g-wingenbach – Page 16

Behind the Scenes

26Jul

By: Tobin Redwine

Imagine the sand shining in the sun, warmth radiating through the soles of your bare feet. Imagine looking in all directions and seeing the curve of the earth. Imagine your stomach dropping at the emptiness around you. Imagine the overwhelming emotions of gratitude, solitude, reflection, accomplishment and wonder that swim in your mind. Now imagine trying to capture all of that emotion and feeling in one image, from the top of a dune in the Namib Sand sea. That is the challenge that our students face.

Images are powerful, but do they match the power of our imaginations? Truly great images are not simply shot from the hip in a haphazard, luck of the draw fashion. Great images take planning, care, visual literacy, creativity, attention to detail, and patience.

Over the past couple of weeks, our students have shot more than 20,000 images. They have edited and selected with care, removing imperfections and identifying the quality works. After hours and kilometers (we are still learning to speak metric system), we delivered 437 images of Namib desert flora, fauna, landscape and scenery to the researchers and scientists at the the Gobabeb Desert Research and Training Centre. We will deliver a hand picked selection of 20 high quality images to N/a’an Ku Se Wildlife Refuge. We have shared and interacted with nature, people, culture and spirit across thousands of kilometers in Namibia.

Here is a behind the scenes look at how they go through the process of capturing some of the images you can see on this blog, and on our facebook page. Students have mastered photography techniques such as manipulating depth-of-field, capturing motion, seeking the best light, and navigating the features and capabilities of their equipment. Not only do they quickly ascertain the proper techniques to employ in any given scenario, they do so in the face of unquestionable danger.

Teamwork is essential. It is common for students to be scattered around a site,lenses to their faces, shouting aperture settings and shutter speeds to one another. Discussions about leading lines and framing are common. Students assist each other by pointing out angles, directing shadows and people, holding wayward limbs and leaves, and even braving the unknown by scooping up a burrowing desert beetle so that a classmate can get the shot just right.

Photographers’ schedules are not dictated like the rest of the world. We seek the bestlight. Here in the arid lands of Namibia, the sun rises between 5 and 6 AM. While much of the staff at each place we stay is asleep, we are scouring the countryside in the warm tones of the early morning light. Similarly, our students declined group meals and volleyball outings to capture the fading rays of the setting sun on the sands of the Namib. Even those hours fail in comparison to the dedication they showed when, two consecutive mornings, the rose as early as 4:00 AM to get a shot of the blanket of stars in the desert. We had a narrow window of time between when the full moon set and the sun rose to get a clear, unpolluted night sky.

Whether they were chasing luminescing scorpions in the riverbed before sunrise, staring unflinchingly into the mouth of lions, or scaling the towering dunes of the desert, this hearty group of artists and adventurers continues to remind me of the beauty in our world, and the power we all have to relish in the miracles of each moment. I am lucky, I am blessed, and I am grateful to be part of a world so big, and to see our students sharing it in such a unique way.

One of those blessings is to see the students learning and mastering these techniques. They speak like photographers with decades of experience. One of our students was approached by a researcher at Gobabeb with questions about his camera. The student was able to explain the exposure triangle, principles of composition, and basic photography techniques in a concise, impromptu crash course. Learning is truly alive with this group. They were even asked to Gobashare. A group of scientists and researchers at the centre asked them to give a talk about their group, their photos, and the process by which they were collected for the archives of the newly-deemed UNESCO World Heritage Site. Our group presented their efforts to a global community, speaking to EU delegates, international collaborators, and worldtravelers. This led to a discussion about night photography, career choices, theory and principles, and more. The Oxford researcher who was sharing some of his research after our group even remarked about the quality of our students’ photos, commenting that they were a tough act to follow.

These accolades do not come easy. Dedication, patience and planning are the tools of the trade. These Aggies are no stranger to those values.

A Sea of Sand

24Jul

I’ve got sand in my ears. I’ve got sand in my nose. I’ve got sand in places I didn’t even know. That is what staying in the Namib Desert is like. It’s a sandy void where not much else stirs.

During our last day here we hiked up to the top of the dune one last time to enjoy our last sunset staying at the Gobabeb Research and Training Center. My adviser, Tobin Redwine asked us, “Doesn’t this beat working at the bookstore this summer?” That’s when it hit me that I was in Africa. It took me being on top of the dune, watching the sun go down over the mountain to realize how grateful I was to be in Namibia, sifting my hand through some of the oldest sand in the world and laughing at silly jokes.

The last week of my life in Africa can only be described, in my mind, through one word: adventuresome. The tempo of the trip has been a constant go, go, go and we have hit the ground running. Whether it be gallivanting around the desert dunes or taking long exposure photos of the Southern Hemisphere sky at 4 am, it is always an adventure with this group.

Through our adventures our first priority here is as photographers. On June 22, 2013, Gobabeb has been certified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On behalf of their new certifcaition, the center requested that we assist them in updating their fauna and flora photo archive. Our driving force the past couple of days has been to capture as many living creatures that crawl around this desert. With the submission of hundreds of pictures, we have successfully improved their biota register.
What is so interesting about the trip and our “job” here is a group of students, just like us, from Texas A&M visited the Gobabeb Center last year making posters and mottos to promote the application to be certified. With success, it is wonderful to get to carry on their legacy. The old saying goes, “If an Aggie does it once, it’s a mistake; twice, it’s a tradition.” Being our second time at Gobabeb, a new Aggie tradition was started in 2013.

Even through all of our adventures and fun, it was quite strange to be at a place so far from civilization. Social interaction was limited. Personally, it is already hard being so far away from home, with so limited communication, and putting an isolated setting into the mix made it just that much harder. The adventures here are real and lively, but the solitude of the center’s community is often eerie.
Nonetheless, the adventures here in Gobabeb have been unforgettable. It has been cool to get to experience the different aspects of a place different than any other I have visited. The center has created ample opportunities for us by asking us to take pictures that could open many doors in the future. The memories of hiking up the dunes and sunsets will be engrained in my mind, as we travel elsewhere.

If you want to keep yourself updated on our travels like TAMU ALEC Namibia Abroad on Facebook and follow #TAMUSafari on Instagram.

Country or Continent?

20Jul

As I told people that I’m going to Namibia this summer, I got many blank stares. I found myself explaining that Namibia is a real country and where it is located. The other issue I’ve faced is the “country versus continent” topic. Africa is a continent; Namibia is a country within Africa – not a state.

Africa is not frequently discussed or taught in the United States. In fact, I just learned that less than five percent of Americans have traveled to Africa. People know Nelson Mandela, Hotel Rwanda, Madagascar the movie, rioting in Egypt, and malaria, but that’s about it. Africa is so much more than that. It’s a continent with 54 countries and 11.7 million square miles, two thousand languages, and one billion people. Thinking about the size of this continent and the rich history it contains is mind blowing. There’s so much to learn and to experience.

Every country in Africa seems to have a rich and complex history of how it came to be. Namibia is a fairly young country, only gaining its independence from South Africa in 1990. Before the South African rule, there is a long history of German rule. This is extremely evident with the prevalence of European architecture, German speaking people, and an abundance of high quality chocolate in the grocery stores.

I honestly didn’t know what to expect from Namibia. But I’ve learned that it is approximately half the size of Alaska with a population density of only five people per square mile. Agriculture makes up only 5% of the GDP and the main products are livestock and meat products, crops, and forestry. Only 2% of the land in Namibia receives adequate water/rainfall. (And it looks a lot like west Texas!)

I feel that the more I learn about the history, the people, and the workings of a country, the better appreciation I have for my experiences. I gain more respect for the development work being done and the progress that has been made. I also become more aware of the luxuries of my life in America – my safety, connectivity, conveniences, and so many more things.

Traveling is always an eye opening experience, but it feels even more impactful in Africa. I have heard similar things from my classmates here as well. I just hope that we can help share our experiences and knowledge gained with everyone back in America!

A Home in Namibia

19Jul

By: Trotter Heady

Day six of being more away from home than I ever thought I could be, and I feel as if I’m surrounded by my friends and family back in Aggieland.

Before entering Namibia all I could think about was being alone in a country that everyone saw my group and I as tourists with nobody to greet with a “Howdy!” I assumed that we would be seen as these rich Americans that nobody would show any kindness to unless they were tourists themselves.

My opinions were dramatically and instantly reversed as soon as we arrived at the University of Namibia’s Neudamm Campus. Our group has been greeted with kind smiles and warm hearts despite of the cold weather, which hasn’t gone away since. We are constantly embraced with Namibia’s “Ultra Cool Super Secret Handshake,” and big hugs everywhere we go.

Yesterday at the American Cultural Center the class was able to meet multiple individuals who are American but work in the city of Windhoek, Namibia. Here we were finally able to get our “Howdy!” and “Whoop!” greeting, because one of the workers was a Texas A&M alumni. Even though we have only been in this foreign place where everything is constantly new for five days, you could tell how excited we all were for something familiar.

Her hearty greeting has helped me to look back and truly appreciate all that we have already encountered. That same night we were able to experience an amazing home cooked meal prepared by Dr. Martin Schneider, the former Dean and current professor. We were welcomed into his beautiful home and feed a delicious, home cooked, Namibian meal of oryx stew. We were again surprised with friends and colleagues of Schneider’s that were so happy to speak to us about our journey thus far and where we plan to be in the future.

Now we head toward a new destination, the Gobabeb Research Center, and I’m thankful to be able to look back at the large amount of connections we have already made. We have met an amazing group of people already and are sure to continue to meet more along the road.

Destination Safari

17Jul

By Kelsey Smith

After 3 flights that took us between 3 continents, 36 hours of traveling, and an accumulation of maybe 5 or 6 hours of sleep, we finally arrived at our destination at the Neudamm Campus of the University of Namibia. I have to say, getting there was probably the least stressful experience within the past week, mostly thanks to the people I will be surrounded with all day everyday for the next month. Bad jokes alongside the excitement that our adventure has finally begun continue to allow contageous smiles and laughter spread between each precious face of our newfound family. Preparing to leave the country and enter into an area that I did not have much knowledge about turned out to be the most challenging part this far. Taking care of things around the house, saying goodbye to friends and family, 2 a.m. trips to the Wal-Mart , poor packing skills, meeting for class and writing papers all seemed to creep up on me at the same time within about 72 hours of leaving the U.S. Getting to the airport, checking in, and going through security felt as if more than the 45 pounds that was my suitcase had been lifted off of my shoulders. I could begin to relax, get to know 6 of my 8 new family members better, and give my mom and brother one last call before boarding our first 10-hour flight.
The people that work for British Airways made the experience much more comfortable with their hospitality and to my excitement, REALLY cool British accents. It never got old hearing my sweet flight attendant repeatedly calling his passengers “love” while graciously serving us. When I began playing around with the touch screen that sits in the back of the headrest I was pleasantly surprised to find popular movies and TV shows along with a map that allowed us to track our flight’s location around the world. Sleeping on the plane was another story. Each time I would fall asleep it wasn’t long before I woke up to find that gravity had taken its toll yet again, bringing my head down in a position that my neck did not agree with. The airport in London was amazing. It felt as if we were in an enormous building that can’t decide whether it wants to be a mall or an airport. Our next flight to Johannesburg, South Africa was about the same, but it was a little bit easier to sleep because of how much we were overdue from the previous flight. Finally, the short flight from Johannesburg to Windhoek did each and every one of us in. At one point we were all passed out in unison, not affected by the shaking of the plane during taking off and landing, and sadly not even affected by eating (one of us… a.k.a. Tobin… literally fell asleep between each bite of food).
We reached Windhoek, Namibia to find the rest of our group. One unfortunately was told that her luggage had been lost (which has still not been discovered after more than 72 hours). This was one of those moments that Dr. Wingenbach’s advice to “pack our flexibilty” came into play. We loaded a bus, and took a short drive to the campus we would call home for the next 5 days. As I looked around I already felt at home with the scenery resembling the panhandle of Texas, or the countryside of New Mexico. The people that welcomed us to the campus are nicer and more accommodating than we could have asked for. Our meal that night was prepared by the cooks that continue to so graciously feed us breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the most selfless way.

We had the privilege of sitting in on a meeting with some of the University’s Directors, Deans, and other faculty members. They showed us a glimpse into the agriculture programs at their school and talked about how much progress they have made and continue to make at the University of Namibia. A few of their members attended Texas A&M during graduate studies, so we all loved hearing and relating to stories about their time in Aggieland.
After only 24 hours we already have so much gratitude because of the gracious people here at the Neudamm campus. They continue to go out of their way to selflessly serve, teach, laugh, and provide us with more than we expected. We will never be able to repay them, but I pray that our time, conversations, smiles, and laughter will express to them how much we appreciate their hard work.

Journey in Time

17Jul

by Laura Brainard

They say a “journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” But if kilometers are shorter than miles, why not save gas and take your trip in kilometers? Why not travel to a place where time allows you to be in the future by 6 hours? Why not travel to a place where stars blanket the sky and elaborate sunsets melt into the earth? Why not travel to a profound place called Namibia?

After two days filled with exhilarating game drives, generous hospitality, educational meetings, short pursuits through Windhoek, and delicious meals, it is safe to say the lifetime memories are in the making. Without a doubt, it certainly has not taken us long to figure out that the nights are crisp and require immediate layers of warmth when the sun goes down. (A big shocker for the Texans I might add.) Here, long underwear and hot tea are more than acceptable this time of year. Ten gallon Stetsons are replaced with rugged safari hats, possums replaced by meerkats, Whataburger replaced by Wimpy, and slow southern drawls are replaced with a quirky language no true Texan could keep up with.

Our spontaneous group of seven students and two fearless leaders, Dr. Gary Wingenbach and Tobin Redwine, are bound to have an irreplaceable experience filled with laughs, endless puns, lessons learned and millions of shots. (Camera shots that is.) With two epic days behind us, the journey of a thousand kilometers has only just begun.

A long days journey for caffeine

9Jan

By John T. Tyson
Photos by Samantha Alvis

The day is Tuesday January 8, 2013 and it is our tenth full day in Costa Rica. Today we toured a coffee plantation and it was worth the three hour bus ride. The majority of our travelers had not experienced how a coffee plantation operates. As we toured, we were able to see how the coffee is grown from a seedling to a mature coffee tree.

Jose, our tour guide, then explained how the coffee berries are removed once ripened and taken to the mill.

Once in the factory he explained how the coffee was roasted and cooled to be prepared for bagging. It was interesting to discover that the coffee they sell with their brand name is only 5% of the entire crop.

On the trip back to the Soltis Center we stopped in a small community, San Ramon. We enjoyed many local snacks such as ice cream and other “dulces” or sweets. The church in the center of town named after San Rafael was one of the most ornate building I have seen the entire trip. The ceilings had incredibly detailed murals and the walls were lined with vibrant stained glass windows.

I can not wait to see what tomorrow brings. Pura Vida!

Si Se Buethe?

8Jan

January 5, 2013

Today was one of the most exciting and frightening days. Why do you ask?

Well today was the day we went canyoning. When you hear the word “canyoning” your heart automatically sinks. The thought of throwing yourself off of a perfectly good cliff does not sound like a good idea. However we did it. Chanting “si se buethe” (yes we can) at the top of our lungs is the routine that got us through the adventure. This innovation has been diffused all over the world, but it took getting to Costa Rica for most of us to even try it out!

Sam, Jules, and Christy: “Everyone’s ready face”

Taylor: “Is it too late to go back?”

The group: “Ready to go again.”

Milk. It does the body good!

8Jan

By Jules Henry

We awoke bright and early Sunday morning to visit a dairy farm. Instead of pushing our fears to the limit like the days before, today was a day to treat our tummies!

We arrived at Crislee’s farm at 6:30am to be graciously greeted by him and his five year old daughter. Our first task was to milk cows. Being a city girl with no background in agriculture, this was a new adventure for me. I must say that milking a cow is not as easy as it looks. Some of my peers were either naturals or had previous experience. It was pretty entertaing. But it was really enjoyable to see every one’s smiling faces and laughter so early in the morning.

Jules milking her first cow!

After gathering two full buckets of milk, it was time to learn the process of cheese making. It was very interesting to learn how certain temperatures and how long the milk cooks will determine the type of product that will come out. For example, it takes four hours to make mozzarella cheese, but in less time, you can produce palmito cheese, which is popular in Costa Rica.

As we watched Crislee show us the process, we were able to make cheese ourselves. Some students stirred and kneaded the cheese in salted water. You repeat this process up to three or four times until the cheese became elastic and stretches out to about 12cm.

Jules showing John how to roll the cheese

Let me tell you, the cheese smelled amazing as I rolled it up to a weight of .5 kilos . . . it reminded me of a buttered croissant, which would have been a lovely addition to the cheese. I love cheese and this was some of the best tasting cheese I have ever had the pleasure of tasting.

We even learned the process of making yogurt. I’m not a big fan of yogurt, but the stuff Crislee gave us was ahh-maziiiing! Everything was fresh, with no preservatives. I think today was one of my favorite days since it was very different and we had my favorite food, cheese!

To finish out the weekend, we returned to the Soltis Center for class meetings. Later in the night, we had dinner and were treated to a special music fiesta. Everyone joined in and danced their hearts out in this big circle outside the center. It was such a pleasant experience and a nice way to finish out our last weekend here. WHOOP!

Let the Wind Blow

8Jan

By Meagan Ghormley

January 4, 2013

Today was a thrill seekers paradise. We started of the morning early and headed to the adventure of a lifetime, where learned about the innovation of ziplining.

We had a little over an hour drive past the beautiful volcano, up a few bumpy hills and finally to zip line over the rainforest canopy. Let me tell you it was a wonderful experience. For someone who has been zip lining before, this was the best adventure I have ever been on. Once we got to our destination, we geared up and headed up on a sky tram. Then from there we had the time of our life.

Tori and John are ready to get geared up!

Our view from the tram on the way up

And then we were off!

Taylor comes flying in on a cable they call Big Momma.

After an exhausting, but fun, day of zip lining, we headed off to Los Lagos. We had a wonderful dinner and watched the Aggies BTHO OU.