Little Blessings

Living the Peace Corps lifestyle is not easy by any means. Some days you want to quit and you realize it's only 9am. Other days you think you have made the best decision of your life and might stay a volunteer forever. In our pre-service training, one of my favorite volunteers showed us an infographic of what a day in PC could look like. It was filled with ups and downs, like a roller coaster of awful and wonderful coming at you constantly. You really have to prepare for anything to happen; from waking up to a donkey on your porch, to finding out you no longer have running water, to being told by a small child that you are their hero. Your day and experience are constantly evolving. 

After a dismal Friday where I almost literally went 'postal' on a postal worker who refused to give me my care package and standing in a bank line for over an hour to pay for my 10k, I needed a little relief in my life. On Saturday, I decided to go to Windhoek to do a little shopping with my girl Cristal. The main idea centered around buying some ultra trendy harem shorts and crop tops, then ending the day by binge eating Indian food at Garnish until we could no longer walk but only waddle out of the restaurant. Sounds like the perfect day, right?

This guy would not
be driving me

Well first I had to hurdle the ever-annoying transportation system of Namibia. Hitch-hiking. This means I go to a nearby gas station and stalk the license plates of cars until I find one that is going my way. I then check the cars for my personal safety (and comfort) rules which are as follows:

1. The driver must not look like a creeper. 
2. If the driver does look like a creeper, then the passengers must have a larger ratio of women or children to men and they must look normal. I'm not about to get in a vehicle with 5 dudes and feel comfortable the whole time. (A really sad way to look at things, but my safety comes first.)
3. The car must look like it will make it to the destination i.e. has 4 wheels that are attached and at least one door that works. (Requiring 2 doors to work would just be excessive)
4. If the car looks like a sardine can filled with fish people, I'm out. 
5. By PC rules, only covered truck beds are allowed if I am riding in back. (Because a truck bed with a flimsy roof over my head, no seat belts, and 6 other people stuffed in it is sooooo much safer than an uncovered one if we get in an accident or rollover. *eye-roll*)

I did google 'hooptie' to
get this image

If the car meets at least 3 of the above rules, I'm in pretty good shape and I then approach them to see if I can get a ride. Now here come the negotiations. Unfortunately, because I am an American, they usually try to overcharge me at first. There are pretty standard rates that people pay from town to town. I know these rates and I am no fool. I am also on a PC budget so I am not ready to make it rain on these people. 

If we can get to a fair price, I hop in and get ready to be at my destination at some point in the next day. If we cannot, then I continue to rove the parking lot in search of my next conquest. Time is relative here and it could take hours and hours to find the right ride to where you need to go. 

So to get back to my experience yesterday- I went to the gas station at around 8am and begin my quest for transportation. I walked around the parking lot and tried to find a few people who might be going to Windhoek. Mostly I just stared at cars as they came in, smiling like a crazy white lady, hoping they might approach me first. No such luck. But I did see a bakkie come in with the right license plate and women and children in the back. I hesitantly approached the driver and asked if he was going to Windhoek. He replied that he was, so I asked if I could get a ride. When he replied in the affirmative, I got ready to battle the price situation. So I said, "30 bucks is fine, nee?" He looked at me puzzled and I was ready to start negotiations. But then he replied so sweetly, "We are going that way anyways, you don't need to pay me. Just hop in the back. I'm sorry that it may be a little uncomfortable back there." 

I was shocked. He just gave me a free ride and in the least creepy possible way. I hope in the back where his wife, mother-in-law, and children introduced themselves. It was not uncomfortable at all. There was plenty of room and they had a mattress on the floor for comfortable seating. He then went into the convenience store and proceeded to shock me again. He had bought everyone a meat pie, including me! He was worried that I may be hungry. How freakin nice is that? I never thought I would be so lucky to have a stranger give me a meat pie and a free ride. 

We chatted for a bit while we were on the road. We had the typical conversation about Texas, where everyone asks me about the show Dallas and if I live on a ranch. (I always respond yes.) Then he asked me what I was going into Windhoek for. I told him to do a little shopping. He asked where he should drop me off and I just told him a local gas station. I could catch a cab to where I needed to go from there and they could continue on with their day. He then insisted that he take me directly to the mall, so I wouldn't have to pay for a cab and be out in the city which he thought was too dangerous. He drove me directly up to the entrance to the mall and gave me his phone number, in case I ever needed another ride. (Now it was actually not the right mall, but I was not about to correct him.) If I had my camera with me, I would have taken this family's picture for my future scrapbook or facebook post or whatever. 

It is little moments like this that I feel so incredibly blessed to experience.