Litchi fruit; coffee stand; coffee on the coals; Jonathan with Banana tree leaf attire; house in Jambiani with woven fence; Jambiani beach; fishermen; the dala dala that transported us to Jambiani; Jonathan and I looking shiny from the heat on our spice tour; fried fish at the market; an old wall in Stone Town; our henna tattoos; showing kids pictures at the pottery shop; break of sunlight on our flight out of Zanzibar; fresh whole nutmeg; spice market; sail/fishing boat; delicious fresh fruit and homemade jams for breakfast; men's hats; Jambiani beach; entrance to our hotel in Jambiani.

The last hurrah- Zanzibar!

To celebrate the completion of my Peace Corps service, I embarked on an excursion to Zanzibar, Tanzania. My friend Jonathan joined me and we had an amazing trip!

We started off with a 7 hour busride to Johannesburg, South Africa, and a night spent with one of his friends there. It was nice to have someone local show us around Melville, a very nice and hip area of the city. We had a lovely place to stay and good food and company to start of the week's festivities. We flew from JoBurg to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania- a bustling city so full of life and excitement, especially compared to relatively quiet and modern Gaborone. We arrived at night and spent the night in a beachside hut a ferry ride across from the city center. Although it was nighttime, the effect of being near the ocean was no less magnificent or exciting, after being landlocked for so long. I awoke early and eagerly ventured out to see the Indian Ocean, so beautiful with the dramatic morning clouds and rays of sun breaking through. I ordered a fruit salad and was so impressed to get fresh passionfruit, oranges, bananas, and mango. The day was off to a good start. We took a ferry back to the city center and admired the colorful fishing boats adorning the shoreline. We waded through the chaos at the ferry harbor for the journey to Zanzibar, and eventually managed to get tickets without too much struggle. A few hours wait and we were on our 2 hour ferry to the island- so comfortable and even a movie showing! Pretty luxurious as far as ferries go. We arrived at Zanzibar and entered the flood of taxi drivers, tour guides, and merchants awaiting the influx of tourists. A friendly resident from the ferry helped us navigate to the main transport area where we found the dala dala (small covered truck with open sides and back) to take us across the island to Jambiani. We waited for about an hour for the vehicle to fill up, meanwhile watching the busy market surrounding us- dozens of small shops and stalls bursting with colorful fabrics, cheap Asian imports, home and car supplies, and the occasional walking salesman with baskets of peanuts, cashews, or fruit. It was fascinating to see so many people, the women adorned in traditional Muslim gowns and veils, and men wearing the small Muslim hats with intricate patterns. The vehicle was packed to the brim with people, but it was so fascinating just to be in a different place with so much going on around us that we hardly noticed any discomfort. We wound throughout the town making many stops to pick up more people with cement, wooden boards, baskets of fruits, huge bags of groceries. We eventually made it out of the city and into the surrounding lush grassy and palm-treed landscape. We passed through Jozani Forest, an amazing jungle known for housing large populations of red colobus monkeys (we did see one bouncing across a tree branch). Our journey took us 2 hours, but it could have taken all day and we would have been content just to watch the people and the incredible scenery. We passed through a tiny village called Paje and then turned onto a rough dirt and rock road that led us into the quaint village of Jambiani. We were dropped right in the heart of the village, next to a sign for Blue Oyster Hotel where we would be staying for the next 3 nights. As the dala dala pulled away to leave, Jonathan and I just looked at each other and nearly screamed with excitement and awe- what an incredible and interesting place! All the buildings surrounding us were constructed of coral/rock and surrounded by intricate hand-woven straw fences. Huge palm trees dotted the landscape, and we could just catch a sliver of pristine blue ocean in the distance. The hotel was beautiful, right on the white sand beach, with an upstairs restaurant overlooking the ocean. The food was cheap and delicious- a variety of fresh (and I mean caught that day) seafood, spiced rices, curries, and other Indian-influenced dishes (very common in Zanzibar). I enjoyed a pina colada at sunset and tried to convince myself that this beautiful place and all that we'd seen that day wasn't just a dream.

Our first full day in Jambiani was stormy- a thick, relentless rain beat down for the majority of the day, but I refused to let it keep me inside. I walked along the beach getting soaked, and encountered some very nice local guys training for football. It was interesting to talk to them about life in Jambiani and their ideas about Botswana- I even taught them a little Setswana while they taught me Swahili. In the late afternoon the rain stopped and we were able to sit peacefully outside just listening to the waves. The water was incredibly warm and swimmable even on a cloudy day. The pristine white sand against the clear blue of the water gave the whole scene a surreal and magical quality.

The next few days were spent relaxing, alternating between laying out reading in the sun, going for long swims in the perfect water, and walking along the beach. We walked into the village one day and visited a pottery shop run by local women- it was a very cute place, and a group of kids arrived to stare at us crazy foreigners, gregariously introducing themselves and asking for us to take pictures with them, and we did. They were so enthusiastic and friendly.

Jonathan and I both got henna tattoos done by local women on the beach- I got elaborate floral designs on both my hands and Jonathan got a band around his bicep. We ate well, slept well, and had an amazing, relaxing time.

We took a dala dala back to Stone Town and wound our way through the bustling city to our hotel, right in the heart of a busy neighborhood. It was a great place, surrounded by so much energy and activity. Our room was cozy and even had air conditioning, a blessing in the humid heat of the day. There was a rooftop restaurant with coffee, homemade breads, and a variety of fresh fruit for breakfast everyday- blissful. We wandered through Stone Town's narrow alleys, between huge stone buildings with intricately latticed wooden decks. There were surprises around every corner, street vendors lined up on all sides, bicycles and scooters whizzing past us in the beautiful maze that is Stone Town. There was huge vegetable and spice market, next to a food market boasting fresh breads and chapatis, fried street food (fresh chips/fries, samosas), spiced meat kebabs, and an assortment of fried and dried fish. The food was amazing and incredibly cheap, everything so flavorful from the abundance of spices available (a huge change from Setswana cuisine, which tends to be bland). We bought an assortment of spices- whole nutmeg, cloves, saffron, vanilla beans... all for less than a dollar. In the evening we ran into an Israeli man who we'd met in Jambiani, and he joined us for an excursion to another side of town near the coast for Chinese food. Stone Town has all sorts of restaurants, and it was tough to choose where to eat, but the Pagoda Restaurant was an excellent pick, with delicious dishes for amazing prices. We wandered through the city after dinner, and I was surprised at how safe it was to be able to walk after dark (definitely not the case most of the time in Botswana). There were tons of people out and about, kids playing in the streets, and families sitting out on the stoops watching the passersby. Our friend took us to a corner near our hotel where a man was serving hot coffee from huge kettles boiled over coals. The coffee was strong and primarily a custom for only men to drink, but they didn't seem to mind me joining the crowd. We perched ourselves on the sidewalk nearby and enjoyed our cheap and delicious coffee while watching the excitement of nightlife around us. A perfect end to a perfect day.

The following day we embarked on a spice tour, taking a vehicle into a jungle on the outskirts of town, where a guide showed us the varying types of fruits and spices found on the island. Some small boys followed our group around, making items out of banana leaves for us- they gave us little cones to hold our spices in, bracelets and rings, a necklace that resembled a frog, and Jonathan even got a woven tie! It was very entertaining. We saw plants such as nutmeg, vanilla beans, cloves, and peppercorns, and trees such as cinnamon, banana, litchi, durian fruit, papaya, and starfruit. We tasted the various types of fruit, including durian fruit which is rather repulsive- it has the smell of onions and garlic, the texture of avocado, and the flavor of onions and garlic mixed with sugar- a very odd and not enticing combination. But the other fruits we tried were amazing- several types of citrus, juicy and tart starfruit, and fresh litchis. After the tour we were escorted to a peaceful covered area where we sat on colorful mats and ate the traditional cuisine- spiced rice, fragrant vegetable curry, cooked spinach, and chapatis. I could have eaten for days, everything was so delicious.

The rest of our time in Stone Town was spent in similar fashion- wandering the streets, visiting the different shops and alternating between street food and cheap restaurants, and just observing the life around us. We were sad to leave, but this time took a flight which gave us an amazing view of the island and the surrounding coral reefs. The sun was breaking through the clouds in such a way that a surreal glow spread across a small section of ocean, creating a magical effect to end our amazing trip.

Our final night was spent in Dar es Salaam, at a dingy hotel that we were thankful to find (everywhere else was fully booked). We were right amidst a busy market, and in the evening we ventured to a small outdoor bar for some dinner. Only one person at the bar spoke any English, so communication was difficult but amusing nonetheless. A completely inebriated woman sat nearby and entertained us with her bursts of inspiration to dance, meanwhile knocking over her chair and nearly falling over herself. We returned to our stuffy room which housed a toilet that was merely a hole in the floor, no shower or bath, just a small water spout next to the toilet. It was interesting to say the least, and we were thankful to be there for only a short time. In the morning we flew to South Africa and said goodbye to our amazing adventures, still in awe of all that we'd seen and experienced.

And now I'm in LA, a world away, trying to adapt back to my strange culture. My adventures in Botswana and Africa are over for now, but hopefully to be continued in the not too distant future.

For pictures from the Zanzibar trip, visit http://picasaweb.google.com/JonathanBoland/Zanzibar?authkey=Gv1sRgCILQ7q2byuLItQE&feat=email#

Recent Pictures

Last Days in Botswana

Last week I hosted the new Peace Corps volunteers for Mochudi- Megan and Jonathan- who will be helping at Stepping Stones International and Molefi Senior Secondary school. It was great to have the opportunity to meet them, especially Megan since she'll be taking my place! It was fun having company and helped me to cope with the stress that I've had lately at the thought of leaving and all that entails. It has been very difficult to adjust to the idea of leaving, especially leaving behind all the wonderful and kind people I've met here. The kids that I've worked with for the past 2 years have become my family, and it breaks my heart to not know if or when I'll see them again. My boss and her family, who have taken me into their home so often, will be hard to part with as well. The random friends who I've met at the post office, the hardware store, and other places on my aimless weekend walks through town have helped to make my experiences here special and always interesting.
The kids at Stepping Stones surprised me with a going away party, complete with dancing, singing, and a plethora of handmade cards and pictures. I couldn't help but break down when giving them my final speech of best wishes- the whole day was extremely touching and made me feel very loved.
I visited my host family from training, who I hadn't seen in over a year, and it was wonderful to reconnect with the people who helped me so much in the beginning- in those shaky times when I wasn't sure if I'd make it through training. It was nice to show them pictures of the different activities that I'd done with the kids, and to let them know how they helped make my time in Botswana fruitful.
On Saturday I will leave Botswana for the last time, embarking on the next adventure- I would like to say I'm excited to go to Zanzibar, but there is still so much to do between now and then! For now I'll just appreciate the last few days in this place that has helped me grow and change, that has shown me so much beauty and love, despite being a world away from home.

A busy day with the British High Commission

This week we had a visit from 16 volunteers from the British High Commission in Gaborone, and what a fun and busy day we had! The day started off with one group of volunteers and Stepping Stones Staff planting a variety of donated trees and shrubs around the grounds at the centre, while another helped lay bricks for a shelter for the security guard (an essential since the weather is starting to get particularly chilly). After the tough manual labor, staff were trained in basic first aid procedures and some computer skills. Once the kids arrived in the afternoon, the volunteers put them to work cooking a variety of different foods- cottage pie (ground beef covered in mashed potatoes and cheese), butternut squash soup, and cupcakes. Meanwhile other kids competed against each other in a quiz show. I found it really cute that one of the teams chose "Leslie" as their team name, while everyone else chose names like the Cheetahs or Elephants. All this excitement was followed by a group dance party, very entertaining to see everyone show off their moves (I've taken note and will try to be more adventurous next time I get a chance to dance). At the end of the day the High Commission donated t-shirts to all kids and staff and thanks were given all around. A busy and exciting day!

I'm gearing up to leave, just 2 weeks left in Botswana! I'm in a bit of denial about it, knowing how hard it will be to leave the kids and the many friends I've made her behind. Every day is filled with work and social tasks, making the time fly by faster than I want it to. Still, I'm looking forward to my next adventure, my travels in Tanzania and then back to the states!

Increase in HIV/AIDS Prevalence in Botswana

This article is from Botswana Daily News... The results of the latest HIV/AIDS Prevalence study don't look good. Let's hope that with the increase of Peace Corps Volunteers coming into Botswana there will be some positive changes on the horizon.
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Survey indicates prevalence rate increase

By Tshegofatso Sentsho

GABORONE - The 2008 HIV/AIDS impact survey shows that the national prevalence rate has increased by 0.5 per cent.
The prevalence rate increased to 17.6 per cent from 17.1 per cent in 2004.
The preliminary results also indicate an overall increase in HIV prevalence for both males and females from 2004 BAIS.
Speaking at the release of the report in Gaborone yesterday, the chief demographer at the Central Statistics Office, Dr Peter-Ubomba-Jaswa said urban villages are the least infected while towns remain the most infected.
The survey also showed that the HIV/AIDS incidence rate was at 2.9 per cent, with males and females accounting for 2.3 and 3.5 per cent respectively. The incidence rate measures the degree of new HIV transmission.
On age groups, Dr Ubomba-Jaswa said HIV prevalence rate ranged from 2.2 per cent in babies up to 4 years old to 40.6 per cent in the 40 to 44 year age group. He added that prevalence rate increases sharply with age peaking at those between 30 to 45 years and gradually declining with age.
Comparing with the 2004 impact survey, Dr Ubomba-Jaswa said the peak was seen in the 25 to 39 age groups, but has since shifted to the 30 to 45 year age group. He added that this is the age group with the highest rate of new HIV infections. He noted that the 45 to 49 year age group has the highest HIV incidence rate of 7.3 per cent while the 15 to 19 age group has the lowest incidence rate of 0.7 per cent.
Dr Ubomba-Jaswa added that the estimated 17.9 per cent HIV prevalence rate in urban areas is slightly higher than the rural areas at 17.1 per cent. He, however, said when towns are singled out they have a much higher HIV prevalence rate (22.1) per cent than other urban areas. The two cities are estimated at 19.1 per cent while urban villages are at 16.6 per cent.
Dr Ubomba-Jaswa said HIV prevalence rate also deferred according to districts with Kweneng West recording the lowest rate at 10.3 per cent while Selebi-Phikwe recorded the highest as 26.5 per cent. He added that in some districts, the HIV incidence rate appears not to be consistent with the prevalence rate. He cited Kweneng West as having a low HIV prevalence rate but a relatively high HIV incidence rate of 3.5 per cent.
Dr Ubomba-Jaswa said Selebi-Phikwe continues to have one of the highest HIV prevalence and incidence rates in the country while the Chobe District has a high HIV prevalence rate but a low incidence rate. He said Mahalapye has the lowest HIV incidence rate of 0.9 per cent while Bobonong has the highest rate at 5.6 per cent.
On educational levels, Dr Ubomba-Jaswa said the preliminary results show that the prevalence rate decreases steadily as education level increases.
He said those with no education or non formal education have the highest HIV prevalence rates of 28.4 per cent and 28.6 per cent respectively whilst those with tertiary education have a low prevalence rate of 16.3 per cent.
He also said the HIV prevalence rate is highest among those who are widowed (39.6 per cent) and lowest in those who have never married (16.1 per cent). He added that the HIV incidence rates are highest among the widowed (4.7 per cent) and lowest among those who never married (3.2 per cent).
On prevention, he said 56 per cent of the country's population aged between 10 and 64 years has tested themselves for HIV/AIDS at least once. He added that in the 12 months preceding the survey, 34 per cent of the general population had tested for HIV/AIDS and were informed of the results.
On knowledge and behaviour, Dr Ubomba-Jaswa said among the 15-24 year age group, 43 per cent correctly identified ways of preventing HIV transmission.
He said with respect to attitude towards people living with HIV/AIDS, 65 per cent said they would share a meal with a person living with HIV/AIDS, care for a family member suffering from AIDS, and would allow a HIV positive teacher to teach their children. He added that they said they would also buy vegetables from a HIV positive shopkeeper.
Dr Ubomba-Jaswa further said the impact survey shows that 16 per cent of males in the age group 30-49 is circumcised.
Contributing to the deliberations, the National AIDS Coordinating Agency (NACA) coordinator, Mr Batho Molomo, said his agency will launch the impact survey statistical report next month.
He said following the launch, they will convene a workshop in July to prepare for a policy report. He added that his organisation intends to work with four districts to conduct lower level district focused analysis to promote the utilisation of the report for informing decision making at that level.
The main objective of the 2008 impact survey, was to provide up to date information on the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Botswana with respect to its prevalence, incidence as well as behavioural patterns and knowledge, care and support, attitude toward people living with HIV/AIDS as well as socio-economic, demographic, household and living conditions associated with the disease.
He said in the 2008 survey, unlike the previous ones, blood samples were collected from willing respondents for the determination of HIV/AIDS prevalence and incidence.

Pictures from Camp in Maun

Once again, I embarked on a camping adventure with the kids from my program, and some others from the community. We got to travel all the way to Maun, a large town in the northern part of Botswana, a whopping 10 hour busride away. The kids were thrilled to be able to see some very different scenery than that in the southern part of Botswana, including part of Moremi Game Reserve where we encountered hippos, elephants, giraffes, zebras, and many other exotic animals. Unfortunately I got heat stroke on the game drive and ended up throwing up... gross. But other than that I was happy to see Maun, since it will probably be my last time to see the amazing wildlife of Botswana before I return to the US. Just one more month before I finish Peace Corps, very strange to think about! Exciting and scary at the same time.

Talent show pictures

These are just a small sample of the 31 groups who performed at the talent show... congratulations to everyone, there was an abundance of talent represented!

Ch-ch-changes

Things are in a constant state of transition lately, despite all of the things I've grown used to- the slow pace of things (except for my life, which seems to run at a fast pace most of the time), the unwanted attention I still get after 2 years of living in the same place (thanks to living in a village of over 40,000 people), the entertaining observations of livestock and farm animals roaming the streets... I've grown used to so much, but the people around me are changing constantly. Stepping Stones International has a lot of interest from volunteers- from the US, Canada, and other foreign countries- and I've met a lot of new people lately. This month I said goodbye to Meg, a Canadian volunteer I've worked with and befriended over the last 3 months, and I'm looking forward to meeting the new Canadian volunteer arriving in May. A group of about 20 high school kids from California arrived last week to help tutor our kids in different subjects- I was a little taken aback to see so many young white people at once! Not something I see regularly.
I'm looking forward to the next few months of helping organize and facilitate at a camp with orphans and other vulnerable children from my village, developing a drama group, and trying to put together a hip hop competition for youth to express themselves creatively. It will be a lot of work, but I want to do as much as I can before I leave.
Recently the kids from Stepping Stones had a talent show that I helped organize, it was a blast! There were 31 groups performing dances, songs, and drama, and all showed great enthusiasm. I was really impressed by the dance groups, who reminded me just how untalented I am in that department, and how much I want to learn from them. The talent show helped the kids to raise money for Stepping Stones International and to learn about financial management. It's part of a greater Income Generating Projects activity we're teaching the kids about to improve their skills for when they finish school, as there are often limited job opportunities in Botswana.
Despite all the work and fun I'm having here, I'm also looking forward to June, when I'll finish Peace Corps and take a trip to Zanzibar to celebrate the completion of a very productive and challenging 27 months in Botswana. It will be great to be home with friends and family this summer! I will do my best to make the most of the next few months, and embrace the excitement and challenges that lie ahead.

Check out the Teen Club blog!

Botswana Baylor Teen Club has just created a blog to document different events and achievements at Teen Clubs held throughout Botswana, including the one I help run in Mochudi. Please take a look, and donate if you get a chance- this is a fabulous programme that has helped hundreds of HIV positive teens throughout Botswana. Thanks for your support!

botswanateenclub.wordpress.com

Pool Party!

Every month I help run the Teen Club that is sponsored through Baylor Clinic- a fantastic pediatric AIDS program based in Gaborone. This last weekend I got to accompany the Mochudi Teen Club on a field trip to go swimming. Most kids rarely get a reprieve from the brutal Botswana summer heat, so this was quite a treat- for myself as well! Most of the kids knew how to at least float, but few knew how to swim. It was a great experience trying to teach kids to swim and how to let go and feel free in the water- definitely not an easy task, but a good time nonetheless.

Recent Pictures

Fun on game day, staff and volunteers, and the kids with our new vehicle.