Late Update!

So, a lot has happened since my last post (sorry). Life has been hectic recently and finding the time/internet connection to update is not always easy. So here’s an update on my life J

Site Visit: I visited my permanent site! I was advised not to put my precise location on my blog so talk to me if you don’t know where I am and would like to know more! I can say that I am in a pretty good sized town. I have a shopping store, post office and a few restaurants easily accessible. It’s somewhat a tourist town so it’s very pretty. I was NOT expecting to have so many amenities this easily available. I have electricity AND hot water available to me. Most of the streets in town are paved. Once you leave town and go to the less lucrative parts of the area (called the location) the streets are no longer paved and are either dirt or gravel. For my first couple of weeks I will be living in the location with a host family. After I get to know the community somewhat I will move in town. I have a site mate named Nicole. She is a volunteer with Peace Corps and has been in my community for a year already. She volunteers at the community hospital and she’s absolutely lovely. My after school youth group meets in the location everyday around two. I will spend a large portion of time tutoring these kids in Math and English (Yikes!). I will also teach them about HIV/AIDS and prevention when able. While in this community I will also pick up secondary projects. These will include working with any community organization/group to better the community that is not my primary assignment with the after school group.  

Language:  So language has been an extreme difficulty for me. There are two other volunteers in my group learning Khoekhoegowab and I have been having the most difficulty. My issue has been that I can read it just fine; I simply cannot speak it, nor do I understand when it is spoken to me. I have asked my instructor for extra lessons, but time is limited. We took a mid Pre-Service Training (PST) Language Proficiency Interview (LPI) and I scored Novice Medium. The levels are as follows (Novice Low, Novice Medium, Novice High, Intermediate Low, Intermediate Medium, and Intermediate High). In order to pass as required by Peace Corps Namibia, I need to score Intermediate Low. This means I need to raise my score two whole levels. The interview is strictly in your target language (Khoekhoegowab) and consists of the interviewer asking questions about your life in America, family, life in Namibia, host family, etc. In order to achieve Intermediate Low you must complete a role play in the target language (eeek!). Well, I recently took the last LPI… I have no idea how this happened but I passed! I even did the role play. I almost kissed my instructor! I was so proud! I answered almost every question 

Swearing in: Earlier this week I was sworn in as an official Peace Corps Volunteer (PCV). My swearing in ceremony was held in Windhoek and the Prime Minister was invited. This means it was somewhat of a big deal. I wore a traditional Damaran (one of the tribes that speak Khoekhoegowab) dress. My host mom in Okahandja had the dress made especially for me to wear to swearing in. Our swearing in was later on NBC (Namibian Broadcasting Channel)! Yup, I was singing in a different language on the Namibian news. Jealous?

Moving to site: On Thursday I officially moved to my permanent site. I’m so excited to be finished with training and be an official volunteer! My first three months at site will consist of me completing a needs assessment to determine what precisely my community wants and/or needs from me. This means I’ll be spending a lot of time just walking around and getting to know people and talking to community leaders and stakeholders.

Once again, sorry it took so long for this post! However, now that I’m at site, I will probably be updating less. I will maybe update once a month or when something of importance happens!

Stay classy, readers

Me in my Traditional Damaran Dress