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Nowadays, I am kept very busy. It does not help that the owner/founder of the organization caught me coloring twice on my second day of work… so now she likes to keep me busy, and I have done the same. I have learned everyone's name very quickly because of how often I talk with everyone to either assist my help or try to get to know them better. Things are never boring around here, especially with the drama. It is quite funny the first cultural difference we have experienced here: Noise. I can sleep through it, but my friends from Oregon, New York, France, and Arkansas have been struggling because the Africans will stay up late watching soccer and screaming when something thrilling occurs, or they stay up and listen to music (The best part is that they listen to a lot of American music!). I still get pretty good sleep though when I am not having nightmares about being caught coloring on the job.
I live in a dorm with all of the other interns. In my room, I get my own bed (fully furnished), wardrobe, and I share a bathroom with my three other roommates, but laundry, soap, toilet paper shampoo, and other necessities are provided for free! I am also only a two minute walk away from the Hotspot, which is where they serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner; and even though the Westerners complain about how bad the food is, I really love it. I also eat salad every day, which is so strange. I feel like a new person.
My daily routine is very nice. Most mornings, I am up by 6:30 for breakfast; works starts at 7:30ish; lunch at 12; and dinner at 6:30. The activities/chores I have to do go on an hourly schedule, and what I have done so far is the following:
Dog walking
Dog feeding
Dog health (fly spray, checks, water, etc)
Meat preparation for cheetahs
Cheetah run assistance
Cheetah animal husbandry tasks (which is super fun)
Cheetah feed pen cleaning
Cheetah run pen cleaning
Goat bottle feeding
Assistance in a cheetah check up
Data entry
As you can see, I have done a lot already, and I have even had my first day off! To relax though, I try to color one picture a day, and I always keep a journal about my day. But no matter what, I am having an absolute fantastic time. I have made so many friends, and I have a personal connection with all of the staff members. (Please view the photos and videos provided for more information about the facility and my tasks.)
As for my cultural experience, I have seen and heard so much. It is very similar to American culture, but more family oriented. In fact, I will provide an excerpt of the scholarship blog I have written titled, "Culture Does Not Always Teach You What Foot to Put Forward First," for more information. But for now, I will leave a few short sentences to finish this post.
Namibians are surprised by the way I shuffle cards.
They are very excited to play new card games (including spoons!).
They enjoy sports more than any I have ever met.
And Teddy one a random fact contest… Black is the lack of color. White has all colors. Damn.
Please leave comments below for anything you would like to know!
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