Chapters

It is ironic that this is my final posting for this series of photos.  I really didn't plan on it to be this way but a couple weeks ago as I was planning which photo to post next, it occurred to me that this one is very symbolic of my final week in Enguwantale.  One of the first things that really struck me when I first arrived here were the sunsets.  The hazy air, wide open horizon, and scattered clouds are the proper ingredients for stunning sunsets.  I have always been a sucker for sunsets and find them a great catalyst for reflection.  Whether I was watering the garden, herding the cows, or just strolling through the sand, my eyes would be fixed to the west as the sun began sinking below the horizon.  Things would become calm and quiet and my thoughts would turn to the day that was coming to a close and the day to come.  If it was a good day, I would wish for the next to be just as good or better.  If  it had been a bad day, I would hope that the problems that had plagued me would sink with the sun and get lost somewhere on the other side of the world.  Each day is a new chapter and the setting sun is the turning of the page.  We don't know what the next chapter will bring, but we have to embrace it, accept it, and try to make the most of it.  In the same way, our lives are filled with chapters as well.  I now find myself amidst one of those life sunsets.  A major chapter in my life is now coming to a close and a new one is about to begin.  It is no doubt a frightening and exciting time.  Our lives do not have a table of contents, so there are no hints as to what the next chapter will bring.  This last chapter has been wonderful, so all I can hope for is that the next one will be as good or better.  Regardless, all that can be done is to accept the next chapter with open arms and step into it with the fervor and determination to make the most of it.

Kids

Children are and always will be part of life.  For me, prior Namibia, children were something that were kind of always on the peripheral.  With the exception of family, I never immersed myself in the company of children in a genuine or meaningful way.  It’s not that I didn’t care to be around children, the opportunities just didn’t exist.  Upon arriving to Enguwantale, it quickly became evident that children were going to become a huge part of my life for the two years to come.  Everyday of my life was soon to be in the company of children; both at school and at home. Children were as foreign to me as the Namibian people.  There was no doubt a learning curve involved with getting used to and interacting with the youngsters.  But I learned.  And what I learned about children extends well beyond just the basics of interacting.  I learned that there is such a unique energy about children that forces one to look at the world at a slightly different angle.  Its a contagious energy, that despite the frustrations that arise from being around kids, is so energizing.  I know I am not alone when I say I wish I could be a kid again - to have limitless energy, an unclouded mind, and not a care in the world.

Hidden Strengths

This photo always brings a smile to my face and since it follows the culture theme, I figured I would post it as a bonus.  I am not sure what inspired the girls to act tough at that moment, but they apparently felt it necessary.  The ironic thing is that these are about the sweetest girls you will ever meet; not the type of girls to raise their fists.  However, the raised fists are symbolic.  In the male dominated society in which they live, girls are in a way deprived of showing their true character and strengths. It’s sad because they have an amazing strength of character that is forged with hard work, discipline and resolve.  Rarely will you find a man stirring the pot, carrying water on his head, pounding the mahangu, or taking care of the kids.  These things build character even if it is not always apparent.  It is never more apparent than when the girls put on their traditional ware and slip into their own little world of singing and dancing; it’s then that you truly begin to realize how strong these girls really are.

On the Road with Friends

Road trips are always a blast regardless of where you are in the world.  But piling 22 African friends in a mini bus and hitting the road – road-tripping suddenly takes on a whole new dimension.  I had the privilege this last weekend of traveling with 22 learners out of Enguwantale to Namibia’s premier wildlife destination, Etosha National Park.  In reality, Enguwantale is not far from the northern reaches of the park but taking the 3 hour bus ride to the southern portion of the park brought us into surroundings that were quite unfamiliar to the learners and myself.  As a reward for their hard work and dedication to our entrepreneurship club, I organized the tour to the park.  With some of their own contributed funds along with money we had earned over the last year, we were able to spend an enjoyable two days in the park and had the opportunity to get to know each other outside of school.  It’s a trip I will never forget.

The old fortress at the park entrance of Namutoni provided a lofty vantage point over the surrounding plains.  For many of the learners, it is probably safe to say that this was their highest point ever reached; a mere 40 feet above the ground.

 

Even though zebra quickly became the most common sighting, their inability to blend into the natural environment is always intriguing.

 

Our only lion sighting was this male lazing in the shade next to the road.  When it finally got tired of the 22 wide-eyed faces pressed against the glass, it calmly got up and walked away.  The 22 wide-eyed faces however did not react so calmly; the learners promptly fell back from the windows amidst shouts for the driver to step on it.

 

We saw lots of elephants.  Since it is the dry season the animals congregate at a number of natural and manmade watering holes.  

I think the highlight for all of us was the raiding of the swimming hole at a swanky lodge in the middle of the park.  We pulled into the campsite only to eat some lunch and stretch but the blue waters of the pool was too much for them to resist.  Despite the chaos as the boys stripped down and jumped in, the foreign tourists seemed to enjoy the company of the kids.

 

I was actually surprised that the boys could swim as well as they could.  However, they were lacking in proper pool etiquette.  Luckily a tourist explained the ropes to them; shower before entering, keep your shorts on, no peeing in the pool…

 

Even after two years, to some of the learners I am still considered wildlife.

 

No doubt a very photogenic group.