Week 5: Classes

Andy, Lizzy and Sam

Going into week five, we anticipated a normal week of internships, volunteering, and classes. The first few days matched our expectations, but we were shocked on Wednesday when Romanus presented us with the opportunity to delay class and attend the Southern African Genome Sequencing Project Symposium. Initially, we were excited by the prospect of getting out of class. Romanus quickly dashed those hopes by telling us that our class activities would be rescheduled for another day. He brought down the mood even more by announcing an early departure time and the requirement of formal dress. However, these petty complaints went out the window when we found out that Archbishop Desmond Tutu would be in attendance.

Not fully knowing what to expect, we left the Center at eight the next morning eager to even see such an important, influential, accomplished international leader. When we arrived at the Safari Hotel, we were very surprised to find that the conference was much smaller and more intimate than we had expected. There were probably not more than a couple hundred people in attendance, possibly due to the lack of a particularly developed scientific community in Namibia.

When the symposium began, we were all star-struck by the entrance of Prime Minister Nahas Angula and the Archbishop. After the national anthem and the African Union anthem, the Archbishop opened the ceremony with a prayer. Our reactions to this prayer were mulit-faceted. First, we were honored to even be in the presence of the Archbishop as he continued to fulfill his vocation as a religious leader. We had never imagined we might see him, let alone hear his moving words. On the other hand, that a scientific conference began with a prayer caught us off guard since, in the West, there is often such a perceived gap between religion and science.

When the researchers took the podium, they stressed time and time again that their research had confirmed the theory that Africa is indeed the cradle of humanity. They found that there is as much genetic diversity between individuals from Southern and Western Africa as there is between a European and a West African. The conference was at once a celebration of the diversity of human life, and a reminder of our commonalities. This served to reinforce one of Urbanus’ favorite sayings: “There is one race: the human race.”

The Archbishop gave a wonderful speech full of insight and humor. He is a remarkable example of humility, as a man who has accomplished so much and been honored countless times, yet still does not take himself too seriously. He spent much of his speech cracking jokes, even while discussing such grave matters as systematic racism and political violence. He spoke about both distant and recent atrocities, stating that the so-called “superior” European was responsible for slavery, the Holocaust, and Apartheid. However, he also mentioned genocides in Rwanda and Darfur, in which Africans perpetuated inhumane violence upon each other. As Westerners, the majority of whom are of European descent, we felt a certain implied guilt. While many of us have no direct connections to any of these atrocities, the legacy of the injustice is felt globally. Furthermore, having learned of the United States actions, or inactions during all of these atrocities, we felt even more responsible.

His speech was as much an overview of his participation in the program as it was a call to action. For instance, he said, “Wake up! We can get rid of poverty.” His hope in spite of all he has witnessed, and his continued struggle for humanity inspired us to realize that, if we all treated each other as brothers and sisters as he instructed, we could all live better lives.

After the break, one of the researchers was interrupted before his presentation by a professor from the University of Namibia. He objected to the previous presenter’s characterization of the San people as “short, brown-skinned, and speaking a click language”. He also objected to the way that the San who were featured in a cultural representation were dressed, saying that they were being exploited for their image. He believed that the San representatives had been asked to dress in traditional dress. Finally, he objected his inference of the implication that the San were still completely separate from developed society. The researcher stated clearly that the project was meant to show commonalities rather than differences. Furthermore, he said that the San representatives were told that they could wear whatever they chose, which was confirmed by the fact that other San representatives were dressed in modern dress clothes.

This objector’s passion was representative of not only ethnic division in Southern Africa, but also the division between modern and traditional cultures. The researchers were quick to point out that many San do live in modern culture, but that they were very interested in those who still live a traditional lifestyle. While we were at the symposium, another member of our group was in Tsumkwe working on a development project to provide electricity to a group of San people. These parallel events highlight that there is development occurring throughout the region, be it in rural or urban areas, among San, Herero, Ovamba and others. Challenges are constant with these projects, as outsiders work to reconcile their beliefs about what infrastructure is necessary with the concerns of the community that they are trying to help. These massive obstacles often seem insurmountable as we consider the development of Namibia to Western standards.

Week 4: Urban Homestay and Classes

John Rogers, Kate McGrath, Morgan Taggart-Hampton, Maggie DePoy

This week, we had the unique opportunity to incorporate the lessons and themes of our courses with real life experiences while living with families in Windhoek. At the beginning, we all felt a bit overwhelmed because we were removed from our comfort zones in the CGE house while adjusting to classes being in full swing. However, as the week progressed, we realized we were gaining invaluable knowledge about the history of German colonialism, the legacy of apartheid in Namibia, and present-day development issues facing the country. Each student came back with a new perspective on the history of Namibia and how it is impacting Namibia life today.

For John, the guest lecture by Katutire Kaura, leader of the DTA, connected with his urban home-stay with the Balzar family of Katutura. Mr. Kaura explained Namibia’s history of German colonialism and focused on the Herero genocide during the late 19th, early 20th century, a period that defined the Balzar’s history and family structure. During his home-stay, John was thrown in the middle of a conflict between the two oldest males in the family. Tensions ran high as the family awaited the pronouncement deciding which son would become family chief. As official head of the family, this honored position is responsible for making all the major family decisions and acting as the Balzar representative in the community. The chief is particularly important in the Balzar family whose first chief was one of the Herero leaders against the Germans during the Herero genocide. Juxtaposed with family structural norms in the United States, it was interesting to realize that their patriarchy is perpetuated through given titles.

Most of the students were placed with families who lived in Khomasdal or Katutura. Khomasdal was township that formed during the apartheid for the placement of the coloureds. This is where Kate’s family lived, but they are blacks who speak Damara. Since it is after independence, this family can live in this coloured neighborhood, and this experience gave her a whole new perspective on ethnic differences here in Namibia, and the significance that ethnicity still has in Namibia today, even after twenty years of independence. Kate learned a lot from her family, including how to speak some Damara, how life was before and after independence, and the importance of religion in certain households. Khomasdal was a township where the blacks were forced to live, and students had different experiences and gained new insights living there compared to the other students, including Morgan, who were placed in Katutura.

Maggie’s family lived in Dorado Park, and her homestay was different from most students because she was living with a "colored" family, meaning they are of mixed race. In particular, she was fortunate to get a different perspective on apartheid and the way coloreds felt it at the time and how it is still impacting them today. One of the most interesting things she heard from her family pertaining to these issues was that they felt as though the hierarchy in Namibia is still there, it has just changed from whites on top, coloreds in the middle, and blacks on the bottom to blacks on top with all of the power and wealth, coloreds remaining in the middle, and white people on the bottom. This seemed to contradict what we have learned in class, and it seemed like an awfully bold claim to make, considering especially that most of the poverty we have seen in the area is blacks or coloreds. They spoke a lot about the role that the current political situation plays within this hierarchy, which is something we have discussed at length in our politics class. Many of us heard the complaint that Maggie's family expressed about feeling like the Swapo party favored blacks in Namibia, particularly Oshiwambos. Maggie's family also added that they don't get very involved in politics because they feel every politician is the same, will make big promises that he or she won't keep, and they said this was a common feeling among the people of Namibia. We found this to be particularly interesting in that this is often a complaint of people in America, particularly the youth, until Barack Obama ran for president and people were very inspired by his ideas and dreams for the country. However, again he is hearing those criticisms and complaints from Americans about being "just another politician". This homestay provided an example of how even halfway around the world, things are not all that different and people often times share common feelings and deal with similar issues in their respective countries.

Morgan spent most of her urban homestay at Sam Nujoma Stadium in Katatura watching Namibia Premier League soccer games and observing the types of informal work necessary because of the high rates of unemployment and staggeringly low statistics in education. The moment that she exited her family’s car at the stadium she was accosted with various opportunities to purchase airtime for her cellphone, assorted barbequed meats, Windhoek Lagers and other cool drinks for consumption. Once she got her ticket, she entered another section of the stadium filled with men and women speaking Damara, Oshivambo, Herero, Afrikaans, and English. While yelling and talking to each other these Namibians were simultaneously sitting in front of coolers filled to the brim with ice and sweating soda cans, while others rotated spits with beef, chicken, and lamb. Finally, once they get through this crowd of Namibian workers, they enter the stadium. The minute she entered the actual stadium more informal workers, often small children holding coolers bigger than them filled with the beers that they will not be legal to drink for at least another ten years. Older men walked up and down the aisles selling jerky to fans. However, one of the most heartbreaking things to observe happened after the audience has had their fill of cool drinks and food - little kids run up to fans who have finished their snacks and ask for the near empty cans and leftover bones to suck the leftover meat off of the bones and drink the last drops of soda or juice. The unemployment rates in Namibia are hovering around fifty percent of the population, so high that it deeply affects even these small children. Interestingly enough, if someone works for at least one hour in a time frame of the last seven days at the time of the employment survey, they are considered employed.

This type of informal work seen at the stadium is one of many that are present in Namibia. One of the most prevalent kinds of work is the men and women who stand in town, outside malls and in the streets, selling cellphone airtime and newspapers to people walking and in cars. In our Development class on Friday, we learned about the Millennium Development Goals that were laid out by the United Nations Development Programme and agreed to by Namibia, to be reached by the year 2015. These goals range from the eradication of poverty, to better education, more equality for women and men, and environmental sustainability. Many of these goals help the country work towards the issues of unemployment that are so present in Namibia, especially among youths and young adults. Although the goals were nicely laid out and are being met slowly but steadily according to the Namibian government, many students had lingering questions about the validity of the statistics. For example, the general trend of the goals seemed to be stating that poverty was slowly being eradicated in the Namibia; however, the rates of unemployment are still increasing rapidly. How do these statistics match up?

Through the experience of the homestays and our classes for the week, students became much more involved and knowledgeable about the issues facing Namibian’s lives. These two encounters, the academics of the classroom and the practical application of those themes through our homestays, nicely complimented each other and helped us better understand the issues of the past and how they affect Namibia today.

Week 3: Week Awesome

Antonio, Martin and Lindsey

On Tuesday we were able to gain a more in-depth understanding of our housemates and CGE staff. As a group, we took a trip to Elisenheim, located in a country-setting with a beautiful panoramic view of the Namibian landscape.

Before arriving at Elisenheim, each student and staff member was asked to make a personal roadmap that tracked the roles of race, religion, sexuality and class in his or her life. This exercise was aimed at giving all of us the opportunity to become more familiar with each other. We learned that although we came from very diverse places and backgrounds, the similarities and struggles we shared pushed us all toward a common belief in humanity and our roles in the world. Making the roadmaps wasn’t as hard as deciding what to talk about and how to present such personal information. It was harder for the first participants to open up, but as the day went on people slowly began to reveal more and more about their past. Personally, we each felt a little overwhelmed though we all handled it differently. At the end though it honestly reaffirmed our comfort within the group and has allowed us to open up even more in a less formal setting since. As the day progressed, we participated in a number of group activities.

One of the most memorable of these was the creation of a “web of support.” By tossing yarn from person to person around our group circle, we were able to symbolize the connection between each person and the collective strength of the group. Other activities included a blind-folded egg race to foster teamwork and trust between us. For many of us, the highlight of the day was an unplanned hike to the top of the nearby mountain. Not only were the views breathtaking, but through relying on one another’s support, we were able to complete the climb and further strengthen our ties to each other. The group picture we took when we reached the top will serve as a memory of the day’s successes.

This week was also the first week of internships and volunteering. The students involved in internships were placed in a wide variety of fields. From working to formulate a basic income grant as part of a social welfare program, to creating a model for water-usage in the City of Windhoek, students are participating in organizations that are important vehicles for social change in Namibia. However, the interns are beginning to realize that a lot of tedious and strenuous day-to-day work is required before the greater goal can be realized.

Though Antonio and Lindsey have not yet started their volunteering I (martin) began my internship at the organization for the Basic Income Grant (BIG). So far it is an amazing experience. I was immediately involved in all aspects of the organization, and have learned a lot about the economic issues of Namibia while also learning about the politics of the situation as well.

The ease of getting an internship through our CGE program is starkly contrasted with the chronic unemployment and social structure in Namibia. Every day as we travel to the program house, to our internships, or to the mall, the level of unemployment becomes both more apparent and more surreal. The unemployment rate in the country is over 50%, but this statistic only accounts for people who were actively seeking employment. Each morning men crowd together on street corners searching for a job for that day. Often, when we head home in the late afternoon, they are still sitting and waiting. To us this is discouraging because there aren’t opportunities or institutions in place yet to help reverse this trend.

Mid-week we finally began taking classes. Vacation over. In our first class, we discussed the role and meaning of history as a discipline as well as the importance of history in studying current situations and developments. After this discussion, we received an introduction to Namibian and Colonial history. Pre-colonialism, Namibia was inhabited by a number of native tribes: Ovambos, Kavangos, Caprivians, Hereros, Damaras, Namas, and the San people. As a result of the “Scramble for Africa” at the Berlin Conference in 1884, Namibia was declared a German colony. The German colonial administration entered into agreements with local tribal chiefs and negotiated transfers of land to Germany. After Germany’s defeat in WWI, Namibia became a British protectorate and was subsequently turned over to South Africa. Under South African rule, the Namibian government was simply an agent of the South African government. The first shot in the Namibian liberation movement was fired on August 26, 1966 and 24 years later, on March 21, 1990, Namibia gained its independence. Studying and living in a country with such a recent liberation struggle is incredible. Being able to talk to Namibians that participated in the liberation movement has been invaluable.

Learning about Namibia’s history of racial and tribal segregation has helped us better understand the country’s current situation. The legacy of apartheid is still strong today. By being placed with host families from various races and ethnicities, we have noticed the lasting prevalence of racial tensions. It is discouraging to us to be here trying to learn how to help and also learning how unsuccessful everyone has been thus far in eliminating the remnants of apartheid. It has even made us second guess our role here and our ability to don anything of worth at all.

The social experience of speaking to Namibians was enhanced greatly as we began our urban homestay in Windhoek. We are all placed in diverse families and consequently, we are all having very unique experiences. Some of our families have been more open about discussing Namibian politics, religion and cultural practices; others are more reserved. However, regardless of our host families’ willingness to engage in conversation, we are all learning very valuable lessons. Many of us have come to the seemingly obvious, but still insightful realization that people are people, no matter where you are. There is only one race and that is the human race. Personally, Antonio had a very in-depth conversation with his host mom on the history of African Americans. I (Antonio) was initially astonished by their level of ignorance when it came to African American history; I explained how African Americans were taken from Africa and sent to the Americas during the slave trade. Through numerous conversations, I illustrated how the issues African Americans faced were very similar to the struggles of Africans.

Week 2: Whirlwind

Lauren Komp, Maggie DePoy, Andy Schwich

Our second week in Southern Africa continued the whirlwind pace of the first. After returning from our home-stays in Soweto, we packed to leave Johannesburg behind and spend two days in Pretoria, the executive and de facto capital of South Africa.

Our route to Pretoria took us through Alexandra township, in which Mark Mathabane grew up and later set the stage of his memoir of Apartheid South Africa, Kaffir Boy. The township is still marked by devastating poverty, although government programs to provide affordable housing are progressing. Seeing this poverty made us feel a sense of helplessness. We were shocked to see how Apartheid could cause this.

A relaxing night in Pretoria preceded an early morning expedition to the Voortrekker Monument outside of town. The monument celebrates the Great Trek made by the Boers from the Cape Colony to the Transvaal in what is now Eastern South Africa between 1835 and 1854. Many of us found the monument to be troubling, especially in the carved stone reliefs depicting scenes of interaction and violence between Voortrekkers and African natives, particularly the Zulu. The celebration of the migration is similar to American commemorations of Westward Expansion into Native American territories. The Monument, unveiled in 1937, provided a stark contrast to the post-Apartheid built Hector Pieterson and Apartheid Museums that we had earlier visited. Also noteworthy was the fact that the visitors at the Monument were primarily non-Black.

After eating a quick picnic lunch at a park near the monument, we went to the Union Buildings and surrounding gardens. The beautiful gardens are adorned with monuments to noteworthy South Africans and war memorials. The Union Buildings are the official seat of the South African government, and also hold the offices of the President and the Department of Foreign Affairs.

We also paid a visit to the US Embassy. Once we passed security with flying colors (red, white, and blue), we heard from a Foreign Service deputy concerned with the United States’ role in domestic affairs in South Africa. He told us about the US efforts in education, corruption prevention, and health issues. He also compared US businesses in South Africa to the expanding Chinese presence. To illustrate the powerful role that the United States plays, and will continue to play in the region, he told us an anecdote from a talk he gave at a South African classroom. He asked the class to raise their hands if they had ever held a Chinese Yuan. One or two students raised a hand. Then, he asked how many of them had ever held an American Dollar, and every single student put a hand in the air (like they just didn’t care). It was an interesting demonstration of the global influence of the US, especially contrasted with the feeling among many Americans that we are falling behind as China continues to surge.

After a delicious dinner at a Tuscan Barbecue Buffet we hit the hay in anticipation of leaving the hotel at six the next morning to fly to Hosea Kutako International Airport in Windhoek, Namibia. We landed in a surprisingly lush, unsurprisingly hot landscape, excited to start our three months in a new land. After a scenic drive from the airport to our new home reality set in that we were in Namibia and would be for quite some time. After a thorough and intense orientation to the CGE compound, we relaxed by the pool for the afternoon and enjoyed our first dinner at the house.

The next morning we set off on a tour of Windhoek with a professional guide who showed us many different spots in the city. During our group reflection session after the tour many of us discussed our conflicting emotions about the contrast between the beauty of the landscape and the dire poverty of the informal settlements in Katutura, which houses about 80,000 of the 150,000 residents of Katutura.

The next day, we spread out across the city to visit organizations that fulfill various roles in the community. Andy met with the director of the Swapo Youth League and discussed their political perspectives while respectfully debating foreign policy, especially with regards to Zimbabwe. Lauren and Maggie went to Megameno orphanage and met with the woman who founded and currently runs it. We were inspired to learn that she started the orphanage because she couldn’t stand to see children left homeless with no one to look after them, and therefore took it upon herself to take action and make a difference in their lives. At the same time, we were shocked and saddened to hear that she receives zero funding from the government and relies entirely on donations. We imagine that she is forced to make a lot of difficult decisions about where to allocate the minimal money that she has. Several other students visited the orphanage as well and because of the fun we had with all of the kids we plan to return throughout the semester!

Our busy week led into an exciting weekend in which we were introduced to the fun nightlife in Windhoek. The highlight of the weekend for most of us was a fundraiser concert at Zoo Park for the victims of the earthquake in Haiti. We enjoyed hearing a lot of the popular local artists and experiencing the culture in Windhoek. It was a chance for us to let loose knowing that on Monday another busy week would begin.

Week 1: Hit the Ground Running

Sam, Jenna, Holland, and Andy

We arrived in Johannesburg on January 17^th after a very long flight. From the start in Washington Dulles and onward, our group came together in an organized fashion which made traveling easier and more enjoyable. We were happy that our guides were at the airport on time to take us to our guesthouse. Immediately we were all overwhelmed by the differences and similarities in this new place. For example, one of the first places we saw while driving in our seat belt-less vans called kombis, was a KFC. As the week progressed we had the opportunity to meet with people from many organizations including representatives from the South African Council of Churches, the ANC, the Democratic Alliance, an environmental expert, and an economist specializing on the South African economy. We also were able to visit the Bruma Market and downtown Jo-Burg. Once we made it to the guesthouse, each of us learned the complexities of African internet as we all stumbled to contact our families back home.

The next morning we hit the ground running! We got off to a great start meeting Molefi who would later greatly contribute to our orientation experience. Molefi talked to us about the history of Johannesburg and some important cultural contexts which we needed to know. We focused a lot on the uprising of June 1976 including a visit to the Hector Pieterson museum. On June 1, 1976 after the Apartheid government mandated that Afrikaans (referred to as “the language of the oppressor”) be the official language in schools, many high school students from multiple institutions came together to hold a peaceful protest. The result was a massacre by local police authorities. Hector Peiterson was one casualty of this uprising. This was special because we had the honor of meeting Hector Pieterson’s older sister who talked to us about her personal experiences during the uprising. We then went on a tour of the areas involved in the uprising and the path the students marched. It is surprising how high school aged students were able to generate this call for social change without involving their parents in any way. It made us think about where social change comes from in the United States and how privilege in a lot of ways affects how social change is generated, while in South Africa it was mere will power and the desire to overcome. These students were fighting a social structure at a time when everyone else had almost accepted it as a way of life.

The week also allowed us the chance to visit St. Martin high school in Soweto. For many of us, this has been the highlight of the trip so far. We had the chance to communicate on a one-on-one basis with the students there. We were surprised by the expectations that they had of Americans when they would ask us questions. Some of our favorite questions were: “What year was the white house built?” “What celebrities have you met?” “How do you feel about homosexuality” and perhaps the most heart-wrenching, “Do you see any potential here in our school?” It was difficult to see a group of bright young people facing the reality that many of them will never have a chance to continue their studies at a university. After they made a group of us sing the national anthem, we had to say our goodbyes, but it was okay because they promised to friend us on Facebook. We are still waiting…

We also had the chance to visit the Apartheid Museum. Unfortunately, there was not enough time for us to fully realize the impacts of the museum. We really would have loved to have more time there, but in the time we did have we were able to learn a lot more of the specific facts and dates about the Apartheid government. Walking through the museum, we were taken through the development of Apartheid and the African struggle to overcome this oppressive regime. The final exhibit of Nelson Mandela allowed us to realize the potential of individual movement and the ability of the oppressed to overcome and create a better situation. For each of us, the museum inspired different emotions and we all left with a different sense of the Apartheid struggle. Collectively, our eyes were all opened to the realities of the Apartheid government.

Without a doubt, the most integrative part of our week was our home stays in Soweto. On Friday we were delivered to our respective families. While we all had different experiences, these visits allowed us to learn more about the country, culture, and our own personal learning and living expectations. One of the main themes that he heard repeated in Soweto and in another township that some of us visited was that our media’s perception of townships is wrong. There are violent, incredibly impoverished parts, but much of Soweto is safe and full of good, hard-working people living middle class lives. It was an eye-opening experience for all of us.

Our time in Johannesburg and Pretoria taught us more than any of us could have otherwise learned, thanks to patient and knowledgeable speakers. They took time to explain the historic, social, and political landscape of South Africa. We left the ten days in South Africa feeling as though we had been there for months.

Week 16: Cape Town

Ethel, Shakita, Mitchell

The final week of our semester together as CGE Fall 2009 (*sigh*) was spent in Cape Town, South Africa. While still educational, the week was more relaxed, allowing for reflection time and discussion of re-entry back into our communities in the US.

In Cape Town, we had the wonderful opportunity to travel to the Cape Point, Cape of Good Hope, Simon Town, and one of the townships called Khayelitsha. At Cape Point, we traveled all the way to the light house where we were able to view the Atlantic Ocean. After our trek at the Cape of Good Hope, we went to Simon Town where we were able to look around town and observe the African penguins. Our introduction to Cape Town seemed to be enjoyed by many in the program.

The following day we went to District Six and learned about the Group Areas Act and how District Six was affected by it. On the tour we had the opportunity to meet with the South African Homeless People’s Federation which works on helping people to purchase houses for themselves. It was started by a group of 30 women who would put in their money along with the government to help people purchase a house. This type of work that this organization does is very interesting because the land issues are similar in South Africa and Namibia. During Apartheid in Namibia, many people were displaced and are still homeless or living in squatter camps today. Overall, it was interesting to see how the community was responding to the land issue here in Cape Town. After our township tour, we were then headed for the Slave Lodge in downtown Cape Town. This museum was actually the housing facility for hundreds of slaves, centuries ago. It was interesting to note the several different countries that Cape slaves came from (Mozambique, India and Indonesia to name a few), a noticeable contrast from the countries involved in the Trans-Atlantic slave trade. We then visited the Triangle Project to gain more information on Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgendered and Inter-sexed (LBGTI) issues, and how these minorities are being served in Cape Town. I (Ethel) found this particular seminar extremely educational, and gained insight into the difficulties and discrimination encountered by these minority groups.

Tuesday morning, we were up early to visit the District Six museum. This was originally to be a 2 week exhibition representing life as it was before the demolishing of the District Six neighbourhood. However, it has lasted over 10 years, with all of the articles being personal donations from former inhabitants of District Six. In my (Ethel) opinion, it was valuable to finally have a look into the past culture of a “so-called-coloured” community and gain perspectives into their struggles. Departing the museum, the group took a trip to the beautiful University of Cape Town to hear Professor Mohammed Adhikari talk about “Coloured Identity” in South Africa. We were given a general history and then a chance to ask questions on current issues among so-called “coloured” people. I (Mitchell) found it very helpful to be given a talk on one group of people that were, before now, not a big part of our curriculum this semester. I (Shakita) was confused about what it means to be a “coloured” person, because we were told that being “coloured” does not always mean someone who is of mixed race. However, Professor Adhikari provided us with extra material that may help to further my (Shakita) knowledge of the “Coloured Identity.”

The last few days of our Cape Town excursion were filled with travel. Wednesday morning we woke up bright and early in order to catch our ferry out to Robben Island, an infamous prison for political revolutionaries (including Nelson Mandela) during Apartheid and the struggle for independence. Our theatrical guide gave us a tour of the larger island before we were taken through the prison itself by a former prisoner. On Thursday, we drove to the city of Manenberg to learn about Self-Help and other organizations in the area. We were given a walking tour, which provided a great look into life in Manenberg and how different organizations we visited (health center, pre-primary school, Self-Help, etc.) operate on a day-to-day basis. Finally, on Friday, we toured a wine farm a little ways out of the city. While it doesn’t exactly fit in with the theme for the rest of the semester, the farm was a nice, relaxing way to finish the meeting and tour-filled week of academia.

Week 14: Classes

David Beck
Ethel Ndombi

This past week marked the beginning of the closing of our time in Windhoek. During our classes, we reflected on our semester experiences using different activities. While this was going on, we also began to work seriously on our integrative projects, which are individual or group assignments in which we present findings on a particular subject we studied to our peers, instructors, and friends.

During our wrap-up class this week in Development, we visited Penduka in Katutura. Penduka is an organization which hires and trains local individuals to make crafts. The organization also holds training sessions for local tuberculosis patients. While there, we met students from a design school in Holland who help to design projects. These students are there to use their experience in a hands-on way to help the local economy. This was an example of the role globalization has in the development process. While, throughout the semester, we have seen negative sides of globalization (such as profits leaving the country from local factories to foreign owners or unsafe environmental practices of large multi-national companies) many of us believe this interaction is helpful to the local community.

For our wrap-up in Politics, our instructor provided us with a sheet on which was written many subjects and issues we have discussed throughout the semester, for us to discuss further in class as a summary. While talking about—as well as summarizing—these concepts, it became apparent to me (David) that we have learned a lot of about Namibia, as well as the region, and are able to have well-informed discussions about such topics which may not have been the case before this program. While we have addressed past and present politics in class, I (David) am eager to see how what we have studied applies to the upcoming elections.

On Tuesday, we had an internship celebration. This was an opportunity to present our internship supervisors with our completed projects and to thank them publicly. It was also a great chance for the supervisors to network and gain perspective into the tasks other interns were given during their time with various other organisations. I (Ethel) was thankful for the opportunity to work at Ombetja Yehinga Organization, and was glad my supervisor could attend.
In our religion class, we recapped all the topics that had been addressed throughout the semester, and shared personal views towards what they had meant for us. I, (Ethel) spoke about African religions and the irony of the justification of “Western-like” religion existing in Africa before the colonists. In my opinion, African religion should be allowed to stand on its own, and shouldn’t need to be legitimised by Western standards. This was particularly relevant as we discussed the extinction of traditional religion within Namibia.

The History class wrap-up consisted of us continuing with dialogue, which had begun the week earlier. We broke off into groups to discuss the various areas covered in the semester, and presented our findings to the rest of the class. I (Ethel) really appreciated the openness of the History class when discussing controversial topics like racism and colonialism. As a class we have become more mature about discussing these issues and increasingly open with our thoughts.
We have appreciated our classes this past week. While reflecting on the many subjects we have addressed, it has become apparent that many of these topics are interlinked and we have been able to gain a larger perspective into life in Namibia.