Some Basics about Life in Botswana- Part 1: Food

In case anyone is interested, I've decided to document a few things that I've noticed about Botswana (and subsequently grown used to over the last 3 months) in the next few blog entries. If anyone has anything in particular they want to hear about, just email me and I'll be sure to answer your questions! It's an interesting place to say the least!
Food: So traditional Setswana cuisine takes some getting used to, a little moreso for me coming from a vegetarian diet- a usual meal consists of chicken (usually boiled with salt and flavoring packets)- chicken breast is not popular here, people are very fond of the other parts and even eat the bones. The side dishes usually consist of phaleche (papa)- a thick porridge made from maize meal; samp- maize cooked until thick and lumpy and flavored with salt (also often combined with beans); beetroot salad (mostly just shredded beets); coleslaw; merogo (vegetables)- I've had many combinations of leafy greens sauteed with carrots, onions, and potatoes. Cattle are praised in this country, but beef is eaten mostly for special occasions because of it's cost. One delicacy that I rarely see here but has a reputation for being delicious is the mophane worm- it's a caterpillar that is usually deep fried until crispy. I actually ate one- it tasted fine, but I was a little freaked out by how much it still resembled a caterpillar- very interesting!
As far as drinks are concerned, tea is customary for guests- usually rooibos (red) tea is served (with tons of sugar for most Batswana I've met) and black tea is popular as well. Sadly for me, it's very hard to get real coffee- there is mostly instant coffee which is mixed with chicory and a filler substance- not to be consumed without lots of milk and sugar. Alcoholic drinks are extremely popular here- alcoholism is a huge problem but one that is not addressed or even recognized in most of the country. The most common drink is called Chibuku, or shake shake, which is sold at stands all over paper cartons- it's a beer made from sorghum that is unfiltered and very sour and bitter. Otherwise there is lots of beer and wine imported from South Africa, and a cream liqueur called Amarula, made from the marula fruit (similar to Irish cream or kahlua, with a slightly fruitier taste).

First week with the kids!

Wednesday was our first day working full-time with the kids at the centre. It was exciting to finally get to know some of them better and to start doing activities with them. As people arrived, we started a volleyball match (with a nearly deflated volleyball and a “net” consisting of a wire cord attached to two poles) which was really fun- all but 2 kids wanted to play and it got pretty competitive. It amazes me that there is such a variety of kids- the young, very shy 12-year-olds, to the much more confident 18-year old guys, and all attitudes and ages in between. Some of the kids are very slow learners, while others obviously need to be challenged. Overall the group is very quiet, and it takes a long time to get them to open up for discussion, especially in a group setting. It’s going to take some time to help these kids become more confident and outgoing. But despite their shyness, it's obvious the kids are really excited to be at the centre and getting a chance to just be kids- something they rarely get to do at home.
Overall this week went well, with a few bumps along the way. Monday and Tuesday were holidays in Botswana, so I wasn’t working and most of my neighbors were away for the long weekend. I was woken up during the night by what sounded like someone trying to get into my house, and I saw someone pass by my window. I ended up calling the police who showed up very quickly, I was so relieved. I feel safe overall, but still haven't been sleeping too well since. At least I've gotten to know my neighbors much better and feel like I have options if there's an emergency.
I’ve managed to make some random friends- I'm being approached by people rather constantly because I stand out so much, but it's definitely a mix of nice people and people just looking for money or a way to America. It's exhausting just running errands sometimes because of the attention I get, but I'm learning how to deflect the negative attention as much as possible. I've made several friends in the past week just by networking with neighbors and coworkers. There are a lot of very kind people in Botswana.
I’m also learning how to cook- I’ve managed to make some really tasty Indian food, thanks to recipes from my friend Chandni (I was in training with her), and I now make my own tortillas, bread, and curries. It’s quite exciting that my culinary experiments are actually edible! Hopefully by the time I have visitors I'll be an expert chef :)

Khama Rhino Sanctuary

These are some pictures from a few months ago when I went to Khama Rhino Sanctuary near Serowe. I saw black rhinos, white rhinos, wildebeests, zebras, gemsbok (a type of antelope) and right at twilight managed to spy a few giraffes.

Pictures of Mochudi

My new house!

Welcome to Mochudi!

After 2 months of Peace Corps training, I'm finally an official volunteer! I recently moved into my new home in Mochudi, Botswana, a large village northeast of Gaborone, the capital. It's been quite an adjustment going from living with a host family in a small village to living alone in a big house in a bustling town! I've managed to make some good friends already- Manda, another Peace Corps volunteer, and her fiancee Dereje live nearby and have been extremely helpful with the adjustment process; Tinny, a Motswana woman from my work is very nice and has been introducing me to the community (and inviting me over to watch her favorite tv show, WWE wrestling!).
I'm currently working for a non-profit, non-governmental organization (NGO) called Stepping Stones International. This organization serves adolescents who are orphans or vulnerable children (living in poverty and often have family members who are suffering from HIV/AIDS or other illnesses). Currently there are a large number of orphans in Botswana, mostly due to HIV/AIDS. Many children have lost their parents and thus become the caregivers for their younger siblings, or live with grandparents or other relatives, often being subjected to difficult living conditions, neglect, and abuse. Mochudi has an astounding number of kids in need, so I'm very happy to be working for such a great organization.
Starting this Wednesday, our center will be open for after-school programs for the kids- ranging from leadership, study skills, and job skill training, to sports, volunteer events, and other activities to help these kids thrive.