Electronic Portfolio Assignments for
Life Abundant in Arid Environments: South Africa and Namibia

Portfolios can take the format of a blog, website, or manuscript document with photographs and text. The instructors prefer blogs or websites since those allow access to your work by others including family and friends.

Choose one of the following questions to address in an essay. The length is not specified: make sure to address the topic comprehensively whether it takes several paragraphs or several pages. You may include a photograph with this essay if you wish.

  1. As a result of your experiences in Namibia (and South Africa), how has your perspective changed?
  2. What aspects of Namibian culture would we do well to adopt as Americans and why?
  3. Why is saving the desert important?
  4. The Constitution of Namibia in unusual in that it includes mandates for the protection of the natural environment. Why do you suppose the people of Namibia place such a high priority on the protection of the environment?
  5. Why do some Namibians still choose to live traditionally?
  6. What challenges does Namibia face as it moves into the future in terms of the preservation of its various tribal cultures?

Our group stayed at 9 different locations during our travels (plus one night in Windhoek prior to departure.) Choose 8 to write about in an essay of about one page each that is associated with a photograph you made. (You may substitute one photo made by someone provided you credit the photographer.) The essay should serve as an extended caption of the photograph and provide clear evidence of what you have learned, heard, observed, and experienced as a personal insight. Examples of appropriate daily entries can be reviewed from our project website.

Of the 8 locations selected, the following categories of essays should be allocated:

2 entries on an animal or a set of animals at a particular location

1 entry on a plant or set of plants

2 entries dealing with landscape or geology

3 entries addressing cultural issues which might include historical, political, economic, tribal, racial, or education.

Here is a review of the locations:

3 nights in Cape Town at the Backpacker Lodge

1 night beach camping at Strandfontein in northwestern South Africa

1 night bush camp on the Orange River at the border of South Africa and Namibia

2 nights bush camping on the Fish River adjacent to the Nama family (some hiked up Brukkaros Volcano)

2 nights camping at Sesriem with trips to the dunes as Sossusvlei and the Tschaub River Canyon

2 nights bush camping at Kuiseb River with Topnaar people

1 night bush camping at Spitzkoppe

3 nights camping at Ongongo Campsite in Damaraland with trips to Himba and Herero villages and a game drive north of Palmwag.

2 nights camping at Okaukuejo campground in Etosha

1 night at Windhoek Lodge prior to departure for US

Electronic portfolios are due by noon on Tuesday February 9th. If you elect to do a blog or website, simply send an email with the link to Drs. Davis and Moeller. If you compose any other type of electronic document, include that as an email attachment to Drs. Davis and Moeller.