Combis and Cow Heads

Greetings from Linga Longa, a local watering hole that has WIRELESS INTERNET!

Botswana is truly the wettest land-locked desert. It’s been raining for almost a week. Now, being a Vancouverite, I thought a few summer rainspells would be child’s play... but that has not been the case. When it rains in Gaborone the city transforms into one large, rushing river. The infrastructure was not developed for the rain. Anyways, it makes for an interesting trek to work. Oddly enough, "pula," a cheer and also the currency, means "rain" and "thebe," their cent, means "raindrop." This is because rain, like money, was such a delicacy. My friends here tell me that I should be thankful that I’ve gotten a week break from the normal summer sun and that I’ll regret my whining about the rain once temperatures soar back up... I think they are right! I’m hoping that the rain is gone for good now though as we got a whole day of sun today.

This morning Ellan and I went to a women’s group breakfast with Wairimu, a lady who’s staying in our compound. She’s Kenyan and is working in the Kalahari with the San people. Most of the ladies at the breakfast were Kenyan and there was a lot of discussion and debate about the recent post-election strife in Nairobi. It was super interesting to hear the points of view of women with a personal stake in the political future of the country... rather than regurgitated and exaggerated information from CNN and the likes.

Then we headed to the Son of the Soil cultural festival in Toelkweng. It was definitely the highlight of my time here so far. There was traditional dancing, singing, food and dress. The best part of it all was that it wasn’t at all geared towards tourists, just a genuine community event to celebrate a culture and history that is disappearing and being forgotten amidst the fast cosmopolitan development in Gaborone. To be honest, I felt a little bit like an intruder... I will post some pics from the event, so check them out!
The dancing at Son and Soil was AMAZING. I don’t quite know how to describe it because I’ve never seen anything like it. It was so animated and just incredible. Every dance told a story. Intense expression seeped from the dancers’ eyes, fingers and toes! It was also just nice to visit with people and ask them a multitude of questions about what they were wearing, eating or singing. The Bastwana are very open to all of our questions and are always happy to share their lives with us.

We’re getting ready for another week at our placements. It’s taken a while to get settled in and figure out what I’m supposed to be doing and how I’m supposed to act. But at least I’m busy as I’ve been assigned a bunch of projects. Getting to and from work is definitely adventurous though. I leave home around 6:00am and take two combis to work, stopping along the way to pick up a few pieces of fruit from some lady vendors on the side of the street.

Imagine cattle being corralled into an old rickety sauna-on-wheels then piled one on top of the other. This is what taking a combi is like. They are old vans and Gaborone’s public transport, although there are no schedules, rules of safety measures involved. Walking through the bus depot, a massive concrete slab packed with taxis and combis, is also quite an experience. Let’s just say that being a woman – a white woman – makes it all that more exciting ... and nerve-wracking. Not to mention the theft and danger of being surrounded by unpredictable and crazy combi drivers. I’ve already caught several people, from children to old ladies dressed like a nun, taking a peek into the outside pockets of my backpack. Unfortunately for them, there’s never anything in there. I am tempted to leave them a note though. Most of the time I just turn around and politely tell them that I’m sorry but there’s nothing in there and to try again next time.

Don’t let me paint a picture of a criminal culture though. The bus depot is just a hot-bed for those who reach a level of desperation that I certainly cannot understand. It is crazy, crowded and overwhelming though. But I love it. It’s exciting and feels like some sort of intense cultural immersion... just combi-ing to and from work every day. And I’m getting used to it and know how to clutch my backpack like a child on my front and say “next stop, please” in Setswana.... even though my wimpy announcement, an absolute massacre of the language, is usually followed by chuckles from my fellow passengers. At least I’m entertaining!
That’s it for now, friends! Keep in touch.

Sarah

Pictures

Posted a link to my photo album at the top right corner of this blog. ----->

Unfortunately Gaborone is not the best place for photography. It is illegal to take a picture of a government building, statue, employee, or uniform personnel in Botswana. Gaborone, being the capital, the Central Business District and SADC headquarters means that you pretty much have to hide inside a garbage can before you can take a picture.... that is as long as the garbage can isn't government-issued, of course.

So once we start venturing outside of the city, we'll get a chance to exercise our duty as foreigners to take an excessive amount of pictures!

So much to say

Dumelang! (Hello everyone),

Wow, it's been almost a week and I have learned SO MUCH. We just finished our orientation week with WUSC. We met with experts in Social Services, HIV/Aids, Youth, Bostwana's history, culture and economy and have literally completed what feels like an intensive crash-course in everything Botswana. My notebook is full or stars and exclamation marks and the margins are crowded with "read more about this" or "google this". Perhaps the most interesting discussion I had was this Fortune, a WUSC employee, who grew up in Zimbabwe. He has such an incredible career in International Development; it just blew me away. Perhaps what he is most proud of is his work with the rural tribal community he is originally from. Until recently, they practiced ritual cleaning, a "dangerous sexual behaviour" in which widows would be forced to engage in unprotected sexual relations with the brother or cousin of their late husband as a way of cleansing and maintaining the important family dynamics. This instance is a good example of where "culture" comes into question. This practice was allowing HIV to spread rampantly through the community.

On this note, I have been termed the "gender girl" within WUSC Botswana; every issue that we study or session we attend takes a turn towards "gender" just for me. It's quite funny how you can build a reputation so quickly when no one around knows you well. Nevertheless, gender relations, coupled with the HIV epidemic reign as ever-present and unavoidable issues within daily life here. Don't you worry, you'll be hearing much more about this; I promise.

Ok, so on a more touristic note, we went to Mokolodi Nature Reserve on Thursday. I don't know if I've ever felt (and looked like) such a giddy tourist before. Take the excitement you felt the first time you stood under the Eiffel tower and multiply it by one thousand. We were metres from four African elephants and saw worthogs and impallas and zebras. We even caught a glimpse of a giraffe (AMAZING) hidden in the bush. I will post a few pictures once time and my computer battery allow.

I start work on Monday at SADC and after my meeting with them on Wednesday I'm super psyched. I know I am going to learn SO MUCH just being in a gender advocacy/policy/mainstreaming/coordination environment. Also, since SADC is a regional intergovernmental organization, I'm looking forward to also learning about the gender and development issues that are unique to all 14 member states.

Enough said for now. Keep in touch and let me know how things are back in the Great White North.

It ranges between 35-37 degrees here mixed with random, short and very intense rainfalls. Everyone carries and unbrella to protect themselves from both the very hot sun and the unfamiliar rain.

Pula! (A farewell cheer...and also the currency)

Safe and sound

Hello everyone,

It's been a long trip, but I've arrived in one piece... just without my luggage which somehow didn't make it on my flight from Botswana. But I'm told that there is still hope that it's coming on a later flight as I was not the only one who was in this situation. Oh well, no big deal. I'm just happy to be here and have my feet firmly placed on the ground, rather than squitched between airplane seats!

I got picked up at the airport and have met all the WUSC staff members; they are all very kind and helpful!

Anways, I've got lots to do and a roommate to meet.

Keep in touch!

Sarah