I admit to being a terrible blogger. I'm hoping that switching to a more user-friendly blog spot, I'll be motivated to share our experiences more frequently. For now, I thought I'd share some images of our first several months in Namibia.
PART 1: TRAINING
We spent 9 weeks in Okahandja with 40 other volunteers from all over the country to train in language and technical skills. Our group consisted of two subgroups: SUPEP (Secondary/Upper Primary Education Project) and CED (Community Economic Develpment).
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| Hiking in Okahandja |
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| Our host family in Okahandja during our 9 week training |
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| Visiting Heroes Acre in Windhoek |
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Our host families, representing a variety of languages, cultures
& tribes prepared traditional meals for us during Cultural Food Day |
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We also dressed in their traditional clothes to
celebrate the many tribes and cultures represented |
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One of the goats before being slaughtered for Cultural Food Day.
This was the first time I had seen a meal prepared beginning
with the live animal, and ending in food ready to serve.
Eye-opening & a little difficult to watch (for some). |
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We had a two week "model school" during the kids' summer break,
so we could practice teaching before going to our individual sites |
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| Kids getting ready for a Talent Show to celebrate the end of Model School |
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Apple Pie! We cooked traditional
American food for our host families
at the end of our training. No goats
this time! |
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Finally! Our Swearing-In Ceremony in September, when we
became official Peace Corps Volunteers
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PART 2: DAILY LIFE AND WORK
We arrived in Keetmanshoop on September 20, 2013. Our first 10 weeks were spent with another host family. We currently live in an apartment on school grounds with other teachers and high school students. I teach ESL to 9th and 10th graders at a public school. Aaron is coaching the boys' soccer team at the same school, and has started a school store, (which is know as a "tuck shop" here).
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| Attending a Spelling & Quiz Bee |
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| One of Keetman's famous Quiver Trees |
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| Our awesome host family in Keetmans |
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Wide open spaces and beautiful sunsets grace this country
of only 2.2 million inhabitants |
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| Introducing Halloween to our host fam |
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| The best pumpkin we could find! |
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| Giving Halloween presentation at the public library |
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| Fish River Canyon |
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| Soccer field? |
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| We live in an extremely quiet town! |
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| Moving into our own place! |
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| ....moving in |
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| Sunsets from our windows |
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| Entrepreneurship presentation |
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| Thanksgiving Namibian style (no turkey available!) |
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| One of my projects in starting a library at my school |
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| Pep-rallies for track & field |
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| Library in progress |
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| More pep rallies! |
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| Coach Aaron during a scrimmage |
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| End of term party for top students at our place |
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| Thankful for the book donations that make our little library possible! |
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| Some of our track stars |
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| Hosting a "braai" (bbq) at our place |
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| Taking hikes on the weekend is one of our favorite things to do with our newly adopted dog, Soraya! |
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| Adopting Soraya! |
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Celebrating Independence Day at our school by dressing in traditional clothes
(I'm sporting a Nama dress, the girls in pink are wearing Owambo garb) |
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| We took 10 kids to the capital to run a mile race during Independence Day weekend |
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| What's a good field trip without a chocolate fight during the bus ride home?!? |
PART 3: TRAVEL
You can't live in this beautiful place without exploring!
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| Quad biking in Swakopmund |
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| The majestic Victoria Falls |
Some fun Namibian animals...
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| Sousussvlei |
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| Visiting a Himba village in Opuwo |
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| Visiting a Herero village |
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| Teaching kids how to contar en espanol |
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| The diamond mining ghost town |
Cape Town
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| On top of Lion's Head in Cape Town with the 'rents, with a view of Robins Island |
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