March 11th - Events Leading up to Invitation
At 8:20 AM, I sent my answers for final review and by 9:32, I received an email notifying me that I had been qualified for service and that I would receive an invitation to serve via email that would detail the dates and country.
By 3:20 PM, I received my official invitation:
"Dear Robert,
Congratulations! It is with great pleasure that we invite you to begin training in Namibia..."
If you could have looked at me through the web cam on my computer, I probably had a look on my face like a confused puppy, one ear perked up, one lower. I looked at the list I had written down (you can see it in the "Predicting Where I Might Go" entry) and found that Namibia received volunteers in 2011 in August. Going on the July departure date, I had narrowed down the places I thought they were considering sending me to: Cape Verde, Philippines, South Africa, and Zambia. I had read up on South Africa and Zambia - but Namibia hadn't been on my radar. What would it be like to live there for two years? I only knew the capital (Windhoek), its relative location (southwestern Africa), and I had heard of it being a country with resources like uranium, diamonds, and natural gas.
My mind went back to my interview. At one point, I was asked if I had an idea of where I would like to serve. I said: "I'd like to go somewhere that has intact cultural traditions, a warm climate, perhaps a bit away from everything...like the Pacific Islands, for example." (hint hint) Then my mind went to a friend I studied Arabic with at University of Alabama at Birmingham who lived in Namibia for six or more years. I called him, and this is what he told me:
Namibia is one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world. It has a population of about 2.3 million in a country twice the size of California. The North is where 60-70% of the population lives. Oshiwambo is the most widely spoken language in the North with Khoisan languages and Afrikaans being spoken in the central and southern areas. He said he wouldn't call Namibia cosmopolitan, but is very welcoming/accepting of foreigners and there are fewer tourists than you would find in some other countries. Things can feel remote outside of major cities. Experiencing the vast expanse and open skies of Namibia will remind you what a tiny speck you are on the face of the Earth. The country has a considerable amount of money coming in from industry, which has been invested in good infrastructure which has in turn not been strained by a large population. Most villages have running water and electricity. Cellular service is expensive, because there is only one service provider. There is a special breed of horse - the Namib Desert Horse - from Namibia. Wherever you are, there are always things to do outdoors. Touristic highlights include the Skeleton Coast, Victoria Falls (technically not in Namibia, just past the Caprivi Strip), Sossusvlei, and Swakopmund. He said he couldn't recommend the country more highly, and that if he were offered a job in Namibia, he would accept it with no reservations whatsoever.
After a few hours of processing information from various sources, accepting my invitation was an easy decision to make. I can't wait to share what happens with you!
Click here for source of image for the Namibian Flag
March 11th - Receiving My Invitation
"Dear Robert,
Congratulations! It is with great pleasure that we invite you to begin training in Namibia..."
If you could have looked at me through the web cam on my computer, I probably had a look on my face like a confused puppy, one ear perked up, one lower. I looked at the list I had written down (you can see it in the "Predicting Where I Might Go" entry) and found that Namibia received volunteers in 2011 in August. Going on the July departure date, I had narrowed down the places I thought they were considering sending me to: Cape Verde, Philippines, South Africa, and Zambia. I had read up on South Africa and Zambia - but Namibia hadn't been on my radar. What would it be like to live there for two years? I only knew the capital (Windhoek), its relative location (southwestern Africa), and I had heard of it being a country with resources like uranium, diamonds, and natural gas.
My mind went back to my interview. At one point, I was asked if I had an idea of where I would like to serve. I said: "I'd like to go somewhere that has intact cultural traditions, a warm climate, perhaps a bit away from everything...like the Pacific Islands, for example." (hint hint) Then my mind went to a friend I studied Arabic with at University of Alabama at Birmingham who lived in Namibia for six or more years. I called him, and this is what he told me:
Source of photo: Guide de Namibie
Linguistic map of Africa. Oshivambo would be an example of a Bantu language. KhoeKhoe would be an example of a Khoisan ("click") language.
It became clear to me that this was a once-in-a-lifetime offer to experience something really different from anything I had imagined before. Two lessons from my past came up as I contemplated accepting the invitation: (1) the best things in life are unexpected and (2) a good sign that you're about to do something remarkable is an unsteady feeling of "What am I getting myself into?!"
Click here for source of image for the Namibian Flag
Wow, I think you're going to love Namibia!
ReplyDeleteAt least Fairfield must have been a good preparation for a sparsely populated country like that...
And don't worry, it's perfectly normal to freak out over big things like this! It shows that you're taking it seriously which means you'll be well prepared mentally for the experience :)
Robert, I hope this doesn't strike you as too odd that I have tracked this site down. I'm your seatmate from the Amtrak on Sunday. I had a nagging feeling on the train that I should ask for your email address and didn't. When I got home, I told my wife about our conversations, and she was also intrigued. She mentioned that you guys are required to keep communications (and maybe even pen pals?) back here at home while you're abroad. She said she'd love to offer her 5th grade class for next year up as an option. I'm sure they would all be fascinated with what you are doing there, and being a Christian school, it would give them an insight into what true service is all about.
ReplyDeleteIt was a real long shot to find you by googling "Maharishi + Birmingham + Peace Corps + Namibia." I figured that if I wanted to track you down at all, I'd have to contact the Peace Corps who would probably tell me that my quest was fruitless. Yet, here I am.
So, I guess I'm writing for two reasons: First, I'd love to keep up with you and what you're doing in Namibia, whether that be through email correspondence or traditional letter correspondence. Second, would you be interested in communicating and sharing your experiences with a 5th grade class made up of 8 students in Chattanooga, TN (Signal Mtn. specifically)?
It was great to meet you this weekend. Good luck on your adventure.
Patrick B.
snakemb134@gmail.com