Clearly, I am not very good at updating/blogging. Thought I’d give a brief update of what I am doing and how things are going. Two weeks ago I swore in as a volunteer…..whoothoo….officially a PCV! Directly after that I was driven up to my permanent site in Oshakati.

For the next two years I will be living with a family in a modern style home. We have running water; cold showers are something I don’t think I’ll ever get use to and electricity (even a TV w/cable!). Yes folks, I am living in the posh corps! The family consists of: Meme, her three daughters, two grandchildren, one cousin, and two/three random cousin types. Let’s just say cooking dinner for the family can be interesting! My meme is super sweet and understanding. She really understands that I need my own private time and space, which is great, since it can be super overwhelming at times.

I am working with an organization, which has an afterschool program for 120 orphans and vulnerable children. I am responsible for improving and running the program, which was just structured in February by a couple of volunteers from England. I have one volunteer helper, but it is still a challenge to get the kids settled down and listen. Also, my lack of understanding in the children’s language tends to be a problem when trying to get them to quiet down. At the moment, I am just treading water, trying to figure out the best way to structure lessons for the children and keep their interest while doing it. If anyone has any ideas/games to play with the kids, email me!

“Hey Shulumbu” is a phrase that I am becoming accustomed to, translated as ‘hey white person’. The children at the center call me it daily and I am constantly reminding them I have a name.

Finally, first entry from Namibia! The first week here was a constant struggle to adjust to the time change and eating habits. I was falling asleep at one or two in the morning and waking up at six. Not to worry, that only lasted a week and now when my head hits the pillow I am out. The food on the other hand….not sure if I will ever completely adjust to it. I already really really miss American coffee and a great big green salad. My meal usually consists of a small piece of meat (chicken and some sort of beef), pasta or rice and potatoes. Oh, and don’t forget the ketchup and mayonnaise, this goes with every meal.

My group consists of 30 rockin’ peeps from all over. Our pre-service training is in Okahandja which is about 45 minutes north of Windhoek. The training days are long consisting of four hours of language in the morning and technical sessions in the afternoon.

I am learning Oshindonga, which means my permanent site will be in the north above Etosha State Park!! Right now, I am living with a single mom, 2 yr old son and 15 yr old sister in a middle class area of Okahandja. Tonight she taught me how to take a bucket bath for two reasons; water is expensive and once I am up north I may not have a bathtub. I go for a site visit next Saturday (March 20), which means I will stay in the area I will permanently live in for a week and then have to find my own transportation back to training. Nervous about that one! The anticipation of finding out where my site for the next two years will be is driving me crazy!!

After three days of travel I finally made it to Maine. My mom and I intended on leaving on Monday, but were delayed by a problem with my car that ended up setting us back. A thousand dollars later we were ready to leave on Tuesday(Feb. 9). After a 12 hour car ride we made it to Richmond, VA just in time for the February Fury that took over the east coast. We ended up spending Wednesday stuck in a hotel watching Cash Cab, playing on the computer and waiting for the storm to pass. Finally, on Thursday we were able to make the trek to Maine; arriving home around midnight. I ended up driving the entire way and was completely ready to be done in CT! Now, I am on to unpacking the car and packing my two (no more than 40 pounds each) bags for Namibia on Wednesday (Feb.17).

For the next few months, if you would like to send me mail address it to the following:

Lindsay Newell

Peace Corps Office

P.O. Box 6862

20 Nachtigal Street

Ausspannplatz

Windhoek

Namibia

Whoothoo!! 10 days to go!

Ok, ok, after a quick hiatus to finish up my master’s, I am finally back on track and headed to Namibia! Here is a new timeline of events from the day I applied to the invite!

Middle of August 2008 - sent in application

September 4, 2008 - phone interview

September 5, 2008 - nominated

November 20, 2008 - completed and sent in medical/dental/legal packet

December 17, 2008 - deferred from medical

March 19, 2009 - medically cleared! :)

April 10, 2009 - received invitation to serve in Azerbaijan

April 17, 2009 - accepted invite

May 4, 2009 – declined invite to Azerbaijan

September 16, 2009 – program transfer departing for Africa

September 29, 2009 – received invite to serve in Namibia!!

October 09, 2009 – accepted invite

February 16, 2010 - leave for staging! whoothoo!!

For Labor Day weekend Brandon and I drove down to Key West. We decided to make an A to Z list of songs that have influenced our lives here is mine (although, now I feel I could make a few changes...like all the Eve, DMX, Silverchair, Sublime, Long Beach Dub All-stars, I use to listen to back in the day). I had to improvise on a few of the letters, but here's the hot little gem:

A – Alkaline Trio – Matt Skiba & Kevin Seconds – Good Fin’ Bye – EP

B – Beck - Sea Change – Lost Cause

C – Chwalaleng – Hypnotized - Pilfers

D – Dinosaur Jr. –Caterpillar Girl - Lou Barlow - EMOH

E – Erin Mckeown –Taste of You – Grand

F – Father of Mine – Everclear – So much for the Afterglow

G – Guster – (Nothing But) Flowers – Guster on Ice (Talking Heads Cover)

H – Honey Honey Bee - Robinella & the CC Stringband

I – Is Terrified – The Dismemberment Plan – Ice of Boston

J – Johnson, Robert (1930’s) - slide guitar, mimicking the style in teens – Ben Harper – Forever – Welcome to the Cruel World

K – Keep it Like a Secret - Carry the Zero – Built to Spill

L – Live at Blues Alley – Fine & Mellow – Eva Cassidy (Billie Holiday)

M – Morphine – Cure for the Pain – I’m Free Now

N – No Queen Blues – Sonic Youth –Washing Machine

O – Orchestra NY Philharmonic – All Mine - Portishead – Roseland, Live in NYC

P – Perfectly – The Anniversary – Designing a Nervous Breakdown

Q – Q Award (Best Album) – Good Song – Blur – Think Tank

R –Rocks Tonic Juice Magic - Through Being Cool – Saves the Day

S – S.C.I.E.N.C.E – Incubus - Glass

T – The Jayhawks – Bad Time – Tomorrow the Green Grass

U – Uncle Tupelo – Billy Bragg & Wilco – California Stars – Mermaid Ave. (Woody Guthrie)

V – Voice procedure term - Will Comply – Wilco – She’s a Jar -Summerteeth

W – Willis (P-NUT) – Freeze Time – Soundsystem -311

X – X wrote - Johnny Hit and Run Pauline – Giant Sand – Cover Magazine – Howe Gelb - Calexico & Jim James – Going to Acapulco (Dylan Cover)

Y – Yo La Tengo – Stockholm syndrome - I can hear the heart beating as one

Z – Zoom – Dr. Dre & LL Cool J – Bulworth Soundtrack – BEP – Movement - Behind the Front

Don't be jealous. I bet you all wished you were as cool as me :)

Remember when you were young, you shone like the sun. Shine on you crazy diamond. Now there's a look in your eyes, like black holes in the sky. Shine on you crazy diamond. You were caught on the crossfire of childhood and stardom, blown on the steel breeze. Come on you target for faraway laughter, come on you stranger, you legend, you martyr,and shine! You reached for the secret too soon, you cried for the moon.

Shine on you crazy diamond. Threatened by shadows at night, and exposed in the light.Shine on you crazy diamond. Well you wore out your welcome with random precision, rode on the steel breeze. Come on you raver, you seer of visions, come on you painter, you piper, you prisoner,and shine!

Nobody knows where you are, how near or how far. Shine on you crazy diamond. Pile on many more layers and I'll be joining you there. Shine on you crazy diamond. And we'll bask in the shadow of yesterday's triumph, and sail on the steel breeze. Come on you boy child, you winner and loser, come on you miner for truth and delusion, and shine!

-Pink Floyd

Saturday, June 27, 2009

This past weekend I went to Denver to visit with My Missy! It had been over a year since I had last seen her. Man, I really miss that girl! I can't help, but compare every friendship to the one I have with Missy....I don't believe anyone will ever know me better than her!

Anyway, so during the six days that I was there, we went to a Rockies game, hiked in Silverthorne (about 4 miles) and visited the Coors brewery. I say about four miles with the hike, because we ended up turning around before getting to the top due to snow!! The higher we went the deeper the snow, and I had sneakers with shorts on. The snow was up to our knees at points!!ha

I also got to see Kristin and finally meet her boyfriend Eli!! I had heard so much about him, so it was about time!! Kristin and Eli are the ones who planned the hike in Silverthorne and then took us to a local brewry after. They also took me to a street festival in Denver and to see Red Rocks!!! I didn't get to actually walk around Red Rocks due to a concert, but one day I will see a show there!

I do believe one day I will live in Denver (after the PC of course)!

To think I almost missed out on doing Muddy Buddy this year! This was my third year to participate, but very last minute. Found out on Wednesday that a friends team could not do it, lucky me! It was the first year I really dressed up for it....we were "Miss American Drop Outs". Dressing up made it much more fun and people seem to cheer even more!

Check out the makeup.....bright red lipstick and green eyeshadow.....hotness! ha

Unfortunately, I locked my keys in the car an hour before the race...duh. We had no race packet or camera, but no problem. The race people were kind enough issue us a new number and I found a friend with a camera before the race. She met up with us after to take some muddy pictures too!! Go team Sweethearts! I may be back in time to do Muddy Buddy in May of 2012, depends on if I depart in January!

We are prone to judge success by the index of our salaries or the size of our automobiles, rather than by the quality of our service relationship to humanity.

~Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.~ Generally, the first question people ask upon finding out I am joining the PC is “Why”. Most cannot fathom spending two years of their lives away from family, friends and the comforts of home, for the unknown. Lately I have been giving this ‘why’ a considerable amount of thought. Why am I doing this? Am I doing it for the right reasons? Reasons why I am joining:

- to make a difference and help improve the quality of life for others

- because I believe people should be able to have the same quality of life that I have

- to gain a new perspective of the world and my country

- to grow as an individual & realize/strive to reach my full potential

- affect change that will accelerate after I leave the country of service The other question is ‘why overseas, why not help right here in America?’ For me this question is simple. I believe here in America we are provided with many opportunities to better ourselves, I agree some have it harder than others, but America provides alternatives that most developing countries are unable to offer. Even the poorest of the poor in America have food and shelter, which people in third world countries are not fortunate enough to receive. I am not naively going into this thinking ‘I’m going to change the world and it’s going to be wonderful’, like anything, it will be a roller coaster ride of highs and lows. I realize there will be moments of pure frustration, doubt and difficult demands, but a lot of things in life are not easy. I could easily feel all of these demands and frustrations right here in Florida. Must admit it is a little daunting to think I will be 30 when I return, but this is what I want to do. My passion is to work in community development, helping to build a better future for our youth and society. I don’t feel like I am giving up two years of my life to serve; some things may just get ‘put on hold’. Everyone must follow what makes them happy, be honest with who they are, and realistic in the expectations set. This is what I want to do….community development…...working with at risk youth….it’s about following your passion….pushing boundaries and never settling for anything less then what you think you deserve. I do not believe we were simply put here on this earth to make money and buy things to make us happy. People seldom do what they believe in. They do what is convenient, then repent.

~Bob Dylan~ http://hypem.com/track/807037/Tim+Barry-Idle+Idylist

- Tim Barry, Idle Idylist

Yesterday I officially declined my invitation to serve in Azerbaijan. It all started last Thursday when I discovered that I will not be able to finish up my last two classes of my Masters in Nonprofit Management in the summer term. Here were my options:

1. Decline my invitation for September, take the two classes in the fall to finish up my degree then hope for an invite sometime in January to March.

2. Forget my last two classes and go into the PC in September as planned. The problem is I don't know if I would ever finish up the degree after and I don't want to be obligated to come back to Florida. (I do love Florida and think I will return, but who knows how I will feel after the PC and I don't want to feel obligated to return.)

It was a tough decision with much debate, but I realize the PC will be there in six months, and its just as important to finish my degree when I am so close.

So goodbye Azerbaijan.......heres looking toward the next invite, and discovery of another country!

A few positives to staying in Florida longer:

- running the fall races

- November marathon

- Christmas with family

- more time with friends

- fall league frisbee!

Here we go.....first post!

A timeline of events from the day I applied to the invite!

Middle of August - sent in application

September 4, 2008 - phone interview

September 5, 2008 - nominated

November 20, 2008 - completed and sent in medical/dental/legal packet

December 17, 2008 - deferred from medical

March 19, 2009 - medically cleared! :)

April 10, 2009 - received invitation to serve in Azerbaijan

April 17, 2009 - accepted invite

September 03, 2009 - leave Orlando for Maine!

September 28, 2009 - leave for Staging

Long process, but well worth it! Ready for the adventure to begin.