Last Days in Grootfontein

Me and my buddy Magnus

Goat sinuses tend to taste a little better than goat brains.

Just thought I'd show a few photos. I've got a bunch more, but it takes for ever and a half to get them all posted on here. So, every time I post, I'll just keep putting more photos on, 1-2 each time.

Love ya all, take care.

Sethman

G-Town Bandits

My oh my! This is certainly a crazy town! A week ago some fool broke into the house I was staying in, went right for my room, openned the door. It was at this time I got some nards, jumped outta bed and said "Hoezit?" Which is Namibian slang for "Who is it?" Pretty ingenious, huh? Anyway, this "robber," who was actually much more like an acrobat, booked it down the hall and did some crazy jump out a five and one-half foot window outside! It was impressive, but I was much to ticked off to actually feel compelled to give the amazing escape much thought.

Anyway, I'm still alive and kicking. Can't wait to get down to my site in Keetmans. Oh, if anybody wants to call, you are more than welcome. I can send out texts to those on T Mobile and Cingular...sorry Verizon friends...I've tried :( Anyway, if anyone wants to chat or drop a line my number, from your end in the states, is 011264813643544. Always willing to chat, just remember I'm 10 hours ahead of PST.

Anyway, sorry I forgot my memory stick. I promise that I will shortly enough post pictures of my new family I'm staying with (yes, I did move families after my second "experience" in Grootfontein), Magnus, and a few of the PCTs I've been kicking it with.

Lots a love to all. Have a great holiday season. Missing the sheezo outta all of you guys. Eat some figgy pudding and have a drink of Pendleton on the rocks for the ol' Sethman...smoke 'em if you got 'em too! Peace and love, and a merry Xmas and Happy New Years.

Sethman

Still Alive

Hey all.

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. I've been quite busy indeed facilitating community needs assessments, various workshops, and other useful tools for community involvement and social science research...thank you Evergreen!

Anyway, I hope to be able to post some pictures here in a few weeks of me and a few friends, my buddy Magnus, who is my Afrikaans trainer, and a few other things you may find of interest.

I am quite safe...despite being robbed at knifepoint. Do not worry, they only took my watch, N$400, and my lunch. Ok, I undestand the money and the watch...but my lunch!?! Give me a break. I was hungry! Oh well, what can you do? It was quite a funny experience, I had to go home and just laugh. What else could one do in such a situation? The lunch was merely the icing on the cake.

Anyway, I'm just on a quick break, thought I'd sneak away and let everyone know that I am indeed doing fine and loving Namibia. I am in Grootfontein until December 29th, and then back to Okahandja. I will not be at my permanent site until January 9. Hooray! So excited to get this going, looking forward to getting my life in order in Keetmanshoop. However, I cannot complain, being able to travel around the country over the past few weeks has been a very valuable experience, one that I would not have traded for anything.

So, in short. I hope everyone is doing well. Keep in touch. Thank you for the birthday notes. Wish I could have had more time to respond to them. It was great to hear from everybody. I'll give a shout out to Jojo. Thanks for the nice long letter buddy, I miss ya man!

Lotsa love going out to my American friends and family. Peace out and keep it real y'all.

Sethman

Last day in Keetmanshoop

So,

I've been in Keetmans since Sunday (it is now Friday) and I am taking off in the train to head to Windhoek (the capital), arriving in the morning around 7:00 tomorrow, and taking transport to the eastern side of the country to the town of Gobabis. I will be in Gobabis until December 1 and then I will be heading up to Groofontein for four weeks to live with a host family before I am officially sworn in as a Peace Corps volunteer.

Everything is going quite well. Keetmans reminds me a lot of smalltown America. Everyone is nice and the people all seem really down to earth. There have been some problems with housing. They keep saying I might be able to live in one place, but dead-ends loom nearby. I've been told I may be living in 5 different places now, but we have been unable to secure any reliable lodging for when I arrive here permanently in January. So, we'll see what happens. Its been a little frustrating, but other than that everything is going swimmingly. The family I have been staying with this week are so kind and generous. They have opened their house to me and have treated me like a member of their family. I truly appreciate everything the family (Sensus and Hedrina Ovambo) have done for me. Sensus, the father, sees me as a little brother. He has taken me under his wing and would love us to network and collaborate on some of his future political aspirations...seeing as how I am a political science major with a masters in Public Administration, this seems right up my alley.

Anyway, this will be my new blog. Forget about the one at thoughts.com, it was difficult for people to respond to that one, so this one should be easier to post pictures, respond, etc.

Take care all.

Sethman