General Bits & Bobs from Namibia - 10/12/11

This post is just for a few bits I want to mention which hasn't been connected with previous posts. Also it's a chance to see some photos.



This is a bush fire we drove through on our way from Windhoek to Rundu. It was caused by a car accident and spread rapidly. Photos don’t do it justice.



In my house are three dogs, these are the younger two. The room they are in is the same room that some drunken bloke often sleeps in and I have to climb over if I need to use the toilet. The kitten turned up one day and so my host family decided it was theirs. Like the dogs it had no name. My use of past tense here is relevant. I had a conversation with Shady, 11, one of my host brothers recently after not seeing the kitten for a week…

Me: How many cats do you have?
Shady: One
Me: What about the baby cat?
Shady (very nonchalant): It’s dead
Me: What happened?
Shady (still nonchalant): The dogs killed it

…so it was mauled by the dogs, not that anyone cared.

This is a poster from one of the kindergartens explaining how to get revenge on an ex-girlfriend by going to the toilet near where they are eating.



Far left is Shady, 11, one of my host brothers busy playing with my iPod. The lad in the middle is Mervin, 13, another of my brothers. In front of him is Pauline, 6, my host sister with Chris Brown on her lap. He is one of the older brother’s child and is seen playing with my diabolo (after stealing it from my room) in the other photo. The other child is one I see a lot but is not related to my family. These are some of the many children that hang around my house. They like to hijack our room requesting diabolos, my iPod or to play cards.

Washing clothes in the river. It was quite a novelty for the many others washing to see a white male doing the same.

Our article in the national paper the Namibian Sun from the fun day we held.



World Aids Day - traditional dance performance. We helped set up the shelters and chairs as well as hand out posters.

Other bits

As well as those mentioned above, since being here I have had several new experiences:

A taxi driver pulling over to be served a drink and consume it out of his window whilst taking me to work.

Several dead dogs.

Puppies being sold for N$20, less than £2.

A man getting knocked down by a taxi who then got up and walked off.

The panic in Hungry Lion (like KFC) when a babies heart stopped. There is a very limited number of ambulances in Rundu. Luckily the child came back to life after a few worrying minutes.

Having children run up to me constantly just to ask “How are you?” or shout “I’m fine” from those who haven’t quite gotten the hang of it.

Children who I don't recognise yelling my name.