It's now spring here and the shift in temperature has been dramatic- for almost every day in the last month I've been able to walk out my door before 8am in a t-shirt, shorts, and sandals and be perfectly comfortable; by afternoon I'm hiding from the intense, dry heat. It's been quite a shock to my system, and it's only going to get worse- summer is fast-approaching and I'm awaiting the 100+ degree days. Good times!
The past few weeks have been filled with training, work, and a sprinkling of fun here and there. The last three weeks have been mostly consumed by counseling training which has been provided by my work- it’s good information, but it’s been very tiring to be in training even on Saturdays. This upcoming weekend is my first chance to really have some free time- it’s a holiday weekend since Sunday, September 30th is Botswana’s Independence Day. Botswana first became independent from the British protectorate in the 1960s, so it’s a fairly young country. Independence Day is a very proud occasion for the Batswana, and there are said to be a great deal of festivities taking place to mark the occasion.
Last week a volunteer from the US named Sarah arrived- she will be staying with me for the next 5 weeks while she helps teach the kids at our center how to come up with and run income generating projects. She has her degree in business marketing, and she has some great ideas for what the kids can work on. Fortunately she’s really nice and about my age as well, so the company is welcome! It’s interesting to get a non-Peace Corps perspective on things here- I feel a little bit bad because compared to America there is very little to do here for fun. It’s not safe to go out after dark (around 7pm), there’s nowhere to go even if it were safe (there aren’t really pubs or dance clubs or restaurants that aren’t pretty sketchy), and even during the day there is little to do besides socialize with the neighbors. I’ve grown pretty used to spending a lot of time alone, reading and writing and learning Setswana, but for an outsider it can be a little daunting. Hopefully Sarah will get a chance to travel around the country a bit to make things more interesting.
In addition to Sarah, I had a few Peace Corps friends visit me last weekend which was really fun. It’s always so nice to meet up with other volunteers and discuss differences and similarities in our experiences- I think we learn a lot from each other.
The kids I’m working with continue to be a source of energy and excitement- it’s so apparent that they take nothing for granted and that even the smallest gestures of kindness mean the world to them. We’ve been involving them in activities to help them learn job skills and I’m focusing on teaching them about creative writing- they put so much effort and thought into the activities, it’s really inspiring to work with them. I’m also trying to organize a group of kids to go to Camp GLOW- it’s a week-long camp in December to help guys and girls to develop as leaders, learn life skills and build self-esteem, and then to return to their villages and help to empower other youth to do the same. Hopefully things will work out so I get to go along as a group leader- it would be a great way to help work with youth to hopefully make some positive changes in the community.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Monkeys, Soccer, and a New Home
The last few weeks were spent in Kanye, a bustling town in the southern part of the country. Kanye is beautiful, spread out over several large, rolling hills covered in greenish brush and red sand. I met up with about 20 other volunteers at a nice, quiet motel surrounded by trees and even a family of monkeys. We spent many days being trained in Setswana, organizational development, and other topics aimed at helping us be effective volunteers. The after-hours were spent watching movies, playing soccer (I hadn’t played in many years and it brought out my competitive side all over again, so fun!), and just catching up. It was great to see volunteers from all over the country and get different perspectives on life in other villages. It was strange to be around other Americans, but it was comforting to be with people I could better relate to, and it was great to see my friends from our initial training.
Coming back to Mochudi is a little hard since my good friend Manda, the other PCV in Mochudi, decided to leave Peace Corps early to go back to the U.S. She left earlier this week and unfortunately I didn’t get to see her before she left. The only upside to her departure is that she helped work out the details so I can move into her house- since I’ve had security issues at my own house, it’s really nice to come back to a place that is seemingly safer and also furnished- it feels much more like home.
The next few weeks will be busy with more training- I’m being trained to be a counselor to help with my work. I’m really excited to see the kids again since I’ve been away for so long- I’m anxious to get back to work!
In case anyone is interested in reading about Mochudi’s chief who recently died, here’s a link to an article from one of the main newspapers in Botswana: http://www.mmegi.bw/2007/August/Wednesday22/1.php
Coming back to Mochudi is a little hard since my good friend Manda, the other PCV in Mochudi, decided to leave Peace Corps early to go back to the U.S. She left earlier this week and unfortunately I didn’t get to see her before she left. The only upside to her departure is that she helped work out the details so I can move into her house- since I’ve had security issues at my own house, it’s really nice to come back to a place that is seemingly safer and also furnished- it feels much more like home.
The next few weeks will be busy with more training- I’m being trained to be a counselor to help with my work. I’m really excited to see the kids again since I’ve been away for so long- I’m anxious to get back to work!
In case anyone is interested in reading about Mochudi’s chief who recently died, here’s a link to an article from one of the main newspapers in Botswana: http://www.mmegi.bw/2007/August/Wednesday22/1.php
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
On Hiatus
Just wanted to write a quick note to let friends/family know that I will be in Peace Corps training for the next 2 weeks, and I'm unsure of whether or not I'll have internet access during that time. Big news in Mochudi this week, Kgosi (chief) Linchwe II, one of the most renowned and well-regarded chiefs in the country, passed away yesterday. I'll try to include some history on him in an upcoming blog entry just to give an idea of the interesting life he led.
Other than that, things are going well overall. I'll post a more in-depth update soon.
Other than that, things are going well overall. I'll post a more in-depth update soon.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Tarantula, New friends, and speaking French
This weekend brought a surprise guest to my house- as I was cleaning the kitchen I discovered an enormous spider (which I later determined was most likely a tarantula) just hanging out on the floor. I screamed and bolted from the room like a little kid, and when I went back in hours later it was gone. I was hoping that would be the last of it, but later when I returned home it had resurfaced, this time right in front of the door to my hallway. I was so irrationally jumpy around it that I couldn’t summon up the courage to either kill or get rid of it otherwise. So I left the house again and when I returned it was once again gone. It hasn’t resurfaced since Saturday, so I’m hoping it found its way back outside after its few interactions with that crazy screaming person that is me.
It’s been difficult to adjust to being in such a different cultural environment, but I’ve been lucky enough to meet some very nice people who have helped to keep me from becoming a total hermit. My neighbor’s daughter, Shathani, is a very kind girl- she is a bit younger than me, but she’s been very nice to have tea with since we’re both learning a lot from each other. I’m learning a lot from her about what it’s like for youth in Botswana, and she’s learning about America from me. She may even teach me to be a better cook, which is quite exciting. I also randomly met a girl at the post office named Tebby- she is studying mechanical engineering at the University of Botswana and also lives on her own in Mochudi. She’s really friendly and intelligent- so there’s hope for me to have a social life here :)
This week I’ve noticed some definite differences in the kids at our center- some of the normally very shy and reserved kids have opened up a lot just in the short time that I’ve been working here. I was so excited to see everyone participating in activities such as a game where everyone in the group had to introduce themselves in French- we’re planning to teach the kids a bit about a different country/language each week to expose them to other cultures. These kids have so much potential, and after talking with many of them this week I’ve seen that it’s clear they’re excited to come to the center because there’s just not much else to do in the community for youth. It’s good to be reminded that our center is potentially keeping kids out of trouble and hopefully helping them develop themselves and eventually impact their community.
It’s been difficult to adjust to being in such a different cultural environment, but I’ve been lucky enough to meet some very nice people who have helped to keep me from becoming a total hermit. My neighbor’s daughter, Shathani, is a very kind girl- she is a bit younger than me, but she’s been very nice to have tea with since we’re both learning a lot from each other. I’m learning a lot from her about what it’s like for youth in Botswana, and she’s learning about America from me. She may even teach me to be a better cook, which is quite exciting. I also randomly met a girl at the post office named Tebby- she is studying mechanical engineering at the University of Botswana and also lives on her own in Mochudi. She’s really friendly and intelligent- so there’s hope for me to have a social life here :)
This week I’ve noticed some definite differences in the kids at our center- some of the normally very shy and reserved kids have opened up a lot just in the short time that I’ve been working here. I was so excited to see everyone participating in activities such as a game where everyone in the group had to introduce themselves in French- we’re planning to teach the kids a bit about a different country/language each week to expose them to other cultures. These kids have so much potential, and after talking with many of them this week I’ve seen that it’s clear they’re excited to come to the center because there’s just not much else to do in the community for youth. It’s good to be reminded that our center is potentially keeping kids out of trouble and hopefully helping them develop themselves and eventually impact their community.
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Some pictures from training
Here are a few pics from my two months away from internet :)Top Left: Huge boulders in Thamaga
Top Right: Dana and Chandni, two of my good friends from training
Bottom Left: My host sister and brother (looking very serious), Lone and Bofelo
Bottom Right: My host mother and her handwoven baskets (and her mother in the background)
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
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).
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).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
