Hi all!
I am so excited for this next adventure to begin-- thank you for all of your support and shared excitement through this long process! I am so excited to depart in a few short days and begin training in Namibia and become a Peace Corps volunteer in October!
In this post, I'm going to answer a few FAQs.
Q: Where is Namibia?
A: North of South Africa, on the western coast. See map below.
Q: What is the capital of Namibia?
A: Windhoek.
Q: What's the weather like in Namibia?
A: Short answer: it varies. Greatly! It can get up to ~105F in the summer (which is during North American winter) and can get quite cold in the winter as well. Overnight, it can freeze in the winter, though temperatures rise during the day. I have been told that the coldest it generally is during the daytime is 55F. (However, no houses/schools have insulation in Namibia, so that means your entire existence is at that temperature-- makes 55 sound a bit colder, doesn't it?)
Q: Where in Namibia will you be during your service?
A: No idea! I find out in early October. The PC/Namibia staff assess us during training (and we give input on our personalities/preferences) in terms of site assignments. Factors considered include type of teaching experience and what you'd be best suited for in Namibia, if you're okay being far out in the bush or not, if you have extensive classroom management experience or not, etc.
Q: How long is Peace Corps service?
A: I'll be gone for 27 months. The first three months are training, then we swear in as official Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) in October and begin our two years of service!
Q: What do the three months of training entail?
A: Lots and lots! We'll be trained in a local language, Namibian culture, general safety, job-specific training (i.e., how to be a teacher in Namibia), etc.
Q: What will your living conditions be like?
A: No idea! (You'll notice a theme here...) Since I don't know my site assignment yet, I can't answer this yet. It could be anything from a hut with a thatched roof and mud floor to a new, cinder-block house. It could be with a host family, it could be by myself, it could be with other teachers, and it could be in a boarding school. No idea!
Q: What will you be doing with the Peace Corps?
A: I will be working as an English language teacher at a local secondary school.
Q: What language do they speak in Namibia?
A: Many! I had originally thought that there were 12 languages spoken in Namibia, but today I heard that there are actually 17! English is the official language of Namibia, as of the late 1980s. As it was such a recent change, only people under ~30 went to school in English and therefore speak it. Here are some of the most common languages spoken in Namibia, aside from English: Afrikaans, Otjiherero, Rukwangali, Oshindonga, Oshikwanyama and Khoekhoegowab.
Q: Are there any terrifying things to be scared of in Namibia? Is it near Ebola? Is it safe?
A: There are lots of spiders and such that terrify me here in the U.S., so I suspect I'll struggle with that equally! In comparison with the rest of Africa, Namibia is a relatively wealthy country that is much on the same scale as South Africa. Although incidents can occur anywhere in the world (even in Glenview, IL!), my understanding is that Namibia is a beautiful country filled with rich culture and deep traditions. It may be unknown to most of us Americans, but I hear it's a beautiful place to be! And no, it's nowhere near Ebola!
Q: Can I send you letters/post cards/wonderful care packages filled with fantastic things?
A: Yes, please! All of the above are most welcome. I'm hoping to have some great penpals during my service! My address until I have a permanent assignment is below; it is the address of the Peace Corps Office in Windhoek. All mail will be forwarded to us trainees in Okahandja during training.
Christy Nichols, PCT
Peace Corps Office
P.O. Box 6862
Windhoek 9000
Namibia
***FOR USPS ONLY***
That's all I can think of for now! Please feel free to post any other questions you may have. Thank you so, so, so much to my family and friends for your relentless support in getting me to this point. I am so excited to be serving the people of Namibia for the next two years. I thank you in advance for your continued support, thoughts, and prayers for success over the coming years. Know that the well wishes are being sent back to you all as well!
Thanks for reading!
Christy
I am so excited for this next adventure to begin-- thank you for all of your support and shared excitement through this long process! I am so excited to depart in a few short days and begin training in Namibia and become a Peace Corps volunteer in October!
In this post, I'm going to answer a few FAQs.
Q: Where is Namibia?
A: North of South Africa, on the western coast. See map below.
Q: What is the capital of Namibia?
A: Windhoek.
Q: What's the weather like in Namibia?
A: Short answer: it varies. Greatly! It can get up to ~105F in the summer (which is during North American winter) and can get quite cold in the winter as well. Overnight, it can freeze in the winter, though temperatures rise during the day. I have been told that the coldest it generally is during the daytime is 55F. (However, no houses/schools have insulation in Namibia, so that means your entire existence is at that temperature-- makes 55 sound a bit colder, doesn't it?)
Q: Where in Namibia will you be during your service?
A: No idea! I find out in early October. The PC/Namibia staff assess us during training (and we give input on our personalities/preferences) in terms of site assignments. Factors considered include type of teaching experience and what you'd be best suited for in Namibia, if you're okay being far out in the bush or not, if you have extensive classroom management experience or not, etc.
Q: How long is Peace Corps service?
A: I'll be gone for 27 months. The first three months are training, then we swear in as official Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) in October and begin our two years of service!
Q: What do the three months of training entail?
A: Lots and lots! We'll be trained in a local language, Namibian culture, general safety, job-specific training (i.e., how to be a teacher in Namibia), etc.
Q: What will your living conditions be like?
A: No idea! (You'll notice a theme here...) Since I don't know my site assignment yet, I can't answer this yet. It could be anything from a hut with a thatched roof and mud floor to a new, cinder-block house. It could be with a host family, it could be by myself, it could be with other teachers, and it could be in a boarding school. No idea!
Q: What will you be doing with the Peace Corps?
A: I will be working as an English language teacher at a local secondary school.
Q: What language do they speak in Namibia?
A: Many! I had originally thought that there were 12 languages spoken in Namibia, but today I heard that there are actually 17! English is the official language of Namibia, as of the late 1980s. As it was such a recent change, only people under ~30 went to school in English and therefore speak it. Here are some of the most common languages spoken in Namibia, aside from English: Afrikaans, Otjiherero, Rukwangali, Oshindonga, Oshikwanyama and Khoekhoegowab.
Q: Are there any terrifying things to be scared of in Namibia? Is it near Ebola? Is it safe?
A: There are lots of spiders and such that terrify me here in the U.S., so I suspect I'll struggle with that equally! In comparison with the rest of Africa, Namibia is a relatively wealthy country that is much on the same scale as South Africa. Although incidents can occur anywhere in the world (even in Glenview, IL!), my understanding is that Namibia is a beautiful country filled with rich culture and deep traditions. It may be unknown to most of us Americans, but I hear it's a beautiful place to be! And no, it's nowhere near Ebola!
Q: Can I send you letters/post cards/wonderful care packages filled with fantastic things?
A: Yes, please! All of the above are most welcome. I'm hoping to have some great penpals during my service! My address until I have a permanent assignment is below; it is the address of the Peace Corps Office in Windhoek. All mail will be forwarded to us trainees in Okahandja during training.
Christy Nichols, PCT
Peace Corps Office
P.O. Box 6862
Windhoek 9000
Namibia
***FOR USPS ONLY***
That's all I can think of for now! Please feel free to post any other questions you may have. Thank you so, so, so much to my family and friends for your relentless support in getting me to this point. I am so excited to be serving the people of Namibia for the next two years. I thank you in advance for your continued support, thoughts, and prayers for success over the coming years. Know that the well wishes are being sent back to you all as well!
Thanks for reading!
Christy
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