Bar raising

I wish that the garden you see in the
picture was the one that I've written about
in several prior articles. But the truth is ...
it isn't.
This is a community garden in another village
about 30 or so kilometers up the road. I
couldn't get the whole garden in the photo and
it is even better than what you see.
Today we went up the Kavango/Caprivi strip
and stopped in a few of the villages. This one
is noted for it's garden so I couldn't pass up an
opportunity to see it.
What seeing this garden has done is raised the bar
pretty high in comparison to ours in the village. Ours
is OK ... only ... there is actually too much shade
and I've been mentioning that we need to trim
some branches off the trees. It has fallen on deaf
ears as of now.
One of the younger community members had a good
idea. In fact, it is tied in to not passing up seeing
that garden and taking pictures. He said that I should
take the photos and then bring them back here to show
the people what they are doing there. Of course the
reason being to motivate and in my mind ... to challenge.
In this case the challenge is the personal challenge that
we could have to aid us in ourselves raising the bar.
If we do that then we are going pretty well and
everyone would be somewhat happier.
It is difficult to transfer one's passion or intensity or
enthusiasm as in the feeling that I have of wanting to
do better than the great garden that is in that village.
I can transfer the knowledge and technical things
and the such. But the emotion, that is also ... the
challenge.
So tomorrow I will show those pictures to the
appropriate people in hopes that it will do as it is
said ... say a thousand words.
Maybe it is unrealistic to think that the people will get
a thousand words of message out of it ... I'd really
settle for changing one emotion. That is ... darn it, I
want to do better and raise the bar a little higher.
Well, I am going to crash and hope that it will go the
way of changing that one emotion tomorrow.
It would be one great day if it did.

Regional dance contest

Yesterday I went to a regional dance contest
and the village had two entries. One is from
the village school and you can see the girls
in the picture with one of the boys. Couldn't
get the other boys in the photo because they
were off somewhere at the time.
The group are of the Thimbukushu tribe and
that is the general traditional dress.
There were about 20 or so contestants and
they were some real good ones. The Thimbukushu
are noted for their style of dancing which is
with a lot of shoulder movement. It is really
something to see and I have a little video clip
or two that I was able to take. The problem is
that the quality is terrible due to the placement
of the contest area. It was facing the sun and
under a tree that let a lot of diffused light through.
Despite that it was a really great day and I saw
some tremendous dancers and some pretty serious
drummers.
Of the total contestants there was only one from the
San (Khwe) tribe and they were from our village and
organized and sent by the youth office. Even though
they where doing such a different dance style
( a lot more leg movement than the Thimbukushu)
they were still competitive due to the fact that the
regional event is actually open to all cultures and
their styles.
The school group was pretty good but like the San
group it was obvious that they could have used a
little more practice time.
For the San it was their first appearance at the yearly
event and I was glad to have been able to go with them.
Neither team placed to advance to the bigger regionals
but the San did take 1st place out of all the groups
for the most traditional attire. They were totally crazy
when they won that award. At first I heard that they
won 1st place and I thought, how can that be. There
were far more practiced groups. But of course they
explained what the award was. Sorry to not have a
photo of their attire but I have it on video.
Even though, the San may have a chance to go to the
next level because they are the only one of that
culture who participated. If they get the bye, so to
speak, I am hoping that they get to practicing some.
They practiced for 4 days before the competition.
Don't know what the reason for that was but if they
do go on, I'll be bugging them to practice for their
big chance to go to the finals in the capitol (Windhoek).
On the personal side I have to say that it was interesting
being one of the 2 or 3 white people at this event.
No problems at all, just interesting being present at
such a serious cultural event/competition in an
African country. And even though it is my second time
living in a country on the continent, it is not the
same. In Senegal they didn't have these types of
competitions. So it was totally new and really, it was
being present at what you see on National Geographic.
It was a good day and experience and it had a good
ending as the San group sang all the way back from
the competition. They were in the back of the pickup
truck after dark and it was cold. But that didn't
dampen their spirits.
It was such fun to have been along and see the
competition and the happiness of the San group.

Friday in the center of town

The strategy to waken up the center of
the village went really well today but of
course, not without some drama.
We built a netball court a little off the center
of town. Netball is a game played by women
and girls and it is something like basketball
without dribbling. It is just passing only. This
is the first time that I've seen it in action and
it is a pretty physical with a lot of running despite
the passing.
We planned for a few weeks and worked preparing
it for a week and yesterday (Thursday) they played
their first scrimmage. It was better than I thought it
would be. The placed was packed with players and
spectators. I was hoping that it would bring out people
to see some sports or good activities to balance out the
shebeens (or bars) that dominate the center of the
village/town. There is too much drinking here that includes
young people. The idea is to give the people some
alternative outlets and just hope that it can get the positive
and negative forces in some kind of balance.
So, this morning (Friday) we were going to go back to
the netball court to continue to clean it and get it in tip-top
shape. We got it playable but it is about a week away
from being totally finished. As we showed up to work
we see this huge tractor pulling a water tank buried
up to it's axle right in the middle of the court that we've
busted our butts over for the last week.
It's like, did we expect this netball court project to
actually go smooth without a hitch or some drama.
Of course not and the drama began when I asked the
driver ... Hey dude, why of all places in this whole
village are you buried up your axle in the middle of
the new netball court, which is not in the middle of
the road?
Needless to say he got a little angry and was mad at
us (me mainly). He got even madder when I then said
... Man, you are buried up to your rear end in the
middle of the court that we have been breaking our
backs over and then you are mad at us for asking
what ta heck happened. So, in the end I told him
that he wasn't our favorite person, which I think
is pretty reciprocal from his part.
Little did I know that he is the guy that does the
welding and work like that out of the agricultural
shop. He said that he wasn't going to help us out
ever again. I told him that I've lived 57 years
without him and hopefully another 57 more, also
without him. But when I said that I didn't know he
was the guy that did the welding ... etc work.
All I can say is ... oops. I guess I just added to
the degree of difficulty as far as doing projects go.
But in the end it was really kind of funny.
The day wasn't all lost because the San (Khwe)
cultural dance troupe came out in a live dress
rehearsal (in picture) and it was really great. They
are good and totally different than the Pulaars
and Wolof in Senegal. Tomorrow I am supposed
to go with them to a dance display and there ought
to be many different cultural tribes there, should
be good.
After the dancers were done the girls scrimmaged
on the newly repaired netball court and it was full of
people.
The center of town hasn't been this lively on a Friday
afternoon in a long time.
So, despite the drama and emergency repair of the court,
I'd have to say that the mission of animating the village
today was accomplished.
The last week has been full of incredibly long days but
it was worth it.
Also, for the people that I've fallen behind on emailing, I
have to apologize, it's been hectic and all it's been is back
to the house and just crashing for the night after the long
day. I hope to get caught with soon.

Flower Power - a Strategy

That's what I am hoping it will be.
What it is, is trying to transform the center
of the village. It is as drab as drab can be
and in fact, pretty depressing looking. It is
really in need of a lot of cleaning up and a
whole new attitude.
So, that is where the flowers come in. Really
they are the tool that I am hoping to use to
open up the eyes and minds of the people.
In the picture there is a flower that is in a tree
behind the house that I am staying in and not at
all the the type of flower that I am distributing
to anyone who is willing to plant them. Just
thought that it is an interesting flower, that's
why I took the picture.
I don't know the name of the flower that we
are actually planting but it looks to be something
resembling Vinca. It is virtually indestructible and
needs no care at all.They are easily accessible
and free. Also as rugged as can be and actually
not too bad looking. I'll post a picture of them
in a few weeks when a certain spot gets a little fuller.
In fact this morning the nurse at the health clinic
brought a bunch of them to plant in the support
group garden. I planted them and it should really
make that garden look beautiful and uplifting.
That's the key, uplifting and positive which
hopefully sparks a little enthusiasm to make this
village a lot cleaner and nicer.
I also planted a few in front of the Youth Office
building on either side of the entrance. The older
people say that that flower keeps the snakes
away.
I don't know but what ta heck, put them near the
doors I say.
Even Elizabeth, the lady that cooks bread in a hole
in the ground received some today. She's right
in the middle of the center of the village and she
started cleaning up that area so I asked her if
she wanted to plant them.
My thinking is to introduce some color into the drab
world that is the village. I am hoping that it will at
least influence a few people into sprucing up their
places.
So, can flower power strategy work? It can but will
it? That's going to be the topic of another blog
entry. I am wishing that it will be a good positive,
up with the village story.
Another one of these time will tell situations.

Blue Monday - another week

As I am writing this entry I am also listening
to thunder and the sound of the rain drops
making the distinct drumming sound on the tin roof.
It is unusual to be receiving rain at this time of the year.
In Senegal and El Salvador when it was the dry season,
it was the dry season, absolutely no rain at all.
But here we are welcoming it as it will help the garden
project and keep down the dust for a day or two.
The week started out with (in the picture) heating the
water over the fire early this morning for coffee. It
was cold but after 15 minutes the cooking hut was
warming up and it was a decent start to this week's
blue Monday.
Went to the garden and it was full of people this morning.
The most I've seen at any one time. It was really a good
vibe with positive energy. The place is even more totally
filled and as it is like Fenway Park when the Yankees come
to town (or any team), standing room only. They are
making plots where you'd never thought possible.
I am waiting to post a picture of the progress that has
been going on. I think a month from now would really
give time to show it in it's hopefully finest. The little
plants just need to grow more.
There was a meeting for the woman's netball court/league/
team project this morning at 10. Of course no one showed
and I wasn't surprised. They wanted to have a meeting on a
Monday and through my experience knew that it wouldn't
fly. I even mentioned it to the youth officer in charge of
these types of activities but he said that he wanted to get
it going as fast as possible. Then he proceeds to not show
this blue Monday morning.
I was expecting this and really it was no big deal because we
have to measure out the court, cut some overhanging
branches and the people we could do it with where there.
Or should I really say, plan to do it with tomorrow.
Don't know, will show up like usual and see.
But these projects are going to all start like that here in
this village. It's all kind of a new thing and what I'm
thinking here, build it and they will come is the way that
it'll fly.
So, tomorrow it is planning to measure it out and plant the
hoops and block off the shortcut road that the cars
take which is located in the middle of the court.
Then, it is inflate the ball and wait and see.
Also typed up a little cost analysis sheet for the girl
that bakes bread out of the hole in the ground. She really
doesn't know what her profit is. So I made up a little sheet
and enough space to do it for a month. It is not a big
thing but she is a good little business woman and it looked
like a teachable situation.
It was great when I gave her the papers and explained it
to her. Had to be at least 20 people there listening and
watching and commenting (actually don't know what they
said). It sure must of been one of those Peace Corps
scenarios.. You know volunteer with villagers listening
to his every word. Or listening then saying that the
makua (white person) is nuts. It's a thin line perceiving the
moment when you don't understand what they said.
But that was about it on this blue Monday. Wasn't earth
shattering but there was some progress.
I'll take it ... slowly, slowly the water fills the lake says
the Pulaars in Senegal. It's the way this development
stuff works.

Under a full Namibian moom

Well, it's another Saturday night and and as
you can see in the picture, a full moon. You'll
have to excuse the quality of the photo. I took
it with the cell phone and doctored it up a little
with an picture editing program. But I think it
is more of a, this is what I'm looking at, representation.
It's been an interesting week with a lot of things
that went on and with a lot of potential mixed in.
It started with the call from another volunteer who
is working a computer lab project for schools.
The school here filled out a survey form a few weeks
back and I was happy to be informed that they
are in line to receive 20 computers. The school
just has to come up with about 10% of the cost.
That money will be reinvested for chairs, tables
and the like.
I spoke with the principal and all he has to do is
deposit the money into the project's account and
we're off. But, until he does it, any outcome is
possible.
The women's support group garden's water challenges
has been dealt with fairly well. I did the McGyver
thing and a few other ones too and so far there
is enough water. Again, this is a day by day situation.
We will be starting a woman's netball activity. I've
never seen a netball game so I can't describe it
yet but it is a popular game. We picked out a spot
for a netball court and it is in fact almost in the
middle of town. I lobbied for this and this is an idea
taken from my El Salvador tour. There they put the
soccer field right in the middle of town and it was a
good thing because there was always some positive
energy out there. Be it them playing a game, or practicing,
or kids just playing around. So, I am hoping that by
locating the court near the center of town, which is
predominantly shebeens (alcohol places/bars), that
it might kind of start to balance the life style forces.
So I am hoping that the force will be with us on this
one. I am really interested to see how that is going to
pan out.
The hyena researcher mentioned that she had a friend
in the USA that was interested in sending educational
videos to here (Namibia). Don't know the topics of
the videos but I have to say that they are so needed.
Because of our isolation and lack of TV reception,
the people are really in the dark. No one knows what
the EU is and they are going to be getting a visitor
representative some time soon. A lot of funding for
projects comes from the EU. So, anything that can
bring information would be good. Right now there
are TVs but with video players only. All they watch
are movies like Rambo and the such. Nothing that's
going to get any people knocking on the doors of
Harvard any time soon.
A lot of opportunities and to be real, got to see the
computers, videos and netball games before I actually
believe that it happened. That's how this Peace Corps
thing goes.
But if they do come, then I think that we'll be heading
in the right direction with a bullet.
Going to end it here, tomorrow it is at the garden early
to make sure that things are going well then it's off to
the lady who is going to be the main organizer for the
netball activity.
Happily I can say that there hasn't been any days off
since I've been in the village.
That's what I'm here for.

Searching for hyenas

Two nights back a vehicle showed up at the
door a little after dark. Out jumps one of the
villagers that I've been working with. He says
that there is an opportunity to go out in the bush
and search for hyenas with the person in the
vehicle. Also, we would meet up with some fellow
countrymen from the States. So, he asked me if
I wanted to go.
Of course yes was the reply. As I was walking up
to the vehicle, out jumps Lisse (in picture). She's
a South African lady who is on a multi year research
project to find out the hyena population up in this
area of Namibia. Really to be precise, along the
Caprivi strip.
She is an incredibly energetic friendly person. The
definite type to be doing this research project. This
isn't her first project. She's also been involved in
researching lions for years. She basically researches
the predators.
So, off we go into the night down this path/road. After
about 2 kms we're in the bush and continue on for
another 10 km or more until we see some lights from
a British Land Rover. There were 5 students from a
college in Memphis Tennessee with their professor,
and a guide. They were traveling the regions of Namibia
looking for game animals.
So, we met up, made our introductions and then found
out that we were going deeper in the bush to see if
we could attract, dart and collar any hyenas for Lisse's
research project.
Lisse mentioned that there didn't seem to be many hyenas
in the area. Hyenas can move around some and she
mentioned that they could either travel 30 km a day or
during a night.
So, we drive, stop and setup the sound system that
broadcasts sound of hyenas to include a pack feeding.
This was transmitted for about 10 minutes, wait 20,
then move on another 5 km and try again.
The broadcast could be heard up to 3.5 km away or
in a 7 km diameter circle or a rough estimate of about
a little over 30 square kilometers.
It was cold and it is the part of the animal planet shows
that they don't show. The hours of bush time on the
cold nights before an encounter.
So, you can probably get the drift that there weren't
any hyena sightings.
For me, that's ok, it would have been really great but I
actually enjoyed the fact that I saw what really goes on
the majority of time.
It was a great experience, wouldn't have missed it for
the world and she'll be heading back in two weeks and
maybe we'll do it again.
So, for me the hyena sightings are still somewhere out
there in bush on some other night, if it's meant to be.

Little McGyver action

In the photo you see what I've considered
a little bit of a McGyver solution to a situation.
The situation being again at the women's HIV
support group garden and the struggle to provide
enough water to keep the plants alive and
thriving.
The bathtub that is the reservoir/distribution point
has a hole where the drain used to be before it
was removed. What happens is that the water
tap is left open due to the unpredictability of the
time in which the water will flow. With that hole
the water runs out and basically has no impact at
all to the development of the plants.
It has been there staring us in the face for even
before I landed on the shores of this bush village.
But I always felt that there was something that
could be done to add another means of transferring
water through that hole. Or more simply put, get
some kind of fixture that would allow us to hook
up a hose or tube.
The problem was, no fixtures, no wrenches, no money
and the nearest place with anything could be either
45 or 125 miles away.
I have to my disposal ... a leatherman - lite model. I
thought to myself, this is definitely a chance to do a
McGyver impersonation, but with what?
The solution came to me yesterday morning as I was
walking by the myriad of trash piles. What you see
in the picture is the solution. It is two plastic bottle
necks, one into each other. The smaller throated one
inserted into the bigger one. The plastic top of the
smaller one had a hole cut in in. With a plastic bag
washer made to fill in the small void, it actually worked.
Not perfect, I'd guess about 85% of the water gets to
go into various garden plots.
It saves work, waste of good water and helps to fight
the struggle to have enough water to keep the garden
machine rolling along.
This morning when I arrived at the garden I was curious
to see if it'd work. The ladies were taking out water
so there was a little wait for the level to rise where the
water would seep out of the plastic bottle fixture and
through the PVC hose.
Well, it did and it worked just great.
I am pretty tickled with this as it was a good little
challenge to solve but it will also help the ladies
to work and manage the garden.
As mentioned it an other prior blog entry, the garden is
to help provide an improved healthy diet for the ladies
and their families. With HIV attacking the immune system,
the improved diet helps the system to be a little stronger.
It is amazing to be working side by side with these ladies.
Despite their status, many are upbeat and actually pretty
funny with their humor.
With about 2 years left I don't know how many will
still be participating in the garden in the future. I hope
they all do.
I just wish a cure for the virus was as easy as a leatherman
and good intentions.

Buzzwords

Every place I've been has had it's own, well,
kind of a buzzword. Not that they're all nonsense,
because in many cases they aren't. But they are
sured used a lot.
In El Salvador is was 'fijate' or take notice/be careful.
Which meant something not too good was probably
involved in whatever one was doing. For Senegal
it was 'Inchallah', if God agrees. Romania's was,
ce sa facem or what can we do.
Each one I've heard a million times and have also
used them another million or so. It is when in Rome
do what the Romans do that seeps these buzzwords
into one's vocabulary, after some time.
Here in Namibia the word I hear a lot is 'struggling'.
Which to me isn't all that bad because I am thinking
that if one is struggling then one is trying for some
sort of result or change.
There are the struggling to find transportation from
the 70 km away from anywhere village we live in,
to anywhere. Also the struggling to find some
money and so on and so forth.
Of course by living here and not being a citizen of
Namibia, it hasn't made me immune to me having to
think ... man, I'm struggling here to come to some end.
A visual of a struggling situation is right there in the
photo. That is the old bathtub we use to catch and
hold water for the HIV woman's support group
vegetable garden. By the way the garden is really
shaping up and is just plain not much room to walk
around in anymore. It is coast to coast plots in
different stages of growth and development.
What the struggling part of this bathtub is, is that
it's empty. Been empty 2 out of the last 3 days.
Also, it's been asked to hold less water daily over
the last week because of about a 50% reduction
in the water service.
Plus, the times that were like clockwork have become
something like how the arrival of the new millennium
was supposed to be with computers, unpredictable.
Ok, here's the struggling angle.
Had to do some fast thinking to get the women to come
back after the disappearing act of last year's money.
That took a few weeks and a lot of fast talking.
In fact, that is going along swimmingly, to kind
of try and be in the pun flow of words.
Here's the dilemma, the plots that are just planted with
seedlings and the new seed beds are in jeopardy of
going down the drain. So, what do the people do?
Before the water was from 6 to 9 a.m., then from
5 to 6 or 7 p.m.
Lately it has been 6 to 7:30, then 5 to 5:30.
People were getting to the garden, scoop up one
bucket of water (and have 5 huge plots to water),
then the water stops. Then they come earlier and the
water stops earlier.
So, and me included, seeing as I have a few plots of
the favorite fruit called tomato under cultivation, are
struggling away to get the water to keep the joint
hopping in vegetable garden splendor.
This morning, struggled out of bed at 5:30 to get there
when the first drop flowed from the tap. Struggled to
get the fire going to heat the water for coffee.
Struggled walking through the sand to the garden.
Struggled to find the key that someone kind of threw
in a pile. Struggled to get the old rusty lock of the
garden door open.
Then after all that, there was no water running but I
was lucky to be first there and the bathtub was full
from last night.
At that point my struggles were over but as a few
people arrived I could see the look on their face.
The look of, ok, another struggle.
Hopefully tomorrow there will be water so as to
give the garden group a - get out of struggling to
water the garden free card for the day.
But all this has left me with these parting thoughts.
Tomorrow 'fijate' that there may not be water and
if there is none, then 'ce sa facem'. But 'Inchallah'
it will come, so that tomorrow we won't have to
struggle to find a way to water the garden before
it dries up.

Fireside chat ...

It is really true, at the moment, on this
Saturday night I am situated inside the
cooking hut that you see in the picture. There
is a fire going and a cup of coffee by my
side on the table.
In the sky is a half moon and it is lighting up the
surroundings and despite that it is a village
in the bush of northern Namibia, it has an
exotic ambiance to it.
I am alone in the hut because the people that
I am staying with at the moment are off for a
week. But it is really nice to sit alone and feel
the the night.
It also brought thoughts of again, the exoticness
of the here and now. I have come to take these
Saturday nights as a time to reflect. It is funny
but ever since I began this Peace Corps journey,
it is this week night that just seems to have the
effect of ... what would I be doing on a Saturday
back home in the States?
Even though the places I've been in haven't been
the classical description of exotic, but as far as
real life goes, they are. From the campo (bush equivalent),
of El Salvador with the AA group fighting for sobriety.
Or the girls drumming and singing and dancing in the
night in Senegal, to the Roma dancers of the town
in Romania. It has all seemed surreal in the way,
of being the 'different' person, the only one of your kind.
Living and becoming befriended by people who are
struggling through life and each with their own unique
story through the own eyes of mind and culture ...
well ... maybe it's in the eyes of the beholder but ...
my opinion is, that it is exotic. A world where not too
many have been to, or will ever go. Full of the stresses
and rewards from being the 'different' person but
with the privilege of being allowed to enter a little
ways into the inner circles of these societies and
cultures.
I guess it is in the criteria of what is exotic. If it is
Paris or Rome or those incredible places, then
it isn't in this cooking hut by oneself on this beautiful
Saturday night. It isn't anything like that. It is the
exoticness of real life people ... the actual majority of
the people in the world. Many without an education
but with spirits that are just beyond all those things.
Then the others in which life has taken it's toll after
years of struggling without ever having the luck of
grabbing on to the brass ring.
But for me to be with these people and share their
struggles, know their names, laugh with them and
yes at times, curse at them in my mind, is the exoticness
of it all.
So, don't cry for me Argentina for being alone on this
Saturday night. It is my weekly time of reflection and
appreciation for where I am, through the good or bad.
I guess this isn't your fireside chat as we are used to.
It is just the state of the personal union at this time.
The fire is dying down and there is still a coffee to finish.
I think it is time to look out from this hut and gaze up at
the Southern Cross and as an ex-volunteer Pat who
was there would say. Just think we are doing this in
Senegal.
It is amazing to me to think that I am writing this article
under a beautiful night sky, in a cooking hut in a village
70 km from anywhere ... all this in the bush of Namibia.
Ok, one last time ... I think that's pretty darned exotic.