It Just Got Real

It just got real. Last night, we had an informational session with trainees and host families all together. This was the first time meeting the families that will host us for the next 8 weeks. I think I scored! I have a host mother (Evelyne), host father (Gerhard) and three host siblings Usama (girl, 7yrs), Menthos (boy, 8) and Junior (boy, 2). I only got to meet my mother tonight but she was awesome. In the fifteen minutes we spoke I learned that she has her own business and works out of the home. From what I can gather she wholesales beauty and hair products and some clothing from South Africa to stores in Namibia. My father works for DeBeers diamonds if I heard her correctly! I will have my own bedroom and bathroom at their house and will walk about 25 minutes to the training center every morning. I will eat breakfast with the family; my mother will pack my lunch and then I will return home in the evenings to eat dinner with the family. She seems very laid back and eager to please. This is their first time hosting a volunteer so they are really excited. And – they have a dog!!!! A “fluffy” one to be exact so that should be fun. The homestay is part of the cultural exchange during our training. During the homestay, our family is responsible for teaching us basic lifeskills for Namibian life, such as: cooking (we have to learn how to cook a minimum of 4 Namibian dishes, bake bread and make fat cakes), how to wash clothes by hand, practice our language skills, and how to light a gas stove and a paraffin lantern. My mother told me that we will watch the news every night so I can hear the language and learn about what’s going on in Namibia, and then we might watch a “soapie” together – Namibian soap operas!

I will admit walking into the room filled with the Namibian families was a bit scary tonight. We have been confined in our bubble of training here at the center for the last week and now we have to leave our roommates and move into a house with people we don’t know at all and from a completely difference culture. Our hands were sweating and stomachs filled with butterflies until our host mothers hugged us like their long lost children. Now we are all excited for the next part of this training! While still a little weirded out about moving into their home, it’s nice to know I am being welcomed with open arms. Once I have pictures of my host family I will be sure to post them!