Christy in Namibia - Peace Corps

Hello, earthling blog readers! Sorry for the huge dearth of posts. Life happens. Blogging doesn't always! Here are some month by month updates and such since I last posted. March School started again (post-flooding) at the very end of March. Things were hugely hectic as we had a lot of class time to make up for due to the missed lessons during flooding. I taught double my normal teaching load every day for the end of March and first half of April. I taught after school or during free lessons as well as teaching nearly every Saturday. It was seriously crazy for a while there! April See above. Exams started mid-April for the learners and cramming in final topics was hard work, but the kids and I all survived! It all paid off because they generally did quite well on their exam. The very same day that my kids wrote their exams, I grabbed my stacks of marking and hitchhiked down south to welcome the new group of Community Economic Development (Entrepreneurship/Business) PCVs. Th...

Hey friends, fam, and curious strangers! What's new with you? (If I don't know the answer to this question, please reach out! I miss you!) At the moment, there's a lot new with me. Hence the blog post! First and foremost, I have been evacuated from my site at Oshikulufitu Combined School in Omusati region in Namibia. The flooding from above average rainfalls has resulted in areas of the village that have standing water above the knee. The water started accumulating in earnest mid February and has been steadily increasing in severity since then.  Flooding on the walk between school and the road Flooding in Oshakati town In the northern parts of Namibia, we have what are called "oshanas"-- areas of low lying and hard packed soil that become seasonal pans. The oshanas are the first place to flood. We have one enormous oshana in front of our school on the way to the tar road. This oshana was filled knee deep on 17 February. In between the oshanas, ...

As I mentioned in my previous post, the very same day that Leah and I parted ways was the same day that I went to SA to meet up with my family. I am truly so, so lucky. I joked with some of my colleagues in December that since I am not going home during my service, I’m bringing America to Africa! Boy, did that feel true when I waited at the arrivals terminal for all six members of my immediate family to walk out of those sliding glass doors. I can’t express the excitement, joy, and love I felt watching my family members pass through the doors and come out into the arrivals atrium. First Andrew and Jo, and then after 30 minutes or so, my dad, mom, John, and Kelsey. I pretty much hug-tackled all of them. How could you do anything different when it’s the first time you’re all together in 1.5 years?! It was my first time seeing my siblings (including siblings-in-law) since July/August 2015. It was my first time seeing my parents since May 2016. All in all, a huge excitement. Th...

It’s not everyday that your bestie comes halfway across the world to visit you. That’s why December 14 th was one of the best days ever!!! It had been so long in the making that it almost seemed impossible when the day arrived. I had been in Windhoek for a VSN (Volunteer Support Network) training & meeting and I dipped out early that day to go and rent a car and pick Leah up at the airport. The car rental was a bit of a process, so I was slightly late for getting Leah. But when we found each other, both peeking our heads around a corner in search of the other, it all got so real! We exchanged a tear-filled bear hug and quickly jumped into the car to start our road trip to Etosha National Park! (Yes, I’m that cruel of a host. After 36 hours of traveling, I made Leah get into the car to start a road trip!) Some roadtrip scenery After we were about halfway to the gate of Etosha, we came to realize that we weren’t going to make it to the gate before the sun went down,...