Center for Global Education: Namibia

Hello Cape Town, Goodbye CGE

2011-12-09T07:47:00.001-06:00

Week 16

Dan and Emma

Our week in Cape Town has been filled with activities, so much so that we barely have time to think about how our time together is drawing to an end. The schedule has included trips to sites like Robben Island, where prisoners such as Jacob Zuma, Walter Sisulu, and Nelson Mandela were held during the apartheid regime, as well as visits with speakers such as Rev. Xola Skosana at the Way of Life Church, ANC freedom fighter and activist Tim Jenkin, and Pastor Alan Storey at the Central Methodist Mission. However, one day that really stood out to us and brought together many of the themes that our group has been exploring since Johannesburg, was Tuesday, which included the “slave route tour” and the visit to the Slave Lodge and the District 6 Museum.

At the Slave Lodge Museum of slavery, our guide and heritage activist Lucy helped us to explore how Cape Town engages with its history. The lodge itself was built in 1679 as a holding space for slaves that were being shipped from locations such as Madagascar and India. In Lucy’s opinion, the history of slavery in Cape Town has not been dealt with appropriately. For example, the spot where slaves used to be auctioned is marked by a faded plaque that is barely noticeable, and the upper floor of the museum inexplicably filled with cutlery and china, pretty antiques that have nothing to do with the slavery narrative. Meanwhile, Afrikaner monuments dot the city as large solid men striking victorious poses. This is what people see as they walk through the streets. Interestingly, in Windhoek, we noticed a similar tension. German and Afrikaner monuments are spread throughout the city, and even the street names retain their German titles. Slowly, the government is making changes, but then, there is a balance that must be struck: Is it more important to improve conditions in hospitals or to build a multi-million dollar museum to commemorate the apartheid era? Looking further back, during our time in Johannesburg, we experienced the contrast between Freedom Park and the Voortrekker Monument. These costly and competing memorials are another example of the issue of reconciling history. As students we are not sure we can provide answers as to the best way to remember the complex histories of countries like South Africa and Namibia, but this does not mean that the task is impossible. The District Six museum stands as an example of how community members can use their history to empower themselves in the present.

District Six was named the Sixth Municipal District of Cape Town in 1867, and although it was originally a mixed community of freed slaves, immigrants, and tradesmen, by the beginning of the twentieth century the process of forced removal had begun. In 1982, 60, 000 people were forced to move to desolate areas called the Cape Flats, and their houses in District Six were razed by bulldozers. Although the real-estate is desirable, the group “Hands off District 6” managed to put enough pressure on the government and contractors so that the land would remain barren. Today, the message has changed to that of “Hands On District 6.” Former community members have been leading the successful charge to have housing rebuilt for former residents if they so choose to come back.

The District Six Museum was established in December of 1994 with the intention of shedding light on the traumatic forced removals. Yet, in many ways, the museum functions as much as a memorial as an informational center. The space, once a church, prominently features testimonials of residents as well as a portion of a giant cloth on which thousands of memories are scrawled. When one walks in the door a large pole with street signs fixated to it is the first thing in sight, forcing visitors to understand the fact that these places, which once existed, no longer do. Activists like Lucy would probably like to see other aspects of South African history reclaimed in a similar way, in a way that gives strength to people who were once oppressed. Reconciliation is a process that is far from complete, but if government and community members can work to remember history in such a productive way, an important step will be made. Of course, this idea is not only applicable in the Southern African context, and while we students are sad to be ending this experience, we are also looking forward to applying our experiences to improve our respective homes.

Week 15

2011-12-09T07:46:00.001-06:00

Week 15

Jodie and Laura

Last week marked our last week in Windhoek. We were able to celebrate and reflect on what we have learned and the different experience we have had during the presentation of our integrative projects. Our integrative projects were twenty-minute presentations given by us students in both individuals and groups and presented in a creative format of our choosing. We decided to write a little bit about what each of us did so that you can get an idea as to what some of the projects were.

Laura: My creative project was an audiocast that discussed white privilege. White privilege can be interpreted in a number of ways. But here is my understanding of it: Life is like a big bookshelf. The rights and civil liberties of my white forefathers have given me the ability to reach the top shelf. Sometimes its still a reach but I have a step stool that often times I don’t realize I’m standing on. While certain objects on that top shelf are still difficult for me to grasp, I am in the position to grab them if I have the skill to do so. That is white privilege.

I worked with Faye Terry and Leah Greenberg. While we trued to interview a number of Namibians who we believed would give us diverse perspectives, I feel we brought some preconceived notions into our interviews. We assumed that the Namibians we spoke with had heard of white privilege and had at least witnessed it in their own lives. While some did, others did not. We did discover, however, that those we interviewed saw privilege in areas we had never really thought about before. One example of this is tribal based privilege. This meaning privilege given to those of one tribe and denied to another.

I suppose at the end of the day we learned this: privilege of some sort or another exists around the world. It is only once we acknowledge our own privileges that we are truly able to confront justices in this world.

Jodie: I decided to work alone for my creative project, and after much consideration as what to do I decided that I wanted to do a series of progressive monologues showing my change in outlook on certain things. I started with a one entitled, “My Racism” which was a story from when I was in High School and I had some very racist thoughts. I then did a monologue that looked at my view on development and how what I used to think is beginning to change, especially since being here as shown me what my so called aide is really doing. The final monologue was about my view on Christianity. I have never really questioned my beliefs until this trip. Writing my monologues was very hard because I had to try and put words to my emotions of what I had learned over the semester.

Overall the feeling that I had was that I didn’t know where my place was, but I knew that I had one. I also knew that I had grown and changed in many ways. The thing that I value most from my integrative project is that it gave me a look into what has been going on in my head and heart. I was able to vocalize my changing and growth, which really helped me. I had not realized everything that I had learned this past semester until I started this project and I am grateful for it!

Both of us can’t believe how fast the semester went by and everything that we did this semester. It will be a part of our hearts and minds for years to come.

Wake Up and Wrap Up

2011-12-09T07:45:00.003-06:00

Stephanie and Mia

Week 14

We have finally reached week 14 out of just a 16-week program, and it feels strange to be here. We spent this week wrapping up each of our classes with nothing but our integrative projects left before we venture to Cape Town. Cleaning schedules for check-out are beginning to be posted and we have even started to think about the strange concepts of doing laundry and packing all of our things. The weirdest part about this week is that even though we are wrapping up, the program doesn’t feel over: and that’s because it really isn’t.

Wrap-up week was more eye-opening than I think many of us expected it to be. It really reiterated the importance of taking back all that we have learned to the states. The lessons we learned throughout our time here are not all specific to Namibia, but have opened our eyes to concepts that we should keep with us and apply back in the States and Guatemala.

One of the extremely interesting activities we participated in during the course of the week was the presentation of our poster projects in development class. The idea of the project was to take two seemingly different social issues and research and present how the two issues impact and affect each other. For example, two people in our groups chose HIV/AIDS and education and presented a poster on their finding of how HIV/AIDS impacts the education system and children going to school, alongside how going to school and getting an education impacts HIV/AIDS. We found, through the projects that the impact on one to the other is huge. Education policies on HIV/AIDS are moving forward, and becoming better. What really surprised us was how children having HIV/AIDS effects their education. The projects showed that children who are infected have a difficult time in the classroom because the teachers have a difficult time getting past the infection. They become hyper-paranoid about becoming infected and as a result become anxious, and go to less class. The cycle continues and the education of the children suffers as a result. In the end, education and HIV/AIDS are inexplicably linked, and in a way that betters the situation. We wonder what can break the cycle, if they both affect each other in negative ways. Do we move forward by “solving” HIV/AIDS or “solving” problems in education? Where do we begin? And where does the cycle end? . It is difficult to look at the issue from a foreign perspective because we don’t know what our role should be. It is hard to think about doing nothing but at the same time we have to wonder if it is our place to step in, and furthermore if there is anything that we could do that would make a positive aspect. All in all, the poster presentations were very informative and interesting in a way that we didn’t expect, and they made us think analytically about the effects that social issues have on Namibia, Southern Africa, and the world. Everyone chose really interesting topics and the group ended up getting so into the presentations that we used up all of our class time on this activity alone.

Completing the poster presentations allowed us to broaden our mind to how various topics, from global warming to gender to Pentecostalism and more, impact each other in more ways than one may realize. Many of the topics we discussed with each other allowed us to view a topic we had already known something about with the added chance of hearing about them through a new lens. It brought together many subjects and showed the interesting chains of how various social issues feed off of one another, or impact each other in a variety of additional ways.

We have learned so much through the course of the semester that even though wrap up week should be exciting, it’s a bit sad. This trip has broadened our minds in ways that none of us even expected, and has left us with a thirst for more. We have learned about so many issues facing Namibian society today, and now we have been shown how they all fit together. Our knowledge has circled back so that everything makes sense, and yet at the same time most of us are more confused than ever. We will continue to wonder what the long-term effects of colonization are and how to move forward. We continue to question what it means to want to help develop southern Africa and still not step past cultural boundaries. We continue to question what race and racism means in a place like Namibia, and even back home. But, fortunately, we have learned that being confused is okay; and that reaching this point simply means that we have successfully fought through the barriers of false assumptions and superficial understanding and opened up doors and our minds to more learning in the future. I think it’s fair to say that we will all be sure to take this newfound knowledge back to the States and continue to expand on it in the future.

Yo-ho, Yo-Ho a Farmer’s Life for Me!

2011-11-21T01:53:00.005-06:00

Week 13
Steph and Katelyn

In Development class this week (11/11/11!!), we headed out to an organic farm about half an hour outside of Windhoek. Upon arriving on the farm, we were given a warm welcome from Manjo Smith, the owner, who gave us all cups of coffee with milk still warm from the cows about fifty yards away. The coffee was meant to wake us all up for the exciting and extremely informative day we had ahead of us!

Next, Manjo gave us a tour of the farm and explained some of the organic farming processes. These processes include using compost rather than store-bought fertilizers for the soil and not using any kind of pesticides on the plants but instead natural microorganisms. Organic farming also involves planting many different kinds of crops to retain biodiversity and allowing the animals to have as much space as possible and not pumping the animals with any kind of hormones as can be the case on some large farms. The purpose is to keep everything as natural and as healthy as possible (Photo 1: Manjo’s dog had a lot of puppies, and Steph loved them all!)

Organic farming is often criticized for being non-sustainable as many believe it is not possible to provide the world enough food without the use of pesticides and monoculture commercial farming. It is argued that science and technology have made food cheaper and more easily accessible. Science has created “improved” seeds and fertilizers that allow plants to keep away pests while growing at a faster rate. Science-based and genetic engineering, as opposed to organic, farming may be a more realistic way to put an end to world hunger. Organic farming slows down the process of food delivery as it takes longer to grow and requires more human maintenance.

Manjo argues, however, that there is already enough food in the world, and that the real problem is the distribution and the politics behind it. Additionally, monoculture commercial farming has its own issues, including inviting in diseases and pests that can destroy an entire single crop population because of the lack of biodiversity. Thus, the more farmers spray, the more they need to spray, according to the film The Future of Food* that Manjo showed us. Additionally, the film mentioned the health effects of pesticides, such as skin irritations and increased allergies, and that they cannot always be washed off as recent technology has allowed for the creation of pesticides through genetic engineering that exist in all of the cells in the crop. Thus, all of the successive generations of the crop then have this pesticide. This creates never-ending health problems as we do not yet know the health implications of some of these pesticides (Photo 2: Getting out hands dirty by putting our newfound knowledge into practice).

Moreover, the prices of organically grown food in some areas of the world (such as the U.S.) are priced higher than the sprayed foods. We asked what Manjo thought of this. She suggested that our perception of food is misguided and we should be spending less money on vacations, gas, entertainment, etc, and more on the food that we put inside our bodies. She also pointed out that the U.S. government, for example, subsidizes the sprayed food, bringing the cost down. If the demand for organically grown food was there, the government could potentially begin to subsidize it, and bring the prices down. The key to organic farming is consumer demand. Organics have not caught on in Namibia yet, and therefore the demand lies mostly with visiting Germans who have a history of farming organically, according to Manjo.

In Namibia, however, the issue isn’t solely cost but also other factors. One of these factors is the lack of awareness of the benefits of organic farming and its purposes. Not all people have access to this information. Additionally, the organic markets are often located within wealthier neighborhoods, making it difficult for some to be aware of their existence. Also, the foods sold at the organic markets are often geared toward German diets as opposed to “traditional” Namibian cuisine.

In areas of the world where organic food prices are higher, cost is the dominant factor in organic’s popularity or lack thereof. In the U.S for example, non-organic and monoculture products are subsidized by the government, making them significantly cheaper than the alternative. Because of this, in stores where these products are sold side-by-side with organic foods, the healthier options appear vastly more expensive. Some people, especially those with families to feed, then often tend to purchase the cheaper products that are available in bulk in order to feed more people for less. It is also customary in the fast-paced culture of the U.S for some people to prefer to eat what’s quick, easy, and filling rather than what’s healthy and safer for consumption. In order to promote an affordable, healthy eating lifestyle, people have to be aware of where their food comes from, ask questions, and make their demand known for non-sprayed food. Perhaps if we could more effectively educate the masses on the risks of mass produced food, we could increase the demand for organic food causing the government to subsidize it and bring down the high costs.

What might be the most effective ways to inform others about the benefits of organic farming? A quandary exists regarding how to spread organic farming on a wider scale. The problem in places such as the US is that there isn’t a high enough demand for organic food in the market, and therefore the government won’t subsidize it. However, if the government doesn’t subsidize it, the prices will remain too high for the average consumer to want to purchase it over the cheaper alternative, keeping the demand down. It is possible that the government has to make the first step. By increasing advertisement and knowledge of the benefits of organic farming versus the negative consequences of the alternative as well as subsidizing the costs, demand would rapidly begin to increase as more people would strive to live this new healthy, affordable lifestyle (Photo 3: Manjo Smith teaching us the organic tricks of the trade out in the vegetable fields!).

In both Namibia and the US, awareness seems to be the most predominant reason organic farming is not as popular as it could be. Many people remain under the assumption that organic farming isn’t as sustainable as it is made out to be, and that in places where people are suffering from hunger it is unrealistic. However, in the long run, organic farming is not only healthier and more easily accessible, but also financially cheaper in many situations: as farmers can reuse their seeds from their previous crops as opposed to have to constantly purchase patented seeds and pesticides from overseas. Many are also completely unaware of health benefits that eating organic has over eating scientifically altered produce. Spreading awareness would ultimately help the organic farm industry grow as people learned the importance of a healthy and sustainable lifestyle.

*Koons, Deborah. The Future of Food. Lily Films, 2004. Film.

Mountainous Questions

2011-11-17T00:37:00.001-06:00

Emma Russell and Jodie Buchanan

Week 12 (The South)

This past week we embarked on our final community trip before we depart for Cape Town in. On this trip to Southern Namibia the focus was on our development class; specifically community-based natural resource management and “sustainable” development. We stayed at various campsites, some run by the community and others by the private sector. We also paid a visit to the heart of a community initiative to sell Namibian crafts and painted the walls of a secondary school under renovation along with some of its students. Overall, it was an incredible three days that were full of fun and, as true of any development class, full of questions. While we ruminated over the pros and cons of Namibia’s community-based natural resource management initiatives, our reflections on the trip also fostered some bigger questions that have seemed to permeate the entirety of our experiences with CGE thus far.

The paramount question on our minds that kept resurfacing throughout the weekend was the concept of definition, as in who ultimately defines the things that inform the way development occurs, and the way we live in general. This has been a recurring theme throughout the program as we study things like globalization, colonization, need, and identity. However, this weekend we were able to put it into direct context with what we were experiencing. For example, we first discussed how even defining “sustainable” in terms of development could have such a variety of meanings; it depends on the lens of the individual and what is valued under certain circumstances. For example, at the Brukkaros Community Campsite and the school we visited in Berseba, it was evident that the emphasis was placed on advances that would help to preserve community and education. However, we also visited the Gibeon Folk Arts Center which not only centered on sustaining community, but also on preserving culture through art and the livelihood of the artists who worked there. Our final stop was the Gondwana Kalahari Anib Lodge where the focus was primarily on environment and resources (as it was situated in a National Park) as well as economy through tourism. These different perspectives encouraged us to discern what is most crucial to be sustainable and how that influences the overall development for Namibia in particular.

Another matter that arose yet again on this trip was the land issue troubling Namibia. This is a conflict that has emerged a number of times in several of our classes and it involves the question of whether a redistribution of lands to native Namibian tribes is an appropriate and necessary step towards reconciliation in a post-colonial era. However, as was revealed to us on this trip, the dilemma goes much deeper than it’s already complex nature. When considering this, we were faced again with the concepts of definition and perspective. Who best decides how to respect the land? During our time in the South we did witness action to respect the land by conserving it and its resources; that is, in fact, exactly what the Gondwana Kalahari Anib Lodge intended to do. However, we had to wonder if the best way to respect the land is indeed to return it to those who it was wrongfully taken from under the colonial and apartheid regimes. We concluded that it depends on whom you ask and we were certainly in no position to decide (Photo 1: atop Brukkaros Mountain).

Finally, the enigma of definition took on a more subjective arrangement when we considered the ideal of success. While we have often viewed this throughout the course in terms of broad scale national development markers, we came to realize it could be as personal as selling a craft, painting a school, or climbing a mountain. For example, at the Gibeon Folk Arts Center we spoke with the five craftswomen who head up the entire project. In speaking with them we learned that they only see about 5% of the profits gained by their crafts, further remarking that it is just “not enough”. If one were to consider this from an economic perspective he/she would most likely classify this project as being unsuccessful because the women are not making enough profit for themselves to completely sustain the livelihoods of themselves and their families. However, if one were to define success in terms of employment and empowerment, this is no doubt a highly successful project (Photo 2: Painting the School with Students from Berseba).

At the school we painted in Berseba with the kids, we learned from Petrus, a former educator at the school and chairperson of the Brukkaros Community Campsite, that it had been shut down due to an inability to pay for the astronomical water bill. To the members of the Berseba Community, success was not immediately defined by the number of students going to top universities or the number of championships won in the local sports league, but rather by acquiring basic necessities and getting their buildings in top shape for reopening once those needs are attained.

To us over these three days success came in many forms. It came with climbing several kilometers to the top of Brukkaros Mountain, the mountain that our campsite was built into in Berseba. It was a treacherous hike but the breathtaking view from the top was the most success many of us have felt in some time. Success also came not with the answers we did not formulate, but rather the questions we so genuinely acknowledged on our trip. We look forward to the future of our trip, which will surely only bring more questions such as these, but hopefully continue to provide us with the tools and knowledge necessary to productively and justly consider them (Photo 3: View from Atop).

Occupying Our Last Weeks in Windhoek

2011-11-16T07:46:00.000-06:00

Week 11
Dylan and Leah

After three weeks spent in the North and on various trips throughout Southern Africa, our first week back was a bit of a reality check for all of us. This was a rather slow week, with no big trips or events planned. This lull in activity, combined with a long stretch of being out of touch with friends, family, and current events left many of us feeling a bit homesick and isolated from all that is happening at home. For most of us, celebrating Halloween without the pumpkins, fall colors, enthusiasm of friends, and traditions from home, was a very different atmosphere. Similarly, missing out on important events such as the World Series, death of Gaddafi, presidential campaigns, and various other news stories made us realize just how much has been continuing on without us. Simultaneously, the individuals in CGE realized how little time they have left here in Windhoek. While the amount of time we have been here makes us miss our respective homes, it has also given us a new appreciation for the places, people and other details we have become accustomed to about the city in which we have spent the last 2 months.

Along with the various snippets of good and bad news received from friends and family, many of us have been very interested in the Occupy movement going on across the United States, and the world. For many of us, catching up on this movement created a strong sense of solidarity and an interesting new perspective on being an American abroad. Most of our studies here have investigated our role as foreigners in Namibia, and what responsibilities (if any) we have here. However, feelings of solidarity and excitement about the movement at home made many of us for the first time question what our role as Americans abroad ought to be. The discovery of a very small but growing “Occupy Namibia” movement presented an interesting fusion of the solidarity movement in the US and a movement based on issues specific to Namibia that we have been learning about all semester. While we are technically prevented from becoming politically engaged with local protests as CGE students, we have been able to see our role here through a new lens; we are proud of how this aspect of American culture has come to Namibia and simultaneously has remained uniquely Namibian.

For our history class this week, an American named Lily Asrat who has been working in Namibia for several years visited us and was able to provide an interesting perspective on the interconnectedness of American and Namibian history. Through a brief American history lesson, in which many of us were embarrassingly rusty, we discussed the parallels between slavery and Apartheid histories. From there, she was able to engage our class in a very open dialogue about race, racism and inequality in the United States. This discussion also allowed us to reflect on our role specifically as Americans abroad, rather than just as foreigners in Namibia. In many ways we were embarrassed by how fundamentally similar our histories were, and how difficult it is to criticize a system that not only parallels events in our own history, but also one that our government supported in the past. This week gave us the time to reflect on our role as Americans abroad, and to begin assessing how our comfort in this role has changed throughout our time here, with both proud and more shameful moments.

Conservation & Etosha National Park

2011-10-31T07:45:00.001-05:00

Week 9

Katelyn and Mia

Throughout the semester we have spent a great deal of time meeting with speakers in different city and town areas, taking classes, and enjoying time and learning with homestay families. While all of this has been tremendously significant, traveling in Namibia feels a bit incomplete without experiencing the country’s rich wildlife! After striking experiences in northern Namibia at our rural homestays we climbed into the kombi for a long ride to Etosha. We camped at two of the campsites, Halali and Okaukuejo, where we spent time together with a braai, game drives, and trips to the watering hole, a place at which tourists can sit and watch animals bathe, drink and relax. We spent hours in the evening by watering holes captivated by the animals, including elephants, giraffes, zebras, kudus, rhinos, and countless indigenous birds. It was fascinating to view the animals so closely, and it certainly puts into perspective that we share this earth with some magnificent creatures (Photo 1: Giraffes by the Watering Hole).

Although there are numerous animals in Etosha, the number of many species, including black rhino, white rhino, and cheetah, has been shrinking over past decades, largely due to human disturbance. Conservation is very important to Namibia; it is even guaranteed by the constitution. In fact, Namibia was the first African country to include protection of the environment in its constitution. We were fortunate to speak with one of the authorities in Etosha, Matt*, who gave us a great deal of information about the park. He discussed one of the most recent threats to the park: a fire that resulted in the loss of 300,000 hectares and a small number of animals, including elephants, giraffes, kudus, lions, and rhinos. The fire was started from coal burning in a nearby farm and spread into the park. This fire was extinguished and the next day, a smaller lightning fire occurred.** We wondered if there was any reaction plan to this event, or even if the government would step in to provide funding to help stop the fires. We learned that Etosha did its best to contain the fire, and it eventually died out.

While fires are sometimes natural occurrences, such as the lightning fire, human interference does need to be countered. Matt informed us that decades ago there were nearly 200 cheetahs roaming freely in Etosha, and today their population is estimated between 30 and 50. This relatively dramatic decrease is partly a result of human interference. As humans have pushed their way further and further into the animal kingdom, they disrupt the balance of nature. The rhino has also become an endangered species due to the increase in illegal poaching in pursuit of its horn. It is easy to get caught up in our daily lives and pay little to no mind to the beautiful creation that surrounds us and how we go about interacting with it. Illegal poaching, excessive pollution, moving into and destroying animals’ habitats, and other harmful actions towards nature need to stop or there will no longer be much sustainability in the natural world.

As inhabitants of the earth, we have an inherent social responsibility to take of nature. Through their work, the employees of the park live out this responsibility. On the other hand, we learned from Matt about the San communities who were removed from the Etosha region before the park was established. The San people once lived in harmony with the animals and moved from place to place when necessary. While we have a social responsibility to protect the land, that doesn’t necessarily need to involve pushing the San people out of their homeland. There is some talk today about reconciling with the San people, but it will never be as it was before for them. How might we all best move forward to take care of our earth? The moment we recognize ourselves as a part of this remarkable creation rather than separate from it is the moment we begin to move forward in harmony for conservation and preservation (Photo 2: Strolling through Etosha ).

Additionally, Matt told us about the intricate link between conservation and tourism, which plays a huge role in Namibia. Etosha alone sees about two million tourists each year, according to Matt. It is a large source of revenue that informs others about Namibia and the wonderful things it has to offer. Tourists come in from all over the world and learn about the animals in the region, the history of the park, and what is going on with conservation in the country. There is also a government funded research center in the park where undergraduate and graduate students from all over the world can come to conduct research in related fields. Hopefully those who come to Etosha, as a tourist, researcher, or anything else, can help to inform others back home about the importance of conservation and taking an active role in protecting our world’s wildlife. We definitely came away with a greater appreciation for the natural world of Namibia and a deeper understanding of the realities of human imposition in the area.

We feel very strongly about the importance of conservation and being educated about the matter. While the space of Etosha is protected by humans, some things are nature-made and will still take their course, like the fire that had swept through Etosha only days earlier. There is much to be learned from mother nature, even if her processes don’t always make sense to us. After such an amazing few days, the drive home was a bittersweet one, with a great experience behind us and the promise of home ahead of us—one night at home that is, and then off to fall break!

*pseudonym

**http://allafrica.com/stories/201110050365.html

Photo 3: Up Close and Personal with Lions

Rural Home Stay in the North

2011-10-31T07:31:00.005-05:00

Gloria & Taryn

Week 8

Many of us awoke to the sounds of roosters crowing as we rose with the sun. We spent a total of six days and seven nights in the Omusati Region with Owambo families in Northern Namibia. While there, we had the wonderful opportunity of interacting, learning, conversing, sharing and exploring our families’ unique cultures while examining our own. Our experiences in the North shed light on the differences and similarities between how our Owambo families’ lives, and those of our own (Photo 1: Emma, Rauna and Patrina pounding muhungo).

So much joy, laughter, smiles, and conversation were shared during our home stay. Sharing was a major component of Owambo culture based on our perspective of it. It began on the first day when they opened not only their arms but also their home, their family, and their hearts to us. When sitting down outside of a shop and bringing out a liter of cool drink, cups were not just brought out for immediate family members, but for everyone sitting at the table. Meals are shared together under the moonlight not with individual plates, but a communal bowl that everyone eats from. And sharing goes beyond the nuclear family. One set of host parents willingly paid for their niece’s education without any expectations of her paying them back. Our experiences in the north showed us that sharing goes beyond the family and right into the entire community.

Community holds such a strong presence in our observations of the Omusati region. Time slows down, people take the time to sit down, and talk to their friends and neighbors before hurrying home. A simple hello does not suffice; one takes the time to ask how the other is doing. The families we stayed with showed so much concern for each other- and for other students staying with other families. One afternoon one of CGE’s students was called on the phone by about five families making sure she was feeling alright in comparison to her feeling ill the day before. As much as there is sharing within the community there is certainly a lot of caring that goes along as well.

Many of us were very fortunate to have very caring mothers which allowed us to see the strength of Owambo women within the house hold. Traditionally women cook, clean, sow, harvest, and are the main caregivers of children. Today many take on similar roles, but for some, it is because it is their choice to do so. One of the most amazing things to witness was the physical strength it took to pound mohungo. Young girls as young as four years of age did it with apparent ease. Pounding mohungo is not even the only example of strength, we witnessed and heard stories of Owambo women walking long distances carrying water and wood, and at times even doing tasks like these with a baby on their back. We witnessed and heard of memes or mothers who took on most, if not all, of the responsibilities of the household while the tate or father was working elsewhere or no longer present in the house at all. From our perspective, Owambo women are raised with amazing physical and emotional strength. This reminds us of the strong women we know in our own lives, like our mothers and sisters, friends, role models, and teachers. Many times, these role models serve as influential educators, but not always educators in the western sense. Learning goes beyond the classroom, and what we have learned from our Owambo families is that a lot more emphasis and value is placed on learning within the home. This created the opportunity for us to understand a new concept of education. For most of us in the group, education means to go to school, learn how to speak properly, receive good grades, and prepare for our academic future (Photo 2: View of the sun set at Meme Sarafina's house).

At our rural home stays we learned that education is not limited to just those factors. Most of the kids in our home stays had an idea of how to start a fire, look for wood, get water, take care of the different animals that were owned by the family, pound muhungo and much more. Due to the different lives that most of us have, thinking about learning all these things that are needed at the house in order to eat, live, and coexist with each other are not exactly necessary and therefore not part of our education. These things have a great value when are taught at such young age. By having household duties that need to be accomplished, children learn responsibility and respect to their family which thus gives them the strength that is needed in order to live out their everyday lives. This gave many of us an alternate perspective of seeing education in places other than the parameters of a classroom (Photo 3: At our community farewell in Omusati, North of Namibia).

While learning in a way outside of “classroom parameters,” an interesting topic that was brought up by many people in the group was the idea of feeling connected to our different members of our host family without the need of spoken language. Most of the time we base our assumptions or our expectations on what the other person is going to say within a conversation. However, that is not the only way in which people can describe and share feelings. A look, a smile, a handshake, the tone of voice, or simply silence, can convey more than a thousand words. Communication can happen not only through spoken words, but through a deeper sense of understanding of people’s lives and relationships among each other. The language barrier became instead a door that opened us up to a new way of forming relationships and understanding others.

We also gained a new understanding of what is enough, another topic brought up to many of us. Most of the time we take for granted the amount of things that we need just because we want them and are used to having them all the time. A very simple example can be the way in which we use water when we shower. At home many of us are use to having at least five minute shower where we take our time. After feeling clean and refreshed taking showers using only a small amount of water in a basin outside, we learned how little we actually need to be satisfied. Due to examples like this, most of us reflected on the different things that we do, buy, or consume not always taking in consideration whether we need it or want it. We now have a better understanding of what is enough.

As the sun set on our last day of the journey to the North the moon began to rise in the opposite horizon reminding us of the two worlds we have been caught between. This Symbolizes how we can turn to one side and see the beauty of where we are from, but when we look the other way we learn something completely new which together creates a complex beauty . As we rise with the sun and fall with the moon we take the values of home and those of abroad. And even though we cannot capture the image of the moon and the sun at the same time we can still capture the messages that we learned from our Owambo families which we will forever keep in our hearts.

Heroes Acre: More Than the Eye Can See

2011-10-31T07:18:00.003-05:00

Charlotte and Carin

Week 7

Our history class ventured a little south of Windhoek to the famous Heroes Acre, a monument dedicated to Namibia’s liberation struggle. In Namibia, there are still issues with how Namibia’s history is remembered and preserved. As might be expected, Namibia’s process towards democracy, independence, and liberation from the politically and socially repressive government system was far from easy. Commemorating this journey with Heroes Acre reminds all visitors of the sacrifices of the Namibian people, as well as the influence of the political party, SWAPO, throughout the struggle. A grand vision made to represent stability and unity today.

(Photo 1: A section of the frieze at Heroes Acre depicting the narrative of Namibia's liberation struggle)

Through its deliberate design, Heroes Acre presents Namibia’s history in a way that embodies patriotism, pride, and nationalism. Heroes Acre has become an official war memorial of the government of Namibia, designed as a symbol of power and loyalty to democracy. The monument itself has several components that the viewer walks through to reach the final destination that overlooks Windhoek. The journey begins with the eternal flame burning at the foot of monument; this flame burns for all those who fought for the liberation. Then there are several layers of graves, both real and symbolic, of important figures during the liberation such as Dimo Hamaambo and Mose Tjitendero, important and influential SWAPO members during the struggle. Finally at the top, there is the marble obelisk, symbolizing a sword, and bronze statue of an unknown soldier—but one who greatly resembles leader of SWAPO and first president of Namibia, Sam Nujoma. There is also a frieze at the back wall that narrates the history of the struggle and celebrates the diversity of people who took part in the process including Namibians of all tribal backgrounds: the young, the old, women, academics, etc.

Heroes Acre, though honoring the men and women who bravely headed Namibia’s incredible liberation struggle against South African apartheid rule, also indicates SWAPO’s problematic political control over Namibia’s memory of the liberation struggle. During the liberation struggle, SWAPO engaged in torturous treatment against innocent Namibians in what is now referred to as the “Spy Drama.” As Siegfried Groth reports in his groundbreaking account of the SWAPO and the Namibian Churches’ behavior during the liberation struggle Namibia: The Wall of Silence, “SWAPO Security Service developed into a cruel machinery which mercilessly hunted down its victims” (Groth 100). The victims were members of SWAPO wrongly accused of being South African spies who were tortured in terrifying underground dungeons in Angola, Zambia and Tanzania. The accused were forced to admit on video tape that they were spies, the tapes of which were then distributed amongst SWAPO and Namibian Church leaders to prove why the detainees deserved brutal imprisonment and despicable treatment. Former president and leader of SWAPO during liberation Sam Nujoma himself visited one of these prisons and harshly accused the prisoners of betrayal and furthered not only the false propaganda against the prisoners but also validated and authorized their horrific imprisonment and in many cases, death.

So what does this have to do with Heroes Acre? Although people such as Groth have tried to bring the “Spy Drama” issue to the forefront of Namibian politics and have tried to bring recognition and reconciliation for the victims of these SWAPO prisons, the SWAPO government has continuously refused to take ownership of their actions against innocent Namibians, and have thus promoted a “wall of silence” on the issue. This refusal to take ownership of SWAPO’s grave misdeeds and their insistence on promoting a one-sided positive view of the liberation struggle has largely influenced many Namibians historical memory of the liberation struggle and of SWAPO today.

Today, the history of SWAPO’s totalitarian behavior during Namibia’s liberation fight for independence is masked by the grandeur of the monument of Heroes Acre. For the families and victims of the Spy Drama, Heroes Acre’s blatant focus on celebrating SWAPO and honoring Sam Nujoma for their brave efforts against South African rule overlooks the painful truth of SWAPO’s cruel and merciless treatment of many Namibian men and women during the liberation struggle. Monuments arguably cannot do much more than promote one (celebratory) sentiment of a historical memory, but paired with SWAPO’s larger failure to take ownership of the more unsavory complexities of the liberation struggle, the monument serves as a blaring reminder of this political crafting of Namibia’s historical memory. It represents an attempt on behalf of SWAPO to promote a politically pre-packaged view of the liberation struggle, thus changing history and how we view Namibia's progression to independence.

(Photo 2: Heroes Acre Monument - liberation soldier representing all those who fought for independence, but who also suspiciously resembles Sam Nujoma)

A Trip to the Coast: Swakopmund

2011-10-03T09:37:00.004-05:00

Dylan and Faye

Week 6

The arrival into Swakopmund was a very puzzling experience for many of us CGE students. We knew that present day Swakopmund is a resort town with a predominantly tourism based economy, but after a long ride through the desert, this hidden vacation spot full of German architecture could seem like a mirage. Tourists can browse gift shops, dine on thick cuts of Springbok, engage in guided extreme activities and watch the sun set over the Atlantic Ocean behind the glass of a comfortable and warm restaurant window. Most of us students were able to enjoy these luxuries that Swakopmund has to offer, but we also faced the history we had learned about the area last week. We learned that this African town that attracts thousands of foreign travelers a year was a key location in a massive genocide that took place just a little over a century ago (Photo 1: Sky Diver Landing in the Namib Desert outside Swakopmund)

The previous week in history class, we learned about the first genocide of the 20th century, which occurred right here in Namibia. Then German South-West Africa, the German colonists forced Herero and Nama people away from their land and into the Kalahari desert. Many people died of starvation and most of those who survived were detained in concentration camps. Swakopmund was home to one of these camps, which forced these African peoples to work under poor conditions until their deaths. Death certificates were pre-printed for the camp detainees. These times in Namibian history disturbed us a great deal and would certainly shape the experience we had in Swakopmund.

The trip’s pre-planned activities were both useful and relevant to our class material and the understanding of present day Swakopmund and Walvis Bay. We received a tour of Swakopmund guided by locals, met a local musical group named Vocal Galore, interacted with Lucky Kindergarden students, visited the town of Walvis Bay municipality, viewed a German factory that made truck parts, and had a surprisingly fun tour of a fish factory. In addition, we climbed the 100 meter tall Dune 7 as a group. (Do not underestimate sand dunes. They are harder to climb than imaginable, and make cleaning the sand out of clothes and body orifices a daily chore for the next week.) Many of the CGE students had an easy time understanding how the past of these coastal towns has shaped their present, but for some of us, we were missing some information. Some students felt that more facilitated discussion should have followed our activities, relating them to the history we had learned (Photo 2: CGE Students Wearing Sanitary Gear for Fish Factory Tour)

Sure, we covered the distance between coastal Swakopmund and the township of Mondesa, but some still wondered how the geographical and socioeconomic differences remained between the two ares. We experienced firsthand an Export Processing Zone (EPZ), but did not reflect on how this instrument would effect Namibia in the future. Perhaps most disturbing was driving past the unmarked graves of Africans killed in the concentration camp discussed in history class, with just a mention of our proximity to the graves. Our hopes are to further discuss the weekend in our future classes. But perhaps this, as everything in a foreign location, is a lesson learned. Perhaps in the future, we as CGE students can work to raise even more questions about topics we wish to discuss with professors and guest speakers.

With the arrival of the weekend, we were challenged to define our intentions and find our place in a location with such a tangled history and so many forgotten people. During our free time we interacted closely with the German façade of Swakopmund and could easily make it through an entire day without stepping out of this European dreamland. On days like Saturday, when we were set free to wander around Swakopmund and determine our course of the day, we found ourselves jumping out of planes, flying through dunes on Quad bikes, and being chased by seals through the lagoon, all while wondering in the back of our heads if our amusement was justified. Though some of us had the most fun weekends of our lives, many of us struggle to accept the fun that we had as justified because of what we know about the ugly past, and poverty-stricken present taking place just beyond our visible horizon. What responsibilities do we have as weekend visitors in Swakopmund? Is being aware of the poverty occurring in Mondesa and Walvis Bay good enough? This weekend was a wonderful experience, and gave birth to so many more questions to take with us and explore throughout the rest of our time here in Namibia (Photo 3: Some of the Group on Top of Dune 7, Located outside of Walvis Ba)

Alte Feste

2011-09-29T09:13:00.000-05:00

Taryn and Faye
Week 5

This past week at CGE we were reminded of how difficult it is to find equilibrium in our thoughts and actions when the story of our experience here is laden with so many contradictions and complexities. It is a challenge to simultaneously balance our classes, internships, health, social life and cultural exploration while making sure that we are entirely present in each and every experience that we are involved in. This week our health failed to find balance! Ten of the fifteen students became ill at the same time, and time did not pause for them. Internships and schoolwork zoomed forward; expectations and reliance on us from our internships and comrades were not paused; and the sun continued to rise and set at its alarming rate (Photo: www.tracks4africa.co.za).

By now, it is fair to say that most of us have realized CGE’s strategy of teaching, which in part means witnessing paradoxes first hand by exploring several opposing angles of an issue. We are placed in situations where we are often baffled and frustrated by much of what we hear, and eventually reach a place where we can apply context and translate that frustration into a bud for understanding. This week we explored the Herero Genocide through several lenses, most of which sparked surges of frustration within us, causing us to question the history we knew, and the future of Namibia we envisioned. Through visiting a museum, exploring videos, and speaking with a German pastor, we began to wonder how so much of Namibia’s history had disappeared. Finding balance in our lives here in order to stay afloat and engaged, and negotiating through the many contradictions blaring in front of us were constant themes woven into this week’s experience here in Namibia.

So far our classes have been well balanced at least; most of the professors do a great job of providing us with different ways of learning through lectures, videos, speakers, discussions, and visiting museums. Romanus, our history professor, took us to the Alte Feste Museum in Windhoek on Thursday, the 15^th of September. Each group was asked to look for particular things within the museum, one of which being hidden messages. When we approached the front of the fort, along the walls were German weapons, and vehicles proudly welcoming us into the building. In the far right corner sat a large woven basket, seeming to be of African design. Inside that basket hidden in that corner was garbage. Maybe it was purely coincidental, but when asked to look for symbolism, symbolism is what you see, and it seemed as though to be a symbol of the garbage that German Colonization made out of African Culture. This is evident in the museum.

The museum was poorly funded. Pictures of black prisoners standing with German guards and militia were mounted on cardboard. These pictures were simply labeled in this way with the dates. Few stories of events were told within the museum. We then saw pictures of black leaders and black prisoners. The museum then continued into a celebration of Namibian Independence. We then walked into a room filled with information about wall paintings. The sign before the room dared to ask something along the lines of, “Do African wall paintings have any meaning?” This is an example of how the German creators of this museum have made a mockery of African culture.

A mix of German and African artifacts filled another room dominated by the German artifacts, just as tribes were dominated by German culture. Upon leaving I asked the black guard behind the desk, “Who created these exhibits?” He replied, “The Germans.” To him I responded, “What audience is this museum intended for?” “The Germans,” he replied, “White, white, white, white…” he said as he pointed to the walls with distain. From his tone, and from walking through the museum we gathered that he felt as though African history and culture was not being represented in the right way. We left the Alte Feste museum disappointed with the lack of information about the struggle of tribes during colonization. After leaving class that day we felt disgust, for we had learned that the Alte Feste Museum and many Germans neglected to tell the tale of another part of Namibia’s history- the Herero Genocide.

Outside the very walls of this fort stand a statue which commemorates Germany colonizing Namibia while inside those very walls thousands of Hereros were murdered during the Herero Genocide. Alte Feste fails to mention that part of Namibia’s history within its walls. Germany fails to recognize the horrors that built their colony. It is almost if they chose to forget. The Herero Genocide went from 1904 to 1909. Seventy-five percent of Hereros were killed. Fifty percent of the Nama people were killed as well, but not one official monument stands for either group who died. Yet outside of the Alte Feste Museum stands a proud statue commemorating German’s influence on Windhoek. Influence comes more easily when there are less people to influence; sixty-five thousand less people.

Lothar Von Trotha, the leader of the genocide deliberately sanctioned the annihilation of all Herero people. The soldiers drove them to the Kalahari desert and then fenced them in causing many to die of starvation and thirst; that was only the beginning. Concentration camps were in Windhoek and Swakopmund and forced labor was imposed upon the Herero people. It is horrible to think that so much of Namibia has been created by oppression. The beautiful parliament building and rail road tracks have been built by the hands of the oppressed. Thousands were oppressed brutally though starvation, thirst, and being over-worked, often resulting in death. Death certificates were printed ahead of time saying “died of exhaustion,” and once they were worked literally to the bone, their bodies were thrown carelessly into mass, unmarked graves in the desert like garbage being tossed into a waste bin.

The museum in many ways effectively hides the truths of the past, instead of offering accounts and explorations of reality. We must actively work to search for truths, for as we have noticed, many layers of colonial influence, re-written history, shame and discomfort obscure them. Our upcoming trip to Swakopmund will test our ability to search for truth in history. We must balance the experience of being in a beautiful place with a history that is painfully ugly. The graves of murdered Herero people remain hidden under the sand of Swakop, the very sand that we were so excited to quad bike over before learning the truth. How can we balance being a tourist and visitor of Swakopmund with our duties as students and conscious beings? The benefits of being challenged each and every day in this program, however, insurmountably out way the benefits of remaining ignorant to history’s truths.

SWAPO, and Other Discontent: An Urban Homestay Experience

2011-09-27T05:40:00.000-05:00

Week 4
Charlotte and Hunter

Just as we were becoming more comfortable with our classes, internships, and new Namibian crib, we each were whisked away by our respective Namibian families to spend one week in our urban homestays. Our time with these families provided a more complete understanding of the vast array of cultures and narratives that compose modern Namibian identities.

Although it would be inappropriate for us as bloggers to speak for all CGE student and family experiences, one sentiment that we experienced both in class and in our homestays was that of discontent with party politics in Namibia. In both of our homes, we listened to our surrogate families speak about their misgivings with SWAPO domination of the Namibian government and national discourse.

In the eyes of our family members, SWAPO has consistently failed to serve the best interest of the majority of Namibians since its historic ascent to power in 1990. Both of our host families felt that SWAPO, still riding on the momentum of being the liberation party during Namibia’s apartheid and purporting to bring greater egalitarianism to Namibian society, had not lived up to this promising potential and in fact stood as a road block to greater Namibian growth. One student’s host mom Kaitlin*, a secretary for a government school in Windhoek, revealed that she still sees inefficiencies within the education system such as frequent curricula changes that prevent an effective educational experience as well as consistently overcrowded classes (50+ plus students to a class). Another student’s host brother James*, a 24-year-old student at the Polytechnic, expressed similar frustration at the Ministry of Education for refusing to recognize the honors programs from the Polytechnic while simultaneously recognizing identical degrees from partner universities. He explained that, as a result of this policy, his job prospects are limited and his future paycheck will suffer.

For both, the largest problem facing Namibia is corruption of party leaders as they have experienced through the lens of education. They each provided two different solutions. Kaitlin suggested more diverse voices within government to break down the monolithic SWAPO black liberation party identity. James offered a more provocative solution to government corruption. He believes that SWAPO will ultimately be ousted by popular revolt, likely led by poor Namibians. Herbert Jauch, on the other hand, provides a third possibility.

Herbert Jauch, a Namibian labor activist and researcher, spoke to the CGE Development class last Friday about the current economic structure in Namibia and where he believed the country is headed. Unlike Kaitlin and James, Jauch firmly believes that SWAPO is a fixture in the Namibian political scene, and must be pressured rather than radically changed or rejected by the electorate. While presenting the proposed Basic Income Grant bill, a program that attempts to address glaring structural poverty in Namibia, Jauch suggested that the bill could be passed via direct and unified pressure from key constituencies, primarily in the north of Namibia where SWAPO comfortably dominates the vote (98% according to Jauch). Using Jauch’s model, corruption and government inefficiency can best be addressed by awareness and mobilization among long-standing supporters of SWAPO, thereby recognizing the reality of SWAPO’s dominance in Namibian government.

In considering all of these responses to SWAPO’s current political agenda, we gravitated towards Jauch’s solution because it has the potential to do the least damage to the nation while delivering substantial policy changes. By asserting that a series of peaceful populist protests would effectively convince government officials to meet citizen demands, Jauch is positing that a democracy in the purest sense of the word is a possibility in Namibia. However, while we are hopeful that Jauch’s solution could become a reality, we recognize our predominantly academic and Western, liberal lens in assessing such remedies predisposes us to a more theoretical analysis and perhaps idealistic notion of civil unrest. Our host families, on the other hand, have deeply personal understandings of SWAPO that we lack. As such, their suggestions will be highly contextualized to their specific lenses and are no less valid. Both of their solutions, while not as appealing to Westerners, may in fact be more astute assessments of what may come in Namibia. In short, all three solutions are viable and possible inasmuch as they reflect three nuanced perspectives on the political economy of Namibia.

Both through living with Namibian families and hearing Jauch’s analysis of the Namibian socio-economic scene, we were able to continue broadening our perspectives and knowledge of Namibian politics and culture. While these issues have no easy solution, it is refreshing to experience first-hand counter-narratives that challenge the dominant Namibian political discourse.

*pseudonym

Egg Races and Safe Places: The Team Goes to Elisenheim Guestfarm

2011-09-09T07:33:00.002-05:00

Week 3
Daniel and Hunter

Our first full week in Namibia was a busy one. Our schedule included activities like the “Katutura Quest,” where the CGE students explored the expansive Katutura neighborhood via the complicated Namibian taxi system (with lots of help from the Young Achievers, a youth group from Windhoek).These excursions, combined with our first classes, provided little time to truly settle into our new surroundings. However, an unexpected highlight of our first week was getting to know the fulltime staff in Windhoek, and this was invaluable for our acclimation to our Namibian home. (Photo 1: Students and Staff during Circle Ice-breaker)

While we had spent time in Johannesburg with our International Resident Advisor Jessy Spanswick and Development Studies professor Linda Raven, we were still unfamiliar with the rest of the Namibia crew. So, on Tuesday, August 30th, the entirety of the Center for Global Education Namibia staff and student body piled into CGE “adventure van” and drove to Elisenheim Guestfarm for the aptly named “team-building retreat.”

Nestled amongst the craggy hills outside of Windhoek, Elisenheim Guestfarm is a peculiar mixture of back-country campground, horse farm and safari lodge. After a long ride down unpaved roads, we arrived just in time for second breakfast: tea and open-faced sandwiches.

The rest of the day consisted of team building activities and discussions about identity. We were invited to explain those aspects which we felt contributed to our individuality; topics ranged from gender and religion to class and nationality. These sorts of conversations were not easy ones to have, however, the supportive atmosphere created by staff and student alike allowed for judgment-free discussions. Specifically as students, we tried to keep in mind that many of the members of the staff had been sharing their lives with students for years, so that in a way, this was part of a larger project. This also explains why the staff members were the best at strategizing during the “run backwards with an egg on a spoon relay while blindfolded competition” (We’ll get you next time, Uncle Passat!).

In another display of community growth, Linda gave interested students and staff a short, impromptu yoga lesson after lunch. Seated in a circle on the grass, Linda led the group in a series of stretches. Together, we labored through the motions, laughing at our inability to touch our toes. Program Coordinator Nespect Salom had the greatest difficulty, and he endured some teasing from the staff on the sidelines. Yet much to everyone’s delight, he persevered in good humor. By the end, a few adventurous students tried headstands, with very mixed results.

While we all learned a lot at Elisenheim Guestfarm the learning did not take place through the traditional academic method. We did not learn about the lasting impacts of colonialism in formal manner and at no point did we dissect any of the key concepts of “globalization, nation-building” or “decolonizing the mind” in a classroom setting.

Nonetheless, reflecting on this experience, we learned a great deal about the roles that are played by staff and students in CGE and in the broader community. We also had the opportunity to begin to talk about our personal experiences and how they were impacting our time in Namibia today. Sharing our opinions and interacting with others in this way helped push us to critically reflect on the reasons we visited Elisenheim Guestfarm in the first place. (Photo 2: Students and Staff during the Egg Races)

In retrospect, this experience also allowed us to talk with a wide variety of people from a wide variety of backgrounds about a wide variety of difficult topics. Our time at Elisenheim Guestfarm not only gave us a better understanding of where our colleagues were coming from, but also practical experience in cross-cultural communication. As with just about every activity since our arrival in Johannesburg 3 weeks ago, the “team-building retreat” served multiple purposes: it gave us, both staff and students, time to familiarize ourselves with one another, something essential for people who will be living and working together for the next three months. It also helped build confidence in cross-cultural communication, a skill that will continue to be necessary at our internships and host-stays.

For fear of disclosing information that may be confidential and in keeping with the idea of our time at the guesthouse as a safe place, we will not disclose the content of the various conversations that took place.

A Youthful Perspective

2011-09-05T04:26:00.005-05:00

Week 2
Gloria and Leah

Our second week was full of many speakers and tours, which served to both expand our knowledge base and simultaneously draw attention to growing contradictions. The more we are learning about South Africa’s past and present, the more it seems that it is riddled with inconsistencies and conflicting ideologies.(Photo 1 "Eternal Flame in Freedom Park")

We had the amazing opportunity to meet with a group of inspiring students at the St. Martin’s school, a Semi-private school located in Soweto. They helped us to get a more personal and youthful explanation of South Africa’s history and a hopeful taste of what the future can become. Students from the Leadership Council brought us into several different classrooms in small groups. In each classroom, important questions about the history and development of the United States, comparing and contrasting issues in the USA and South Africa, as well as questions related to race were brought up to us by the students.

Having spent much of the past week hearing from adults in positions of power, many of us felt shocked and refreshed by the new perspective these students shared with us about their opinions of the future. Meetings with the dominant and competing political parties had left us with a cynical sense of South Africa’s ability to combat much of its inequity. Host families and speakers alike expressed frustration with fellow South Africans whom they believed were either unable to forget enough of the Apartheid injustices or too quickly forgetting their past. In both instances, there was no common ground to allow for people to move forward. For many of the older generation, the firsthand trauma they went through during the liberation struggle is still fresh in their minds and is preventing a clearer vision for true unification. Students at St. Martin’s, however, readily identified the need to find a balance (Photo 2 "Members of the Saint Martin's Leadership Council with CGE students") between remembering and forgetting in order for progress to be made.

Many of these “born-frees” (children born after 1994) have been able to understand the injustices suffered by their parents, but are simultaneously able to distance themselves enough to allow for a more open approach to reconciliation. Our interactions with these energetic and bright students characterized the hope and promise of the upcoming generation, who are fighting and working hard for a better South Africa. We left the school humbled by the spirit, openness and self-motivation of the students. The energy and optimism we witnessed at St. Martin’s was a refreshing contrast to the negativity we had been hearing from many of the older generation. Our experiences at the school served to break down much of the cynicism some of us had built up about South Africa’s future.

In leaving the school, however, we couldn’t help but also hesitate in thinking about the motivations for many of the students. We were asked a multitude of questions about wealth and prosperity in the United States, and there seemed to be a devaluing of South Africa in favor of an idolization of the US. We have seen the damage that the implementation of western ideals can cause, and can’t help but fear that for many young South Africans, “progress” really means Westernization.

After ten days of examining the competing narratives of South Africa’s past and present, we departed the country to head to Namibia. Once there, we settled into what will be our home for the next three months and got to know the staff who will be living and working with us. We are all very excited and eager to learn more about the past and present struggles and hopes of the Namibian people, with a careful eye toward the similarities and differences to what we have experienced already in the different townships throughout South Africa.

Our First Glance at South Africa through Living Accommodations.

2011-09-05T04:23:00.001-05:00

Week 1
Laura and Carin

Sanibonani!

Coming to southern Africa, many of us had preconceptions of what it would be like and how we would feel. Through touring Soweto, listening to speakers, visiting museums, visiting historical sites, going to the malls, meeting new people, and staying with families in Soweto, we have come to the general question- what is post-apartheid South Africa? By observing living conditions in a number of South African communities, we were able to get a better understanding of South Africa during and after Aparthied. (Photo 1 "Single's")

Our main living accommodation in South Africa was 17 Shaft, a previous hostel for gold miners in Johannesburg near Soweto and the World Cup Soccer Stadium. During the apartheid the government built hostels for migrant males that were employed and used for cheap labor in the mines. Although 17 Shaft has been transformed and transitioned into our temporary South African home, there are still hostels, and so called ‘single’s quarters, around South Africa.

In our tour of Soweto we saw this type of housing and how it has persisted; how the close quarters, overpopulation, and unsanitary conditions have remained even after the new government came to power. In these areas, the unemployment rate is around 80% and overpopulation in a serious problem. The government therefore built new homes for those who reside in the hostels (homes that accommodate larger families and have basic services), but the government expects payment for these new lodgings, which the hostel residents cannot afford. Also, the hostel we saw is completely separated from the actual township of Soweto, which seems to discourage unity and correspondence between the differing living situations.

In another living situation across town, we witnessed different housing also relating to migrants. In recent years Johannesburg has seen an influx of immigrants from a number of African countries. Many immigrants come to Johannesburg with hopes of finding employment opportunities in and around the city. On one of our final days in Johannesburg we drove through an inner-city immigrant community called Hillbrow. The Hillbrow we witnessed was a very different community than that during the Apartheid era. Under Apartheid, Hillbrow was legally designated as a “whites-only” neighborhood, but today the population is largely composed of Nigerian immigrants.

Our bus driver and guide gave us his perspective of the community. He explained the frustration many South African citizens feel toward this new immigrant workforce. He sees the influx of immigrant laborers as competition for jobs in a country with an all ready very high unemployment rate. We drove through Hillbrow on a weekday during traditional working hours. The streets were crowded. Many of the unemployed turn to drugs or prostitution. One momentarily jarring experience occurred as a crowd of men ran from a corner as a police car drove by. With a perceived notion that immigrants drive up crime and crowd the labor force, xenophobia is increasingly prevalent in South Africa.

When looking at housing throughout South Africa, we observed many contrasts in the conditions and quality, like the juxtaposition of the suburb of Sandton and the township of Alexandra. Alexandra is one of the poorest townships in South Africa, where people lack proper shelter and water, and struggle with overpopulation. Right across the street is Sandton, one of the wealthiest suburbs. In our kombi, we drove past Alexandra into Sandton, like so many elite residents do. To see not only the unequal housing situation, but also to see the obvious race construction according to location, made us question how far South Africa has come to becoming a truly ‘rainbow nation’. While here, we learned of the phrase ‘ubuntu’, ‘I am because you are’, how can this be true when race and socioeconomics determine opportunities, interactions, and success?

During our ten days in South Africa we witnessed the legacy of apartheid and the effects it has on society today, in regards to the diverse and unequal housing. So while it’s difficult to say whether South Africa is stepping two steps forward and one step back, or one step forward and two steps back; there are a few things that seem certain. From what we experienced and observed in regards to living conditions and housing, it seems that there will be nearly as much transition in South Africa in the next twenty years as there has been in the last twenty. We also learned that South Africa’s history and their current political and social climate is anything but black and white. There is not a single South African narrative; there is not just one image of post-apartheid South Africa. In a region as diverse as southern Africa there are many homes, people, and stories that make up the society that we have observed in the past few weeks.

Love,
Laura and Carin

Photo 2 "View"

Preparations for Fall 2011

2011-07-27T07:49:00.003-05:00

The CGE team is getting ready to welcome the Fall students. Everyone is busy with the tasks to make CGE Fall 2011 a succes just like the previious years. Just a reminder of CGE's mission .

" The mission of CGE at AUgsburg college is to provide cross-cultural Educational opportunities in order to forster critical analysis of local and global conditions so that personal and systematic change takes place leading to a more just and sustainable world"

Land and Organic Farms. Woo.

2011-05-18T05:05:00.002-05:00

Authors: Molly, Katelyn, and Katie
Week 14

On Friday, April 22^nd, a group of us visited an organic farm called GreenSpot in Okahandja to celebrate Earth Day! We were welcomed by Manjo Smith, the woman who owns the farm, along with her family and were given a tour of the land. Not only was this a fitting tribute to respecting our Earth, but it was also an educational opportunity to learn about an alternative to large scale Namibian farming. It was a great contrast to the government owned Etunda Irrigation, which we had seen earlier in the semester.

As we sat at a table sipping glasses of water on her back porch, she told us how many challenges came up against her and her family as they labored to build this farm. She researched extensively before starting this farm, but the biggest problem was that all of the best books and resources were aimed for either small, individual organic farms or for farms in the United States or Europe, neither of which apply to her. As a result, she had to do a lot of learning on her own and adapt western practices for the sandy, dry Namibia soil and climate. This is because organic farming has yet to form a strong foundation in southern Africa and especially in Namibia.

(Photo: Several CGE students learning how every part of the farm is interconnected and used)

According to Mrs. Smith, the key to growing the organic industry is consumer demand. It was interesting to hear about Mrs. Smith’s opinions as to why organics have yet to take hold here as well as think about some of our own. Obviously consumer demand is lacking, but why? One reason is because traditional farming is so ingrained in the culture as habit. People do what they know brings success and food, so it is hard to convince them to do otherwise when their livelihood is at stake. Plus, organic farming requires a decent amount of time invested in education of methods, and local farmers don’t necessarily have the time or money to spend away from their farm. It could also be, as we have been discovering during our time here, many people are just concerned about eating to be full and not necessarily about eating to be healthy. In Smith’s perspective, the vast majority of the Namibian population is not aware of how their food is grown or what is good or bad for them. They are more focused on what is cheap and filling for their family. Maybe better education on what these large scale farmers are doing in order to grow large amounts of food fast and what is healthy for their bodies would help bring about more people to be open to the idea of organic farming.

People need to know how organic and regular farming compare and then be given the ability to decide for themselves what they think is best. We have learned over the semester how many people just come in and tell people here what to do without really explaining what they are trying to accomplish or even finding out if that is what the people want to do. Yes, we can educate the people but now the question arises, in a country where the majority of the population is at or below the poverty line, do people have the means to start an organic garden or even buy the crops? Smith stated that most of her customers are white, German-descendent Namibians. Is this because they have been educated about the risks of using pesticides and anything else related to large scale farming or is it just that they can afford the better quality, but more expensive organic crops? While we wish that the food here was able to go into the hands of the majority of Namibians, we were relieved that the products produced from GreenSpot were at least sold inside of Namibia. Most of the produce, even from the Etunda Irrigation project, is actually sold to South Africa where the vast majority of grocery stores are based, and then sold back to the people of Namibia.

Another question that arose both at the farm and throughout our other studies here is what can we do if people are educated but simply do not care to change their ways? Organic farming has trouble translating into the rest of Namibian society, and Mrs. Smith said that even though her Namibian workers know how to farm organically, they do not take it back to their communities. What she mentioned that was even more interesting was that often time old customs and practices, which may not be as practical anymore, stick around families as long as the father, the traditional head of the household, is alive. This means that if a family might want to change some of the practices around their farm but the father does not, they must wait until the father has passed away to do so. How possible is it to get people to change their ways without forcing them to? What amount of education about the issues will change minds? This question has really been on our minds this last week especially in terms of development. Unfortunately it is not one that we have been able to articulate a firm answer to. So while our formal education here has come to an end, we are left with more questions to continue our learning.

Manjo Smith took us on a tour of her organic farm, Greenspot.