Friends at School?

During my lunch break today, I returned home to enjoy a peanut butter sandwich, cheese & crackers, and my book. Suddenly, Mari burst into the house and this conversation ensued:

M: Karen! Are you home? All your friends are here!

K: What??

M: Your friends! All the Americans!

K: Huh? What do you mean?

M: There are 20 Americans. They arrived at the school. They are your friends!

Eventually, she persuaded me to gulp down my sandwich and dash out the door. Not only were there Americans, there were other white people in Ohangwena – what a huge deal!

As I jumped over flood puddles to return to the school, another colleague walking by exclaimed, “Karen! All your friends from New York are here!” “Alright, Eams...I’m on my way to see them!”

Sure enough, as I arrived at the front gate, there were 20 white people. How strange! The principal enthusiastically introduced me to this group. They are in Namibia through a global education program put together by Augsberg College. Today, they traveled to the Central North to learn more about the civil war’s effects on this region.*

With wide-eyed enthusiasm, they threw questions at me about my decision to come here, my program, and what it’s like to actually live in Namibia. They are such passionate and visionary young adults and reminded me a lot of myself during CCS and my initial arrival in Namibia. To them, nothing could possibly be better than living the dream of serving in Namibia!

Needless to say, their excitement was revitalizing! They reminded me just how exciting it really is that I’m actually here. I am living out so many people’s dreams right now just by being here. So much time is spent every day worrying about whether I can actually do this or not, but this is it. This is the dream! I couldn’t have not come here.

And while, contrary to the beliefs of all my colleagues, I am not friends with everyone in America**, it was good to drop the Namibian accent, re-adopt American vernacular, and answer their inquisitive questions.

* The principal took them to the library and spoke to them about the civil war’s role at our school. Did you know that some of the most devastating warfare occurred between here and Oshikango? That explains the bullet-riddled billboard that is still standing on the B1 near town. In fact, in the field just next to our school, many bloody battles occurred. The school was even shelled in 1988 and four learners and one teacher were killed – but school went on. And only 21 years later, here we are.

** Namibians often think it’s absurd that I don’t know every single person in America. Living in a country of only 2 million people, you often do know the name of almost anyone you inquire about.