Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Wish List


Some of you have been asking what we still would like sent…well that’s great because there are a few things we still need. Refer to our Virtual House Warming Party entry for shipping directions! Thanks

Contact solution opti-free
Citronella candles
Rechargeable AAA batteries (have the charger already)
Blank DVDs/CDs
3M hooks
Gardening gloves (woman’s M or men’s S)
240-120v converter plug-plenty of adaptors here
45spf sun block
1lb candy bars
A-shirsts (wife beaters) men’s M
Jolly ranchers-must have peach, my favorite!
Ball Pump Needle
Big tootsie rolls
Fruit snacks

Mokolodi Game Reserve

So one long holiday weekend, a group of about 15 Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) met up at a local nature reserve near Gaborone. The holiday was to commemorate the birthday (or death day, I can’t remember) of Botswana’s first president. His son is Botswana’s current president, President Khama. Funny fact: President Khama and President Obama have the same racial makeup. Yet President Obama is considered America’s first black president and President Khama is considered Botswana’s first white president.
Anyway, a nature reserve is different than a game reserve in that the animals are not 100% free roaming; there are fences around the reserve. The group of us rented three chalets that are built on one of the reserve’s major watering holes. The current dry season forced the animals to our door stops. The first night I caught a glimpse of a herd of zebras.
The setup was top notch. You could go on day and twilight safari’s, horseback riding, and nighttime safaris. Or you could just hang out with friends at the chalets. The first morning a handful of us got up early to see if there were any animals at the watering hole. Apparently they were just as cold as us. Nothing showed up until the sun was up for a while. At about 9 am, a huge group of baboons came to bask in the sun across the lake from us.
Lucas and I weren’t gonna be there long enough to take advantage of any safari tours. However we did befriend a South African couple who was staying in a near-by chalet. They explained to us that they come to the reserve for some peace and quiet. They didn’t get that staying near 15 PCVs…Anyway, they were extremely kind. There was a P10 charge to have the lodge come and pick us up to take us anywhere (we were too far away from the center and we were not allowed to walk…lions). The South African couple offered to drive us around the reserve. So 7 of us piled into their SUV and go to see ostriches (they like to chase each other), impala, lots of warthogs (think Pumba from The Lion King), wildebeest, and some beautiful views. On returning we found a group of giraffes at the watering hole. Unfortunately our group was too excited and they did not hang around long.
Because there was so many of us, we decided early on that four volunteers would buy food for the weekend and we would make group meals. All food was kept in the central chalet and the snacks and booze in another chalet. Lucas was put in charge of the braii (basically an African version of grill). We ate around one long table like a family, sharing stories about how everyone was doing at their new sites. It was very relaxing to hear English and not have to constantly translate conversation in your head. As it sometimes happens, our group had a few cocktails and were a little toasty by the time dinner was served. Half way through dinner, we notice baboons had broken into the upper chalet where all the alcohol was. About five of us chase them off and assessed the damages: boxes of wine were ripped open, tuperware was opened, and chocolate was eaten. Later we found that the baboons had tried to break into the lower chalet, which it turned out was locked. The baboons got so frustrated trying to break in; they gave up but still left two steaming piles of poop on the porch before they left. Baboons are such bitches!
Every night all of us would hang out around a fire. There were probably some kumbaya moments but a lot of fun all the same. Some of us (including us) had to take off a day early. Later we learned that three PCVs had gone on a horseback safari. They saw elephants, rinos, and even cougars. So Mokolodi was a fun spot to hang out with friends and catch site of some African animals (I don’t think I had ever seen a giraffe before). It was a good time. Hope you enjoy the photos.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

More Moments From Salajwe


These again are thought from my journal that I hope aren't too disorganized for you to understand. Cheers

  1. Paco had one end of the cut inner tube in his mouth & I would blow hard on the other end. His cheeks would puff out and then we'd laugh. (I'm still giggling) This was repeated at least 10 times.
  2. In my first workshop I noticed how literal each assignment was taken even for the teachers. It is very difficult to think outside the box. 5 min to pic the subject, 5 min to pick objectives, 5 min to plan, 20 min to formulate and discuss. Everything just takes longer and makes sure it es exactly right is the top priority. Maybe it's a fear of being wrong, subconscious fear of (corporal) punishment. Teachers should be encouraged to make mistakes, learn and go on.
  3. Masturbation can lead to cancer. (something I was told in a workshop) The points were, when the cells are heated and reheated time and again they can cause those cells to become cancerous. Rubbing the (female part) to hard causes inflammation. What...?
  4. Kgosi was fake fighting with me and to play fight back i did a, what I thought was gentle ankle pick. (just to make him stumble back a little) Well...he went down like a tone of bricks, bounced his face off the sand. Sand on his cheek and fright on his face he started to cry. It all happened so fast. I was so sorry, I picked him up and held him, telling him I was sorry and walking him around. Not long and he was done crying but still a little traumatized. I almost cried too.
  5. The next day (from the previous story) I was playing with Kgosi like nothing happened. Several days after that I'm pushing him on the tire swing and it happens again. His is sitting in it holding on with his arms above his head. I was pushing it hard, getting the max swing out of the rope length. At the peak of the swing, the rope snaps, tire goes flying and slams the ground, compressing his little body. Tears and surprise soon follow. I used the same comfort method as before and he seemed to understand it was an accident. :(
  6. We were digging in the garden today and pulled out a weave. Sick. A full weave of black fake hair.

And they just keep coming. Lucas