By: Maria Camilli
In just a few days we will be packing our bags and embarking on another long travel day as we fly to Vietnam. It has been weird to process that our time in Namibia and Southern Africa has come to an end. These last five weeks consisted of a lot of growth and reflection and I can’t wait for all of the learning and fun experiences that await us in Vietnam!
This week marked an important milestone in our semester, as it was Election Day back in the US, a date that the Global group has been eagerly awaiting for months. I never thought that I would vote in my first presidential election via an absentee ballot while abroad, but it seems that I keep living through unprecedented times. There were a lot of emotions that came with finding out the results of the election while abroad. Sadness and tears, but also a sense of relief in being 9,000 miles removed from the outcome, coupled with wishing I could be with my close family and friends back home. The election was called in the morning here in Namibia, and it was strange learning who had won knowing that most people back home were still peacefully asleep.
I am grateful for the globie community we have here, as it made it easier to process the results while we are so far from home. For many of us, this week has prompted a lot of questions and comments about American politics when we share that we are from the United States with locals. I feel so lucky to experience how other countries, specifically Namibia, a democratic country, perceive the US political system.
November also marks election day here in Namibia, therefore conversations surrounding the election always come back to local politics. In Namibia, there is one leading party SWAPO, the South West Africa People’s Organization, who have had the political majority since Namibia’s independence in 1990. During the 2019 elections, SWAPO lost its two-thirds majority in parliament for the first time ever. SWAPO has decreasing political power because many Namibians are frustrated with the lack of action and unfulfilled promises of politicians. Therefore, this upcoming election presents an opportunity for other political parties to gain more political power. Though we are leaving Namibia before their election takes place at the end of the month, our politically active group will continue to watch the results of the local elections here. It will be interesting to see what will happen in a democratic country where historically one party has had the majority political power.
On Thursday, we met with the National Youth Council (NYC) board of Namibia for class and discussed youth participation in politics. We learned about how Namibian youth are becoming incredibly frustrated with the government resulting in high voter apathy amongst the youth population. For the National Youth Council, it has been a challenge to get young people out to vote on election day, though many youth are registered to vote. The content of this talk relates to a past guest speaker of the Namibia Institute for Democracy, which is an organization aimed at increasing overall civic engagement by creating and distributing accessible information about different political groups running for election. We learned about the Namibia Needs Me campaign which aims to promote civic engagement and get people to vote on election day, which deeply resonated with us following the results of the US election.
Our final days in Namibia have consisted of more free time with many globies exploring local markets and fun restaurants. Some people went back to the Village market with live music while others visited the Brewers Market Craft Market. These craft markets provide an opportunity to buy handmade crafts and souvenirs. For sale are jewelry made from beads, ostrich eggs, and oyster shells, in addition to statement earrings, woven bowls, wooden animals, and various decorations. Another group went back to the local Oshetu Market, which has a variety of food vendors serving popular local cuisine like kapana, a well seasoned grilled meat that I can attest is delicious!
On Saturday we leaned into the touristy experience and went out to eat at Joe’s Beerhouse. Joe’s Beerhouse is arguably the most famous Namibian restaurant, known for serving all different types of game meat with a German influence. The globies did not hold back at this restaurant, ordering things like the Namib trio which consisted of springbok, zebra, and kudu meat, and one person even ordered the pork knuckle. Let’s just say if you’re in the mood to eat meat, you should go to Joe’s Beerhouse.
Though we surrendered to maybe the tacky tourist experience by going to Joe’s, it was a cultural experience unlike any other we’ve experienced in Namibia.
Our month in Namibia has been grounded by our time at the CGEE house and the wonderful people who work there. We eat lunch and sometimes dinner at the house daily and it is always the highlight of my day. The CGEE house offers a sense of home and comfort that our frequent accommodations of hotels lack, and I feel at ease every time we spend time there. The house has a nice hangout space and pool area where we played a lot of Code Names and What Do You Meme? And even celebrated Sam’s birthday in this space.
The staff Sarah, Wilka, Eveline, and Tina have gone above and beyond to make us feel loved and cared for. Each meal at the house consists of a spread that rivals a typical American Thanksgiving meal with lamb, chicken, vegetables, rice and couscous, salad, and dessert always to follow. After every meal we’ve had there, without a doubt, Sarah comes by and asks how we are and if we enjoyed our food. Something I observed and appreciated about my time in Windhoek is that the people here look out for each other and always check in to see how you are doing. Every time someone asks “How are you?” I know it is a genuine check-in to see how you’re doing, not just a greeting in passing as it is in Minnesota.
To commemorate our last night in Namibia, we celebrated with a braai at the CGEE house. A braai is similar to big family barbecues back in the US, as it consists of a slow grilling process of all types of meat while friends and family gather to socialize. The meat is grilled on open wood coals or charcoal, not gas which gives it a deeper flavor. We had chicken, pork chops, sausage, fish, burgers, and even more meats that I couldn’t keep track of in addition to our usual Thanksgiving-like spread. Sam and Galen took a turn grilling the meat with our professor Pinias and it was fun to see Pinias in his element. The other semester study abroad students and CGEE staff gathered with us for dinner, making it feel like we were coming together for one big family meal.
As we walked from the CGEE house to our hotel for the final time tonight, it hit me, this is goodbye. Overall, I had a wonderful time getting to know the people and places of Namibia, and am so grateful for the kindness and generosity that met us every step of the way. Now begins our final adventure of the trip! Good Night, Namibia and…
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