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Wow! It is hard to believe that I have been in Namibia for two whole months already. At times, it feels as if I have just arrived, and at other times, it feels like I have been here forever. It makes me wonder what I will be feeling in another two months. The word for this quarterly report will be "change," as that word best characterizes the first two months.
The most obvious change is the station. For the last two years, the station has gone under renovations, and several buildings have been constructed. Currently, the library here at the main station is expanding. So, it is not an uncommon occurrence to walk through a construction zone to reach your office every day, and a symphony of hammering and sawing are heard all day. In addition, a structure that looks similar to a car-port has been added at the front of the station. No, Gobabeb does not now offer valet parking; rather, the "car-port" is part of a new appropriate technology project. Gobabeb has become an experimental station for solar energy. In the last month or so, several rows of solar panels were constructed around the station, and by the end of this month, the station will switch to solar power.
There have been other changes at the station as well. Many of the people who were here when Gerald and I arrived have now left, or are leaving in the near future. All of the interns from this summer have left, and a new group is coming in soon. Also, one of the research technicians, Olavi, has recently resigned from Gobabeb in order to take a new position. It has been hard to say goodbye to many of the faces that were familiar to Gobabeb, but I think that the ever-changing sea of faces and people is a vital part of this experience. It gives a great opportunity to work with people from all over the world, and all backgrounds.
Soon, my schedule will be also changing. Since arriving here, my schedule has been quiet, but not for much longer. Many schools in the area choose the end of the winter season to visit Gobabeb. Starting this next week, one to two groups will visit the station every week until the middle of November. This means not much free time, but a great opportunity to expand my skills as a facilitator, teacher and guide. I'm nervous, especially for that first group, but excited to be able to tell people about the station.
Perhaps the most profound, yet hardest to see, change that have occurred are the changes that have occurred internally. I have realized that I can go so far from my home and family, survive and even flourish. I have learned to enjoy quiet nights with nothing to do but sit and enjoy the stars. I have become much more appreciative of things like hot water and electricity. Last, but not least, I have learned that I am, in fact, a neat freak, and probably always will be. : )
With all of the changes that have occurred, both internal and external, since arriving here at Gobabeb, it is not hard to see why I feel I have been here for forever already. The desert is a dynamic environment; don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Now, I simply wonder what the next three months will have in store.
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