Botswana: Trials of My Life

Blog 9/9/10

This week was the “village” homestay in Mochudi. Mochudi is about 1-2 hours away from Gabs and looks like Botswana’s style of suburbs. When asked what there is to do on weekends, breaks, etc., the answer is almost always nothing. Mochudi is driving me insane. Well maybe insanity is a bit too harsh, but oh how I do wish to be back in Gabs. In Mochudi, I live with the Ndebele family- mother, father, two sons-15 and 5. Very nice, normal Batswana family with the best cooking I have had thus far in Botswana. The five year old is a cutie and sucks not only his thumb, but his index finger as well. In addition to the nothingness that I engaged myself in—particularly last weekend, we have had frequent visitors- the missionaries from…you guessed it…the Mormon Church. They sure are persistent and I think they have high hopes for converting the Ndebele family to their newly appointed church in Mochudi. I actually visited their church due to curiosity and things seemed to be progressing quite well since they began last March. So I guess this week hasn’t been entirely filled with nothingness… more like nothingness and the Book of Mormon (which I intend to read to its entirety). I think the missionaries will be glad when I leave- all these questions with no answers that I love to ask hmm. Hoping to come home early to Gaborone by tomorrow, Friday due to family commitments (as stated by Gracie). Cannot wait, although Mochudi I suppose was an experience in itself.

On a mental note, definitely starting to feel the grind of school. The days are long and slow since I arrived in Mochudi and schools seems to drag. Had maybe a ten minute bout with homesickness yesterday (which of course came when I had forced myself to quit the socializing and start doing some actual work). Who would have thought that doing work promotes down thoughts? Thank god that I won’t be having to do anymore work for quite some time. I can really attest to how nice it is to go to class, take notes, and then go socialize. No work. Maybe a few papers or tests, but wow if you could see me now and how much happier I really am. What is it with this American mentality that we have to work hard or maybe work harder. Nah, I am officially converted to the Motswana way…do your work and enjoy the company of others. People over work. Yes…they do make money, but there is not this obsession with needed to work more to make enough to get that new macbook or car. Materialism is minimal and everyday I see how it pays off.

Anyway weekend plans include the Eros Bar, a farm “session”-or small gathering, the Social Work Society induction-Kgale Hill climb and bbq, and a possible Ramotswa trip to visit Phenyo and do some yoga with Corlette the woman connecting Phenyo with Dao. Oh yes and attempting to plan a Cape Town trip today-granted it doesn’t break the bank. Vacation in two weeks!

Blog 08/29

Another very long week. Since my last blog, my host mother’s mom, Miriam Banophi died last Saturday and things have been in a whirlwind. The funeral was yesterday, but the week has been tough and exhausting with evening prayers every night from 5:30 to sometimes 11 or 12 am and then moving homes as my family left for the village, Tonota, midweek. Quite the experience however. I drove up with Gracie’s (my host mother) friends on Friday for the evening memorial at a sister’s house and then was up all night cooking, cleaning, and preparing for a supposed 1,000 people attending the funeral service the next day and needing to be fed. It Batswana culture, funerals are no minor affairs. They begin the week before of course with evening prayers followed by tea and biscuits every night for maybe a few hundred people. The funeral occurs the following Saturday in which the family spends all night outside cooking—cabbage, four slaughtered cows and goats, porridge, and grains. They cook over many lit fires and the cauldrons measure at least a few feet across each. I was awake until 12:30 that night, fell asleep on the concrete floor, and woke up again at 5 am to all night singing, and got ready for the 5:30 am funeral service. From there it was eulogies, the kgosi (chief) speaking, as well as the endless songs, bible verses, prayers, and the like. After the service is moved to the cemetery in which the men grab the shovels and bury the deceased themselves. Quite extensive and very different from American culture, but an experience I won’t forget. But now back to reality, lectures and lectures, a possible bridal shower later this week, and the Freshest Ball this weekend! Freshest Ball is the University of Botswana’s biggest event of the year in which local artists come for an all night three day jam session party. Most all the school attends, and let’s just say that Monday will not be easy the following week. In addition, I am off to Mochudi on Sat. for the village week homestay. Not really sure how I feel about this yet as I have been staying in many different homes since I have come here…villages included. But hey no expectations, no mathata, and just rolling with the punches. Until then, more sun, more friends, a few dates, and enjoying life!

6/18/10

It has been a while! Currently approaching week four! Still feels like week one of course, but hey I’m here! So many weird experiences lately. To start I never realized the Batswana obsession with fried chicken until just a few days ago. There are no American food chains in Botswana (that’s right…no McDonalds—I guess it takes at least 5 million to get McDonalds in your country…Botswana has less than 2 million) except of course, you guessed it, KFC. Why fried chicken? I cannot say, but if you want fast food then you better want fried chicken…Chicken Lickin, KFC, Hungry Lion, Wimpies, just to name a few. No burgers for a change! Fried chicken is definitely not on the top of my list either, but fast food is the lifestyle here. Lots of meat, lots of calories, finger lickin’ good. Ahh if only I had some veggies or a fruit salad. Oh man food,. Okay, next item… men’s sunglasses. The style!!!! Absurd. I can’t help but laugh each and every time (usually to the horror of the other person). They LOVE to sport the dickies boat hats with the ladies giant sunglasses that you see girls sporting at home. I will attach a photo so you know what I mean. The best part is that the glasses ARE made for women. I love it.
What else…hmm oh yes, I must comment on mob justice. So a few nights ago I am watching “Generations” (a South African ridiculous soap that I watch religiously with my family), and all of a sudden I watch as my two brothers book it out the front door. Immediately I hear “legodu…legodu!!!” Huh, what? I quickly realize that someone is yelling “thief…thief!” That night I learned that here mob justice is recognized, observed, and enjoyed. Pretty much you yell the word thief and some poor (very stupid) man will get beaten to a pulp by the mob. Interesting concept that we most definitely to not have in the US, but I think it is interesting the way justice is viewed and also how much people love fighting the bad guys.
On a similar note, corporal punishment is also recognized in Botswana and many prefer it to actual jail time. For example, think it might be fun to yell outlandish words in public? 10 lashes. Public drunkery? Lash, lash, lash. Corporal punishment also occurs in school (not university thank god), but definitely up through high school. If you are naughty you get quite the bum beating.
As for myself. I am quite relaxed! Making friends finally! They call me. We meet. They invite me places! Such a relief as I have been talking to the CIEE students focusing on public health and working in the clinics all day, and they say they haven’t made any. I’m excited to see where this year will lead me. This weekend I’m off to a family friend’s farm/cattle post, church with Mma Gracie, maybe a possible road trip with my friend Phenyo. We’ll see. And next weekend salt pans. I will update after I hear what that actually entails. Possible ATVing. Not sure. Oh and I am starting to run with my brother, Thapelo! He just started playing for the rugby team so now I can finally get a little exercise and not fear for my life when it begins to get dark.
So many things happening. I keep waiting for the euphoria to wear off, but things still rock J That’s all for now. Off to get some lunch.

Round Two Week Three

Well for a lack of a better word, things are going just fine. Craziness is still around, but people are really friendly and trying to talk to me
(ie the local students) and when I need to vent I can talk
with the CIEE students who, at this point, I am very close with. I am
also getting closer and closer to the international students and
yesterday we played a death match of soccer for about an hour. This past weekend was a blast… went out friday night, went to the orphanage sun morning and a married international couple invited me over to a dinner party sat
night, and then sun I woke up early and went on a mini safari at the
gaborone game reserve. No big game, but we did see some- zebras,
ostrich, warthog, impala, khudu, comodo dragons (who supposedly spit
on you thus paralyzing your body and then rotting your insides!),
monkeys, and supposedly wildebeest which we missed out on. For lunch, my friend Alicia was robbed of her banana and thus brutally attacked (scratches to prove it) by vicious monkeys, but luckily we fought back and no further complications were incurred.

Today we had our first official day at school aka the teachers show up, so I almost have all of my syllabi together. Another nice thing is that as I meet people I see
them around campus all the time. I guess a school half the size of CU
really makes the difference! This weekend I will probably go out with
(hopefully) new friends that go to UB and then early Sat I leave for
the cultural excursion weekend- spending the night in a village,
visiting (yes) another traditional healer, going on a big game drive
safari, etc. etc. I get back home Sunday evening.

I also talked to Batsi (my resident director) today who is being very accomodating with setting me up with an internship with the Trad Healer Association as
well as a possible internship at the local HIV/AIDs clinic to
juxtapose both western and traditional health and healing. Supposedly
on Wednesday we are to meet again to discuss my practicum for next
semester and what kind of research, mentorship, and/or internship I
will pursue. We also need to go over immigration forms- ugh must go to the doctors to get cleared of all diseases… I was told a lung scan might be necessary as well?!?! AGH

As for my family… currently we are housing my mom’s two sisters, and
their three kids. Craziness as the house is small, but they are all
very sweet and things are getting along. My hostmom is in love with
the idea of having a daughter, and ecstatic to call me her “darling
daughter” or similar terms along those lines. I love it and it will be
nice to have someone who can care for me (unlike at CU)
when I get sick. On that note, I have been healthy healthy despite a
quick nauseaous bout today from the local vendored sausage. Luckily, my friend Meghan from CIEE was quick to save me with some pepto. Enough of that.

Anyway haven’t taken any pictures yet, but should be able to get some copies from friends at some point. Currently off to download the local music on the computer. If you can check out Vee- a local Motswana house man. He might be on itunes?

Overall, so grateful to have this opportunity to study here. I really have high hopes for the semester and year, and I think, with Batsi’s help, that I can get a good look into the culture and society in relation to public health. Likewise, I am very
ready to dispel prejudices, judgements, and ignorance that exist to quote on
quote “developing countries” in both a personal and anthropological
sense. And then of course to bring home these newfound perspectives. Hopefully I can give Africa in general a better rap than what it is currently allowed.

Although at first I was skeptical that they do not have all the luxuries and capital goods that we have a home, I am coming to realize that many of the luxuries we have at home are wasteful and unnecessary. Even hot water showers no longer seem like a necessity, but rather a vacation luxury. In a place this hot
during the summers, cold water is a luxury. And even now- boiling the
water and then washing myself is not that difficult or a strain. And
the amount of water and energy it saves! There are many things that
the Batswana can learn from us, but also things we can learn from the
Batswana. I am coming to appreciate these ideals with every day.

Something all mighty… internet at last!

So I was told it is time to get this blog thing underway. Currently I am on day 9 in beautiful hot/cold Gaborone, Botswana. Things are crazy, but perfect for me…people love to relax, come late, arrive on their own time, and have a good time. If only they were as good as me at spacing out…! After 37 hours of travel time last Tues., I was greeted by a monkey making a racquet on the airport roof. Things here are hot during the day and very cold at night. But supposedly things are only to get hotter (an “unbearable” hot according to the local batswana *shiver*). SO EXCITED! The environment is very dry and termite mounds are everywhere. Lots of chickens, donkeys, and dogs roam about, and just yesterday I saw a tiny kitten just chilling in the middle of the Univ. Botswana hall.

People here are very nice. They are not shocked that I am here (except of course when I ride the local transport or kambe’s and slaughter the “wema me stoppo” or “next stop”). Made a few friends, mostly guys, and am ready for the weekend!! I am here with the program CIEE with 10 other girls (woah I know), but am living with a host family about 40 minutes away from campus. My host family lives in Block 9 in a modest home. I got my own room and the big bed! I have two brothers (Thato-13 and Tapelo or Eugene- 19) and a single mother, Gracie. She calls me her daughter and things get along great! We all dance a storm, watch Zulu soap operas (quite the experience), and every morning after we wake up at 5:30 am we shower and blast local House music to wake the neighborhood—literally. Pretty much everyone is hilarious and we crack up until latest 9 pm when we all pass out. Things are definitely a lot different from home…no hot water and a shower that consists of a bucket of warm water and a towel. Mirrors also don’t seem to be a necessity either. So when I do find a mirror I witness the horror of looking at myself after a few days of combing my hair and putting on makeup in the dark.

The food here is heavy heavy. Everyone eats a ton, but somehow they stay skinny…and I mean super skinny…think like a waste line 1 ft across! Lots of beef (supposedly there are more cattle here than people) and chicken on the bone. Now I get nauseous with bones, so I mostly stick to the other staple…rice/cream of wheat tasting food called “pap”/or of course pasta! Yeah not that enthusiastic about any of it, but am finding fruits and a few vegetables and am eating those like a fiend. Nothing too bad, and I finally got to try the other traditional snack…panne or caterpillars! Very distinct taste and exactly what I thought caterpillars would taste like- salty and insecty. Yes insecty. I wish my brain didn’t remind me each bite what I was eating. Will try them again I’m sure.

Enough of a post for today. Will update more later. I’m already getting into this whole African time mentality :) 

The beginning…

Welcome to the Botswana/Africa ‘10/’11 Blog. Hopefully this won’t be too boring. In writing this, I plan to share my real experiences—the good, the bad, and the ugly of course. From a student’s perspective, I am here to dispel ignorance and entertain (sometimes :)). Send me feedback and questions!