I spent the weekend with my Namibia family, the family I stayed with during my training in Okahandja. It was a big weekend with K’s matric farewell event, an event like our prom, except it is their way of saying farewell to their primary and secondary education. For many, this is considered the first step into adulthood. The other big family event was 16-year-old, D’s confirmation. This is the church’s sacrament for stepping into adulthood. There was lots of extended family around all weekend, lots of photos, lots of food, and a general weekend of celebration.
Friday night was the ‘prom’ night but first were the requisite photos with grandparents and family. Before the main event at the country club (sounds like the US) there was a non-alcoholic cocktail event at the school that each graduate can invite 2 family members. K invited her Dad and his mother – this grandmother made her formal gown. All the family, friends, and basically the entire high school comes to watch this event. We stood outside the school grounds and waited for couples/graduates to show up in their finery. They laid down a red carpet for their walk from the car to the grounds for the cocktail party. It is crazy, they are celebrities for the day, reminiscent of the Academy Awards.
Saturday was low key with only an evening service for the confirmands, but this was not the actual confirmation. Earlier in the day was food prep for Sunday and general hanging out with family and friends stopping by.
Sunday was a baptism, confirmation for eight young people, and a special ceremony to induct 2 special elders. I’m not sure exactly of the elder ceremony, they were already elders of the church so this was something extra. I miss a lot in translation. I am slowly getting better at understanding Afrikaans, but it is hard for this ‘mature’ brain. After the 3-hour ceremony with lots of singing, there was a big lunch in their back area. It is not a back yard because it is totally dry dirt. They have a huge awning where they usually park the car, but it makes a nice, covered area for a party. They move the car but keep it close and play music from it with all the doors open. They periodically crank it to keep the battery going. It works very well!
It was a fun weekend with my Namibia family.
Where's GranEllen? 
Wow, you had a busy weekend with all the celebrations. Was there dancing after the formal events? Did they students invite lots of friends their own age? What do they envision will happen next in their lives after secondary education? I am impressed with you keeping up with the Afrikaans conversations.
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There wasn’t any real dancing after the formal events. Some of the kids would do a move or two for a favorite tune but no couple dancing. The students could only invite 2 people to the pre-event and a graduate could only invite one date to the formal event. Some guys and girls came alone. K, the graduate in my family, starts college in January. She wants to be a doctor so she is ambitious and did very well in school. I don’t think most go to college but there’s also trade schools. The economy in Namibia is poor with high unemployment. Many will try to get jobs to help their families.
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