#peacecorpsnamibia

Sunrise at Spitzkoppe 🌄 #camplife #sunrise #majestic #peacecorpsnamibia (at Spitzkoppe)

mountain views and sunset walks #peacecorps #peacecorpsnamibia (at Karibib, Erongo, Namibia)

Contrasting beautiful Namibia #peacecorpsnamibia #peacecorps #Namibia (at Okahandja)

I finally found out where I will be living and teaching for the next two years of my Peace Corps service. I am elated and excited. My new home will be in the deep south, near the South African border. #PeaceCorps #PeaceCorpsNamibia #siteannouncement #sitereveal (at Okahandja)

What words do you use to describe the crazy choice you made to uproot your life and venture into the unknown? I decided to join Peace Corps because I wanted to become a more well-rounded human being. I joined because I wanted the way I care to have more breadth, the way I understand to have more width, the way I love to have more depth. I joined because my parents endured the unknown and the dangerous to give me a better opportunity at life, and it was my turn to blaze a path for my siblings. I joined because I live every day balancing two cultures that are often at odds with each other, at war within myself, where one side tells me I'm not welcome and the other side tells me not to leave because the discrimination faced is better than the perils in my birth country. I joined because I have a story to tell, a story of adventure and adversity, because it's a story that people in other parts of the world need to hear. I joined because I am not a criminal, or a rapist, or drug dealer. I joined because someone out there needs to know that I exist and that I have potential and knowledge to offer, that I am more than some stereotypes. I joined because I am a teacher and a student. And if I have a story to share, someone else has a story to share with me. And if I can carry the story back to my classroom and enrich the lives of my students, show them that the earth is full of stories that need to be told, we can all become storytellers - storytellers that see the world in all it's richness, pain, passion, and beauty. And then maybe I'll have repaid the sacrifices my parents made to allow me the opportunity to make such crazy life choices. #PeaceCorps #PeaceCorpsNamibia (at Okahandja)

This week I ask myself - am I ready for age 29? 

Peace Corps Volunteers take up a variety of different hobbies during their service. Working out, journaling and cooking are a few of mine. One hobby I'm particularly jazzed about at the moment is Fermenting. I've fermented Cabbage into Sauerkraut, Teff flour into Injera, and most recently sweet tea into Kombucha. Fermentation is a Volunteer's best friend There are a few reasons why I think fermenting is the perfect hobby for an overseas volunteer. First, it allows food to be kept for much longer than if it were fresh. If one finds they have power outages, no fridge, or just limited supply of fresh food, fermentation combats all those problems. Second, the fermenting process creates probiotics which are essential to gut and overall health. Probiotic supplements are expensive and hard to come by in many developing countries. Fermenting one's food means they don't need to rely on the supplements. Probiotics come especially in handy when recovering from food poisoning or taking anti-biotics. Third, fermentation gives one the sense of autonomy or control. Fermentation is a complex natural phenomenon which differs completely according climate, air quality and other environmental factors. However after a few practice rounds, one will understand how to manipulate these factors to produce the best ferment, and experiment with various flavors. For us volunteers, it allows us to more intimately understand our surroundings, as well as feel a sense of control over a project in a setting where many things are totally outside our control. Finally, fermentation is a great indicator of time. Instead of counting down weeks until the next training or vacation, one can add up how many rounds of Sauerkraut or Kimchi will be ready by that time. If a site project is particularly difficult, one can certainly stick with it until the next batch of experimental Kombucha is done. It gives something to look forward to. Hopefully I've convinced you all to take up this healthy hobby! If any of my fellow volunteers would like to learn more about fermenting at site, please reach out to me. I'm happy to share more about my experiences.