1. Tonga Sela's Sea Star

    My host sister Sela is showing me a sea star, while her younger sister, Kalo, is collecting more on the beach below.  This is my absolute favorite picture from my service in the Kingdom of Tonga. 

  2. Namibia Obama: Africa's President

    Barack Obama is truly Africa's president and every time I got a lift to town with a Namibian I would inevitably hear, "President Obama, hey, how do you like your African president?" They were incredibly proud to have a president that was half-African representing America.  There were plenty of Obama objects to be purchased but my favorite was the shitenge that I found in Malawi that coordinated so well with my t-shirt.  

  3. Namibia Pumbaa's Family

    The Lion King was right, there are many warthogs to be found in Africa, especially Namibia.  They are so ubiquitous you will see them racing across the road in a game of chicken with a car, scouring possible waterholes, and hanging out in the bush.  This photo was taken at a game count at a local lodge outside of Otavi.

  4. Namibia Local Petrol Station

    While Namibia has full service petrol stations as one would expect to find in America they only exist in major towns and the nearest one was an hour away and we were fast running out of petrol.  After a quick consensus we decided to leave the main highway and scour the villages for unofficial petrol stations.  This photo was taken, with much relief, as a friendly local filled our tank at a village near Sambyu, about an hour outside of Rundu.

  5. Namibia Mother Bear

    Many Namibian volunteers take advantage of Mother Bear Project, an organization that sends hand knit bears to children affected by HIV/AIDS in developing countries.  Providing bears to kids is a fun and simple project that brings a smile to everyone's face.  I had the opportunity to distribute bears to the graduating preschool students in my town.  This photo was taken at Msen's Preschool as the students prepared to parade through town in celebration of their graduation.  

  6. Czech Republic Parade of Flags - 40th Anniversary of Peace Corps

    The Parade of Flags during Peace Corps 4oth Anniversary Celebration in Washington, DC.

  7. Namibia A delicacy by any other name

    During training we all came together; volunteers, trainers, and host families to participate in a cultural day.  This day allowed the Namibians to show the newly arrived Americans many aspects of their diverse culture, namely food.  While many volunteers had partaken in these delicacies with their host families they had not helped in the preparation.  As many can tell you, eating a goat and slaughtering a goat are two very different things.  Unfortunately this goat and I had bonded in the com...

  8. Namibia Good Girls Go To Heaven But Vegetarians Go To Hell

    Vegetarians are an anomaly in Namibia and meat is generally considered the only food group.  Therefore it is understandable that people who voluntarily do not eat meat perplex them.  Upon announcing to my host family that I was a vegetarian they looked at me with mystified expressions and said, “Do you eat fish and chicken?” Laughingly, I said “No.  In America chicken and fish are considered meat.” and proceeded to explain the ethical, moral, and environmental ideals that do not match with e...

  9. Namibia I Solemnly Swear I Am Up To No Good

    According to the United States government I am officially a Peace Corps volunteer.  I don’t think they knew what they were getting themselves into for the next two years. The swearing in ceremony included the expected speeches from the Peace Corps Country Director, the Namibian Health Minister, and the U.S. Ambassador.  I understand Obama was planning to officiate but Air Force One was delayed.  Bummer.  I know he really wanted to be there to see us get sworn in. Soon it would be my moment t...

  10. Namibia Smokey The Bear Says Only You Can Prevent Snakebites

    Everyone has a phobia.  The fact that I made it through life immune to childhood fears gave me an overblown sense of victory.  That was before I moved to Namibia and realized that poisonous snakes don’t live behind thick walls of glass at the zoo they live in nature. As in the tall brush that I walk through every day.  Fortunately Namibians share my fear of snakes and are prone to taking any means necessary to kill a snake regardless if it’s a black mamba or a garden snake.  One morning I l...

Countdown to Weekly Contest Deadline!

“Sunset at the Railroad” by PCV Nicholas Baylor Hall. Namibia, 2011.