Pamela Lowry in Namibia, Africa with the Peace Corps: July 2007

I LOVE Namibia!

If I could properly express to you all how much I love this country, it would be through the newspaper articles I've read over the past 20 months of my service. I've decided to start a collection of "best of" articles for my personal entertainment, and now yours!

Below is an edited version of a Namibian Newspaper article about how NamWater donated computers to a rural school. The punchline is highlighted....enjoy!
.......................................................................................................................................................................

IT was a day of great joy for the learners and teachers of a rural school in the Tsandi area of northern Namibia when they received twelve computers as a donation from NamWater, a state-owned company, last Friday.

NamWater usually refurbishes its older, but still functional computers for schools when buying new hardware for the company.

This time it identified the Tsandi Junior Secondary School as recipient of the dozen PCs.

"We only had one single computer at the school, which was used by the secretary," said its headmaster, David Shipombo.

"That computer was stolen in January this year, when thieves broke into the administration building.

Only this month did we scrape enough money together to buy a new one for the secretary," he added.

The well-behaved and neatly dressed learners gathered under a tree in the school yard and sang beautifully as a welcome and showed their traditional dancing skills, but informed the NamWater officials in a special song about the development needs of their school.

"We need a fax machine, printer and more school furniture," they sang.

"We are overjoyed with this donation and not only the boys but the girls will be able to become computer literate."

When someone touches your life....

This isn't a blog post about how someone in Africa changed my life, it's about someone from home who led me to Africa and how she changed my life.

When I was 16, (my best friend at the time) Sara's mom had recently returned from a trip to Zaire (now DRC) after working in a refugee camp. Her stories and pictures really struck me. She told me about how the kids would just break into song and start clapping. I just knew I wanted to experience this too.

Her mom also started a 2nd hand clothing store in Richmond, VA called Pennies for Heaven. It was not just a clothing store, but a symbol of hope for so many people living in poverty right in my own city. I worked with Pennies off and on over the years....sorting clothes, making bagged lunches, and handing out gifts on Christmas day to families in one of the most dangerous parts of Richmond (one of the most memorable Christmas's I've ever experienced) . I started realizing that there needs to be a change in this world.....and there is something I can do about it.

My dream of working in Africa led me to apply for the Peace Corps, which led me to Swakopmund, Namibia. I live a wonderful life in Swakopmund. I have a fantastic job as a music teacher at MYO, I sing with an uplifting choir, and have made many lifelong friends. My 18months abroad has helped me feel stronger about who I am and who I will become. And the kids I work with....my goodness are they musical!

To my dear friend Sara and her family, please know how much your mom meant to so many of us. Her inspiration will live on......

Back in Swakopmund with my roommates, Jeremy and Lindsay

Gina and I in a Combi from Windhoek to Swakopmund.

I didn't realize that playing with this child during minute 1 of our journey committed me to entertaining him for the next 4 hours

Cruisin in the Citi

Me and my friends trying to hike to the top (um, we never made it...)

Waterberg in the early morning

Our evening braai at Waterberg

Thank God for Alex, our personal Cub Scout

Gina next to a giant termite mound

I'm over it.

Hi everyone!

I've been trying to upload pictures for a while now from all the adventures in June. However, the internet is not co-operating. I was able to upload a few pics, but please be patient...there are more on the way! (I say be patient, but my patience is almost extinguished).

I hope everyone is enjoying the summer in the Northern Hemisphere. We're in the midst of East weather, so it's hot, windy, and oh so sandy. Other than the weather, the Kokopelli choir is here from Edmonton, Canada. We just had a wonderful weekend full of concerts and rehearsals on the coast. Tonight, we're going live it up - a fancy dinner in the dunes! I pray we don't get sandblasted.

love,
Pam

Gina and I hopping down the bunny trail

Entering the Waterberg Park

Here kitty kitty kitty.....

ROAR!

Zebra Crossing

An Elephant at Night

Gina and I at Etosha

Our International Wine Tasting glasses

A few words about Cape Town.....

This was my 2nd trip in a month to Cape Town. I wanted to take my friend Gina who flew in from the States. There's so much to do there, and I believe Gina and I maxed out every minute of our time. We were up by 8am and didn't ususally go to bed before 2am.

You can see from the pictures below that we went up Table Mountain, went on a wine tour, and took a boat out to Robben Island (where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 18 years). You'll see a guy in the next photo postings named Alex. We met him on our wine tour, and he ended up traveling with us in Namibia - and even back to Swakopmund. A new friend!

Enjoy!