The end of the road

After much thought and consideration, I have decided to go home. Although it pains me to make this decision, it is the best decision for me right now. Throughout my time in Namibia, I have worked hard to help the people of Namibia, to help promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of Namibians and also to help promote a better understanding of Namibians on the part of Americans. For current Peace Corps volunteers, trainees, and returned Peace Corps volunteers, these goals are the heart and soul of Peace Corps and your two year service. For me, goal one was the hardest. 

After swearing in as a volunteer, I along with Elizabeth, another volunteer in my group, made the 8 hour journey to Opuwo where we would be spending the next two years. Both of us had been assigned to work at the Ministry of Health in the regional office in Opuwo. Elizabeth would be working as an IEC advisor and developing various health related materials for the region and I would be a Special Programs advisor and helping with the HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis programs at the regional level. 

As the weeks and months passed by, I found myself wanting to work with outside organizations as I did not feel fulfilled by my work at the Ministry of Health. I formed relationships with the staff at Ombetja yeHinga (OYO) and also at the Namibian Red Cross Society. Through OYO, I assisted with school presentations on healthy relationships, HIV prevention, and many other health related topics affecting youth. Through the Red Cross, I started out by helping in the Friday after school class for orphans and vulnerable children (OVCs) and ended up leading most of the Friday sessions. Along with the after school class, I also assisted the Red Cross with a few other projects that they needed help with, such as the bicycle empowerment network (BEN) and a huge gardening project.  At first, this seemed to be my solution to my dilemma. But with more and more volunteers from various organizations coming to Opuwo, it became harder and harder to work with these organizations. With a handful of organizations and eight volunteers in the town, it was very difficult for me to find a project to do or an organization where I was needed where there wasn’t already a volunteer. 

After talking with my Peace Corps supervisor about my situation, she understood how difficult and frustrating things were becoming for me and decided to offer me a site change. Changing sites would allow me to still continue as a volunteer without having to quit and also would give me a second chance at having a good placement. After a few conversations with my supervisor, she told me what kinds of organizations I might be placed with. As much as I would have loved to accept a site change, I knew in my heart that the new site was not the right option for me. After going through more difficult times than I could handle, I became burnt out and decided that changing sites would not be the right decision for me. Although the option that was offered to me was not right for me, I do want to say that Peace Corps tried to help me in every way possible. Some volunteers may say that Peace Corps is not supportive, but in my situation the Peace Corps staff has been wonderful. 

Although I do not wish to go into detail as to why I left on this blog, please know that I spent many sleepless nights thinking what was the best thing for me and for the people of Namibia. As a social work student and a daughter of parents that work in the helping profession, I have learned that it is vitally important to take care of yourself before helping others. During my service, it became difficult for me to take care of myself and remain happy. 

It’s not the fact that I couldn’t handle two years of Peace Corps service in Africa. It was the fact that I did not feel my skills were being utilized. It saddens me that I feel that I would do more good with my skills back home in the States than in Namibia. I had wished to use my knowledge of comprehensive sexuality education, HIV preventative practices, grant writing, working with children and many other skills that I have acquired over the years. With the hand of cards that I had been dealt though, that was not the case. 

As for my future, who knows what it may bring. Through Peace Corps I have found my passion for working in an international setting. Who knows if I will someday be educating other Americans about different cultures in a study abroad setting or if working for the US Agency for International Development (USAID) or even working for UNAIDS. 

For my fellow volunteers in Namibia, I wish you all the best. For any future Peace Corps volunteers thinking about serving, seriously consider doing it. It will forever change your life and open your mind to many cultures and opportunities. Despite the outcome, I am still happy that I decided to do Peace Corps, as it will forever change me. For my friends, family and co-workers back home in the States, thank you so much for your support and love. I deeply appreciate all that you have done for me and helped me through. 

Victoria Falls: Zambia and Zimbabwe

Friday Oct. 28, 2011
This morning we checked out of our lodge/tent site and made our way into town to exchange our pula for rand since we’d no longer be needing it, then got a taxi to take us from Kasane to the ferry dock/border post for Botswana and Zambia. After that, we took a 10 minute ferry ride that was carrying cargo (for only 4 pula) to the Zambian border of Kazungula. After being on that interesting ride, we took a taxi to Livingstone, which was about an hour away and cost us 50 rand. Then went to Jollyboys Backpackers to check in. After getting settled in, we walked into town and got some lunch at Ocean Basket, a seafood restaurant. Who’d a thought a seafood restaurant in Zambia? Not me!

Mosi: a local Zambian beer

My California roll!

I got a California sushi roll and split an order of fish and chips with Diana. We had a mini heart attack though with the price of lunch being 80,000 kwatcha/$16 US/N$128. To put it in perspective, you can usually get the same seafood lunch for N$40-50 in Namibia...not N$128! After that shock, we had another scare when we got to the grocery store and saw those prices. We ended up paying the equivalent of N$330 for groceries! So expensive here!

After coming back to Jollyboys, we decided to cool off by jumping in the pool. After  just a few minutes of being in the pool though, we heard our names being called. It was the t-shirt guy! I couldn’t believe it! He had tracked us down to Zambia (from when we met him in Botswana) and had our t-shirts for us.

A little later, we met up with an American guy and his girlfriend, who was from France. They had been living in Australia for the last 10 years or so and now are traveling around. Really great people and great conversations. I tell ya, the people that you meet and the conversations that you have really make trips like these, amazing.

Saturday Oct. 29, 2011
Today was our day to do Victoria Falls on the Zambian side. Originally we were going to do canoeing but when that didn’t work out, we decided to do Victoria Falls. On the Zam side, you’re able to walk on top of Victoria Falls only 3 months out of the year. So we definitely took advantage of that and walked around on top and were able to see some amazing views of the falls.

We had also wanted to swim in Devil’s Pool, which is a small pool on top of the falls that people can swim in, but with it being $35 US to do that, it just wasn’t in our budget. Plus, we’ve heard some gruesome stories from people also staying at Jollyboys. After getting back from Vic Falls, we weren’t too tired so we decided to explore the craft markets in Livingstone. At the first one that we went to, we wanted to buy some shetenges but couldn’t find any so we took a taxi to another market. In the end, I bought four beautiful shetenges. We then went back to Jollyboys and grabbed some dinner at their cafe. I had a feta and spinach quiche with a side salad and garlic toast. So yummy! Throughout part of this vacation, I really have felt like I could have been back in the States merely for the comfort foods that were now available to us in these different countries. So nice. Plus, the quiche was only 25,000 kwatcha ($5 US/N$40). That night, we also met up with two Americans who were travelling around and it was just so nice to talk to other Americans for a change.

Sunday Oct. 30, 2011
We woke up early to have breakfast then headed on our way to zipline across the Vic Falls gorge. It was scary as all hell to go across the gorge and only be attached by cables but so much fun at the same time. Definitely an adrenaline rush! Plus we were able to do it twice, which made for the second time less scary and a whole lot more fun. For $40 US, it was definitely worth it!

Me doing the zipline and above the gorge at Victoria Falls

After having a long couple of days, we came back to Jollyboys and just relaxed. As I was writing this, I was sitting in an outdoor lounge full of oversized pillows made out of shetenges. Now, that’s the life :)

That night, we took a sunset/booze cruise along the Zambezi river and just enjoyed ourselves. With the boat having two decks, we actually had the whole bottom deck to ourselves. Just what we needed. Along with enjoying the gorgeous views (including some ones with hippos!) we also enjoyed some fried appetizers, mini burgers and unlimited drinks. Can’t forget the unlimited drinks!

Look at those hippos!

While on the cruise we started talking to one of the staff on the boat, Stan, and throughout the night we learned about the Zim and Zam cultures, politics and how life is here. It was interesting to find out that there are two tribes/political parties in Zimbabwe. One is the tribe that President Mugabe belongs to and many government officials also belong to (although it’s the minority party), and then there’s the opposing tribe. All of this makes for a very interesting political scene. After talking to Stan, we started talking to him about canoeing and what do you know, he used to work for a canoeing company in town and still has connections. Even while we were still on the cruise, he called the company and told them that we’d like to do a full day canoeing trip. I just couldn’t believe our luck! Earlier, we had tried to book a canoeing trip through Jollyboys but there needed to be a minimum of 3 or 4 people to book it for a full day. There was also a half day, but there was just a $10 US difference from the full day and it just wasn’t worth it. Originally, we had also wanted to go white water rafting, but with it being dry season and the water levels being low, it makes for very dangerous rapids (like class 5--the highest class, the whole time). So this connection for a full day canoeing trip was a great ending to the day.

Monday Oct. 31, 2011
Happy Halloween! We decided to celebrate Halloween by going to Zimbabwe for the day. We started out by taking the Jollyboys shuttle to Zambia/Zimbabwe border, got stamped for leaving Zambia, then walked across a long bridge and another 10-15 minute walk before reaching the Zimbabwe border. We then finally got to Zimbabwe and paid $30 US for our visa. While waiting in line to get our passport stamped though, the immigration officer that had our passports and paperwork kept talking and talking to his friend next to him. Didn’t even care about the fact that there was at least 25 people waiting in line! It was a very interesting experience to say the least--similar to herding cattle where there was no organization to anything. I was so glad to get out of there. We were so rushed for time and hot as all hell that Diana even bypassed the immigration officer standing outside without even knowing it. We kept hearing someone shouting, “hey, hey you!” but we figured it was just someone trying to get us to buy something. I guess not. Whoops!

After finishing with that, we met up with Diana’s friend, Obert, who was going to show us around the town of Victoria Falls. We first went to Victoria Falls Park and paid $20 US for entry because we were considered Southern Africa residents (thanks, Peace Corps!). It was a small price to pay to see gorgeous Victoria Falls from the Zimbabwe side. Before heading into the park, we saw some guys in traditional outfits dancing. An awesome way to start our time in Zimbabwe. We then walked around Vic Falls Park--so much more tropical and rainforesty of a climate than what I’d thought it’d be. While walking around the park, we saw a few baboons, who were just hilarious to watch! The waterfalls itself though, from the Zimbabwe side, were amazing! Great views and actually weren’t just trickles, like how Zambia had been.

There were sooo many baboons throughout the Victoria Falls Park!

I thought the Zimbabwe side of the falls was much better, I mean look at the difference!

After the breathtaking Vic Falls, we went to talk and see an extremely large baobab tree. But with the 52 C/125 F degree heat, we just stopped at the closest Baobab tree and took pictures. We would have liked to see the large baobab tree but with the sweat pouring down our faces and everywhere else, we needed to call it quits.

After being completely exhausted and beat up from the sun and humidity, we continued on in search of the local markets. There were so many markets with stonework, carved animals, shetenges, jewelry, tshirts, etc. My bargaining skills though were a little rusty and patience was growing thin from the heat so it wasn’t the best experience. But after that, we walked into town to have some lunch and refresh ourselves. I ended up getting an ostrich steak sandwich, Diana had the eland sandwich and Obert had the kudu one. With the sandwich and some local Zimbabwean beers in our belly, we were ready to face more haggling and markets. Boy was I glad Diana was with me though, so at least we were going through the same craziness together.

We then went back to the shops and markets and I ended up getting a Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe tshirt, a wooden bangle, and a wooden hippo and elephant. The guys at the shop kept asking us to buy and buy but were tough when it came to bargaining down the prices. By that time, it was nearing the end of the day and needed to get back to Zambia. On our way back from Zimbabwe and to Zambia, it was also a crazy experience at the border. With it nearing the end of the day, the border posts were empty so luckily we weren’t dealing with lots and lots of people as we were before, but instead we dealt with something else.....another crazy African experience. We walked into the Zimbabwe side of the border, ready to exit, and since there wasn’t anyone else waiting, we started talking to the immigration officer about the country and even job possibilities in the country for foreigners. After about 10 minutes of talking, a few people came in and wanted to get their passport stamped so they could leave the country. But the immigration officer just completely ignored them and kept talking to us for at least a few minutes more. Just very unprofessional. But with the staff being immigration officers to Zimbabwe out of all countries, you really can’t make a fuss at all.

Tuesday November 1, 2011
Today was such an amazing and lucky day. We were wanting to go canoeing for a full day but with the issues that I had talked about earlier, it just wasn’t possible. With Stan, the staff member from the booze cruise, booking for the canoe trip for us, we thought we had double booked, so we cancelled the booking through Jollyboys. But then we thought, with only three canoeing companies in Livingstone, we thought we must have cancelled Stan’s reservation, so then we tried to rebook the half day trip through Jollyboys so at least we have something lined up. It was just back and forth with what was going on. So we decided to have breakfast and just started to talk about what we could do. But what do you know, five minutes later, a guy showed up at Jollyboys and told us that he was picking us up for the whole day canoeing trip!! We couldn’t believe it!

So we ran to pack our bags for the day and were off. We then drove in an open safari bakkie for about 45 minutes and then arrived at the place where we’d leave to go canoeing. We were taken through a remote village in the bush (in the middle of nowhere) and when we arrived, we met some local kids and played with them while the staff set up the kayaks/canoes. It must’ve been the biggest thing happening in the village because all the kids and some adults came by the water to see what was going on. When we asked one of the guys why the kids weren’t at school (it being about 10am on a Tuesday), he said that the local school was run by teachers who were volunteering their time so the school is only open 2-3 days out of the week. So sad!

The canoes themselves ended up being tandem (two person) kayaks, so I don’t know if they’re just called canoes here or what. Once we got on the water though, we immediately started seeing animals. Tons of hippos, two full crocodiles and a head of one croc, guinea fowl, a warthog, African geese, cranes, storks, African fish eagle, osprey, raptors, a really rare crane, African monitor lizards, a male kudu and an impala. We also saw lots of waterberry trees by the side of the river (which help to keep the sand on the banks of the river from eroding), jackberry trees, baobab trees and sausage  trees (trees that had huge pods dangling from their branches). While on the river, because one side of the river bank was Zimbabwe and the other side was Zambia, we were constantly crossing borders all day. Really cool! The border itself is the deepest part of the river in the middle.

After paddling all morning, we stopped at Chombi island, a local island, for some lunch and swimming. It was a gorgeous island--crystal clear warm water and squeaky white sand. We then sat on a reed mat under one of the palm trees and enjoyed some appetizers. I think we were also supposed to have sandwiches but I have a feeling that they got soggy when water came into our boat and couldn’t eat them. Other than that, we enjoyed ourselves with some cold drinks and nice cold Mosi (a local beer in Zam). We swam and tried to cool off from the hot, hot sun. While talking to the guides, we found out that the island used to be owned by Zambia but then two years ago, it was handed over to Zimbabwe without a fight and without Zimbabwe paying. Interesting, very interesting. They also told us that there’s a Chief of a Zambian tribe buried in the center of the island, but with Zimbabwe now owning the island, they can’t have a ceremony on the anniversary of the death. And now there’s also a lodge being built on the island. Not good! For one, Zambians won’t be able to visit the buried chief anymore, and two, Zimbabwe won’t even allow Zambians to work in the lodge or in their country in general! I really wonder what else goes on behind closed doors there.

Gorgeous Chombi island

We then kayaked/canoed some more and finished the day with a nice cold beer. Once we got back on land, as we were waiting for them to unhook the boats, we saw some guys playing a huge marimba, which Diana was even able to play! It was a gorgeous instrument made out of about 8 gourds, 20 keys/wooden slots, and two players.

After getting back to Jollyboys, we showered then headed to Fezbar, a Mexican restaurant, to enjoy our last dinner on vacation. The restaurant was having a special called Taco Tuesday so we were able to get three crispy or soft tacos for only 35,000 kwatcha, filled with chicken or beef. The only thing that was still missing was sour cream, which they didn’t have. But they certainly did have margaritas! While waiting for our tacos, we enjoyed a small appetizer of nachos that was oh so yummy.

Mmmm tacos!

I haven’t had this kind of food in months, so it was nice to have it....and for our last dinner on vacation no less! Then for dessert, we had chocolate and banana chimichungas with vanilla ice cream...yummy! Unfortunately when the dessert arrived, we were so excited to eat it that we never took a picture of it. But you can trust me that it was delicious!

Wednesday November 2, 2011
Today was our last day in Zambia, which meant our trip was ending. The trip has been amazing--full of good luck, great conversations and people and just the “pick me up” I needed. Having a travel buddy who gets me and is laid back like me made it even better. We’re even already thinking of taking a trip possibly to India, Nepal and Bangladesh after I COS in March 2013.

After waking up, we headed down to the restaurant at Jollyboys for some breakfast before hitting the road. I got this yummy breakfast parfait with layers of yogurt, granola and honey, with banana slices on top, then with a side of scrambled eggs, and Diana got some eggs and toast....and we both also got coffee. Lots and lots of coffee.

We were originally going to go to the bureau de change to exchange our kwatcha back to rand, but instead we poked into the giftshop in Jollyboys and found ways to spend the last kwatcha that we had. I ended up getting a bracelet wrapped in shetenge material. A nice treasure to remember the trip with. After that, we sat outside and just waited for the time to pass until when we had to check out and get the Intercape bus. Now the Intercape bus is a different story in itself. This time, the bus was packed full and smelling of body odor, cigarette smoke and fried chicken--such a weird combo, but at least we know it’ll be a safe ride back to where we have to be. Along the ride, they play Christian media--movies, worship services, etc and all I could think about was, “Toto, we’re not in Kansas anymore.” We finally reached Okahandja the next morning and immediately hit the sack. After waking up around 2pm, we were ready to face the day. I for one, was very excited to go grocery shopping in a store that had huge oranges, papayas, fat free milk and even chocolate soy milk!! Then the next day, I hiked back to Opuwo and started to transition from vacation mode back to work mode.

Botswana

Sunday Oct. 23, 2011
Today began my trip to Victoria Falls and boy was I happy to be taking a vacation. After feeding Spot (Elizabeth’s dog that I was taking care of) and giving Sr. Shiningwa my house keys, I made the trek down into town and to the combi station. Combis are a Namlish word (Namibian English) for minivans/passenger vans. And combis are the way to get around the country. So by 7am I was at the combi station read to get a ride out of Opuwo and get to Okahandja, where I’d be staying for a night before heading to Chobe National Park and Victoria Falls. For 200 Namibian dollars (about $25 US) it’s a cheap way to travel but can be troublesome with flat tires or other car problems that may happen along the way.

After three hours we finally filled up the combi and left Opuwo. 2 1/2 hours later we got to Kamanjab and picked up Chad, Elizabeth’s boyfriend, who was going to Windhoek to pick up Elizabeth from the airport (since she was coming back from America). After stopping a few more times and people in our combi picking up beer (because heaven forbid you don’t have beer for the 8 hour drive!) we finally made it to Okahandja. When I got there, my first thought was, “man am I glad to be back in civilization!”. Paved roads, produce available 7 days a week, white people roaming the streets (so weird to see, by the way), actual stores, and even soymilk at the grocery store. I was officially in heaven. And did I mention soymilk??

Once I got to Diana’s house (the PCV I’ll be going on the trip with), we talked for a bit then started to plan out the details of our trip. And by 9:30pm we were both exhausted and went to bed to try and get a good night’s sleep before our trip.

Monday Oct. 24, 2011
This morning we both woke up around 7:30am, being the early birds that we both are, and started our day with a cup of coffee with soymilk (yay!) and honey. We then had some errands to do in town and wanted to get them all done before it got scorching hot outside. So we bought some snacks and meals for the trip, got some more cash out and then went back home to Diana’s house. Around 3:15pm, we got a taxi to the Shell station where we’re meet the Intercape bus. While waiting for the bus, we decided to treat ourselves and got a coffee milkshake at a local cafe. Surprisingly, the bus was on time but later realized how slow the bus was going throughout the rest of the way--which coupled by the fact that it was hard to sleep on the bus, made for a long and uncomfortable 15 hour bus ride to Katima Mulilo (on the Caprivi strip in Namibia).

Tuesday Oct. 25, 2011
By 6:50am the next morning, we arrived in Katima, which was the last town in Namibia before leaving for other countries. Right away we were able to get a combi ride to Ngoma (Botswana?) for only N$30. We then crossed the border, filled out various immigration forms, then drove another two minutes down the road, filled out more forms and got more stamps in the passport.

Me at the Botswana border post

One of the stops along the way was actually kind of interesting and quirky at the same time. It was the animal control line so we had to get out of the car, stomp our feet on this disinfectant mat then go back in the combi. Then, finally we got to the actual border post (after driving 56 km from Katima) and surprisingly right away got a free hike to Kasane, Botswana in an open bakkie (pick up truck). It was my first open air bakkie ride for a somewhat long distance and was definitely interesting. The wind was blowing so hard that I had to keep holding my sunglasses on my face, otherwise they’d fly off. Besides the wind and the smell of the fresh air, we also had the smell of a dead animal carcass, which we assumed was in the cooler that was sitting next to us. Made for a very interesting ride. Also on our drive, we first saw two adult wild elephants and a baby then about 15 minutes later saw about 7 wild elephants! It definitely made my day!!

When we got to Kasane, we found out that Chobe Safari Lodge wasn’t where we thought it was, so we ended up walking an extra 20 minutes (already exhausted and with all our bags, I might add!) to find the lodge. After getting a campsite at the lodge, we walked over to the local grocery store and bought tons of water.....because, did I mention that it was 47 C/116 F that day?!Then went back to our campsite, had some lunch and a nice cold hard cider and enjoyed the gorgeous view of the river.

Once our bellies were full and our thirsts quenched, we set up our tent, then took a nice cold shower (OMG, it was the best!) and finally a well deserved nap since both of us barely slept on the bus. Definitely a great day so far!

After resting up, we headed into town for some dinner--an Indian restaurant, of course! I  got veg malai tikka (I think that was the name), which was a green veggie sauce/soup that had all these tastes of vegetables in it plus nuts, then there were also two paneer (tofu made out of cottage cheese) dumplings that came with it, stuffed with cashews and peanuts. Soooo so delicious! After eating we also got garlic naan for takeaway (to go), which we could have for breakfast.

Wednesday Oct. 26, 2011
Diana and I woke up very early this morning, not because we couldn’t sleep (although that was part of it) but because we were going on an early morning game drive in Chobe National Park. So from 6am-9am, we enjoyed seeing tons of animals and just enjoying ourselves. We saw kudu, serbal antelope, roan antelope, giraffe, waterbuck, a pack of African bees, bee eater birds, hippos, crocodiles, wort hogs, a subspecies of black nosed impala, African safari elephants, Cape buffalo, African fish eagle, striped mongoose, lion and leopard tracks, baboons, an elephant bone graveyard, yellow hornbill, vulchers (who had their wings outstretched because they were checking for the thermals to see if they can fly easily), and lots of guinea fowls. I could definitely watch those elephants for hours though!!

After the safari drive, we exchanged some money (and now were carrying four currencies on us!--Namibian dollars, Botswana pula, South African rand, and US dollars), then used the benefits of staying in the fancy shmancy lodge and went swimming. While chilling in the pool, we met a Peace Corps Botswana volunteer named Sydney, who was here with her parents. She also gave us the name of a guy in town that makes personal t-shirts, where you can have a map on the back of where you’ve been. Cool! After talking with her and her parents for a little bit, we decided to order waffles and ice cream with honey drizzled on top for lunch. As Peace Corps volunteers, you almost never get to have indulgences like waffles and ice cream, so on vacation, it’s a must and was the perfect lunch!

Once we were done swimming, we showered off and went into town for dinner and to meet with the t-shirt guy. On our way into town, we stopped at a grocery store to get breakfast for the next morning and ended up talking to one of the cashiers from the grocery store who directed us out of the store and through a traditional market to a shetenge shop, where we bought these really cool Botswana shetenges (for about 55 pula). I have to say, I was waiting to find a local market on our trip and so it was perfect timing. It’s just so much better than these overpriced gift shops.

After that amazing experience, we went to dinner at the Indian restaurant (again!) and boy was it good! I got a few naan breads stuffed with paneer and different herbs and also split a chicken and mushroom pizza with Diana. Yummo! While eating, we met the owner (Ashok and his wife, Casey) and ended up getting two free rounds of drinks and 15% of our bill by the end of the night! The conversations we had were awesome and the free booze was of course amazing. Through conversations with him, he offered to plan our trip to India if we ever wanted to go, which we definitely may take him up on! After those conversations with him, Diana and I talked about it and we definitely want to go do a trip of Northern India (Delhi, Rajastan, Agra (where the Taj Mahal is) and Calcutta) in March 2013, when I’m done with Peace Corps. So far we seem like the perfect travel buddies, so this could definitely work!

Thursday Oct. 27, 2011
Luckily, today we didn’t have anything going on til 10am when we had to meet the t-shirt guy, so we were actually able to sleep in. Of course around 1am, we both woke up to thunder and lightning so we quickly put on the raincover on the tent (even though it was still so so hot!) and then tried to go back to sleep. Then around 7am, we were awoken to housekeepers sweeping outside and loudly talking so unfortunately we weren’t able to sleep in, although we did at least try to close our eyes til about 9am. By then, it was time to get up and meet the t-shirt guy to see how our t-shirts came out. Of course when we went to meet him, he said they weren’t ready yet. Then later on when we were in town, we saw him and he was just sitting around, doing nothing. I guess that won’t be happening! After that we went into town to walk through the traditional market and also to get food for lunch and dinner. The traditional market made my day, especially after I was bummed about the t-shirts. While there, I ended up getting a beautiful handwoven bowl for 50 pula. Once we were done there, we wandered along to Spar (a grocery store chain) to go grocery shopping and found a bread shop on our way. So after getting a fresh loaf of bread, we went into Spar to get some things for sandwiches for dinner. And after finding KFC right across the street, we grabbed some lunch there and just enjoyed getting out of the heat.

We then went back to the lodge and to our tent to change into bathing suits, because after another hot and humid day, it was definitely a pool day. Then for the rest of the afternoon, we swam in the pool and just relaxed--just what vacation should be like.

Looking into my future....

This week, I have been involved in early planning meetings of a Health Extension Worker (HEW) pilot program for the Ministry of Health. The district of Opuwo was selected to be piloting the program in hopes that it is successful and will roll out to the rest of the regions in the country in the near future. In Namibia and also in many other low-income countries, it is difficult for many people to get to a clinic and get the necessary health services due to the terrain and distance to the clinic from their village. It is the hope of the HEW to provide prevention education as well as basic health services to people in hard to reach areas.

So this week, some development partners, representatives from the Ministry of Health and traditional leaders sat down to discuss how we could roll out this pilot program in Opuwo district. While in our meetings, I also found out that almost all of the international development partners were 1) Americans and 2) returned Peace Corps volunteers! So cool! One woman was a returned Peace Corps Volunteer (RPCV) in Guatemala and now works for C Change in Namibia. C Change is a USAID-funded project to improve the effectiveness and sustainability of social and behavior change communication (SBCC) as an integral part of development efforts. Another woman was an RPCV in Zambia and now works for US Agency for International Development (USAID) in Namibia. And a third was an RPCV in Namibia and now works in Namibia for Project Hope, a program that helps to strengthen health care services and provide health education.

To hear that there were returned Peace Corps volunteers now working in the international development field came as no surprise to me. It’s like saying someone who loved history and playing in the sand as a child is now an archaeologist. But to actually hear from returned Peace Corps volunteers who are working in international development was wonderful! It definitely gave me an insight into the life of an international development worker but also some insight as a RPCV…..two things I would love to be!

The life cycle of a PCV

For any returned or current Peace Corps volunteer (PCV), you know that there are many crazy ups and downs during these two (or more) years of your life. This diagram was put together by a group of COSing volunteers in Senegal in the mid-1980's. I thought that it might be good to share it with y’all. Whether you’re a friend of a PCV, a relative, someone currently serving or someone looking into serving in the Peace Corps, it’s worth a look.

Month	Issues	Behavior/Reaction	Interventions
1 Pre-Service Training (PST)	Depart States Arrive in country Disorientation Health Self-consciousness	Anxiety Loneliness Feeling  incompetent Nervous about personal changes over 2 years	Build relationships Social events  Establish routine  Maintain link home  Develop interests, hobbies, "positive habits"
2 PST	Too much structure Too routine Group constancy Fatigue Impending affectation Language, language, language	Withdrawal Anxiety Restlessness Easy irritation Low tolerance level	Explore independence (e.g. go for walks on day off) Make plan for first 3 months Establish relationships/familiarity with host country nationals, PC staff Build skills for immediate use
3-6	Assignment Separation/solitude Uncertainty of role	Fright Frustration with self and others Loneliness Weight/health changes Homesickness Uselessness	Develop in-country correspondence Host visitors Visit peers/friends Establish links with local organizations Do technical research with local organizations Language study, language study, language study Establish schedule, routine sense of “home” Simple projects: plant trees, plant garden, play with kids
7-10	Slow work progress Language plateaus Cross cultural frustration/”shock”	Comparison to others Over zealousness Homesickness Uncertainties about adaption abilities Intolerance with host country	Reconnect with other PCVs Cards, letters home to forgotten relationships Talk with friends about slow starts & failures Simple projects: cooking, personal crafts, meetings, garden for self Consolidate friendships with host country nationals Refer to this sheet/culture shock sheets
11-15	Mid service crisis Doubt about program, role, self, government Various failures over time Reflection: disillusionment, confusion, resolving frustrations with victories New trainees arrive in sector Holiday time	Impatience with self, program, system Blame on program Constant complaining Lethargy Haughtiness w/new trainees	Holiday planning/mini vacation Review work plan, set new goals Review personal goals for service 1 year anniversary celebration Develop new recreation options Write long lost acquaintances Explore better relations with government and NGO folks Return to language study and practice
16-20	Increase/more defined work pace Project work Awareness of time constraints Realization of own limitations Consideration of “post PC” life	Hyperactivity or apathy Procrastination Self-recrimination Resignation Disappointment Downplay achievements Over-identification in behavior	Visit new volunteers Physical activity – “get in shape” Focus on relationship in the town Re-examine goals and time frame Research post-PCV activities (talk to other PCVs, do web search) Explore work possibilities in neighboring towns
21-23	Prep for COS: work/follow up Depression about perceived lack of accomplishment and/or lack of time Anticipated separation Demanding work pace Consideration of extension, post PC options Acknowledgment of chance for unmet goals	Monumental building Withdrawal into  work details Panic Procrastination Frustration with self Moodiness	Vacation/travel Review work plans, assess feasibility Plan “closing out” and follow up Work with counterparts, government, town groups on planning for departure, follow up Collaboration with 1st year PCVs Consider post-PC planning, first draft of resume Create a four months personal calendar Give quality time to colleagues/personal friendships
23-27	Trauma of departure Concerns about social re-entry Bridging host country with US/former identity Re-definition of career Closer or re-definition of country based on relationships	Fright Confusion Alienation Anxiety Panic Giddiness Impatience Obsession with planning and scheduling	Ask PCVs about trends, US popular culture Do self-analysis (i.e. factors of self-growth, work accomplishment) to consolidate self-confidence Work on self-image Shop for local art, crafts, etc. Write friends, make social plans Post PC travel plans Transfer work skills, area-specific knowledge to trainees Arrange for gifts to host family