Africa – Page 2 – Valpo Voyager

Tag: Africa (page 2 of 2)

Pretoria and Welcome to Namibia!

To say our final thirty-six hours in South Africa, were bittersweet is an understatement. While all of us weary travelers were exhausted and home stays had given us a teasing taste of finally being settled in again, Johannesburg was beautiful and no one was ready to leave South Africa yet. Our final day full day we packed a ton of activities in, which also was tribute to the intense academic and adventuring schedule that had occurred for the past nine days. We woke up as the sun was starting to come up and headed out to Pretoria — which is the capital of South Africa– to visit the United State’s Embassy, Freedom Park and Voortrekker Monument. The drive to Pretoria takes about an hour so I took advantage of that time to doze back off but woke up in time to view Pretoria as we passed through. First glance, Pretoria seems a lot cleaner than Johannesburg, it’s also notably smaller in size and population. I wish we could have spent a day or two exploring Pretoria because aside from it’s tourist and historical monuments and elements, it looks like a fascinating place to be.

Pretoria from the Hills

The visit to the Embassy was educational and is home ‘base’ to approximately 28 Government departments and agencies. Part of this can be contributed to the United State’s strong business and trade partnerships with South Africa. As of 2010, the United States was South Africa’s third largest trading partner falling after Germany and China. The US is also the largest source of foreign direct investment in South Africa and the Embassy regularly holds workshops on entrepreneurialism, small and medium business management, and financial planning for businesses. It was an interesting visit as the traditional blanket role is to protect the American individual overseas, but the Embassy reveled to me that it’s also any American investments and accessories. It also put somethings in perspective for me since I have considered professions within the International Government sector and the trip shed some more light on what that would actually be like in practice.

After the embassy, we went to Freedom park and took a long walk around. Freedom Park is a beautifully constructed tribute to those who lost their lives in South Africa’s turbulent history. There is a wall of names which dedicated to all those who were killed during the South African Wars, World War I & II, and during the Apartheid.

Wall of Names

The museum part of the Park hosts elements from the beginning of Africa’s geological conception, 3.6 Billion years ago all the way to recent years where it serves as a means of symbolic reconciliation where past elements can be laid aside in order to heal.

Following Freedom Park, we went directly across the hills to the Voortrekker Monument which memorializes the opposite side of history. The Voortrekker Monument pays tribute to the other side of South African heritage.

The inside was pretty spectacular. It is called the “Wall of Heroes” which is decorated by 26 hand-carved, marble, Italian mural like works that chronicle the Afrikaner assent into South Africa and the pioneer history that the country has. The large circle opening is where the Cenotaph in the Cenotaph Hall can be viewed.

Wall of Heroes

But the most incredible part of the Voortrekker was the view from the very top of the monument. You could see for miles in every single direction. It was absolutely breathtaking to see Pretoria in this fashion. I’d also say that for this reason, the Monument was my favorite thing we did that day.

It was really fascinating to see Freedom Park and the Voortrekker in the same five hour time span. Both cover vastly different sides of history and it’s very interesting to see how each side has been memorialized and celebrated by the South African people. After a long day of running around, our group had dinner in Mandela Square and I got to take a picture under the giant dancing Mandela statue with my friend Jordan.

Mandela Square!

The next morning we flew to Namibia and got to see our new home! The house is beautiful and I’m feeling so blessed to be here. The last ten days have flown by fast and it’s crazy to realize the first leg of my adventure is over. I still have 102 days of adventuring left and I plan on taking advantage of every second.

Soweto, Guateng, South Africa

Welcome to Johannesburg!

January 15, 2015 / Katie Wilson / 0 Comments

Greetings from South Africa! It’s been a crazy last couple of days since arriving late on the 11th of January. The weather is warm, the sky is blue, and my heart is open to everything around me. The beginning of our trip (Jan 11-21) kicks off with ten intensive days in Johannesburg, South Africa and the surrounding area. Believe it or not, the flight here wasn’t horrible. The journey started with leaving home at 5 in the morning, flying out from O’Hare at 9, landing in Washington Dulles and hanging out there for six hours and then boarding South African Airlines. We also had another layover after seven hours of flying in Dakar, Senegal but most passengers did not deplane. Finally, after a few take-off delays we landed in Johannesburg at 7pm (which is 11am CST). Everyone was pretty exhausted so we ate some dinner and toddled off to bed.

Flying South African Airways

The first two days were spent learning about the South African liberation struggle and the Apartheid. We had an incredible speaker and guide named Moleffi who was personally active in the liberation struggle. The culture here in South Africa is something to be embraced, and I am so excited to absorb every second of the next four months. We traveled around Soweto which is the largest township in South Africa, home to 32 communities and estimated 4.5-5 million people.

Soweto, Guateng, South Africa

We also visited many sites that are significant to the liberation struggle such as the Hector Pieterson Museum and Kliptown where the Freedom Charter is inscribed. The Freedom Charter is a set of core principles “made for the people and by the people” that the South African Congress Alliance developed and contains such statements such as: ‘The People Shall Govern’, ‘All Shall Be Equal Before the Law’, ‘All Shall Enjoy Equal Human Rights’, and ‘There Shall Be Peace and Friendship’. Yes, it is an idealist document but a revolutionary one at that.

Looking up in the Freedom Charter monument

Hector Pieterson Museum

We also drove around Kliptown, which is one of the oldest communities in Soweto. It’s beautiful and resilient here and I’m getting use to being stared at as our big bus drives by. Most people are super friendly though and if you gibe a smile, you’re guaranteed to get one back.

One of my favorite places we traveled to was Orange Farm. Orange Farm is small in land, but large in community with an estimated one million people which makes it one of the largest informal settlements in South Africa. While we were there we visited a rycycling center which is a source of many women’s income. It’s awesome to see a community creating and developing an eco-conscious program which directly benefits back to it’s community.

We also visited the local preschool and since it was the first day back to school for the little ones, we got to visit them too (yay!). In talking to some of the lovely women who run the preschool, it was great to hear how passionate they were about these children and providing them with an education. After visiting Orange Farm, I’m walking away with a new appreciation for how much I have but also an appreciation for the Human resilience and determination. The hearts and hopes of the people we met there are bigger than the sky, which is incredibly inspiring, and they do so much within their community from the recycling plant, support groups, and the preschool.

On Friday, I departed for my first homestay in Soweto with Maddie another girl from my group. We stayed at a B&B (Bed and Breakfast) and had the most incredible time. Friday Maddie and I both were sick (which was really unfortunate) but our Hostfamily was incredibly gracious and understanding. When we were feeling better, we spent most of the weekend hanging out with our host-sisters, going for walks, hanging out in the park, going to the mall, and just getting to know eachother.

Maddie and I with our beautiful host-sisters.

We had a ton of amazing conversations and I loved asking my host sisters and their friends questions and answering their questions in return. Just in conversation alone, I learn so much about the culture and the daily life that goes on. We also visited some of the other people in our group that were staying with their host family to have lunch. I’m pretty sure I could have died completely happy that day from the amount of fantastic food MaChanza made for us.

Homemade Bread with MaChanza and Abbie

For me, it’s an amazing experience to be immersed in such a beautiful country that is rich in both history and culture. Each place we visit is not only historically significant in regards to the Apartheid and liberation struggle, but often also a juxtaposition between what used to be and what currently is. There’s so much to look forward to this semester and this is only the beginning so stay tuned!

Hugs from around the world,

Katie

View on the way down

Coastal Living

March 3, 2014 / Maddy Rainaud-Owens / 5 Comments

This weekend our group of 15 set out on a 4 hour road trip to a coastal town called Swakopmund- an area inhabited originally by locals, settled by Germans, and houses a genocide in its history known by few around the world. The four hour drive quickly passed through naps and a stop for some junk food at a rest station we passed along the way. Swakop greeted us with palm trees, and beautiful desert dunes meeting the Atlantic Ocean. Though I definitely could have gone for weeks longer stay, it was the perfect little taste of what the coast has to offer.

Desert meet coast

Our first day was spent touring the beach town, the local township Mondesa, and the informal settlement as well. During these tours we got to visit a traditional Herero woman, a Dama lady as well as the chief of the Damara tribe who is the first woman chief. While speaking with the Herero woman, we learned a little about the Herero genocide and the effect it has had on the survivors lives today. During the genocide from 1904-1907, 80% of the Herero population were killed by the Germans. . . Yet in the middle of Swakopmund stands a large statue dedicated to those Germans who lost their lives, while the Herero men, women, and children have just a small piece of marble dedicated to them on the outskirts of town.

German Memorial

OvaHerero Memorial

The following day we headed out to Walvis Bay, a short 20 minute drive from Swakop. Walvis Bay houses the large international port, NamPort, where goods are constantly being shipped in and out internationally. During our time, we met with a man who works for NamPort as well as a man who works for the export processing zones (EPZs). While in Walvis, we also got the chance to travel out to the Topnaar community. The Topnaar community grows a plant called the !Nara that sprouts melons, which they then roast the seeds and sell them. I actually got to try some of the seeds, and they were delicious!

Me with the !Nara melon

Last but not least, the adventures began. We set out to climb Dune 7; the tallest dune in Namibia and if that’s not cool enough, it’s the oldest desert in the entire world. The climb up took about 15 minutes, and was definitely way more tiring than it looked. As the sand slips underneath your feet, you feel like you’re getting no where, but alas, we made it! And the view from the top was worth it a million times over. Our weekend was also comprised of nights spent on the beach, and dinners spent watching sunsets; I can’t complain!

Atop Dune 7

But the highlight of my weekend, and so far marks the best day of my life was when I decided to fly 10,000 feet in the air and jump out of a plane. Because 2 out of 4 of us were getting our jumps filmed, we had to split up. I was last, but to say I was excited would be a ridiculous understatement; my biggest fear being the tiny little plane I had to go up in, not actually jumping out; I’m not quite sure how I justified that one in my head. But nonetheless, I watched the altimeter climb up by thousands and the nerves kicked in quite a bit once we got to 9,000 feet. As I lifted my legs out of the door and let my feet hang out into the whipping wind, it suddenly became real. Head back, hands on the harness, move as one, ready.. set.. go!! I began to fly. As I free fell for 30 seconds and descended down for 5 minutes I looked out at the beautiful coastline; the only place in the world the desert sand dunes meet the ocean – absolutely breathtaking seeing the earth curve and feeling like I was just apart of the sky. And oh my gosh, I wish I could put it into words, but I truly believe it’s physically impossible. No, my stomach didn’t drop, no it wasn’t scary, it was literally human flight, and I would do it a hundred times over if I could. And.. come to think of it I just might have to. So as a little plug for all the crazies out there, if you’ve ever considered skydiving, do it. And even if you haven’t, do it. Don’t think about it, don’t question it, just do it. It will be the greatest thing you will ever do. Hands down. Because I can’t put it into words, I’ll leave you with two quotes they left me with.

View on the way down

“You must jump to know. No words can describe the incredible rush when the wind invites you to play. You are one of the few, for a brief moment you doubt but the doubt is short lived. As gravity pulls you from the safety of the plane you understand, this is freedom. No turning back now but who would want to? the dream of human flight. you know what it means to skydive.”

Free fall

“Once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return.”

Thanks again for reading,

Xoxo

Maddy

Working and wading through water in Windhoek

February 9, 2014 / Maddy Rainaud-Owens / 1 Comment

As the bus rumbled down the road, my eyes scanned each building intently for the words Family of Hope – the name of the organization I would be interning at for the next 3 months. To say I was nervous would be an understatement; but as I arrived, I was greeted with smiling faces, friendly hellos, and the nerves quickly subsided. Family of Hope Services is a nonprofit faith-based organization in Katatura, a former black township in Windhoek. In particular, FHS works with children and families who have been affected by HIV/AIDS through various programs which includes a remedial school program, before/after school program, feeding and nutrition program, parental support groups as well as a bicycle workshop which assists in raising money for the various projects because FHS receives no government funding.

A little one waiting for her lunch

In my 3 months with FHS, I will be mainly working in the feeding and nutrition program as well as doing what I can with the remedial school and after school programs. At first I was somewhat overwhelmed because I thought “I’m supposed to teach these kids? I have absolutely no background in teaching, whatsoever!” But, after the first few days, I’ve learned a little from the women I’m working with and am having a ton of fun. Many of these boys and girls ages 6-12 have never been in school before so we are working to teach them the alphabet, counting, etc., so that they can eventually enter formal education systems and further their studies.

The classroom at FHS

Education is something we, in the U.S. take for granted without realizing how lucky we are to have the opportunities we do. Many of these kids have not been in school because they didn’t have their birth certificates to enroll or were at home taking care of the cattle. With that being said, it is so much fun to work with these kids because they are so eager to learn. Along with my ‘accent’ being hard to understand, I’m also working with other ladies from Australia, New Zealand and Germany so that provides an additional challenge. I’m excited to work with these wonderful women over the next 3 months and cannot wait to see the kids grow in their knowledge, as they teach me so much simultaneously.

Weighing one of the FHS students before he's served lunch - as part of the feeding & nutrition program I'll be helping with

At the start of the week our group of 15, plus the CGE staff headed out to a little retreat for the day; time for team building and getting to know each other even further. With it being rainy season in Windhoek, of course a small rain storm was upon us. As we made our way back to leave at the end of the day, the small stream we crossed to enter the park was now.. a rushing river. A few brave souls started trekking first and we followed at about 3 at a time. Some phones went swimming, jeans were soaked, but hey, all in all it makes for a great story, and our “always say yes in Namibia” motto continues to hold true.

Fell in love at our team building retreat

River crossing

After about 2 weeks now, our classes have finally begun. I can’t complain though because studying consists of laying by the pool reading the required material. Classes are also held in our living room which gives us a well… comfortable feel. Again, I can’t complain. I’m currently taking Religion and Social Change, History of Southern Africa, Politics of Development in Southern Africa, my internship course, and yoga! For the first four weeks of the semester we are all also enrolled in a Language course. During our first class we learned the four clicks and basic elements like greetings, numbers, and family names. We couldn’t help but laugh when our mouths began to get sore after attempting to do the clicks properly. My first attempts were.. somewhat successful. It’s a lot harder than it seems, but it’s so exciting to be learning a new language that very few people in the world can speak.

Tomorrow marks the start of my urban home stay. I think the group has all around nervous energy going into this because it’s a week long and we’re all on our own this time, but I’m sure I will love my new family and all the things I’ll learn from them throughout the week. The bugs out here are eating me alive, although the hours and hours spent by the pool probably aren’t helping much. Oh well! It’s better than the Indiana winter I’m missing out on.

Thanks again for reading,

xoxo,

Maddy

This Is Home

February 2, 2014 / Maddy Rainaud-Owens / 3 Comments

To finish up our final days in Johannesburg, we visited St.Martin’s high school in Soweto. This was by far one of my favorite parts of our time in Jo’burg because we got to casually interact with kids around our age, give or take a few years. They were all so eager to ask us questions about America or our views and opinions of South Africa. By far my favorite question was when I was asked if I personally knew Dr.Dre because I lived in California. One thing I admire most about these young kids is their knowledge and understanding of politics, not just in their country, but around the world as well. They were also so sweet and welcoming to us, it was sad to say goodbye.

Group photo atop the Voortrekker Monument

Some of us with the St.Martin’s High school tour guides

I arrived at my first home stay where I’d be staying for the weekend. It was nice to sit back and relax for a few days as I got to know my new family. My host mom Nthabiseng is the sweetest lady and was so welcoming! Subah (my roommate) and I were made delicious home cooked meals that we got to eat with our hands. I’ve come to love pap with just about everything! Visiting Credo Mutwa Village during our home stay was definitely one of my favorite parts. After climbing, well.. a few stairs to the top of a tower, we had a 360 degree view stretching all over Soweto.. definitely breathtaking. On our last night at our home stay, we were fortunate enough to go see Mandela’s Long Walk To Freedom in theaters at the local mall. It was such an honor to be able to watch this film in the country where Mandela changed so much. Our goodbyes were sad as we sent Sandile and Loyiso off to school the next morning, but we exchanged emails so I will definitely be keeping in touch with them!

View over Soweto

My wonderful host family

As we arrived later in Pretoria we settled down in a beautiful new guest house, that had a pool. WOOHOO! While in Pretoria we visited the U.S. Embassy , Freedom Park, the Voortrekker monument, and the Capitol. Visiting these places, especially the U.S. Embassy made me really think about what my future holds. Surely not with the Embassy, but it solidified my thoughts on wanting to travel the world, hopefully working as a nurse. Windhoek, Namibia welcomed us with a downpour and a long line of customs. We were so excited to finally get here, that in fact it didn’t really matter. Seeing monkeys crossing the road and one sitting on top of a street sign filled our bus with shrieks and laughter; definitely something I won’t forget.

Our big, happy family

The highlight of being in Windhoek so far was visiting an orphanage in Katatura (a former black township). Within a minute and a half of meeting the little ones, they grabbed our hands, asked to be held, and wouldn’t let go. Many of them are HIV positive but are healthy and getting treatment. Once they got a hold of my water bottle, there was no way I was getting it back, they were in heaven figuring out how it worked and taking swigs too big that poured out of their mouths. I couldn’t help but have joy in my heart knowing these little ones were being taken care of so well despite what may have happened in their past. There were 4 little houses with very clean living conditions and many of the older ones were off at school. It was incredible to see the differences these “moms” and “dads” were making in the lives of some who couldn’t help themselves. My heart broke when we left as some of the little ones began to cry. I wish I could go spend time with them every single day.

A little one with my water bottle at the Orange babies orphanage

Settled in Windhoek now for a few days, it’s beginning to feel like home. This city is absolutely beautiful, and our group of 15 students who hardly knew each other 2 weeks ago have become a little family. It’s crazy to think I’ve only been here for 2 weeks now. I begin my internship tomorrow, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous, but excited at the same time knowing the opportunities that await.

I had to

Thanks for reading,

xoxo

Maddy

Valpo Voyager

Student Stories from Around the World

Tag: Africa (page 2 of 2)

Pretoria and Welcome to Namibia!

Welcome to Johannesburg!

Coastal Living

Working and wading through water in Windhoek

This Is Home

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