Following My Heart: A Peace Corps Blog

Back Online

2008-05-12T12:36:00.003+02:00

Well, my attempt to document my hike from Ondangwa to Windhoek in real-time failed, because I lost my phone along the way. :-(

I left my phone in the vehicle that dropped me near Windhoek. It feel a little sad, because the phone was still working very good. I was able to buy a new phone using money left over from the sale of my motorcycle. Its kinda like my motorcycle has been reincarnated as my phone.

The new phone has a great feature for photo blogging. I can take a picture with the phone, and then have it sent directly to my blog. I will be experimenting with it soon. :-)

This week I am in Windhoek to conduct a workshop on the OVC database that another volunteer and I created. It should be a fun time.

First lift

2008-05-03T10:31:00.000+02:00

Just got my first lift all the way to Windhoek.

----  Sent using a Sony Ericsson mobile phone

Waiting

2008-05-03T08:33:00.000+02:00

Now I am just waiting at the magic speed bump in Ondangwa to get a hike.

----  Sent using a Sony Ericsson mobile phone

On the Way

2008-05-03T07:35:00.000+02:00

I'm just now leaving for Windhoek. It will probably be am all day hiking adventure. :)

----  Sent using a Sony Ericsson mobile phone

No Change

2008-05-01T18:04:00.000+02:00

I didn't come here to change people. I came only to help my neighbors. Jay Haase, 2008.

----  Sent using a Sony Ericsson mobile phone

Heroes

2008-04-30T16:19:00.000+02:00

Last night I was traveling home from town. I had left the Peace Corps office late because of a busy day. It took me a while to get my second taxi ride, so by the time I started the walk home through the field it was very dark. Twice during the walk, something screeched at me. It was cloudy, and the moon was not around. I was starting to get scared...

Then I remembered how my dad always seemed to be so brave. I decided to imagine that he was walking with me, and then my fear left me.

I was reminded of the TV show "Heroes". There is a character on the show, Peter, who can absorb the super powers of other people. If he absorbs the super power of person X, he can later use that super power. To trigger the super power from person X, all he has to do is imagine how he feels when he is around person X. Its like the memory of person X triggers the super power he absorbed.

I realized that real life can be like that. If we know someone with special powers, powers that can make us feel good or help us handle situations; all way have to do is deeply imagine that person is with us, to tap into their special powers. :-)

OVC Database

2008-04-18T11:18:00.000+02:00

(OVC is an acronym for orphans and vulnerable children)

I have been working these last two weeks with my colleagues from Church Alliance For Orphans, CAFO.

Here is a link to their website

We were training some of the CAFO satellite offices on the use of a database created by myself and another Peace Corps volunteer, Miriam. The database helps its users document, organize, and report on the services they provide to orphans and vulnerable children.

I would be happy to share the database with any organization that is trying to help children. The database is written in Microsoft Access, and can run on most PCs, even old ones... :-)

HIV/AIDS Presentation

2008-04-05T12:37:00.001+02:00

I am trying to keep my friends and family more informed of what I am doing...hence another posting about what I am doing :-)

I have been creating a presentation about HIV and AIDS that I can use at a moments notice. I have already presented it to a group of school kids and another Peace Corps volunteer.

You may need to press the pause button from time-to-time to easily read the slides.

Efuma

2008-04-04T16:33:00.001+02:00

There are a lot of frogs in northern Namibia. Wait, let me restate that: there are a lot of big frogs in northern Namibia.

My host brothers like to trap frogs for supper. A few days ago, Jeson asked me if I wanted to see how he caught big frogs. I smiled and said "Yes!"

I thought he would sneak up on the frogs to catch them, maybe some people do that, but my host brother uses a frog trap. He has dug a hole about 8 inches square and 2 feet deep. The hole is designed to trap the frogs that fall in, because they are unable to jump out.

Then, Jeson caught three or four small frogs and tied them together with grass. He hung the small frogs from a stick so they were suspended over the hole. Once we walked away from the trap, the small frogs started making a lot of noise. Jeson smiled and told me they would bring the large frogs, because the large frogs would want to eat the small frogs.

The large frogs did come, hearing the plight of the small frogs, and unluckily for them at least some of them fell into the hole.

I cooked the frogs in a chakalaka soup (a spicy sauce) with carrots and potatoes.

Here are some pics: Efuma Pics

An Average Day

2008-03-28T08:04:00.000+02:00

Wanna see what I do on an average day? I picked a random day, and then took many photos throughout the day. On this day, I worked at the community centre, so no taxi rides were needed.

An Average Day (its big, 31 megs)

Click on the movie window to advance to the next picture. It may work best to right click on the link and download the file before viewing it.

Pictures of My House

2008-02-27T10:24:00.000+02:00

Wanna see how I live? Here is a small interactive movie that shows the rooms of my house.

My House

Click on the movie to advance to the next picture.

Ball Bearings

2008-02-19T15:40:00.001+02:00

Yesterday, a small boy gave me a big gift: ball bearings.

Ball Bearings

Sorry about the redirection, its easier for me to put the photos on my other site.

I'm Glad...

2008-02-05T19:38:00.000+02:00

Today I was creating a list of activities (from reference material I have) that will help people (mostly men) come in better touch with many aspects of their own gender norms (and the impacts of those norms on other people). Many people are unaware of the actions the take just because of their own, deeply internalized gender norms. Here is an example activity (takne from a book on male engagement):

1. Separate the participants into same-sex groups.

2. Give each group a sheet of newsprint and a marker. Ask the participants to come up with as many endings as they can for the following sentences:

Male group: I’m glad I’m a man because…
Female group: I’m glad I’m a woman because…

3. Give the groups another sheet of newsprint, and ask the participants to come up with as many endings as they can to the following sentences:

Male group: If I were a woman, I could…
Female group: If I were a man, I could…

4. Tape the sheets on the wall, and discuss the responses by asking the following questions:

Were any of the responses the same for both genders?
Was it harder for members of either of the gender groups to come up with reasons they are glad of their gender? Why do you think this is?
How does the first set of responses of one gender group compare to the second set of the other gender?

Frogs

2008-01-28T14:38:00.000+02:00

I just finished eating a frog (efuma). It is a tradition to eat frogs here, especially now during the raining season because there is so many frogs around. This email must be short because my battery is dying.

I walked into town today and did some more shopping and also went to the Peace Corps office. It looks like I will be going back into town on Thursday. Its kinda a big affair to go into town and by groceries, the round trip states are --> two 40 minute walks, three taxi rides, carrying groceries, walking around big puddles...

The North, where I am now, seems to be very different from the south.

I'm Here

2008-01-28T02:32:00.000+02:00

Things are very different at my new site.

I have no electricity or running water in my house. There is actually no electricity anyplace on the homestead (farm). There is running water on the homestead. I fill a big container of water that I use in my house. There is a nice toilet and shower I can use in a separate building from my house.

I am using a propane stove, and do not have a refrigerator yet...I don't know when I will get one. During the night, I use an old kerosine lamp for light in my house.

It has been raining every night since I have been here, and even raining some of the days. Today (Sunday) I walked to church with the kids. It took 45 minutes through the rain and puddles. I was soaked by the time I got there. I was introduced to the congregation, and soon I will begin working with the youth in the community.

I have already met with the Principal of a nearby school, and have begun helping him with his computers. I will probably be doing some self-esteem courses for the learners at his school. He is reading my materials now. I was able to charge my computer and cell phone while I was fixing his computers. :-)

There are many chickens, goats, 2 pigs, 2 dogs, and 1 cat on the farm. The farm is run by a 77 year old woman. Her name is Kuku Selma (Kuku means grandmother). She doesn't know any English. Most of the time people are only speaking Oshindonga to me.

Its a 45 minute walk just to the tar road. I am told I can get a taxi into town from the tar road...we will see tomorrow, because I will try to go into town.

Next Stop

2008-01-10T04:53:00.000+02:00

I'm just finishing up my visit in the States with my family. It has been a good time.

Soon I will be headed back to Namibia to start my 3rd year. I am excited about this 3rd year because I will be trying new things in a new location.

I don't know if I will have Internet access, electricity, or even running water. That's OK though.

Jay.

Ileni

2007-12-15T19:31:00.000+02:00

I just created a website the hosts many of my pictures from Namibia. You can check it out at the following link:

www.ileni.com

Jay.

Updated Plans

2007-11-02T09:32:00.001+02:00

Through a series of lucky events, I will be staying in Namibia one more year. I will have a completely different assignment, in a completely different part of Namibia.

I will be working in community development (not IT). I will also be staying with a family on a homestead. There is a chance there will be no electricity and no running water. I will also be learning a new language: Oshindonga. The family will probably speak only a little English.

Its the type of assignment I had been hoping for since I started the Peace Corps sign-up process.

I will be coming home for over a month! I will leave Namibia on December 2nd and arriving back in Namibia on January 15th.

PS: Anyone want to donate an LCD project for use in Namibia to help with teaching male gender norms -- as a way to combat HIV/AIDS?

Next Plans

2007-07-23T16:37:00.000+02:00

Just lately (like yesterday), I began crafting a new schedule of activities, my plans, post Peace Corps....

The First Thing
Go home and celebrate Christmas with my family.

The Second Thing
Move in with my daughter's family, and help them with Jayse, my new grandson, for a couple of months.

The Third Thing
Return to Africa, and travel from its Southern tip to its Northern tip, helping people along the way.

A Footnote
I am on a search for myself, and even though I know that I am right here, I have become very good at hiding from myself -- so good, that I think I will have to trick myself just to find me. I have seen that putting myself into a new culture forces me to learn about myself, and that is in fact, what I will do.

For all intensive purposes, my religion is:

I must seek to understand myself, so that I can become a mirror for others.

My goal is:

I will go out into the world and help where help is needed most. I will find those places where there is great suffering an go there, serving others with compassion; removing what suffering I can.

Goal Version 2.0

2007-07-22T16:13:00.000+02:00

A few weeks ago, I decided to update my goal -- I had been reading a book by Thich Nhat Hanh, and was feeling inspired. My old goal was:

I will go out into the world and help where help is needed most.

My new goal is:

I will go out into the world and help where help is needed most. I will find those places where there is great suffering an go there, serving others with compassion; removing what suffering I can.

The book I was reading is called "Creating True Peace" by Thich Nhat Hanh.

Before I Die

2007-07-20T16:20:00.000+02:00

I have been thinking about what I will do next, after the Peace Corps. Thoughts of post PC come to me at random intervals. It is an exciting thing for me, and another unexpected perk of being in the Peace Corps.
It feels as if my life has been opened up to me, and I am free to go where I need to go. I feel as if another big adventure is just around the corner for me.
A while ago, I compiled a list of some of things I would like to do before I die. Here they are, in no important order:

Live in a rural area of Japan.
Do more rock climbing.
Be a shepherd with a dog (most preferably in South America).
Be a beach bum in the Caribbean.
Go to Thailand.
Have sex with two women at the same time.
Become more and more comfortable with myself.
Have nice dread locks.
Go to Machu Picchu.
Live in a rural area of China, have a live-in housekeeper, and teach her English in exchange for her work (or even two live-in housekeepers, because it could solve two goals at once).

?

2007-06-20T21:41:00.000+02:00

I feel like writing many things right now, I have the urge to write a lot of meaningful, thought provoking sentences, but for some strange reason I am devoid of any meaningful thoughts at the moment.

Still, all is good, and I am happy :-)

In a thoughtless way :-)

Science Fair

2007-05-30T16:58:00.000+02:00

Hey all, one of my fellow Peace Corps volunteers is raising money to send his students to a science fair. Check out the link below if you are interested in donating a little money.

Science Fair Fund Raiser

Mind Wounds

2007-05-30T04:41:00.000+02:00

What if mind wounds healed like body wounds?

If I get a cut on my hand, I just clean it, leave it alone, and in a little time it heals.

To often when I get a mind wound, I repeatedly sprinkle it with infectious thoughts, and then unrelentingly probe it.

What if when I get a mind wound, I just cleaned it, and then left it alone?

Heavy Water

2007-05-11T21:53:00.000+02:00

How long can you hold a small glass of water? Such a glass weighs very little.

Even a very strong, big person will feel tiredness and pain after holding a small glass of water for too long. After some point, anyone must put the small glass of water down and rest their arm.

I’m surprised, scared, and relieved; because I have just now realized how easy it is for me unknowingly hold a small glass of stress for too long. The effects of holding such a glass sneak up on me. By the time I notice the effects, they are so big that I find it hard to recognize their source: a small, unthreatening, glass of sunlit, vitamin filled stress.