Less than a week until my departure date and it is time to
put the finishing touches on my preparation for this trip. For the past few
weeks I’ve been scrambling around with as much inelegance and dysfunction as I
can manage and “starting to pack” (i.e. throwing clothing and bug spray into random
piles on my bed). In my spare time I've been attempting to educate myself on how to
function like a successful human being for the next year. Let’s not kid
ourselves, friends. I do not gracefully get myself in gear.
I can hear you being confused about this whole situation.
I’ll try to explain.
I am spending the next year in the Kunene region of Namibia
teaching 5th grade English, Math, and Life Skills at the Orotjitombo
Primary School. I’m volunteering for this shindig through WorldTeach. I head to the airport on December 29th.
This is where I’ll be.
You still with me?
I’ll be using this blog to keep in touch with people and
relay my adventures (and misadventures) to you all. I can assure you that, at
times, it will not be pretty. No really, kids. Although you might think I’m
insane to move to Africa for a year, that I must have not understood what I
was getting myself into, I do. Usually travel is wonderous. Sometimes
volunteering in a completely foreign environment is the most rewarding thing in
the world. It makes the whole thing worthwhile. Because other times it's
completely bewildering, intimidating, and straight up weird. For instance, the moment you realize
you have no idea what the protocol is for taking a shower.
I’m fortunate enough to be going over with a great group of
volunteers, whom I’m sure will help me get through the rough days and make the
awesome days even awesomer. The region I’m in is pretty rural and sparsely
populated, but there are a few other volunteers stationed about an hour away
from me.
Generally speaking, I’m more mentally composed than I
thought I’d be about leaving. I have my anxieties, but mostly I’m just excited
to get there. We have a few whirlwind weeks of Orientation in the capital of Namibia, Windhoek,
before we disperse to different parts of the country. Then the real fun begins.
