So I have completed the final for one psychology class, and tomorrow I finish with my Setswana course. It's bittersweet, especially because we had a lot of fun in Setswana. Today we also visited the SOS Childrens Village for the last time to say goodbye to the kids there, we brought them a cake which was a big hit.
Other than that there isn't much to do now but study and wait as the last few days pass. Classes aren't meeting, so we have a lot of free time. There are a few things still going on around campus, like the campaigns, the actual vote will be next Friday, unfortunately the same day we leave! So we have to see if we will still be able to vote.
We have met so many amazing people here, it's such an experience just to talk to people and hear their stories, looking back on it it makes me glad I chose Botswana.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Two Weeks!
Crazy enough I only have two weeks left in Botswana!! It doesn't seem like it yet, but it's coming up fast. Jon and I have been conserving our money so that our last week here we can eat out and buy our last souveniers! Next week I will actually be finishing both psychology of work and labour relations, and my setswana class. The week after I will have my last three finals and fly home!
We will be leaving here on May 8th, and flying to Johannesburg to spend the night. This is because the airline in Bots that does take pets, only flies on weekdays. So we will spend the night in South Africa, which will be interesting because our visas for South Africa will have expired haha.. and then the next day we all take off for home!
We will be leaving here on May 8th, and flying to Johannesburg to spend the night. This is because the airline in Bots that does take pets, only flies on weekdays. So we will spend the night in South Africa, which will be interesting because our visas for South Africa will have expired haha.. and then the next day we all take off for home!
Little Things
The students here are currently campaigning for the student representative council for next year (the majority of this years SRC was expelled/suspended during the strike). It's cool here in that they run in legit political parties which coincide which the parties currently running for election. I will be voting for the Botswana Democratic Party and getting a sweet t-shirt with a fist on it. I'm super excited for my t-shirt! But also I like their politics and there are several people running for the BDP who I'm friends with. Unfortunately the politics are pretty dirty and the election has been postponed a few times, we're just hoping it actually happens, and happens before we leave!
On a totally different topic they have these red ants here, we have nothing like them at home. They are super fast and there are millions of them. The main issue being they sting and it hurts like hell. I'm mentioning this because I was just stung in the arch of my foot. They will keep stinging/biting whatever until you get them off, and walking around in flip-flops is bad news if you have to walk through them! I've been lucky and have only been attacked three times! Hopefully that it's for the semester!
Finally the dining halls/refectories. These are still awful, though occassionally things get better, but even if I can get chicken instead of goat liver, that is a smell that really does not help my appetite when I'm trying to choke down my 3249824234098234 meal of white rice.
On a totally different topic they have these red ants here, we have nothing like them at home. They are super fast and there are millions of them. The main issue being they sting and it hurts like hell. I'm mentioning this because I was just stung in the arch of my foot. They will keep stinging/biting whatever until you get them off, and walking around in flip-flops is bad news if you have to walk through them! I've been lucky and have only been attacked three times! Hopefully that it's for the semester!
Finally the dining halls/refectories. These are still awful, though occassionally things get better, but even if I can get chicken instead of goat liver, that is a smell that really does not help my appetite when I'm trying to choke down my 3249824234098234 meal of white rice.
Sexual Harrassment
I am currently taking a course here called the psychology of work and labour relations. Which is actually really interesting because it deals with issues every person will face in the work place etc.. etc.. (Just don't get me started on my lecturer for that class because she is entirely incompetent and wastes huge amounts of my life I will never get back!) ANYWAYS! during that course we were discussing sexual harrassment, and it seems like in Botswana the women actually enjoy the attention? There aren't really sexual harrassment rules, and a lawsuit over something like that is virtually unheard of. My lecturer was discussing how she has seen many women in high powered jobs just giggle and bat their eyelashes when harrassed. I think this may lead to how men treat the women here and why they are so generally suprised when us American girls don't leap into their arms.
The men here will whistle, or call out to us such things as "I need to marry a white girl.. c'mon honey!" "Hey baby!" "Whats up chick!?" etc. etc. or grab your butt or something and my response is generally something along the lines of "good luck with that" and/or straight up ignoring them, which is what most of the international girls do but the men genuinely get suprised. Some have even approached Jon to ask how to get a white girl. My advice starts with: Don't open with I need a white girl. Open with something like, hi! My name is Thembe... etc.
The men here will whistle, or call out to us such things as "I need to marry a white girl.. c'mon honey!" "Hey baby!" "Whats up chick!?" etc. etc. or grab your butt or something and my response is generally something along the lines of "good luck with that" and/or straight up ignoring them, which is what most of the international girls do but the men genuinely get suprised. Some have even approached Jon to ask how to get a white girl. My advice starts with: Don't open with I need a white girl. Open with something like, hi! My name is Thembe... etc.
Blood Drives & Homosexuality
Ok so the other day there was a blood drive here. Not something I'm overly fond of as I'm scared to death of needles, but I visited with Eilen from Sweden while she was donating. They gave her four huge bags to fill with blood, needles and all, to hold while she waited for her turn. That there was enough for me to run away! Donating blood is so important but if I was to donate blood here it would be a very very long time before I would be able to donate again in the states. As it is I will have to wait three YEARS before I am allowed to donate again, this is mainly because the risk of the disease malaria, and since I have technically 'lived' in a malarial region I can't donate for a while.
While discussing this subject we got onto the topic of how homosexual men aren't allowed to donate. It's a really awful situation here for anyone gay/lesbian/bisexual/transexual etc.. homosexuality is illegal in this country and the people are hugely intolerant of it. I was thinking that maybe the students at the university would have a more progessive view, but when talking with some they only discussed the huge hatred they have in their hearts for those type of people. When I told them at home gay marriage is becoming legal in more and more states they were truly shocked. I see the amazing support system Wheaton has among the gay/lesbian community and know that it is still really difficult for those people when attempting to figure things out for themselves and then come out in a mainly tolerant environment. I can only imagine how hard it must be for young people here to deal with those same issues when all around them the only message is hatred. It's pretty crazy.
While discussing this subject we got onto the topic of how homosexual men aren't allowed to donate. It's a really awful situation here for anyone gay/lesbian/bisexual/transexual etc.. homosexuality is illegal in this country and the people are hugely intolerant of it. I was thinking that maybe the students at the university would have a more progessive view, but when talking with some they only discussed the huge hatred they have in their hearts for those type of people. When I told them at home gay marriage is becoming legal in more and more states they were truly shocked. I see the amazing support system Wheaton has among the gay/lesbian community and know that it is still really difficult for those people when attempting to figure things out for themselves and then come out in a mainly tolerant environment. I can only imagine how hard it must be for young people here to deal with those same issues when all around them the only message is hatred. It's pretty crazy.
Electricity
Ok so over the weekend last week there was no electricity on campus. We are fairly used to the running water coming on and off, and there is generally no internet, but had yet to actually lose electricity for more than 3-4 hours at a time. This was a really crazy day because we woke up without anything, and because of the lack of electricity there was no food on campus so we had to go out. So we spent most of the day at a cafe/bar place with our laptops. I had a class scheduled for that Sunday at 3 pm (awful awful idea by my professor) and we STILL had class, sitting in the classroom after feeling our way up the pitch black stairwell and using the lights on our cell phones to read notes. It was a fabulous day, haha. BUT it was nice to have an excuse to eat out, and we're expecting reimbursements from the school because we are on the meal plan! See how that goes!
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Mob Justice
First off Zinzi is doing so well! He's getting big, and he's so playful. He's cutest when he is sleepy though, he lays down and purrs like crazy. He usually purrs when we get back to the room also. He's with Jon more than me though, and when we're in the room he follows Jon around all the time, and always sits on him.. it's super cute.
The other day we were taking Zinzi for some kitten shots at the vet (all his kitten shots and the vet visit cost us approximately 20 USD).. and we were walking through Main Mall an area with a lot of shops and all of a sudden a TON of people went running into a restaurant into the back. It seems that someone had done something, like not paid, and "mob justice" took over, so people chased him intending to beat him up. I think he got away though, because most people came back out shortly after.
The other day we were taking Zinzi for some kitten shots at the vet (all his kitten shots and the vet visit cost us approximately 20 USD).. and we were walking through Main Mall an area with a lot of shops and all of a sudden a TON of people went running into a restaurant into the back. It seems that someone had done something, like not paid, and "mob justice" took over, so people chased him intending to beat him up. I think he got away though, because most people came back out shortly after.
Easter
So Easter has come and gone in Bots, which for most here just meant a lot of church. The people here on the whole are very religious. A big church is the Zion Christian Church, and it is easy to spot members of that church because they wear silver pins on their shirts that have a star and a circle with some black and green fabric. We did not attend church on Easter, but the international students who weren't travelling cooked a feast in the graduate dorms. We made mashed potatoes, chicken, chocolate mousse, brownies, salad, and veggies! It was soo good!! The next morning most of us went to the Gab Sun hotel and had their big breakfast buffet. Also soo good! haha .. Any real food and all of us are automatically drooling. I'm a little worried about going home though, I'm not sure how my body will react going back to normal food and having all the preservatives and what not again.. but there's no question about it, I'm getting chinese food the day I get home!
The Wednesday night before Easter, a small group of students set-up a huge projection screen outside and played a video of a man preaching in a very energetic way... they joined in, and it was interesting to watch and listen... except they didn't start til after ten pm.. so by eleven I was trying to sleep and a little annoyed! I think it's a really cool idea, but I think they should do it earlier in the day!!
A good thing about night though is there is absolutely no light pollution here. When it's dark it's DARK! This, while somewhat terrifying while walking outside, allows us to see SO many stars! And since we're on the other side of the world they are the same ones we learned about a few months ago in astronomy.
The Wednesday night before Easter, a small group of students set-up a huge projection screen outside and played a video of a man preaching in a very energetic way... they joined in, and it was interesting to watch and listen... except they didn't start til after ten pm.. so by eleven I was trying to sleep and a little annoyed! I think it's a really cool idea, but I think they should do it earlier in the day!!
A good thing about night though is there is absolutely no light pollution here. When it's dark it's DARK! This, while somewhat terrifying while walking outside, allows us to see SO many stars! And since we're on the other side of the world they are the same ones we learned about a few months ago in astronomy.
Old Posts!
So nothing new has really happened recently. It’s been overcast and slightly rainy all week, which has been awesome! Haha it’s nice to have a few days off from the hot hot sun! We received back our first Setswana exams (94!).. the whole class did really well. I was proud of us.
We’ve started counting the days a little bit more now that its getting closer to April. But really trying hard not to! This weekend we are distracting ourselves a little with an excursion to Victoria Falls. We’ll be leaving Thursday night on an overnight train to Francistown, and from there taking a bus to Kasane in the north of Botswana. Unfortunately backpackers lodges are not allowed in the country, because the government prefers low impact-high cost tourism.. good for the environment, bad for us. So we’ll be staying in a hotel in Kasane, and traveling to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe for the day on Saturday with a guide. It’s important for us to have a guide, as Zimbabwe isn’t doing so fabulously right now, but we also don’t plan on traveling too much into the country. It’ll be interesting to drive through though. A good friend of ours recently went traveling through Zim and was saying how it looks really modern for the 1970’s or so, but since then has stagnated, and the shelves of the grocery store are bare. They don’t accept Zimbabwean currency anymore, so we have to trade our Pula in for U.S. dollars. It will be weird to use them again! Hopefully I won’t need to many, just for a visa, and possibly to bribe police haha. Unfortunately most of the money from the visa’s etc. goes directly into Robert Mugabe’s pocket. With the recent “accident” involving the prime minister and his wife, there is a lot of unrest there. If you use American Dollars to pay for something, you may get your change in Pula, Euros, anything. Fortunately though I won’t be spending much, as the markets in Zim welcome American clothing to barter for their goods, and I can very easily trade some of my t-shirts for a lot of souvenirs!
In other news getting Zinzi (who we now believe to be male…) home has been a huge hassle. The issue is that NO businesses answer their phones, and when I finally got through to a person, they had no idea what the airlines policy on animals was. Very frustrating to say the least, as I watched my cell phone minutes vanish quickly with all these calls. My sister, and Jon’s mom have been helping organize things on the United States side, which is proving to have much better telephone service. So hopefully things get sorted out quickly! The kitten has really come into his own and had such a personality now. After his eye drops we have discovered he has huge eyes, and is completely adorable. He spends most of his time playing with toys Jon and I have created for him, and as a African kitten he’s very resourceful. He uses a balled up receipt as a ball and toilet paper rolls keep him occupied. We have several cardboard boxes, one which he uses for scratching, and it has a small rug in it he also sharpens his claws on occasionally. Which is unnecessary cause his claws are very very sharp, and everyone that meets him has scratches to prove it. He’s still just getting used to himself though, so hopefully he realizes claws are unnecessary most of the time. I’ll put up new pictures soon!
Today.. it is April! The 5th to be exact. And we are now officially counting the days til we get home!! It’s been awesome here, but we’re ready for some real food (Chinese buffet!!!!!). And it’s going to be really nice to see my family again! This is the longest I have ever been away. It hasn’t been as hard because Jon is here with me, but its still too long to go without seeing your own family. Especially with all the health problems, accidents, and chaos ensuing at home.. its hard not to be there! So today, Jon awoke to no water in his dorm.. I checked mine, and also no water. None of the dormitories have had water all day. I never realized how dependent I was on running water.. it’s almost noon and I have yet to shower or brush my teeth!! I have been checking every half hour or so, but nothing yet. A bunch of us are going to the pool here in a few minutes to use their locker room. Hopefully there is water there! A large group of students here actually spent a week living in a village about 40 minutes away from campus. Most had no running water or electricity. If you want to do dishes you have to take water from outside and bring it inside to boil. I was wondering why most people here don’t shower but use the bathtub.. that’s why, t hey don’t have showers at home.
We’ve started counting the days a little bit more now that its getting closer to April. But really trying hard not to! This weekend we are distracting ourselves a little with an excursion to Victoria Falls. We’ll be leaving Thursday night on an overnight train to Francistown, and from there taking a bus to Kasane in the north of Botswana. Unfortunately backpackers lodges are not allowed in the country, because the government prefers low impact-high cost tourism.. good for the environment, bad for us. So we’ll be staying in a hotel in Kasane, and traveling to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe for the day on Saturday with a guide. It’s important for us to have a guide, as Zimbabwe isn’t doing so fabulously right now, but we also don’t plan on traveling too much into the country. It’ll be interesting to drive through though. A good friend of ours recently went traveling through Zim and was saying how it looks really modern for the 1970’s or so, but since then has stagnated, and the shelves of the grocery store are bare. They don’t accept Zimbabwean currency anymore, so we have to trade our Pula in for U.S. dollars. It will be weird to use them again! Hopefully I won’t need to many, just for a visa, and possibly to bribe police haha. Unfortunately most of the money from the visa’s etc. goes directly into Robert Mugabe’s pocket. With the recent “accident” involving the prime minister and his wife, there is a lot of unrest there. If you use American Dollars to pay for something, you may get your change in Pula, Euros, anything. Fortunately though I won’t be spending much, as the markets in Zim welcome American clothing to barter for their goods, and I can very easily trade some of my t-shirts for a lot of souvenirs!
In other news getting Zinzi (who we now believe to be male…) home has been a huge hassle. The issue is that NO businesses answer their phones, and when I finally got through to a person, they had no idea what the airlines policy on animals was. Very frustrating to say the least, as I watched my cell phone minutes vanish quickly with all these calls. My sister, and Jon’s mom have been helping organize things on the United States side, which is proving to have much better telephone service. So hopefully things get sorted out quickly! The kitten has really come into his own and had such a personality now. After his eye drops we have discovered he has huge eyes, and is completely adorable. He spends most of his time playing with toys Jon and I have created for him, and as a African kitten he’s very resourceful. He uses a balled up receipt as a ball and toilet paper rolls keep him occupied. We have several cardboard boxes, one which he uses for scratching, and it has a small rug in it he also sharpens his claws on occasionally. Which is unnecessary cause his claws are very very sharp, and everyone that meets him has scratches to prove it. He’s still just getting used to himself though, so hopefully he realizes claws are unnecessary most of the time. I’ll put up new pictures soon!
Today.. it is April! The 5th to be exact. And we are now officially counting the days til we get home!! It’s been awesome here, but we’re ready for some real food (Chinese buffet!!!!!). And it’s going to be really nice to see my family again! This is the longest I have ever been away. It hasn’t been as hard because Jon is here with me, but its still too long to go without seeing your own family. Especially with all the health problems, accidents, and chaos ensuing at home.. its hard not to be there! So today, Jon awoke to no water in his dorm.. I checked mine, and also no water. None of the dormitories have had water all day. I never realized how dependent I was on running water.. it’s almost noon and I have yet to shower or brush my teeth!! I have been checking every half hour or so, but nothing yet. A bunch of us are going to the pool here in a few minutes to use their locker room. Hopefully there is water there! A large group of students here actually spent a week living in a village about 40 minutes away from campus. Most had no running water or electricity. If you want to do dishes you have to take water from outside and bring it inside to boil. I was wondering why most people here don’t shower but use the bathtub.. that’s why, t hey don’t have showers at home.
Boo
Ok so it's Sunday, and we woke up today to no electricity anywhere on campus.. so I'm currently at a cafe for lunch and using my computer. We're hoping it comes back today, or all our food will go bad! This happens fairly often, the water also comes and goes.. but c'est la vie.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
It's been a while!
Sorry I haven't posted in such a long time! I've actually been writing posts, but haven't had access to the internet to post them! So sometime this week I will be adding several new posts. Today Jon and I walked to the main mall area of Gabs and bought a crate for Zinzi to go home in. He seems to like his new house, and has been making himself comfortable!
Other than that things here have been going well!
FOUR WEEKS LEFT!!
I'm not excited to leave Africa, because I will definately miss it, but I am excited to get home and see my family, and have some real food!! I get home on Mothers Day, and my sister has taken the day after off from work so pedicures and hair cuts and all that good stuff! It'll be nice to feel clean again!
Recently I worked out my classes for the fall.. I'm taking my senior seminar in psychology with a really great professor who I haven't been able to take a course with yet. I also have another great professor, who I have had, for my social psychology lab. I am also taking a course on teaching reading and language arts, this is to prepare me for my final MTEL this fall. In addition to that I am taking a ballet class to fulfill my arts requirement.. which should be interesting, but as most of my good friends are amazing dancers I should have a lot of help! I will also being working on an independent study with one of my professors for issues in early care, so that should be plenty to keep me busy.
I'll be living in the same building as I have the past two years, but in a different room. It's exciting though because this year more of my friends have moved into the same area, so I'll have lots of company.
Right now I'm waiting on hearing about my precepting for next fall - I wasn't able to work as a preceptor last year at school, but I re-applied for this year, and hopefully that works out! I should know the 17th. I'm also waiting to hear from a summer job in Concord, it's been a little more difficult this year looking for summer jobs from Botswana, but cross your fingers this works out!
Other than that things here have been going well!
FOUR WEEKS LEFT!!
I'm not excited to leave Africa, because I will definately miss it, but I am excited to get home and see my family, and have some real food!! I get home on Mothers Day, and my sister has taken the day after off from work so pedicures and hair cuts and all that good stuff! It'll be nice to feel clean again!
Recently I worked out my classes for the fall.. I'm taking my senior seminar in psychology with a really great professor who I haven't been able to take a course with yet. I also have another great professor, who I have had, for my social psychology lab. I am also taking a course on teaching reading and language arts, this is to prepare me for my final MTEL this fall. In addition to that I am taking a ballet class to fulfill my arts requirement.. which should be interesting, but as most of my good friends are amazing dancers I should have a lot of help! I will also being working on an independent study with one of my professors for issues in early care, so that should be plenty to keep me busy.
I'll be living in the same building as I have the past two years, but in a different room. It's exciting though because this year more of my friends have moved into the same area, so I'll have lots of company.
Right now I'm waiting on hearing about my precepting for next fall - I wasn't able to work as a preceptor last year at school, but I re-applied for this year, and hopefully that works out! I should know the 17th. I'm also waiting to hear from a summer job in Concord, it's been a little more difficult this year looking for summer jobs from Botswana, but cross your fingers this works out!
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