Let's play 20 questions

I have quickly found out that most of the people back home have the same questions for me. So rather than making up a different response each time depending on my mood, I thought we could just play my favorite game of 20 questions. That's right, it's about to get real deep and personal up in here. Watch out interwebs!

    1. How is Africa? 

Like the whole continent? I am not really sure, since I'm just living in Namibia. And even then, I've only been to about 5 major towns here. But I can only assume it's rad. I mean Namibia is stellar so the rest of Africa as a whole should be too, right?   

    2. Do you live in a hut?

I actually do not. I live in a super modern flat with a stove, hot water, queen size bed, and *gasp* internet. Not all volunteers live in a hut in the middle of the bush. Some certainly do and I seriously applaud them for that. But each experience is unique and each living situation has its own challenges. I am thankful for all the modern amenities I have (mostly so I can binge watch Parks and Recreation).

A picture of my compound

    3. Have you hung out with any lions or elephants yet?

Yea, I totally hang out with this cool lion down the street. His name is Moses and we are total pals, other than when he tries to eat me. No, I don't have any lion or elephant pals... yet. But I have been lucky enough to see some pretty exotic animals a time or 2 and hope to be able to see more. 

    4. What do you do everyday?

Well I wake up at like 5:30am, take a shower, get dressed, eat a bowl of Cheerios. Then I walk or take a cab to work, where I teach computer classes until about 12. After that I hang out and play with some kids that belong to staff members at my office. Then I torture myself at the gym for about 2 hours. After that I go home and surf the interwebs, watch a movie, play with my cats, read on my kindle, and make dinner. Then by about 7pm, I'm in bed and hoping to drift off to sleep super soon. Yup, my day is almost exactly the same as it was back in the states (except I'm infinitely happier here). 

    5. Is the food amazing?

A typical meal

Yes, there are some really good things. Like the chips (fries) here may be my favorite anywhere, except for Chilantro. But in general, it's really basic stuff. Most meals are some form of meat like beef or mutton with a starch like pap or pasta. Pap is a maize meal dish that is similar to grits. I don't think I really eat a Namibian diet, because frankly I don't care for meat or pap that much. So I make stuff I would normally make back in the states. See my breakfast taco recipe in a previous blog, I have that probably 4 times a week. 

    6. Do you have friends?

My Damara PIC

Yes and no. I have some amazing volunteer friends, that I am sure will be a part of my life for the rest of my life. They inspire me everyday and just give me all sorts of feels. As far as in my community, I'm getting there. I don't have anyone who I hang out with regularly, mostly because I really just like being pantsless at home. But I have some wonderful coworkers and a bunch of kids I play with who make me feel like I'm not a total hermit. 

    7. What do you miss most back in the states?

Other than all the food, I miss my dog, Remington. I can barely even talk about her without falling into a puddle of tears. She was my best friend and partner in crime for 4 years. She was with me through all of my major adult milestones so far. I gave her to my ex-boyfriend, who she loved like crazy. I am sure she is super happy and busy judging other dogs right now, but giving her away is by far the hardest thing I've had to do so far. 

    8. How often do you get to talk to your friends and family?

Keep being awesome ladies

Luckily I have amazing internet connection at home and work. So I email or Gchat with my family almost everyday. We don't get to webcam as much as I would like, but the rare occasions we do are enough to lift my spirits. Especially when my niece tries to be the HP Sorting Hat and wrongly put me in Gryffindor. I am not able to talk to my friends as much, because they are busy totally rocking their lives, but their emails are little reminders of happiness and all the feels. 

Daily facetimes with
this basic girl are gone

    9.  Are you crazy? Why would you ever move to a foreign country for 2 years and work for free?

I mean yes, I'm totally a nut. But my entire life I've dreamed of working in international development work in Africa. And here I am in Namibia, finally making that dream a reality. It's incredibly challenging and still not at all what I expected, but I love it. I know that I am making a difference in peoples' lives and they are making a difference in mine. I will be forever changed after this experience and I'm so lucky to have that opportunity. But yea, I miss money sometimes. 

   10. Can I come visit?

Absolutely. Is like tomorrow good for you? Yes? Cool, I'll see you soon.

   11. Do you feel out of place?

Nobody quite gets me
like this girl does

Of course I do. I am a white lady walking around speaking Afrikaans with a funny accent. I'm frequently referred to as 'wit brood' aka 'white bread'. I get stared at constantly and frequently people greet me with German, because I just must be a German tourist. But someday I'll just be another Baster walking down the street. People will know me for the work I do and my crazy amazing dance skills. (Or at least that's what I dream in my head.) 

   12. How close are you to Ebola?

So, so far away. Some of you in the states are actually closer to Ebola cases than I am. Like imagine Alaska to Texas, I think that's how far way I am. 

   13. Have you had any crazy anti-malarial drug dreams/trips?

Not at all. My dreams are definitely more vivid here, but I don't think that is a drug side effect. Doxycycline is often prescribed to people for minor sinus infections and things like that, so it's quite safe and doesn't have all of the fun peyote side effects. 

   14. When are you moving back to America?

Officially, sometime around July 2017. But who knows? I could decide to live here forever or I could decide that I miss my sister too much and move back like next month. Unlikely, but it's all a possible. 

   15. Will you ever have a real job again?

Hopefully not. Who wants to work for corporate America? Not this girl. After this I will be going to graduate school to get my MSW and living in DC; then I hope to work for a children focused non-profit.  

   16. But don't you miss tacos and burgers and sushi and everything else holy?

Every single day. But there is more to life than tacos, right? (I'm still trying to convince myself of this, so it's ok if you say there isn't.)

   17. What is the coolest thing you have experienced so far?

My first week in Namibia, I was able to play barefoot soccer with some local kids at the back of our training center. Again I had always dreamed of a moment like that and at that moment, it was my reality. I was playing the sport that I love with the happiest kids I had met, despite their extremely challenging circumstances. Honestly any chance I get to play with kids, I'm ecstatic. Who doesn't want to just make sand 'pies' and play soccer all day? 

   18. What is the saddest thing you have seen so far?

Honestly, look at those faces

I could probably list quite a few things. But I think anytime I see a child that begging outside of the grocery store, a woman suffering through domestic violence, or a person living on the street I am incredibly saddened. I wish I didn't see these things often, but they are almost a daily occurrence. Life is incredibly challenging here in many ways we could never imagine back home. But that has not broken the spirit of any Namibian I have seen so far. The people here are strong in so many ways, they just need opportunities to change their circumstances. And that is exactly why I am here, to hopefully help people get an opportunity to change their lives. 

   19. Can I send you a care package?

Always. Poptarts, beef jerky, and Cholula = happiness. If you don't already have my address, send me an email and I will get it to you. (I don't want all these creepers up in here knowing which PO Box to stalk. I don't need that ish.)

   20. But really though, how is Africa? 

Ugh. Did you even read anything I just wrote? Probably not. So I will just say it's rad and everything you expect from all the TV shows and movies you watch. My life is basically an Animal Planet documentary every.single.day.