5k Run to emPOWER

Hello all! On Saturday, I will be partipating in the emPOWER campaign's "5k Run to emPOWER." The money raised for this year's event will go towards building a school for Ugandan children, many of whom have lost parents to and are infected with HIV/AIDS.

My main goal in completing the 5k is to raise awareness about the effects of HIV in Africa, however I would also like to do my part in helping emPOWER build their school. By going to the link below, you can help them reach their goal by sponsoring me!

http://www.FirstGiving.com/MeredithHoffman

Please feel free forward the link to anyone who might be interested in making a donation towards Africa's future!

Thanks!

For more information about the emPOWER campaign, visit: http://empowercampaign.org

Photo Albums

The photos from my trip have been uploaded to Facebook albums. Even if you don't have Facebook, you can see them by clicking on these links:

Weeks 1-3

Weeks 4-5

Enjoy!

Q&A

Q: What aspect of the country was most surprising to you?

A: The gender inequality was incredibly surprising to me. I knew I would stand out because I was white, but I didn't realize how being a woman would affect my experience. My skin color caught people's eyes, but it was being a woman that solicited comments. For instance, outside of work, a group of men started shouting, "Sex... sex... sex..." at Lauren and myself. On multiple occasions, men asked if they could take me home--and one even proposed to Dan Klein a trade: me for a South Africa soccer jersey. (Thankfully, Dan declined the offer.) When Karabo and I were walking somewhat separate from the group after the Botswana vs. Iran soccer match, a man asked him (in Setswana) what it was like having sex with a white woman. I also realized that, as a woman, it was okay to step in front of me in lines and make comments about my looks that one would never make to a man.

Dr. Pillay explained something very important to me. He told me that for many poorer and rural-dwelling men in Africa, the first time they really see a white woman may be in the ubiquitous pornography (Dr. Sherrow later confirmed this.) Therefore, their image of a white woman is always tied to pornographic images.

Certainly, not all men were like this, and many seemed to be working very hard to combat the patriarchal attitudes of other men. Karabo, Gape, and Koketso, the three Batswana men I knew well, all held women in high regard, respecting their opinions as equal with men's. Thus, I believe that women's inequality may be a generational issue that will slowly die out.

Q: What did you miss most about the U.S.?

A: Other than family and friends, I missed the desserts! As Dr. Odirile warned us, Batswana love salts and savory foods. Americans love sweets more than we notice! I really missed doughnuts and cookies, which are much sweeter than their Botswana equivalents: fat cakes and biscuits.

Q: How were your expectations different from reality?

A: I went into the trip with very few expectations, so I wasn't really shocked by any major differences from my initial impressions. However, the weather was pretty crazy. There seemed to be no way to predict what the weather would be like. The morning weather didn't indicate what the afternoon would feel like, and it was anyone's guess how warm or cool it was in the evening. It never got really frigid, but it did get pretty cold at times.

Q: Did you get any sense of how the people feel about their government and politics?

A: In some ways, people agree with Ian Khama's politics. I heard some people praise him for being stricter about drinking (drunk and reckless driving is a leading killer in Botswana) and about international affairs (he has taken a very strong stance against other African leaders like Robert Mugabe and Omar al-Bashir). At the same time, however, I think his moralistic approaches to social issues and his take on HIV/AIDS is disheartening to some. He is a relatively new president, and it will take a bit more time before anyone can make a really definitive statement about his popularity.

Q: What was most disappointing?

A: The gender inequality that was most surprising was also most disappointing. Working at the Women's Shelter, it was hard not to be frustrated with the lack of economic, social, and sexual empowerment for women in Botswana. However, as I said, steps are being taken in the right direction.

Q: Did you get any sense of university education there? What about other school levels?

A: University education is rigorous, but free for anyone who can get in. The quality of education at the University of Botswana (the only university) is certainly comparable to any other major university. Primary and secondary schools are divided into standards and forms, which are just about the same as US schools. There is a very big divide between public and private schools. One of our coworkers, a college student at UB and former private schooler, even told us that she can tell the difference between someone who went to a private school and someone who went to a government school by how they talk.

Q: How have you changed because of this trip?

A: This trip has made me more appreciative of what I have, but not for the reasons I expected. I expected to appreciate my privilege because of the relative poverty that I would witness in Botswana. Instead, I appreciate what I have because the people of Botswana have taught me that wanting what you have, as opposed to having what you want, is a path to a happier life.

Q: Any info about church life? Did you see anything of the Presbyterian Church there?

A: I didn't see any Presbyterian churches in Botswana, but I did have the chance to go to a Charismatic church. The service was over two hours long! By our standards, this is ridiculous. However, with all the singing and dancing, the time flew by!

Generally, people in Botswana are very religious. The church has played an influential role in dealing with HIV/AIDS. I say influential, because it's hard to tell whether it has been positive or negative. On the one hand, the church has greatly supported being faithful in marriage--a key element in preventing HIV transmission in Botswana. On the other hand, the church has pushed abstinence outside of marriage over condoms, which is perhaps an unrealistic expectation.

Q: What do Batswana think of America and Americans?

A: As is the case in many foreign countries, Batswana love Americans and are iffy--at best--about America. Whether they genuinely wanted to talk to us or just thought we had money, we were never treated poorly for being Americans and were usually welcomed. However, it was clear that some of America's politics in the past have been disconcerting to Batswana. Botswana is a peaceful country, and it was obvious that the invasion and occupation of Iraq did not sit well with them.

Q: What would surprise them about life at the Hoffman house? (Of course, people we know here may be surprised about our life!)

A: Our house alone would surprise them. With central heating and cooling, we are living a life of luxury. Also, our relationship with our dog would be very weird to a Motswana. They think it's really strange that we treat pets as if they're part of the family.

Q: Were there any behaviors/cultural traits of yours that the Batswana found completely strange?

A: Americans, especially within their peer groups, are very open about many aspects of our lives. Even outside of our peer groups, we are more candid with our elders than Batswana are. Karabo and Thato were often surprised by how informally we addressed our professors.

Q: Did anyone talk about Obama?

A: Absolutely, as I said earlier, Batswana are generally not fans of US foreign policy decisions from the past administration. They are big fans of Obama. However, they made it clear to me and others that they were offended by the fact that some people seem to think they like Obama because he is black and of African descent. They want people to know that they genuinely agree with his politics.

Q: What is the popular culture/media like there? Do they have their own artists/movies/television stations and news, or do they primarily get U.S/foreign stuff?

A: They do have some of their own media, but most mainstream media is imported from the US, UK, continental Europe, or South Africa. Nigeria is a big producer of low-quality films that make their way around Africa. There few media productions that are in Setswana are held near and dear, like the song Matshidiso.

Q: Do you see the problems that Botswana and Africa have as issues that are unique to that area or are they international problems that just don't receive as much attention in other countries? (ie. AIDS, poverty, domestic violence, water, etc.)

A: The problems of Africa are absolutely universal problems. HIV/AIDS, poverty, gender-based violence, resource conservation, etc. are issues throughout the world. However, Botswana's openess in dealing with its problems, especially public health, has caused us to focus on the bad. Many people outside of Africa know very little about Botswana's politics or the Khama, because we very rarely study the success stories; Botswana is politically stable.

Q: What changes are needed, and what changes do you realistically foresee in their future?

A: Women's empowerment is hugely important in the success of other programs. While, on the surface, women are portrayed as equal (they hold many public offices, have power in many organizations,) the average woman simply does not have the power to protect her health or financial assets. It's no small issue. Women who are not empowered are less likely to get an education, less likely to join the workforce, and more likely to contract HIV. The government desperately needs to focus on women and I think it will become a priority. However, the financial strain of the free ARVs will need to be resolved first. This is something that Khama's administration is just now addressing (and very fatalistically, might I add) so it will take time before there is money and energy for programs that advance women's issues.

Go Siame, Bots! Now it's Q&A time!

Today is my last day in Botswana! I'm excited to see my family and friends in the US, but I'm very sad to leave the people here. Our group of 20 Bobcats and two Batswana has become a little family over the last five weeks and its sad to see everyone begin to leave. We've shared some very special experiences with one another and will forever have a connection because of those experiences.

My first flight leaves Gaborone at 5:30pm EAT (11:30am EST). My final flight arrives at CMH at 11:40am EST.

I want to use my flying time as an opportunity for people to ask questions, either through blog comments, Facebook comments/messages, or email, about Botswana. After I'm home, I'll do a question and answer blog. Any topic that intersts you or that you're curious about is acceptable. I want to make sure I've been as informative in my blog as possible!

I look forward to reading your questions and seeing you soon!

I'll post more blogs reflecting on my experiences once I'm home, so keep checking back for updates!

Safari in Kasane

Our excursion to Kasane in Northern Botswana is almost indescribable, but I'm going to do my best to convey what the experience was like.

The trip to Kasane is about 12 hours by bus, so we started early in the morning to make it to Kasane in the evening. The bus was a 60 seater charter bus and, while we appreciated the ability to stretch out, the seats were cramped and there was no heat or air conditioning. The windows leaked, causing frigid air to blow on us until the sun came up. Also, unlike most US charter buses, it had no toilet.

The drive was pretty average, although there is no direct route to Kasane and we had to zig-zag up the country, extending the trip. Luckily, that meant seeing more of Botswana's bigger cities during bathroom/food breaks, like Francistown where I got a grilled cheese! By the time we got close to Kasane, however, there were no towns and 60% of the road was missing in chunks. Literally, huge potholes covered the road. The bus drove on the side of the road to avoid them, making us all think we might flip over. I actually began planning my escape route.

However, despite the potholes and near-death experiences, the drive to Kasane was great because I saw my first wild elephants and giraffes. In the evening, as the sun started to go down, they were just hanging out on the side of the road. They didn't seem scared by the vehicles and even walked towards the bus when it stopped. Seeing these animals up close in the wild was breathtaking.

When we finally got to the hotel, we were amazed. We stayed at a beautiful five-star hotel called Mowana, named after the Setswana word for the baobab tree. It was mostly open air and featured a live mowana tree inside. They met us at the door with hot towels and juice drinks with umbrellas in them! Our rooms were amazing and featured balconies and beds with draped mosquito nets (fashionable and functional!) I roomed with Meg and we both went to sleep excited about the next day's activities.

We woke up early on Sunday for our game drive and wrapped ourselves in blankets to keep out the cold. Our open-air trucks were breezy but allowed for a great views of the animals. We saw giraffes, lions, impala, puku, baboons, birds, warthogs, and more. We couldn't get great views of the lions, but being in their presence was awe inspiring. It also inspired a little fear, as our guides warned us that they were "very aggressive animals." No kidding...

We went back to the hotel and had some naps to recover from the early morning before going on a boat cruise. This was one of the highlights of our experience. We saw numerous hippos, five or six crocodiles (one of which got freaked out by the boat and scared the living daylights out of us,) kudu, puku, eagles, baboons, and hundreds of elephants. Everywhere we went, we saw herds of elephants on land and in the water. Considering their size, they are incredibly active and fun to watch. We saw some swimming and were impressed with their playfulness.

Both the game drive and the boat cruise were unforgettable experiences. To top off the perfect day, most of us had gourmet dinners (I had steak) at the hotel's restaurant and watched the sun set over the Chobe river. It was a perfect ending to a perfect day.

Our second morning in Kasane was spent at the market and mall in town. There were a lot of inexpensive souveniers and we had some good opportunites to relax. In the afternoon, I sat on our balcony, enjoyed the sunshine, and took in the sight of the Chobe river while reading a good book. It was a very relaxing way to enjoy such a beautiful part of Botswana.

Heading back, the bus ride was even more hilariously treacherous than it was on the way there. However, I was still so excited about the previous two days that I didn't care. Our stay here is almost over, which is sad, but I'm excited to get home and tell everyone about what I've seen and done here!

I have a lot of pictures to share from the safari, so I'll post a link to an album later!

Final week at the Kagisano Society Women’s Shelter Project

Our last week at the Women’s Shelter was rather uneventful. We spent most of our work days finishing up our organizational analysis paper and working on a press release.

Wednesday, we took the day off to present about our experiences with this education abroad program at a counseling conference at UB. We discussed the cultural experiences we had whilst working with our NGOs.

By Friday, I was anxious for a safari in Kasane, but also sad to say goodbye to the Women’s Shelter staff and volunteers! We began the day by finishing up our paper, which will provide recommendations to the organization to strengthen weak areas.

After finishing our paper, around lunchtime, Gape and Koketso told us to hang around the conference room for a small going-away party. They began setting up soda, tea, cookies, chips, nuts, raisins, and other goodies on the table. Mma Letso, one of the counselors, said some kind words to us, and then we all gathered to eat.

Gape turned on one of our new favorite songs, Matshidiso by Kgotla—a Setswana song beloved by Batswana. The director got up and started dancing, followed by the accountant and some of the counselors!

After Matshidiso, the director began leading Setswana hymns and everyone else joined it. I was brought to tears by the singing and dancing. The family atmosphere of the Shelter was suddenly overwhelmingly apparent, making me appreciate the connections I’d made with the people there. However, it also made me realize how sad I was to go!

They asked us to say a few words, so I thanked them for the experience and then promptly burst into tears.

I don’t think anything could have replaced my experience at the Women’s Shelter. It was very frustrating for me at times, as it seems it is for all of the staff and volunteers, but I am so in awe of their ability to push through and keep the organization afloat despite the challenges.

I am so happy that I had the chance to work at the Shelter and I wish them the best of luck in the future. I’ll keep in touch with them and do my best to keep you up-to-date on how to help them!

Water

Since coming to Botswana, I've become much more conscious about how much water I am using. Being dry and landlocked, Botswana has severe drought issues.

A drought here may mean several years without any rain at all, so people do their best to conserve water.

I've gotten in the habit of getting just enough water on my hands to lather the soap before washing and then turning the tap on again to rinse. Also, I've tried to take shorter showers. The hot water lasts for a while here, and I've been known to take some pretty epic showers, but I've tried to cut back on showering time to save the precious water.

Knowing that how much water I use directly affects the quality of life for Batswana, it has been easier to think in eco-friendly terms. I think this is the mindset that everyone needs to have when it comes to our consumption of natural resources, and travel can play a major role in reframing those understandings.

People may not be able to understand the need to protect something as abstract as our "environment," but having a better understanding of the peoples who are impacted by careless actions may change minds.

Reflections on Week 2 of work

As I'm going into my third and final week of work at the Women's Shelter, I want to take some time to reflect on my second week.

Many parts of week two were frustrating. The internet was (and remains) dysfunctional. For an entire week, the organization has been working without the ability to send or receive emails or use the world wide web. I've asked multiple times if the internet provider has been contacted, only to hear, "I'm sure somebody has called." It seems everyone is waiting for somebody else to handle the situation.

Additionally, structural issues within the organization have become more apparent. In a Friday meeting, one of the volunteers--who has been working there for over a year--had to ask, "What is our chain of command here?" Also, the lack of paid staff and reliance on volunteers sometimes creates an unsteady dynamic between the people in the office. It seems that unpaid volunteers are often much more enthusiastic and productive than their paid counterparts.

On the other hand, however, I've also experienced some really heart warming moments with the women who live at the shelter. Lauren and I created a basic computer hardware lesson for them that we presented on Thursday morning. Edna, the housekeeper/phone operator for the drop-in center also participated. After the lesson, we allowed them to experience what typing on a keyboard was like.

It was the first time most of them had ever typed their names on a computer. Watching their faces light up as the letters appeared on the screen made me realized that, despite our frustrations, we are making a difference at work. Basic computer skills are essential in most jobs, so teaching these women to understand and use computers will make them much more employable.

Today, upon hearing about last week's computer lesson, Joyce--one of the survivors who is in charge of the craft projects that the women do--asked me to teach her to touch-type. We started with the home keys and went from there! She practiced all day.

The computer lessons, in addition to the gardening that we did today to provide fresh veggies and a hobby for the women at the shelter, have given me a better appreciation for the little things that can really brighten someone's day. This is one of the many new understandings that I will bring home from Botswana.

Demonstrating how to use a mouse.

The Second Phase of Culture Shock (Better known as the Botswana ATM fiasco of 2009)

They say that the first phase of culture shock is the "honeymoon." Upon arrival in a new place, the traveller is enamored with the sights and sounds of his or her new environment. However, after a while, the second phase, "negotiation," sets in.

Negotiation is basically a nice way of saying that anything and potentially everything about said new place is suddenly acutely annoying.

I try to be both prepared and flexible when I travel. I think it's important to plan things ahead of time and know what to expect, while at the same time remaining relaxed about the unexpected.

But even the most flexible of travellers can be frustrated by something going terribly wrong by no fault of their own.

That being said, as many of you may or may not know, my Chase debit card was recently devoured by a voraciously hungry ATM.

This happened on June 28th, but I'm just now taking time to process my experience. I'll say in advance that I've slowly but surely sorted out my finances here, and everything's going to be just fine.

There was nothing wrong with the card or account, the ATM just had a "technical error" that kept the card trapped inside the machine. It could have happened to anybody, but of course it happened to me: an American with 3 more weeks in Botswana and no other way to access cash.

My initial reaction, after the error message appeared on the machine, was to freak out. Luckily, that feeling passed in a few seconds, and I was able to begin thinking strategically about how I would deal with the situation. I headed home and called the bank that was associated with the ATM, First National Bank Botswana.

This was my phone conversation with the man on the other end:

FNB Man: Hello?
Me: Hello?
FNB Man: Hello?
Me: Is this First National Bank?
FNB Man: Yes?
Me: With whom am I speaking?
FNB Man: (indiscernible Setswana name)
Me: Well, I just had a problem with one of your ATMs. I used my card at the ATM at Main Mall, the one that is detached from the bank, and it told me there was a technical error and my card couldn't be returned.
FNB Man: (silence)
Me: I was wondering if you could offer me any guidance on how I might be able to get the card back. I'm a visitor here and I don't have another way to access money.
FNB Man: (silence)
Me: Is there anything you can do to help?
FNB Man: ...the machine took your card?
Me: Yes, the machine took my card, is there a way I can get it back?
FNB Man: (silence)
Me: Hello?
FNB Man: Hello?
Me: Can you help?!
FNB Man: Well, you should go to the bank tomorrow morning at 9am, when the bank opens and you can get your card back then.
Me: Okay, so I just go to the bank and they can return my card?
FNB Man: Yes. No problem.
Me: So I go to the branch at Main Mall?
FNB Man: Yes, Main Mall branch. You should go there early.
Me: Thank you very much, have a good day.
FNB Man: (hangs up)
Me: Arrghghg!!!!

The next step was to notify my parents of my misfortune. I sent frantic emails to both parents and my sister telling them that somebody needed to call Chase ASAP. Luckily, my mother, ever at the ready, was able to get in touch with Chase and put the card on hold until I was able to get it back. Stateside, all was taken care of.

Back in Africa, however, I still had to actually get the card back. So the program coordinators for our trip, Dr. Bates and Dr. Pillay, along with Karabo, our student guide, went with me to the Main Mall branch of FNB where we began queueing in front of the bank. Of course, about 2 minutes before the bank actually opened, the queue dissovled into a mass of people pushing towards the doors--it was every man for himself.

Once we were inside the bank, we had to figure out where to go to get the card. Luckily, a female staff member spotted us (a skinny white girl with long blonde hair is hard to miss here) and tried to help. I told her about how and where I'd lost the card and about my phone conversation the day before. She told me what I feared: it was actually not bank policy to return cards found in ATMs. However, because I was a foreigner (read: "white"), she would try to get the card for me. She took my passport and went to look for the card.

She came back out to the lobby with a confused look on her face. "You lost your card in this ATM?" she asked, pointing to the ATM directly outside the bank. "No," I reminded her, "I was using the ATM down the strip." Her face crinkled up and I knew something was wrong. "That ATM belongs to the other branch of FNB."

After a long discussion with Karabo about directions, we hopped back into the car and headed over to the other FNB branch where we were greeted by a helpful gentleman who took us to the correct counter and helped me explain what had happened to the employee there. They futzed around for a while, acting as if they might be looking for the card. I leaned over my shoulder to Karabo and my professors and said, "I'll bet you 60 Pula they say they've never heard of that ATM before."

Luckily, after much explaining, they did seem to acknowledge the existence of the hungry ATM and more futzing ensued.

Finally, a woman came to the counter and handed me a blank piece of paper. "You'll have to write out an official, written complaint," she said, "and then come back in the afternoon."

Smoke almost came out of my ears. "No, I'm sorry...just forget about it," I said, "that's too long to wait. Just forget about it." The employees were so lackadaisical about the situation, I didn't feel comfortable leaving my the card with them all day

Suddenly, Dr. Odirile's warnings about Botswana customer service, or lack thereof, became very real to me. How could a phone operator for a major national bank answer the phone with "Hello?" How could a bank official give me incorrect information about bank policy? How could the ATM at Main Mall not be affiliated with the FNB branch at Main Mall? How could bank employees be so relaxed about something as sensitive as a bank card? By my American standards, the experience highlighted a major lack of professionalism when dealing with customers.

After my surrender to the ATM gods, I went back to work at the shelter, where I found that the internet was down and I had no way to get in touch with my family to tell them to cancel the card.

At this point, I was pretty burnt out with Botswana. The major cultural differences had finally gotten to me. So I tried to focus on the good.

I'm still frustrated with the bad customer service, lack of toilet paper, and stares, but I'm continuing to try to adapt myself to Botswana, rather than wasting time by complaining about how Botswana isn't adapted to me. I'm learning to assert myself in queues, bring my own TP, and say Dumela mma/rra to people who stare at me. This is the third and final stage of culture shock: acceptance.

Botswana is a beautiful country with wonderful people. So far I've had amazing experiences here and I'm looking forward to making even more memories in my last two weeks here.

In fact, I think everyone should experience Botswana if you get the chance. Just consider bringing two ATM cards.

Gaborone's Natural Beauty

Wednesday was President's Day here in Bots (that's what people here call Botswana, "Gabs" is Gaborone) so we got the day off to explore some of the natural wonders around the city. Our first stop after lunch was the Gaborone Game Park, where Taps and Ali (the transport guys) drove our bus through the bush. We saw all sorts of wildlife and enjoyed the scenery.

Karabo explained that this game park doesn't have the "Big Five": Hippos, Rhinos, Elephants, Lions, and Giraffes. I didn't care though--I was incredibly impressed with the variety of animals there.

Since pictures are worth a thousand words...

Some antelope--I think these are impala

A Vervet Monkey

Ostrich! I don't think I'd seen a live ostrich before. They are MUCH bigger than I imagined!

The monkeys near the picnic area allowed us to get really close. Obviously people have been feeding them. They're not stupid! They know where to hang out!

Our second stop in exploring Gaborone was Kgale Hill, a very prominent, rocky "hill" (small mountain,) which is visible from most of Gaborone. We expected a hike but got a climb! The terrain was rougher than I expected and my heart was pouding by the time I got to the top, but the view was worth it! We were able to watch the sunset there and walk down as it was getting dark. Unfortunately, my digital camera started dying while we were on the mountain so I only have a few digital photos. Luckily, I had my old fashioned film camera! Of course I won't be able to see those until I get home!

I made it to the top! Yay!

I love me a good sunburst photo!

A view of the area around Gaborone

A view of Gaborone

Setswana Lesson

I thought I'd do a quick basic Setwana lesson to go over some important phrases. Obviously, I'm nowhere near proficient in the language, but I know enough to impress people with a few words. I've found that the best way to deal with the endless staring is to simply say hello in Setswana.

Dumela rra: Hello sir
Dumela mma: Hello ma'am
Dumelang borra le bomma: Hello ladies and gentlemen (actually, gentlemen and ladies)

Batswana--remember: that's plural while 'Motswana' is singular--are very polite and almost always say sir or ma'am. Although I've been told it's strange to say that to anyone your same age, I usually say rra or mma just to be sure.

Go Siame (ho see ah mee): Goodbye
Le kai: How are you (plural)?
Ke teng: I am well.
Re teng: We are well.

In Setswana, when someone asks how you are, it means your entire family--hence, the plurals.

Ke kopa...: I am asking for...

This is used for just about everything: ordering food, making purchases, etc.

A lot of words are borrowed from English and Setswanafied. For example:

Borotho (bo ro to): Bread
Sukiri (soo kee ree): Sugar
Thanki (tank ee): Thank You
Tschentshi (chenge ee): Change
Madi: Money

Some other important things to know:

Ke a go rata thata (kay ah ho rah tah taaah tah): I love you very much
Boroko: Goodnight
Ke bokae?: How much?
Tswe tswe: Please

That's all for now, look for more Setswana to come!

Makgoa!

They "Hey Whitey" incident was the big kick off to a long string of reminders that I am a white person in Botswana, and therefore a part of a small and relatively secluded minority.

From what I've gathered, the white people in Botswana live mostly in wealthier areas of Gaborone and speak very little Setswana. They seem to have a tendency to stay away from the poorer areas unless they are people like us: volunteering for NGOs.

We learned from Thato and Karabo that the word for white people here is Makgoa (mahk-hoa, 'g' in Setswana is guttural like a German 'ch'--the best way to translate it is with an 'h'). Just one white person is a Lekgoa.

The 'kgoa' sound is used to indicate that Batswana didn't know where white people were coming from--they just knew they had boats. So they assumed white people were spit out of the ocean. It's interesting, however, that they do not refer to Afrikaaners as Makgoa.

We explained to Thato and Karabo that, in the United States, somebody would never go up to a group of African Americans and yell "black people!" Karabo especially, however thinks this is hilarious and will often shout "white people!" to get our attention or "black people!" to refer to himself and other Batswana.

We've encountered some interesting situations here, ranging from completely benign to highly irritating, thanks to the color of our skin. We are often treated differently, for better or worse, than Batswana.

People here often automatically speak English to us, even when we tried to speak Setswana to them. At the stores, I might greet the cashier with "Dumela mma" and get "Hello, how are you?" in return. The assumption seems to be that white people just don't speak Setswana.

When we do get beyond "Dumela" in a conversation, people are always surprised. Kids have especially remarkable reactions. They rarely see white people, let alone white people who will wave and sing the Setswana version of "Head, shoulders, knees, and toes" with them!

Mostly, we just get stared at a lot, because we obviously don't belong, and often we're treated very well--it's like we're guests of the entire country. However, there have been a few annoying things about standing out so much.

Just today, Chris and I got a taxi with Karabo to go to Riverwalk mall to cash Chris's traveler's cheques. When we got the taxi, which is supposed to be 18 Pula, the driver charged us 30 Pula (more than a cab would charge!) just because we were obviously foreign.

Also, teenage boys here--like a most teenage boys--like to make cat calls to girls. Because we stand out so much, we are especially targeted. The noises they make to girls are hissing noises (tssss tsssss...) and clicking noises that one would use to get a horse's attention. It's never a good feeling to feel like a horse! We've realized that it's best to just ignore it, but everytime it happens, it's more and more tempting to yell something back.

So far, this trip has made me much more aware of my so-called "race." Being white in the United States is seen as a kind of neutral state, and being another race is often framed as a deviation in another direction from that neutrality. Here, being white means living outside the norm and being constantly aware of how you look to other people.

I've confirmed with a few other people in the group that we'd like to just yell, "Makgoa!" every time we walk into a restaurant, mall, or store to ease the tension and acknowledge our whiteness.

...But I'm pretty sure that'd just make us stand out more.

First week of placements

After having travelled around in the car all day on Tuesday, we were a little worried about what the rest of the week would be like at the Women's Shelter.

Wednesday, we went to the Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Program in Lobatse. There, we heard a few speakers on relevant topics and watched Zodwa, an employee at the shelter, give a presentation about our initiatives. The day was long, but lunch was included! We also got to introduce ourselves to those present at the conference and explain why we were there.

Thursday, we had an awesome opportunity to spend some more time at the shelter itself. We got to see the kids and have some more discussions with the women. I went with "mother" (the shelter's house mother) to go buy groceries for the women. She said that the women take turns cooking and cleaning; she buys groceries every 2 weeks.

Today, we finished up a computer studies class that we'd started yesterday. We are going to teach the women at the shelter about the hardware of a computer so that they can move on to understanding how to use a computer. This will be a very useful skill set for them once they leave the shelter. We also began compiling a list of potential U.S. donors to whom we will send letters explaining the mission of the shelter and the financial need.

We compiled our expectations and goals into a project plan for the director of the shelter.

In the evenings we've been doing a wide variety of things. On Wednesday night, we played catchphrase in the boys' room. Last night we watched Brazil play South Africa in soccer (cheering for South Africa, of course.) Tonight, we are planning on going back to the restaurant where we watched the game and having pizza for dinner! Yum!

First days at the Women's Shelter

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Yesterday was our first day at our NGO placements.

I am working at the only Women's Shelter in the entire country of Botswana with Lauren Blalock. We began our day by touring the Drop-In Counseling Centre and reading their 2008 Annual Report. By reading these reports, we found that they are running a deficit of thousands of dollars (USD, not Botswana Pula) and have no attorney associated with their organization. If a woman wants a divorce or needs/wants to address a violent situation with legal action, they must refer her to an attorney with another organization.

After our orientation, we went to the village to see a woman's home. She is pregnant and already supporting 4 children and her husband is absent. The whole family sleeps in one room. They have another room with a TV, some couches, and a refrigerator--as well as a toilet room. They have no kitchen. There was only enough food in the house to last them through the day. The children rely on their father or relatives to get to school. If he doesn't come, they can't get to school. He comes maybe once-a-week, usually Monday. Tuesday and Wednesday he stays with his girlfriend. On Thursday he gets paid. Then, he spends the whole weekend spending his paycheck and returns to the house on Monday, saying that his paycheck is gone.

All four of her children are boys. The two who were home when we were there were so cute and happy. It was terrible to know that they have no father in their home to show them how to be men. It is easy to see how a cycle of absenteeism for fathers continues in situations like these. These little boys don't know that their daddy is supposed to come home and care for them--so how will they know to do that for their own children?

They offered her an opportunity to come to the shelter, but she wants to stay at home for now and work towards a legal separation and then divorce. She says all she wants is money for rent and for the children.

This meeting was very difficult for me to sit through. I felt angry that a man could treat his family this way and I felt frustrated that the wife was willing to ask for so little. She doesn't care about the girlfriend, the drinking, or the fact that he's never home. She just wants her kids to have food, a home, and an opportunity to go to school--even knowing that he is out spending his money on gambling and alcohol.

The staff at the Centre take it all in stride. Keke, the "intern director" (I think he gave himself this title,) told us that he tries to stay positive when he counsels clients. He might even chuckle at something bad that a man does to show the women that their situations are avoidable. He told us that one can't take life too seriously when working there or depression will set in. Positivity and optimism rubs off on clients.

Lastly, we had an opportunity to sit in on their staff meeting. This was one very serious aspect of life at the Centre. They are very close to closing. They are seriously in need of financial support. Lauren and I feel that this is one way that we can really help them.

After coming back from work, we had group meetings to discuss our days. Lauren and I volunteered to present a paper about the Women's Shelter at a conference in two weeks. Hopefully, we will be able to spread some awareness through our presentation.

After our meeting and dinner, we watched Mr. Bones--one of Karabo's favorite movies. It is South African and smacks of British humor. It was a little strange, but very funny.

Today was our second day at the Shelter. We were a little frustrated because we spent most of the day driving around, running errands. As interns, we feel under-utilized so far; we're hoping we can get some more direction on tasks that can actually help them. If we just shadow the staff, we will be a burden.

We had an opportunity to go to the shelter itself today. Four women live there right now. One of them has three children. We didn't get to stay for long, but the facility is very nice and is staffed by a housemother who makes the women feel safe.

We also went out to Bokaa, a village outside of Gaborone, where we met the chief to discuss plans for an upcoming workshop.

Hopefully, we will have an opportunity for some more activity tomorrow. I will keep everyone updated on what we're working on!

In other news, some people are starting to have crazy dreams related to our prophylactic Malaria medications. (Which is unfortunate, because it is definitely too cold here for mosquitoes.) Last night, one of the girls in my apartment thought she was talking to two of the boys on the trip--then she realized she was hallucinating and talking to the wall. Other people have reported some strange dreams.

Luckily, I'm on Malarone, which does not cause these side-effects. Although I do have to make sure I take it with food because sometimes people are likely to vomit after taking it. Shockingly, despite my sensitive stomach, this hasn't happened. I think it's because the medication is supposed to be taken with something milky because of the protein. Luckily, our breakfasts are full of protein. I eat an egg and bacon every morning.

Last day of class, placement, and the French Music Festival

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Today was our last day of classes at UB. Next week we will begin our internships with NGOs. More on that later.

Today in class we heard a few speakers, but we first played a "game" that simulated the effects that HIV/AIDS has on the lives of the affected. We began the game with beads representing our grandmother, grandfather, mother, father, sister, brother, and best friend. As we went from table to table, we rolled a die which assigned us a fate such as "grandmother dies of old age," "sister is infected with HIV," "father dies of AIDS," "mother dies of malaria," etc. It was very difficult to put beads away or change the color of beads to indicate infection.

Sometimes, one of the numbers on the die would indicate that "life goes on as normal." This was actually the most difficult part of the exercise. Life can't go on as normal after a family member or friend dies or is infected with HIV. Even in places like Botswana, where anti-retrovirals are readily available and the lifespan of an HIV positive person is drastically expanded, taking drugs everyday that can have irritating to debilitating side-effects is not "life goes on as normal." Even with the best counseling services available, losing a family member--maybe the breadwinner for the family--is not "life goes on as normal."

Overall, the game was an excellent way to display how deeply HIV affects the lives of everyone, not just the infected.

After our classes, we had a meeting to discuss our placements for internships. Because there has been lot of shuffling around, and because BONELA decided not to participate in the program, I have been placed at the only women's shelter in Gaborone. I am looking forward to the experience for myself. However, I am concerned that I will not be able to help them enough. I hope that my experience in organization and communications along with my cultural anthropology perspective, I will be able to help them with the logistics of the shelter--even if I am not trained to counsel the women themselves.

We spent the afternoon and evening at the French Music Festival. Contrary to our initial assumptions, this was not a Festival for French Music. Rather, it was a music festival, sponsored by the French embassy, a french school, and other companies. There was a wide variety of music, as well as crafts and food for sale. The music really showed how cosmopolitan Gaborone can be: there was a heavy metal band with a black African singer and a blues band made up of white South Africans--not what you'd expect! My favorite performance was by Mogwana, a traditional dancing group. The food was delicious and I was able to buy some gifts for my family, so all-in-all, it was a very good night!

The Mogwana dancers were very intense and expressive.

Cultural Village

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I wrote a quick post this morning to cover what we did last night. However, I didn't have time to write about our trip to the Cultural Village Friday afternoon. The Cultural Village is set up to provide people with a sense of traditional Setswana culture. Dan and a UB Motswana peer guide were chosen to be participants in a wedding ceremony. We had a chance to see how the ceremony was performed and the duties of man and wife that followed. We also had a chance to learn some Setswana games and eat some delicious food.

The wedding ceremony

On the night of the honeymoon (wedding night,) the grannies snoop outside the newlyweds' house.

One of the wife's duties in Setswana culture is spreading cow dung on the floor of the house to keep snakes away. This is when the American girls realized we were glad we hadn't volunteered to be the wife!

We had a chance to try our hands at molding with REAL clay from the river. I made a person.

These ladies were limber! They showed us all kinds of dances and sang songs for us. We even got to dance with them.

We were taken to a lookout point where you can get a great view of the areas around Gaborone.

This might have been the best meal of the trip to date. The white cornmeal mixture is really starting to grow on me and that bread was delicious!

It was really amazing to see how life goes on in a traditional Setswana village. The women were so friendly and really made us feel welcome, making the visit one of my favorite parts of our trip so far.

Tuplojustohampurilainen

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Last night we went out to a restaurant/bar in Gaborone called Bull and Bush. It was our first night "out on the town" and it was quite an experience!

When we arrived, we noticed an usually large number of white people. I asked Karabo if that was normal for the bar and he said it was. It seemed like it was an ex-pat hangout for South Africans and Europeans. There is a Finnish guy who also lives at UB near us who was there. I tried out my Finnish words, "Terve" (greetings) and "Tuplojustohampurilainen" (double cheeseburger), on him and he seemed impressed. There were a few Americans there: our group of OU students, some UPenn students, and the US Marines who guard the American embassy in Gaborone.

There was a live singer there for a while who sang some classic bar tunes (ABBA, Tina Turner, Pink Floyd...) and some Afrikaans songs. I'm convinced she was on crazy pills, because she was running around the seating area, singing, dancing on tables, and apparently being harrassed by some drunk South African who wanted her microphone. She kept calling for the bouncer through her microphone while continuing to sing...Very strange.

As the night went on, the singer left and a DJ came so that people could dance. They played mostly American R&B and pop music, but they used some remixes that I wasn't familiar with. The whole group had fun dancing. Thato and Karabo are great dancers, and they put us all to shame.

In typical OU fashion, some of our group wanted some food after our night out. Nothing is open that late in Gaborone except a "fast" (a very loose term) food joint called Bimbo's. Karabo took us there so that some people could get food. It took a loooong time, so I chatted with Karabo, who was the other person drinking just Coca-Cola with me all night.

We came back and settled in for the night. Now it's time for another day of excitement in Gaborone!

Driving on the wrong side of the road

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I know I didn't come all the way to Botswana just to get pancaked trying to cross the street, but if I don't start looking right first before I cross, I might just become African roadkill.

This is just one of the colonial remnants that I'm having a hard time adjusting to here. Trying to spell things with the letter 'Z' (zed) or talk about band-aids (plasters) are some other difficulties.

However, I am having no trouble dealing with tea time. As they say in Setswana, "Ke kopa tea thata!" I like tea time a lot! I never drank tea at home, but I think I will start when I get back. It's a great pick-me-up in the morning!

Some pictures of our classroom. We learn Setswana and hear speakers here.

"Hey Whitey!"

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I am adding some pictures to my blogs (backdated), so be sure to check them out!

Today we began to delve more intensively into issues regarding HIV in Botswana in addition to our Setswana lessons. Dr. V. Chipfakacha from SADC (Southern African Development Community) came to speak to us about his approach to HIV/AIDS. In addition to an overview of what HIV/AIDS is and how it is affecting southern Africa, Dr. Chipfakacha gave us some special insight into the disease in this context.

He had us begin by making a tree. At the roots, we wrote the causes of HIV: poverty, mother-child transmission, sharing needles in drug users, unsafer sex practices (he stresses that there is no "safe sex"), lack of sex education, gender inequality/violence, etc. At the trunk, we wrote effects: girls forfeit education to run households, gender inequality, rape as treatment, stigma/discrimination, morbidity/mortality, poverty/lower productivity.

Amongst the branches, he made us put flowers. The flowers, he said, were the positives of HIV. We sat silent for a while--we often do not think that there can possibly be a positive to something like HIV/AIDS. However, after a little coaxing, we did come up with four flowers: women's empowerment, a multi-sectoral response, multi-billion dollar industry, and bringing countries together against a common threat.

With these causes, effects, and "flowers" of HIV in mind, we went on to discuss more about the disease. Dr. Chipfakacha stressed that "mass killer are nothing new to Africa." Malaria is endemic and still kills about as many people as AIDS in Africa. Mass killers are also nothing new to the world: he gave examples like the AD 541-542 plague in Constantinople where 10,000 people died daily and the Black Death where 25 million people died in three years from AD 1347-1350 and 137 million died by AD 1700. The pattern that we must observe, he argues, is that "epidemics follow development."

Earlier, I wrote that Gaborone's growth contrasted starkly with the HIV pandemic. Understanding that this is a normal pattern helps me to comprehend how the fastest growing economy in Africa can also have the highest HIV prevalence rates.

We also discussed the nature of germs. A germ of any kind cannot kill off ALL of its hosts--because if it doesn't have hosts, it will die too! This is why epidemics follow an S curve. They get bigger and bigger, but eventually level off.

These two understandings are vital to redefining our views of and approaches to HIV/AIDS prevention, education, treatment, etc.

Dr. T. Maudeni came to speak to us as well. She has intensively studied sociocultural factors that place males at risk of HIV/AIDS in Botswana. She is a UB professor, but the research was funded by OSSREA (Organization for Social Science research in Easter and southern Africa.) She discussed the seven main factors that she found in her study:

1. Males learn about sex from peers and media
2. Sugar-Mummy Syndrome
3. Absence of community and family based socialization agents
4. Inadequate knowledge about HIV/AIDS
5. Views about vulnerability
6. Views about sexual relations with females
7. Silence of the family

In her brief discussion of "ways forward," she noted that empowerment of families and engaging teachers are important steps to combat these vulnerabilities in men.

Both of our speakers were very informative, but our day was long and we were ready for some fun! We went back to Riverwalk to do some shopping (I got jelly flats for P17.50--about $3--each) and to have dinner. We ended up eating at the same restaurant that we ate at in South Africa. It was just as good the second time around. I did realize to a larger extent the political incorrectness of the restaurant's Native American logo. It would never fly in the US!

Also, I should note that on the way to the mall, some of the men waiting for Combis decided to yell, "White people! White people!" at us. As we continued along, they yelled, "Hey Whitey!" at us. We are REALLY starting to feel what it's like to be a part of the very small minority!

Orientation Day

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Today was our first day of real orientation to the University and Gaborone (pronounced Ha-ba-ron-eh in Setswana.) We began the day with some exercises to explain our expectations from the program and had a few Setswana lessons. We also got a tour of the University from Karabo and Tato and an welcome session from UB’s international office.

This is my first time in a foreign country at a University. I know many international students at Ohio University, but now I’m getting to experience what it’s like to be an international student myself. Along with that, I'm also getting the experience of being noticeably foreign--or "exotic" as Dr. Pillay says. In my travels to Europe, I've certainly stuck out because of my way of dressing, mannerisms, lack of fluency in the language, and my touristy activities. However, the way that I looked was never the thing that defined me as foreign. Now, the color of my skin makes me stand out as obviously "other." People definitely want to know who we are and where we came from. Only 3% of the population in Botswana is white; so even if we lived here, we would be oddities. While it's a little strange to be so obviously out-of-place, it is fun to greet people on the street with "Dumela!" They look so surprised to see white people speaking Setswana.

For breakfast this morning, we also had boiled and fried eggs and a little fruit. Also, today we had tea time, which was very well received. We’re wondering why we don’t have tea time in the States! I haven't been a big tea drinker for most of my life, but it's chilly in the mornings here and tea is a nice way to relax and recharge mid-morning.

We (and our digestive systems) are slowly adjusting to the food, but generally it has been very good. I’ve tried almost everything (there are too many options to try every dish at every meal,) and I haven’t yet found anything totally revolting. I have heard that there is a kind of worm that is a delicacy here in Botswana that we might be trying. I’m starting to psych myself up for that experience!

After our lessons today, we went back to the mall. I didn't need anything, but I went along just for fun and another chance to walk around the city. The weather is just about perfect here. Just a little chilly in the mornings and evenings and warm and sunny in the days; there is no humidity. So, I like to take any chance I can get to be outside. The designers of the University obviously understood the neccesity of taking advantage of the weather, because the campus is very open and airy with a lot of courtyards.

After we returned from the mall, we had some dinner and then changed to play some sports at the University sports areas. People played volleyball for a while and then I think they played some football (soccer.) However, I left with some of the other girls to get the internet working in my room.

That being said, the internet is working! Thanks to Clare Mulach's magical notepad with connection instructions that apparently work by simply being placed next to one's laptop, I was able to get the ethernet to connect. Hopefully this will mean much more regular posts (and no backdating--like I did on the last one!)

First Day in Botswana

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The flight from Columbus to Atlanta was awfully bumpy and made me a little nauseated. The flight from Atlanta to Johannesburg was not as bumpy, but obviously considerably longer. I didn’t sleep very well on the plane and it has affected my ability to adjust to the time zone—so pardon me if this blog jumps around a little.

Our overnight stay in Johannesburg was at the Garden Court Hotel, just by the airport. I roomed with Mandy Heck, another student on the trip. We had a very nice room. We changed and went down with the rest of the group to the restaurant downstairs. Everyone tried at least a sip of Savannah lite, a South African malt cider that is also popular in Botswana. We’d heard about it from one of our program directors, Dr. Pillay, who is from South Africa; we knew we had to try it. The restaurant itself was actually American themed, so most of us had burgers or TexMex food for a late dinner.

Our hotel room in JoBurg

I didn’t sleep well in the hotel, despite being so tired from the plane—but it was nice to finally have someplace flat to sleep!

In the morning, we loaded our baggage onto a shuttle and made our way back to the airport for our South African Airways flight from Johannesburg to Gaborone. The flight wasn’t bad. It was a little bumpy but short. The pilot came on the speakers about halfway through to say, “We have now reached our cruising altitude and are ready to begin our descent into Gaborone.” It’s never easy on the stomach and ears to head back down as soon as you’ve finished take-off!

The airport in Gaborone was a stark contrast to the shiny, new, metropolitan airport in Johannesburg. The airport was clearly an older building and very small. It seems that it services only two airlines: Botswana Air and South African Airways. There is no real separation of the terminal/gates from check-in areas, although customs has a separate section. At the airport, we got some Botswana Pula (about 6-something to the dollar) and met the Batswana professors in charge of our program as well as Dr. Pillay, who had gone ahead of us to assure our arrangements.

The Gaborone Airport

Driving through Gaborone was a unique opportunity to see the city. Some areas are clearly very poor—but there are also giant buildings with bank and corporation names on them. The roads were paved and people drove Mercedes and BMWs, but people who walk use dusty dirt paths. It is clearly a city of contrasts, including the contrast between huge economic growth and a deadly pandemic; it’s hard to believe that around one out of every three people here is HIV positive.

When we finally reached the University of Botswana (UB,) we had a big lunch (ALL of the meals are big here) and were assigned our rooms. I am in an apartment of 6—all five of the girls I live with are a part of my program. Others are in apartments with other international students and Batswana grad students.

The living conditions are similar to dorms in the United States, although some of our things are in disrepair. My apartment doesn’t have a light in the kitchen or the bathroom and another group of girls is missing a toilet seat! We’ve had a little trouble with the internet—but that was just an IT issue. The conditions aren’t bad by any stretch of the imagination, but they have made us grateful for the conveniences of home.

My room at UB!

Helping us adjust have been Karabo and Thato. They are students here at UB and have been assigned to us as guides. I don’t know if they were ready for 20 OU students, but they have been incredibly flexible, helpful, and understanding with us. Like all other Batswana we’ve met, they are very hospitable. We’re starting to get to know them very well.

After getting somewhat settled into rooms, we went to the Riverwalk mall. The mall here is different from American malls; it has clothing stores, a movie theatre, and some restaurants—but it also has a grocery and and all-purpose store. The grocery, Pick N Pay, has all of the grocery items you would expect in the United States, including toiletries, detergent, fresh fruit and vegetables, etc. They even have some things that I liked a lot in Europe that I can’t easily find in the US, like Kinder Schokolade, orange Fanta, and TLC face cleansers.

After our visit to the mall, we had dinner (again, a LOT of food!) All of our meals have been chicken and beef with a lot of starches. Things I’ve read about a lot, like mealy-meal and sorghum are staples in the diet here. Mealy-meal was actually introduced as a way to keep people full, despite its total lack of nutrition. I didn’t realize it had been so accepted into the diet.

A typical Botswana lunch--with smaller portions

After dinner, we went to the boys’ apartment to play some Euchre and some people had a few of the African beers and ciders they purchased at the mall. A few people bought a bottle of famous South African wine—which was apparently very good. Then we went over to the international student lounge to watch USA v. Italy in football (soccer). USA lost, but it was nice to see the Batswana cheering for our team! (Or maybe just against Italia…)

I tried to stay awake for as long as I could, but around 9:15pm, I hit a wall that didn’t let me stay up any longer. I headed back to my room and had one of the best night’s sleep ever!

Arrived in South Africa

I've arrived safely in Johannesburg and am currently waiting for the flight to Gabarone. I'll write an update when I get there!

The Johannesburg Airport -- They are very excited for the FIFA World Cup!

Today's the Day!

My flight leaves early this evening! It seems everything's in order for a smooth trip.

As a requirement of the program, I had to write an "Initial Impression Paper" to describe what I expected Botswana would be like. I decided to share that paper here:

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Initial Impressions Paper

When travelling, I try not to have too many preconceived notions of the places I am going. The images I create in my mind are rarely accurate and usually not as good as what I ultimately end up experiencing. That being said, however, I have of course begun to imagine what Botswana will be like. I do not know how correct these assumptions are, but they are nevertheless the basis of my initial impressions of Botswana.

One aspect of life in Botswana that I have been forced to confront is the weather. I cannot very well pack my suitcase without some prior knowledge about the climate. I will admit I have done some research. I know that Gaborone is very close to the desert, and I know that deserts have high temperature fluctuations. With that in mind, I looked up the average highs and lows for Gaborone in June and July, as well as the precipitation averages. The data confirmed my suspicion that June and July are the middle of a dry winter with very little cloud-cover, leading to big temperature differences. Unfortunately, this has made my packing more difficult rather than easier.

In previous travels, I have found that I remember certain colors. From my experience living with a host family in southern Germany, I remember Bavarian blue; reflecting on my trips to the Czech Republic makes me think of the red dye that many women there use in their hair; and, oddly enough, I will always remember the strange, pink sauce on my hamburger at a small racetrack in Estonia. I will not know the colors that remind me of Botswana until after I have returned, but I can imagine what colors might stand out to me. For some reason, I associate the African continent with the color yellow—maybe it is because yellow is a prominent color in African flags, maybe because a few of my African studies textbooks have been yellow, or maybe the Sahara and Kalahari look yellow on maps. Whatever the reason, I expect to see more yellow there than I do at home.

I also know that the colors of people’s skin will stand out to me. Obviously, the United States has a racial majority of whites/Caucasians, albeit this majority is getting smaller and smaller all the time. I think being in the racial minority for the first time will be an eye-opening experience. I am eager to reassess and reshape my expectations that most people are white; I look forward to a white person being an anomaly, rather than the norm.

Smells are some of the most difficult things to imagine prior to a trip, but smell is always the first sense to bring back memories of my time abroad. I can still imagine the smells of the Steinbergers’ old Bavarian farmhouse in Aich and the fresh air off the vineyards that poured into our hotel window in South Tirol. I can not conjure up the scents of Botswana without having experienced them, but I do expect them to be different from anything I have smelled before. I think the air there will be fresher and the scent of the dirt will remind me how far away I am from home.

Having been told that a lot of the meals in Botswana consist of meat and starches, I have been wondering what the food will be like. For a long time, I was not a meat-lover at all. I desperately tried to be a vegetarian but settled for very little red meat and more fish. After being at college, I have become a much less picky eater. However, I will still choose raw fruits and vegetables over beef or chicken if given the choice. To me, meat and starches at every meal sounds flavorless and heavy. I think the diet will be the part of the experience that will follow the culture shock phases of honeymoon, negotiation, and adjustment.

Finally, the sounds that I expect to hear in Gaborone are very much like the smells: difficult to create without actual experience. Based on the size of the city, I expect to hear cars and voices on the street. However, at night, I think the city will be quieter than most since it seems that it has relatively little public nightlife.

On the one hand, I hope that Botswana lives up to everything I have imagined. On the other hand, I also hope that Botswana is totally different from everything I have imagined. I think it will be a little bit of both: the country itself will be unlike anything I could dream up, while the experience will be above and beyond my imaginings.