Happy New Year from Namibia

Disclaimer: all of the opinions and views expressed in this blog belong strictly to the writer and are not officially associated with WorldTeach in any way!

The flights over to Africa and to Windhoek, Namibia were wonderful! South African Airlines were so hospitable! We even got a full meal on the 3 hour flight from Jo’berg to Windhoek.  And even though the flights were long and that kinda stunk, we had no problems with passports, visas, tickets or lost luggage, which was super lucky! Everything with that trip went pretty seamlessly.

The first half of the group of teachers this year met up and got to know each other over ice breakers then dinner.  Everyone is really great! And the rest of the group arrived this afternoon.  Overall, the group is really positive, excited and realistic about this experience! We have a lot of experienced service people and travelers, as well as a number of certified and experienced teachers. 

Our training over the next two weeks is going to be super comprehensive, I think.  Brett, our field director is very on top of things, so we’ll be covering a lot of culture, lesson planning, working within the Namibian education system, and language.  Whirlwind, for sure, but should be great!

We don’t have phones, yet, but there is internet at our hostel (Back Packer Unite), which is REALLY awesome! Both having the internet, and the hostel itself. So far everyone here has been really nice, the food has been delicious (pizza is a little different than the States, but easy and yummy!), the water has been totally potable, and there is a small swimming pool to keep cool!

One shocker moment was that when were flying into the airport, which is pretty far out, we literally couldn’t see anything, and kind of thought we were just landing on the plain of Namibia.  Windhoek was hidden by some mountains, and there was just. nothing. This is definitely an indicator of what life in the village will be like. That will be interesting. 

Once we got into the city, though, Windhoek is a very small city, with gated communities and business along the roads outside of the center of town.  Walking the streets of the center of town was a lot like walking around in a small city in the States.  People dressed pretty much the same, there was a huge, really green park, and businesses and shops, with people trying to sell you newspapers and hand you fliers.  It was definitely a familiar feeling! Even a five minute walk out of the center, though, there is a lot more sand and the roads narrow, and you walk along the side between the walls and the road (usually like a five-ten foot gap). We did go into the city of Windhoek this morning to try and buy phones, and holy-first-world-Batman, there was a mall!! Like a full on, air-conditioned, cleaner than Eastview Mall! That was almost reverse culture shock, right off the bat, but it was also nice not to have to transition completely to village life right away.  

We’re having a braai for New Years Eve tonight.  Braai are barbeques (ours will be chicken and sausage) that are very common all around Namibia.  We’ll also have lettuce salad (not very common here), pasta salad (basically the Namibian definition of salads are this style—think lots of mayo on noodles, potatoes or… anything. It’s not a salad without mayo!), and corn on the cob.  Plus Hunter’s hard cider, of COURSE!

The party’s getting started! Happy New Year everyone! I love you all very much, and miss you like crazy, but so far, I think 2013 is going to be a WONDERFUL year, full of life-changing events and interactions, lots of teachable moments, lots of teaching, lots of assimilating, hopefully effecting some changes, and lots of helping others.

Cheers!