The Goals of Peace Corps: The Bright Side

The past couple weeks have been rather, emotional, for me (as for many).
Don't worry; this is nothing political.

Lets just skip the past week in general shall we?

Peace Corps has 3 main goals, I'd like to highlight goals 2 and 3.


Goal 3:  To help promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans.

Two weekends ago I received word that a good friend of mine back home had an accident and was in the ICU on life support. Monday morning (my time) I woke to news of his passing. Now if you've read My Story: The Reason you know, death is quite the heavy load for me. However, as The Lion King taught us, it's part of the circle of life. So for today I ask of you. whoever it is you pray to, say a little something for Gary Davenport. That guy, he was just a genuine soul and one heck of a jokester.


However, I did have a rather sweet moment. Later in the day I was sitting under the trees trying to cope, when one of the grade 2 learners came up to me. She noticed I was crying and asked what's wrong. So, I told her "a friend of mine from home died and my heart is broken." She looked at me for a moment, got up and said "Tani wiza" (I'm coming [back]). A couple minutes later she returned with a bag of ice and put it near my chest while she told me about the time she once broke a bone and so her grandma had her put ice on it. I melted. It was a reminder of just how pure and kind people can be. With that moment alone not only did this adorable girl with the sweetest jack-o-latern smile make me feel better, but she inspired me. It was the simplest moment of kindness, and yet I don't think she realizes how much that one moment impacted me. How in that moment, I needed something like that.

So, if there is one thing I want people to absolutely know about my host country Namibia (Speaking specifically of the Kavango region): For the majority, the locals are very kind. They're curious. They're welcoming and  yes, doing an entire greeting is mandatory every time you simply see each other. Overall, there is a astonishing sense of community community.

Rest In Peace Gary Davenport

September 17, 1988

October 30, 2016

Goal 2: To help promote a better understanding of Americans on part of the peoples served.

Let me tell you, being a teacher has some perks. The school year is coming to an end in just a couple weeks and I can guarantee you, the grade 8 and 9 learners learned 2 very important lessons!

1. Chicago is the best city in the whole entire world! Yes, that is indeed a fact.

2. In fact, to go along with that, the Chicago Cubs are the World Series Champions.


Time difference can really affect the news you wake up to, so when I woke up to find messages awaiting in all caps say " WE ARE THE WORLD SERIES CHAMPS", that set a tone for the day. My classes did have an exam scheduled, but being that I'm the teacher, I hold the power to decide to postpone the exam to teach a very valuable lesson to these children. I told them a story about how over 100 years ago a horrible horrible curse was placed on a great team known as the Chicago Cubs. Despite all of the Cubs great efforts the curse could not be broke, until now!! This great triumph was to show everyone not to give up on their dreams and it was basically a holiday, so exams were canceled because we had to all learn a very important song, and dance.


Seriously, this is a video you have to watch! Ms. Tena's very important World Series Champions, The Chicago Cubs Lesson ( https://youtu.be/XniiB8PCLyo )

A gofundme has been set up for the family of Gary. If you would like to donate visit Gary Davenport's Memorial Gofundme page

Is that a mirror in your pants?: Namibian pick up lines

How much does a polar bear weigh? Enough to break the ice! BADA BING! *mic drop*

So do I have your attention now? Let's be honest cheesey pick up lines are funny, in any country. I loved the different lines people came up with in the United State, around South America, and Namibia is no different. So just in case you find yourself in Namibia and need a few great lines in your pocket these are a few myself and a few volunteers have encounteered.



* Meets you for the very first time "I love you! We must marry."

* You're so fat and pale

* Has anyone ever told you that you have breast like a chicken?

* You're hair is so beautiful, its like rice and mayonaise

* Have you ever tasted?

* Is it true all Americans look like Kim Kardasian?
                         - Do I look like Kim Kardasian to you?
   No you look like Martha Stewart!

* Come swim in the river, but if you dont take off all your clothes the crocodilles will eat you.

* Have you ever seen a Namibian snake?

* God told me we should be together.

* You're more beautiful than a Savannah sunset 

* Do you know how fast a cheetah is? 

     -umm no 

  Neither do I, but not fast enough to catch my heart like you did

Got more? Or do you have catchy American pick up lines to share with locals? Send them my way

Sunday Funday Pictures!

It's that time of year where the Learners start preparing for their "Culture Competitions" in the Kavango. Learners collaborate traditional dancing, songs, and dramas together into a skit where they will compete with other schools. 

These are a couple of the traditional drums typically played by boy students. 

Since the Culture Competitions are a big deal in the area, and the drums can be heard through out the village, it attracts people to come watch their practices.

Little Miss Mariah here is one of my grade 8 English Learners, and one of our Culture Team's secret weapon. This girl can dance!!

Back to school! Term 2 of school has been back and at it for about 2 weeks. Winter is also upon us so people are layering up.

If you even (slightly) know me, you know I have a serious hot Cheetos addiction! Luckily my friends rock my socks and send me happiness in a box! If you haven't tried hot Cheetos with marshmallow cream, go try it, now! Lol trust me, it's great!

Flashback!!!

One of the local bands here Kolesa and my host sister invited a couple friends and I to their End of Year party last December. And recently sent me some of the photos they took. 

They are a GREAT band, I'm hoping to upload some of their music soon!

(Isn't my host sister so pretty? I'm couldn't ever ask for a better host sister!) 

Zambia Trip

To continue on with the May holiday adventures after Erindi Game Park my friend and I returned to the Kavango region and stayed in my village for a bit so that I can show her that village life style. I’m glad she got to experience it, but there was one MAJOR perk she got to enjoy which NEVER happens, we had Taco Tuesday!!!  As a birthday gift my family sent my friend Bea with some corn tortillas for me ;) a few friends were over so to kick off my Namixcan BirthMay celebrations we had margaritas and tacos!! It was awesome!!

After a few days in the village a group of fellow volunteers, Bea, and myself decided to jump some boarders and venture off to Zambia, just east of Namibia. This time we were riding in style and used Intercape Bus. It wasn’t anything fancy, but it was 3,792,735 times better than Kumbis. Kumbis really do make me nervous. Also, Intercape offered an overnight bus which was a nice option so that we could just sleep for the 11 hour ride and arrive in the morning so the adventures could begin right away. Early in the morning we saw some wild elephants and giraffes on the side of the road. This made me kind of giggle to my friend. Back home the animals I saw the most often were cattle and horses. Now I rarely see horses but giraffes and baboons are pretty regular thing; when I return to the states it’s going to be funny to see horses again.

Back to the fun stuff though, Zambia!! Zambia was awesome. We stayed in a pretty touristy area, Livingston so I didn’t get to see too much of the country by any means, but what I did see, I loved. We were there about 3 and half days and got to do lots of fun stuff. The first day was a bit more relaxed and we basically just walked around Livingston which was a cute town. People seemed friendly and it had a nice safe feel to it. The second day was action packed. We got to go see one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, Victoria Falls. If you are not familiar with it Victoria Falls is the largest waterfall in the world and it is absolutely beautiful!! It costed $20USD and was completely worth it. There are many walking trails on top and on the bottom of the falls. There’s also a bridge about mid level of the falls directly in front of them where you can walk and get soaked. The mist from the falls is so strong it creates a rainforest and garden of rainbows, it was surreal to see. The other exciting point was bungee jumping!! Yes bungee jumping!!!! Ahh it was so scary yet a blast all at once. A bridge a bit down from the falls offers a thing called the Big Air package, this included bungee jumping, the bungee swing (which was similar to bungee jumping with out as much air time and you fall feet first rather than head first), and zip lining. Check out the following blog to see the video of the bungee swing and bungee jumping. Man, that was a rush. I think bungee jumping was even scarier than sky diving!

The next day we purchased a package from the hostel we stayed at (JollyBoys backpackers) which started our day with a 2 hour canoe ride where we got to see a few elephants, followed by elephant interaction where we got to feed and hang out with the elephants. You even get to sit with them and tell them about how pretty they are. Well you don’t have to tell them that but theyre beautiful so I wanted to. After the interaction we went on a small safari drive followed by lunch. After lunch we were able to relax for bit before going on a sunset cruise where dinner was provided. On the boat we met a super sweet pair of parents who were in Zambia because their son just completed his 27 month service with Peace Corps and was now marrying someone he met during service.  Those Peace Corps love stories get me every time!

Over all the trip (though brief) was one of a life time. I had great company and an amazing time. Tons of pictures were taken so I decided to collaborate them all into this fun little video. (Told you I’d make up for the missed Sunday Funday pictures.) So for your Sunday Funday there are tons of pictures between then three blog posts!

Life in a day of camp.... condoms and bibles and HIV, OH MY!

In a previous article I told you a bit about "Secondary Projects" which are exactly what it sounds like. Secondary Projects are the other things you do outside of the main reasons/role you were hired to do, mine being teaching English.

Well, as you know one if my "Secondary Projects" is Camp YEAH! (Which you will know more about in a blog very soon.) However, I just have to share this story now now!

Today was day 4 of camp: we've spent the past few days teaching about HIV/AIDS, safe sex, STIs, Teen Pregnancies, stereotypes, Healthy relationship... You know, that fun stuff. So let me tell you about this very day!

Woke up, started the day in a dining hall full of Namibian teens eating breakfast. After having way too much coffee and hot chocolate we began the activities for the day.

First activity: teaching the Learners how to put on male condoms. 

Second activity: Use Tupac and Justin Beiber to explain how we can use the Bible as guidance, specifically with HIV related topics.

We needed to get the work done before moving onto the TALENT SHOW!!!!



And so my day ended by being in a WWE skit as Lady Loca

Signature move: The Chola Choke-Out 

That's alllll bad nuh 

(If you're from NM you'll get it ;) 

And so that my blogging community, is how one may spend their day in the life as a PCV hosting a camp for learners.

Legends from the Kavango: Things to be aware of when crossing the river in a canoe

For many residents of the Kavango regions (East and West) life is lived along the Okavango River. The miles upon miles of river bring plenty of (the most delicious) fish you could hope to catch, memes doing their laundry, kids spashing and flipping into the river, people around every curve enjoying a nice, and several watos (canoes in English) coasting through the waters.
The watos are not only useful for travel, fishing, and having fun; their beautiful hand carvings decorate the river quite nicely. However, according the legend, there can be danger riding in a wato depending on what you were up to the night before.

Also enjoying the gifts of the river are many hippos. What you may not know about the hippos are they have extra senses that can recognize if you were sleeping with someone other than your spouce the night befor. If you've been behaving the hippos will let you ride along the river in the canoe in peace. Unfortunately, if you have been a bit scandalous the hippos will provide you with your karma. Somehow the hippos are aware of what your life is like between the sheets and if you're unfaithful, and try crossing the river in a canoe a hippo will come out of no where and attack you!! If you are willing to admit the adultery to the people your with though, you can break off a piece of bamboo to place in the front of the wato. That piece of bamboo will then keep you safe from the vengeful hippos as you travel in the waters.

So next time you plan on getting in a wato to enjoy a ride, make sure you're practicing honesty... or it just may be the last thing you do before the hippos make you pay!

How to survive the rough weeks of Peace Corps

So as much as Id love to say serving, as a PCV is rainbows and sunshine every day, sometimes this gig is rough! Let’s face it; every day can’t be on fleek. (ß who says PCV’s can’t be hip with the cool words States side) These past couple weeks have been one of a few weeks that had me borderline 3-year-old tantrum, tossing myself on the floor kicking and screaming in need of someone to just hold me, say its okay, and give me a sticker and ice-cream. However, not all hopes are lost, I’ve come to find there’s a few ways to survive riding the rocky waves.

Happiness in a box – I’m pretty sure I can speak for all volunteers when I say getting mail makes your day. Come on when was the last time you wrote some snail mail? Its fun! I love reading what friends and family have to say, and I have fun drawing pictures on the letters responding.  Even if your not a PCV tell me you don’t enjoy a letter from a friend. Care packages!!! Its like Christmas morning to get to your box and see a little slip to pick up your package at the office. I pretty much skip the whole way to the post office. Seriously, I can not say thank you enough to the people who have sent me goodies, especially the ones who have sent supplies for my little monsters, wait I mean….. ummm….. classes of angels. 

Welcome to the twenty first century – Isn't technology great? There’s been a few times I had a day from h-e double hockey sticks! Then I get a notification from a friend or family saying either something encouraging or some quoting funny conversations or recapturing funny memories.  Sometimes I swear people sense it even from the other side of the globe.

Hide! – Its taboo for the culture of my host village to spend time alone, but some times its needed. Yes, integration and being active in your community is good, but sometimes its just, needed to lock yourself in your room with head phones staring at the roof. Sometimes sanity is granted by tucking away behind a back tree with a book. Just go for a walk. This job can be tough at times, sometimes the best de-stressor is a nice walk and breath of air.

I cant believe I’m about to suggest binge eating – I love chocolate and hot Cheetos. I ATTEMPT to save my hot Cheetos for rainy days, but then, well theyre hot Cheetos, especially lime, mmmmmmmmmm *starts dreaming of its loveliness*. Peace Corps has taught me the meaning of love; love is the feeling you get when you put hot lime Cheetos in your mouth. Since my hot Cheetos don’t typically last long I try to always have a chocolate bar or some other treat tucked away. Some times simply surviving the day is reason enough to celebrate and indulge in good as an award for not going [completely] bonkers.

Pack your teddy bear – Seriously! If you have one pack it. I have an elephant, her name is Cassie and she is the best. Also, before I left my friends back home gave me the best going away gift ever! They threw a surprise going away party and made me a scrap book  of collages, pictures, messages, and some extreme randomness, and I LOVE IT! Just flipping threw its pages not only makes me smile every time, its helps ease home sickness spells.

If you need to talk to someone, then talk. - We're not super heros, we're humans and with that comes emotions. You'd be surprise who you find can be the biggest support when you need it. There was literally a time I was so frustrated I cried my eyes out and a learner saw me, shocked to find out Americans cry. I'm usually a very bubbly person so she was under the impression that Americans are just happy. I didn't feel the need to explain all the issues but rather just leave it at, I'm feeling sad right now and sometimes crying helps. The next day she showed up at school with a card for me. 

And when all else fails a nice walk in with your head phones blasted is really nice way to relieve some stress and bring you back to the fact that you are living through an experience. Whether you're in America, Africa, South America, on and island, good days and bad days happen. Sometimes one of the trickiest parts of being a volunteer is learning how do dance through the rain rather than screaming at the next person to cross your path. 

I love Ellie Goulding and this song (Scream it Out) has played on repeat a few times to help me feel better, maybe it can help you too :)

https://youtu.be/RV9EKQG2ixI

What Kind of Impact can a Peace Corps Volunteer Actually Have?

What impact could a Peace Corps Volunteer really hold in the long run?

 

Prior to beginning service I was asked a couple times a very daunting question:  “Do you really think it helps these countries for you to go do stuff for them for two years and then come back?” After an initial moment of defensiveness I would usually respond with a “you should do some research on the Peace Corps and their history.”

 I must admit, no I don’t think Peace Corps would be of any benefit if we did just come to these countries “do stuff for them”, take some pictures and leave. 

            Peace Corps has established three main goals and 10 standards that come along with service. However, even with these in place, there will always be critics and that’s okay. Good actually. I’d be lying if I didn't admit there has been a couple times I’ve laid in bed questioning, am I doing this right? Am I making an impact?

          Well a couple weeks ago another volunteer and I jumped into a taxi in our shopping town. In Namibia taxis work a bit differently. Taxis pile in as many people as they can into the vehicle, and make various stops in route.  So in the typical fashion we more so stuffed ourselves in taxi. A woman asked if we were Peace Corps Volunteers and with a big smile told us about how a few years back, when she was in school they had a Peace Corps Volunteer and he taught them a really funny Christmas song with a penguin. “I still remember that song.” And as we quickly got to her stop she jumped out, excitedly waved and said bye. It was a sweet to say the least.

         The real moment that stopped me in my tracks though was in yet another taxi on my way to town.  Being that we were in the village riding into town the car only had the driver, an older woman and myself.  Greeting is very important in the culture here, so I gave the standard “Morokeni” greeting to the two in the vehicle when the older woman gave a little smirk and asked “Are you a Peace Corps Volunteer?” “Yes I am”. She explained she could tell by accent, which made us both giggle. My accent does need work. Rukwangali is hard! “At my school when I was in grade 7 in 1996 we had a Peace Corps Volunteer as our English teacher from Virginia and she always smiled.” I was impressed, 20 years later and still so many vivid memories. She continued to ask me a couple questions about myself and we shared some small chat. The car got quiet for a couple minutes when she said “I was the first girl leader in my class in grade 8” as she sat a little taller and smiled. “Really? That’s awesome!” I said sharing her excitement. “Yes, she picked me and another boy learner to be the two captains. Some of the other learners were mad and even a teacher told her both captains must be boys but she said a girl and a boy earned this year so she’s running an experiment. And then after that in grade 9, 4 classes had a boy and girl captain.” Namibia is a very young country so to have a country, not even in double digits of age embrace a concept such as gender equality is HUGE! Not only that, but also that one opportunity the volunteer gave this woman is something dear the woman has held onto ever since. She was so proud to tell me the story. Just showing up in a country and “doing stuff for them” doesn’t do something like that.

 Serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer won’t make you empower every person experiencing oppression for any which reason such as gender, sexuality, disability, age, religion etc. You probably won’t solve world hunger. Unfortunately, after you complete service there will probably still be domestic violence and diseases being spread. We can’t solve every issue in the world, but we sure can try to give at least one positive opportunity to even one person, or give any sort of positive impact at that. Whether than impact be helping a community plant gardens to feed its people, building a library, making someone the first female class captain, or teaching a fun Christmas song, our lives our made up of domino sequences. If each volunteer can go through service and impact even one person during that time in such a positive way that that person in return uplifts another as well; well then thank you to the over 226,000 volunteers who have served and are currently serving because that’s lot of people world wide who just may share their story in a taxi with another volunteer some day.

Don't you miss your family and friends?

A couple questions I’ve been asked regularly are “is it hard to be away from your family?” or “Don’t you miss your friends?”. Or often I’m asked what’s the hardest part about being in Peace Corps? Well of coarse its being away from loved ones. In my short seven months of service, back on the States side I’ve had one of my longest known friends get engaged to her high school sweetheart and they have been together over 10 years! I’ve had births enter the world. My niece Savannah (who is my everything) had her very first volleyball game, where she also made the team captain, and though I once made it a priority to be at every game I possibly could, I was now on the opposite side of the world. And though it hurts, I also lost people. I’ll be honest, yeah; it is hard to be away from your family.

            Call me lucky though, because even through the nostalgia, (not to mention an ocean and vast distances of land) I don’t think I could feel any closer to people back home. Where I once went many days with out talking to family, we now make it a point to talk once a week. Don’t get me wrong, internet isn’t always reliable, but the fact that we each put in the effort is priceless. I have friends I hadn’t seen in months or years sending letters. Any volunteer can tell you, getting mail is one hella good feeling.  I’m even more beyond fortunate to have a supportive circle shooting me messages on Facebook or email saying “hey girl what can we do to help, is there anything you need”. A couple times some of my learners or host family member have been able to be featured in FaceTime and Skype calls, and boy does it turn into talk of the school for a week. Yeah, I miss my family and friends, but I’m also with my family and friends.

            See nothing can every replace friends and family from “home” but one of the greatest gifts of service is the relationships gained while serving. Today my host mom (who is a member of the school board) and toddler niece had to come by the school I’m teaching at. Well, when I walked back to the offices for my free period my host niece saw me and with a huge cheesy 4-teeth smile and wobbly steps came at me. My heart seriously melted. Some of the friendships I’ve made both in the network of volunteers and locals are relationships I could never forget.  I get eager to visit my Bunya host mom telling people, “yeah this weekend I’m going to visit my mom”. My host sister is seriously one of my best friends. Just as my sister back home is. This, this is magic. There is a certain amount of sacrifice with serving in the Peace Corps and living over seas, but the rewards that come along with service are incomparable. 

Half a year and a lifetime of lessons

Wow!! Six months! Its been six months since I boarded a plane to a whole new life; to a dream still be dreamt yet living all at once. I’ve learned several things over this bundle of months. I’ve embraced new meanings, tried things I never thought I would, took a couple chances, and learned many new things. These six months have gone by in a flash, and before I even knew it I recognize six new realities, which establish when what I knew and what I’m coming to know collided in my time here:

 

 

 

6) This country needs a talent scout! Seriously! Singing is a big part of this culture, and I don’t blame them with the voices they have. I swear some how being musically inclined is in these locals’ genetics, same with dancing.Every single week they start off school on Monday with singing songs. When I do games with learners and tell them okay dance, do you know how many typically get shy… ZERO! One of the closest friends I made here will break into song at any given moment, in any given genre, for any reason… with no warning. What this has taught me: Sing me a song about life and dance me the dream of dreams! Just, groove your freakin heart out!! Why not? Singing it out just, feels good; simple as that. I’m no singer, but I constantly find myself singing while I’m cooking, dancing while brushing my teeth, drumming random rhythms like I’m some kind of red pen star in a world built out of notebook and paper mountains…. And every single time I catch myself in these moments, I just smile.

 

5) “I love you too much”, “You’re so fat” Right of the bat this could come off as rude right? Someone, you’ve never met walks up to you and just starts telling you about how fat you are and how great it is right? But hear me out. It’s a compliment! In words it may not seem so but in context it means that it looks like you is well-fed and taken care for. Who wouldn’t enjoy such a life right? On many cases I’ve heard love confessions or comments on my fatti-ness within the first five minutes of meeting someone and youknow what that taught me: Compliment each other!! We really don’t do this enough. The world can be competitive, its human nature. Being complimented feels great, and so does complimenting. There is one learner I met when I first got to Kasote and one of the first things she told me was she “wishes she could be beautiful like me” after being taken back for a moment I told her “I wished I could be beautiful like her”. Since then when I see her I greet her by saying “Hi miss beautiful” and every time, the shy smile she gets is priceless. The bigger moment was one day when she caught a glimpse in the mirror and said “Me also, I’m beautiful right Ms. Tena”.

 

 

4) Every day from the staff room at some point or another the air is filled with the sound of adorable as can be grade 0 learners (kindergarten and pre-k students) singing at the top of their lungs the happiest of tunes. They stand tall as can be and scream to a tune more then sing, making sure their voice is heard. They are proud of their voices. When I see them on the school yard they wave with so much excitement and scream out my name. What these overwhelming moments of cuteness has taught me: Happy to see someone; care about that person’s existence? Just, say it! To let a person know what you think of them, well damn that’s a dive into a waterfall. You never know how someone will react to how you feel about them, but do it! Say what you want to say. Maybe it will go great, maybe you’ll never see each other again, maybe it will start a new friendship/relationship, maybe it will salvage and old one. If you like someone, tell them! Love them? Hell go for it, maybe they feel the same, perhaps not, but at least you know what, you were brave and you took on one of the biggest challenges known to mankind.

 

3) Nom Nom Nom! Who doesn’t love themselves some amazing gooey warm melty Mac and cheese? Well what Namibians top their pasta with is Ketchup and Mayo. I remember to a T the first time I saw my little host sister doing this after school. I serious just watched like, is that what I think it is as I continued to stir the cheese, milk and butter into my pasta. As I served my sense of comfort food from home into my bowl I caught my sister looking at me like I was nuts for doing so. We both just looked at each other pasta like why would you do that? I offered her a taste and she was not she to decline the strange mixture I had made. She offered me a bit, granted it wasn’t a special version of the dish to accommodate my 2874 food allergies (which, for once worked to my benefit) I also declined the offer. What I got from this is a new appreciation for being engulfed in a world of different. I’ve grown to look at the question “Whats new?” in a whole new light because, well, everything is new. Life is spent in constant captivation.

 

2) In [what I’ve encountered of] Namibian culture. Family is a chart-topping concept. It’s not uncommon for families to be large and growing. Living on one homestead could easily consist of 4 generations. Living on the homestead with your parents is just as accomplished as moving in with your significant other and having a family. In one writing assignment I gave my grade 8 and 9 learners with the topic “What do you want to be when you grow up” the vast majority said the reason why they wanted to become ________________________ is so they can “be someone in life” and “take care of their parents”. The past 6 months have completely shifted my definition of family. In Namibia alone I feel as if I have 3 families, all of which I completely adore and love. On the contrast, even from the other side of the world, I don’t think I could have a stronger relationship with my biological family and really look forward to our Facetime dates to tell them not only about my adventures, but to hear of theirs.

 

1) Namibia has skies that not even best quality HD could do justice for.  Waking up in the morning, it really is a brand new day. Sunsets so breath taking it reminds you how lucky you are to have lived up to this moment. And a night sky sparkling so bright you know any wish on these stars must come true. What this has taught me: Live in right now. I heard that expression dozen of times, live in the moment; focus on the present, etc. However, here is where I came to learn to be in this moment. How can something everyday as the sky be so extremely different from one day to the next? Truth is I don’t know. I couldn’t even begin to tell you or to predict, but I do know, for each chance I get to just stop and realize where I am, right now.

 

Though the changes will never stop changing, and what I know now will also some day become something I knew there is a beautiful in the evolutions of this life cycle. 27 months is really a short period of time, but the impact beyond the number of days seen in a lifetime.

My Story: The reason

The year of 1999 was coming to an end, a year I could never forget even if I tried. I had turned 10 midway through the year and by the time we were approaching the winter break of 5th grade I had seen more counselors for the year than I care to admit, and been through one traumatic event after another falling on each like dominos. When the year began I had my first experience with death when my best friend had passed away suddenly. Continuing into the year I joined a program at school that taught students how to ski with different public schools in Santa Fe. It was an activity I really enjoyed over a few months, it was a get away gone bad. The bus company that took us up and down the mountain of curvy roads weekly didn't maintain their buses properly and on March 2 while on our drive down the mountain the brakes to the bus gave out ending in a bus full of 32 elementary student and 3 chaperons wrecked and flipped. In the midst of the bus rapidly going around curves, as the bus driver tried to keep the bus under control we were instructed to cover our heads with our bags, but my bag was no where to be found. That was when one chaperon gave his bag to me. Not long after that I woke up to a mangled mess of metal and blood everywhere, quickly followed by an ocean of sirens and flashing red and blue lights. Some how my parents found out about what happened and barged through police lines and made it to the accident scene. However, we were quickly separated when they paramedics began loading students into ambulances to take us to a hospital. The next morning I awoke to find out my cousin Eric, and the chaperon Gary who sacrificed his bag for me had passed away. Many of my friends were ok, but some still in hospital beds hook up to machines and/or under going surgery. That event made me suddenly look at adults as if they were enemies. I thought the world was safe but suddenly it became dangerous. I thought events with school had this bubble that protected us, this proved to only be half true. I still look to Gary as a hero, he saved me that day, but guilt followed me for years (and at times still does). I blamed myself for why 3 boys no longer had a father, and a wife left a widow. And I blamed my school and the bus company for doing this. 

Just a month later a very close uncle had a stroke he survived but not long after that a more sever stroke hit him. It was May 6th, my 10th birthday and there I was in yet another hospital watching another person I love hooked up to machines and putting up what I thought was an unfair fight. Just a few days later he as well passed away.  I had just hit double digits in age and every one around me was dying. I began fearing the world, fearing any kind of relationship. I began thinking that being around me meant you would as well die and I started pushing everyone and everything around me away. I spent the following several years of my life with a similar attitude, occasionally haunted by the same nightmare as friends through out the years moved on to other worlds or heavens or reincarnation.

However, even with what sometimes felt like a rugged storm of a life, the sun did also shine. A couple years following 5^th grade a wildfire ran a muck in Los Alamos, a town not too far from Santa Fe leaving many with out homes and in needs of good. One day my mom decided to take my younger sister Amy and I to a charity goods drive. People donated a variety of items, from food to clothes, household items to toys. We worked for the day sorting out the variety of items to be administered to the families affected by the wildfire. I remember there was a Beanie Baby that I had been wanting for my collection, and I asked my mom if I could have it. She explained to me how the families these items were going to were for people who had nothing left, a Beanie Baby going to one of the families affected may be the only toy another girl may have. I knew I had my own share of not only Beanie Babies, but also other goodies at home. Suddenly it didn’t make sense to me why I deserved this, and not another girl. That moment was when it finally clicked to me why my mom had us there sorting through piles upon piles of various things.  My first moment of volunteer work that later lead to a passion I never saw coming.

Fast forward to the awkward years of High School and I was still holding on to the fear that people I care for were just going to die if I let them too close. As I said, that nightmare of losing people sometimes played like a broken record of curses as I lost a few friends and family members very important to me during the first couple years of High School. I resorted to once again pushing away the people who cared about me most. Sometimes with my mom and dad enduring the biggest lash of that. I can admit, I was a brat as a teen. Until one person changed that all for me.

One day while attending a career fair I met a girl who served in Peace Corps Kenya and was a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer. She talked about her stories while serving. Tales of what she did and the people she met. I swear the fair around me stopped; her story was magical! Then she said something that complete changed my world though the quote “The world is filled with good people, if you cant find one, be one”. Up to that point, people in my world were a curse not a blessing. But that moment… all it took was a bit of time with this girl, and suddenly, the world became hopeful. From that moment I knew I want to be a Peace Corps Volunteer. For the first time in several years I believed that maybe I have a “reason”. I knew darkness better than I knew light; maybe my “reason” was to find light in the darkest of moments. Crazy I know. However, from that moment on I swore I WOULD be a Peace Corps Volunteer. I WOULD be the “good” person.  A fire ignited with in me.

Keep in mind this moment came over 12 years ago, so when I was approaching graduation in 2006 my parents weren’t exactly thrilled about the idea of me wanting to take off to some random country. They wanted me to go to college. Long story short, I made a bet with my family that I lost, and off to college I went. It wasn’t long though for my wonderlust to kick in and I ventured off to a new place, Chicago. Little did I know, Chicago would become my home. I have absolutely nothing negative I can say about Chicago. To this day when you ask me where is home, I will say Chitown. I made friendships that exceed past friends, but into family. I felt, at home. However the wonderlust didn’t stop there.

          I graduated with my degree American Sign Language-English interpreting in 2012. One thing still stood after all these years, I wanted to be a Peace Corps Volunteer. I honestly connected that to being my “reason” what ever that should mean. I met with a recruiter and before you knew it, I was signed up to go to South America.

I absolutely fell in love with volunteering in schools abroad. I love working with children. I have no desire to have and of my own, but there’s something about working with students that makes me feel like, you know what, I’m doing something right. I love the innocence of children. I enjoy how silly they can be. I’m silly and strange myself. I toured South America as a volunteer teaching English as a second language for a bit. While this happened, my heart found a special place in Peru and I found myself seriously debating staying in Peru rather than returning to the States. Up to that point I had never experienced so much euphoria in life as I did volunteering in Peru. That was when the planets of my world aligned. Maybe this was my “reason”.

That’s all it took. All it took was one girl to make me believe. It took one trip to make me believe in me. Just one. I never saw it coming but for once I thought I understood the reason for something happening for a “reason”. I took that trip to South America with intent being to gather experience to be a Peace Corps Volunteer. I went to teach, but I left being the one who learned. I knew, I knew exactly what I was aiming for. Maybe it was for that “reason” or maybe it was just because, but I knew I had to do it.  Where darkness once filled my world, now optimism took over.

I had a game plan. I would volunteer in South America, and once I returned to the States I would begin my Peace Corps application. My recruiter and I had it all planned out. However, an unfortunate hostaging situation put my application on a bit of a pause. As many prior events in my life, this took a moment to recover from. But, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger right?

Later I met someone who introduced me to a whole new world. My roommate introduced to a place that built up people more than anything.

Though through this story I’ve ben extremely selective in incorporating names, there are a couple I have to mention. One being Fred Martinez. He convinced me to push myself beyond limits I thought were way beyond my range. He saw me in a broken moment and rather than let me dig a deeper hole, he taught me to climb out. With out any clue what I was doing, I joined the Superior Fitness family in Santa Fe. With the guidance of not only Fred, but other members of my gym fam (*cough cough* Deanneza, Laura, Pops and Carrie) I became the strongest Jamie (emotionally, mentally, and physically) I could ever imagine being. Like I said though, I’ve ben selective in the names I mention. However this is a moment where I have to call out a few people. See it takes a village to make something happen, and I’ve very fortunate to have an amazing support team that has helped me in my story. Amy, my baby sister who I looked up to since we were little; Landie, the most amazing best friend I could ask for; Marinda, my guardian angel; Beatrice, the one who believe in me more than I did; Fred, who pushed me; Heather, who opened up new doors; Sonja, who stood by me through so much; Mrs. Brooke and Ms. Dianna, two lovely ray of sunshine with hearts of gold, and most of all my parents… I finally became the best version of Jamie I had ever been in my life.

January of 2015, nine months after submitting my application to Peace Corps, I received a set in stone official invitation to serve in Namibia as a Secondary Education English Teacher.  To be honest I had to do a bit of research on Namibia. I believed I would be sent to South America so I hadn’t done much research on African countries. I was a bit unsure but I took the jump. The moment I received my invitation my dream came true. I was so excited I literally ran out of the classroom I was working in. I waited for the moment for so long and there was no way I'd pass it up. Now, January 2016 here I am living in Namibia, a country so beautiful that words and pictures don’t give it justice. I miss my friends, family, and gym family but I also now have a great Namily consisting of my fellow volunteers, host family, and Bunya host family.

Perhaps I did have a reason, perhaps everything has a reason. I’m sure this reason will take a lifetime to reveal, but there is one thing I do know.  Whether or not I ever figure out what that “reason” I found my passion. Life is something good, and though sometimes tough, its beautiful! I don’t think reason ever dies, and I’m still young. Maybe life happens for multiple reasons. Each reason leading to a new reason.  Maybe we’re not here for a reason, but a collection of many reasons. As for now, reasons have lead me to where I am right now, and I cant wait to see what other reasons unfold or where the reasons lead me as I experience this little thing called life.

Just a little piece of my time in Peru

A Namibia Christmas

What is it that makes Christmas, well Christmas? The days leading up to my first Christmas in Namibia didn’t really have the “Christmas Spirit”. I chatted with friends who felt similar, trying to solve this puzzle. Was it that we were here in summer hot weather because it is summer here and we’re in Africa? Was it nerves being that it was many of our first Christmases away from family? Perhaps it was the lack of Christmas trees, lights, decorations, carols and egg nog. 

Back in the summer before embarking on this adventure I decided to leave a little surprise for my family back home. I like making jewelry and collages. I was definitely on a budget saving up to leave, but for me leaving gifts for my family was important. They wouldn’t mind the slightest bit if I didn’t get them anything, but I love giving surprises. I enjoy the smiles people get when they receive surprises. So I decided I would make some jewelry and collages, wrap them in Christmas wrapping and hide them at my parents' house where they store their Christmas decorations. This was a mission to say the least. I had a small 4-week job to save up some money over the summer and would spend every single break making this or that. The tricky part being that many of my co-workers were good friends of my mom or had previously worked with either her, my dad, or my sister. Santa Fe is small. They were all in on the secret though. Two of my good friends would help me sneak things to their house to wrap and helped supply wrapping paper. My best friend helped me move a huge bookshelf and venture through storage items so that I could hide the box of presents with my parents' decoration. Over the summer my dad had an injury/surgery so he was off from work, which made it a bit tricky when it came to having time to hide the gifts. I figured if I hid the gifts with my family's decoration they would find them when it came time to decorate… which they did a few weeks ago.  The secret mission was a success.

So as the days leading up to Christmas approached feeling just as any other day a few volunteers decided to get a group of us together to rent at a hotel in Rundu so we could all spend Christmas together as a Namily. A decent sized group all arrived to the Bavaria House the morning of Christmas Eve and the celebrations began. For myself it was a bit of a different Christmas experience. My family was always big on celebrating Christmas Eve and more so relaxed on Christmas Day. On Christmas Eve we socialized about what we have been doing during our break since the All-Volunteer conference in Windhoek. School has not been in session the entire month so we’ve been on “holiday” with lots of time on our hands. Christmas day we jammed some Christmas carols, all made a dish of some sorts, and celebrated with a White Elephant gift exchange. I won was some MTC phone credit, which I was excited about.  I did intend on spending a portion of the day with my host family, but unfortunately when my host brother was in town and offered to drive me to our village I was smack in the middle of cooking my dish and couldn’t leave.

From what I hear a traditional Christmas is spent with your family enjoying drinks and a large feast. Prior to leaving to Rundu I saw that my family had purchased 3 goats to enjoy for the holiday. This was interesting for me to see what would be Christmas dinner sitting in the back of my host dad’s truck. I was told it came out very delicious. Traditionally, the other dishes served along side meat (goat being a local favorite) are potatoes, macaroni, and rice. Definitely not a low carb kind of meal.

Over all it was a nice Christmas. I got to spend it with my Namily and had a lot of fun. I also got to FaceTime with my family back home while they celebrated Christmas Eve, which of coarse brought a smile to my heart. I was able to take some time to meet with my Bunya host mom and sister to give them a little gift I made for them as a Christmas present. I really do care about them.  I’m very much looking forward to giving current host sister the gift I made for her. I feel like I'm lucky to call her my host sister. In Namibia giving Christmas gifts isn’t very popular so it will be great to give her a little Christmas surprise and a taste of American Christmas culture.