So, my final workday in Namibia passed with me completing a near 50 page summary report of the last 12 weeks of work, and then a braai party put on by my Finance team colleagues, yet another demonstration of their generosity.

The Bursar, Ralph

My office mate and chief accountant, Sem

Assistant Bursar, Sophia

The whole crowd from Finance, plus particular friends from other areas of UNAM.

So, today (Saturday) I begin my journey home. I am so looking forward to getting home tomorrow afternoon.

It’s been an incredible adventure, which I shall reflect on more once I’m home and perhaps post one final entry on this blog.

Thank you for reading, I hope I have given you some food for thought about coming to this beautiful country, whether for a holiday or to volunteer I can guarantee you the warmest welcome from everyone.

I cannot believe I’m going home soon. This time has flown in one sense (so much to finish before tomorrow) and yet been a haul without Ros, the kids and the animals.

At least I’m in Neudamm campus this afternoon (Agri and veterinary campus) so I got to cuddle some horses.

I helped someone write a feasibility study here.

I flew north again last Sunday to deliver workshops on project management on Monday and Tuesday at JEDS campus in Ongwediva.

Wednesday was a bank holiday, but Prof Steve and I were busy working as we’ll have next Monday back in the UK as a bank holiday.

Tomorrow is my last day in UNAM. Mixed feelings as you can imagine. So many friends being left behind. It is only as I sit and write a report of my 12 weeks here that I realise quite how much I’ve done here.

I revisited Okapuka ranch with Prof Steve before flying north on Sunday, such a fabulous place to visit.

That struggle every morning.

You wake wanting to turn over and shut out the world. You know you can’t.

You think about what is ahead today and self-doubt begins to nag.

Today I am delivering a workshop in a foreign country; in the northern part of that country to over 30 delegates. What if I fail? What if I can’t help them?

Then I get these mental scissors out:

I am blessed to have built these scissors with the support of my wife. It is she who helps me keep their blades sharp. We’ve been apart for 11 weeks now whilst I’ve been here in Namibia, but she has done such a wonderful job helping me in building self-esteem, something I never had before her, that they have remained sharp throughout this trip.

I am looking forward to getting them sharpened again next weekend when I get home.

Had a great weekend with my new friend, Professor Muttley. I showed him around town, we did the craft centre and national museum and various eateries and drink stops.

On Sunday we went on a game drive at Okapuka before I had to fly north.

Well, that was a full-on week.

Lots of meetings and help sessions in the 4 days, as well as delivering 3 workshops to 75 delegates.

Project management

Feasibility studies

Everyone was so attentive and engaged fully. Everyone was so complimentary afterwards, as well as extremely grateful for the sharing of the knowledge.

#Ilikehelpingpeople

A well deserved beer and schnitzel tonight and then I begin my last of 12 weeks in Namibia by flying north on Sunday to deliver another 2 project management workshops to another 70 people.

So, there I was on Monday evening, sitting comfortably watching football when I hear s knock at the door.

I wonder who it can be, surely not the Casa staff wanting to come in to clean this late on?

I open the door and there’s this smiling chap outside saying, “You must be Karl”.

It turns out I have a house mate for my final 2 weeks here, Steve from Cardiff Uni.

Nice bloke, getting on well. We went to Joe’s Beerhouse tonight (Wednesday) and had an hour of drumming followed by some fine grub. Great night.

I delivered the first project management workshop I’d designed today. An excellent turn out, interested and interactive people and very complimentary feedback received already. Some very knowledgeable questions from everyone and a good learning experience all round. More of the same tomorrow.

Friday night. I have to dress in a traditional wedding shirt. Colleagues from work have invited me to a friend’s wedding.Friday night and I’m at the groom’s house. There’s a wedding party that has to have an uncle, an aunt and one other relative take a suitcase for the bride from here. The suitcase contains all of the bride’s things for the actual wedding tomorrow, dress included. The party has to wait for the aunt and uncle to return to confirm that everything is alright, and that they have left the third relative behind to sleep overnight to ensure that the bride does not abscond.Luckily we’re just outside Windhoek and the bride isn’t too far away. I’m told that if we were in the north, the bride can be as much as 200km away!Good news, the aunt and uncle have returned, eventually! Late night!!Saturday, now in a suit at the wedding ceremony at Stellenbosch. It’s a mixed faith wedding; Lucas is Christian, Nadia is Muslim. A very lovely ceremony.Above picture, left to right, Maid of Honour, Nadia, Lucas and Ebben the best man, Lucas’ brother.Above picture, Ebben, Lucas’ cousin and Lucas.I ducked out of the next bit, a return to the groom’s home for family celebrations. I was invited, but needed a rest.Saturday evening and at the formal reception. This is where the youngsters gather for the celebrations; meal and announcements etc. Some elders are present for the first part, thankfully I wasn’t asked to leave when they did, but I’m sure I was by far the oldest thereafter!I am humbled and honoured to have been present at such an occasion. Yet another lasting memory of my trip to this beautiful country.

39 years ago today I started my career in the civil service.

I left school with just 3 ‘O’ levels (GCSEs to you youngsters); maths, English language and technical drawing.

I started on the lowest rung of the ladder, what was known as a Clerical Assistant at the time.

With no self-belief and very little skill (at least those skills supposedly measured by exams) I slowly made my way up that long ladder over the years.

There were times when I was ready to give up, in fact I did have a resignation letter lodged and accepted by HR at one point.

I’ve met many people across the years, I’ve had mediocre managers, very bad managers and some excellent managers. I learned from experience and knitted the best of what I saw with my natural traits of fairness for all. I became a manager and a leader who ensures that none of those bad things that were experienced by me would be experienced by people I have a responsibility for.

A few years ago I made it to the grade I aimed for all those years ago, which was, in fact, the highest grade in my first office. I didn’t tread on anyone to get there, the ascent of my own personal Everest was with the help of those people.

Now, I find myself making a difference across the world in Namibia. Who would have thought that the person who left school with so little would be making a difference on this scale? Certainly not any school acquaintances, or family, for that matter.

You probably know that I found out late in life (aged 52) that I have Asperger’s Syndrome, a form of autism. This revealed to me the reasons for all of the mistakes and difficulties I had found throughout life and, with the never to be underrated support from my wife, Ros, I have grown so much in the last 5 years.

I hope that you can see from this post that I have started to believe in myself. I hope this doesn’t come across as arrogance.

Thank you if you read this far. Happy Easter to you and happy 39th anniversary to me.

So, you will have read that I turned up a week early for the UNAM choir CD launch event last week. I attended last night and it was fabulous .Not only was it the UNAM choir, they had invited 2 guest choirs to support the evening.A perfect mix of smaller choirs and the larger UNAM choir with traditional gospel songs, Namibian traditional songs and even some tribal dancing thrown in.Yes, I did buy the CD.

Also, I haven’t been able to go to as many pottery classes as I would have liked due to work! However, here are my very first ever attempts, yet to be fired.Don’t laugh! There was no potters wheel involved and both were crafted from my own hands, each taking about 90 minutes. I’ll stick to the day job!

I keep a bowl of these on my desk, it is eembe, the fruit of the Bird Plum tree, scientific name Berchermia Discolourand.

It is one of the main wild fruits that grow in northern Namibia, and is often used as sweets for youngsters.

You chew the pith off the fruit from around the central stone and they are delicious (tastes a bit like dates) and nutritious; 30% sugar and lots of vitamin C (65mg/100mg)

For adults, it can be added to water and fermented to make Ombike, a potent traditional Oshiwambo brew.

I’m not sure if I’m allowed to bring any into the UK, but I’ll try.

So, after having turned up a week too early for the UNAM choir CD launch last night (Tuesday) and feeling a chump, I’ve decided that I need some entertainment mid-week, so I’ve come to the cinema.A pleasant surprise. Cost of a ticket is only N$60, about £3.50, so I’ve also treated myself to a biltong combo: popcorn, coke and a packet of chili biltong all for just N$83 (£4.80). Going to the cinema in Namibia is affordable! Plus, every pack of biltong comes with a free toothpick.

So, what did I see? Well, you know me and horror films 😈I just had to see “Us”.Made by the same crew that made “Get out”, if you haven’t seen it, get on to it immediately, this is a great psychological horror.

It’s a shame I cant say the same about “Us”. Its a move to more traditional gore, has a reasonable first half, then loses it’s way until it finds its own head where the sun dont shine.

Enough! How about some pics of my new accommodation?