CGE-Southern Africa

Namibian Youth Launch Social Enterprise

2012-01-10T01:01:00.000-08:00

Most students who have visited the Center for Global Education's facilities in Windhoek have had the opportunity to interact with members of the Young Achiever's Youth Empowerment Project. CGE and the Young Achievers have a long shared history. Young Achiever's was founded by two former CGE Namibia staff people, Pandu and Lejeune. Many student groups have visited their Saturday meetings to learn more about how they help youth in Katutura identify a vision for their future and then pursue it.

A few years ago, CGE Namibia was in need of more Katutura residents to act as guides during the Katutura Quest. The Katutura Quest is a standard part of the orientation process for new students. During the Quest, small groups of students are matched with a guide who goes with them in a taxi to the former township to experience life in the township on a more personal basis, through the eyes of a resident. During the Quest, they also visit local NGO's to learn more about their contribution to life in the community. The idea was suggested to ask members of the Young Achievers to serve as guides during the Quest. By now, many of the members are studying at the university level and have the necessary maturity and responsibility.

This suggestion has worked exceptionally well. The CGE students really enjoy spending time with the members of the Young Achievers. The Young Achievers are open, honest, and warm guides, eager to share their perspectives on life and growing up in Katutura.

The idea worked so well, that the Young Achievers got the idea that other foreigners (tourists) visiting Namibia, may also enjoy a similar personal tour of Katutura. To this end, they recently launched their own social enterprise - Kasie Adventures. They received formal training from a local safari company and funding from the Ministry of Environment and Tourism. A portion of the income generated will be given to the individual guides, while a portion will be used to fund future activities of the Young Achievers. See the photo of the group in their official shirts and hats , as well as a copy of their brochure. You can also read a press release about the launch here.

A Reflection of Namibia

2012-01-09T02:49:00.001-08:00

Katelyn Danelski, a student on the semester program from Fall 2011, has returned to Minnesota and written a reflection on not only her experiences here, but how those experiences have impacted her now that she has arrived home. Her reflection is on the Inside Augsburg webpage, click here.

St. Catherine University students on the Global Search for Justice

2012-01-06T00:44:00.001-08:00

Students from St. Catherine University in St. Paul who are participating in the course: The Global Search for Justice have arrived in Namibia for a 3 week travel seminar. During their time in Namibia, they will be meeting with a variety of activists who were either involved in the liberation struggle in Namibia or are currently involved in the search for justice in Namibia with respect to human rights, income inequality, gender equality, access to health care and other relevant issues. You can follow their trip in greater detail on their own blog.

CGE Namibia is hiring an International Resident Assistant

2012-01-05T02:26:00.000-08:00

The position of the International Resident Assistant/Intern for the CGE Namibia site, based in Windhoek will be available for the June 2012 - May 2013 time period. The position includes a small stipend, room, board, health insurance, roundtrip airfare as well as the opportunity to learn more about the day to day work of the Center for Global Education. The application deadline is January 31, 2012. For more information about applying, please click here.

Namibia Staff Teambuilding and Planning Day

2011-12-08T23:13:00.000-08:00

At the end of every semester, the CGE Namibia staff take a day to reflect on the previous semester and make plans for the new semester. This semester, we decided to start our planning and reflecting day with a fun team building. In groups of 3 we were tasked with making the most delicious chocolate possible. Using cocoa, cocoa butter, coconut oil and honey as the base ingredients (in any proportion to their liking), each team could then add their choice of almonds, milk, chilies, strawberries, peanuts, raisins, pretzels, peanut butter or anything else delicious found in the house. The results were absolutely delicious! After a long day of planning, we all went out to eat at La Marmite, a local Cameroonian restaurant. The dinner served multiple purposes: to celebrate the end of the year, to celebrate the beginning of the holiday season, but unfortunately, also to bid farewell to Jessica, who has been our wonderful International Resident Adviser (Intern) for the last year. She will be dearly missed, but we wish her well in her next steps.

Matt Lauer visits Namibia!

2011-11-07T06:39:00.000-08:00

Matt Lauer of the Today show visited Namibia today. Read more about it and watch the videos of his experience here. Of course, had he visited Namibia with a CGE trip, he would have had the opportunity to learn more about social justice issues in Namibia, but at least he got to see the beauty of Namibia.

Food Allergies Welcome in Namibia!

2011-10-25T02:50:00.000-07:00

As we often have students on the program with a variety of food allergies, I was vigorously practicing my skills of cooking to cater for different dietary needs. This week I prepared a gluten, yeast, dairy, soy free bread that is delicious and impressive!

Recipe: (Source: Bread mix from Abundant Life Foods)

Ingredients:

600ml (2.5 cup)water
45ml (3 Tbsp) oil of your choice
2 cups corn flour
2 cups tapioca flour
2 cups rice flour
2 cups potato flour
10ml (2 tsp) baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp xanthan gum
pinch of salt
½ tsp citric acid

Mix the liquids with the dry ingredients. Leave to stand for 2 minutes and whisk again. Pour into a greased bread pan. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 1 hour. Brush with egg or oil and grill until brown. Serve hot or cold for an anytime meal.

Never mind friends! The second picture of a man is my husband, Jonas. Yesterday was his birthday, he loved it!

-Sarah

Yoga while Studying Abroad in Namibia!!!

2011-10-21T00:39:00.000-07:00

A dream of mine has finally come true! I will now formally be able to combine my love of yoga with my love of the Center for Global Education mission and pedagogy by teaching a yoga course as part of the semester experience here. For a while now, I have been casually teaching yoga to interested students on the beach when I travel with the students to the coast, and in the dunes during the trip to the South. Students have often asked me to teach yoga more in Windhoek, but between my work schedule and the students' schedule its never happened. Now, Augsburg students will be able to get their lifetime fitness credit by studying yoga in Namibia. Read more about plans for the course!

-Linda

Outapi and Etosha

2011-10-19T05:39:00.000-07:00

Last week the students returned from a 10-day trip to the north of Namibia. This area of Namibia holds a vast majority of the country's popoulation, especially Oshiwambo-speaking communities. The students lived with families in the small town of Outapi in the Omusati Region for 7 days. Many of the students reported learning how to pound mahangu, a popular corn-like millet crop, cook traditional Owambo meals, and learn common phrases in the language (Photo 1: The students singing "Lean on Me" at the goodbye party with the homestay families).

While in the North, we heard from the Regional HIV/AIDS Committee on Education (RACE) about their work with youth in the area. The next day we visited the Uukwaluudhi traditional homestead and learned about the customs of greeting the king and queen of the village. We also were fortunate to eat lunch at the Uukwaluudhi homestead, which consisted on chicken, mahangu porridge, spinach, and chips (french-fries)!

The following day we visited the Omahenene Aquaculture Center to learn about small-scale fish farming and employment creation, followed by a visit to Etunda Irrigation Project to learn about large-scale, government-funding agriculture.

Before leaving the Outapi region for Etosha, we visited the Oshikango border post along the Angolan/Namibian border to learn about trade, foreign investment (especially Chinese), and immigration. Following this visit we traveled to a local school to hear how this immigration affects the secondary schools in the region.

After the rural homestays, we traveled to Etosha National Park to see the beautiful landscape and wild life of Namibia. For two and a half days, we camped, did game drives, and sat around the gorgeous waterholes to view the wild lions, zebras, rhinos, elephants, and more (Photo 2: Sunset at Okaukuejo campsite at Etosha).

We also had the opportunity to hear from a high-ranking manager of conservation in the park, who answered our questions about Etosha's environmental protection policies (quite progressive), social responsibility, and details about individual animals. What a treat to hear from an expert on wildlife conservation!
Overall, an educational and breathtaking trip (Photo 3: zebras, elephant, and giraffe while on a game drive in Etosha).

Skulls returned to Namibia

2011-10-05T01:26:00.001-07:00

Its not often that Namibia makes the international news, but the return from Germany of 20 skulls of Herero and Nama Namibians who were killed during the genocide (1904-1908) has made international headlines. The skulls were brought to Germany after the genocide in order to do experiments to prove German racial superiority. After years of negotiation, the skulls have finally been repatriated. While the repatriation of the skills is generally seen as a positive event in post-colonial reconciliation, there are still many people who would like to see Germany pay monetary reparations for the damage they inflicted on Namibia during their colonization. Also, many members of the Namibian delegation that went to Germany to get the skulls felt insulted by the treatment of the German officials they met there. Read more about the repatriation, the reception in Germany, and the demand for reparations in stories in Namibia's 3 main daily English language newspapers.
The Namibian
New Era
The Namibian Sun

Spring Has Arrived in Windhoek!

2011-09-30T08:51:00.000-07:00

The last few weeks spring has definitely made its presence known in Windhoek. This is arguably the pretties time of year in Windhoek. Everywhere you look, the jacaranda trees are exploding in gorgeous purple petals. The bougainvilleas and many other flowers are also in full bloom around the city. Some unexpected early rains early in the week knocked off some of the petals, but there are still enough flowers in bloom to catch you eye.

Peace Concert

2011-09-29T06:55:00.000-07:00

Last night at the Playhouse Theater the monthly Song Night was themed "Peace Concert." In collaboration with Musicians Without Borders, Song Night coordinators showcased local artists who performed songs from genres from reggae to pop to classical to rap.

(Photo: www.whatsonwindhoek.com)

Notable performances of the night were: alto saxophone solo of "Let It Be," vocalist trio of "Waiting on the World to Change," reggae quartet of "One Love," and a duet originally written in Japanese and partially translated in to English.

Every month Song Night showcases the young, up-and-coming musicians of Windhoek!

Unusual Environmental Sights and Signs

2011-09-26T05:47:00.000-07:00

Picture of Sun set in Swakopmund

As I’m writing this blog, I’m on a travel seminar to Swakopmund and Walvis Bay with a group of our Fall 2011 semester students and some of my colleagues at the Center for Global Education at Augsburg College. Driving between Windhoek and the two coastal towns, I came observe unusual sights along the way and at the coastal towns of Swakopmund and Walvis Bay. One is the change in the appearance of the landscape that is now characterized by unusual features. A few years ago, when driving through the Namib desert, one would barely see grass and water, now this are features that characterize the Namib desert terrain. One would ask, is it a blessing in disguise? What other negative/positive effects are out there that we don’t know about?

Swakopmund and Walvis Bay were uncommonly cold given the time of there when one expects a warmer spring. Some Swakopmunders that I spoke with expressed their confusion resulting from unpredictable weather changes they have been experiencing lately. Although people have acknowledged the different patterns of natural life in Swakopmund and Walvis bay, and the effect it has on their lives, they still do not have answers to: how do we adjust to the ever changing climate patterns, how long will it last, can it be forecasted?

Our visit to the coastal towns coincided with a ‘Moving Planet’ worldwide rally that was organized by the 350.org. this campaign was observed in many countries with the aim to get the message, once again, into the ears of governments to bring about legislations that would eventually lead to decreased carbon emissions. During our time at the coastal towns of Swakopmund and Walvis Bay, we visited the municipality of Walvis Bay where we had a conversation with an official from the municipality about environmental issues in the town. The official spoke about the ways in which they protect the environment. We were pleased to hear about the strict environmental policies and procedures that companies had to follow in order to start operating in w/bay. He also mentioned about the study about climate change that Walvis Bay is part of. Particularly they are looking at the issue of Rising Ocean levels. This shows that authorities are doing something about climate change, however, the question remains that how much do Namibia contribute to this mess, and who suffers the most? How much say do Namibia has in all this?

-Romanus

Namibian Education Minister wants to put kids in schools

2011-09-23T07:03:00.000-07:00

One issue that often upsets students on our programs is when they learn that many children in Namibia are excluded from the formal educational system for a variety of reasons. These reasons often include lack of money for school fees, lack of a birth certificate and the need to spend their days looking for food. This week, the Minister of Education visited with many children who are left out of the educational system to find ways to get them back in, including instructing the Ministry of Home Affairs to expedite the issuance of birth certificates for them. Read more about his meetings in this article from the New Era newspaper.

CGE Alumni Writes about Reality TV, Race and Reunification in Zimbabwe

2011-09-21T06:30:00.001-07:00

Brooks Marmon, a student on the Fall 2005 Namibia semester program, has written a very interesting piece about his analysis of the role of Reality TV stars in politics in the current Zimbabwe. Its posted on the Royal African Society blog "African Arguments".

Meet our new part-time instructor for politics at CGE Namibia: Professor Phanuel Kaapama

2011-09-13T03:11:00.000-07:00

Professor Kaapama is facilitating the Political Science course, Political and Social Change for the Fall Semester 2011.

Professor Kaapama has a vast experience in Namibian politics and Africa in general. He is a professor for Politics, Governance and Development Studies in the Department of Politics and Administration at the University of Namibia. He is the author and co-author of many publications. Apart from being a professor, he also serves as board member of the National Institute of Democracy and works as a consultant for a variety of organizations. His areas of interest include: politics and governance in Namibia, Post Conflict reconciliation, reconstruction and development, and the African agrarian land questions. He completed his Master’s Degree at the University of Bristol in Development Administration and Planning. He is currently working towards a PhD from the University of Witwatersrand in Public and Development Administration. The title of his thesis is: The Politics of National Reconciliation and the Question of Commercial Agricultural Land Reforms in Postcolonial Namibia: A Social Anatomy of Power, Domination and Contradiction.

We are very excited to have him working with us.

Fall 2011 Semester: Team Building Retreat!

2011-09-01T02:36:00.000-07:00

The new semester group arrived in Johannesburg on 16 August and in Windhoek on 26 August. Last week, their first days in Namibia, was filled to the brim with orientation activities, including our Team Building Retreat at a nearby guestfarm.

The purpose of the Retreat is to allow staff and students to get to know each other on a more personal level. While many activities are fun and silly (a ball-toss name game and an egg-spoon race!), some are more intense (the identity stations exercise in which small groups discuss their relationships to race, class, gender, sexual orientation, religion, and others).

Fun and exciting, our Team Building Retreat provided a great start to the semester in Windhoek!

New Facilities Ready for Students!

2011-08-15T01:51:00.000-07:00

Construction on our additional toilets and showers is finished! While we still need to do a few things like installing towel racks, mirrors and toilet paper holders, you can take a sneak preview of our nice new facility!

Job Opportunity in Namibia

2011-08-15T00:44:00.000-07:00

World Teach is currently hiring for the Field Director Position based in Windhoek, Namibia. Check their website for more information.

Augsburg Education Travel Seminar Participant Comments

2011-08-08T09:27:00.000-07:00

Hear reflections on the Augsburg Education Travel Seminar directly from graduate student, Adefarati Alabi. Ade participated in the 2 week travel seminar learning about the Namibian educational system.

Augsburg Education Travel Seminar Blog

2011-08-05T08:58:00.000-07:00

Follow the group from Augsburg College which is currently studying education in Namibia on their blog!

http://augsnamibia2011.travellerspoint.com/

Space Shifters

2011-08-01T05:33:00.000-07:00

Last Friday, 29th of July, the National Theatre of Namibia (NTN) hosted, "Space Shifters," a dance production of NTN scholarship recipients. The hour-and-a-half long show consisted of ballet, kwaito, jazz, rap, traditional Namibian cultural dances, and hip-hop numbers.

Arguably the best performances of the night were of the aforementioned traditional genre. In the first half, a group of dancers decorated in Herero, Owambo, Damara, Nama, and San clothing performed a beautiful number all together. Another great performance was after intermission. The set hands decorated half the stage in sand, setting a desert backdrop for this scene. The dancers used the sand for various moves.

July Song Night

2011-07-28T01:46:00.001-07:00

Last night was Song Night at the Playhouse Theatre in Windhoek once again! Celebrating local artists of all genres, Song Night seeks to uplift up-and-coming musicians in the performances scenes (Photo from www.tompowersjazzhouse.com).

This time the theme was Nina Simone and jazz. Some famous songs performed include Frank Sinatra's "Fly Me to The Moon," a couple of tunes by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong (with the deep, scruffy unique voice and all), some Miriam "Mama Africa" Makeba tracks, and even a piece by Fiona Apple.

Perhaps the best performances of the night, however, were original songs written by Namibian artists. Erna Chimo, who performed at and won the "Best Traditional" award at this year's Namibian Music Awards, sang an original song in her native Damara language as well as a Miriam Makeba tune.

Another local artist who performed an original piece was Lady Black. Her song "What?" alludes to a feeling of anger that arises against blatant social injustices. She invited the audience to acknowledge their feelings along with her as she confidently (and with emotion) performed this song.

Welcome, Augsburg Education!

2011-07-26T05:52:00.000-07:00

After many flight delays and 4.5 days of traveling, the Augsburg Education travel seminar finally landed in Windhoek. They are settling in to the house and prepping for their Windhoek tour. It's only 1 day at the house though because tomorrow morning they head up north for a week session. Welcome to Windhoek!

Remember food of Mexico and update on the ablution block

2011-07-12T07:32:00.000-07:00

As my colleagues are now meeting in Mexico, I could not help but recall the most delicious and healthy meal I had in Mexico.

It is amazing to prepare, and I enjoy just seeing how it’s done! Mouth-watering tortilla prepared by Nacho Ramirez sisters.

The ablution block at the Centre is tiled all white like this photo. Who will be the first in the new shower?

As the renovations are coming slowly to an end, I could not look on as Passat was weeding and cleaning the garden.

I believed I burned some calories!

This is called a Zebra crossing in Etosha National Par k in northern Namibia.

Local Music

2011-07-11T05:24:00.000-07:00

Once a month, the Playhouse Theater hosts "Song Night" for up-and-coming musicians and singers. The diversity of styles and languages parallels the Namibian population.

June's "Song Night" followed a Beatles theme with performances of "Hey Jude," "Love Me Do," and John Lennon's "Imagine." Within the twenty performers, some chose to song/play other blues, pop, rock, and "traditional" songs.

Next month's "Song Night" is themed Nina Simone. It promises to be another night full of rising talent!

http://www.99fmplayhouse.com.na/

CGE-Namibia is hiring an intern!

2011-06-28T07:27:00.001-07:00

Check it out here:
http://www.augsburg.edu/global/about/careers.html

National Education Conference

2011-06-27T07:02:00.001-07:00

June 27th, 2011

Today, Namibia’s first National Conference on Education kicked-off in Windhoek. The Conference is scheduled to run until July 1 under the theme “Collective delivery of the Education Promise: Improving the Education and Training System for Quality Learning Outcomes and Quality of Life”.

The primary purpose of the conference to provide a platform for all stakeholders to cross-examine the education system in Namibia and contribute towards improved learning outcomes. The Ministry of Education noted that the current education system does not meet the challenges of the 21^st Century; it has little relevance to the economy, and little capacity for knowledge creation and innovation.

Apart from local stakeholders, experts from different countries and the World Bank are invited to participate in the conference to share their knowledge and expertise.

The conference is expected to provide an in-depth analysis of the current state of the Namibian education and training system at all levels and identify deficiencies in the current education and training system.

Hopes are high in Namibia that this conference will create an impetus for a more successful and globally competitive education system.

-Romanus

Fast Progress on Additional Facilities!

2011-06-15T01:27:00.000-07:00

The construction on the new shower, toilet and laundry facilities is moving along much faster than expected. We are now expecting it to be done in about 2 weeks. The roof is on, the plumbers and electricians have been around, and we are expecting a floor any day now. As you can see, you can almost imagine taking a shower in here alread y!

Going Green in Style!

2011-06-14T07:16:00.000-07:00

CGE goes green!

Last week we purchased 3 used bicycles from King's Daughters, a project in partnership with the Bicycle Empowerment Network.

Shout out to St. Francis True Value Hardware Store in Minnesota for donating the helmets!

The bikes are available for students to cycle to their internships or simply to explore this beautiful city on wheels!

King's Daughters is an organization that offers a safe space for women who have been exploited by the commercial sex trade industry. Many of the women are trained to be bicycle mechanics as an economic empowerment program.

Come cycle with us!

CGE Trailer Used to Assist Flood Survivors

2011-06-10T04:04:00.000-07:00

When our neighbors in the North were flooded, my church came together to assist the people. Various church members and local businesses donated food to bring to the north. Unfortunately, the Tata truck that my husband drove was not able to fit all the donations. Fortunately, CGE made the trailer available so that we could take all the food to the people in the north. The trailer really helped as you can see in the pictures. This was my happiest moment by bringing smiles and love through the donations. Just for us to see food is our protection blanket.

-Sarah

Namibia Wins Top Travel Award!

2011-06-01T06:45:00.000-07:00

Wanderlust readers have named Namibia the top travel destination for the second year running! This will come as no surprise to anyone who has visited Namibia and seen the dramatic landscapes, the abundant wildlife and the warm hospitality. Students coming on CGE programs have the opportunity to see more than the beautiful landscapes and wildlife, as they also meet people from many different walks of life, and explore the social justice issues that many Namibians are facing. Read more about the Wanderlust award here.

Busy around the House

2011-05-30T09:06:00.000-07:00

Although we don't have students in the house right now, its by no means quiet. In addition to the construction workers who are building the new showers and toilets, we are also repainting the outside of the house, repairing the dining room floor and repairing some other minor damage that was caused by the heavy rains this year. These photos show the progress on our new toilets and showers. You can already see where the different stalls will be! We are really looking forward to how beautiful everything will look when its all done!

Wettest Rainy Season Ever!

2011-05-27T09:27:00.000-07:00

Although it certainly felt like Windhoek was getting a lot of rain during the recent rainy season, it is now officially the wettest rainy season since records have been kept, beating the previous record by 265 mm. Nearly 3 times as much rain was measured in Windhoek than in the average rainy season. Its now been a few weeks since we've received any rain and everyone is optimistic that its really finished for the year. Read more about the heavy rains here.

Transitioning

2011-05-26T09:21:00.001-07:00

Last week, the CGE Namibia staff wished Urbanus well in his retirement by taking him out to dinner at the Kubata Restaurant. Everyone (except the vegetarians) enjoyed eating lots of meat, and spending some time together thinking of the various Urbanus-isms we will miss most. We gave Urbanus a farmer's hat, farmer's briefcase and a fancy pen ("Not for ordinary people" as Urbanus would say) to help get him going in his new career. In this picture Urbanus is trying on the hat.

Romanus and Linda will serve as interim co-directors until December. Romanus will be the "Interim Co-Director for Administration" while Linda will be the "Interim Co-Director for Academic Programs". The entire team is working together to make the transition as smooth as possible.

More Bathroom Space on the Way!

2011-05-17T05:58:00.000-07:00

For any student who has attended one of our programs during a full or nearly full semester, you certainly remember what a bottleneck the toilets and showers were. Fortunately, no more students will be experiencing this! On Monday, we broke ground on a new ablution block (back by where the clotheslines were)! The new block will include 3 toilets, 3 showers, 3 sinks, a laundry room and solar hot water! The new toilets and showers should be ready in time for the Augsburg Education travel seminar we are expecting in July, and in plenty of time for our Fall semester students to enjoy hot showers with no waiting!

The first picture shows the construction workers getting started on preparing the ground. The second picture shows the piles of building materials that are just waiting to become part of the new ablution block. The third picture shows the results of the first day's work. Check back often for updates on progress with the construction.

Urbanus's Retirement

2011-05-16T03:31:00.000-07:00

May 31st will mark the end of a legacy. Urbanus will be retiring from formal employment with CGE Namibia. Urbanus has been the Political Science teacher here for nine years and the director for the last 3 years. We will miss his jokes about "our funny tribe", his fun personality, his commentaries on Namibian politics and his love for education. Before they left for Cape Town, the students threw a little going away party for him - reproducing his image in the form of a cake and including some of his favorite quotes around "him". Below, see his surprise when he saw himself as a cake. We wish Urbanus well with his retirement, farming, continued pursuit of improvements in the Namibian educational system, and any other endeavours he takes up with his new found free time.

Semester Wrapping Up

2011-05-06T02:20:00.000-07:00

Another fun, educational semester is nearly completed. The students are in Cape Town now and flying back to the US on Sunday. Last week was one of my favorite parts of the semester when the students present their integrative projects. The projects are creative ways of demonstrating what they have learned throughout the semester. I never cease to be amazed by the depth of their learning, the critical analysis, the important questions that are asked and of course the creativity that is demonstrated in the projects. Here are just a few photos from the integrative projects. In the first: Tamara, Yvette and Christine demonstrate how foreign soapies shown in Namibia could be catalysts for discussion on important issues. In the second photo: Lee and Siobhan proudly display their collage contrasting the many views on "Unity in Diversity" in Namibia.

-Linda

Congratulations Claire!

2011-05-05T06:54:00.000-07:00

Fall 2010 CGE Namibia alumni Claire Bergren was recently named a Newman Civic Fellow. (from the Augsburg Weekly)

Claire Bergren named a Newman Civic Fellow
Junior Claire Bergren, a Sabo Scholar and Bonner Leader, is one of 135 students from 30 states named by Campus Compact as Newman Civic Fellows. The award recognizes students who seek to better understand the “root causes of social issues and effective mechanisms for creating lasting change.” Through her work as a Bonner Leader with a community organization in North Minneapolis, Claire is described as having “deeply engaged in work around racial justice and social issues linked to poverty.”

She was an inspiring wonderful student to have on our program and we are thrilled to see that she continues to do great things!

Photo Contest Voting Time!

2011-04-18T08:09:00.000-07:00

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you to all of you who posted photos for the photo contest! They are absolutely amazing! The five finalists have finally been selected so now it is time to vote! We have 3 gorgeous photos from Namibia and 2 great photos from Guatemala to choose from.

To view the five finalists visit the "Photo Contest Finalists 2011" photo album. Choose your favorite and then "like" it. Only one vote per person. The voting ends on April 25th. Good luck to the finalists!

CGE Namibia Intern 2011

2011-04-18T03:47:00.000-07:00

Hello! My name is Jessica Spanswick, and I am the International Resident Assistant (Intern) at CGE Namibia. I began this position in January and will be here through December of this year. So far, I am having a blast learning how CGE works, helping the students, and getting out in to the city.

A little bit about me: I graduated from Augsburg College with a B.A. in International Relations and a minor in Peace and Global Studies. Having never traveled outside the U.S. before (and really wanting to!), I took advantage of Augsburg’s CGE Namibia program in Fall 2008. During my semester here in Namibia and South Africa, I began to question my assumptions about U.S. hegemony and re-evaluate my roles as both a citizen of America and a citizen of the world. How do I live responsibly in an unequal society? More importantly, how can I make this world a better place without thinking that I know what’s best for everyone?

I still had (and have) a lot to learn.

While in college, I played the alto saxophone in Concert band, Jazz Band, and the Gospel Praise Ensemble. With the Concert Band, I was able to tour Romania and play many shows around the Twin Cities and the U.S. I also spent a lot of time tutoring my neighbors from East Africa in English, math, and science at a nearby church.

As a Nobel Peace Scholar, I was selected to study indigenous peace movements in Chiapas, Mexico. This experience really showed me how connected I am to the world, and especially to my neighbors to the south. It lit a fire under me even more than before to discover the consequences of my tax dollars and U.S. policy.

After graduating, I saved my money and flew back to Cape Town, South Africa. As an intern for the Bicycle Empowerment Network, I spent three months researching and lobbying for cyclists' rights as well as training school children how to cycle safely, wear helmets, and change flat tires. This work gave me invaluable insight in to the victories and struggles of NGO (non-governmental organization) work. During this time I also treated myself to traveling around S.A., Namibia, and Zimbabwe on my own. If you want to know the best backpackers/hostels to stay, I’ll tell you!

Ultimately my position here at CGE is student-focused. If the students are sick, I bring them to the doctor. If they want to know a fun restaurant to go for dinner, I help them find it. If they have any issue with the living/learning community or are just plain homesick, I do my best to find solutions and comfort them. I also am an Assistant for the Religion course, which is providing me with useful knowledge on both religions’ roles in social justice movements in Namibia and also how to foster experiential learning in a study abroad university setting.

In my spare time I love to play my alto saxophone (jazz and classical), make and sell jewelry,explore Windhoek by foot, get to know the students, and read.

While interning for CGE, I hope to learn more about development work. My biggest challenge right now is learning what my role as a white, American woman is in the world. My plan is to get my Master’s Degree in International Development with a certificate in Feminist Studies and complete a doctorate thesis on a feminist critique of U.S. foreign aid. For now though, my goal is to learn from CGE and contribute as much as possible to the students’ living learning environment.

Development Over Time

2011-04-15T08:27:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, I went to the South of Namibia with our semester students. The trip to the South is always one of my favorite travel seminars of the semester for several reasons: we camp in beautiful areas, the schedule is a little more relaxed than most travel seminars, it is later in the semester so the students are more comfortable, etc. But the main reason I like it is because I lead this trip every semester so I get to observe the small changes in the places we visit over time.

Since Spring 2008, we have been visiting a community run campsite at Brukkaros mountain (near the village of Berseba). There have been small improvements in the campsite since we've been going there. They got some funding from the EU and made some improved flat areas for tents and a few additional shaded areas. There is still no regular source of water, although Petrus, our host there, is still very hopeful and optimistic that they will be getting a dependable supply of water soon.

Every time we go, we work on some sort of a project with some students at the local school. The focus of the project is always community engagement. The aim is for the CGE students to have an opportunity to engage with the students of Berseba and vice-versa. Of course, our secondary aim of the project is for the community to benefit from whatever our little project may be. We did some tree planting in the past, this time we helped to paint part of a school. It is interesting to come back after a semester and see how many trees survived and how many did not. For me, it is a bit symbolic of my views of development in general: you work on a project, it may have the intended outcome, it may not, it may even have a negative outcome, but the most important part of all of it is the relationships that you build in the process. If the relationships are sacrificed in an effort to obtain some predefined project outcome, then the project was a failure, regardless of what the project indicators of success tell you. However, if the relationships are built and strengthened through the project, even if it doesn't achieve its intended goal, the strong relationships will be able to build or repair whatever needs to be done. Infrastructure is much easier to repair than relationships.

I guess that is maybe why I enjoy the trip to the South so much. I love seeing the CGE students build relationships with the students of Berseba. And it inspires me to think of what's possible in the rest of the world, if we could all remember to always focus on relationship-building as our main goal in all of our tasks, and all other outcomes as secondary benefits.

-Linda

Flooding in the North Worse than Previous Years

2011-04-11T03:22:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday afternoon (April 6th), I traveled to the northern part of Namibia to visit my family and assess the damage caused by heavy rainfall received in Namibia and flood waters from the neighboring Angola. Hearing from the local people and seeing with my own eyes, I came to agree that this year floods in Northern Namibia have been the worst after many decades. About 40,952 people are directly affected by the flood.

Infrastructure such as roads are damaged, schools and health clinics are closed due to flood water. As a result, thousands of school going children are affected. For people to access health care clinics, two helicopters belonging to the Police are being used to transport people who are seriously sick in the four regions: Oshana, Oshikoto, Omusati and Ohangwena. For now, It is difficult to estimate the damage and millions of dollars that will be spent to repair the damaged infrastructure. People around these areas are still living in fear because another wave of flood water is expected to hit their areas in a few weeks. Apart from people, animals are also affected.

The worst experiences of the flood water is that many people are drowning almost everyday trying to cross water streams. Cases of waterborne diseases are reported in some areas. One student and a soldier drowned on Thursday after the canoe in which they were traveling capsized. Soldiers were helping students to cross the river in order to go to school.

After the government had declared the state of emergency, much assistance from within and outside the country has been pouring in to help the people affected. Many if not all of these donations are food, blankets and clothing. Though I value this assistance, I still believe that these people will need psychological help to cope with the aftermath of the flood. Many of these people have lost their houses, loved ones, businesses and animals.

For more information about the flood in Namibia please read: www.namibian.com.na and http://www.newera.com.na/

- Nespect

Walk for PEACE and a Healthy Namibian Society

2011-04-04T09:15:00.000-07:00

Saturday April 2, 07h00 some CGE students and staff joined other Windhoekers in a fun walk that was organized by the PEACE Center and the Nucleus Fitness Center.

The Peace Centre aims to contribute to building a healthy and non-violent society. The Peace Centre addresses the effects of violence, through the delivery of professional psychological services for the marginalized in society and by reducing the acceptability of violence in Namibian communities.

The Nucleus Gym and the Peace Centre share a mission: to have a healthy Namibian society. According to the two organizations, physical activity is known to have impact on diseases such as coronary heart disease, obesity and diabetes. In addition to this it also has a positive effect on mental disorders and illness. They also added that research has proven the potential for exercise as a therapy for depression or anxiety. It also improves and promotes a positive self-esteem, reduces anxiety and develops resilience to stress.They concluded that “a healthy body is the first step to a healthy mind!”

In the Picture from Right: Katelyn Scheck, Arianna Genis, Helen Ward, Claire Simonpietri, Joel Muller, Jessica Spanswick, and Romanus Shivoro, with medals after the walk.

UNAM Student Interns with CGE Namibia

2011-04-04T02:08:00.000-07:00

My name is Pineas Walomboleni Oscar and I am a 24 year old Namibia Oshiwambo (Kwanyama), but can also speak Afrikaan and Otjiherero. He holds a 2 years diploma in Adult Education and Community Development from the University of Namibia. Currently I am studying towards an Undergraduate (Honours) degree in Adult Education majoring in Community Development and this is his final year.

This year as part of my academic requirements, I am required to do an 8 weeks internship and report back to the department. I then sent out my applications to various organization and institutions such as CGE and I was accepted. I am finding the CGE a very conducive working environment and very appealing to my academic requirements and personal growth. I was given orientation by my supervisors who are programme coordinator/instructor by introducing me to all staff members and the students at the centre. I was given the responsibilities of creating a directory of internship places in Windhoek, assist in class preparations, attend classes and engage in discussions and reorganising the resource room.

I am the last born in a family of 4 children, born in 1986 in Olyavahenge village Omusati Region. I always dreamed of becoming a Lawyer. I completed my high school in Okahandja and was then awarded a grant by the Namibian Literacy Trust to study for a diploma at UNAM. I completed my diploma in 2008 and was then awarded a loan by the Ministry of Education to study for the degree programme in which I received credits for all the 1^st year subjects and stated in the 2^nd year because of the outstanding performance in my diploma results.

I have been involved and I am still involved in numerous activities on and off campus, such as being student assistance in my department, a Peer Educator for the ZAMANAWE peer education program. In this program we plan and carry out HIV prevention campaigns on campus, at schools and at various congregations. I am also a trained Peer counsellor working voluntarily for the office of the dean of students (UNAM), whereby we do pre and post counselling services during HIV testing days and I am currently the Public relations officer for the peer councillors.

Before going to University I worked as a bricklayer in a small building company owned by my uncle and later in a bottle store as a teller. I also worked for the Electoral commission of Namibia as a Polling Officer during the 2010 Regional and Local authority elections. I am currently employed as a part-time contract producer for the Education Radio Program of The Namibian College of Open Learning (NAMCOL) which is aimed at helping its distance students understand their subjects better by supplementing their study material with radio programmes. I am currently writing and recording educational radio series for the Ministry of Education something I enjoy doing very much and I am also doing by 8 weeks internship at the Centre for Global Education.

I am currently also part of a UNAM research team, doing research on Youth Training and Adult Education programmes in Namibia, on policy, financing and institutional provision for Youth Training and Adult Education. It is a collaborative study between the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA) Education Programme, with Institut fur Internationale Zusammernerbeit des Deutschen Volkshochschul-Verbandes (DVV International Southern Africa Office) and the Namibia Literacy Trust.

I like playing soccer and reading news papers. I love plants and wild animals and I mostly love watching the National Geographic Channel.

Annual Photo Contest Launched

2011-03-30T02:11:00.000-07:00

Win prizes by submitting photos for the Center for Global Education's annual photo contest! Get more information by going to CGE's Facebook page.

This photo by Kate "Herby-Dawgymeister" McGrath, won second place last year. Can a photo from Southern Africa win first place this year?

Take Action Against Corrective Rape

2011-03-25T04:07:00.000-07:00

While Cape Town is widely known as one of the gay friendliest cities in the world, and South Africa has a very progressive inclusive constitution, the reality of life in much of the rest of South Africa, and even the townships surrounding Cape Town is quite different for the LGBTI community. Unfortunately, South Africa is experiencing an epidemic of "corrective rape" where lesbian women are raped in order to "cure" them of their homosexuality. A recent signature campaign by change.org has finally brought this to the attention of the South African Parliament who are beginning the process to call "corrective rape" and violence against the LGBTI community hate crimes, to combat them with tougher sentences and enforcing that the judicial system take these crimes seriously. This demonstrates the power of many small voices coming together to make a difference. Read more about this on change.org's website. You can also read more on the website of the NGO that started the campaign, Luleki Sizw e. If you didn't get a chance to sign change.org's petition, Avaaz is running a similar campaign to bring the president, Jacob Zuma, on board. Click here to sign their petition.

Racism in a Gay Friendly Town

2011-03-23T09:07:00.001-07:00

Lucy Campbell, a tour guide at the Slave Lodge in Cape Town who has met many CGE students, wrote an interesting reflection recently on an encounter with racism that she had:

http://www.archivalplatform.org/blog/entry/whitewashed/

Happy but Unequal?

2011-03-23T09:05:00.001-07:00

Namibia's high inequality featured in an article in the Economist magazine last week.

http://www.economist.com/node/18340509

Travel to Cuba

2011-02-23T08:33:00.000-08:00

From 1999 to 2004, CGE coordinated 30 travel seminars to Cuba under educational, humanitarian, and people-to-people travel licenses. We are ecstatic to announce a return to Cuba!

President Obama announced on January 14, 2011 a change in travel regulations to Cuba that will make it easier for U.S. student, religious, and cultural groups to visit the country. These changes were finalized on January 28, 2011 and published in the Federal Register.

One of the immediate changes is that accredited U.S. graduate and undergraduate degree-granting institutions are able to travel under a general educational license if the Cuba travel is part of a structured educational program and will be accepted for credit towards the student's degree. A general license means that there is no application process with the U.S. Department of Treasury, which oversees specific licenses for travel to Cuba. Therefore, we are now able to plan educational for-credit travel seminars. If you would like to customize a for-credit seminar as early as this summer, please contact us.

For non-academic travel programs, we will need to apply for special licenses for programs that promote people-to-people contact and for academic conferences. If you are interested in customizing such a trip, please let us know, and we will send you information as it becomes available. You can also visit the Treasury Department’s website for updated information.

We plan to apply for licenses for future not-for-credit seminars, including people-to-people seminars. Individuals who would like to travel to Cuba with CGE on an open seminar can check our Travel Opportunities webpage. We will post there as soon as they are available.

We will update here and and Facebook on our next steps. If you would like to be kept up-to-date on developments related to travel to Cuba and the new license regulations via email, please let us know by emailing globaled@augsburg.edu.

Windhoek Homestays a Success for Students and Families

2011-02-16T07:24:00.000-08:00

The current semester students have just completed their urban homestays in Windhoek. I would like to share about the experiences of the students and families. We often ask the question, "Why do we do the home stays?" in the preparation session for the students. Sometimes, even I am not sure about the answer until I read the evaluations and see how people on both sides are learning.

For example, kindly one parent, after hosting for a long time and I was thinking of giving them a break for a while came up with a touching remark. "I am very thankful for you (Sara) and CGE for the exposure, I am learning a lot in terms of having different students from all around the USA." She told me how she likes to cook in fat but after having vegetarian students she claims that her husband is happy and wants to stick to it. She said, "I hope it will be for a long time WE HAVE CUT OUT MEAT!" Yes, it is an experience that I believe is not to be forgotten. Another parent said, "Bring the meat eaters to my house. We will be happy together. We are eating meat for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They are welcome."

This photo shows me multi-tasking at CGE - with the homestay manual and the apron! I love it; Okay talk to you next time. Remember rural homestays are coming up in 3 weeks. If you are a former student, reflecting on your experiences, what can we do better? Please, let me know!

-Sarah

Priceton in Africa Fellowship

2010-11-09T07:41:00.000-08:00

Not just for Princeton students...

Princeton in Africa develops young leaders committed to Africa’s advancement by offering yearlong fellowship opportunities with a variety of organizations that work across the African continent.

PiAf has developed partnerships with leading organizations working throughout Africa. Our program places graduating seniors and young alumni of all non-profit colleges and universities in the U.S. who seek to serve other nations. Our Fellows have worked in numerous fields.

Fellows generally cover airfare and pre-departure expenses (and some recreational/spending money), but PiAf covers On-the-ground expenses including housing and living stipend, Group medical and evacuation insurance, Pre-departure orientation for all Fellows, PiAf operating costs.

http://www.princeton.edu/piaf/index_files/home.htm

Scholarschip for Blogging

2010-10-15T01:17:00.001-07:00

College Scholarships is offering a $10,000 scholarship for blogging. For more information, visit the College Scholarships website.

Hurry, the deadline is October 21st.

Sara from Namibia visits the US and Mexico

2010-08-09T08:09:00.000-07:00

Sara Uises Amushila, Food Service Manager and Homestay Coordinator in at CGE's study center in Namibia, has been visiting the United States and Mexico. After 16 years on staff, she had the opportunity last week to visit Augsburg College’s campus in Minnesota.

On her way to Minneapolis, Sara stopped in Connecticut to visit former staff members, Phoebe Milliken and Kevin Connors. In Minneapolis, she participated in a staff development sessio and had a chance to meet with staff in smaller groups. She was also able to reconnect with a group from Gustavus Adolphus College who had traveled to Namibia, as well as other faculty and staff at Augsburg who had traveled to Namibia. One of the faculty from Gustavus Adolphys, Don Gustafson, wrote, “most thankful that we did have a chance to see her and in a small way treat her to a look at Minnesota countryside in return for the marvelous insights she gave us about Namibia....” Being faced with so many different homestays and cuisines, Sarah remarked that it will help her to become more sensitive to how students react to homestays and new foods in Namibia.

She is now in Mexico with a faculty, student, and staff travel group from Augsburg College. It will enable her to participate in a travel seminar to Mexico and meet staff there. She will also be able to reconnect with Lisanne Morgan, who participated in a staff exchange to Namibia last year.

Forum with Young African Leaders

2010-08-06T08:48:00.000-07:00

A student with a connection to CGE was part of President Obama's Forum with Young African Leaders. Michael's participation in the Young Achievers Empowerment Project, an organization started by former CGE staff, was central to his selection!

http://www.america.gov/st/develop-english/2010/Jul/20100729140748xlrennef0.0411188.html

CGE Namibia is hiring an intern!

2010-07-08T08:57:00.000-07:00

The CGE Namibia site is currently looking for an intern for 2011 (early January to mid-December). If you are interested in applying, please contact the current intern, Kristin Barstad at cgekristin@gmail.com for more information.

Gilman recipients to attend semester study abroad program in Namibia

2010-06-10T07:13:00.000-07:00

Three Gilman recipients have chosen to attend CGE study abroad programs. Two of those recipients will join our semester program in Namibia. Congratulations to Elecsha Madison from the University of Illinois-Chicago and Claire Bergren from Augsburg College

The Benjamin A. Gilman scholarship aims to encourage students to choose non-traditional study abroad destinations, especially those outside of Western Europe, Australia and New Zealand. It is highly competitive.

Photos from Southern Africa are runners-up in photo contest

2010-06-01T10:52:00.000-07:00

Two photos from Southern Africa were selected as runners-up in the First Annual CGE Photo Contest.

Drew Miller submitted this striking black and white shot of a windmill.

Kate McGrath submitted the photo of the hands.

Thanks to both Drew and Kate for sharing images from their experience in Namibia. Each won a $50 gift certificate the the Equal Exchange Fair Trade Gift Store.

Namibian Acapella Music Group touring United States

2010-04-16T07:30:00.000-07:00

The Namibian Acapella Musical Group, Vocal Motion Six (VM6), is currently touring the US. They are an amazing and inspiring group of vocalists who sing "music with a message" to fight HIV/AIDS and work for community upliftment. Go out and support these inspiring young Namibians. You won't believe your ears.

Check out their website for more information on the group and their dates!

An international travel seminar to Namibia for only $850!

2010-03-30T11:45:00.000-07:00

Catchy title, yes? And the $850 includes airfare to boot.

The Center for Global Education at Augsburg College is the recipient of a grant from the US Department of Education's Fulbright Hays Group Project Abroad, which has enabled us to coordinate a four-week seminar for educators. The seminar will focus on curriculum development.

Twelve participants will be selected. In order to be eligible for the travel seminar, applicants must be:
--Elementary school teachers
--Secondary school teachers
--Preservice teachers
--Education faculty

All applicants must be employed at or enrolled in a U.S. institution.

More information can be found here: http://www.augsburg.edu/global/shorttermseminars/opportunities.html

First Annual CGE Facebook Photo Contest

2010-03-29T14:09:00.001-07:00

CGE is launching its First Annual Facebook Photo Contest on April 1.

Photos old and new are welcome. Must be a fan of our Facebook page AND post the photos there.

$150 gift certificate to Global Exchange Fair Trade Store for the winner (two smaller certificates for the runners-up).

Visit our website to learn more about the contest and to find a link to our Facebook page.

http://www.augsburg.edu/global/about/stayconnected.html

The photo contest rules are on the right side of the page.

Namibia Marks 20 Years of Peaceful Nationbuilding

2010-03-26T03:15:00.000-07:00

Namibia recently celebrated 20 years of independence. Several foreign dignitaries came to enjoy the celebrations including: South African President Jacob Zuma, Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, President of the Democratic Republic of Congo Joseph Kabila and Nobel Peace Prize Winner Martti Ahtisaari. More information on the celebration can found by clicking here.

-Linda

Studying Abroad and Shaking Hands with Social Justice in Southern Africa

2010-02-28T22:58:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday, February 18th, Windhoek played host to the Southern African Genome Sequencing Project Symposium--and our CGE students were both extremely lucky and honored to be among the small audience in attendance!

Our program attracts students from a variety of fields of study, averaging a higher population of students majoring in the social sciences as opposed to (and being an alum of Sociology, I say this begrudgingly) the "hard" sciences. So, when program coordinator/history instructor and genius Romanus Shivoro was explaining the invitation that we had received to attend this presentation it was little surprise that the room was filled with looks of confusion and little enthusiasm. Finally Romanus mentioned that Archbishop Desmond Tutu was one of the project's participants and that he would also be at the symposium. The students understood this!

The symposium was nothing if not thoroughly fascinating! Archbishop Tutu kicked off the morning of scientific presentations with a prayer. He spoke to the broad themes of the project, the larger societal implications that genome sequencing in Southern Africans would have on the world at large: That we would truly begin to recognize that we are all, in fact, related and that we all, in fact, hail from Africa--and from this we can begin to comprehend what it means to be "brothers" and "sisters."

And the project is not operating merely for the sake of "knowing"--there is intention behind the action. Of course it is both interesting and absolutely important to know that the San peoples of Namibia represent the oldest known lineage of modern man. It is also interesting and important to learn that the reasons for launching a project to sequence Southern African genomes was driven from a place of (now previous) exclusion in pharmocogenomic studies. Southern Africans have often been poorly represented in parmaceutical trials, and at the same time suffer from population-based differences in the effectiveness of drugs (such as anti-viral treatments for HIV/AIDS.) The new data is expected to "help Southern African scientists and Southern African entrepreneurs to develop appropriate treatments when world-wide approaches fail locally."

The event was made ever more pivotal when an unscheduled and informal debate was raised between the depiction of the San peoples (used to represent and advertise the sequencing project) and the diversity amongst the San (varying from traditional to modern.) The project's depictions of the members of the San whose genomes were sequenced were photographed in traditional wear. The objection was made that, although the project promoted a "celebration of diversity" it did not recognize any San whom did not fit into the stereotypical image of the San (light brown skin, short, traditional costume, practicing a traditional farming lifestyle.) The point was made that there are San who do not fit this mold, who are very much modernized and live a modern lifestyle. For some, the presentation did not accomplish the task of lessening the marginalization and stigmatization that these groups of people in Namibia have faced, so much as it served, unfortunately, to reinforce it.

This event and conversation have us looking forward to hearing from a couple of our students, in particular, whose internship organizations have them working on projects with the San--ranging from media representation to energy issues.

Posted by Intern Kristin

Of special interest to our Namibia Study Abroad alums and participants....

2010-02-24T07:05:00.000-08:00

If you are anywhere near Minneapolis, please consider attending the annual Peace Prize Forum, which will be held at Augsburg College on March 5 and 6.

Each forum honors and focuses on the work of the previous Nobel Prize laureate; this year the spotlight is on 2008 Nobel Peace laureate, Martti Ahtisaari, international peace negotiator and former president of Finland. He shares a particular connection with the Center for Global Education as he considers the most satisfying work of his career to have been the 13 years he spent as the UN diplomat leading the negotiations for the independence of Namibia.

Speakers, panels, seminars, and two movies will provide many perspectives on peace—interfaith
dialogue, women's activism, democracy-building, lessons learned from Namibia's independence, and many more.

You can find out more at http://augnet.augsburg.edu/news-archives/2010/02_15_10/ppf_intro.html

Having the House All to My(Intern)self!

2010-02-15T04:56:00.000-08:00

This past week (February 8th-14th) marked Week 4 of our Spring 2010 semester program. I can't believe that we are already into the second month of the program, and remain convinced that if I am to pursue a career in the field of study abroad I will blink and be retired...but I love the fast-paced nature of it. When there's no room for down-time there's no time for boredom.

Although work kept me busy, the house was kept quiet (and wonderfully clean!) by the absence of our 17 students, who were spending the week with different families throughout Windhoek. I still saw the students frequently in between classes and over lunch breaks, and they were always ready with the same sarcastic questions of, "Kristin, don't you miss us SO much?!" and "Kristin, don't you just HATE having the house all to yourself?" As evidenced by these questions, the intern is so misunderstood. Of course I missed them--I would never have considered a job like this if what I wanted was to never be around people! And yes, I would have hated having the house all to myself--trust me, a house that has been renovated to accommodate upwards of 27 students, 10 staff, and 1 intern is not the kind of house you want to be spending too many after-dark hours alone in...which is why it is a most convenient thing to have such a vibrant social life as mine!

While I enjoyed the week working and maintaining friendships, let it be known that I was envious of the students (as I always am when they are off on homestays and I am on-call.) I know how challenging the homestays are, no matter what type of personality you are blessed with. But staying with families also offers the most incredible learning opportunities, and it's important to recognize and take advantage of these while they are there...because, let's be honest, when is the next time you're going to find yourself living with a family in a township or suburb created by Apartheid legislation?!

And from the few conversations I have had so far, it seems like hindsight is 20/20. The students are settling back into their bedrooms and back into their typical college routines and looking back on what the past 10 days has taught them--about Namibia, the U.S. and themselves.

In staff news, our CGE Namibia site is busy plugging away at ideas on how to fix up our property. We have recently bought the house and are now experiencing decision-making without a landlord! From re-roofing the resource room to re-piping showers and replacing car gates. But first thing's first: make some space! We're on a mission to spring clean the heck out of this place in order to free up some elbow room. So this past Thursday, right after our staff meeting, we all got together and went through the rejected materials from Passat's "office", aka the storage shed. I'm excited to see what the office supplies cabinet and linen closets will turn up...will they beat something as exciting as a left-behind bicycle or a broken pool cover, or the pile of bungee cords I made away with? I do happen to know that there is a goatskin rug that reads "NAMIBIA" hidden beneath piles of sleeping bags, as well as a polaroid camera with 6 packs of very much expired film just waiting to be loved again...!

Posted by Kristin, Program Intern

Semester Program in Southern Africa: Fall Evaluations

2010-01-08T06:25:00.001-08:00

Happy 2010 to all!

After wrapping up the fall semester on the Nation Building, Globalization and Decolonizing the Mind Program in Namibia and South Africa, the Minneapolis office has been spending time reviewing the student evaluations of the semester study abroad program.

We were pleased to find that it went very well for the students. 100% said they would recommend the program to other students! We also take seriously any suggestions for improvements, but the reviews were so very positive overall. What great kudos for our faculty and staff in Namibia; I know they enjoyed the semester, too.

Here is what just a few students had to say:
This program is truly unique, not only in terms of the living and class situation but also because of the kinds of people who come, and the amount of learning outside the classroom you get to experience.
Rachel Gerber, Clark University

Going to Namibia helps to broaden both your understanding of yourself and of the stereotypes associated with Africa. The comparative historical and political viewpoints enable students to place themselves within both an American and a Namibian perspective. I highly recommend the internship option
Rae Couch, St. Olaf College

--Jesse, Minneapolis

Election Excitement

2009-12-03T01:04:00.000-08:00

Namibians went to the polls to elect the President and parties for the National Assembly on the 27th and 28th of November, last week. Results have been slow in coming, which is beginning to make particularly the smaller parties very nervous.

For official results, you can monitor the Electoral Commission of Namibia's Website.

For results with news and commentary you can keep an eye on the Institute for Public Policy Research's Election Watch Website.

-Linda

Basic Income Grant in the News

2009-11-11T05:43:00.000-08:00

A visit by a representative of the Basic Income Grant Coalition is always a favorite for students in the Development Process course. In short, the Basic Income Grant is a proposal to provide every Namibian (regardless of income) with N$100 (~US$15) each month as a human right.

It was recently featured on the BBC. To see the video click here.

The proposal has not been approved by the government, however, it has been a topic of discussion quite a bit recently. The Prime Minister recently said that the BIG is not a "normal" way of helping the poor and that it would be making a joke out of the poor by also giving the N$100 to the rich as well. The Basic Income Grant Coalition responded to his comments by saying that the vast poverty and inequality in Namibia were also not normal. To read a summary of their comments, click here.

Reverend Hendrik Witbooi passes away

2009-10-13T23:51:00.000-07:00

Reverend Hendrik Witbooi, the first Deputy Prime Minister of the independent Namibia, a liberation struggle hero, the great grandson of the famous Nama chief by the same name, and a favorite speaker to many CGE student groups passed away yesterday.

For more information on his passing, please click this link .

For more information on his life, please click this link.

-Linda

The Latest from Former CGE Mexico and Namibia Director, Lejeune

2009-09-28T05:10:00.000-07:00

For those of you who attended a CGE travel seminar with Lejeune, or a class taught by Lejeune, either here in Namibia, or in Mexico, you'll be excited to read the following update we recently received from her:

I originally went to live in Mexico in the early 90’s as an International Population Fellow assigned to the National Institute of Public Health of Mexico. After completing my 2-year fellowship, I stayed on to work for an additional 3 years. When a new door opened with CGE, I shifted from public health to adult education. After 5 years with CGE in Mexico, I went to work with CGE in Namibia first as a Program Coordinator and later as an Interim Program Director and stayed for a total of 2 years.

After 7 wonderful years of personal and professional growth with CGE, I made a difficult decision to take a job with the Peace Corps as the Associate Director/Health. During my 5-year tenure, I established and managed the Community Health and HIV/AIDS Project in Namibia. The Peace Corps job was the perfect combination of CGE and my public health work. Supervising the volunteers in the field and helping them to adapt and think critically was similar to working with the CGE students. In fact, I was able to bring a lot of my CGE-inspired knowledge and values into my new role and implement some creative changes in the training programs. Equally, I was able to maintain ties with my CGE colleagues and we collaborated and shared resources whenever possible. Both CGE and Peace Corps allowed me to interact with different sectors of society from grassroots to government with the aim to bridge cultures and people and work towards sustainable change. As a result, I developed special connections to the country and wonderful friendships that I will cherish.

When my Peace Corps contract ended in April 09, yet another door opened and I returned home after 16 consecutive years of living abroad. My main goal has been to reconnect with family and friends and, so far, my return has surpassed my expectations. There is no place like home! I spent the summer traveling to visit my folks and attending family reunions in different states. I’m currently staying with my mom in Southern California and we are having a ball. Most of our attention goes towards my beloved German shepherd named Nzanga, which I brought back from Namibia. As we rise to the occasion, dog-training class has become one of our new hobbies (see photo). I’m currently job hunting for a US-based position with an international component. So, my final destination is TBA but count on it being somewhere in country. Stay tuned…

Article on former semester study abroad student...

2009-09-22T08:16:00.000-07:00

Here's a great story on 2008 Namibia semester study abroad alum Lauren Blake, who took time away from her collegiate athletic career to study abroad in Southern Africa:

http://www.telegram.com/article/20090917/COLUMN11/909179967/1009/SPORTS

Jesse, CGE-Minneapolis

Center for Global Education Study Abroad Program - More Opportunities More Diversity More Happy Souls

2009-09-16T07:55:00.000-07:00

Not only is the Fall ’09 Semester group larger than previous semesters , diversity is also one of the striking features defining the nature of the group. It is exactly a month since the Southern Africa Study abroad participants arrived in Africa. This group of students are characterized by sheer harmony, vitality, keen to learn, cheerful, and above all a perfect blend of assortment of races, classes, abilities, identities, diets, and interests, to mention but a few.
Prior to and after the arrival of the new group, the Center for Global Education Namibia Team has been working tirelessly to provide a conducive living and learning environment to the diverse group of participants. In the scheme of modifications, emphasis was placed on Teaching and Learning Materials, Accommodation Facilities, Vehicles, and Traveling programs, and the Campus to ensure accessibility and comfort ability for all students on the Program.
These efforts are in line with Augsburg College’s work to provide equal and quality educational opportunities to those who aspire to participate in educational programs in which their unique needs would be recognized and attended to.
CGE - Leading the Right Way!!
-Romanus

Evan Wilson working with youth in Rhode Island

2009-09-11T06:19:00.000-07:00

Evan Wilson, who previously served as the travel seminar/internship coordinator, and was a student during the Spring 2005 semester, recently shared the great news with us that he is continuing to follow his passion to support positive youth's development in a new position in Providence, Rhode Island. Evan will be working as a Site Coordinator of a city-wide, middle school after school program with the Providence After School Alliance. In addition to his work with the Center to coordinate travel seminars and student internships, Evan was also very active with local youth organizations in Windhoek. Most notably, Evan helped facilitate a community-based youth group called the Young Achievers in Katutura. The Young Achievers bring together youth of all ages to set visions for their future and to develop skills and confidence to reach their goals. Many students from our semester and travel seminar programs had the pleasure of visiting with the Young Achievers and learning more about Namibia through their eyes. We wish him the best of luck in his new position.

-Linda

Welcome Fall 09 Students!

2009-08-21T07:04:00.001-07:00

Our latest group of 25 students has arrived in Johannesburg, safe and sound! They are enjoying learning more about South Africa, the apartheid history, the liberation struggle, the current challenges facing South Africa and the ways those challenges are being addressed. This weekend they'll be staying with host families in Soweto, the former black township of Johannesburg.

We are very excited to have them on the continent and look forward to them coming to Namibia next week!

-Linda

The Dungeon Issue

2009-08-18T07:22:00.000-07:00

For those of you who visited Namibia on one of our programs, you may have heard from Pauline Dempers from the organization, Breaking the Wall of Silence. Ms. Dempers is advocating for the SWAPO political party to admit wrong-doing and issue an apology for the detention and disappearance of between 1000 and 2000 people who went into exile for SWAPO during the liberation struggle, but were imprisoned on charges of being a spy. Recently, a small step was made in that direction when the government agreed to recognize those detained as "war veterans" for the purpose of registration and receipt of benefits. See "Swapo Lubango dungeon victims also war veterans" for details.

However, Ms. Dempers says its not enough and they are still looking for more answers:
"Veteran status not enough for ex-detainees"

-Linda

Team Building

2009-08-18T06:57:00.001-07:00

In preparation for the start of another busy academic year, the CGE Southern Africa staff went out of town for a couple of days of team building. After a day of discussion, getting to know each other and planning, we then spent a day doing more fun activities requiring team work, strength, and determination and finally activities that were just plain fun! Now we feel ready for another great academic year!

-Linda

Greetings from Namibia!

2009-08-18T06:31:00.000-07:00

This blog is brought to you by the faculty and staff at the Center for Global Education's Southern Africa site in Windhoek, Namibia. We hope that this blog inspires you to learn more about Southern Africa (Namibia and South Africa particularly). Whether you are considering traveling to Southern Africa for vacation or study purposes, or if you have been here and want to know the latest news, or if you haven't been here at all but just want to be more informed, this blog is for you!

We created this blog with the goal of sharing some of the day-to-day happenings in our lively study center, city, and country. We plan to post updates and information about our international travel seminars, undergraduate study abroad programs, resource people, social and political events, local news, national happenings, and personal news and updates from us the staff. And...just about anything else we think you might find interesting. Oh - and we would be ecstatic if you would leave comments and we promise to respond.

Thanks for visiting our blog. Come back often!

-Linda

Welcome to the CGE Southern Africa Blog!

2009-08-14T09:56:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the CGE-Southern Africa Blog!

My name is Jesse and I write to you from the Center for Global Education's Minneapolis site, which is located at Augsburg College. My colleagues in Namibia, though, will be the real drivers behind this blog and they'll introduce themselves in an upcoming post.

Before we get to Southern Africa, I just wanted to share a little bit about who CGE is and what we do:

Founded in 1982, CGE is nationally recognized for its work in experiential, inter-cultural, and educational travel opportunities. More than 9,000 people have participated in our international travel seminars (one- to three-weeks in length), which are well-known and respected for exposing travelers to a variety of points of view, especially the perspectives of those working for justice and human dignity. Seminars take place throughout Latin America and Southern Africa (and occasionally in other places like Vietnam). CGE also operates undergraduate semester abroad programs in Mexico, Central America, and Southern Africa, which have served over 1600 students from more than 300 colleges and universities.

We are sure many of our readers will be former participants and students, but we also hope to draw some new people into the CGE-Southern Africa family. WELCOME!