2 weeks in and starting to adjust...

It's been 2 weeks since I got on the plane in JFK with the rest of group 35 to spend 2 full days traveling to get to the country that will be my home for the next two years. When I say starting to adjust, I place the emphasis on the word "starting," because PST (pre-service training) is just the tip of the iceberg as far as the cultural adjustment part of it goes... I know that even though I'm in Namibia, I'm really just in a little America bubble for 8 weeks with all these other volunteers, and that when I finally get my permanent site in May and I'm on my own, that will be when the real cultural adjustment begins. I'm super excited but also a little nervous, which I feel is to be expected.

For now I live with a host family. I have an 8 year old sister! She's awesome. She's already telling me she's going to miss me when I go... I tell her I just got here! She says she'll come visit me in America and write me letters and things. My host family is amazing... They are all wonderful and so welcoming. They help me with my Otjiherero (the language I'm learning) every day and I feel like I'm already learning a ton. At the 4 week point we have to pass a language test which is basically having to carry a conversation for about a half an hour with a native speaker. After only 4 weeks!! But we're so immersed in it and study it everyday that I feel we are soaking it up like sponges.

Namibia is such a beautiful country, and I say this after seeing such a small sliver of it! I can't wait to get to travel and really see its beauty. I feel very lucky to have been placed here... The country is gorgeous and the people are wonderful and kind and generous. Did you know they eat 5 times a day here? Breakfast, tea time (which really means tea with a sandwich), lunch, another tea time, and dinner. We are constantly eating! Their concept of time generalizations is also totally different. For example, when a Namibian wants to say something is happening now, they say "now now." If they just say something is happening "now", it means in a half hour, in an hour, 2 hours, basically any time but now. And if they say "just now", that's even further in the future (it's definitely not happening anytime soon). I find this hilarious and very much in line with my own natural attitudes toward time (why is everyone in the States in such a rush all the time?). I could definitely get used to Namibia-time...

The fact that I'm learning Otjiherero means I will be working with Herero people when I go to site. If you're interested, look them up on Google. They have an utterly fascinating culture and history. The women wear these traditional gowns that are taken from Victorian styles with big hats in the shape of cattle horns to represent the importance of the cattle to their people (the Hereros are cattle herders historically). They fought back against the Germans in the early 1900s when Namibia was a German colony and so played a role in the long process that was Namibia gaining its independence ultimately.

I know that everything is so exciting and new right now, so my opinion is surely biased, but I'm so excited to be doing this... Joining the Peace Corps was always a dream of mine and the fact that I'm here, living in Namibia, volunteering... It blows my mind a little bit! I always knew I wanted to do this, but even though I'm in it it feels kind of surreal. Every day here is an adventure and I'm taking full advantage of the experience.

This Saturday's traditional cooking and culture day for us and our host families. I'm super excited to see what's up, there are rumors we will get to kill our own chickens (sorry my vegetarian friends, I am a carnivore and must say that for all the times I've eaten chicken that someone else had to kill, I should do it myself at least once). Anyhoo, that's all for now! Stay tuned for updates and stay warm everybody back on the East coast (it's in the 80s during the day here, 50s in the morning).

All my love!
Tashie

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Location:Omaruru, Namibia