Diaries From Namibia.
Foreword.
I spent about three months in
Namibia in 2002, in less than a months’ time it will be 20 years ago, it is now Sunday
29th May 2022. We flew on a night flight from Heathrow on Friday 21st
June 2002. Where has that gone?
I kept a diary while I was out there, but not
every day, like I did the other times I worked overseas. Looking back, I would
say that was down to a few things, we did a fair bit of traveling at times, and
the way we lived. But I have some and will put them below. I will do a day or
so each day.
Any comments I make from today
will be in bold italics, like this.
Day 1. Friday 21st
June 2002.
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We are flying tonight from Heathrow Airport overnight to Johannesburg, then in the morning we will be getting a connecting flight on Windhoek the capital. I believe our basecamp is just outside of the capital.
We had a pre-expedition get
together for the weekend a few weeks ago where we got to meet the other staff
members, which was good to meet everyone, I am sure we will make a good team
out there. We learnt lot of games to play with the ‘venturer's’ (these will be
known as V’s from here on), it should be fun. The hardest part I have found up
until now was trying to sleep in a freezing field when I had my appraisal in
the middle of last December.
A little bit of research I have done on
the country is next: Namibia is in South West Africa and gained independence in
1990. Up until then from 1915 it was under the rule of South Africa. It borders
Angola, Botswana, Zambia and South Africa. Its languages are English and Afrikaans,
it also has German and Dutch.
Day 2. Saturday 22nd
June.
This is our first day in Namibia. Flew from Joburg this morning after the all-night flight from Heathrow. I have to say I never thought I would do that trip again after doing that fight six times backwards and forwards to the Falklands, but we flew on to Cape Town from Joburg then.
I had some post waiting for me at
‘Field-base’ which is always good. We are here for the next two weeks, doing
inductions and training before the V’s get here.
When this first came up, I was well up for
it, but as time has gone on I am not so sure. Age being one thing, I will be 50
while I am out here and the fact I am not that fit, and I think a person will
need that on their side?
In two weeks’, time we will be going out
to our project sites, we will find out where we are going this coming Thursday
and what we will be doing. Field-base is very basic, there is very little here
at all. There is no running drinking water, and of course there are the
‘long-drops’ (a hole in the ground) to use as toilets. Still I want to get fit
and lose weight. There is a very large tin shed which we will use for eating
along with training.
We are two to a tent, but at the moment I
have one to myself, which is good, but I am not sure how long that will last? I
think the last two times I worked overseas will be a “walk in the park”
compared to this, mind you I was 14 years younger.
Above is the store at filed base.
Day 3. Sunday 23rd
June.
We had a training course at a centre a few miles away (photo above) which we walked to. It has been another busy day again, which is how I like it.
We had a 3-mile run this evening. I say
run, it was run and walk in some of our cases (me) but I did in fact do a lot
better than I thought I would, so I am pleased with that. The training was
good, but again a lot to fit in.
I had a totally rotten nights sleep, if I
slept at all. I never thought of bringing an airbed, or the likes, that was a
big mistake. It is so uncomfortable being on the ground. Regarding the showers,
you have to light a wick in a paraffin bowl which takes about 5 minutes to warm
the water, but the warm water does not last long.
I used the ‘long drop’ for the first time this morning, that was fun!! It is around mid-winter here at the moment. The temperatures in the day are okay, but the nights can be cold and it is dark around 5/30 to 6/00. It is so dark here at night. A person then needs headlamp or touch to go anywhere outside at night.
Day 4. Monday 24th
June.
We had a very heavy frost last
night, it was freezing in the tent, but I have to say the sleeping bag I
brought was good, but I still didn’t get a good night sleep because of being on
the ground. But there is some good news, I managed to get hold of a mattress. I
was helping out in the store and there was a couple on a top self, so I
liberated one!
I had another shower today, as I said
before the water is not hot for long and while they have tin sheets around them
they are outside, so again a person can get cold very quickly. We did training on
the radios today. These are a hand-sets that one person can talk to field base
on while another winds it up to give it power. There are no phones where we are
going.
I, and another builder, Paddy from
Liverpool gave a “tool safety” talk today, I think it went down well. Would
believe, on a safety talk, I managed to cut my finger, that went down well
also.
It was very hot today at one point, not
bad for almost mid-winter. We have only been here a few days and I do feel
little bit fitter already. Either that or I am going around the bend already?
Day 6. Wednesday 26th
June.
Been on a trek for the past two days, we got back tonight. It was meant to be about 15k in all. I must admit there was times when I didn’t think I would make it, but I did. We were split into groups of six, and I was given a lot of help by the others. We used our radios to check in while on the trek. We had a base camp, at a camp site and spent the night there. Monkeys came off the nearby hills in the morning to get the food that had we left out from dinner the night before. A person would not want to try and stop them, that’s for sure, they looked really nasty.
I had my one-to-one this evening regarding
which project we will be going on. There will be 3 phases, each lasting nearly 3
weeks. That will include travelling there and back, which could take a while
depending how far you have to go. We will find out tomorrow where each of us
are going, so I am looking forward to that.
Day 8. Friday 28th
June.
Found out about our project site last night, we are going to build two classrooms and a store at a school about 900k from here. There are 5 of us going to start with, me Mac, Nicky (she’s a medic) and two local chaps who work for Raleigh International, Lenny a young chap they call him the builder. I was talking to him and he is a bricklayer and has done a few buildings like this so that will be very helpful and Water. He is an older chap, older than me even, and he’s a lorry driver. Water said it will take about a day and a half to two days to get there.
We spent a fair bit of time last night
planning things. We leave tomorrow, the five of us, we are staying the first
night at a school that was built about 4 years ago then on to a store we have
to pick some gear up, then on to the school. It will take about five days in all.
The day we got back from our two-day trek
we went into Windhoek for dinner (in the back of the lorry of course) at a
place called ‘Joes.’ It was a very good meal. There was loads of it and it cost
around £4.50p each and the beer was 50p a pint, can’t be bad. There was an open
space in one area which had a big fire in it and a person could go and throw a
log on it. (Paddy playing a drum at Joes)
Day 9. Saturday 29th
June.
Been on the road travelling all day, up north to our project site. We are spending the night at a school that Raleigh built a few years ago. We will all be sleeping on the floor of one of the classrooms. There is no electric here so I am writing this with my head lamp on as it is totally as “black as your hat,” as the saying goes.
We have moved up into the tropics and it
has been a lot hotter most of the day, and it is still nice and warm now, mind
you no doubt the mosquitoes will be out soon. I did the cooking for our evening
meal while the others set up the radio to contact field base, which they did. I
made the meal out on the porch, in the dark, and managed to knock a pot over. I
think they were happy with the meal, and no one has died, yet!
We are stopping at the store tomorrow to
see what we can use from there. I am hoping we can stay the night at a camp
site one night, as I want a real shower as I feel so dirty.
Day 10. Sunday 30th
June.
We are at a camp site tonight which Water knows, I had a shower as soon as we got here, we are going to eat in the restaurant here shorty. We are going to the school tomorrow, we have a meeting set up there in the morning.
While we have been travelling most of the day, we did go to the store, and have ordered a cement mixer to be delivered next week and the concrete blocks which we will use to build the classrooms and store. We had to pay up front as it seems we are not the most prompt of payers.
We visited two hospitals in case we have any need for them, hopefully not. One was good, but the other was very poor. Once again let’s hope we have no need for them.
Travelling up here is a real eye opener, in
regards of how the people live here. I have been and worked in Africa before
and of course seen things on the news etc, but the poverty, it is so bad. I find
it very sad.
Day 12. Tuesday 2nd
July.
Went to the school yesterday. It is miles from anywhere, it took us over 2/ ½ hours to do the last 30k, that was from a real tarmac road. It was a dirt track for a lot of it, then its sand roads.
They knew we were coming, and were very
pleased to see us, in fact we had a really good welcome, all of the teachers
and children came out to greet us. One of the teachers, Isaac showed us around
and where the classrooms will go. They had sorted a place out for us to have
our camp, it is about a 1k walk from the school. The village is call Oncarni,
there are a few shops, a bar (we saw a lot of people drinking the nearer we
got) a medical centre and a large water tower where we will queue up for our
water. We were told there are about 2,000 people in and around the area, mostly
in straw/wooden huts. Some of the children walk over an hour to the school. (The photo above is the walk from our camp to the school.)
We have been on the road most of the day
placing more orders, and looking at another hospital that we were put on to by
the school, that one will be a lot better for us. We are now back at the same
camp site and will be going back to field base tomorrow. We are going to the
camps restaurant soon, it is very cheap here.
We are having a day out in Windhoek on
Friday and we are going to the British Embassy for drinks in the afternoon,
that is something to look forward to. I have managed to pick up a cold and feel
a bit run down at the moment.
Day 13. Wednesday 3rd
July.
Travelled back to field base today, sorted out some more orders on the way. We ate at the same camp site last night, which is okay. I went to the toilet just before bed time and got chased by a load of geese that were by a dried up, empty lake which I ended up falling into as I tried to escape and hurt my leg.
It is a bit unreal that I ended up looking
forward to getting back to field base so that I could get my mattress back,
which I did.
Day 18. Monday 8th
July.
Been very busy today and yesterday, but we had Friday off and we all went to Windhoek for the day. We got there early afternoon, some stayed in the bars some of us had a walk around the shops. We were invited to the British Consulate, the residence of the ambassador. It was very nice there, we had nibbles and drinks and he made a speech about us being out here and the work we are doing. He has not been here long himself. That was the last drink we can have for nine weeks as we are not allowed to drink once the V’s are here.
The Namibian V’s arrived last night. I
helped give out the kit to them, it was nearly 10/30 when we finished. The
British and other international V’s will be here in an hour or so. I am helping
with them as well, we will then have over 100 of them then.
I have been doing some work in the big
hall, a bit of carpentry and painting. A few of us went into the city to church
yesterday. The service was in German and I didn’t understand a word of it, but
I am glad I went. I have just broken a pair of glasses. I have also lost a pair,
so I am down to my last pair already. (The two photos by Wednesday are of us in Windhoek and the one above is of the church.)
Day 19. Tuesday 9th
July.
Been very busy since the V’s got here, lots of training and inductions to do. We are leaving on Thursday to go to the school. We have to load the lorry tomorrow, we have been sorting out tools and gear for sometime now, it is not far off now.
Most of youngsters seem okay, they may the
odd few that take a bit more getting used to. But that was always going to be
the case with people from so many different backgrounds. Over all I would say there
are not many areas of people we are not covering, which is really good to meet
new people and learn from different cultures.
Paddy and I did tool induction for the
newcomers today, which went down well. And the fact I did not cut myself this
time was really a bonus!
Day 20. Wednesday 10th July.
We have the lorry to load this afternoon,
then we are ready to go tomorrow. We had photos taken today of the staff and
project groups which will go on the website in the next few weeks and we can
also purchase a disc of the trip when we are finished, which I will do.
Day 23. Saturday 13th
July.
We are at the school now, it took two days to get here. It is hard work sat in the back of the lorry for all that time. Water can get two people in the front cab on seats at a time, so they are taking turns. I said I would stay in the back, but I did cheat a little as not only did I bring the mattress, I also managed to get another one, so we took turns sitting on them in the rear of the lorry.
We met Isaac at the school when we got
here, they have given us a store and keys to keep our food in, Mac and I have a
key each to it. We will take it in turns each day with some V’s to go and get
our food.
We are setting up camp up now, it is going
well. All the tents are up, Mac and I have one each, it’s how it worked out
with numbers. We have built the long-drops, showers, cooking area and wet and
dry dumps for food waste etc. It has gone well.
Day 24. Sunday 14th
July.
The head man from the village came and welcomed us yesterday afternoon along with some other people. They are very grateful for what we are doing and thanked us very much, they are nice people. But they did say never leave the came alone as they are people around here who will come and rob us, nice! So, we will leave two people here all the time when we are out working, they will also do the cooking, they will be known, as the “camp bitch’s!”
I have got the cold back again. Everything
went well with setting the camp up yesterday. We are having the morning off,
some of us are going to the church at the school shortly, Isaac invited us. We
are coming back for lunch then we will set the foundations out for the
classrooms and start digging tomorrow.
I am going to start my mentoring later
today, each us three staff have a group of youngsters each that we will have
one-to-ones with and get to know them a bit more, and help if we can, if help
is needed that is. Who knows, I may end up getting help!
Day 27. Wednesday 17th July.
Went to church on Sunday, about
six of us went, we were made very welcome. Isaac asked me to get up and give a
talk about what we were going to do etc. I really wasn’t expecting that. But I
think it went well, they all clapped me so that should be a good sign.
We set the classrooms out on Sunday
afternoon, it didn’t take too long. We stated digging the foundations on
Monday. Of course, it was all by hand and it was very hard ground in places,
but everyone done their bit and it went well. We had a delivery of cement and
aggregate on Monday but the mixer did not turn up, so we mixed the concrete by
hand, which again is hard work, but if we did not do it we would be well
behind. We have the foundations in and concreted and need to have the blockwork
walls up to door and window lintel level, and have the floor slab in by the end
of the first phase which will be on the 28,th which gives up 10 days
or so, there’s a lot to do, and we need the deliveries, now!
Day 28. Thursday 18th
July.
The sun never stops shining here, apart from at night that is. Finished the concrete on the footings (foundations) today and have started laying the foundations blocks to bring to up to damp course level, then we can start the blockwork for real.
There has been a fall out between some of
the V’s as some are not pulling their weight. Mac was away at the time when it,
“kicked-off” he was trying to get a mixer as our one will not be here until
next week. I was finishing some concrete when I heard the shouting and went to
see what was going on. Well to cut a long story short they didn’t come to blows,
but there was a lot of anger between a few of them, I did break it up. Maybe it
will get some of them to help out a bit more. But I have to say we have been
working hard since we started, it is also long days out in the sun and some are
struggling. Let’s hope we can all work together and get a mixer as we have a
lot to do in a short time.
Day 29. Friday 19th
July.
What a day! We had been really busy, but worst was to come. Just after lunch some people from a village about 2k away come running asking for help, their village was on fire. We all rushed over there. All the huts were made of wood and straw and the fire was sweeping through it. We helped to take down huts in the fires path, but there was a wind which was making it move fast. We done all we could without any of us getting injured. It was really upsetting what happened to the village.
We still can’t get a mixer. We had a lot
planed for today but didn’t finish it all which is a real pain. Mind you the
time away at the fire didn’t help. Here’s me moaning about what work we didn’t
get done, and most of those poor people have got no home tonight!
Day 30. Saturday 20th
July.
We had a day off today and everyone apart from me have gone into town. I said I would stay and look after the camp, as someone had to. I didn’t really fancy 2- ½ hour’s each way sat in the rear of the lorry, bouncing up and down. I will go at some point. Photo above, in the back of the lorry.
I have enjoyed a ‘chill out’ this
afternoon, laying around, I did get some washing done and said I will start
getting the dinner ready later on. With saying all that I spent a fair bit of
time chasing off goats and a few locals came in a little while ago, they made
as if they were just walking through when they saw me. We are a bit off the
beaten track for that, but I took their word for it?
I think the V’s have settled down a fair bit now, and are working together a lot better. There has been the odd few conflicts, but over all it’s a lot better. Over all I get on with them, as the last thing I need is falling out with a load of youngsters! I put a lot of thought into coming out here, and one of the things I knew was that there could be a lot of room for conflict. I don’t know where I got it from? But I decided to like some people up there (holding my arm in the air) and some down there (holding my hand down near the ground) meaning I would not dislike anyone again, as that is very negative. Over all it has worked okay. With saying that there have been some close calls, and as we are only about a third through, watch this space!
Day 32. Monday 22nd
July.
We got the mixer at last and have got on very well over the past few days. We are on with concreting the ground floor slab now, as soon as that is done we will be starting the blockwork. Lenny will be on with most of that but a lot of the V’s are really keen to have a go at block laying, we will see. We need to get up to lintel level before we go to change over which is only six days away after today, still a lot to do.
Mac brought two live chickens last night
and killed them this morning, I left that job to him, I couldn’t do it. We are
having them for dinner tonight.
Day 33. Tuesday 23rd
July.
Been a very long hot day. We have completed about 2/3rds of the floor slab, we need to finish it tomorrow to stand any chance of getting the blockwork up to where it needs to be, before next Sunday.
The school children moved into the new
classrooms that were built a short while ago today. Isaac asked me if we could
help take down the old classrooms, which we did. To be fair they were only tin
sheds and didn’t take a lot of getting down.
The V’s have talked us into building some
long-drops (they use the waste land behind the school at the moment to go to
the toilet) for the children and teachers. It will be extra work for us, but we
have cleared it on the radio with out party leader Di, so it looks like we will
be doing that as well as the classrooms and store now.
The photo above is the classroom we took down.
Day 39. Monday 29th
July.
We got everything finished that was needed
to be completed before we left the school, to be on target for the next phase
when we return. That will be getting the blockwork finished and getting the
roof on. The roof trusses and roof sheets should be there when we return.
Day 43. Friday 2nd
August.
Been to ‘change over’ and we are now back at our school camp site. We got a bit of work done this afternoon, we still need to get a couple of courses of blocks finished to get us up to plate (roof level) we can then get on with the roof. I think we will get stuck into it from tomorrow onwards.
Enjoyed the ‘change over’ and it was good to see the other staff members again. We had a song contest, we came third out of nine.
Day 48. Wednesday 7th
August.
Had some fun and games last night. Some of boy’s went and had a drink at the bar in the village, of course this is not allowed for any of us to drink. When they got back, one of their tents had been moved by some of the others as a joke. It was dark at this point and Mac and I had both gone to bed when a big argument blew up outside. Joe (not his real name) who winds everyone up had his tent moved, and being the worst for ware with drink, did not take it well. I got up and went out. He had a knife, but I managed to clam him down, as a rule I get on well with him, and I do mentor him. I thought things would get back to normal today, but it all kicked off again, and Mac and I had to step in to stop fighting breaking out. We then had a meeting with everyone to try and sort it out. Up until now, it seems okay. Do we need a ‘blow up’ every now and then, to calm things down, let’s hope so, and that’s the end of it?
We are having almost two days off after we
finish a few things off in preparation of getting the roof on. We will do that
early tomorrow morning, then should be able to start on the roof on Monday.
After we have finished that we are going into town tomorrow, then have a rest
day on Sunday, lets hope that relaxes things a bit?
Day 54. Tuesday 13th
August.
We are on with the roof now. We have all the steel roof truss’s up, but they have to be joined by steel beams which are welded to them, but we are having problem with the welder which keeps packing up, so Mac has gone to town with Water to get it sorted.
Day 57. Friday 16th
August.
We have done well in the last few days. We got the welder sorted and have been really busy. We are on with sheeting the roof which is just about finished and will be by time we leave tomorrow for ‘change over.’ While we are away we have a gang of local plasters coming in to render the external walls of the classrooms/store. So, when we return we will be on with the final phase (3) which we will be fitting, doors, windows, decorating inside and out, along with fitting the lighting/power/electric plus cabling.
I am happy at the moment in respect that I
think we are on course for the opening, which I have to say there has been
times I have not been sure about being ready. We are also doing the extras
which are the ‘long drops’ for the teachers and pupils (they go in the bush at
the moment) and some games the children which was all the ideas of the V’s,
which is really good. (Photos above of the start of the work on the 'long drop's.')
I have found the living very hard from the
start, I will be 50 next month, the second oldest person out here. But I have
grown into it and over all it is not so bad now, maybe I have just got used to
it. And while over all I have enjoyed being here, I would be lying to say I am
not looking forward to being in a real bed next month.
My ‘one 2 one’s’ with Joe have gone really
well since the “incident,” and I am not going to spell it out here, but how
much he has opened up to me and what he has told me has been very interesting,
and eye opening.
Day 58. Saturday 17th
August.
We are leaving today for ‘change over,’ will see you there! (Etosha National Park above.)
Day 62. Wednesday 21st
August.
Hello from ‘Change Over!’ We are
at Obina Lodge for ‘change over,’ we got here early on Sunday and will be
leaving late as our lorry is being used to do other work. It has been a nice
break being here and of course seeing all the others, which is always nice.
We had a “Challenge Contest,”
last night, we came 3rd (again). Each group had to come up with a
challenge for the others. I got pushed forward by our team and had to, fill as
many holes in your body with as many, ‘What’s It’s’ as possible, I lost! Where
we had the marquee after we moved it today there was a fair few ‘What’s It’s on
the ground, and some locals came in today and picked them up. We just don’t
know how well off we are!
I have been into the nearby town a few
times and brought a few bits, it is a nice little place and very friendly. I
have also been running a few 'K' and walking backwards and forwards at pace in
the sand, I could not have done that a few months ago, and I feel good for it.
We came here through Etosha National Park. We have been there before, the V’s
enjoyed it, it is good, if you haven’t been there before.
We have now got our new V’s and staff for
the last phase, we have still got a fair bit of work to complete which I am
looking forward to getting finished, then of course, home!!!
Day 65. Saturday 24th
August.
Back to work at Onkani. The new
group seem fine, but as we know from before, it is early days yet! We have now
completed the roof. The plasters finished all the external render just after we
got back. It has now dried out and we will be starting the painting tomorrow.
The ‘long drops’ are coming on well and
some of the V’s are building a playground for the children which I think will
be really good for them. We brought two legs of a goat today for a barbeque
tomorrow night.
Not long to go now, three weeks on Monday
and I will be flying home. I am looking forward to my 50th birthday
party the following Saturday and seeing family and friends again. And also
getting into the list I have made since I have been here of things that I want
to do when I get home. The list is getting longer all the time, so I will have
to see how I get on.
I have enjoyed my time here more as I have
been here longer and I suppose settling in more. I found the living very hard
to start with but it has got easier for me. With saying all of that I am
looking forward to my home comforts!
Day 68. Tuesday 27th
August.
Things are not going too bad, but
still a lot to do before the 5th September, 9 days. It seems to be
getting warmer most days now with the summer on the way. Work is going well, we
have completed the second coat of painting. So that is that finished, we did a
primer coat then two top coats, it looks good. The playground is nearly
finished, along with the ‘long drops,’ I have no problem that we will be
finished in time as everyone is working hard, but we have to keep the pace up
until the end.
Day 71. Friday 30th August.
We are having tomorrow off and going into
town, it has been well earned for everyone to have a break as we have worked
some long days. I need some new trainers as my ones are falling off my feet
now. There have been a few fall outs over the last few days, this seems to
happen on each phase as time goes by. I get to hear all sorts, some are not
working hard, some are being greedy, some are being childish, and some just
don’t like each other!
I am now down to my last pair of reading
glass’s after losing two pairs, and the pair I have left has only got one arm!
Day 72. Saturday 31st
August.
I have been asked by Isaac the teacher at
the school to try and get it “twined” with a school in the UK, and try and get
them things, and the Pastor at the church has asked me to try and raise money
to build them a new one, Wow! Of course, I can’t say no, but it fills like a
lot of pressure. I did tell our PR, Pipa at the last ‘change over’ and she said
she would help me. Also, we have Fran our photographer here now, and she said
she would take photos of the school and church.
Above is part of the play ground we built, we also made them a 'hopscotch.'
Day 73. Sunday 1st
September.
Guess what? I go home this month, I am also 50 in 11 days, where has that all gone? Been to church here for the last time today. They had words about us and thanked us for everything we have done for their school and village. They asked me, Uncle Tom (that’s what they call me) to say a few words, that was after the Pastor had said we were going to get them things for the church and school in the UK. I said, “I would try, but could not promise anything.” He came back and said, “Uncle Tom had been sent by God to help them.” No pressure then!!!
The sun has been a lot hotter today and we
are all finding it harder working out in it. Four days until the opening.
Day 75. Tuesday 3rd
September.
Well almost there, one day’s work to go. It has been very hard the last few days, I have always got on well with the V’s, but there has been moments of late. There have been a few who have just been so lazy and have not pulled their weight at all, so of course that has upset those who have really got stuck in and worked really hard. One today refused to take her turn as “camp bitch” make the food and clean up, that really caused a row that Mac and I had to sort out. We have also had some taken sick the last couple of days and stayed at the camp, I am not so sure about how ill they were? Still we are down to the last odds and sods tomorrow for the grand opening on Thursday, so all’s good. Some of the V’s had a football match against some locals the other evening which was good fun, I did in fact play for the last few minutes.
We have a pair of V’s with us now from Hong Kong, a female and a male, June and KC. Well let’s say while I have moaned at times about some V’s not pulling their weight work wise, there have been many more who have worked very hard, and none more than these two. June is, let’s say little, but she just does not stop, she has so much energy. I was told this morning she was not very well but would not go and see the medic in case she was put off sick. I took the medic to her, but she seems okay now.
Everyone loves it when the two of them
have been on “camp bitch duties” as they always try to do something special for
us. When KC is not working he is taking photos of everything, I have agreed to
get copies off him when we are finished. He has also made us staff members a piece
of paper each with our birth year in Chinses on it. It is only small but looks
really good, I shall get my one framed when I get home. They have both been
great.
Day 77. Thursday 5th
September.
That’s it, we opened the school
today, job done! What a long hot day we had, four and a half hours of speeches.
Di our leader was here along with the British Ambassador and many local
dignitary’s. All went well and everyone was very pleased with everything we had
done. It seems a lot longer but we have done it in six working weeks, which I
think is really good and I am really pleased with what we have achieved in that
time. And because of Raleigh International they have something they would not
have had.
The children all got up at the end and
sang, “Tom and Mac we will never forget you!” I was nearly in tears. Uncle Tom
got a mention in the speeches, it was all really very good. Pipa was here and
is really keen to give some more help for them.
We leave here, Onkani tomorrow. We are
camping all together for one night then a coach is coming for everyone, but I
have agreed to travel back to the base camp with Water in the lorry, in the cab
this time and not the back I hasten to add. Water knows a camp where we will
spend one night. He said to me, “Tom there is a nice restaurant there, you can
have beer, I will tell no one.” We can’t have a drink while the V’s are in the
country. It has been a long time, I might take him up on it, he does not drink.
I have been reading what I have written
over the last 77 days and I have said many times now that I will not be sorry
to get home as I have found the living very hard at times, but how we have been
treated, mainly down at the school has been really great. We all helped out
doing other things, like the long drops and the play ground (which the kids
love by the way) and we all did a bit of teaching in the classrooms at times. I
lead the children singing ‘Do-Ray-Me,’ one day. The mothers and children came
over to us one-night last week just before we finished work and sang and danced
for us.
I have never been so famous in my whole
life as everyone here seems to know Mr Tom or more to the point Uncle Tom, it
has been great to have been able to go to the other side of the world and do
this. They think we are millionaires, and do know what? In a way we are, compared with how we live at home and how some of them live here!
Day 85. Friday 13th
September.
We had food left over at the school, I gave
some to Isaac to share out and also gave some to Water, we stopped off at Water’s
house on the way back to drop the food off. I waited in the lorry, but again
looking at the neighbourhood, I would say how lucky we are to live where we
live. We have had what they call “wash up” and that is clearing everything for
the next expedition, which will start soon.
The V’s depart today. They had their party
the other night which was very good and enjoyable, lots of games etc. I was 50 yesterday,
and had a really good day. I managed to go to Windhoek with Vicki and Jo and we
did a bit of shopping and had a wander around. All the staff brought me a
really nice book of Namibia and all singed it. Pipa and Satch brought me a poem
book of Africa, I got loads of cards and a cake, it was really good.
While we were in town we went to a local
school as they wanted some advice on how to build a toilet block, I had been
put forward. I met with the headmistress and the caretaker, I think I gave them
some good ideas.
One of our staff who was on our second
phase has left as it was found out she had a drink with some V’s on the first
phase. Di called us in the office to tell us about it. When he started he said,
“we have found out about a staff member drinking when the V’s were in country.”
I thought straight away it was me, and Water had told them! When I found out
what it was all about, I told Di on my review. He laughed his head off, and
said, “I wish I knew so that I could have seen your face.”
Day 88. Monday 16th
September.
I fly home tonight and will land
at Heathrow tomorrow morning, I phoned home and my sister Jean is picking me up
at the airport which is not too far from us. I have been staying in a hotel in
the city since Saturday which has been really good, a real bed and not having
to wait for the water to heat up to have a shower. I met a few of the V’s the other
night, one’s who had not gone home yet, and all of us staff went out last night
for a meal and a drink, which was really nice.
The bottom photo above is the church at the school. I will do one last write on the diaries from Namibia tomorrow, Saturday 11th June, 2022.
Day 89. Tuesday 17th
September.
I am home! We landed about 8/00
this morning, and I was home just after 10/00. Spent the first hour or so just
going through my post, as I pay everything by direct debit there were no bills,
thank God. I got a cab into work at lunch time which is in Bagshot about 6
miles away and picked my company car up, and agreed to start back tomorrow. I
will have two new sites to start over the next few weeks. I am doing snagging
lists first off, for a site I finished just before I left. I have also
confirmed with the venue for my 50th birthday party this Saturday
night that everything is okay, which it is. I am looking forward to seeing
friends and family again
I will do a write up on the past three months, well 89 days to be correct. I am not sorry it is all over as I have said many times, but while I can moan about the living, this will be the last time, you will be pleased to hear, I think I have gained a lot out the experience. So first off:
1. Not to dislike a person, again: Before I came out here I knew we/I would be up against a lot of different people with a lot of differing opinions, attitudes, views and cultural contrasts and of course a big age difference between myself and a lot of the others. With that in mind and really wanting this to go well for me I put a lot of thought into it.
I am not sure how I came up with it (I have mentioned this before) but I decided not to, "not like" anyone again, I will explain. It is too easy to say, “I don’t like that persons” or “I hate them.” I think that is very negative. I now (and still do) like some people (I am holding my arm high in the air) up there, and I will like some people (hand near the ground) down there. As when a person does not like another person, it can be a long way back. And the truth is we should never give up on any one. As we all make mistakes in life (some more than others) and should get the chance to change, for the better. Also, I learnt over the years as a building site manager that a person could be rolling on the ground every day of the week with some of the people we employ. So, there are times when a person has to walk away, and sort the problem another time. “They who turn and walk away, live to fight another day!”
2. Meeting new people: I have met a lot of different people, from all walks of life, which is one thing I always enjoy doing. There are so many different cultures around the world, I find it very interesting seeing how others live.
3. This will be life changing: I remember being told before we came out that, “this will be life changing.” I wasn’t sure about that at the time, but I did see a lot of change in a lot of people. One of the biggest example of this was regarding a girl from Glasgow. She had been in a lot of trouble over the years, (as a lot of the V’s had) and she had a hell of a lot of attituded. She was never on our project, but what a difference there was in that person in three months, for the better. That was the case with a lot of people, and that has to be down to the work people, staff and V’s put in to help each other.
4. Doing something in the Third World: came out to do something in a “third world country,” to give them something, which I hope we did. But it turned my mind towards “youth work” a lot more than I thought it would. I have always thought I got on well with young people. I am not sure if you will believe this or not, but I was young once! I digress. There can be attitudes between ages, and I am pleased how I dealt with it.
5. Mentoring: I have done some in the past, but not a massive amount. I am going to say I enjoyed this as much as anything. The one-to-ones were really good. While it was of course for the V’s, the person you were talking to, I gained at lot from those sessions. Like I gain from being a Samaritan it gives a person a massive insight to how others live.
6. My Flag: I brought an England flag, the Flag of St George out with me, and got as many people to sign it as possible. With something’s I have now read from it, well I can only say some are very moving.
7. My weight: I have now weighed myself since I have been home and have lost over 2 stone, which I am very pleased with, and have got fit. Now the problem is staying that way!
8. Seeing how others live: I have worked overseas before, in the Falkland Islands and Algeria, North Africa. We see things on the TV etc, but where we were working was in a very remote part of the country, almost two hours from a tarmac road. As one V said to me, “it is a real eye opener to see how these people live when you see it close up." That comment is so true.
9. What Di said in the review: I had a really good review with Di, I am not going to go into it all but I was very pleased.
T I A B. (This is Africa Baby)
We meet at field base on a sunny day,
We had come to work without any pay.
We worked inside and out, as we had to train,
Just as well this time of year there would be no rain.
We had long hot days and freezing nights,
When the ventures would arrive, seemed well out of sight.
But arrive they did and many came.
We played icebreakers and many a game.
We were told the rules we had to obey,
This is what you must do, is what they did say.
And as for sex drugs and rock and roll,
Dai did say, no man no!
With our new charges under our wing,
We set off to the projects, it was time to sing.
For a trek in that hot sun you would need no coat,
But be careful, you don’t end up like a mountain goat!
We built an elephant dam and a brand-new school,
And the kids they’re thought it was, “cool man cool!”
Toilets, fire towers and poachers’ lodges all went up,
There was no time to sit on your arse, as we had to be tough.
Most of the ventures were really good fun,
But there was the odd few that it wouldn’t hurt to give a good kick up
the bum!
Much work was done in a country that to us its people had been so kind,
So, let’s hope that something worthwhile has been left behind.
When I leave no more Soya will I consume,
And when I sit on a real toilet, I will hum a happy tune.
I won’t be sorry to go home when it all ends,
But one thing I have got, is a lot of new friends.
July 2002.
That is the of my dairies, I hope you have enjoyed them. If you have any comments please email me on the address below. I will be continuing with other things on my Blog.
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