Tomorrow i'll be making my way to cape town. With a stop in windhoek i will arrive in CT on saturday. Can't wait to see the other volunteers again!

happy birthday to Bestemor!

Today is Kavango day in Rundu. AKA end-of-the-month, or payday. The lines at the ATM machines are endless, the shopping centre is chaos, and the streets are filled with people selling all kind of stuff! I am just glad I went to the ATM before the weekend!

It's election time in Namibia, and the party to vote for seems to be SWAPO. Going to see the different parties marching in the street.

Started the day with reading a letter from my grandmother and father. The day could not have started any better!

Kick of the day: Face to Face meeting with a leopard in the bushmanland capital, tsumkwe. I will not be myself untill wednesday...

I am taking the weekend off to visit my friend jorgen in bushmanland together with sverre and their friends from norway. This should be fun!

Going on day 7 with no rain... Oh I need a break from this heat!

To Cool down today i swam to angola, was there For a few minutes and then swam back. Very nice :)

From Now On...

I have been really terrible about writing in this blog. I`m sorry. So from now on, I will try and have small updates like the one under about every- or every other day.

Maybe that will be better...?

See you then :)

10 hours in the sun. Its obvious SPF 50 does not cut it! Red like a tomato

I have an address in Rundu!

Send to:
Stine Hestdal
P.O Box 72
Rundu
Namibia

Rundu:
Boys may hold hands
It seems like there are more taxis than normal cars.
TV should always be on. At least in the evening when the soaps are the focal point for the fam.
Watch out for crocodiles when you go to the beach.
Learners = students.
Finish your food. Even the bones. I hear they are good for your teeth.
We use about 1kg sugar a day and that’s only for the tea and coffee.
“Death is coming!” means, “watch out for the car”.
I hear “why do you drink so much water?” alot.
I am in a good mood the days the sun is behind the clouds and there is rain. Opposite of my mood in Norway.
Albinos are a common sight.
Culture means cultural and traditional dancing and music. Can be used like this: “There will be culture this weekend.” or “Stine, you missed the culture.”
People often have 2 sim cards so they not only have 100 free SMS per day, but 200.
Peeing wherever you feel like is a human right.
If you say “Have a good day”, “Good night”, “See you later”, or “Thank you for the ride” the response is OK
I think it’s really cool that I can see Angola from my house.
White Toyotas are a very common sight in Namibia!
Celine Dion and Westlife are very popular for some readon…

This list will be updated :)

A wedding...

Its Friday. I am not feeling good in my stomach, and for the first time in Africa I had.. you know…stomach problems. Even though I had knocked on wood many times, I guess I cannot escape the hard truth about Africa: that everyone gets this. Though I was talking to a Dutch woman here the other day. She has been in Namibia for 11 years and even longer in Africa and she has never encountered this problem. I don’t know if I believe her…

Anyways this is not what I was going to talk about… It’s still Friday, and my host mom comes home from work, and she asks me if I want to go with her to a wedding. “Sure”, I say, “when is it?”. She tell me it’s tomorrow! I asked her if she just got the invitation today, but no she had known about this for a long time, but only got the invitation on paper today. Okidoki. So I am going to a wedding tomorrow. I just hope my stomach will handle this…

On the invitation it said the reception will start at 2pm. So I start getting ready at 1.30, and we leave the house at about 2. I am feeling nice. For the first time I am wearing a dress and makeup in Rundu, and my stomach is not bothering me. My little brother actually laughs at me when we get home. He says in Africaans to his mother, but I understand, that I am looking funny. Poor thing has never seen me in other than shorts and a t-shirt must be a funny sight yes! So we get to the venue at 2.20pm or so. There are about 7 women there… they are setting up for the wedding. About half the tables are set, the bar is not there yet, and there is no food in sight. Alright.. we are behind schedule.. no surprise actually, but no one else did the same mistake we did! I am glad to say the least that I had something to eat before we left the house. My host mom and I start helping out. Things are going very slowly. At some point the food arrives. Tubs of food! And I think great we will start soon. But no. So we continue the preparations. Setting the tables glasses, a fork and a napkin for everyone. Some will get a glass, but there is not enough, so most will use a paper cup, and paper plates are in order as well. The theme or colors for the wedding is white, and numerous different shades of maroon.

At about 6pm the bride and groom arrives the venue, and the preparations are as done as they can get. The party can start, and I am starving! By counting the tables and the chairs against the wall I came to about 250-300 guests! The servers have no place to set the cakes and muffins, so they put them on the guest tables. Big mistake… they are gone by the time the speeches are over, and the serving of the food starts. By this time two of the people at my table have also fallen asleep! A little girl about 2years and another lady.

By the time the food is served, it has been standing out for about 3 hours in 30 degrees celcius in the gym that is used as the venue and there are about 212 flies in the food area.. I am getting worried about my stomach… This is breaking about all regulations in Norway. But I are not in Norway! TIA – This is Africa. So we eat. I try to keep away from the meat. After about 30 min my host mother says. I want to leave at about 7pm. Alrighty! You know so we can get a taxi… So for me my first wedding experience in Africa ended before it started. I feel. But with a free bar, I think many guests will not feel the same way.
I never met the bride or groom. Maybe they will hear from someone that there was a white girl at their wedding, and wonder who she was…

sorry for the poor quality of the photoes... they are taken with my cell phone...

A sad story

2 weeks ago I was in the kitchen washing, no not washing, Scrubbing, a pot that I had burnt rice in. I actually saw a flame when I lifted the pot off the plate. And there was smoke. Lots of smoke. Good thing there is no fire sensor in the house… Anyways I was standing there and I was halfway listening to the news on NBC (the only Namibian TV station) when I heard they say the name Noordgrens School. That is the school closest to my house here in Rundu. So I ran into the living room already knowing what the story would be…

Some weeks ago I heard news about the principal at this school resigning from his job before they had time to fire him and he would be unable to work in the school system in Namibia again. He resigned from his position as the principal because he had made a student (here they are called learners) from his school pregnant. I also heard that he gave her HIV and that he had dated her mother before, but that might just be rumors going crazy. They are also saying that he is a ladies man and that he has many girlfriends…That is what happens when you drive a nice car I guess…

He was sent to jail, but was let go on bail before his trial. So now he is being accused for statutory rape. I saw on TV that there were many people that had showed up for the trial. They even showed the principal’s face on TV. I did not get the whole story and what they were saying on TV, but I think this man will be going to jail for some time. I am happy to say. When I went back to the kitchen after the report my host mother said “why did she let this man have sex with her..?” I was like shit! She is actually saying it is the girl’s fault. I said to her that when the principal at your school forces himself on you there is not much one can do. This is not the first time I have heard express that it is the girls fault. It is a foul and disgusting case of abusing one’s power. This girl was defenseless. Even though I don’t know the details of the story, someone must have believed this girl, and this man will not go unpunished for taking advantage of his position.

today: The latest update is that they infact dated... Thats what I heard at least!

Mr. Hank Bronner

The other day I met the most enthusiastic person in Rundu! I had been told about him, but I didnt know what he was doing and I only thought he was a school PE teacher, and not even at one of the schools I am working with or his relationship with SCORE. so I kind of put it of to see him. I kind of regret that now. He would have kept me occupied during the school break when I was bored!

This man is a PE and geography teacher at one of the schools in Rundu. He has been involved with SCORE is on the board if it is still functioning... When I came to see him he said he had heard about me. Hm... word travels in Rundu! He took me to the pool at the school. This is also the only pool in Rundu (except for that one lodge). The pool is in terrible condition. It is just disgusting and has not been in use for a couple of years. But he was like "Babes, in a couple of weeks we will have this running!" It will be generation money and providing swimming lessons for the children (last week on of the children from that school drowned in the river) and so on. He himself has put in pipes for the water, and is taking averything in his hands!

Later in this day he picked me up and and took me to his hockey practice where he coaches about 70 children, 4 teams (2 different age groups, girls and boys) at the same time. There is another coach but she usually shows up a an hour or so late because she is working or something (?). In addition to this he is responsible and coaches all the sports teams in his school. He is a volleyball fan at heart.

I dont know what keeps this man going or where he gets the energy. It might be the 6-8 liters of coka cola he drinks in a day or maybe the sigaretts or maybe a combo.

All he wants is to keep the children off the streets, and for them to grow up in a safe anvironment. That is why he is so excited about SCORE and we are so excited about him :)

Pictures in no particular order.

Sunset in Opuwo
The view from Rundu over the Kavango River and Angola. I went swimming in the river on Saturday. The river is where the action is on Saturdays. People come to wash their clothes, wash their bodies, play, and in the afternoon and evenings people come to socialize and drink.
Oslo, Gardermoen. The gang pre-departure.
Special Olympics kids. This is also how "normal" people stand in line in Africa though...
My house

As the days go on...

I have been here now for 2 weeks, and I have to get out some frustration and say that I am so bored. My work is mainly in collaboration with the schools in the community, and since I have been here they have been taking exams, so there is no PE, and now everyone is on a 2 week holiday! What to do? I keep myself busy by walking to the library where is can use the Internet cheap, walking to the stores, and by sending SMS (you get 100 free SMS every day)! These distances are about 30min walks that normally people would take a taxi for. Taxis here are Namibian $7,50 per person. You might have to share a taxi. That is normal. It will sometimes take you on a round trip around the city to drop off and pick up other passengers on the way, so make sure you ask him/her where they are headed before you get in.

I also try and keep occupied by washing my clothes. By hand of course. My host mom was laughing at me and my poor washing technique, but what can you expect from someone who has never done it before. It is really dusty here and you don’t really see how dirty your clothes are until you see the water after you wash. It’s disgusting, but to change the water half way through is out of the question! Just add more soap! When no one is around though, I change it! :P

I have now become a morning person! It is not possible to sleep than to 7am. At this time the town is wide awake! People will start coming to the door (I will get into this later), music from the houses, and everyone, all 3 people other than me, are up and already left the house. In the beginning I was often in bed by 8pm. Not unusual. So it would only be natural to wake up rested at 6 or 7 am, but since making calls are free between the hours of 10pm and 6am, There is no way I will be able to sleep unless I turn off my phone. During the day, making calls is quite expensive, so sending SMS is the way to go. It is crazy! I have never sent so many SMS before! I go easily through 70-80 SMS a day.

Throughout the day people in the area will come to the door or stop by for short visits. In the beginning I thought it was just friends stopping by, but then I noticed that they were giving my family money… hmm. What is this? I thought the worst: that my family was dealing drugs or something like that or lending out money or something fishy. But I saw recently that my family is having their little business selling Air time! In Norwegian this is “påfylling av contantkort” or recharge or credit (kjært barn har mange navn) for the phone. So instead for the neighboring people to go to the store about 30 min walk away, they can come here at basically any time of the day as long as someone is home! And someone is always home. I think I have been by my self in the house for maybe 1hour altogether in 2 weeks. The “houseboy”, Ndara, who lives here is always here! Doing work, washing, cooking, listening to music, keeping the family business afloat, fixing, and keeping me company.

I have now taken a “combie”. This is a minibus or car that works as pubic transportation to the other cities in Namibia. It works like this: In every city there is a gas station (here they are called service stations) that works as a drop-off/pick-up for the combies. So if you want to go somewhere you meet up at this station, and wait. If you are in Rundu for examble, which is often a staring point for the combies, you find the combie goin to your destionation and wait for the combie to fill up with people. It will not leave unless it is full. And full is defined by all the seats being occupied by adults. The children do not count. So a combie with 16 seats can have the double amount of humans. If you are traveling from a city that is on the way to somewhere else you just have to patient and wait for a combie that is going your way to stop by, and hope that it is not full. There are other means of transportation in Namibia, but if you want to experience the “African way” this is it!

I have not been able to upload pictures yet. This internet thing here is very slow. I have a lot of pictures I want to show everyone, so I will keep working on it!

Windhoek - Rundu

A lot have happened the last couple of weeks and then again nothing much has happened at all. We have been driving around the northern part of Namibia on our quest to drop off the volunteers in the different communities and staying there with them for a couple of days in order to make them more comfortable, introduce them to the people and get to know the community before they were left to carry out business on their own.

After driving through Khorixas, Opuwo and Oshakati, I have come to my community in Rundu. Jørgen is the last person to be dropped in Tsumkwe. Every time he says where he is going people laugh at him. The area is called Bushmandland… I say no more!

Khorixas was nice. We just hung out all day at the really nice lodge we were staying at (to the leader’s (Astrid) frustration. This place was too expensive!), while the leaders showed the volunteer around.

In Khorixas there are some very distinctive taxies called Khorixas Taxies. It is a donkey carrage.

Opuwo was interesting. The mix here of Himbas (who dress very native), the more modern Africans, and the rich Europeans on holiday was very weird and sometimes awkward. The super marked was a place that this was very evident. Funny to observe. There was a lot of begging here from the kids. But I was told that they don’t beg because they are hungry or deprived, they do it because they have nothing else to do. Most people in Namibia are not starving, and giving money on the street just leads to them buying sweets or alcohol.

In Opuwo we stayed at an OK lodge, but they had no more rooms for us fro the last two days we were there so we crashed at a friend of Astrid’s house. He is a minister of a church called 7 days. He was very nice guy that has lived in Opuwo for 5 years. Every day children come to his house to hang out. They play and sometimes they get something to eat. When we were there Jørgen and I played red light, green light with them. They had fun even though they didn’t really understand the game. These kids don’t know English.

Next was Oshakati were we only stayed for a day to check out the new SCORE office here. But it was a nice day! We had pizza and junk food and a couple of cold ones. When leaving Oshakati heading towards Rundu, we went up to the Angolan border. This was like Svinesund (for those of you who knows what that is) times 10. Apparently Namibia is cheap so the Angolans come here to buy gas, cars, and other stuff. And the people building the up and coming city are the Chinese. Nice mix of people!


About 100 km outside Rundu our tire exploded! We fixed it with the spare one that one will be stupid not to have one a drive in Namibia!


Rundu is so nice! The river that creates the border with Angola (where they tell me there are crocodiles!!) in the sun set is so beautiful! Everyone tells me that I am lucky going to Rundu! My family is very nice as well and I like the house. I have a brother called Kevin. He is 7 years ole. My new mother is Natalie and is a teacher at one of the schools I will be working with. In addition to that there is a boy, Ndara, which lives with us. He is 24 years and he usually goes home on the weekends. His home is not that far away maybe hours walk from the house. There is no hot water here, but it’s so hot outside that it’s no problem. There is sand everywhere. It is like living on the beach! There are many Chinese people here. It seems they are in the cities that are developing quickly. They do a lot of building, but they say that they are of poor quality. They also have a poor reputation and are taking over a lot of the business in the town.

Yesterday the local SCORE volunteers and I went with the Special Olympics in the area to do a football event. I was told we were meeting at 06.30am at the service station (gas station), but it wasn’t until 9am when we were on the road to the destination. African time they call it! The day was hot, and sandy and we had to drive along way to get to the field, but the kids had a good time, and I think that they do not live an easy life in the rural communities being disabled.


Every day when there is something going, on a couple of the local SCORE volunteers come and pick me up at my house most likely around 5.30-6 in the morning. Then we walk to wherever we are going. It is no problem getting up so early as I go to bed around 8 or 9 at night. And walking is a work out. There is sand everywhere and it’s difficult to walk in. And every time there is a car coming on the side of the road we are walking on they say “Stine! Death is coming!” Death is a car!

So far I am enjoying Rundu even though I would very much like to take a shower

Himbas in Opuwo

This is what The Himba people look like. At least the girls. Lisabet is the volunteer that will be living in Opuwo where they also live. She is to be doing sports here with the children. It is quite a sight these people. They are walking around in the town and not seem to be doing much. They are at the super market buying ordinary stuff just like us, and they look at me like I am out of place! I guess I am.

Their skin is rubbed in with some powder from a rock and animal fat. It keeps them warm during the cold weather and cool during the summer time. They do mot shower, and the girls pull out their two front teeth because it is viewed as sexy by the guys and the men pull out their two bottom teeth. The clothes they are wearing is made of goat skin and probably other animals as well, so you can smell their presence. There are quite an amount of western tourists here so they sell them hand made wristbands and necklesses and such.

Windhoek, Namibia

So, I have now been in Namibia for almost a week. We have been doing some country specific training and have gotten to know more about SCORE Namibia and what we will be doing here. We have little time off so I have not been able to update the blog as much as I wanted to, and it will be exciting to see how the Internet will work where I am placed.

This morning we were told what community we will be placed in. The decision is based on our skills and strengths, and what is needed in the community and also the host family situation. I will be placed in Rundu. This is a relatively big place way up north i Namibia just on the border to Angola. There is a river that defines the border to Angola, and there is a beach there I have heard. There is not too much I know about the place other than that they are big sports fans and the kids like to do sports. I will be living in a family that consist of mother, son (7 yrs) and a dog. I hear from the former volunteer that it is a really good place to be and the house is nice.

Next time I write I will try to include some pictures :)

Orientination in Paarl

Over two weeks have gone by here in Paarl, about 40 min outside Cape Town, and tomorrow I am heading to Windhoek in Namibia. Where another week of facilitation and participation is waiting. This is more country-specific and on August 3rd they are telling us what community we will be placed in!

These last two weeks have gone by pretty quick if you leave out the terribly long sessions of discussing and analysing the concepts of culture, development, facilitating, and role of a volunteer... "there are no right anwsers, but still you are right... and wrong". There have been fustrations over people taking baths in the morning leaving no hot water for the others, and also the "African time" concept has taken much pations.

But other than that have gotten to know some really cool people from southern Africa and gotten to know the Norwegians (and swede and a danish) better! I shared a room with Moira. A reall cool and bright young lady from Zimbabwe. I know she will do a great job in Zambia. I wish her the best.

Today was a quite sad morning as all the guys going to Zambia and those staying in South Africa left for their country-specific orientation. So what is lest a group of ten guys and girls leaving for Windhoek tomorrow morning.

That was all for now :)

Stine

Hard to describe

My feelings right now are hard to describe and put into words. People ask me if I am excited. Of course I am, but I am so much more than that too. What it is, I dont know. Something like a mix of scared, excited, butterflies in the stomach, confused, happy, and sad.

Sad to once again leave friends and family behind, but happy to meet new people and a new culture.
Confused because I have not really any idea what exactly I will be doing in Namibia. There will be a job descripion waiting for me there, but I have a feeling it is very difuse, and basically I have to figure it out by myself.
And butterflies is something I always have before traveling :)

3 days left...

Stine

London

I love London! It took me 3 trips to discover the good stuff in England's capital! Camden Market, Brick Lane Market, Notting Hill, Hyde Park, and Portebella are all great places to see and visit. Great shopping, and the tourist crowds that are at the typical tourist sites are not as big. I also liked the area around Angel subway station. No tourists at all!

It was a great trip with my best friend and some of the girls she studies with. The Hard Rock calling festival was amazing, and the mood was so cool. Hanging out in Hyde park is a great way to relax after lots of walking and shopping.

Tomorrow I leave for Bergen to visit my mothers mother and that side of the family.

The weather is crazy warm here in Norway, and I am looking forward to the cool weather in South Afrika!

Stine

Stine

Getting Excited!

So the date of departure is getting closer! So much closer, and before I know it I will be standing at Gardermoen airport with my 20kg or so bag ready (?) to go.

20kg or so was what I had packed when I went for a little holiday in Cannes, France last week. How in world am I going to pack for a whole year only being allowed 20kg?!? This is a mystery to me...

As I mentioned I was in Cannes for a week. It was great!! I also had a couple of sports volunteers with me (øyvind and Bjørnar) and a friend of one of them. We went to Monaco, and spent alot of time on the beach. Just what I needed after a stressfull semester with school and work.

On Thursday I am leaving for London with some of my girl friends. We will be going to a festival in Hyde Park http://www.hardrockcalling.co.uk/home/ two of the days, and sightseeing and shopping the rest of the almost 5-day weekend.

After the London trip I will be going to Bergen to visit my grandmother, and some family on my mom's side. I haven't seen them in a while, and if I don't do it now, it will be very long before I get to see them again.

As you can see I have enough to do before the departure to South Africa. Hoping this will keep my mind occupied so I don't get to nervous!

-Stine

ps. new msn: stinhes@hotmail.com, and new email address:shestdal@gmail.com

I can't remeber some passwords and stuff, so I had to make a new blog. This one will be sooo much better :)

Here is the first posting from the other one: "Namibia it is"

Hello!

So I am still postponing growing up and getting a "real" job...

For those of you who like to follow my travels, I have created a new blog as I am going to southern Africa this time to do some volunteer work. To be more specific I will be working in a rural area in Namibia. Here I will write about my experiences and post pictures.

I will be working as a sports volunteer throught NIF, The Norwegian Olympic Committee and Confederation of Sports, The FK, Norway, and in southern Africa the partner organization is SCORE Changing Life Through Sports.

I am not quite sure what kind of work I will be doing yet, but I know I will most likely be working with children and youth and sports and physical activity.

I applied for the job in Febuary, and in March there was a seminar with about half of the people that had applied... Like an second round interview. We were 22 at the seminar, and 18 of us was chosen to work in southern Africa. About a week after this we went to Horten for a 5-day long seminar for FK, Norway. We were about 50 or so in Horten. Some were from Africa coming to do volunteer work in Norway, some were from Africa going back to other places in Africa to work, and some were like us. Going from north to south.

This spring I have also taken a class at The Norwegian Scholl of Sport Science called Sports, Culture and Development Cooperation. We gathered for 3 weekends during the semester, and the last Sunday we had our exam. Everyone passed the exam! Our year abroad will count as our practicum.

Between March and May we have waited to find out in witch country we would be placed. The options were Zambia, Namibia, and South Africa. The wait was terrible! We were told fro two months that we would get the information "next week".

Now I know where I am going, and I am excited! We are 6 people from the group of 18 going to Namibia. What a great group! We leave July 10th.

Namibia has a population if about 2 million. Their official language is English, but they have many tribal languages that a more common in daily life. Also, Namibia was a German colony, German is also spoken. I don't know German... or any tribal languages for that matter.

I will be living with a host family. I have done that before, but I have a feeling a host family in the US is not quite the same as in Namibia... But you know all families have their own traditions and way of living that is not like any other.

Well I have an exam tomorrow in International Economics... I should get back to that :)

I will be very happy for all comments and feedback!

~Stine