Namibia and Germany are completely different. However, there are also some similarities that always make me smile and that I would like to share with you. Since the post would have been too long, I have divided it into two parts. Next week, part 2 will be here for you!
Over the years and the many visits, I have already noticed that I can definitely feel at home, I don't necessarily associate home with a certain place, but with the people and actually a lot with the food. As we all know, the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, and that's how I get the feeling of being at home.
Shopping and restaurants
The supermarkets here are so well stocked with imported German goods that you often think you're walking through a German supermarket. From chocolate to dumplings, spaetzle, red cabbage, gummy bears and much more, you miss (almost) nothing here. There are also quite a few German restaurants, which often offer much better German meals than many beer garden in Germany 😍
There's also a wide selection: schnitzel with chips, knuckle of pork, goulash and even kebabs can be found here. I would even say that German cuisine has become very established over the years and is simply part of Namibia.
What is very different from Europe is the online shopping. Let's put it this way, ordering online is not that easy here in Namibia. Parcels rarely arrive and when they do, they are usually empty. In Germany, you order something on one of the well-known platforms and a few days later or the very next day it's already there. That really doesn't work here. Either you wait a few weeks or it's better to have visitors bring it.
Life feeling
The feeling that many people experience when they come to Namibia is no fairy tale. As soon as you get off the plane, it is like a new attitude towards life. Maybe it's the sun, maybe it's the serenity of the people, nobody really knows. So when you come here, enjoy the easyness, the new attitude towards life and take it home with you! Over the years it has brought me so much ease. Not always insisting on things, if you have to wait longer in the supermarket because the lady in front of you is packing too slowly, you're late because you were in a traffic jam, what's the point of getting upset about it? You can't change it and there is a saying that says "You Europeans have the clock, we Africans have the time".
Everything is seen a bit more loosely and if you arrive at work at 9 o'clock instead of 8 o'clock, this is not taken strictly (often, not all!) cases. African Time is something you have to experience for yourself to understand 😂.
I asked you guys on Instagram a while back about similarities and differences in Namibia and here are some more answers:
Different:
Mentality
German&African Time
Safety
Packing help in the supermarket
Multilingualism with every person (no matter what culture)
You ALWAYS get a big smile in Namibia
Similar:
Street names
German language
Weather
Namibia is situated in the southern hemisphere. Therefore, the seasons are
"twisted". Nevertheless, you cannot compare the seasons in Namibia with those in Germany.
Summer is from October to April. During the day it can get warmer than 30°C, but at the same time it is also the rainy season. So you have to expect rain showers and thunderstorms. Nevertheless, don't forget to wear sunscreen, because the sun can be very extreme despite the clouds.
Winter is from May to September. The temperatures are quite pleasant +-20°C. Due to the dry season, you don't have to expect rain. However, it can get cold at night with temperatures below 10°C and in some regions even 0°C! Be sure to pack a warm jacket and an extra blanket!
Stay tuned for the second part next week! Feel free to tell me what you particularly like about Namibia and what differences you have noticed!