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Living Conditions in Namibia
General considerations
To learn more about living and working in Namibia, applicants are encouraged to connect with a recruiter to discuss any specific considerations that could affect their service. In addition, please visit the U.S. Department of State's Namibia travel information pages for the latest on travel advisories, local laws, and special circumstances.
Applicants who undergo an interview will have additional opportunities to raise questions or concerns. If, upon learning more information, an applicant would like to be considered for a different assignment from the one they have been assigned to serve in, the Peace Corps can often find an alternate option that may be a better fit.
Communications
The postal system is reliable, but service to the more remote villages is often slow. Mail from the United States can take from two to four weeks, During pre-service training you may use the Peace Corps office address:
“Your name,” PCT
Peace Corps
PO Box 6862
Ausspannplatz
Windhoek, Namibia
Your mail will be forwarded periodically to your training site. Once you have moved to your permanent site, you will use the school’s address or get a private post office box.
Telephones
Volunteers are able to place international calls with no issues. Cellular phone service is growing in Namibia and is available in most rural areas where Volunteers serve. Fewer than five percent of currently serving Volunteers live in areas with limited cell phone coverage. Cell phones purchased in the United States are not likely to operate in country unless they are unlocked and are dual band. Peace Corps provides funds for you to purchase a local cellphone in Namibia as a safety measure.
Internet
Volunteers tend to bring their own laptops or tablets into country with them. The harsh climate, heat, dust, and erratic electricity tend to age IT equipment faster than in the United States, so most volunteers will bring older IT as opposed to purchasing a new computer or smartphone.
Housing and site location
General considerations
To learn more about living and working in Namibia, applicants are encouraged to connect with a recruiter to discuss any specific considerations that could affect their service. In addition, please visit the U.S. Department of State's Namibia travel information pages for the latest on travel advisories, local laws, and special circumstances.
Applicants who undergo an interview will have additional opportunities to raise questions or concerns. If, upon learning more information, an applicant would like to be considered for a different assignment from the one they have been assigned to serve in, the Peace Corps can often find an alternate option that may be a better fit.
Housing varies considerably. Your site may be a Western-style cement block house, usually with electricity (current is 220 volts, 50 cycles) and running water; an apartment attached to a health facility (nurses’ dorm); or, in the case of more rural areas, a mud hut with a local family in a traditional homestead. As the government has invited assistance from a variety of sources, you may also be asked to share a two- or three-bedroom house with one or two colleagues (either Namibian colleagues or Volunteers of the same sex). Every Volunteer has a private bedroom. In most circumstances, the ministry/hosting agency to which you are assigned is responsible for paying your monthly utilities and providing you with the basic furnishings (e.g., bed, mattress, chairs, table, stove).
Living allowance and money management
Volunteers receive a living allowance so they may serve effectively and safely overseas. Living allowances are based on local living standards and costs, so will vary between countries. Calculations for living allowances include categories such as food, local transportation, some communication costs, household supplies, and clothing. It is Peace Corps' policy that Volunteers live modestly by the standards of the people they serve, yet not in a manner that would endanger their health or safety. Living modestly is a cornerstone of service that allows Volunteers to gain community trust, and to more fully understand the community’s development challenges. Post conducts a survey of Volunteers every year to help determine whether the living allowance needs to be adjusted.
Food and diet
Basic food such as corn, millet, and greens can be bought in most communities, and a wide variety of products are available in the larger town centers. Fresh fruits and vegetables are highly seasonal in rural areas and may have to be transported from quite a distance. Canned goods are widely available throughout Namibia. In shopping towns, Volunteers can find a wide variety of products like in the U.S. but they may be more expensive that the living allowance covers. Although committed vegetarians and vegans have successfully maintained their diet and health in Namibia, obtaining the recommended daily allowances of vital food groups and nutrients can be challenging. The Peace Corps medical office provides multivitamins, calcium, iron tablets, and, in some instances, vitamin B-12. Some Volunteers in Namibia grow their own gardens to have fresh vegetables when they want them. Maintenance of a healthy and balanced diet will be discussed during pre-service training.
Transportation
Given the low population density in Namibia, preferred transportation options may not be available every day of the week, especially in rural communities, which requires prior planning and flexibility on the part of the Volunteer. The ultimate responsibility for choosing the safest means of travel falls on the Volunteer. Being on the road frequently can be dangerous in Namibia, because of the high incidents of road accidents.. While there are some transport services such as buses which are very comfortable and safe, Volunteers in rural areas may have limited options. Peace Corps staff provide Volunteers with information on the safest modes of travel during training.
Social activities
Social activities will vary depending on your community. In rural communities, social activities may include visiting with neighbors and attending church and family gatherings with local friends and colleagues. Cultural festivals, sporting events, weddings, and even funerals provide opportunities to meet and socialize with community members and their extended families. Groups of teachers sometimes go to town to shop and relax on paydays before heading off to visit their families. Social activities often involve “brai” which is a barbecue of various meats and beer or traditional alcohol.
Namibia’s rich geography provides many opportunities to enjoy outdoor activities, including national parks and conservation areas. Volunteers sometimes visit each other or meet in larger towns for shopping, socializing, or going to a movie. Although the Peace Corps recognizes that periodic visits to towns is important for networking and support, Volunteers are encouraged to remain in their communities as much as possible, to develop language competency and integrate into their communities.
Professionalism, dress, and behavior
Professionalism in the Peace Corps requires an awareness of the host community workplace culture, community values, and your self-presentation. To maintain a positive, culturally appropriate professional standing within a host community or workplace, Volunteers may need to adjust their style of dress, hair style, facial hair, make-up, piercings, manner of greeting others, etc. to demonstrate respect for local culture and customs. How you present yourself, in both informal and professional settings, is a reflection of you as an individual and of you as a representative of Peace Corps and the United States. In the U.S., dress (and other elements of personal appearance) may be seen as an expression of personal freedom and identity. In many host countries where Peace Corps Volunteers serve, the way you dress and present yourself may be interpreted as an expression of regard – or disregard – for those host community members around you.
Volunteers are encouraged to spend time in their communities, to develop their language skills, and to get to know the individual members of their community to better understand their traditions, culture, and local norms. As mutual trust is established over time, there may be opportunities for Volunteers to adjust their personal appearance and dress outside of the more rigid local standards. Volunteers are encouraged to discuss these potential adjustments with staff and other cultural mentors.
Namibians attach great importance to neatness and culturally appropriate dress and fashion, particularly in professional situations. To show respect for Namibian values, Volunteers can expect to dress according to culturally appropriate expectations both on and off the job.. For work, Volunteers usually wear slacks, khakis, skirts and a button-down shirts/professional tops or dresses (dresses/skirts can be knee-length or longer). It can be very hot in Namibia so considerations of the heat should be considered; however, shorts are not considered appropriate. Sleeveless shirts (wider than two fingers) are acceptable; spaghetti-strap are not acceptable for work (spaghetti-strap is acceptable for social events). Flip flops to work are not appropriate; sandals or dress shoes are appropriate.
Please be prepared to cover tattoos and non-ear piercings as these may not be accepted in the community.
Although heavy drinking as part of a social activity is common in Namibia, Volunteers are encouraged to approach these situations with professionalism as representatives of the American people who are “on duty” 24 hours a day, seven days a week. As such, Volunteers can expect to comport themselves in a professional and culturally appropriate manner.Volunteers are encouraged to model alternative behaviors, particularly for youth, as they work in Namibian society.
