This and That

Hello again... A special welcome to all those who would normally be reading MaryBeth's blog but, due to the fact she has not updated it in months, have turned to me to know what is going on here in Namibia.
Sunday was my "day off" but MB and I went to the BNC for soccer. She apologized to me for making me go on Sunday, as if it was some sort of punishment. Everyday I go there is a chance to see the kids.
The idea for the day was for MB to take the boys team across town to play another boys team and for the girls team to wait at the BNC with me and play another girls team. The girls game never developed so with MB gone for 4 hours, I was left in charge at the BNC with 20 of the girls.
They chewed me up and spit me out. I think there is a sixth sense in children that senses weakness and some one who has a soft heart because they were relentless in asking me for permission to do things. Playing Bingo for sweets is popular anytime but Sunday they insisted we play, and play, and play. Two hours of mindnumbing picture bingo. I pulled out a word (pajama, shorts, airplane, etc.) and they had to find the picture on their board. It was tedious but for them the chance to win sweets was too enticing.
We then moved on to soccer in the back of the BNC on the pavement. I was happy to let the girls spend all their energy running around in the rain kicking the ball but they ended bickering with themselves so much that after repeated warnings I carried through on my threat to end the soccer game if they kept fighting. Needless to say, they tried to make me feel guilty by making me look like a tyrant for not allowing them to play soccer. The next day a few of them tried to stay mad... it didn't work. The secret seems to be if I don't stand my ground the first few times then they will walk all over me the rest of the time I am here.
The four hours we were together was exhausting because I had to keep order,usually that is MB's job and I just go from person to person giving attention and doing activities. I cannot imagine the chaos MB must have had to deal with when she showed up with 150 rug rats running around with no discipline!
Monday was fairly easy. Just the BNC in the afternoon. The highlight of the day was staying late with Salome (I mispelled it Salomi earlier) MB was waiting to meet a guy at the BNC for a meeting and I walked around with Salome on my shoulders. She is absolutely adorable and helpful. We are working on her reading... I am confident that progress will be made in the next 6 weeks.
Last night was Michael's birthday. (The canadian) We ordered some pizza and had some drinks but because it was Monday night we decided to just stay in and relax. He played some of his music off his iPod... he is into jazz and it was quite relaxing.
Today I finished my law school applications online. Fordham, Villanova, Pace, and Hofstra. We will see what happens. Fordham and Villanova will be tough to get into but it is worth a shot. I probably won't here back before I get home, but the application process is finally over.
Hope all is well in the states... love those emails!

Pictures

Housemates and friends. Top Row: Me, Sebastian, Mark, Sophie, Kristen, Michael, Tobias, Steve. Front: Suzie, Sandra, Ana, MB.














MaryBeth (MB) She is so selfless and the kids are a testament to her ability to teach and to love. Everything she does is for these kids and she never asks for anything in return.









Charlotte and her brother Ramashal. Probably my favorite picture yet. They are awesome and two of the best reasons for being here.







Me and Ramashal. He is very expressive and so full of joy. Also, very smart and loves to learn new languages and Suzie taught him some french expressions.






A typical dayat the BNC. Whenever the camera is out, every kid runs up asking you to "catch" them. The girl with the glasses is Michaela, Mersha's sister- she loves jumproping.










Suzmita... She is a tough cookie who is a paper tiger. At the pool she really warmed up to me since I took her into the deep end and stayed with her the whole time. Like all the kids, she really responds when I give individual attention. They don't seem to get that much at home.



Mersha looking like a million dollars.










Mersha, Innocentia, and Mayd. Mersha and Mayd are connected at the hip and all of these kids have smiles that make me melt. I can tell everyone that I need a break from holding them but if any of these three walk up, I give in. Mersha has big brown eyes and loves when I twirl her. Innocentia likes when I hold her and pretend to ballroom dance with her.


Me and Vanessa. She is adorable and LOVES to have me read to her. She is a little bit to herself amongst the other kids, but we spend a lot of time together.






Charlotte, myself, and Salomi. These are two of my favorite girls. Both are very helpful and always willing to clean up and help out. Salomi is the girl I mentioned in one blog who was kicked on the soccer field. (I THINK i mentioned that story) Anyway, Salomi does not know how to read and I am going to try to help.

Notice my nice sunburnt face?



Suzie with Martha. Martha took a particular liking to Suzie and even wrote her a letter for Suzie when she left and gave her some sweets.











Ok...I am trying to post some pictures... hopefully it works. Please email me if there are problems viewing.

Also, this is my third post of the day so don't forget to read the other two blog entries.

The first picture is of Innocentia (white shirt) reading with Tete. Innocentia is so sweet and has a great smile. Everyday she walks up to me in sort of a shy way and says hello. One of the great things about her is she is light so picking her up is no sweat!

The BNC

I figured since I have a little time this morning before soccer I would write a second blog entry today-this one describing the Bernard Nordkamp Center, The BNC- or, as MB says, "The Best Namibian Children." Many of you have asked me about what it is exactly. This is the main place MB works at. Even though she does morning activities in other places, this is her main group of kids. We really haven't begun working at the other places yet- that should begin on Tuesday.

The BNC is a wonderful place. It is located in Katutura, a poor section on the outskirts of Windhoek. Katutura literally means something like "I don't want to be here" because it waswhere many blacks were forced to live during Apartheid. Every weekday from 1-5pm anywhere between 150-200 kids go there after school for soup and afterschool activities. All the kids are from the neighborhood. Whenever we pull into the center all the kids turn, smile and start shouting "Marybeth, Marybeth!"

MB is the queen bee there. All the kids listen to her, respect her, and love her. Although she is supposed to be just helping and Nelson, a young Namibian is in charge, he is often in his office and often shows little interest in the program. Many Namibian men seem to have a similar inertia and indifference which is disappointing and frustrating.

From 1-5 we do all sorts of activities. Bingo, Uno, reading, puzzles, drawing, jumprope, and, of course, soccer. It is really a safe place for these kids where they know what is expected of them and they know they will be respected and loved if they do the same. Many of these kids are orphaned living with relatives because their parents had HIV/AIDS or they are endangered because of abuse at home. The amazing thing is, despite their living situation at home, they are always smiling and having a great time. They have so little, often sleep on the floor at home and the soup from the BNC is often their only real meal. They are all gifted children who, had they been born white or lived in a better place, might excel. Hopefully some still will.

They are such loving kids- they love to be hugged. I spend atleast a half hour throughout the day picking up and putting down children. I can be reading one person a book when within minutes three more are sitting next to me holding my arms and listening.

Admittedly, I have my favorites. There are kids I look for as soon as I show up and LOVE picking them up and hugging them. When I post some pictures I will put captions next to the pictures describing the kids. It has been two weeks there and I already love the kids. If I could I would bring as many as I could back to the states. It is sad to think that so much beauty, love, and talent might end up wasted because of the society that the kids live in.

5pm always comes too quick for the kids, and for me. I usually walk to the gate and say goodbye and pick up the kids one last time. Some kids are a little rowdy and less coroparative (usually boys) but they all CRAVE attention and love. If we could, I would stay much later than 5pm giving the kids attention, teaching them, and providing a safe place for them. Still,they are incredibly resiliant and strong.

I learn a lot when I am there. I, and by extension all of you, are extremely lucky. I know it sounds preachy and a cliche but it is true. Life is random and it is by luck that we are where we are. We all seem to have great potential, it is in large part the environment we live in that allows some of us to shine and others to dim. If you could look at some of these kids in the eyes and see how beautiful they are and how precious they are, you would feel the same.

That is all the preaching I will do today! I really can't wait to get back and talk for hours on end about each kid with whoever wants to listen. In six weeks I will be ready to give up everything and get back to my life and my responsibilites, with the exception of leaving the BNC kids. Ask Suzie, an she was only here for 10 days.

Dancing

Well, two weeks here and all is well. Everyday (even weekends) I am doing something with the kids. Friday was a little tough because my sunburn was painful and every kid seemed to want to hang from my neck!

Friday night was Tobias' 25th birthday. He is one of the German housemates studying at the Polytechnic University across the street. Friday all of the young housemates (Myself, Sebastian, Michael, Kristen, TObias, and Mark) had a party for him and Sofie and Sandra and Annika (three other germans living cross town) and two new german guys who just arrived were also here. We played some drinking games and were at the house until midnight listening to music. Around midnight I was fairly well liquored up when I decided to gather one up to go dancing. Yes, it was my idea... I NEVER dance. Well, I never USED to dance because after MB piled all of us in the pickup truck and drove us to the club, I danced until 3am non-stop. I danced with any girl that would give me the time of day... both of them. By the end of the night I looked like a wet mop! Everyone was having a great time. Drinks are extremely cheap here. These guys are all great and very easy to get along with.

Saturday was soccer day. MB, Kristen, Steve (the Australian) and myself went to the soccer fields near the BNC and referred soccer games. Kristen and I were there until 2. It was OK, but I was left to referree the athletically challenged boys who were more prone to grazingin the field and bickering. Today MB and I will go ref another game which she claims will be more organized and more exciting.

Last night the five guys in the house had a braii (braai?) - a.k.a. a BBQ. Michael grilled steaks, lamb, and sausage. We were all pretty stuffed and tired from the night before. After dinner we walked to a backpacker's lodge where they have an outdoor bar poolside and sat around talking for a bit. Afterwards Mark, Tobias and I went to El Cubado, a spanish themed bar/lounge and hung out until midnight. It was very mellow and relaxing. I slept like a baby last night.

Suzie's Last Day

I am beginning to get into the rythm of things here and therefore the days may seem a little less exciting. With Suzie leaving today, the tourist portion of the trip will slow down a bit and MB and I will now be working in the mornings and the afternoons five days a week and saturday soccer games. Plus we will now be riding bikes all over town instead of using the car since it is just the two of us now.
Yesterday was enjoyable. We spent the afternoon at the BNC (The afterschool program we work every afternoon from 1-5... again, I WILL give specifics on that later.) Suzie was given a letter from her "favorite" girl, Martha which was very sweet and got Suzie choked up. Martha even gave Suzie six sweets, a HUGE thing for a little girl here to give up her sweets. I went off to the soccer fields with Tobias (one of the german housemates) and a bunch of BNC kids. The heat he is not overbearing but the sun is intense! I got burnt to a crisp and my face looks like a cherry. I woke up this morning and it looked like my nose melted. I have accepted the fact that my "tan" will consist of a dark face, lower arms, and lower legs!
Soccer was OK. The kids are a little disorganized but love to play. Many play in their bare feet on a field of pebbles and dirt. The problem with some of these kids is that if one is hit or hurt, they instinctively look to retaliate with a stone or hitting back. One 11 year old girl, Salomi, was kicked by an older kid and when I saw her reach for a stone, I ran over and grabbed it away from her. She was upset and crying so I held her for a few minutes and explained to her the importance of not retaliating. She seemed to get the message. I let her wear my sunglasses the rest of the game and she ran around smiling the whole time. She is a great soccer player and holds her own against the big kids. I am coming to like her a lot and when MB told me she doesnt read and has no confidence in reading, I have decided to rty to help her read. So everyday I think I will sit down with her for 20mins or so to help build her confidence.
Last night a bunch of us went out to Taal, a nice Indian restaurant since it was Suzie's last night. MB, Suzie, Fr. Rick, Barbara (a fun Australian lady from MB's rotary club), Sebastian, Kristen (two german housemates) and Ann (the young teacher from the states) and I all went. The food was excellent and the total cost came out to 70 Namibian dollars each (Only $11!!!!)
We got back and hung out. Today is Tobias' birthday so at midnight last night we toasted him with champagne and sung happy birthday. Tonight the younger group of us will go out and celebrate.
It is raining this morning- everyday there has been rain here... for two straight months which, although this is the rainy season, it is a lot of rain. Fortunately it doesn't rain all day and there is always sun in the afternoon and since this is an arid country, everything dries so quickly.
Have a good weekend everyone, talk to you soon... thanks for the emails!!

Okahandja, Otjiwarango, and Tsumeb (Say that three times fast)

Two blogs in one day... you all must be so happy to have so much distraction in one day at work.
There were some interesting experiences before and after Etosha that are worth noting. About an hour north of Windhoek on the way to Etosha is a little town called Okaukuejo which is notable because they have a strip of tents selling woodworks, baskets, and carvings from Namibia. Well, they say they are Namibian but for all I know they could have been imported from New Jersey. The whole experience is interesting because it involves bartering back and forth with the sellers. MB warned us about this and told us that we should be firm and not be too soft. So I approached the tents with ice water running through my veins, ready to do business with the natives. I walked into the first tent, and looked at a cool little carving and a man approached me. The following is a fairly accurate account of what transpired...
"Hello, my friend, you like? I sell for $200" (Namibian dollars are 1/6 an american dollar)
I looked at the guy and feeling guilty about trying to cut a deal a poor Namibian blurted out "How 'bout $250?"
"Sold!" he shouted as he took my money. I am sure I was the first person he came into contact with who actually bargained for a higher price.

Though it wasn't quite like that, the truth is I did feel guilty about bartering. But with some encouragement from MB, I got pretty good at it and bought a few gifts. It is definately a cool cultural experience. We stopped here on the way back from Etosha and spent about an hour going from tent to tent. They are somewhat aggresive in their sales approach- as you pass their tent they practically grabbed you by the arm to check out their wares.

Another place we went to was Otjiwarango for a pit stop on the way back from Etosha. This is another little town and MB stopped there because there is a little German bakery. The bakery was very quaint and the town was quiet and simple, but enjoyable. These little towns off the highway have less poverty than parts of Windhoek, but every town has its poor.

Finally there was Tsumeb, a town about 96km south of Etosha. MB has a friend from the UK named Debs who works for the VSO (Volunteer Service Org, a British equivalent of the Peace Corp only a non-gov't agency) Debs is about my age and is the only European working in her area in the schools. She and MB are kindred spirits who are both very enthusiastic about their work. We stayed in her TINY flat Sunday and Tuesday nights. Her flat is so small that the toilet and shower are right next to her bed which was a little uncomfortable... I made a point to go to the bathroom before arriving out of fear of stinking up the whole place. MB, Suzie, Kristen (the German girl from our house) and myself all slept on the tile floor of Debs' little living room. Needless to say it was not the most comfortable place to sleep but you can't complain about free lodgings.
Tsumeb is an old mining town with a decent quality of life. I may actually go back up there for a week before returning home as Debs may need some help with the teaching.
Staying in a little flat with four women exposed me to high concentrations of estrogen. I have never been to a slumber party before, but I am pretty sure I experience one in Tsumeb. We talked about feelings, life, listened to girly music -which despite my best efforts i enjoyed. The slumber party stopped just short of a pillow fight, curlers in my hair, and talks of menstrual cycles. Tuesday night we made beef fajitas. Mexican food in Namibia. They were actually really good- but then again we had been eating apples and cheese sandwiches for two days.
The whole trip to Etosha and back was loads of fun but getting back to being with the kids was even nicer. They are so beautiful and so loving. Soon enough I will talk in detail about the center.
Last night we were at home and we ate dinner on the porch which was very nice and then drank a few beers with the housemates. This weekend there are two birthdays so we will be going out. Suzie leaves Friday which is too bad because she has been so much fun to be around. That is it for now... hope all is well with you and keep the emails coming- (jmcken82@hotmail.com) it is nice to hear so many of you are reading along. Till next time...

Etosha National Park

Hi Everyone,
We got back from Etosha National Park yesterday after spending two days there. This is the big national park about 4.5 hours north of Windhoek. They claim to have all sorts of animals there but we did not see much. The reality is that this is the rainy season in Namibia so the park was very lush and very green so there was no need for the animals to come the watering holes near the roads since they could find plenty of water deeper in the park. I have a few pictures of the trip that will be posted shortly. We saw zebras, giraffes, wildebeast, oryx, ostriches, and some other animals but no lions, rhinos, or elephants. I would have loved to see the elephants.
On the way back down we stopped in a town and I was speaking with an american woman from north of Seattle and she said she was in the park the same time as we were but she saw elephants, lions and even a cheetah crossing the road. A lot of it comes down to luck- right place at the right time.
We drove to Okaukuejo which is the western end of the park and stayed in a chalet for the night. It was nice and comfortable like a cabin. The campsite is fenced off so at night the animals dont get in and attack humans. But there is a watering hole just outside the fence where the have benchs and lights at night to watch the animals. We didnt even see anything there either but there was a beautiful thunderstorm blowing in and a nice breeze which was very relaxing. That night we played Yahtzee and we ate pasta.
There was a log book in the lobby where people wrote about what they saw, etc. With nothing to of note to write about, I wrote down that we saw a penguin crossing the road. Truth is, we probably had as much chance to see a penguin as we did a lion!
Etosha was nice, but you spend the whole time in the car and with little wildlife, it seems like it would be better to wait until the dry season (July-October) I guess I have another reason to come back here.

A Day at the Swimming Pool

Saturday was a great day. MB organized a pool party for about 350 kids at the local swimming pool which is absolutely gorgeous (Pictures will be up soon) Though only about 250 or so were actually affiliated through the BNC (Bernard Nordkamp Centre.... again, I WILL explain about this centre in a post soon) an additional 100 or so stragglers came along to the pool. In the morning we made 0ver 300 butter and bread sandwichs, packed apples, lollipops and chips and loaded the tiny Toyota pickup truck with all the house members and an additional few volunteers then drove off to the BNC to meet the children.
As MB's pickup turned down the road, the kids had already gathered outside the gate of the BNC and at the sight of MB's truck turn and ran in unison towards the truck screaming "MaryBeth, MaryBeth!!" It was if a horde of teenage girls were waiting outside Madison Square Garden for the Beatles. The sight of 300 screaming kids running towards the truck and running along side of it is a memory I will never forget.
MB is blessed with patience and an uncanny ability to organize 350 children in an orderly fashion. She marked each kid's hand with a marker and they walked the 1/2 mile to the swimming pool through weeds and along a dirt trail in their bare feet with smiles on the faces. These children are so beautiful and being around them makes me happy. I have developed my own favorites already, but each just wants to feel loved.
The pool was refreshing and the day was not too hot. I did get a suburn on my neck and upper arms a bit but all things considered I escaped relatively unscathed. My chest hair was a popular attraction in the pool, but fortunately I was not tugged at too much. The pool has a huge olympic pool side and then another equally huge kiddie pool side. I laid in the kiddie pool side on my belly and within seconds had about 10 kids ontop of me splashing, laughing, and smiling. One really fun thing to do in the kiddie pool was to spin the kids around and around with the legs outstretched. The big pool was fun too doing handstands, lifting the kids in the water and throwing them, and putting them on my shoulders and walking around. They are like barnacles- once I had one kid on me, literally five or six more latched onto me as I carried them through the water.
For many kids this was the highlight of their month... if not year. They were all so well behaved and at lunch sat quietly (350 kids silently sitting and waiting to go through line!!) Though we were at the pool from 10am-5pm, that still was not enough time for some kids who looked a little somber heading back home. I can't blame them.
One funny moment came when at lunch MB was trying to figure out who to give chips to and who to give a hard boiled egg to. So she asked who wants an egg... 350 little hands went up. When she asked who wants chips, expecting only those who didnt want an egg to raise their hands, 350 little hands went up again. She should have seen that coming...
I have been introduced as Scooter to the kids (my nickname from the Deli) and it was always nice to hear a little voice get my attention from the pool by shouting "Scooter!"
These kids really do make this trip worthwhile and I already look forward to getting to see them again.
Last night MB, Suzie and I were invited over to her Australian friend Barbara's house for dinner. She and her husband have a beautiful home in the hills which overlooks the sunset and the mountains and the city of Windhoek. She made a fondue-like dinner with potoes, and all sorts of toppings. It was very delicious and though I was by far the youngest person there, it was nice talking with her husband (a german) and his austrian friend. The other great thing about being here is experiencing other cultures and hearing other people's views on the world.
That is about it for now... a little long winded, but believe me, it would be longer if I did not have to get ready to leave for Etosha National Park. I willbe gone until Thursday so I will not be updating this until Thursday or Friday at the earliest. Thank you all for your emails- it is so nice to hear from home... I am having a great time but do miss home. Have a good week :-)

Fun Times...

Well last night was fun...
Between the WindhoekLagers, White Russsians, and Vodka & Orange Juices, we managed to send off Ana, a german girl who was here visiting Sebastian. (Grrrr...) Actually, it was a little weird since he was her ex-boyfriend and she had befriended an Australian and all three seemed to get along well. Hmmm... Speaking of the Australian, he is a nice nice guy with a funny accent and a hyper-active thyroid. He is easily 6'5'' and over 220. He is a big dude who loves to excercise... this was apparent when he showed up in extra short biker shorts.
Anyway, the evening was nice, Suzie and I cooked chicken rice pilaf, and spinach, ate with MB and by then everyone had gathered and we spent the evening/early morning on the front porch telling stories, listening to music, and drinking. Everyone is really nice and the weekends should be fun hanging out with everyone.

Tomorrow is Saturday and there is a giant pool party for some 300 kids that MB has organized. I am sure to burn but there will be some great pictures I am sure. The children are amused at how white I am and at how big my ears are (In comparison to theirs... not that I have big ears per se.... it's all relative!!!) Anyway, they should be in for even more amusement at the pool tomorrow when my chest hair is exposed... Details to follow...

Have a nice weekend everyone!

My first few days (Pt. II)

Hello Again Everyone,
The transition from NY to Namibia has gone pretty smoothly. I sleep a lot at night but it is at a normal time and I do not feel anymore jet lag. The weather is a dry type of hot so though the sun is intense, the heat is actually not all that bad. It has even rained two days in a row for brief periods which is a bit uncommon.

The living situation here is very good. Along with MaryBeth and her sister Suzie who is here only for another 10 days, there are a bunch of young people going to school or working that live in the house with us. There are four germans (sebsation, mark, tobias, and kristen) and one canadian (michael) They are all very friendly and fluent in English! Since they are all single and in their twenties, theweekends should be fun and exciting. There are also two toher german girls who live in another part of town but who are over every day (Sandra and Sofie)

The first night here we had a going away party for an American girl who was on her way back to the states and it was a nice opportunity to meet everyone. Everyone is so nice but my only complaint might be what the Germans consider to be good american music... can you believe they don't listen to Michael Bolton!?!?

THere are other youngpeople working as volunteers at the BNC too(Thatisthe center where we work with the kids... more on that in a subsequent post) Germans are everywhere here, but there are a few Americans at the centre including Steve who is about 45 and Ann who is my age and a born teacher. She had dinner over her last night and her enthusiasm for teaching rivals MB's.

This weekend there is giant pool party for some 300 kids so that will be fun and a lot of work. Apparently the little children love the pool and laying out in the sun which is quite intense poolside. I, and I'm sure many of us American/Europeans will be fighting for space in the shade. By Monday Suzie, MB, and myself willl be heading to Etosha National Park to playwith the lions.

I will hopefully have a few pictures up of the kids before too long. I already have my favorites and love giving hugs. It is really sweet how they cuddle up next to you to read or play a puzzle or how the little ones will come up behind me and climb on my back and hug me. My next post I will talk more about the BNC.

Hope all is well in the states. I appreciate the emails... keep them coming!

My first few days (Pt. I)

Hello Everyone...
I made it in safely just ahead of the snowstorm. My flight to London was quick and easy after de-icing on the runway. Once in London, I checked my bags in and hopped the Gatwick Express to Victoria Station in downtown London. The weather in London was only slightly better than what I left in New York... cloudy, cold, and freezing rain. Still, being in London was nice as I took the Big Bus tour around part of London and I got off at Trafalgar Square and wandered around on my own for the rest of the time. I did not stay too long in the city as I wanted to make sure I made it back to the airport in time for my flight.

My flight to Namibia was a bit longer and more congested. I sat next to a British guy who was retired from the army and he had a few interesting stories to tell. I was able to get a little bit of sleep which thankfully helped minimize the effects of jet lag.

Touching down in Namibia was exciting- especially the warm weather. The Windhoek airport (Hoesea Kutako Int'l, I believe) is a tiny little airport and I am pretty sure we were the only flight that had landed in the past hour or more. Customs was uneventful and MaryBeth and her sister Suzie were there to meet me. The ride into Windhoek was 45 minutes and along the way we saw a heard of baboons. I got a little sunburn just from sitting in the back of the little Toyota pickup truck! (A sign of things to come, I am sure)

There is so much more to talk about but I need to hop in the shower, eat, and relax... More to come....! Hope all is well with everyone back home!