So as usually everybody has been asking the same questions for I while so I thought I should write an FAQ Part Two and yaaay I did it in English because Namibians were asking the same questions as well!
1.How has Namibia changed you?
I didn’t think about too much so far. I clearly gained some kilos. Which made the impossible happen: I developed the habit to run – frequently – meaning, I do it at least twice a week. Everybody will be so suprised now, because 1. obviously nobody ever thought I would overcome my high school trauma of Cooper-Test running and 2. because people expect a really, really deeeeep (ohsooodeeep) answer to questions like this. Truth is however, that I think I will only realize if and how I changed once I am back in Berlin. I can already promise though that I became a more patient person, and that my sense of time is not the same anymore, I may be using ‚African Time‘ every now and then as an excuse to avoid stress.
2. How was Namibia?
In general, I just reply something like: Nice. Awesome. Great. Because seriously, this is such a stupid question. None of the people asking it is actually interested or patient enough to listen to the elaborate, detailed answer.
3. Are you looking forward to going back?
Ouuuw yes everybody is sooo looking forward to seeing me and it’s really cute I feel so loved but the truuuth is that well, I have been looking forward to it every now and then when I felt homesick or lonely but at the moment, everything in Nam is just going great and I wouldn’t mind staying a little longer. I know that I will be very happy to see everybody again once I am back, though, and also be glad to start studying again in October, but right now, leaving Windhoek just feels wrong. But yeah, Sharknado 2 and 3, my bike, an awesome festival, loooong summer days and lactose-free ice cream are waiting in Berlin.
4. Your English must be perfect now!
I’m not sure about that either. I guess I am more fluent, but also more Namlish (Namibian English). For example, I do not say „I’m fine“ but „I’m good.“ I do not barbecue but braai, I am babberlash instead of hangover, Brötchen are no longer rolls but „bretschen“ to me, and I frequently comment on things by asking: IS IT?! Also, I do click my tongue more often than I used to before.
5. What will you miss about Windhoek/Namibia?
1. The most amazing concerts are for free. Or maybe, 50 Dollars (4 Euros, Germans!) People do not just stand in a room and stare at the band performing, but yay, everybody is dancing and shaking it out!
2. People are actually interested in talking to you or getting to know you. Maybe that’s about being a foreigner, I cannot know. It’s just so easy to meet people. Whereas, in Germany, people would be more likely to wonder why the hell a stranger wants to talk to them.
3. The sky is blue, blue, blue and the sun is shining. Every. Fucking. Day. All year. There is no such thing as „no braiiweather“ (kein Grillwetter), or „I can’t run today because it’s raining“.
4. Going out, eating out and drinking out is just so cheap. A beer is 20 (1,50).
5. Although I appreciate public transport it is also nice to just wave for a Taxi literally anywhere. Maybe even just because you are lazy. Also, taxi drivers are in genereal very likeable and usually listening to very typical taxi music. Some wanted to marry me, others were really protective, waiting in front of my house until I locked the gate from inside, or giving helpful advice such as: Don’t do fashion bar, oshilumbu! It is not a oshilumbu place. 😀
6.I have the impression that people are less judging and less likely to talk behind someones back.
7. You are invited somewhere, and you just bring your friends. It’s far more welcoming than the other way round. If your friends are not invited, it’s „invite only“ which is quite unlikely to happen. You don’t have that inconvenient moment when you approach the host and ask if you can bring -whoever- .
8. There is no stress. It’s okay to be late. Nobody will secretly hate you. I really love this. Because seriously, sometimes, I’ve just been stressing out too much.
9. The best thing about traveling with your own car and tent is that absolutely no plans are necessary. Just get in that car, drive wherever you want and put up your tent anywhere.
10. The Milky Way, the Stars, the Shooting Stars. The Namibian nightsky is just unique.