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...
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...
posted by Jim | 4:40 PM
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