Recap

I'll try to catch you all up with what has been going on in the past few days.  I'm sure many of you have questions about the pictures and small blurb I posted.  Basically my fellow volunteers and I drove into a the poverty stricken area within Windhoek.  I think we all kind of felt a sobering effect once we saw the homes, clothing, and families that surrounded us.  The homes were small shacks, no larger than the sheds many of us have in our back yards, yet to them, our wooden sheds would be a major upgrade.  Aluminum walls leaned in on each other and even as we walked, a wall here and there would fall down.  Some homes had old rusty fences surrounding the "yard" which was made up of trash, tires, basically things that you would find in a scrap yard.  But despite this environment, the people were friendly and open to us (yes, possibly because they knew we had money).  Yet, I don't believe it was just that.  The culture seems communal and inclusive.  I was only haggled once or twice, one of the times from a man who was a supposed musician and was looking for a sponsor.  Another lady, said, "You must give me your phone."  But again, most people were quite friendly and just as curious as we were.  One girl asked to touch one of my peers hair and giggled in excitement when she was allowed to.  Polite "hellos" and head nods were given, and even a few handshake-bows (shake with your right hand as you grab your right wrist with your left hand in a slight fold).  The kids ran away from us, then chased us, then shouted to their friends to come.  I bought some candies on the way and handed them out.  Children crept up slowly to me and took them with uncertainty, as if I might close my hand on theirs.  But once one child had made the leap, many more relaxed and enjoyed their treats.  When I took my pictures, I would then show the children and even adults.  They loved this and laughed as they couldn't believe that they were seeing themselves.  As I climbed back onto the bus, I thought about how lucky I am to have what I have; my family and friends, my education, my home, my iPod, my clean Tshirt, everything.

And just ten minutes down the road we entered the campana.  This was a food market, but not of the European sort.  Flanks of freshly slaughtered cow hung from the rafters of a large pavilion.  Butchers hacked at the meat with medieval type axes and through the slabs onto huge grated grills.  This brutal scene provided some of the best meat I have ever tasted.  The cow was fresh, natural, and juicy.  People lined up for each butcher, grabbing the meat directly off the grill with their hands and dipping it into a hot and savory spice mix before popping it into their mouths.  Safe to say, my stomach was in nirvana.  I also gave the cow stomach and intestine a try, which were both tasty, except the muscular stomach was very tough.  After that, most of the volunteers needed a drink, so glass cokes and sprites were available from other vendors.  I skipped on this and gave some dried grubs a try.  Salty and earthy, they were not my favorite, but I can see how people enjoy them.  And if that was not enough, I indulged on a "fat cake" a less sweet fried dough ball.  This comes wrapped up in a piece of newspaper and is best enjoyed in pieces dipped in a tomato and onion mix.

Entirely full, we hopped back on our bus and drove over the capitol.  Prestigious and beautiful, the white monuments and lush gardens represented what the Namibia government strives for, Westernization.  However, their history is represented well, as you can see the hints of German, South African, and British culture within the complex.  For example, just behind a major state house, bowlers (white bowlers) competed on a bright green lawn, in a proper silence.

In a matter of four hours I had jumped demographics and economic statuses from the low to the high.  It was so sad to see how many people were not even close to even a middle income status.  The Namibian poor live with little to nothing and it doesn't seem that that will be changing any time soon.  It's interesting.  Even in the heat, country Namibians still wear all their clothes.  It's winter time now, so the day doesn't get much warmer than 80, but still, the sun is constant and almost anyone would sweat, especially in the tough conditions that many of the Windhoek poor live in.  Instead of cooling off by taking off their shirts, they keep them on. Why?  I think one answer is that their shirts and material possessions are their status symbols.  If a person has a nice sport jersey on, rather than a tattered t-shirt, they will be perceived as having a good status, a better life.  Collared shirts can be a sign of wealth and I'm sure we can all imagine the hierarchy of clothing, that many of us even see within our own culture.  I think it goes even further here.

I head out Thursday and hopefully will give you all another update soon.  Again, I'm not sure how my internet will be in the north, but I know I will be far from a city, which is not good for connecting to the web.  I'll do my best and try to include you all in my experiences. Best as always,