Just back from Windhoek, where I had a great weekend. I set off early on Saturday morning, not knowing how long it would take me to get there. I had some numbers of taxi drivers but they didn’t work out so the gate guard sent me to the far side of town where the taxis to the city leave from and sure enough as soon as they spotted me, I had no problem securing a taxi! I was a bit worried as we sped along toward the city (paranoid visions of being robbed or murdered and left on the side of the road) and I vowed I was going to have to buy a car but then we arrived safely in Windhoek so I started to rethink that! Its not like driving my own car here would mean I’d be perfectly safe – although the roads are good and straight all of the drivers aren’t!
I spent a pleasant morning shopping (I got a dongle – 3G device that allows you get internet over the mobile phone network, and that you top up like a prepay mobile - and it works! yay) The city centre is similar to any big city, but with an African flavor and had lots of shops. However they are only open till one on a saturday (which is a good thing cos I can't afford to shopping on my current wages!) Then I met Lousie, another volunteer, and we spent a nice chilled afternoon and evening sipping beer in shady cafes and bars around the city. Everything is outside and the weather at the moment is pretty perfect! IN the evening we met up with some of the other volunteers in a wine bar overlooking the city, It was lovely but very quite and still considering it was a city on a Saturday night!
I stayed with Louise on Saturday night, as Brian, another one of the volunteers, had invited everyone to a braai on Sunday at his place in Penduka (a sort of craft centre/restaurant/accommodation run by a community group north of Katatura, where his placement is) We got a tour of the centre and a very enjoyable afternoon of hanging out, eating, drinking and catching up.
The centre is really nice, right on the edge of a dam and Brian is actually living in a mud hut! Although it’s a super delux model mud hut! Its made of clay and recycled coloured glass bottles, it quite big and it even has an upstairs and hot and cold water and electricity – I’m almost jealous!
At 3,30 I finally headed off to find my way home – I got a taxi from Penduka to a taxi car park (a scrubby desert area off the high way) where I squashed into another tiny taxi with 2 men, a woman, her 2 children and the driver and our bags. There were no seat belts, the petrol gauge flashed the whole way and the car seemed seriously strained! But again, despite my worries -,this time dying in a horrible wreck or conking out in the middle of the desert - we made it safely to Okahandja. I guess I’ll just have to get used to the taxi system here!
Sunday, September 20, 2009
End of Week Two: Living and Working in Okahandja (Friday 18th Sept 2009)
Last Friday afternoon I left Windhoek for my new home. We headed north, passing through the industrial area on the edge of the city (power station, brewery, maize factory among others) but within a few minutes we were driving (on a nice tar road) across the dry scrub land that surrounds the city. The soil seems to be just stones and sand although it’s covered in dry brown grasses, with some thorny bushes and the odd tree. There were very few houses or settlements until we reached Okahandja.
I was brought straight to the NIED campus on the edge of town where I will work and live for next 12 months or so. After a brief visit to the offices, a meeting with my new boss, I was brought to my house (House One) just inside the main gate.
The house is far beyond anything I would have expected – for starters its huge! There are 5 bedrooms (one ensuite – now mine – and one I’ve ‘converted’ into an office!) a decent sized kitchen attached to a large dining\sitting room. It has everything from a washing machine and dryer to microwave and toaster (although it missing some essentials like a kettle and a iron) It also has a garden (although its just dry earth and few trees) and a garage!
NIED is on the outskirts of town of Okahandja, on the main road to Otjiwarango. Its opposite the railway tracks, with a riding club/stables, a few guest houses and homes separating it from the town itself. It takes 10/15 minutes from my house to the edge of the town (a petrol station and some traditional woodcarving markets), a further 5 or 10 minutes brings me to the nearest supermarkets (Pick and Pay and U$ave) and onto the main street which has banks, municipal buildings and a variety of shops (selling everything from furniture and clothes to hardware and books) Another 5 minutes or so brings me to far side of town (where the ‘best’ supermarket is – Spar) There are a few coffee shops and bars (also called Gambling Houses) but look pretty rough
I spent most of the evening unpacking and arranging everything to my satisfaction (which all took about 2 hours!) and spent a lazy weekend, pottering about, reading, watching DVDs and generally enjoying the peace and quiet of my new home.
Work started on Monday and it was a really strange morning where I spent about 3 hours being introduced to people and then promptly forgetting their names and what they do. Everyone is very friendly and keep telling me how great it is to have me here and that they can't wait to work with me! Expectations are high soI hope I have the expertise they're looking for!
Tuesday to Thursday were pretty quiet as my immediate bosses were away so I spent the time reading the NIED handbook and the Lower Primary Namibian Curriculum, but a lot of time surfing the web (very slowly – cos either the computer or internet connection are very slow) It’s nice to have a settling in period, I suppose, and it’s probably just bad timing that my arrival coincided with them both being away, but I actually like having something constructive to do, rather than trying to look busy.
On Tuesday I also open a bank account – which was an experience. I went to the bank on Monday to get the forms needed (they gave me a letter to type up on NIED headed paper) and returned first thing on Tuesday, I was there for almost 2 hours! It wasn’t that there was any hassle, or they were slow or particularly long queues, it’s just everything took so long. The first lady had to photocopy everything 3 times and fill in lots of forms (which I had to sign) and fill in lots of stuff on the computer – she also had to ask for help and confirmation a lot – but finally after about 40 mins, I had opened a bank account. Then I wanted to lodge some travelers cheques into my account (who knows when I’ll be paid!) This took another 40 min, I really think the guy had never done this before or they have the most complicated computer system ever!!! Then, after queuing up to get my card, I had to wait another 20 mins for the driver to come back. I was in no rush so I didn’t really mind but it gives a good indication of why business matters take so long – bureaucracy, antiquated systems, poorly trained staff to name but a few – and why I am definitely going to learn patience here!
On Firday my boss/colleague Alina was back and we had a meeting to discuss my job description and talk about what I’ll be doing. I’m still not completely sure what exactly I’ll be doing but I’m starting to get an idea – basically anything and everything to help the lower primary and broad curriculum department. So what do they do? A far as I can figure, they seem to work with teacher trainers (called inspectors and advisory teachers ) in how best to deliver the curriculum and also advise/ train the teachers in their areas how to do this. They are also involved in constantly reviewing the curriculum and text books/programmes, researching and improving the standard of teaching in Namibia and writing manuals for pre- and in-service teacher training. The closest thing we have would be the PCSP. How exactly I fit into this I don’t know but I’m starting to get an idea.
Today Alina showed me a syllabus manual they are putting together (it will be divided grade and will replace one that is divided by subject) We had a chat about it and at this stage my involvement seems to be to help simplify long winded explanations, make it more user friendly (for teachers to use) both in language and layout/organisation!
After work it’s pretty quite around here. Alot of the staff live in Windhoek and get a bus back straight after work. I spend the evenings doing domestic stuff (trying to cook or clean) but mostly reading or watching movies (I have about 400 gigs of movies with me on an external harddrive!) It’s actually a bit of a novelty to have absolutely nothing to do. At home there is always something I should or could be doing so it nice to have nothing – no project, no planning, no organising, no work! I’m sure I’d get bored of this quickly and I’m equally sure it won’t last once I start work in earnest. Till then.... bliss!
I was brought straight to the NIED campus on the edge of town where I will work and live for next 12 months or so. After a brief visit to the offices, a meeting with my new boss, I was brought to my house (House One) just inside the main gate.
The house is far beyond anything I would have expected – for starters its huge! There are 5 bedrooms (one ensuite – now mine – and one I’ve ‘converted’ into an office!) a decent sized kitchen attached to a large dining\sitting room. It has everything from a washing machine and dryer to microwave and toaster (although it missing some essentials like a kettle and a iron) It also has a garden (although its just dry earth and few trees) and a garage!
NIED is on the outskirts of town of Okahandja, on the main road to Otjiwarango. Its opposite the railway tracks, with a riding club/stables, a few guest houses and homes separating it from the town itself. It takes 10/15 minutes from my house to the edge of the town (a petrol station and some traditional woodcarving markets), a further 5 or 10 minutes brings me to the nearest supermarkets (Pick and Pay and U$ave) and onto the main street which has banks, municipal buildings and a variety of shops (selling everything from furniture and clothes to hardware and books) Another 5 minutes or so brings me to far side of town (where the ‘best’ supermarket is – Spar) There are a few coffee shops and bars (also called Gambling Houses) but look pretty rough
I spent most of the evening unpacking and arranging everything to my satisfaction (which all took about 2 hours!) and spent a lazy weekend, pottering about, reading, watching DVDs and generally enjoying the peace and quiet of my new home.
Work started on Monday and it was a really strange morning where I spent about 3 hours being introduced to people and then promptly forgetting their names and what they do. Everyone is very friendly and keep telling me how great it is to have me here and that they can't wait to work with me! Expectations are high soI hope I have the expertise they're looking for!
Tuesday to Thursday were pretty quiet as my immediate bosses were away so I spent the time reading the NIED handbook and the Lower Primary Namibian Curriculum, but a lot of time surfing the web (very slowly – cos either the computer or internet connection are very slow) It’s nice to have a settling in period, I suppose, and it’s probably just bad timing that my arrival coincided with them both being away, but I actually like having something constructive to do, rather than trying to look busy.
On Tuesday I also open a bank account – which was an experience. I went to the bank on Monday to get the forms needed (they gave me a letter to type up on NIED headed paper) and returned first thing on Tuesday, I was there for almost 2 hours! It wasn’t that there was any hassle, or they were slow or particularly long queues, it’s just everything took so long. The first lady had to photocopy everything 3 times and fill in lots of forms (which I had to sign) and fill in lots of stuff on the computer – she also had to ask for help and confirmation a lot – but finally after about 40 mins, I had opened a bank account. Then I wanted to lodge some travelers cheques into my account (who knows when I’ll be paid!) This took another 40 min, I really think the guy had never done this before or they have the most complicated computer system ever!!! Then, after queuing up to get my card, I had to wait another 20 mins for the driver to come back. I was in no rush so I didn’t really mind but it gives a good indication of why business matters take so long – bureaucracy, antiquated systems, poorly trained staff to name but a few – and why I am definitely going to learn patience here!
On Firday my boss/colleague Alina was back and we had a meeting to discuss my job description and talk about what I’ll be doing. I’m still not completely sure what exactly I’ll be doing but I’m starting to get an idea – basically anything and everything to help the lower primary and broad curriculum department. So what do they do? A far as I can figure, they seem to work with teacher trainers (called inspectors and advisory teachers ) in how best to deliver the curriculum and also advise/ train the teachers in their areas how to do this. They are also involved in constantly reviewing the curriculum and text books/programmes, researching and improving the standard of teaching in Namibia and writing manuals for pre- and in-service teacher training. The closest thing we have would be the PCSP. How exactly I fit into this I don’t know but I’m starting to get an idea.
Today Alina showed me a syllabus manual they are putting together (it will be divided grade and will replace one that is divided by subject) We had a chat about it and at this stage my involvement seems to be to help simplify long winded explanations, make it more user friendly (for teachers to use) both in language and layout/organisation!
After work it’s pretty quite around here. Alot of the staff live in Windhoek and get a bus back straight after work. I spend the evenings doing domestic stuff (trying to cook or clean) but mostly reading or watching movies (I have about 400 gigs of movies with me on an external harddrive!) It’s actually a bit of a novelty to have absolutely nothing to do. At home there is always something I should or could be doing so it nice to have nothing – no project, no planning, no organising, no work! I’m sure I’d get bored of this quickly and I’m equally sure it won’t last once I start work in earnest. Till then.... bliss!
End of Week One: ICT and VSO (Thurs 10th Sept 2009)
I arrived in Windhoek (via London and Jo’burg) last Sunday afternoon, after over 24 hours of travelling but thankfully with all my baggage. It’s a smallish city seemingly slap bang in the middle of a semi arid desert of bushes, scrub and sandy coloured dry grass. We were brought to temporary accommodation (which is very nice; a flat shared with three Dutch girls but I’ve my own room) where we will stay during the next few days of ICT (that’s In-Country Training: VSO love their acronyms!) There are 17 of us ‘new volunteers’ - us 4 girls, 2 guys and 5 couples (3 with children)
The training has been good (especially in that it gives us a chance to acclimatise, meet other volunteers and get some basic information about living and working in Namibia) but sometimes boring (some of the sessions were not great or badly organised – especially the language training)
We did one particularly good exercise in which we were dropped off in Katutura (a very poor, predominately black suburb, north west of the city) with a list of 3 community groups to visit and find out about. Until this point, we could have been forgiven for thinking that we were in a first world city, let alone a second world / developing one. The area where our accommodation and the VSO offices are, are nice, clean, well developed suburbs. In Katutura we were quickly reminded that although Namibia is quite high on the list of developing countries (according to GNP type scales) there is a huge amount of abject poverty. Although there some rich and quite a few people who are very comfortable the majority of people are very, very disadvantaged. In fact we were later told that Namibia is one of the world’s most unequal countries in the world, where 5% of the population own 95% of the wealth.
We also had a chance to socialize during the week too; dinner at Joe’s Beer House on Sunday night (I ate some zebra, kudu, ostrich and springbok )a pizza lunch with other Windhoek based Volunteers on Monday, dinner in a Cameroon Restaurant on Wednesday night and an afternoon braai (bbq) to finish off today. It was also nice to cook dinner (well i ate and washed up) hang out and watch a movie with my flatmates on the other nights.
The training has been good (especially in that it gives us a chance to acclimatise, meet other volunteers and get some basic information about living and working in Namibia) but sometimes boring (some of the sessions were not great or badly organised – especially the language training)
We did one particularly good exercise in which we were dropped off in Katutura (a very poor, predominately black suburb, north west of the city) with a list of 3 community groups to visit and find out about. Until this point, we could have been forgiven for thinking that we were in a first world city, let alone a second world / developing one. The area where our accommodation and the VSO offices are, are nice, clean, well developed suburbs. In Katutura we were quickly reminded that although Namibia is quite high on the list of developing countries (according to GNP type scales) there is a huge amount of abject poverty. Although there some rich and quite a few people who are very comfortable the majority of people are very, very disadvantaged. In fact we were later told that Namibia is one of the world’s most unequal countries in the world, where 5% of the population own 95% of the wealth.
We also had a chance to socialize during the week too; dinner at Joe’s Beer House on Sunday night (I ate some zebra, kudu, ostrich and springbok )a pizza lunch with other Windhoek based Volunteers on Monday, dinner in a Cameroon Restaurant on Wednesday night and an afternoon braai (bbq) to finish off today. It was also nice to cook dinner (well i ate and washed up) hang out and watch a movie with my flatmates on the other nights.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
ICT Namibia
Just finishing up my 'in-country training' in Windhoek. It's been 4 days of information, discussion, training and tasks to get us ready for working in Namibia. Its a bit like being in Limbo - I'm in Namibia and finding out lots about the country but in a very sheltered way. It has been a great way to get to know the VSO staff, meet the other Volunteers and start getting aclimitised. Tomorrow I'm heading to Okhandja and the real world....
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
.JPG)
