Too many Fat Cakes, ne?

So for all of you family members worrying about what I'm eating in Africa and am I wasting away... I have a story for you! I really haven't been worrying about my weight... In fact I weighed myself for the first time in Namibia just today (but we'll get to that later). However I had noticed my jeans felt a little snug... Then very snug, then I couldn't get them on, and wait it's not just my skinny jeans, it's every pair I brought?!! So I thought, okay, I've gained a couple pounds. Whatever. Flash forward to about 2 weeks ago and I run into my host Dad in the Location. Our short conversation:

Me: Moro, Chris! How are you?
Tate (Otjiherero for Father): Natasja! You are looking fat!

Okay... A little background. "Fat" in Namibia is a nice thing to say about somebody. Traditionally, it's good to look fat because it suggests you are healthy, you don't have AIDS and you have enough money to eat well. However, this idea is starting to change. Regardless, when people call you fat it is still meant as a compliment. So of course I thanked him and went on with my day. Okay, I thought... Maybe it's just this outfit? Or have I really gained some weight?

Next time I try to put on my jeans (a few days ago), I can't even pull them up all the way. That's it, I think to myself. I need a new pair. So off to Mr. Price I go for something affordable (Mr. Price is kind of like Namibia's Old Navy. Actually it's more along the lines of Charlotte Russe but has guy clothes too. Anyway!) and yay! Find a pair on sale that only costs me N$50, dark wash bootcut. I even hem them myself (thanks to Rob who taught me how to sew!) and the next day wear them to work.

So I walk in the office and greet Saraphina (my host Mom from when I was staying in the Location).

Me: Moro!
Saraphina: Ii, moro! Wa penduka?
Me: Ii, mba penduka nawa, na ove?
Saraphina: Mba penduka! Oh Natasja, I very much like those jeans on you! You are looking fat!
Me: Oh! Thank you!
Saraphina: Ii! (Realizes her American faux pas) But not bad fat! NICE fat!
Me: Oh! Thanks!
Saraphina: Yeah, but don't get any fatter. Just stay like that!
Me: Oh! Okay...

Point is... Finally weighed myself today. I've gained 14 pounds since arriving in-country. So family and friends... I am eating well! Don't waste any more energy worrying about if I'm getting enough food here. Apparently I've reached the high end of "nice fat" and need to watch what I eat at this point :-P

On a completely different note.... Group 36 landed in Namibia today!! Know what that means?? I am officially a SOPHOMORE! (as are the rest of Super-Duper Group 35... Congrats guys, love you!!) Soo exciting!! I am no longer the new kid in town, but the experienced, knowledgable Peace Corps Namibia volunteer. Can't believe how time is flying! Feels like I was just in Philly, just landing in Windhoek, just meeting my first host family in Omaruru. Dealing with sensory overload and feeling so overwhelmed! And now I'm settling in and starting on the meat and potatoes of my service (and I'm back on food again. Sigh...). I'm really excited to meet the new volunteers! Group 36 is made up of Education volunteers and SEED (I think that stands for Small Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Development) volunteers. So, odd groups are Health groups, like mine, and even are Education/SEED. You get one of each a year. Just a little background info. But yeah, I can't wait to hear and see what the newbies are like!

Anyhoo! It's past my bedtime. I'm pretty much a Granny and go to bed super early these days. Can't say I mind, really... Hope everybody is doing well back home! All my love!! Stay cool.

Xoxo
Tashie


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Gobabis, Namibia

Wait, I've been a volunteer for 2 months?

So we're halfway through July and I realized, 2 months of my 24 month service are already behind me! I still feel like I just got to Gobabis... My flat is still a mess and I haven't unpacked my bedroom yet! But on July 10th I had been serving as a PCV for two months. Things are going great at the office... This first three months is known as Phase 2 (before my group gets together in Windhoek for "Reconnect" for some additional training and presenting on our Community Needs Assessments) and we are supposed to be using this time mainly to get to know our community and start forming relationships with local Namibians, especially colleagues and people we may collaborate with. We are also supposed to learn about our community's unique needs from community members (that's our CNA we're reporting on) and start brainstorming ideas for our primary project, and potential secondary projects. Right now it's looking like I'll be working on developing an after-school program for our OVCs, directed at youth ages 9-14 and 14-18. In addition I'd like to help develop the soup kitchen from being twice weekly to being daily... But of course the number one rule of Peace Corps is "It depends" and I have to remain flexible. My primary project could turn out to be entirely different! But for now I'm super excited to help out where I can with the after-school program. Hopefully we can get it started up soon after Reconnect.

Other than developing my plan for a primary project, I'm spending a lot of time and energy just integrating. I use my Otjiherero frequently but I'm working on my Afrikaans (the bridge language between all the people in Gobabis, and therefore the dominant language in my office) and my Khoekhoegowab (the one with the clicks, and the first language, and sometimes only language, of most of the population CAA serves). Afrikaans is coming a lot quicker than KKG because it's so similar to English, and besides the clicks are so tricky! I'm also quickly becoming fluent in Namlish... I'm half joking here but half serious. English in this country is so different from American English! For example, to say "I'll be back" you say "I'm coming now" and to say "over there" you say "this side" among many other interesting differences! It's interesting but also may become a problem when I try to take my GRE here next year (I'm planning on taking the computerized version in South Africa). I'll just have to study extra hard! (hint for family and friends who want to send me things but don't know what I need... GRE study materials will be greatly appreciated, Arikana nakuhepa tjinene!)

I've also been helping out on several small side projects... The secondary school choir preparing for nationals, for example (they won the first night of the competition, but lost the second night, by the way). This week was round two of NIDs (National Immunization Days), which is a public campaign put on by the Ministry of Health to eradicate polio and measles and address malnutrition in children in Namibia. I was going around Kanaan 2 with nurses and volunteers, giving kids polio drops, doing MUAC tests for malnutrition and marking tally sheets. This round went much quicker and the second day (Wednesday) was kind of slow, so my team walked over to the other Kanaan team's post to see how their side was doing (where Rob was). It was super slow and we were sitting waiting to see if anyone else would come, when someone started blaring some Namibian pop music and these three Namibian girls started dancing in the street. So Rob and I decided to go integrate and went over to ask them to teach us! They collapsed into giggles at first but then started to teach us some steps. Then they got shy again so we decided to teach them an American dance... The electric slide!! The kids loved it and they wanted to do it over and over! We'd stop and they would say, "Oh just do that one again, that one was very nice!" It was definitely my high for the day. We attracted a crowd of like 30 Namibians who were probably thinking, "What are these crazy white people doing dancing in the street in the Location?" But it was a great way to finish up round 2 of NIDs. The kids here are awesome... They just want to talk to you and play with you. They are a little bashful at first but then they are so cute and fun and outgoing and just want to make you laugh. It's definitely one of the best things about Namibia.

So... I've been getting settled in slowly. I'm still working on my routine and trying to find where in the day I can fit everything I want to do, but even in Namibia, on Africa time, there aren't enough hours in the day. I'd like to blog weekly to keep all of you updated and I'm gonna do my best to figure out a time that works! Getting a chunk of time to just sit and be quiet and reflect is a challenge at times. But I will do my best!! So stay tuned for more updates on my adventures, and I hope everyone stateside is enjoying Summer (Winter should be over soon here). Love you all and karee nawa! (Stay well!)

Xoxoxo
Tash


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Gobabis, Namibia