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