Days at the BNC

Good Morning...
Today Erica, Nina, Aunt Gert, and I are leaving to head up to Victoria Falls. The trip will wind through the northern part of Namibia, (the Caprivi Strip) cross over into Botswana, and then to Zambia and the falls. If all goes well I will return. Hope to see elephants along the way.
This was a nice week at the center. Tuesday and Wednesday MaryBeth was in Swakopmund with her family so I had to stay in the big room and help run the center. Yesterday Steve was not there and MaryBeth took her family around Katutura so I had a chance to run the whole show more or less. I survived. With this trip taking up a week I am now down to only two weeks at the center. It is nice to see the children take on more and more responsibility and do the right things. With MB out, Rian was fantastic helping me and Steve out in the big room. During clean up there are always one or two kids staying later to sweep and even mop! The regulars also keep an eye on the toys and games. Yesterday a few new boys returned the dominoes but about 10 pieces were missing. I called Rian and Jerome over to help me interogate the kids and they immediately began patting the kids down and found the missing pieces in their pockets and kicked the kids out of the center. MB told me later that day another kid tried a similar stunt and about 20 of the regular kids surrounded him, recovered the contraband, and escorted the perp out of the center.
Macrenne is amazing in the computer room. He is only about 11 years old but I leave him in charge the whole day with no problems. I gave him a pep talk before I left yesterday about how helpful he has been and how I need him to fill in for me when I am gone and he really seemed to embrace the challenge- we shall see how it turns out.
Emi, Suzie, and Aunt Pat leave today- it's surprising how quick 3 weeks goes! They were a lot of fun to have around. Last night we had a braai at the house for them to say goodbye. Twenty people ended up at the house and we had a nice time. Afterwards Aunt Gert wanted to scratch her gambling itch so I took her, Nina, Ajay, and Erica to the Kalahari Sands Casino. (The picture is of me, Ajay, and Nina at the casino.) We played a few of the slots and had a few drinks- it was fun. But, as the saying goes, if they were giving away shit I wouldn't get a sniff.

Weekend Update

Good evening, everyone...
Sorry for the delay in updating the blog, I have been running around like crazy the past few days- it has been a great weekend and I am enjoying the little delights that come with each day. It is almost 1am my time but there is a lot to write about so this could be a long blog, depending on if I can keep myself awake.
Let's begin...
Friday was another great day at the center. Things are running smoothly. Aunt Gert returned from her trip to Cape Town and really seemed to enjoy herself. Cape Town is gorgeous apparently so the NEXT time I return to Namibia I will fly through South Africa and check it out. After the center closed I decided to stay late with some of the kids again and spent the next two hours sitting on the curb with Romachell, Salome, Eric, Bonitha, Jerome and a few others. The handle bar on my bike came loose so I had to walk the bike home- which is about an hour walk. It was quite enjoyable though as the sun was setting and I listened to my music. The sunsets in Namibia are beautiful. Friday night Katarina, one of the German volunteers living at the house, made a German dish for dinner and we had a nice evening. Then the chaotic weekend began.
Saturday morning I got up early with MB and rode out to the soccer fields. I only stayed for an hour because we (Aunt Gert, the volunteers, Ajay, Suzie, Aunt Pat, and Emi) decided to drive an 30km north to Okapuka which is a game lodge outside of Windhoek. The game drive is a popular daytrip for visitors to Windhoek who do not feel like making the 5 hour trip to Etosha National Park. At the lodge we went for a hike in the mountains. The view was spectacular but we probably should not have walked it in the middle of the day with no sun. Before the game drive began I treated myself to a Sprinkbok Salad which was out of this world. The game drive was a lot of fun. We saw white rhino, giraffe, kudu, oryx, and a bunch of other game. The rhino were exciting- they really look prehistoric. This game park doesn't have elephants so I am still anxiously awaiting seeing a herd of wild elephants. We did pay to see the lion feeding which was pretty cool. Even behind a fence the lions are massive and powerful. I think we all enjoyed ourselves at the game park. Saturday evening a huge group of us, including all of MB's family that is visiting, went over to Barbara's house for Indian food. (Barbara is MB's best friend- a delightful Australian woman who is married to Uli, a German guy who is the vice-provost- or vice-something- at the PolyTechnic University) The dinner and atmosphere were very nice.
Sunday I brought all the sinners to mass up at Brakwater (a town north of here where Fr. Rick, MB's close friend gives mass) Since I was there, I figured why not go in and sit through mass and the homily was actually very good- it was about loving our enemies. After Mass we all went to the swimming pool for another pool day with the kids. It was another enjoyable pool day though it did rain a little bit and the pool was a little chilly. Being with the kids at the pool is one of the best experiences of being in Namibia. Sunday night the Maryknoll sisters came over to the house for a braai. We must have had about 25 people crammed into the house but it was a good atmosphere with singing and good food. One thing I have really come to appreciate about my two trips to Namibia is the number of wonderful people I have met here- old and young- who are all genuinely good people with big hearts. I have met people from almost every continent here and every one of them has impressed me with his or her warmness and giving spirit. They inspire me to be more open minded and compassionate.
Today was errand day. I was up early and went to get a much needed haircut. From there I ran to the post office and brought the bike in to get fixed, developed some pictures, and brought the rented van in to get the sideview mirror repaired. Running around doing errands all day really made me feel like a resident in a foreign country and not just some tourist. I find I really enjoy living in a new environment and learning about new cultures and immersing myself in the day to day tasks.
With so many people in town visiting I have found it to be a great opportunity to spend time with people and see things that I might not normally be doing on a day to day basis. Admittedly, having so many people in the house is a frustrating at times and coordinating other peoples' desires and agendas gets tiresome, but there have been many good conversations and memories made in the past few weeks. I find enjoying each moment and each day is very important- and that projecting into the future or worrying too much about when this might end is of no use. There is so much to be thankful for in each day. Mostly the kids. I really love the kids.
So there is the abridged version of a super busy weekend. This evening we went to MB's rotary club meeting but that deserves its own blog entry so I will write about that soon. Hope all is well with everyone. Good night.

Valentine's Day

Hello...
I have received another email asking me a question about Namibian life. Alex from Rye, NY emailed me and she asked how the children celebrate Valentine's Day.
As it turns out, today is Valentine's Day so what better time to address this question. There seems to be the same buzz and excitement surrounding Valentine's Day here in Namibia as there is back in the USA. I would go so far as to say more people get excited for the holiday than back home. Stores are decorated with hearts and red and I even walked by a restaurant today where the entire staff was wearing red. The florist was packed full of last minute Casanovas looking to surprise their honeys and there were plenty of Valentine's Day cards in the stores. One thing I would say is that the holiday is a little cheesier here- I have seen plenty of scented plastic roses and Valentine's Day cards with extra mushy, sappy messages. One notable omission in the festive displays was chocolate. I did not see boxes and boxes full of chocolate lining the aisles.
At the center the kids were full of Valentine's Day spirit. Some of the local schools had dances during the school day. (It cost N$20 to attend so many students took the day off from school.) Many of the children arrived in red and white outfits. We spent the day making Valentine's Day cards with the children out of construction paper and lots of kids had their faces painted with hearts and the like. Romenica, Dora, Bonitha, and Melandri all asked me to be their Valentine so I obliged and bought them all a candy bar and gave them a stuffed animal. Dora, Bonitha, Salome, and a few other children made me beautiful cards. I told the girls that I was the only Valentine they could have until they are 30 years old. I even played a few romantic songs on my iPod for the kids. It was a fun day with lots of activity and happiness all around.
This evening Ajay and I went out for a bike ride through Windhoek and on the way back we bought an ice cream bar for MB, and the four other female volunteers for Valentine's Day. All in all it was a very good day.
The weather here has been fantastic the last two weeks and this evening I was justing laying outside looking up at the stars and listening to some music. Aunt Gert will be back Friday and Saturday we are heading straight up to Omaruru (about 2 hours north of here) with the girls to see elephants (hopefully) and a bunch of other animals at a game farm. That should be an exciting day. Hope all is well with everyone back home. Happy Valentine's Day! Oh... sorry for the lack of pictures lately- I have been using Aunt Gert's computer and haven't figured out how to upload pictures from her computer yet. Goodnight...

AIDS

Hello everyone..
Sorry for the delay in writing the blog... time has passed quickly this past week. I should be off to Saturday soccer today but I am bedridden with a head cold- though it seems to have made its way out of my head and into my chest. With any luck it should reach my toes and leave my body by the end of the week. I am sort of hoping I have come down with something exotic- like the Southern African Rhino Flu- but unfortunately it appears to be a simple case of the common cold.
I have received a few questions from people in the past week but I haven't had the time or energy to respond. But now here I am sitting in bed, bored of watching DVDs, and ready to type away so without further ado:
Greg from New Miford, CT asked me: "Hey Jim, I have a question for your blog... Is AIDS a big problem there?"
In a word- yes. I am by no means a doctor, a health specialist, nor a social worker, but as an average guy living in the country it is apparent that AIDS is an issue. I will write about what I know or have overheard in regards to this topic, so in general you may find this blog informative, if not completely factual. A lot of what I am basing my understanding on is conversations with people and word of mouth- so keep in mind a lot of what I write is simply my understanding and the facts could be different. I still don't understand the difference between HIV and AIDS so when I refer to AIDS or HIV, I am referring to the general illness, not its specific stages unless otherwise noted.
There are certain demographic facts about AIDS in Namibia that might help give a snapshot into the gravity of the issue. According to UNAID, 210,000 Namibians are infected- roughly 20% of the population. When you consider that the counry is still in large part under a de facto segregation, I infer that AIDS is less of an issue, per capita, among the white population than the black population. I could be wrong, of course, but if I am right, that means that in Katutura the rates of AIDS are even higher. There are 17,000 AIDS deaths a year and over 85,000 AIDS orphans. (Many likely live with their extended family- grannies, aunties, etc.) For a good link to the crisis, go to http://hivinsite.ucsf.edu/global?page=cr09-wa-00 . There are many ways AIDS can be spread, but one thing to keep in mind is the effect of alcohol abuse and the spread of AIDS. Alcohol consumption is a problem- for many Namibians it seems that you either don't drink or you drink to become wasted. With the alcohol abuse comes sexual promiscuity and the disease is often spread this way. So a husand who has cheated on his wife may contract the disease unbeknownst to him or his wife and then spread the disease to her and in time, his kids. Considering many men are against wearing condoms, if a wife who was suspicious of her husand asked him to wear a condom, he could become insulted and angry so there are times when women don't ask men to wear a condom out of fear.
Another more tragic side of AIDS that is not conveyed by statistics and charts is sexual abuse of children. I have heard that there was a common myth among people that AIDS could be cured if the person had sex with a virgin. The surest way to have sex with a virgin was to have sex with a young child so there are incidences of children being sexually abused and then becoming infected. The important thing to keep in mind is that AIDS is not a problem just among homesexuals or young, promiscuous adults. There is a stigma attached to AIDS by some people that those infected became infected because of their behavior. Tell that to the 13-year old girl who was sexually abused by her father when she was a little girl.
I don't know which children (if any) at the center have AIDS, which have family with AIDS, or which are orphaned because of AIDS. Though I am sure there are children affected in some way by AIDS at the center, it is not something discussed. I can guess by looking at the frailer ones with thinning hair and sores that they are likely infected, but there is no way I would single a kid out and bring it up in conversation. AIDS doesn't make a child unhuggable.
Another issue with AIDS is the treatment options. Anti-retroviral drugs are available at the hospital but taking the ARVs is time consuming and difficult. People line up at Katutura Hospital to receive their medication and they must remain on the medication for the rest of their lives. The drugs are given out once a day, as far as I understand, and so if you have to work or can't make it, you can't get the drug. A further issue for others is making the long walk to the hospital. This is especially difficult for those in rural areas. The drugs themselves have different side-effects which make many people hesitant to stay on the drugs.
I have only seen the social effects of AIDS in Namibia. Broken homes and orphaned children. The children are always going to funerals of someone they know it seems- whether this is an AIDS death or something else I do not ask. There is a "Take Control" ad campaign which encourages Namibians to be proactive in the fight against the spread of the disease. Apparently there are millions of dollars worth of foreign aid given to Namibia to help but I think more needs to be done on a social and grass roots level. I think one of the big needs is to curb alcohol consumption. Tafel Lager is promoted everywhere. There are broken glass bottles of beer everywhere. There is a giant billboard between Katutura and Center City advertising a brand of gin with the Namibian soccer team smiling on the billboard. There needs to be more social and corporate responsibility.
Again, I know very little about the crisis other than that it is real. These are just my observations. I don't have the answers to cure the disease or to minimize the spread. Awareness is the first step.
Hopefully this blog wasn't too depressing. I have received a few other good questions on the lighter side of life here in Namibia and I will address one of those later in the week. Enjoy your weekend!

The Weekend

Hello, Everyone.
Well, the idea of taking suggestions from the audience for topics to write about went over like a lead balloon so I am going to subject you to more comments like, "I love these kids" and "The kids are so amazing."
I have recused myself to the dining room table to write this blog entry. The girls (MB, Anna, Erica, Katarina... and now Suzie!) have taken over the living room and are talking about hair braiding. MaryBeth just walked by with two huge packets of chocolate. I wish I was making this up.
Aunt Gert's wild African experience continued this evening with a trip to KFC. She was in the mood for eating out so she treated me to a chicken wrap and french fries and a soda. I think the chicken was African. This weekend I brought her back up to Okahandja to buy some crafts. She didn't care much for the bartering so I did that while she chit-chatted with the locals. That seems to be something she really enjoys- meeting new people and experiencing their culture. Afterwards we stopped at a game farm but the tours were booked so we just ate lunch under a thatched roof. We ate what we didn't see- some sort of exotic meat.
This whole weekened we had the grass fields to play soccer with the kids. After we returned from Okahandja, I rode my bike over to the fields to catch the last few games. MB and I stayed until 8pm then rode home. The next day I spent the whole day at the fields and watched a lot of good games. I even got to play in a game with the BNC U-18 Boys team. We lost 5-2, but it was fun running around with them, wearing the uniform, and sliding on the grass. The boys on that team are really a great group of young men and I enjoy being around them at the BNC or on the soccer field. (And yes, I do love them and think they are amazing.)
Today Suzie and Aunt Pat arrived and MB brought Martha (Suzie's favorite from last trip) to the airport to greet them. Afterwards Martha stayed at the house through the morning. We spoiled her with creal, an apple, juice, ice cream, and she got to watch The Incredibles. She then took a nap on Aunt Gert's bed. At the center today Milandri, Dora, Bonitha, and Romancia each asked me to be their Valentine. I was flattered to think so many of the girls found me so strikingly handsome- and then I found out that as the Valentine, I am expected to get them a gift.

Back Online... Again

Good Morning...
It has been awhile since my last blog because on Sunday someone sneezed and knocked out the internet server. Fortunately, the internet was up and running within a week. Ajay, our Indian housemate, is an IT wizard who has been able to help everyone of us at some point with our computer related issues, pro bono. He is a nice guy with a good sense of humor- or maybe it is just the funny accent that makes him so endearing.
Aunt Gert is doing well and her snoring has been reasonably quiet. She has been a good sport about going to the center to be with the kids, though I think she plans on taking a few days off. She is anxious to experience as much of Namibian culture as possible so this weekend we will be going to either Okhandja or Rehoboth - towns an hour north and south of here respectively- so that she can see some more of Namibia. She has mentioned, in jest, that at times she feels like she is an indentured servant trapped by all these gates and locks in the house and she is only let out to the go work at the center. I have noticed a few times at the center that she has slipped out the gate and made her way down to the local shebeen to play a few rounds of pool and pound back a few Tafel Lagers. Overall, her experience here has been pretty quiet so far. We will do more travelling and experience more of Africa when MB's family arrives. Before she is gone I expect she will have seen plenty of wild animals, Swakopmund, Soussevlei, Victoria Falls, and other little excursions and hideaways.
Last night we went back to the all-you-can-eat Thursday night pizza shop with the housemates (minus MaryBeth) I think the meaning of all -you-can-eat was lost on everyone as I was the only one who broke double digits in total slices. I think Aunt Gert tapped out at four slices. To be fair one of the girls is a vegetarian so she was a little turned off when they kept bringing pizza with meat on it. I also figured out that the all-you-can-eat pizza deal is really just a front for putting all the leftover ingredients from the past week onto pizza dough and feeding it to us. How else can you explain pizza with onion, pickle, chicken, curry, and barbeque sauce?
The kids are doing wonderful, as always. Yesterday I stayed late and played tennis with Romachell, Bonitha, Esme, and Salome. Though I wasn't really in the mood for tennis, it offered me the opportunity to stay a few extra hours with the kids. It was just me and Steve running the center yesterday as MB and the girls went up to Okhandja for another workshop. We were sure the kids could sense our fear at being left alone to run the center, but fortunately Dora and Edelsine showed up and took control.
The house is full of estrogen nowadays. Erica, from the US, and Katarina and Anna, both from Germany, have all arrived and with MaryBeth and Aunt Gert in the house it really feels like a giant slumber party. Fortunately I have my own room (shared with Aunt Gert) where I can still burp, fart, and scratch my ass. It will get worse when MB's family arrives- four more females around and her father. By the time he arrives though, I might have completely lost all sense of masculinity and already be painting my nails, watching Sleepless in Seattle with the girls, and sharing sob stories about how awful men are.
All in all, things continue to go well here. I thought an interesting new approach to this blog idea would be to take suggestions from the audience (YOU!) about what to write about. I am not sure what your impressions or questions about the BNC, Katutura, Namibia, etc. are and would love to field questions and blog topics from anyone and everyone. It will give me something new and interesting to write about- I am sure I have exhausted the point that I love the kids! So... please email me jmcken82@hotmail.com with any suggestions for possible blog topics. I will address any questions or topics you have about the country, my experiences, my impressions, specific children, the culture, the BNC, etc. ... ANYTHING you want to know about... just let me know. Hopefully I get some interesting feedback and by Monday I will begin to write about it! Have a good weekend.