Well that's one way to celebrate a birthday

1/7/2012
Hello 21st birthday! I never thought I would be spending in in Windhoek, Namibia, in the home of a strange family in Katatura. I'm going to say that this beats just going out for drinks!

Last night was our first night in Katatura, and the neighborhood is loud; dogs bark, babies cry, people shout all night long. The heat is oppressive, shade only offers minuscule protection, and any rain we get is just a brief reprieve.But the people are proud, joyful, and most are very welcoming.

After bumming around the house all morning (apparently Saturday is sleep-in/lazy day) with nothing to do, Hanne-Lee took Alyssa, me, Alexander, and her your cousins Tirsemia(Mia) and her brother who I didn't catch the name of.  Hanne-Lee wouldn't tell us where we were going, only that it was called "The Spur." When we got there Hanne-Lee turned to us and said we were here for my birthday. We ordered milkshakes all around and some sort of ice cream, chocolate, and liqueur thing for me and her. It was delicious, and great to enjoy a drink on my 21st- even if it was slightly against the rules. I thought we were done after that....but we weren't. After a bit I notice that some of staff was gathering a little ways off. "Uh oh" I thought...but it was oh-so-much-worse. They proceeded to put a plate with smiley face made out of chocolate and a red sauce, and a marshmallow/sparkler as a nose. I had time to think "Oh that's cute" before a waitress picked up the marshmallow and used it to draw all over my face....Wait, what just happen? They then lit the sparkler and sang to me. It was definitely a unique birthday surprise. In the end I got five balloons which Alexander and I both proceeded to accidentally pop.

21st birthday drink 

Any guess as to what this is? It's cream soda! 

My face painting in all of it's glory

After The Spur we walked to Zoo Park where Alexander and Mia played in the fountains and fish ponds. The park was over flowing with people and children. The children in various states of undress (depending on if they had gone swimming or not) were playing to their hearts content. However it seems to be the thing to do for adults just to laze under a shady tree all afternoon, whether or not they actually have children playing. Alyssa and I got a lot of not-quite-friendly stares. It definitely makes you feel even more like an outsider and very conscious of your very pale skin.

Mia playing in the fountains

Mia and me on the way back to the house

We went back home where Hazel was having a barbaque. She had invited a handful of friends over to eat with us. One guy, Ido, was particularly exuberant. He wanted his picture taken, and for me to tell everyone that we met the Great Ido. He told me Happy Birthday about 50 times before teaching us how to count in Afrikaans. He proposed to me at one point and said I was the love of his life... but sadly I had to tell him that the love of my life awaits me back home.

The great Ido! 

Alyssa and I spent a bit of time sitting out on the "porch" listening to Hazel and her friends talk. This part of Katatura is home to a lot of Nama people. The Nama's speak in clicks and clucks. They tried to teach us some of the numbers, but it's like multitasking for your tongue! While listening was fascinating, we eventually gave up since we couldn't understand anything, and they were not very good about including us in the conversation.

After everyone left, we ended the night talking to Hazel. We talked about how important community is. How most American homes do not have fences around them, yet we rarely know our neighbors. But Namibians always have a fence around their houses, and they an incredible sense of community here. Friends are known as uncles, brothers, sisters, grandmothers..as family, even though they are not biologically related. Every house has people coming in and out of it constantly as people just stop in to say hello and ask how you are. It's wonderfully refreshing compared to how cold-shouldered American neighborhoods can seem.