or something.

What was really fantastic about the staging is their approach to development:

"any process that promotes the dignity of a people and their
capacity to improve their own lives."

Best definition ever. I love it, even though it contradicts what development means to a lot of other people. I am definitely seduced by the idealism of it all... Something that became clear to me is that peace corps volunteers are very rarely people who are just excited about a cause. Instead, they are people who not only want to help, but who also want to understand how best to help. There's a huge difference in my mind, I only hope I can live up to it. Now I sound like one of those cheesy people, but all the goodbyes have been affecting me I guess. Anyways, I'll complete the wheel with a quote that sums up how I feel (most) of the time:

"Our Peace Corps is not designed as an instrument of diplomacy or propaganda or ideological conflict. It is designed to permit our people to exercise more fully their responsibility in the great common cause of world development."

John F. Kennedy

March 1, 1961

pS. During pre-service training, I will use the Peace Corps office address:

“Ami Shah,” PCT
Peace Corps
PO Box 6862
Ausspannplatz,
Windhoek, Namibia

The postal system is reliable, but service to the more remote villages is often slow. Mail from the United States to Windhoek, the capital, can take up to two weeks. From there, it could take two more weeks for mail to reach my village.

My mail will be forwarded periodically to my training site. Once I move to my permanent site, I will use the school’s address or get a private post office box.

Namibia + What I will be doing

So, most people haven't heard of Namibia--here is some background info. Its long so unless you're really interested you can just skim now and keep it as a reference, but I wanted to post it!

Skeleton Coast, Namibia

Namibia

Pre-colonial Namibia saw migrations of peoples from the south, central, and northeastern parts of Africa. At the time of the German conquest of Namibia in 1885, several groups of indigenous Africans were well-established throughout this vast land. Several important historical developments influenced modern Namibia:

• Germany’s occupation of Namibia and indigenous resistance, notably by the Ovaherero and Nama;
• League of Nations and United Nations mandates for the administration of Namibia after World Wars I and II and the United Nation’s subsequent role in rejecting Namibia’s incorporation into South Africa and promoting its full independence;
• South Africa’s defiance of the mandates in administering Namibia as a province and imposing apartheid on it;
• Organized resistance to South African rule (beginning in the early 1950s), including diplomatic initiatives abroad, internal political initiatives, and eventually an armed struggle, launched first from Zambia and later from Angola;
• The U.N. General Assembly’s recognition of the South-West Africa People’s Organization (SWAPO) as legitimate and the role of the U.N. and the Western Contact Group in working toward a peace settlement;
• Angola’s independence from Portugal in 1975 and the Popular Liberation Movement of Angola’s assumption of power in Luanda, which enabled SWAPO to move its bases to southern Angola;
• Cuba’s military support of the MPLA government and subsequent alliances among Angolan, Namibian, and South African political parties.

The peace plan that was finally ratified in December 1988 paved the way for a cease-fire in April 1989, elections in November 1989, and independence on March 21, 1990. In the years since independence, Namibia has made social, political, and economic gains, promoting national unity, improving equitable access to social services, and maintaining an upward trend in economic growth. In 2005, Namibia held national elections that resulted in the democratic and orderly transfer of power to its current government of President Hifikepunye Pohamba. Government Namibia’s Constitution has been hailed as a model for other countries. It provides for undamental freedoms, environmental protection, and a two-thirds majority to amend the Constitution.

Economy

Namibia’s economy is mixed, allowing for several forms of ownership of capital. Although Namibia’s per capita gross domestic product (GDP) of more than $4,000 is high relative to that in much of sub-Saharan Africa, it is unequally distributed. Five percent of the population earns more than 70 percent of the national income. Those in the bottom 55 percent of income, overwhelmingly from the majority black population, are primarily rural and share 3 percent of the GDP, with per capita income of less than $100 per year.

The apartheid system of job allocation and education continues to influence employment in these sectors.

The overall unemployment rate in Namibia is in excess of 30 percent, and the highest unemployment rates are among the least educated and skilled.

HIV/AIDS has become the new emergency in southern Africa, threatening not only the lives of Namibia’s citizens but also the progress achieved since independence in developing Namibia’s human and natural resources.

Since 2002, Peace Corps/Namibia has supported the government of Namibia’s efforts to stem the spread of HIV/AIDS through more effective educational programming and youth outreach and community-based activities. In the future, the Peace Corps may expand to other critical development areas such as youth development, the promotion of healthy lifestyles through sports and support for expanded employment opportunities.

People and Culture

Namibia’s people have a rich variety of linguistic and ethnic origins. The principal indigenous ethnic groups are the Aawambo, Vakavango, Caprivian, Ovaherero (including Ovahimba), Colored, Baster, Damara, Nama, San, and Tswana. The white population is of Afrikaans, English, and German descent. The people who live in the Owambo, Kavango, and East Caprivi areas, occupying the relatively well-watered and wooded northeastern part of the country, are settled farmers and herders.

Urbanization, industrialization, and the demand for labor have led to peaceful interaction among these groups in recent decades. Most Namibians converted to Christianity as a result of missionary activity beginning in the 1800s and comprising several denominations, including Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Anglican, and Dutch Reformed. Most Namibian Christians are Lutherans.

Environment

Namibia is located on the southwest coast of Africa. It borders Angola and Zambia in the north, Botswana in the east, South Africa in the southeast and south, and the Atlantic Ocean in the west. The total land area is 317,500 square miles (about 825,000 square kilometers), almost twice the size of California.

Most of Namibia consists of a high plateau, a continuation of the main South African plateau. Its average altitude is 3,600 feet above sea level. The strip along the coast consists of the Namib Desert, extending from the Orange River in the south to the Kunene River in the north. About 60 miles wide, this area is mostly uninhabited. The eastern part of the country, which forms part of the Kalahari Desert, consists mainly of sandy stretches but provides some grazing ground. The Etosha Pan in the north is the focal point of an important national park and game reserve. Namibia boasts clear skies for more than 300 days of the year, providing brilliant days and star-filled nights. The varied landscape provides opportunities for hiking, camping, birdwatching, and game viewing.

Geography and Climate

It covers some 317,5000 square miles and has a population of about 1.8 million. Namibia’s generally hot and dry climate ranges from true desert to subtropical. As in other parts of southern Africa, temperatures are closely related to wind systems, ocean currents, and altitude. Except for the highest mountain areas, the lowest temperatures occur in the Namib Desert region and are affected greatly by the cold Benguela current from the South Atlantic. Daytime summer temperatures in the desert frequently exceed 120 degrees Fahrenheit, and nighttime
winter temperatures can drop below 32 degrees. Rain falls mostly during the summer (October through March), and the winter (July through September) is very dry. The most pleasant months are April, May, and June. Windhoek is the seat of the national government and the business and cultural center. Keetmanshoop is the center of the karakul (sheepskin) industry, Tsumeb is the headquarters of copper-mining operations, and Otjiwarongo is the center of the cattle farming area. Swakopmund is a coastal tourist center, Oranjemund is a diamond-mining town, and Arandis is the home of the Rossing uranium mine. Walvis Bay is an important port and fishing center west of Windhoek.

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So sorry for the very long description, but you don't have to read it unless you have specific questions! The next question alot of people have is what are you doing? I am a health extention volunteer mostly handling HIV/AIDS education. Basically neither I nor anyone else I have spoken to here has any idea what that really means. But here is the short description they gave:

Health sector Volunteers assist individuals and communities in the prevention of HIV/AIDS and in mitigating its effects. They work with either the government or nongovernmental organizations to do this type of work.

So, we'll know when we know I guess!