Nawa Nawa

October 6, 2008
Nawa Nawa (Everything is good)

Last Sunday night I slept under the stars at Hippo Pools campsite at Ruacana Falls which is right on the Namibia/Angola border. One actually has to cross into Angola to access the falls (when some of my travel mates took photos of the Angolan side, a border guard came out waving his gun at us). Once you’ve made it through the border there is a something comparable to the endless, high altitude stairs of the Inca Trail (Aria, you remember that, right?). The views and the swim in the exquisite, cool turquoise pools at the bottom were definitely worth the full 5 days of stiff calves and hamstrings. It was especially gratifying on such a hot day (42C and still not even summer here)!

At our nearby campsite we spent a lot of that hot Sunday in the beautiful calcium-green Kunene river (and yes it is crocodile infested!). It is near the end of a long dry season here and there is not much water around so this trip was a real treat! The night under the stars saw us sitting around the Braii pit eating delicious Kudu steaks (thanks Dylan) and gazing at the southern cross. It was an entirely fulfilling day.

Unfortunately the next morning meant an early wake up. In fact when we got up at 6am the sun wasn’t out yet so we had breakfast under the stars too. Then there was a frantic 2 hour drive back to work. My friends got me half way back to Okahao but I made the last hour by taxi and arrived on time for an 8am meeting. This was a pretty important meeting where I met some of my districts community volunteers. These are the meme kukus (grandmothers) who live in the villages and do medical and social follow up for us. It was a combined meeting to introduce me and my counterparts and say farewell to a departing VSO. So we had another feast! I finally got to try Mahangu. This is the local staple food made of a tangy variety of millet. It makes a kind of bready cereal that was served with braii chicken and a delicious gravy. This wild chicken is a million times better than anything I ever tasted in Canada.

Tuesday I went to our regional headquarters in the town of Outapi. I was to start a 2 or 3 week orientation with the Chief Social Worker. Instead I ended up in a 3 day meeting of the regional management committee. This is one of the many committees on which I sit. I am not joking here. The meeting really was 3 days long and utterly, indescribably inefficiently run. This is Robert’s Rules taken to its most ludicrous extreme. Kim you would truly not believe how this meeting progressed. Still it was useful for me to learn about some of the nitty gritty challenges of trying to provide care to many thousands of needy people with skill shortages, decaying hospitals, no budget and serious communication and transportation issues.

I came home to Okahao tonight to do my chores and get a few things for the busy social weekend ahead of me in Ongwediva. So now my clothes and bedding are all hand washed and hanging out on my line to dry. Yes I really do my laundry by hand. My dishes are clean and put away. The resident insects are getting into their party clothes. And I have a moment to gather my thoughts. While I was away there was another suicide in Okahao. This region has an extremely high rate of suicide and as one of a very few regional social workers we have been tasked with coming up with a response. As a sit here typing the brilliant and beautiful church choir is singing to a packed house for the funeral. The Church is a stones through from my back porch. Funerals are not unique here. I think they happen 2 or 3 times each week. So with the choir as a backdrop I thank you for your kind thoughts and support. It means a lot to hear from you! Please keep sending your comments and emails.

Eewa

Laura