Who let the goats out?

We never broke up, we just took a 2 week vacation from blogging! Sorry for not writing anything sooner, but Tsumkwe is…hmmm, very remote. As I type this message the lights are flickering so I’ve lit some candles in case we have another outage. There’s not even a gas station and the town honestly consists of 2 corners. I can’t say I’ll integrate well with the locals, as only a few speak English and I feel like big foot would if he were to take a stroll down Bank Street…wearing a pink dress. Maybe the novelty will wear off? So what’s happened in the last few weeks, let me begin…

Sunday
- On Sunday night another VSO volounter by the name of Brigdet Mayes and I went to the lodge in Otjiwarongo for dinner. She’ll be driving me to Tsumkwe on Tuesday. I had chicken kiev and some fries and it was a relaxing evening. I found out her grandmother was also had the last name Moodie, small world!
Tuesday
- Left early Tuesday morning and drove north to Grootfontein, where I needed to set up a bank account at the Bank of Windhoek, before the final trek to Tsumkwe. . Turns out it will take a month for me to be registered and they’ll call me when everything has been organized.
- The drive from Grootfontein wasn’t as bas as expected, the road was a little rough but nothing compared to icy Canadian roads. We arrived shortly before dinner and I met Trine, who’s a volunteer from Norway. She’s been in Tsumkwe for a couple years with her boyfriend Anders…and they’re great! I’m brought to the school to meet Mrs. Chipango. Mrs C. seems great and is keen for me to get the computers working, which (might I add) have been sitting in the computer lab since June 2003 when the president of Namibia “opened” the lab. I have my work cut out for me!
- After visiting the school we go to me new home at the Craft Centre, which is run by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Women’s Affairs. I’m told the ministry names change often. However, upon arrival I’m told that the building (which was completed over a year ago) doesn’t have power. Great. I’m a little angry, but move to the “guest house” or better described as “run down pre-apartheid police barracks” with 20 of my closest friends, a dog and a herd of cattle. All is not bad as I also meet Patrick (from NBC) and Belinda (from the other craft centre) and they’re both very nice.
- That evening I go for dinner at Anders and Trine’s and Ingred picks me up, she works in health and has been in Tsumkwe for over 9 years.

Wednesday
- My first day at school! I didn’t sleep well and my favourite herd of cattle scared the crap out of me last night. I have a can of fruit for breakfast and make my way to school. I won’t bore you with the details, but 6 of the computers are in great working order. The remaining 11, not so good. I spend the morning doing some rearranging and then go for lunch. At the corner store (coincidentally at the only corner in town) I pick up a loaf of the most delicious bread. I decide to stay for the break alone.

Thursday – Friday
- The friendly herd of cattle visit me each night.
- I spend my spare time harassing Sara Jacobs and Mrs. C to get my housing situation resolved and the Ministry of Works arrives on Friday and fixes the power.

Saturday
- After taking 2 hours to make breakfast and wash my dished I decide to go for a walk around town. It gets dark quite early so I’ve haven’t seen much so far.
- I decide to walk down to the guest house to see what’s happening and speak with Arnealt and Estel (spelling?) as they have rooms, without cattle. After sitting down for a beer I find out they’re away for the weekend, but run into Robyn. He’s the “wild dog guy” and Sonja who are doing research and tracking wild dogs in the area. We have a few beers and agree on dinner + beer later that week, if I can take a look at his laptop.
- From one of the staff members I find out were Sara is staying and continue my endless “Where’s Waldo” search. After arriving at her place I’m told she’s at Savanah II, which is the other shop/drinking hole in Tsumkwe.
- I take a stroll by and find her having a few beers and meet some locals at around 16:00. Given the beautiful weather (20-25C and not clouds since I’ve been in Namibia) I decide to have a few beers and sort out the housing. I’m eventually told I can move in on Monday. The cattle will be lonely without me!
- At around 20:00 a truck with 6 goats arrives and the music is pumping, I’ve met a few nice people and am starting to feel a little less lonely. I then hear a goat scream and realise their throats are being slit! After being bled for a few minutes their heads are removed and they’re skinned…who needs hockey!! Nothing like the irony smell of blood in the air and a cold beer. I must confess I ate part of one of these goats and it tasted quite nice. Please don’t hate me.

Tuesday
- The housing still hasn’t been worked out, so I’ve threatened to leave Tsumkwe on Friday if things aren’t resolved and take the afternoon off.
- Went to Klein Doben with Sonja and Robyn. His computer had major issues and I was able to remove 4 trojan viruses, but will need the internet before I can get everything resolved. We had springbok stew for dinner and some Tafel lager. We ended up eating with some Afrikaans guys from the conservancy and they spoke of hunting…did I mention I saw some goats die a few days ago?

Wednesday
- Have a meeting with Mrs. C, Sara and another member of the Craft Centre committee and I can move in. I’m warned not to break any windows or scratch the walls, damn, that was why I wanted to move in!
- At 17:00 Trine drops by and we collect my stuff in her backie (pick up) and I move in!
- I break a window for fun.
- I spend the night unpacking, washing dishes and generally feeling happy to finally be moved in!

Friday
- I have dinner at the guest house with Richard Lee and his son. Richard is an anthropologist from the U of T and worked with the San (Bushmen) in the 1960s. Apparently Yo Yo Ma toured this area many years back, I can’t wait to get on the internet and google it!
- I really didn’t break a window on Wednesday. Maybe tonight?

Saturday
- Do my laundry for the first time…well…since I’ve left.
- Spend most of my day reading a book called “Don’t let’s go to the Dogs Tonight”; it’s the story about of a white Rhodesian family during the late 70s and 80s. Quite a good read and mind opening.
- Go to the school to watch some soccer and make my way to Savanah II for a brie (BBQ) with some people I’ve met last week. I eat 4 sausages and have a few beers. Walk home around 19:00, boil a potato and go to bed.

Sunday
- Have lunch with Michael Stark (maybe he’s related to Eddard?) who’s another VSO volunteer working in the area and has just returned from a vacation in Cape Town. He’s from London, England and has been building pre-schools in the area.
- He lives in an old diamond mining camp that was abandoned 30 years ago. Everything is powered by solar and he’ll be in Tsumkwe for the next 2 months finishing up some projects.
- Watch an Agathe Christie “Murder on the Nile” by candlelight after dinner and fall asleep by 19:00.

Well, now you’re up to date! Nothing else exciting is really going on, although I am quite excited to spend the weekend in Grootfontein. I also spoke to Belinda and will hopefully be commissioning a long bow! Goodbye windows. The San use bows that are about 60 cm long, but mine will be about 150 cm long. Hopefully I learn how to shoot like Legolas in my spare time, goats beware. Sorry this is so long. Hope everyone is doing well! -j