the strangest thing

sumem' weird happened today at Rehoboth High. . . beyond the principal smoking as he greets the students, beyond the fact that the school is a ghostyard at exactly 12:50 and beyond the lady who just makes tea and does dishes. . . aroudn 12:20 today, 30 minutes before school gets out, a coca cola truck pulled up beside the school. With speakers thumping and voices shouting, coke came to Rehoboth high today and put on a 'show.' weird. I was waiting for Ronald McDonald to show up next wearing nike shoes and passing out microsoft software packages to the kids. None of that happened, but the coke show did go on.

It's a weird mix of good and bad what coke has done over here. They've given money to schools and sponsored sporting events, passed out free coke and provided entertainment to these dirt road kids. They've also put their name EVERYWHERE. On every sign that they sponsored, on every watertower they built is glaring red with white words selling sugar water. Still haven't decided how I feel about it, other than the fact that it's weird. Goats and donkey carts, cocacola and loud speakers. . . i'm just not sure.

My host parents' real son, Benno arrived from Cape Town today. He's studying civil engineering there and is home for holiday. He's nice and is stylish. He wears nice cologne and is growing his hair out, despite his father's wishes. He's young, but seems like a bridge for me, between Namibia and the rest of the world. He has e-mail and checks it but still likes to eat the goat dishes they so often prepare here. A new dynamic for my household scene. If i haven't mentioned it yet, God has given me parents. . . wherever i go. My mom and dad will never be replaced but now their arms are longer. From Sue and Roger, now to Gotlieb and Janet. I am thankful. Sunday afternoon naps end with Janet at my door, coffee in hand, "good afternoon Mandy." I have want for little.

right click or left?

Wow, class number 3 and i forgot how I felt as i fumbled around in menu's wondering if I should right click or left, just hoping that I'd pick the right one. Some of my students/teachers are stuck in this frustrating beginning wondering if they'll get out. Some, on the other hand are hoping to get through all 7 modules including power point, internet, excell and access. Wow. I had to hold back the laughter a few times as they flounded through what they thought were all the right steps and ended up somewhere quite far from the desired end.

I've somehow become the tech-go-to-person which includes printing student pictures for the girls netball team and the boys rugby team, installing drivers for printers, controlling porn restrictions on student access computers, setting up usernames for every student on the media team, figuring out how to use the server, etc. To say the least, I'm learning a few things about pc's/microsoft. Mac's rock. They are so much more user friendly and don't have unnecessary things just hangin around. Either way, i'm learning!

Funny things about this place. . . there are quite a few. IN the morning, the principal stands outside and smokes. He smokes in his office, pretty much wherever. Good example. The tea and dishes lady. . . there's an older lady who works here. I'm convinced her main role is to make tea and clean up the dishes from it. Everyone drinks tea here, like every chance they get and I Guess she cleans up after it. She's making me tea on breaks too, which is nice I guess, but kinda funny. Not sure what i'm going to do when I go back to the states and i'm not a celebrity any more. Everywhere i go it's, "hello miss." "You look pretty miss." "Good morning miss." I think part of it is culture and the other part is fascination with my white skin. hum.

I thought africa was going to be rough. I still think it is, but not for me. My host mom makes my lunch for me every morning, coffee in the afternoon, tea and snacks whenever. there's a lady who comes to our house from the village who does our laundry. Any volunteers from home to take over when i return? seriously. I started feeling bad about it yesterday. I can do my own laundry. And she works for $N20-30. That's between $4-5 USD. SHe was there from 9 am to 8 pm. SHe brought the baby too. She's cute. And get this- she named the baby Janet, my host mother's name. I guess it's tradition for this tribe to name their babies after their employers. Crazy, I know. . . . mine would be little baby linda or little ol' scotty or roger. Funny. The whole thing's kinda weird.

Going to the dam soon. Janet has a friend who owns a big ol house at the dam and they have all kinds of african animals and condo type things to stay in. Nice. I met her today and she says, "I have to come out and have coffee with her." Okay.

Going home now. Hope this sends. Internet here sucks. I should just be thankful. uggh.Problem is, when it goes wrong, they'll expect me to fix it. geeze!

three out of eight

FIrst day of school and 3 out of the 8 computers work! There is much work to be done here and calls to be made for repairs! We have another lab too, which i haven't seen yet but it doesn't have internet access and not all of them are working either! I am thankful for the bazillion computers that Ball State has that are readily accessible to me and of course, Stacy. Stacy has been great to have for music in my room, writting, importing my pictures and just entertainment! My room is so quiet and it's been nice to have all of myu 2300 itunes available for my listening enjoyment! Lots has happened since i last posted. I will update soon! No USB ports again to post pictures but I hear there is a place up town that has them! Sweet! Will post soon! Pray for miracles!

giraffes and wildebeasts

Went to a wildlife reserve today with the group. Saw giraffes and wildebeasts, wart hogs and baboons. It was great, and scary.

It's our last night together as a team tonight. Change is on it's way and it has no plans of altering it's course. And ya know, I don't want to stay here forever. I cannot accomplish what I have come for if I do not go. And it's going to be great! It is. The eyes of change seem to scare me at first. They stare with intent and directly at my deepest fears. It's unfair. I must retrain myself. And so it begins tonight.

Communication is difficult in Namibia. Plans have changed. I AM staying with a teacher and her husband. I think her kids are older. Molly says I'll have some kind of a flat or room or something off the house, some how seperate but I will still eat with them. Sounds like a good arrangement to me. Tomorrow I will know.

Figured out why I am here last night. I wrote about it but these computers don't have USB ports!! Bummer! So I can't get my pictures or documents off my computer. I'll try somewhere else! THis is Namibia!

Goat heads and Roasting Coals

Last night we went to a traditional Herero Dinner. Herero is an African tribe with groups all over Namibia. We had goat head and rice, beans, sweet potatoes, a vegtable casserole, salad and drinks. For dessert she served ice creeam that was freezer burnt with a custard sauce. After dessert, she brough out a traditional Herero drink, sour milk. Only one of the group members tried that! It was. . . sour.

The dinner was held outside, where it was kinda chilly. So to help with the cold, they had pans of warm coals under the table to keep us warm. It was neat.

It was a great experience, once in a life. Today we are visiting SchoolNet, which is a group working to get computers with internet into every school in Namibia. Most of their systems work on Linus, a operating system sorta like Windows, but different. Luckily, I have Microsoft at my school and we are fortunate enough to have 31 computers. Some schools only have 5 for 30 students, per period.

We are having a Braai tonight, a tradional Namibian Barbeque. Should be fun!! Saturday I ship out!!

I'll post pictures of the goat head dinner as soon as I remember to save them to my USB drive and take it to the Internet Cafe with me!

24 -17

Twenty-four hours on the plane and 17 great new friends. . . . one by one, many of my fears have been relieved this week. I feel peace and strength and wonder all in one. This place is like Europe and the Bahamas, in one. The tea and curtians of Europe, with tropical plants, bright colors and poverty, like the Bahamas. This is Windhoek.

Last night about 8 of us went out to a neat little place for a couple drinks and to chat about our times. The place was so western and cute with yellowish-tan walls, tile floors and black barstools, with splashes of red around the room. I had my first Namibian beer. This one tasted like one of our domestics but a little more hoppy. We chatted and laughed as we talked of our lives at home and our new lives here, that are about to begin. As we walked back to our rooms the sky was full of a million stars and somehow deep inside, it seemed so familiar, something like home.

The next big step sits waiting right around the corner. It is mysterious and unknown but foreshadowed with glimmers of hope like a year long volunteer to show me around and principal who makes jokes on the phone. My fear of now, is every day life. It is living in a place that is not home, but which must be my home for the next 9 weeks. It is getting up in the freezing cold morning and trying to take a shower. It is living with a family that I don't know. It is finding, or maybe, making home.

Molly our field director, who has been doing all of our orientation has been wonderful. She's probably 28 and went to IU, but is from Oregon. We all decided last night that we like her so much we want to have her children. I don't think I will, but you get the idea.

Jesus is still somewhat of a mystery to me here. I see posters advertising a national day of prayer with T.D. Jakes type figures in blue and purple suits with charisma on their faces. I see banners with cheesy writting that says, "Jesus is my Shepherd." I hear everyone's a Christian, but for most, it is just in word and not deed. Further emersion will tell more. Even still, I cannot know the hearts of all, only mine own will I keep.

Tonight we're going to a traditional Heraro dinner where our feature meat will be a 'smile.' Any guesses? A smile is a goat head served up hot and ready for us to try a cheek or a piece of it's neck. Excited. yeah.

Until next time. . .

Pre-Departure Parties!

Tuesday night I was surprised to see as I walked in the door of my apartment that Callie had once again out done herself. A fondue party waited. A beautiful spring table had been set. Friends were invited. Callie, Adam, Richard and I had a great evening with fondue fun. She has a way of making me feel special by the wonderful things she does for me in our little Parker City home.

Thursday night my mom entertained our friends and family with a wonderful picinic party. From the food to the fun and family, the night was a success. Thanks mom for all your love and support. Thanks for all the time and effort you put into making the night one to remember. love you guys. Thanks for all the little things you've done, sister- jeans, hoodie, love. . . love you.