Namibia – Page 4

The Climb

24Jul

Our dune climbing adventure had an early start. I had to wake up by 5:00 AM and had to be completely dressed and ready by 6:00 AM. As the bus made it into Sossusveli, my fellow students and I watched the sunrise. The early morning sun cast shadows on the dunes, giving them a surreal and breathtaking look. Finally at 8:00 AM, we spotted “Big Daddy”, one of the tallest dunes in the Namib Desert and the dune we would climb.

We got to watch the sunrise over the dunes. The sand was a deep red color, and the shadows created beautiful effects.

A group of three other students and I, made our way up the dune. We quickly came to the realization that they best way to walk up the dune was to keep looking down at the trail not off to the side. I soon discovered that climbing “Big Daddy”, a 300 meter dune, was not going to be an easy task. I followed my fellow students’ foot prints, and whispered encouraging words to myself to keep marching forward. After about 45 minutes of walking, we reached a plateau area. I made the executive decision to kicked off my sneakers in order to climb steeper part of the dune barefoot.

Almost half way to our goal! The hardest climbs were yet to come.

Almost half way to our goal! It was incredible sight to watch the sun rise over the dune.

After a much needed 10 minute break, my band and I started up the sharp incline to our destination. Each step was agonizing. My legs shook with exhaustion as I walked up a nearly vertical incline of 50 feet. At one point I started crawling on all fours in order to gain a better grip on the dune. My entire body felt like lead I dragged myself up the side. About 10 feet down from the top, my legs collapsed with fatigue. I lay in the sand as my body screamed that I could go no further. A guide cheered me on, and I made my way to the top of the sharp incline along with my teammates.

We were almost to our destination but we still had a quarter of a mile to go until we reached the top. My peers and I trudged along. We made sure to take careful, calculated steps. Finally, only one sharp incline separated us from the top of “Big Daddy”. For a few moments, I believed that I couldn’t achieve the task. The climb was too high, too far, and too dangerous. With some effort, I pushed all of my doubts and limitations to the furthest depths of my mind. I kept moving forward. With slow determination, I placed one tired foot in front of the other. Finally, we reached the top of the dune. My weariness turned to joy and triumph; for we had made it to the top.

Reaching the top of Big Daddy was an amazing feat. I held the Texas A&M flag proudly as I waited for my peers to join us at the top.

While waiting for the rest of our group to join us, I made the connection of how climbing the dune was a lot like my college career and life in general. There were easy parts, hard parts, and parts that seemed nearly impossible to finish. Nevertheless, through these hardships and heartbreaks I’ve become a stronger person. Climbing “Big Daddy” made me grasp that no matter how far away my goal may seem; I have to keep fighting if I want to achieve it. The climb was both mentally and physically challenging for me, but it made me realize that I need to keep moving forward and push myself past my mental limitations. In the end, it’s the struggles that we face on the climb that makes our goals worth the fight.

Sands of Time

20Jul

Climbing to the top of one of the tallest sand dunes in the world is not a task for the faint of heart. It takes over two hours of walking up the largest pile of sand you’ve probably ever seen. Each step forward means a half a step backward as your feet sink into the soft, fine Namibian sand. As we sat atop “Big Daddy”, one of the tallest sand dunes in the Sossusvlei National Park, I pondered the forces it took to create such gentle giants. Millions of years of erosion led to the creation of unfathomable amounts of sand that spent centuries traveling across the Namib Desert until they finally formed the ever-shifting sand dunes.

This is me sitting atop the sand dune Big Daddy.

The Dead Vlei is the pan at the base of Big Daddy that has not had water for many, many years and as such now contains only the memory of flowing water in its rocky floor and the skeletons of trees that were 750 years or more in the making. The camel thorn trees, technically called acacia trees, look much different here in their deceased, branchless state than they do in areas with water where their leaves grow amply and their thorns become as long as one’s finger. The result though is a dark barren tree that contrasts deeply with both the red sand dunes behind and the light grey clay beneath.

Here is my view of Dead Vlei from the top of the Big Daddy dune.

Here is my view http://alecabroad.tamu.edu/wp-admin/post.php?post=1263&action=edit&message=10#category-popof Dead Vlei from the top of the Big Daddy dune.

The dead acacia trees sit in the middle of the Dead Vlei.

The animals that thrive in this environment are difficult to see in the vast stretches of red desert sand. Along my trail I was able to spot the tracks to several species including mice, snakes, lizards, and oryx. I also had the privilege of spotting a lizard skittering gracefully along the dune on my way down from the summit. The tak taki beetle has adapted to this environment in such a way where it will stand on its front legs with its back end in the air so that the moisture that comes in on the morning breeze will collect into a single drop that will then slide down the beetle’s body and into its mouth. The moisture in that morning breeze has traveled about 150 kilometers as the crow flies from the coast of Namibia to get to these dunes that otherwise experience minimal moisture in the winter months.

This little lizard skitters gracefully on top of the sand next to me as I climb down the dune.

While not the same tak taki beetle mentioned above, the Sossusvlei beetle still shares the harsh desert habitat.

Being in a place where not all that many people of the world have visited makes any trip feel more special and unique. Where I found fault with the human race as I have countless times before was in the occasional cigarette butt I found lying in the middle of the Dead Vlei. Human inconsideration really knows no bounds, even in the oldest desert in the world. The fact that humans can alter our environment so easily and in such negative ways was highlighted by the stark contrast between the archaic sands of time and the week-old cigarette butt sitting in the middle of it all. Of course I picked up every cigarette butt I saw, but that won’t stop the next smoker from dropping their poor choice on the floor of the world. In some way it made me revere the dunes even more for inherently standing up to the destructive forces of the world for such a long time. As each step is made up the ridge of the dune the wind blows sand back into the depression, filling the dent the human footstep has left. Not all landscapes have this relentlessly renewing ability, and it is really one to admire as it has allowed the dunes to remain as they always have been, despite their daily visitors.

These are just two of the several cigarette butts that can be found in the Dead Vlei.

For anyone who has yet to see anything like these dunes, you should seriously consider taking a trip during your lifetime. The soft sound of the sand blowing around in the breeze is captivating and calming all at once. The luxurious feel of the soft sand beneath your toes is unmatched by any beach sand. Then of course there is the view once you reach the summit. The view from the top of the world is one that can’t be beat. It is also a view that a picture just does not do justice to, but that did not stop me from trying to capture as much beauty as I could. Until we meet again, farewell to the sands of time.

I say goodbye to the dunes for now, but I hope to visit these gentle giants again in the future.

What’s lacking?

19Jul

Food pyramid. The picture with the layers of fruits and vegetables, grains, and dairy products instantly pops into my head. The idea of healthy and balanced eating is something I have been educated about since a young age. If you mentioned the food pyramid to anyone in America they would more than likely know what you are referring to. This is not the same for Namibia.

Nutritional education is not an issue that is stressed in Namibia. Even if nutritional programs were implemented, the government or economy does not have the means to support them. I was surprised to discover that none of the institutions of higher learning in Namibia offer training in dietetics according to one source (eclp.com.na). Dieticians are limited throughout the country, and one report (www.dietnamibia.m.webs.com) stated that there are only 14 registered dieticians in all of Namibia. This realization really opened my eyes to one of the many cultural differences between the United States and Namibia.

Our breakfast consisted of eggs, sausage, and toast; the staple foods available in Namibia.

While studying at the University of Namibia at Neudamm, we learned the difference between hunger and food security. Hunger is when you have no food to eat. Food security is when you have food to eat, but it is not always of the highest nutritional value or follows a balanced diet. Food security is a major issue for Namibians. Since Namibia is a very dry, arid country, they are limited on what crops they can grow here. Namibia is not food sufficient, and their imports are significantly greater than their exports. Most Namibian diets are dominated by staple foods, the foods they can grow and have local access to. Staple foods include various types of meat, dairy products, and some beans. Fruits and vegetables are very limited. In fact, most fruits consumed in Namibia are imported from South Africa. The majority of the population does not have the means to meet dietary requirements.

All the fruits we have been eating, such as pineapple, kiwi, and guava, are imported into Namibia.

Namibian citizens are more concerned with having food to eat each day rather than making sure it is of the best nutritional value. Many citizens are extremely poor and do not have the economic means to acquire various foods that would help balance their diet. I have never had to worry about not having enough to eat, and have always had a varied diet without putting much thought into what foods I am consuming due to the fact that I have always had a variety of choices. I’ve always known our government stresses nutrition, but I never realized how much emphasis they actually place on nutrition until seeing first hand a government that does not. I feel grateful, but also very spoiled to live in the United States.

This Is Goodbye.

7Aug

6 A.M. Safari Lodge, surely I am the first one up. Bus call is not until 9:30. I woke up to harmonious alarms of the Lion King theme song “Circle Of Life,” emanating from both my iPad and iPhone. Both of which were strategically placed in different locations of the room. On our final night I was lucky enough to win the bedroom to myself, while the other two guys shared the second room. My room could comfortably sleep four, but last night it was just me. I never minded the room sharing routine the three of us had. A simple alternating arrangement, changing with each location. One would get a room to themselves, and the other two shared.

It is the last day of our journey; a month study abroad in Namibia. The photos have been taken, the lessons have been learned, the fun has been had. There is nothing left to do, but go on back home to Texas. It is a bittersweet feeling. I sit here at the foot of one of the twin beds in my room, picking a song idea on a cheap guitar. A purchase we made early on in trip back in Windhoek. A $550 Namibian dollar pawn shop purchase. A three digit number that would buy you a pretty decent instrument back in the states. In translation, it is roughly $55 US, which will buy you a toy that you might give to a small child in hopes of kickstarting the career of the next Jimi Hendrix or Stevie Ray Vaughn. However this guitar served as entertainment on many desert nights of this trip. This morning it does it’s job one more time. A few final country licks to a song about a girl in Nashville. Completely irrelevant to our trip in Africa but somewhere in my head the song makes sense. All the bags are packed; all the unneeded hygiene products disposed of. Nothing left to do but pick a few more songs, watch a muted TV playing bad South African programs, and just mentally recap the last couple days to myself.

The study abroad has been more like a vacation since the Cheetah Conservation Fund. Finally a time for rest. We have been going and going since the beginning. A few days of relaxation here and there, just enough time to catch our breaths, then back out we go. I am not complaining, it has been one of the more memorable moments in my life. If you asked me last summer what I’d be doing the next year, I guarantee Africa would not have been on the list. I thank Tobin Redwine for putting the idea in my head.

We spent the last few nights at the Schneider’s Farm Habis. See Micah’s blog for details on that. Aside from fish hooking half my ear to a thorny Acacia tree, there was nothing but happiness at the farm. Good conversations with good people, many of which helped make this trip possible. We are forever grateful to the entire Schneider family. It was hard returning to the city after leaving their middle of nowhere utopia. Did I mention the star photos? A most magnificent sight. I wish I had my photos edited to share, but it’ll be a few more days before I get around to that. If you do not have a reason to come to Africa, come just to see the stars. Grab a beer, go stand outside and look up. Take it in. Sadly, you’ll never see it in Texas.

Our final dinner was memorable…I think. We ate at a place called Joe’s. not the crab shack, but a much more decorative place. How can I explain this? Hmm…we ate in what looked like a military tent, similar to one you’d see on M.A.S.H. Yet, the interior designer was Ted Nugent, with a special endorsement from Jaegermeister. Everyone else’s food was fantastic. A little advice to a rookie of African touristy foods. Don’t order the Zebra steak. It is pretty tough. Maybe I just got a bad one. I need a second opinion. I would eat the leftovers but silly me, I forgot to turn on my room’s mini fridge. Another trip tip, in the southern region of Africa, all wall plugs have an on and off switch. Might be a good idea in the States, but I am not here to go into my “Save the world, turn off the lights” mode. I am just going to finish my second cup of chicory coffee…I can’t wait for real coffee again. I am sure the morning buffet will have “coffee” that at least taste like coffee. The funny thing is back home I never drank as much coffee like we have been here. I also never regularly woke up before the sun came up. I must be sick. I think it is the zebra steak. Haha, I kid. If I can really give a future tourist any advice. Stay open minded, experience everything (…and pack enough Folgers to survive the whole trip, ha!) Break out of your comfort zone a bit, your personal ostrich shell. Learn to not rely on anything.

I think we came into this trip expecting to have all the amenities of home, but being able to see lions and other beasts. It is true we had all of this most of the time, sans Internet. Yet, I have not made real communications with my family back home in over a week. Surely they do not think me dead, or worse, in jail. I have made enough appearances in other’s Facebook pictures to verify I am still alive. Not to mention the ongoing Instagram battle between Dr. Wingenbach and the students to see who can get the most and best pictures posted. Follow us at #TAMUsafari. Back to the technology aspect. It is true that we weren’t quite roughing it as some might expect in a trip to the Bush. We stayed clean-ish and had lights and what-not. I do however think we have come to a group conclusion that our lives need not rely on technology as most American lives tend to. I say this of course while I write this blog entry on an iPad I purchased days before coming on this trip. I do think I can learn to live without checking the Internet every five minutes. Hell, I did learn to function midway through this trip after quitting a nine year smoking habit. Anything is possible.

If there is one thing I actually learned from this trip, it is that everyone should take a moment and learn about the world around them. As an American especially, even if you have no ambition to help someone else, somewhere else. Just know that there are people out there that do not even know where the U.S.A. is. Education is easily the most important gift Americans have and can use. Even though I did a lot of thinking about my life and future while on this trip, I still have a lot of thinking to do when I return home. I would normally say it can wait until next week, I am going to need my rest. However I think it is going to be on my mind for awhile. I do not think I will be able to let the sleeping dog lie this time. It is true I have created a to-do list when I get home, such as eat hot wings and enchiladas, play the banjo and see my dog. As soon as that is done, it will be time to turn my life around. Make a positive impact on the world around me, somehow someway.
I want to personally thank my family, friends, professors and those involved with making this trip possible. It was more enjoyable than I could ever imagine. A once in a lifetime experience. (Possibly a twice in a lifetime experience if they invite me back next year.) Surely they are bringing out the many dishes for breakfast by now. I have rambled long enough today, I must eat and mentally prepare for the 30 hour trip home.

In the immortal words of Ace Ventura, “Thank You, Dark Continent. We Love You.”

Over and out,
-Logan Hooks

Home Away from Home

6Aug

By: Tara Dean

Africa is seen of a place full of adventure, wonder and the unknown; a place full of new ideas and scenery that you’ve never seen or heard before. Being on this trip has shattered those perceptions I once held.

When we arrived, the landscape was the first thing that we noted as being quite similar to back home. Dry land with a lack of trees and heavy vegetation was our first indication that the professors had in fact just taken us to west Texas. The only thing that tipped us off that we were actually in Africa were the multitude of mountains off in the distance.

Along with the landscape comes the animals that inhabit it. When you drive down a back road in Texas you’re bound to see a deer or two and sometimes you’re lucky enough to catch a hog running off into the brush. In Namibia you see more warthog than you can possibly count or care to see. Not only that but the occasional oryx, dik diks, duikers, and sometimes kudu. It becomes such a normalcy we seem to hardly notice them anymore.

Southern hospitality is a staple when it comes to growing up in Texas as well as minding your manners. A person should be greeted with open arms and welcomed in as if they are a part of your family already. I felt that same warmth, love and openness almost everywhere we visited. The people of Namibia are so kind and willing to share their culture and beliefs with anyone who is interested. I hadn’t felt more at home this whole trip than when we went to the Habis farm. It was just like spending a weekend out at the ranch but with a few more goats, sheep and kudu. Not to mention the food was organic and fantastic!

We’re Texans and we like to eat meat and a lot of it, and so do the Namibians! The majority of dinners consisted of some type of game steak or stew whether is be kudu, orix or even “what’s this called again?” They are also big on the carbs and each meal is loaded down with potatoes and breads of all sorts. We must have gained 10 pounds each during this trip!

There is a special place in my heart for Africa now. It has kept me close and encouraged me along the way. Wherever the road ahead may lead, I know that this is only the first of many Namibia adventures to come because you can’t stay away from home for long.

The Last Days, The Best Days

6Aug

By: Micah Mills

Climbing to the top of a marble mountain: Check.

Night sky that takes your breath away: Check.

Time spent with good people: Check.

Habis Farm Sunset

This is just a short checklist on how I describe our last couple of days.

The last leg of our trek across Namibia – which according to Dr. Martin Schneider is bigger than Texas, but that is debatable – was spent in the company of the Schneider family at their “farm.” To limit it to just that one word would belittle this wonderful place. Sure there are cattle, goat, sheep, and chickens, but the Schneider’s made this farm our home during our stay there. They opened their doors and arms and treated the nine of us like we were kin.

Personally, the time I spent on the Habis Farm was one of my favorites during the trip. It is a place that constantly radiates beauty in some form or another. It was spotting a mountain zebra across the way or watching the sunset behind the surrounding mountains. It was getting to immerse ourselves in the knowledge the Schneider’s have of Namibia.

It was humbling in many ways to be at such a place. At night, the house is lit by candlelight and in the mornings showers are heated with a wood-burning furnace. It was refreshing to step into a world outside of the American mindset and slow down and take in everything around you. There was no television or Internet. It was satisfying to know the world doesn’t stop when you do.

The Schneider family left a strong impression on my time in Namibia. They will be the first to cross my mind when I hear of Namibia. I am so grateful for the hospitality I have been shown in this foreign place. Hospitality has been such a strong factor in why none of us want to leave this place, but all good things must come to end.

Just as our time at Gobabeb had to end and our time on the Skeleton Coast had to end and our time at Etosha National Park. Our time in Habis had to end, as well.

So this one is for the Schneiders – to their hospitality, their kindness, and their open arms. The way they treated us is something that is not easily repaid. I hope future study abroad groups get to know them they way we did.

Today we fly out of this beautiful place and head onward home. This is goodbye Schneiders. Goodbye Habis. Goodbye Namibia. Until we meet again.

Packing Our Flexibility

5Aug

International travel is always an interesting experience. Nothing ever goes completely as planned, something unexpected occurs, plans change. Dr. Wingenbach specifically told each of us to “pack our flexibility” for those reasons. Without our flexibility and willingness to go with the flow, this trip would have been a completely different experience! The misunderstandings, misadventures, and unique experiences just enriched our trip a little bit further.

I definitely packed my flexibility and it was, in fact, the only thing of mine to arrive in Windhoek….it took four days for my luggage to arrive. Missing luggage was not the greatest start to the trip, but my amazing classmates stepped up and loaned me items until my things finally arrived.

While her luggage and all supplies made it safely to Namibia, Laura came with only half a sleeping bag…go figure, the tallest student on our trip accidentally bought a child size sleeping bag. Needless to say, many jokes and laughs were shared over her purchase and watching her demonstrate how short it was on her. Laura was also the one who thought to buy some entertainment – a soccer ball named Wilson. For seven college kids, we played with the ball a lot. Unfortunately, Wilson disappeared somewhere in Swakopmund (foul play by Dr. Wingenbach is suspected). Not to worry though, we bought seven more just for safe measure.

Darren, Executive Intern aka Tobin suffered his fair share of African mishaps as well. Darren has a habit of leaving important items – cameras, iPhone, sunglasses, and toiletries. You name it, Darren left it somewhere in Namibia. Luckily, he has eight sets of eyes watching his back! He also blew a few circuits, tripped over a pole, and did NOT make a group of tourists laugh at his interesting jokes and blues music. Darren struggled a bit at times.

The bus. Our trusty bus driver, Dennis, and our bus have been through the TAMU whirlwind as well. Luckily, Dennis is a really cool driver and could handle our rowdy group. We’ve had University of Namibia guards join our bus to provide security on a tour, our chef hitch a ride into town with us, roadside bathroom breaks, angry street vendors almost throwing rocks, and even two different (and smaller) replacement buses by the last week. The bus has even seen some decent wipeouts – Trotter just falling backwards during our Etosha safari and I happened to slide out of my seat during a nap. Oh the stories Dennis must be telling his family about our group and our bus time!

Our trip has been full of laughs, adventures, and amazing visits; however, one of them required our utmost flexibility to survive. Our Ogongo game farm walk (aka wake up a 6am, walk through the farm, and see zero animals). Not many bright-eyed students that morning! After the hundreds of animals we saw in Etosha, nothing else could possibly top it. (Picture thanks to Dr. Wingenbach).

We’ve shared many meals together on this trip and two things are very apparent: we are coffee addicts and we need to double-check the salt or sugar situation more thoroughly. Rarely has there been real coffee provided at meals, but instead we get imitation, powdered coffee packets. We’ve gone through bowls of powdered “coffee” every day and I’m pretty sure real coffee will be one of the first things all of us have when we return home. We’ve put salt in coffee and sugar on wrong foods too. Definitely learned that lesson the hard way!

Last, but not least, Africa time. The pace of life is much slower here and as Americans, I think that’s a hard concept to grasp at times. We run from place to place and hurry through life; well, Africa time doesn’t allow us to do that. Dinner takes three hours, Internet speeds are sloth-like, drive times are rough estimates, walking is slower, greetings and pleasantries longer. Africa time has been challenging at times, but the change of pace can also be a welcomed change.

Through the ups and downs of this trip, our spirit and drive kept us going. Though some moments were a bit stressful, the greater picture and the stories those moments created are far more important. Keeping our flexibility and sense of humor (bad puns and all) has made this trip spectacular. I don’t know if I’ve ever laughed so much in my life as I have while on this trip.

Our time in Namibia is coming to an end, but the memories will last a lifetime. I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to travel and learn with this group, visit world famous locations, and contribute to respected organizations. Namibia and all the hospitable people we’ve met during the past three weeks have certainly left their mark in my life. My classmates, Laura, Trotter, Micah, Kelsey, Logan, and Tara, and instructors, Tobin and Dr. Wingenbach, are all remarkable people. It has been a hilarious, fun, beautiful journey to travel with them and bond with them. Namibia and the ALEC Study Abroad Group will forever be cherished memories and a true highlight to my Texas A&M experience.

Etosha Park

1Aug

by Kelsey Smith

Our time in Etosha Park included seeing 3 out of the “Big 5”, a Sunday morning traffic jam of Elephants, my newfound love for Giraffes, and more Springbok than the number of bad jokes that have been told on this trip. On second thought, disregard that last comment. We have experienced a lot of extraordinary things, but there is a line between extraordinary and impossible that we can only get so close to crossing.

Before coming to Namibia I had imagined seeing many of the stereotypical animals that are so commonly associated with Africa. Those thoughts, however, seemed to come and go quickly because I don’t think I honestly expected to see the wildlife that we experienced at Etosha. Seeing each type of animal took us on a continuous roller coaster of excitement that began early Friday morning and continued until we headed for Ogongo on Sunday.

Each animal offered a unique sight because of the beautiful details in their size, shape, color, and movement. Seeing a little Jackal became a familiar sight, especially for our friend Trotter who took to its cute pet-like characteristics and tried to feed it a dinner roll. A less familiar sight that our bus driver Dennis enjoys seeing most of all each time he brings a group to Etosha was the Rhino. We were fortunate enough to see its historical and ancient movements that showed both strength and grace at a watering hole one night.

Zebras were not in short supply. The details in each Zebra’s appearance begin with definitive black stripes that perfectly shape around each one’s face and continue in the same matter throughout the rest of its body. We were also lucky enough to see one male Lion laying under the sun, which created a golden shimmer on its mane.

Before coming to Namibia I was not familiar with some of the animals that we have seen during our time here. Names like “Kudu” and “Gemsbok” were of another language to me, and their appearances seemed even more foreign. Sights of mule and white-tailed deer that are common to us in Texas don’t offer much comparison to the long spiraled horns of a Kudu or the size of its vaguely striped body. Each time we see a Gemsbok it never grows old to look at its beautiful black and white detailed face and straight, spear-like horns.

One of the most amazing sights at Etosha, and maybe even for the entire trip, were 12 powerful, yet gentle Elephants that silently walked up while we were observing a watering hole. The baby of their herd energetically followed its mother around with an unconditional excitement for life. Other Elephants whipped their trunks back to throw clouds dirt on wet skin under the warm sunshine. Each member of the herd enjoyed independently playing in the water and quenching its thirst, but the reliance they had on each other showed as they fluently moved together to and from the watering hole.

Last, but definitely not least, was the Giraffe. I’m sure each person in the bus could tell you about my overreaction when we saw them drinking at a watering hole for the first time. I have seen Giraffes before, but it wasn’t until I saw the awkward splits they have to do when bending down to get a drink of water that I fell in love. I don’t know what it is, but my heart now melts when I see this beauty of a stretch animal with a long and lanky physique that leads up to big, beautiful eyes. Maybe it spurs from my appreciation of being able to relate to another creature that looks extremely awkward when they run. I don’t know. Whatever the case, my next mission is to find a plane big enough to get my next pet back to College Station, TX so that I can introduce my dog to her new brother or sister.

Oshini

31Jul

By: Tobin Redwine

It’s written on walls, and buildings. We see it spray painted on the shambled brick shanties that dot the landscape of northern Namibia. O-S-H-I-N-I. I tried using context clues to get a grip on it. What could be so common that we see it almost as frequently as the shebeens and barbershops in this area? Is it a business? A restaurant?

My inquisitive nature got the best of me. While passing through Oshakati, I saw two buildings, back to back, in competing business parking lots. Both had OSHINI spray painted in large letters. I asked our driver, Dennis, “What is Oshini? is that the toilet?”

He looked confused, and then he thought for a little bit. “Oshini is hard to explain in English. It is a kind of wood used to grind millet.”

I thought back to our visit to the Nakambale mission museum, where we entered the working homestead occupied by Johanna and her family. They used giant wooden poles to grind up millet in a hole in the ground in traditional Ndonga fashion. Is that Oshini? Tall wooden poles? Are those buildings also housing holes for grinding millet?

Dennis continued to explain, “Oshini is also Oshini. It means truth.”

Here in the Osumusati region of Namibia, poverty is high. The unemployment rate is above 30%. The HIV infection rate is staggering in comparison to southern Namibia statistics. Land ownership is communal, tribal governances control purchases and schedules of homesteaders, shepherding communal herds of goats, donkeys and cows across roadsides. The landscape is busy with animals, disrepair, and people walking in all directions. Here in all the bustle of survival in the arid north, people feel compelled to write Oshini in huge block letters atop their buildings.

What is Oshini? It is a core value. At Texas A&M our values line the walls of the MSC, appear outside the Clayton Williams Former Student Building, and mark the bleachers of the soccer stadium; leadership, selfless service, integrity, excellence, and honor are carved into the rock around our campus. Those values define our community, our spirit, and our people.

Here, Oshini shows up on walls, buildings, and signs. Oshini. Truth.

Oshini is a waitress named Luise. The first night she served us dinner, we were leaving and she came running out the door behind us. She was holding $50 US in her hand. $50 US is equivalent to about $500 Namibian. She knew the Americans had to have dropped it, and she chased us down to hand it back to the student in our group who had dropped it.

Oshini.

After dinner, an old nylon string guitar would get passed around and I sang Roger Miller and Creedance Clearwater Revival to the desert. I finished a particularly lackluster version of Bad Moon Rising, and I heard thunderous applause from the door behind me. There was Luise, hands above her head, applauding.

Oshini.

When we left, she handed me a CD. She is a singer as well. Without expecting anything in return, she gave me primitively recorded album; Uuyelele. She sings gospel songs in her mother tongue. Overcome with gratitude, we gave her a t-shirt a student brought, along with a few other gifts we had for her. She told us it was the only thing form America she had ever held.

Oshini.

At the Ogongo campus of the University of Namibia, we got a tour from two students, Linda and Dash. These young ladies are studying crop science. They showed us the campus and the farm. They were patient with our questions, laughed at our awe of the termite mounds, and shared their culture and research with us. Linda is studying the effect that watering practice has on a maize crop. When I told her that her work was a-Maize-ing, she did a double take, and then threw back her head and laughed. Maybe it was at the joke or maybe it was at the groans from the rest of the group. Either way, a good joke goes a long way.

Oshini.

At the Nakambale community project, we entered the homestead of Johanna. She is 83 years old. She was born in the hut she now lives in, serving as the Matriarch of her community. She shared her millet with us, opened her home, and showed us their way of life, that starts with grinding meal using giant wooden poles that would give most full-grown, beard-wearing American men a serious shoulder problem.

Oshini.

At the Namibia Tannery and Leather Company, Kumbalani walked us through his factory. He talked about the process by which leather is made, and the economics of his business. He was most genuine when he talked about the treatment of animals in a humane way. He showed us a hide of a cow that had been branded more than 20 times. He flipped the hide over and you could see the brand marks, scarring all the way through the cow’s hide, in more than 20 spots.

Oshini.

I have thought a lot about that word, and the core values of the people we are meeting. Here is what they have taught me:

No matter your station in life, hard work is the foundation that feeds us, keeps us alive, and builds our community. Oshini is both the wood that Johanna uses to grind meal, and the truth that keeps her family working and living.

Our actions have repercussions. Our works leave marks deep beneath our hides and below the skin of others. Oshini is the truth by which our actions speak about our character.

Kindness to strangers is as universal as the pentatonic scale. Music is as universal as laughter. And everybody jams on CCR. Oshini.

From here to Gobabeb…

30Jul

Posted a few days later due to Internet issues.

July 21st, 2013

Purgatory is real, and it lies between the Neudamm Campus and the Gobabeb Desert. A baron landscape of African nothingness. It’s current occupants: three cows, a beetle and an ostrich, or at least that’s what I have seen so far. It’s newest members are nine Americans and Dennis, the driver, riding in a 20 something passenger van, down a single lane dirt road made entirely out of bumps. In the distance there are silhouettes of mountains towering from the sand, miles and miles away. This land for some reason does not feel like the same part of the world we just left. It does have some beauty to it, in an open range, Wild West kind of way. I can imagine cowboys and wagon caravans trekking across the undiscovered country terrain, hoping to reach a new, better destination to call home, if only for a little while. It’s kind of like we are on a wagon trail, headed to a new destination for our journey. The destination is Gobabeb Desert. I guess I am a little homesick, thus is why I use the cowboy references. They remind me of home back in Texas. Though cowboys are rare these days, we do have that image engraved in our history. I was reminded about this last night, when our one of our host, Dr. Wingenbach’s colleague, Dr. Schneider, invited us to his home for a final goodbye dinner. He seemed to be fascinated by cowboys and Wild West lawmen. So much so, that he has recently ordered himself a white Stetson. A South African, former commercial pilot and a dean of a college sporting a 10 gallon Stetson, a very interesting man to say the least. Dr. Schneider mentioned a few books to me to help me gain a better knowledge of this newborn country, Namibia. I will be interested in checking them out when I get back to the States. I do not know any of the history of this part of the country. It is so desolate, and there are rarely signs of life, I do not know how there can be any history. Maybe there were tribes people that lived here once. I just do not know how that is possible, or maybe I am just not looking hard enough. I would ask Dennis, but he is a very intimidating looking fellow. I think I’ll just continue sitting here in the back of the bus staring off into the desert. I did manage to catch a glimpse of a small desert fox in the distance, so maybe there is more hope for life. Maybe the history is not with the people of this land, but with the animals. These creatures have evolved and are able to survive out here on very little. That is pretty remarkable. We are headed North, so luckily it is warming up a bit. I couldn’t necessarily tell you how much it has warmed up because the A/C on our Conestoga wagon works pretty well. It does not feel like winter anymore like it did at Neudamm Campus. I hear the desert nights are harsh though, and temperatures can dropped drastically, so I’m not real excited about that. I guess the alternative to being in this situation would be 106 degree in Texas. I’ll take the winter, it is only really bad in the mornings, but after that first cup of coffee, everything is golden. I am not really sure what our accommodations are going to be at Gobabeb. It can be anything from a hut to a resort, we will just have to see when we get there.

Well, we arrived about an hour before sunset, to a small community of adobe buildings strewn across several hectares of desert. It is very picturesque, resembling a desert motel from a movie set. It has it’s redeeming qualities for being smack dab in the middle of God’s green Earth. Well, it’s not very green out here, but you get the idea. In the distance are the dunes we have heard so much about. Hopefully tomorrow we will go hike those and see what this land is really about. We have been given a mission to rephotograph the fauna of the area for the Gobabeb Research Facility’s archives. Scorpions, spiders and beetles, etc. etc. It should be interesting rolling around in the sand, trying to capture these deadly creatures in their natural habitat. Aside from the group photography project, I have been given a special assignment. Along with the current faculty of the center, I am supposed to help create a new informational video to help promote the activities and going-ons around the facility. I was given this project based on my previous education in video production. It has been awhile since I held a video camera, but much like riding a bike, somethings you never forget. I am sure it will all come back to me. I am both excited to help a World recognized organization, yet nervous at the same time. We’ll see how it goes. I previously mentioned the winter season of this hemisphere, well it came back swiftly as soon as the sun fell. It’s so dark out here, I kind of enjoy it. The stars outside are mesmerizing with beauty. You have to travel pretty far back home to see so many stars. Here, I can just walk out of my bungalow door and the whole sky is lit up like diamonds. I failed to mention our accommodations here. We are staying in a fourplex type bungalow. The guys in one room and the girls in another, the other two I assume are vacant. I am not sure, but I believe we are the only visitors right now. Our new cook staff is phenomenal, tonight they fed us lasagna, greek salad and a vegetable medley. I think we were most excited about the variety of teas we got to try, or at least I was. We had our usual joking and what not at dinner, nothin has changed there. Now we are full, have returned to the girls room and we are finishing our homework assignments, blogs and what not. It’s getting pretty close to bedtime though for me. On that note, I think I will rest my mind, and call it quits on writing for tonight.

-Logan Hooks