Visited G50 PST

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Last Tuesday I was invited to the Peace Corps training center to be a panelist for a session about Harassment at Group 50’s Pre-service Training. We had a similar, helpful session during our training, so I was happy to participate as an older or sometimes called “mature” volunteer. The panel talks about all kinds of harassment – racial, sexual, gender, political, age – that a volunteer may experience during service in Namibia. We each talked about our personal experiences, techniques we use to avoid or minimize harassment, and coping skills/resources we use if we are harassed.

When I was first invited, I thought “I haven’t experienced any harassment here. What can I bring to this panel?” Over the next couple weeks, as I paid more attention and thought about it, I realized that I have dealt with harassment. I don’t believe I have to deal with it as much as some of the younger, especially female, volunteers, but it is part of my experience.

For the most part, Namibians, across all ethnic groups, are respectful of their elders, so I benefit from this. However, as an American, many Namibians assume that I am rich, so I am asked regularly by strangers and friends for money or something from the US – old phones. I got so tired of being pursued by street merchants every time I went for a walk that I finally stopped, told them that I will be here 2 years and I don’t want them following me every time I walk by. It definitely helped.

No one has asked me to have their baby like the younger PCVs, male and female, but I’ve had  men who say I should marry them and take them to America. It is laughable to me, but the younger ones get some serious harassment over this that is not to laugh off. Many young women, not just PCVs, are harassed daily with catcalls, inappropriate language and gestures. It is a male dominated culture and historically women were not allowed to demand respect. This is changing as more women are getting educated and more financially independent.

We are discouraged from talking politics, American or Namibian politics. Not true, we can talk politics, but we are discouraged from judging, from arguing or expressing strong opinions. As individuals we have our opinions, but as PCVs we are neutral. We are not to attend political rallies or demonstrations since some could associate a PCV as representing the opinion of the US government. I don’t typically think of this as harassment, but there are times when people try to engage in these conversations inappropriately.

During this visit, I also met the latest group of education volunteers in Namibia. They will swear in this week, almost exactly a year from my Group 48’s swearing in ceremony. One of their ‘mature’ volunteers served in Sierra Leone in the 80s (I think that’s right) and she ‘knew’ me through my blog. How about that! I met another young woman from Mobile, Alabama, my Mom’s birthplace, who will be coming to my town, Otjiwarongo. She will teach English at the primary school. It is always nice to meet other PCVs because we rely on each other, even if we have not met in person. It’s like “one for all and all for one”.

The pictures are from my ‘hike’ to the training center. We got a flat tire and before our driver got the jack out of the trunk, 2 cars pulled in behind us and all the men came to help. The tire was changed, and we were back on the road in 15 minutes. Such kindness.

All for now with all my love,

Ellen