Easter Sunday

Easter, being a religious holiday is a big deal in Namibia. We get a 4.5 day weekend, and most people travel home to their villages. This Easter my sister and her family stayed here in town, so I was able to celebrate the holiday with them, and Shannon and Derek, some volunteers I am traveling to Malawi with.

I decided that it would be fun to do an old fashion Easter Egg Hunt with the kids, however the package from my mom with the egg dying kit had not yet arrived, so we did it old school, water, vinegar and food coloring. After we dyed the eggs with the two older kids, Derek, Shannon and I hid them around the yard and the kids, even Emmy looked for the eggs and sweets.

After the egg hunt, we sat around and talked, and cooked some traditional food for lunch. I made pap and mutate (porridge and greens) for the first time, all by myself... mostly. Even though I am officially too old to look for Easter eggs, somehow Easter egg hunts still manage to be a ton of fun!

 

The kids dying the eggs, we had pink, green and blue.

Ethan... he is just the cutest but somehow he manages to be such a handful.

Clara and Ethan with the eggs.

 

Emmy, to young to dye the eggs but not to young to look for them...

The final eggs.

So cute! So Naughty!

Clara... so beautiful!

You can't even tell he was just throwing a fit...

 

 

My sister Leticia and Emmy

Clara looking for the eggs and sweets

Emmy made sure she wasn't left out

Ethan getting some eggs

And digging for sweets in the tire

Clara with her bag of goodies

this little one likes pointing at the camera...

there were no baskets, but they still had a blast!

My sister and the kids

Me and Ethan... he finally started saying my name, Juney, but if you ask him what my name is, he will still tell you it is Sirumbu... kids.

 

I am going to steal her when I come back to the states.

 

I hope you all had a very Happy Easter!

 

xoxox

June

Why hippos open their mouths...

When God created the Earth, he created the hippo. God wanted to put the hippo on land, but the hippo said to God “we want to be in the water”. God said to the hippo “No, you cannot be in the water, you will eat all of my fish, you are too big and must eat a lot”. The hippo made a deal with God, if God would allow the hippo to live in the rivers the Hippo would be a vegetarian and only eat grass. To prove this to God the hippo will open their mouths to show to god that they are only eating grass, not fish. God would be able to see that the hippo is not eating fish and he will continue to let the hippo live in the river.

Jonathan added to this, that the reason a hippo has a little tail that wags is to show God when they poo that there are no fish bones. The tail scatters their poo and God can see once again that they are not eating his fish. If a hippo eats a fish, it is only by accident because the fish was in the grass.

Why hippos open their mouths... According to Jonathan, our river tour guide.

 

 

 

The Kavango River flows along the northern border of the Kavango Region between Namibia and Angola. Both countries use this river for everything from fishing to washing laundry. The River provides life, not only to the people using it, but a variety of wildlife who live in and off the river.

 

 

 

Hippos and crocodiles are the largest animals in this river, and while they are the most exciting they are also the most dangerous. Many people are taken each year by crocodiles, in fact a small child was killed last week by a crocodile while he was bathing in the river. Goats and calves are eaten by crocodiles more frequently, but humans are always at risk when using the river.

 

This little guy was harmless, only about 3 feet in length



This is a crocodile swimming in the river, that we all somehow missed as we were passing. He was pretty big, as you can tell by his head. Some crocs get as big as 20 feet in length.

 

Look closely, you will see a cute little brown bird... I forgot what it is called...

Cattle Egrets sit with the weaver bird nests.

 

 The River, like any natural resource must be respected and protected. The Kavango river is referenced in many cultural dances and songs, and in general is a large part of life in the Kavango Region. The river allows life to continue in Kavango even when the country is facing drought. Crops have water, homes have water, and cattle still have water, all of this allowing people to eat and farm. It is the Kavango River that allows this region to have the potential to be the "bread basket of southern Africa".

My home away from home...

The title, Peace Corps Volunteer comes with an image... it gives people a certain idea about what the next two years of a volunteers life look like; I am here to clarify that image. People, including Peace Corps Volunteers before we actually get here, imagine volunteers living in huts, in small villages, fetching a boiling all water, going days without bathing, and only getting to talk to friends and family the one weekend a month that you are able to find internet. While this might be true still for some countries and even some parts of Namibia, that is not my Namibia.

As you all know by now I live in Rundu. I have 5 grocery stores, 2 hardware stores, a big soccer stadium and more taxis than a person can count... there are even a few BMW's driving around. I live... lived, in a nice flat with running water and electricity, about a 20 minute walk from town. Due to recent break-in attempts, I live in a guest house that also has running water, electricity, wifi and a nice TV in the front room. Most of Namibia is fairly developed, at least technologically... lord knows Namibians love their telenovelas, if DST (direct TV) shut down, who knows what would happen.

Part of my transition into my site was a host family that I was "assigned" to. I didn't live with them, I moved directly into my new flat, but Leticia quickly became my sister. I go to their home once and a while for dinner, I even baked a cake for Emmy's first birthday, but mostly I spend time with my youth or at work. While it is a luxury to have a nice comfortable flat with running water, most of the time, and electricity, something still felt like it was missing.

We say all the time that the key to success in Peace Corps is not comparing experiences, everyone has challenges regardless of wifi accessibility. For me, it felt like I wasn't making many connections, my language wasn't as strong as it could be, and I didn't have that family connection that many volunteers are fortunate to have. So, I decided to change that. Marisa is another Peace Corps Volunteer who lives in Rundu, and she and I became fast friends, after PST that is, she is now more of a sister than a friend. I look forward to the days that she comes into Rundu and we always manage to have a great time. One weekend after many reminders that I had not yet been to her village, Gove in Sambyu,  I decided it was time to pack a bag and head out to Gove. I fell in love! I was instantly welcomed by the family, Vanane (mother) and Vavava (father) were very happy to have me, and my little brothers and sisters immediately started calling me "sister Nepemba". Vavava even had my little brother catch a chicken that we cooked for Sunday dinner. There was no better way to be welcome to my new home away from home!

Gove, Sambyu

Kalumbu walking in Gove

 

Gove Pride!

Kalumbu has a little more village pride... she does live here full time after all.

Outside of the homestead

Entertainment, village style

Carrying water

 

Selling raisins
 

The girls before they performed at the school talent show

Around the Homestead

Inside the homestead, the last picture is the outside of Marisa's hut, then you can see the kitchen and the other side.
The thatched roofs keep it nice and cool during hot days.



Kalumbu & Jeppo inside Ris' hut

Vanane



Baby Jeppo... she's the best!

Sister Mutongo

Sister Wanga

Brother Sevia


Brother Dion... He's my favorite!


He is just so damn cute!


Until he gives me looks like this and tells me that I will never catch him...


The boys playing around.


The family has some Mahangu plants, this is a staple crop in Namibia. We dry the white seeds and grind them
up and use it to make porridge... it's pretty tasty, until some sand gets in it.

And then... I found BABY GOATS... and practically lost my damn mind!!!!!!!!!

Just so cute!!!!!!

I couldn't handle it... I mean, seriously....

 

AH!!!! I want to keep them all!!!

 

These new mommas had a long morning. Look at the little guy, standing up for the first time. So cute!

Munchin on some food after a long morning. 

 

Just the best!

 

 

See ya next time...

 

 

xoxoxo