Good Hope

With less than a week left in Windhoek, the semester is coming to an abrupt end. As often as I have wished to be home and with friends and family, I am left now with a feeling of understanding of how lucky I have been to have this experience in a foreign land. My Father came and went in a flash although he explained, “I feel like I have been here for a month.” I understand his feeling and have found that the heaviness and in-your-face experiences of Southern Africa can be both taxing and mentally straining. I do not mean to over-dramatize my experience, but do want to convey that many days are very intense while others are relaxing and spent by the pool in our enclosed and well-manicured CGE home.

My father was welcomed to PAY by Chacooley limping outside, bleeding from his ears and forehead. Chacooley, a really bright and friendly 10th grader, had gotten in a car accident earlier that day while on an errand for his mother. He was alone driving, in the ever-busy and always dangerous roads of Katutura. I asked Chacooley if was ok and replied with a sound yes and clarified that he was just going to go walk to a private doctor because the public hospital wouldn’t help him with any medication or even clean his wounds. My father was left silenced and saddened and I quickly assured him that standards are just different here. That said, I learned very early on to leave my western solutions and mindset at the door. “People are always bringing foreign solutions to an African problem” is a lasting quote from one of our many speakers. The rest of my father’s time at PAY passed with smiles on each of our faces. He had some great discussions with a few of the students and even held his own as a right-back on the soccer pitch. After a whirlwind tour of Windhoek and some great meals, we headed to Cape Town for a too nice and too luxurious weekend. After a Santos soccer game, a hike on the Cape of Good Hope, bike rides and drives up the coast (on the left side of the road) I was back on the plane to Windhoek. Cape Town was the most stunning city I have ever seen, yet everything seemed to be a step up from Namibia. These increases are seen in everything from division of wealth, retail opportunities, food, and violence. I loved the city but am a bit apprehensive about returning there in week with my group.

This week will be spent sharing and performing our Integrative Projects, which are creative projects that “integrate” all of our classes and experiences. Topics and ideas include documentaries, websites, constructing a Namibian flag out of beer caps, and of course Sam and my spoken word. I am very excited for all of them and hope that my years of listening to hip-hop will aid me in my first public lyrical attempt.