Caprivi Here I Come

So after the first week of dorm rooms it is time to dive into the Namibian language and culture and move in with our host family. I have been assigned to learn the Solozi language which you may have heard before... Hakuna Matata anyone? It also is awesome, because unlike most Trainees it means I know where in Namibia I will be going for my assignment!  Solozi is only spoken in the little arm of NE Namibia called Caprivi which is just a couple hours away from Victoria Falls and is roamed by crocodiles and elephant herds. Fun History Fact: the reason for this arm is because when Namibia was colonized by the Germans and the boarders drawn up they thought the rivers in this part would lead to the Indian Ocean. Well... it didn't quite make it, oops!

My host family consists of my host mother Mariana, and my two host brothers Ivan who is 28 and Buddy who is 18. Mariana is an extremely generous person and is a secretary at the primary school nearby. Ivan is an accountant in Windhoek and doesn't actually live in the house but comes over often. Buddy is in 10th grade and plays Rugby for his school. They all speak pretty good English but unfortunately no Solozi, so I don't get any practice outside of my classes.

My favorite time of day with my host family is dinner time when we all sit around the TV and watch Sopies. “What are Sopies?” you ask? Well... they are soap operas from Mexico, horrendously dubbed over in English. They are extremely cheesy but the Namibians absolutely love them and they make for excellent discussion the next day with the other Trainees in class. When asked what Sopies we have in America, I tried to explain to them The Office. Let's just say the concept of a show about people working with a crazy boss and no unsolved paternity issues, murders, or long lost twins did not seem to impress them.

I'm here!

So finally after one and a half months of prepping, 17+ hours on a plane, 3 hours of buses, relatively little sleep, I'm here in Namibia! I and 44 other Peace Corps Trainees (as we are called till we are sworn in) are members of Namibia Group 32, a group of mostly Education Volunteers, teaching English, Science, and Math like myself. The rest are involved in a new business development program working with Namibian entrepreneurs to start small businesses. Everyone has been super friendly and outgoing, which has been a helped in a big way to relax and alleviate homesickness. During the many layovers and down time after sessions, we quickly begun the bonding process over card games, movie nights, and even a few drinks. Already I feel like we have known each other for weeks, and know many friendships will be made during my service in Namibia.

For now it on to the orientation and program introduction portion of Peace Corps Training, so for the first week my group is staying at a compound which has a part rehab clinic and part summer camp feel to it. The rooming setup brings me back to my freshman days of college with two trainees to a room and tiny  beds. My roomie is Adam, another Education Trainee from Montana, quite good with the guitar and leader of the daily jam sessions. Totally cliché for the Peace Corps, I know.

During the first day of orientation it came up that other volunteers have referred to Namibia as PC Lite, and I am already beginning to see why. Widespread water and electricity, beautifully sunny days, relatively few diseases, and good beer is beginning to make me feel spoiled, but this is looking great for calling this country my home for the next couple of years.

Me looking over Namibia from Pride Rock.

Contact Information

I'm not in Namibia yet, but some of you have been asking the best way to keep in contact and even send packages (I believe even bike pieces were promised). I should have regular email and internet access for the first three months while I train in Windhoek, but letters might be the best possible way to keep in touch.


Travis Miller, PCT
Peace Corps Office
P.O. BOX 6862
Ausspannplatz
Windhoek, Namibia


No special international stamps are required. Just two first class stamp will do. It's also recommended that you number your letters, in case the letters arrive in a different order in which they were sent. As far as packages here is some advice from past volunteers:

"The best method for sending a care package is by simply using the US postal service. I've found that packages sent in a big padded envelope get here much quicker than a box. Boxes take anywhere from 1 month to 5-6 months. It really varies on this one. I think as a rule of thumb, keep it small. My experience with packages has been diverse: 1 padded envelope sent from California got here in 10 days using regular ground mail. Another package sent from NYC using the more expensive way to send it, got here in exactly 1 week. Other packages took anywhere from 1 month to 2 months. If for some reason you need something shipped that is expensive or important, I know people have used DHL (there is a DHL office in Windhoek)"

Hope this answered all your questions. Let me know if there is anything I've missed and i'll try my best to find an answer. Looking forward to hearing from you guys, and always promise to write you back.

-Travis