Greetings, humans!
This will probably be my last post until I get home, since things are pretty much wrapping up here in Gabs. Since I have the weekend free and some spare time, I thought I'd spend today making some final observations and going back to a few things that I didn't have time to get to before.
So, let the games begin!
First off, we're having a long weekend to celebrate Sir Seretse Khama, Botswana's first president, so I've had the last four days off and won't have class until Thursday. Since I've chosen not to travel to Victoria Falls with the majority of my group (reasons best explained in person) I've devised an extremely ambitious schedule of planting myself in various cafes, drinking massive quantities of rooibos tea, and sleeping for ten hours each night. I know that sounds awfully rigorous but I can handle it. I may finish a book or two.
On a side note, I saw Toy Story 3 and think it deserves about twenty Oscars.
The following conversation has occured almost daily, or whenever I meet someone new, since I arrived here:
Person From Botswana: What is your name?
Me: Hillary.
PFB: sdfiodje?
Me: Hee-lah-ree.
PFB: dfijdijd?
Me: Like Hillary Clinton.
PFB: Oooh, Hillary.
Apparently, they like her almost as much as Barack.
I have been pleased to note that the food has been suprisingly vegetarian-friendly, given the livestock-based culture. I think I have the British influence to thank for that, since most of the chain resturaunts are UK-based. Not to mention, the best Botswana delicacies are actually totally vegetarian. For example, the fatcake: A ball of dough fried in oil. It's like an unsweetened donut. Similarly, the dumpling: A ball of dough cooked in boiling water. It's like a crustless bagel. Thankfully, my host families have not tried quite as hard to fatten me up as some have in the past (my biggest point of contention with my host family in Thailand was my inability to eat nearly enough for them), because clearly it would be all too easy.
Each night, a show called Generations comes on at 8:00. This show is a soap opera with a capital S, but it's extremely addicting and I'm pretty sure that the entire country watches it. There are about tweleve different storylines- Paul and Karabo were engaged, but then she had an affair with Lungile and he had an affair with Dineo, who's living with her former husband Ken and trying to pretend to be interested in getting back together so that he'll let her stay, and...etc. I may have to see if it's on youtube when I get back, because I just don't know how I'll get around without knowing what happens to Kaphela and Sara!
So, it's been a good ride. I've met some cool people, drank a lot of tea, changed the course of my life, and all the things that you're supposed to do after a trip to Africa. This production of Hillary's Blog has been brought to you by Cadbury's Dairy Milk chocolate, FreshPak rooibos tea, and vaseline gel! In a few weeks, this space will be converted back to its usual forum for my political rants, so stay tuned if that sounds amusing to you.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Mochudi and Other Assorted Sidenotes
Hello from yet another internet cafe!
As suggested by the title, I spent last week in the village of Mochudi, about 40 minutes' drive from Gaborone. The purpose of this was to see how rural medicine works in Botswana, and also for the students who are staying the the dorms at the University of Botswana to get a chance to do homestays as well. (We were given a choice of where to stay in Gaborone, but everyone did homestays in Mochudi, so I've had two separate host families this trip!)
I'll address the rural medicine first. Essentially, clinics in Mochudi are exactly the same as in Gaborone. This makes sense, since the public clinics are all run by the Ministry of Health. Mochudi just wasn't as crowded; in Gaborone, when I arrive at the clinic at 6:45 each morning (my host mother drops me on her way to work), there are always people already lined up wating for the clinic to open at 7:30. In Mochudi, no one really got there until 9:00. So, what did I do all day? Not much. I literally read The Last of the Mohicans during my week in the clinic. Oh well.
My host family was great, however. When I arrived on Saturday, my mother took me to the funeral of one of her relatives, where I ended up making bread and was finally given a Setswana name (Banyana!). She wanted to know what all my pills were for and why my hair changed color after I washed it. (Answer: Because it was wet.) We had a good time.
On a side note, I have temporarily developed a phobia of dogs here. The dogs here aren't really pets; they're kept for security. Unfortunately, they do their jobs very well and I have been chased by dogs no less than four times in the past week. (Why me? It can't be the meat they smell in my blood.) I'm told they rarely actually bite, and they just bark to scare people. Well, it's working. Plus, I didn't get the rabies shot, so I really don't feel like taking chances. If anyone has a nice, chubby American dog that I can pet for a while when I get home, I'm sure I'll get over my fear in no time.
The program is starting to wind down now, as we have only twelve days left before departure. I'll have my last clinics and classwork next week, and then there's a long weekend during which I'll explore Gaborone, station myself in various cafes, and write my paper on my clinical experience. Then final exam, and then...airport! I'm looking forward to hanging out in Gaborone but also, of course, to coming home.
As suggested by the title, I spent last week in the village of Mochudi, about 40 minutes' drive from Gaborone. The purpose of this was to see how rural medicine works in Botswana, and also for the students who are staying the the dorms at the University of Botswana to get a chance to do homestays as well. (We were given a choice of where to stay in Gaborone, but everyone did homestays in Mochudi, so I've had two separate host families this trip!)
I'll address the rural medicine first. Essentially, clinics in Mochudi are exactly the same as in Gaborone. This makes sense, since the public clinics are all run by the Ministry of Health. Mochudi just wasn't as crowded; in Gaborone, when I arrive at the clinic at 6:45 each morning (my host mother drops me on her way to work), there are always people already lined up wating for the clinic to open at 7:30. In Mochudi, no one really got there until 9:00. So, what did I do all day? Not much. I literally read The Last of the Mohicans during my week in the clinic. Oh well.
My host family was great, however. When I arrived on Saturday, my mother took me to the funeral of one of her relatives, where I ended up making bread and was finally given a Setswana name (Banyana!). She wanted to know what all my pills were for and why my hair changed color after I washed it. (Answer: Because it was wet.) We had a good time.
On a side note, I have temporarily developed a phobia of dogs here. The dogs here aren't really pets; they're kept for security. Unfortunately, they do their jobs very well and I have been chased by dogs no less than four times in the past week. (Why me? It can't be the meat they smell in my blood.) I'm told they rarely actually bite, and they just bark to scare people. Well, it's working. Plus, I didn't get the rabies shot, so I really don't feel like taking chances. If anyone has a nice, chubby American dog that I can pet for a while when I get home, I'm sure I'll get over my fear in no time.
The program is starting to wind down now, as we have only twelve days left before departure. I'll have my last clinics and classwork next week, and then there's a long weekend during which I'll explore Gaborone, station myself in various cafes, and write my paper on my clinical experience. Then final exam, and then...airport! I'm looking forward to hanging out in Gaborone but also, of course, to coming home.
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