My African Adventure

On Tuesday, I perhaps had one of the craziest moments of my life, so sit back and enjoy this story. My friend Justine, a volunteer about 350km away from me, was headed to Livingstone, Zambia to pick up her mom and Aunt from America, so she decided to break up her trip and stay in Divundu one night and enjoy the area. She was able to get a hitchihike from Rundu with a German lady traveling around Namibia. When she arrived at the petrol station in my village, Justine informed me that the German lady was going to Buffalo Game Park and invited us to go with her. Buffalo Game Park is a game park about 25km from me, that has elephants, zebra, hyenas, hippos, etc., however it is poorly developed. It lacks proper road care, maintenance crews, signs, not many visitors, and even overnight park rangers. As we entered the park, I made sure the German lady was aware that I had to be back in 2 hours to work on some things at school. Immediately we saw hippos in the nearby Kavango River, kudi, springbok, snakes, and loads of fresh of elephant poop. An hour into the trip, the German lady made a turn with the car into the bush to try and see if we could spot this elephant.

With 4 wheel drive, we drove over high sand, big water puddles, and deep vegetation. About 15 minutes into this journey, we approached a large puddle (more like a mini pond) of water. Four wheel drive was activated and we made it over. Despite this, another situation loomed ahead. This time didn’t go so well. Mid way through the deep water, the car just stopped. At this moment, the border fence to Botswana lay on our right, the main road of the park was 20 km away, and there was no cell phone service. The one rule of a Game Park is to not get out of the car, but of course this has to be broken in order to get us out. Justine and I got out and for 1 hour pushed, pulled, shook, and lifted the car. With night approaching, we all were thinking the same thing in our head- no one knows where we are and we had to prepare to stay the night. I decided to do a very dumb thing, walk around until I found service. I walked 10 minutes into the bush and was able to get one bar and managed to reach my good friend James in Divundu, and said, “its scott, stuck in buffalo game park near Botswana border, send help!” Walking back, I saw a huge snake and smelled fresh elephant poop. I quickly ran, determined to get out of here. Justine and I pushed, pulled, lifted, and shook the car and finally it budged. We hopped in the car and set out for the entrance. Not even 2 minutes later, the car splashed right into an even larger pool of mud! By now, I am tired and only wearing my boxers as my shirt and shorts were covered in mud. I got out again and pushed. Justine looked for sticks to we can create some traction for the wheels.

Suddenly though, I heard voices. They were coming from over the border fence in Botswana. I ran and screamed, and as I listened closer I realized they were speaking Mbukushu. “Wiye Popa No- come here now” I said. There were a bunch of cattle herders who were astonished that I could speak Mbukushu and offered to help. They climbed over the border fence into Namibia and helped us to no avail, and after 45 minutes headed back. The car was stuck in 2 feet mud, and to make matters worse it was dark and raining (again- the worst thing to do is be outside). We got in the car and prepared to sleep. About two hours later, we saw the headlights of a pick up truck and my friend James sitting in the front. Thank God! He had been searching everywhere. They brought chains to move the car out, but after 30 minutes we concluded that the car was so deep in the mud we would need a bigger car and more force to get it out. Justine and I assumed the three of us (the german lady, Justine, and I) would just go back tonight and then the German lady would come back tomorrow with a crew to get her car out. Seems logical as there are poachers, elephants, lions and James said there was a herd of hyenas not far from us. But the German lady refused, she would not leave her car. It was now 10 pm and although we were begging her to come, she kept refusing. We left her there, 20 km deep in the bush, no cellphone or anything. Justine and I made it back to Divundu, scraped, cut up, muddy, and with barley and clothes by 11 pm, just lucky to be safe. An experience I will never forget and even a person I will never forget. If it wasn’t for my friend James, things would be very different.

OOooo Namibia!

Peace,

Scott

Update: I called the police about the German lady that night, but they did nothing, and didn’t seem to care. We hired a crew of a few men and bigger car to go and get her and by 9 am the next morning, she was back safe in Divundu

Progress Report

Progress Report

Here is quick progress report for the library/donations:

- The current make shift library will be moved to a new classroom next week
- The paint is bought and I have hired some local kids to paint it on Sunday
- 2 new computers have arrived and programs are currently being installed
- 2 new couches have arrived
- A 4-1 fax, printer, scanner, copier has been added to our school office
- A new digital camera has been bought and will be added to the library for teachers to rent for a day for a class
- 10 dictionaries have been added to the shelves
- 150 books have been donated from Windhoek (the capital) and will be delivered sometime in December
- Shelves, a whiteboard, and 20 nice chairs will be delivered next Monday
- A local man is building benches, a computer table, and bookshelves which will be ready on Friday
- We have been sponsored to have The Namibian, the national newspaper, delivered for a year

Here is a quick Progress report for the community:
- 12 professional soccer balls will be delivered this week to be given to the school and some street kids
- 1000 Namibian dollars will be given to the coach of the local soccer team to travel to a regional competition in December
- 1000 Namibian dollars and a sewing machine will be given to the leader of a newly established Women’s Group in Divundu.
- A brand new Dell laptop and a book shelf was purchased and given to a local entrepreneur to expand his business in computer lessons, printing, etc. The same man will be hired by me to teach the learners how to use those 2 computers next year when I am not there. The contract is being set now.

All great news!

Cheers,

Scott

Is This The Same Country?

One of my goals in Namibia was to explore its vast area of land. I live in the Kavango Region, deep in the northeast section and far from the rest of the country. While a major part of Namibia is desert, each part of the country is extremely different then the next. I decided to make my way to Swakopmund, a coastal city that still has held onto its German roots about 100 years after colonization. Like usual, the only way to get out of Divundu is by hitchhiking and since this was such a far destination I thought it was necessary to go with someone. I invited one of the teachers at school who had never been to the coast or had ever seen the ocean. We left two weekends ago afterschool and withstood the 13 hour drive, YES 13 hour drive to the coast. Long hours on a Kombi, a minibus used for transporting long distances, will definitely make you tired as they are usually overpacked, uncomfortable, with a minimum of 3-4 babies always on board crying. The next morning, we woke up early to explore the city and visit the dunes of the Namib Desert. We didn’t have to go far as the desert started literally 1 km outside the center of the city. We came with a sandboarding instructor and we spent the 2 hours sandboarding down the dunes, pretty amazing and a once in a lifetime experience.
We spent the afternoon walking down the streets, walking past German signs, German restaurants, and a majority of white people. Definitely a culture shock, as I am the Mukuwa of Divundu (white man of Divundu). Exhausted and full of sand, we headed back to our hostel, had a few drinks, then went to sleep. On Saturday we took a taxi ride to Walvis Bay, a neighboring city that is a major port for Southern Africa. Only a few hours later, we returned to Swakop (its nickname), to meet up with some volunteer friends from that region. The bars there are much different than the Shebeens of Divundu, but I surprisingly missed the simplicity of just beer and a few other drinks that Divundu offers. We walked to the beach and watched the African sunset over the Atlantic…beautiful. We made sure to bring 2 containers with us to take the ocean water back home, as some people in the town informed me that it keeps the witches away :) . By Sunday, I thought I was relaxed and prepared for our 13 hour journey home. But 6 hours in, I was praying for an ambien or some other pill I could get my hands on. By 9 pm we arrived in Divundu to learners asking us questions, teachers wondering how the trip was, and community members begging to see pictures.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving...much to be thankful for

Cheers
Scott

Time Flies

Although Namibia is not famous for its Halloween celebrations, I still had to bring some of the Halloween spirit to the deserts of northern Namibia. Explaining about the ghosts and witches of Halloween didn’t go over to well with my learners, as most here believe in witchcraft and witch doctors. But, I brought in some candy to my classes to explain the festive nature of the holiday. Anything with candy, is a fun day for the learners. On the Friday of Halloween weekend I hitch hiked to the town 200k from me, Rundu, to meet 5 other volunteers from the region, where we would ultimately travel another 400km to meet up with 20 other volunteers from WorldTeach. While this was part a Halloween celebration it was also our end of service conference to prepare for our arrival back in the USA. The gathering was in Tsumeb, a developed town with malls, restaurants, parks, etc. Friday night we all dressed up in costumes (I was a thug as you can see in the picture- every part was borrowed from my learners), drank, and hung out at the hostel. On Saturday, we had workshops all day, and finished the day off with a nice dinner at a hotel. On Sunday, I was already back in good ol Divundu.

Now that it is the month of November, I am finally realizing that it is the beginning of the end of my time here as I will be leaving village-life on December 9th. In the classroom, we finished the syllabus in all my classes and now we are reviewing for the end of year exams in 2 weeks. After school, I have been working on a few projects with the very generous donations I have received. My first goal was to get a sign for the front of the school for people to know that there is a school here. Even though we are not in the bush, from the tarred road you can’t even see a school. I found a welding company in Rundu, and they made a street sign for us, and it is already placed in front of the school- looking great! My second goal is to fix our library, our lack their of. We have a classroom with 2 shelves of books, in no specific order, thrown all about. I ordered paint, a sofa, and dictionaries and they have all been delivered here at school. Over the next week I will be fixing up the room to make it a more inviting place for the kids to read.

As many of you know, I love current events and the news, even thousands of miles from home. Everyday, I buy The Namibian, the national newspaper for Namibia, to keep myself updated. After I read it, I usually give it to my learners to glance at the pictures or read an article in my class. I always thought it would be great if the school could get the newspaper delivered everyday, but the problem was the expense. After much calling and emailing with the head of marketing at The Namibian, they agreed to find a sponsor who would pay for Divundu Combined School’s subscription to the newspaper everyday. Starting at the end of the month, the school will begin to receive the newspaper, sponsored by OneAfrica TV station. It will be an awesome addition to the library.

The final part of the money I plan to put with school soccer team. Soccer is played everyday afterschool and is a great outlet for the learners not to go to the shebeen (bar). The ball they use now is made out of plastic bags and a deflated ball that is 2 years old. Soccer balls and some uniforms would help them a lot. As much as I love helping out at the school with the donations, it is definitely not an easy task. Due to our location, purchasing books, buying hardware, and renovating a room, becomes 1000 times harder. But, seeing how much progress a simple coat of paint or a dozen new soccer balls does, really makes me want to do more. Thank you everyone for all your.

This weekend I will be traveling to Swakopmund and Walvis Bay, coastal cities that are former colonial cities, so they have a large German influence. They are supposed to be gorgeous. I will be going with another teacher from school who is one of my good friends.

Hope it isn’t too cold in NYC…its about 115 degrees here!

Peace

Scott

Don't Run With the Zebra

Since I got to Divundu Combined School, one of main goals was to bring some learners on a trip. Although textbooks and classroom materials are important, sometimes its what you learn outside of school that is more important. Only 20 km away from Divundu is Mahango Game, Kamutjonga Inland Fisheries Institute, and Popa Falls. For the normal tourist 20 km seems like nothing, however for almost all my learners, they have never traveled even outside their village. With the help of a donation from my Aunt Marcia and my Uncle Robert, and a recent paycheck from working here in Namibia, I put together my funds to arrange a field trip for my grade 5, 6, and 7 classes. That’s 81 learners!

This past Friday, the dream became a reality. I arranged for a big truck to pick us up at 7 am and head to the park. Because of Namibian Time (everything is late!), we ended up leaving at 8 am. We entered the park at 8:30 am with all the learners singing and dancing in the back of the car en-route to the park. Despite being in the bush, the learners have never seen an elephant, zebra, springbok, kudu, buffalo, etc. and that’s exactly what we saw. We would turn a corner and see buffalo walking, look in the trees and see monkeys, gaze in the distance and see a herd of zebra running, and glance at the river and see hippos walking out. There are no words to describe the look on the kids faces. Chaperoning a field trip is a much different than chaperoning one in the United States. Trying to do a buddy system, or making lines didn’t work so I ultimately just gave up. Midway through the game drive, one of my grade decided to jump off and run with the zebra. While it was a funny sight, it was probably the dumbest thing you could do at a game park.

By 11 am we left the game park and headed to KIFI (Kamutjonga Inland Fisheries Institute), which is a research center that does fish farming and studies fish. The learners got a tour of the fishponds and got to speak to scientists about their research. By this time we were all hungry, so we headed out towards Popa Falls, where we would be given a nice lunch by a Lodge. About 5 minutes into our ride, a big THUMP was heard, and we looked down to see the big tire deflated under the car. I had 81 learners who were hungry, tired, and hot, greatttttt! Changing a tire on a big truck is not a simple task, and it ended up taking 2 hours. As I was pacing back and forth glancing at my watch, the learners took it in stride and just danced and sang as they waited.

With the car started we traveled to Popa Falls, a waterfall right near our school, however an entrance fee is needed that most of the learners can’t afford. At the lodge we ate goat, chicken, French fries, and rice. Unable to walk from exhaustion, all of us jumped in water to cool off. At the end of the day, the learners continuously came up to me thanking me for a day they will never forget (I know I will never forget it!).

Wish you could all see their faces. Thank you Aunt Marcia and Uncle Robert!

Peace,
Scott

Working Together

Dear Friends and Family,

I sit writing this letter to you 1000s of miles from home, the countries of Angola and Botswana just minutes from my door step, hippos and crocodiles in sight, the sound of goats and cows penetrating my ears, and the smell of traditional Mbukushu meals all around. My home for the past 5 months has been Divundu, Namibia, smack down in the center of southern Africa. I am currently teaching English and social studies to grades 5,6,7,8 at Divundu Combined School through the program WorldTeach. The hurdles and obstacles that these people face each and every day may seem unlivable for most, however their constant determination, hopefulness, and strength allow them to continue. With HIV/AIDs overcoming Namibian society, tuberculosis gripping all parts of the country, severe unemployment making everything difficult, drought and rain becoming recurring patterns, and a school system that lacks even the most basic resources, it is easy to give up and surrender to the whims of these struggles.

Although we do not have the ability to solve all of these overwhelming issues, we do have the power to try. In my short time here, I have seen how a set of dictionaries given to the school from my parents has inspired my students to read, how a pen given to each student has encouraged them to do their homework, how a school dance has given them the opportunity to have fun, a field trip to a game park has opened their eyes to a small part of the world that they would have never seen before, and a book on Nelson Mandela has given them the confidence that anything is possible. These were small acts that required little effort, but had such an enormous effect on the community. It did not cure HIV or provide jobs, but it gave hope- something that is needed for everyone in this world.

As I begin my final months here, I wanted to reach out to all of you and include you in my efforts. If the tiny assistance from me could have such a beneficial outcome, the effect of many will be tremendous. When put together, we have the power to change the world and unite with a small community in northern Namibia. I am asking for your help because this is a rare occasion in which each of you can feel connected to your contributions, as I will be able to keep you updated on the actual status and effect of your donation. The money that I receive will ALL go back to the school. Books, proper school supplies, and a computer could change the atmosphere forever, providing new opportunities that do not exist here. If anyone doubts the effect of a few dollars or a small gift, I ask you to try. ONE person has the power to change the world, and the results of these donations will prove that.

If you would like to join me in my efforts, checks can be made out to
“Scott Karrel” and mailed to:

Scott Karrel
586 Hamilton Place
River Vale, NJ 07675

Thank you and I look forward to sharing my experience with all of you when I return. Miss you and hope all is well!

Sincerely,

Scott Karrel

ONE PEOPLE

*This blog post follows the same path as the previous one I just posted, however, the sheer influence that the subsequent event had on my life, made me create a new blog post to share it with you.*

My day last Wednesday started like any other. I woke up at 5:30 am, had an apple, prepared my starbucks instant coffee (thanks deb and dean), and walked to school at 6:20 am. My first period class is grade 7 social studies. We are studying the causes of conflicts/violence and how people resolve them, so I brought in some newspaper clippings of currents events happening around the world. I noticed in class that one girl in the back was writing the entire class time, but with a class of 35 kids, I assumed she was taking a lot of notes. I finished my lesson early and quickly headed to my grade 6 where I was administering a topic test on Namibian culture. Midway through the period, another teacher called me outside in an urgent manner. He immediately informed that a girl in my grade 7 class, wrote a suicide note to a friend claiming she was going to kill herself today. With my heart beating fast and my brain going in every which direction, I made him instantly take me to see her. The girl, about 15 years old, was sitting in our make-shift library, huddled on the floor and crying.

I know that suicide is a worldwide problem, and threats happen quite frequently, but I was naive to the issue. I NEVER thought I would be caught in a situation like this. I stood there, watching a girl who was only perhaps hours away from taking her own life, and I am now the adult supposed to help. Unfortunately, due to the lack of education on psychological issues, many of the teachers were unsure on how to deal with the issue. Therefore, I decided that although I was not trained in social work, my experiences in the US prepared me a little more than the other teachers. My first goal was to determine the issue behind her threat. Since she was not speaking, I decided to bring my laptop into the room and have her listen to music and show her funny pictures of me throughout my time here. With her laughing now, she was more open to talk. She translated each word into English. The note spoke about how she does not have a father and her mother currently lives 30km in the bush. She is living with Aunt now, who wants to send her back to her mother for doing poor at school. The girl’s frustration stems from the fact that if she was sent home she would never attend school again because of the location in the bush, and the beatings she would receive from her other family members.

I listened to her talk about the death of her father, the separation from her mother, the beatings she received when she was younger, and her desire to remain at Divundu Combined School and continue her education. I was on the brink of tears, but I had to keep composure to show some stability. By killing herself (which was definitely intended, as she said she had the pills ready), she would not have to deal with any of the issues that confronted her: no family that supports her.

Ultimately, I thought of the one thing that reminds me everyday of who I am and my goals in life: the ONE bracelet I wear. I have worn a white rubber bracelet that just says ONE on it since I was 16 years old. It symbolizes that we are all ONE people, ONE family and the simple premise that ONE person can change the world. An hour into our session, I took off the bracelet and put it on her wrist, signifying that although she doesn’t have her mother and father with her, she is my family, the teachers are her family, the learners are her family- we are ONE family.

The day ended with her Aunt making a judgment to bring her to the hospital for a proper social session with a doctor. In the end, my learner did not kill herself, however a thought like that does not just leave in a day. My goal throughout the remainder of my time here, is to remind her each and every day that someone is always there to help you in a dire situation.

This weekend I saw that same girl at the local bar, with two beers in hand. For this, I know the know the challenges that tomorrow will bring, and the next day, and the next month, and the next year will be the greatest in her life, but at least she knows she is not alone. The ONE bracelet has helped me in hard situations and now it is passed on to her to assist her. Hopefully, when she feels in the right place, she will pass it on to someone that needs her help to.

I learned a great deal from this day, however I hope I will never have to do it ever again.

ONE

Scott