We had a half a day of training today, so I have a little bit of extra time to spend with the free wi-fi at the lodge- which means you get an extra blog entry! Yesterday and today we had training with our counterparts. Counterparts are the people we will be working the most closely with at our sites. They may be our supervisors or coworkers, or even just people we partner with on projects. Once we've been at site for a while, we may have multiple counterparts depending on our projects, but for now, we each have one associated with our official work sites. I will be working at Madiba Clinic in Mahalapye, which is a youth based clinic (very exciting!), and my counterpart is one of the nurses there. She also works with the PMTCT (prevention of mother to child transmission) program as a trainer. She has never worked with a Peace Corps volunteer before, but I think that she understands what volunteers are supposed to do, and I'm very happy to be working with her. I told her about my training and my interests, and she thinks we'll be able to do a lot of good work.
I have also learned more about my house- or perhaps I should say houses! Right now I have two potential houses. One is the house a Peace Corps volunteer has just moved out of. It's on a family compound, and it has electricity and indoor running water, a living room, a kitchen, a bedroom, and a bathroom, and it's fully furnished. However, it is a little far from the clinic I'll be working in, and the previous volunteer did have a break-in (she wasn't home when it happened, and security has been improved since then, so I'd still be comfortable with the situation), so my counterpart has also found another potential house with all the same amenities, but closer to my clinic. Peace Corps hasn't approved this new house yet, so for site visit this week, I'll be staying at the first house, but I'll get to see both, and it sounds like as long as Peace Corps approves both, I'll be able to choose which I prefer. Either way, I can't wait to have my own house again!
One more thing. My counterpart gave me my new address, so from here on out, please don't send things to the Peace Corps office in Gaborone- they won't appreciate it. Please send any mail to:
Melissa Berger
Madiba Clinic
Private Bag 2
Mahalapye, Botswana
Please make sure it has my name on it, and you may want to add Peace Corps in parentheses to make sure it gets to me. Packages are always welcome, but you may want to be careful about what you write about the contents- I have to pay customs on everything I receive here.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Monday, May 24, 2010
And the winner is....
So this morning we showed up at training at 9am for site placement announcement, and were seated in 56 chairs with numbers attached to them. The numbers dictated the order in which we would learn our fates. Mine was 15, but as we started with number 56, I had a while to wait. Once our numbers were up, we walked up to the front where we were given an envelope with a quote to read out loud and a number that corresponded to a site on the map of Botswana. I watched while people reacted with varying degrees of surprise, joy, and perplexity, all the while fixating on the sticky tack on my number card in nervous anticipation. Finally it was my turn. I opened the envelope, and matched my numbers, and learned that for the next two years I'll be living in....Mahalapye!
It's hard to describe how I feel about my placement. While I wasn't exactly jumping for joy, I am very happy with my site. Of course, I did want something a bit more rural (Mahalapye is big), and being a little further north would have been nice. It's not an exotic assignment like the Delta or the Kalahari, and I don't think it will be anything like what I pictured when I applied for Peace Corps. However, there are some definite upsides. Mahalapye is big, but it's certainly not a city, so I'll have opportunities to work on agriculture as a secondary project, which is something I'm very excited about. The location, while not exotic, is a good jumping off point to almost anywhere in the country, and I'll only be a couple hours away from both Gaborone and Francistown. Since I shadowed in the Francistown area, I'm already a little attached to it, and a lot of very cool people got placed in that area, so I think I may be visiting fairly frequently. I do have other volunteers that will also be in my village, an older couple that I get along really well with. I'm told that my house is in a nice area on the outskirts of the town, and that it's pretty new, with an indoor toilet (!!!!) and tile floors, but the clinic that I'll be working with is in a less developed area, and I'll have to take a couple combis to get there. When it comes to my actual work assignment, I couldn't be more thrilled. I'll be working in a youth based clinic (a relatively new idea here, but a good one), with opportunities to work with ARV adherence and youth groups. They've never had a Peace Corps volunteer before, so it'll be a new experience for all of us. The clinic is also only where I'm based- once I get to site I'll be doing a community needs analysis, and I may find projects to work on outside the clinic, too. I may get in touch with one of the schools to do some work there, and there's also a prison that I could be working with. We'll see what happens. Next week we only have training on Monday and Tuesday, and then from Wednesday til Sunday we'll be out visiting our sites, meeting our counterparts, and staying in our new houses. After site visits, we do come back to Moleps for a couple more weeks of training, but from here on out, everything will be more geared directly to learning how to do needs analysis and project development. It's getting real!!
After site announcements, we had a braai (barbeque) at one of the staff houses, where we grilled and ate burgers, drank “other beverages” (in the words of training director), danced, and generally let off some steam. I don't remember whose idea the braai was, was but it was sheer genius, exactly what we needed, especially after site placement. It was nice to be real people for once, relaxed and not worrying about breaking cultural norms. Someone said near the beginning of training that PST is intensely stressful not because anything we're asked to do is particularly difficult, but because you have to be on all the time. We have Setswana classes and tech training all day, and then we go home to our host families where we continue to learn culture and language until we go to bed. We occasionally escape to the lodge, but even there we have to be careful not to say or do anything that would make Peace Corps or the United States look bad, because while we are here in Botswana, we are representing both at all times. I think I'm making it sound terrible, which isn't really accurate- we do have fun at training sometimes, and I really like my host family- I'm just trying to get across why having a day like today was so appreciated. I feel like I got to talk to people I hadn't gotten to talk to much yet, and I think we all had fun planning our holidays and parties at people's various sites. I hope the people in Maun and Kasane and the Tuli Block mean it when they say they want visitors, because I think they won't have much of a choice!
Ok, it is now waaaaaayyyy past my bedtime, and I supposed to be going to church early in the morning. I'll update again if I find out any more important details about my site or if anything exciting happens, but otherwise, expect the next post after my site visit. Also, if anyone was planning on sending any packages or letters soon, either mail them immediately or hold onto them until I get my address at my actual site. Mail takes about 2 weeks to get here, not counting any time it gets held up at the embassy or the Peace Corps office, and I won't be in Moleps for too much longer!
It's hard to describe how I feel about my placement. While I wasn't exactly jumping for joy, I am very happy with my site. Of course, I did want something a bit more rural (Mahalapye is big), and being a little further north would have been nice. It's not an exotic assignment like the Delta or the Kalahari, and I don't think it will be anything like what I pictured when I applied for Peace Corps. However, there are some definite upsides. Mahalapye is big, but it's certainly not a city, so I'll have opportunities to work on agriculture as a secondary project, which is something I'm very excited about. The location, while not exotic, is a good jumping off point to almost anywhere in the country, and I'll only be a couple hours away from both Gaborone and Francistown. Since I shadowed in the Francistown area, I'm already a little attached to it, and a lot of very cool people got placed in that area, so I think I may be visiting fairly frequently. I do have other volunteers that will also be in my village, an older couple that I get along really well with. I'm told that my house is in a nice area on the outskirts of the town, and that it's pretty new, with an indoor toilet (!!!!) and tile floors, but the clinic that I'll be working with is in a less developed area, and I'll have to take a couple combis to get there. When it comes to my actual work assignment, I couldn't be more thrilled. I'll be working in a youth based clinic (a relatively new idea here, but a good one), with opportunities to work with ARV adherence and youth groups. They've never had a Peace Corps volunteer before, so it'll be a new experience for all of us. The clinic is also only where I'm based- once I get to site I'll be doing a community needs analysis, and I may find projects to work on outside the clinic, too. I may get in touch with one of the schools to do some work there, and there's also a prison that I could be working with. We'll see what happens. Next week we only have training on Monday and Tuesday, and then from Wednesday til Sunday we'll be out visiting our sites, meeting our counterparts, and staying in our new houses. After site visits, we do come back to Moleps for a couple more weeks of training, but from here on out, everything will be more geared directly to learning how to do needs analysis and project development. It's getting real!!
After site announcements, we had a braai (barbeque) at one of the staff houses, where we grilled and ate burgers, drank “other beverages” (in the words of training director), danced, and generally let off some steam. I don't remember whose idea the braai was, was but it was sheer genius, exactly what we needed, especially after site placement. It was nice to be real people for once, relaxed and not worrying about breaking cultural norms. Someone said near the beginning of training that PST is intensely stressful not because anything we're asked to do is particularly difficult, but because you have to be on all the time. We have Setswana classes and tech training all day, and then we go home to our host families where we continue to learn culture and language until we go to bed. We occasionally escape to the lodge, but even there we have to be careful not to say or do anything that would make Peace Corps or the United States look bad, because while we are here in Botswana, we are representing both at all times. I think I'm making it sound terrible, which isn't really accurate- we do have fun at training sometimes, and I really like my host family- I'm just trying to get across why having a day like today was so appreciated. I feel like I got to talk to people I hadn't gotten to talk to much yet, and I think we all had fun planning our holidays and parties at people's various sites. I hope the people in Maun and Kasane and the Tuli Block mean it when they say they want visitors, because I think they won't have much of a choice!
Ok, it is now waaaaaayyyy past my bedtime, and I supposed to be going to church early in the morning. I'll update again if I find out any more important details about my site or if anything exciting happens, but otherwise, expect the next post after my site visit. Also, if anyone was planning on sending any packages or letters soon, either mail them immediately or hold onto them until I get my address at my actual site. Mail takes about 2 weeks to get here, not counting any time it gets held up at the embassy or the Peace Corps office, and I won't be in Moleps for too much longer!
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Bits and Pieces
(written 5/18)
Hello again! Sorry for the length of time between entries, but I'll try to catch you all up as well as I can with one blog entry. For simplicity's sake, I'll break up the major events and updates into their own little sections
1. Shadowing
For those who are not quite sure what shadowing is, I'll attempt to explain here. As part of Peace Corps training, trainees are split up and assigned to a currently serving volunteer that they spend a couple days with to get a sense of what a volunteer really does. I shadowed Erica, an amazing volunteer who is based in the S&CD (social work) office as a CCB (same program as me) in a small rural village called Mokubilo, about 120k west of Francistown. Another trainee, Sydney, also shadowed Erica, and since there were a bunch of us taking the same bus into Francistown, we all met our shadowing hosts there for lunch at an Indian restaurant and a tour of the town. Francistown is the second largest city in Botswana, but it is still pretty small. There's an open air market atmosphere at the bus rank, and you can get cold drinks, produce, snacks, and air time pretty conveniently there. There are a couple mall-like areas with shops, restaurants, and grocery stores, as well as office buildings and a new stadium. We didn't spend too much time in Francistown, as we all had to catch rides to our actual destinations. There should have been an afternoon bus to Mokubilo, but bus schedules are not set in stone here, and by the time we finished our lunch, all the buses had left already. We took a cab to main road, and set out to find a ride. Hitching is not encouraged by the Peace Corps, but it is accepted that it is sometimes the only mode of transportation, especially when traveling in and out of very small rural villages. As Americans, we think of hitching as a negative thing that will only end badly for either the driver or the hitchhiker, but here in Botswana, most people do it, and it is generally a very safe and affordable way to get around. There are areas on main roads that are agreed upon 'hiking spots', and the hiker and the driver agree on a fee before a ride is accepted. And of course, hikers know to be on the look out for drunk drivers and vehicles that look like they're ready to fall apart. Anyway, it took a while to find someone heading the right way, but we eventually found a ride and made it to Mokubilo. Erica doesn't have electricity, so we made a lovely grilled cheese sandwich dinner by candlelight and headlamp-light. I learned a lot from my shadowing experience. I learned that no electricity is fine, but a real bath can be considered a coping mechanism (she had indoor running water!). I learned that watermelons in Botswana can be yellow inside and must be eaten by scooping with your hands and then slurping the juice- no knives or spoons allowed. I learned that it's important to know that there are times when jokes are an appropriate response, and that the people of Botswana have a great sense of humor. I learned that there might not be a lot of structure to my days once I'm at site, and that's ok. Erica has a few different projects that she is working on, including building a library, working with the HIV support group, teaching computer skills, and whatever is needed by the S&CD office, among others. She does some grant writing and fundraising, and always makes sure that she's not the one running the show, which is really the key to capacity building. I know she absolutely hates it when I say this, but I think she's doing a great job, and she really helped Sydney and I understand the role of a CCB. I learned a lot of other things and had other great experiences while shadowing, but you'll just have to ask me if you want to know more.
2. Setswana language lessons
We had our first language proficiency exam right before shadowing, and I placed novice-mid, which is where most people placed. I was a little disappointed with how I did, and didn't feel that I was able to show off the extent of my knowledge and that I got flustered with what was asked, but now I know what to expect. We switched up our classes and instructors after the exam, which I think was needed. I'm not really settled in with this group yet, but I like everyone in it, and think that aside from a little burn-out, we're doing fine.
3. Site Placement
No idea yet. We'll find out on Saturday where we'll be living for the next 2 years. This may be the longest week of my life.
4. Cultural visit
On Saturday, we went for a “cultural visit”, which ended up being a visit to see some rock paintings and some traditional dancing. The rock paintings were pretty cool, mostly pictures of animals painted by the bushmen (I know the term isn't exactly politically correct, but that's the term our guide used). A few of us scrambled up the rocks ( I felt like I was back in the Hudson Valley!), and got a pretty good view of the region. I'll try to get a picture up on here, despite the slow internet connection. The dancing was very interesting, and they even put on a mock wedding ceremony for us, with one of our instructors as the 'groom' and one of the trainees as the 'bride'. The traditions they showed us are not really part of every day life here anymore, but many children still learn the dances, and people are proud of the culture. I imagine that it's a lot like the Native American traditions in the US, but I'm definitely no expert. We also made a stop at place that sells handmade pottery, and we struggled to remember that we are not tourists who are leaving in a week, but people who will be living here for 2 years and have that length of time to accumulate things to bring back to the US. It's still hard to get my mind around that!
5. Odds and ends
As usual, life at PST has a lot of ups and downs. After shadowing, I was a on a high for a few days, and was very excited about seeing more of the country, getting to know people better, finding out our site placements, and beginning service. I really feel like I should say something more about the people here, because they are that amazing. It is incredible that there are 57 trainees, and in the whole group, I can't think of anyone I don't like and couldn't get along with. While some people have naturally gotten closer to some than others, there are no cliques. Everyone is very accepting, and there is no sufficient way to describe how wonderful it is to have a group of people backing you up who know exactly what you are going through. Sometimes it's tough to remember what a diverse group we are because of our common experience here, but when we remember it, it only adds value to the connections we've made. Within this group, there are people that I can see myself being friends with for a long time, people that I know I could really talk to if I needed to. There are people that have already accomplished things in their careers that I hope to accomplish in my future, people that can serve as mentors (and maybe even stand-in grandparents!), and people that are excited about the same things that I am excited about. It's true that if a few of us are down, sometimes it can drag the whole group down, but that has been pretty rare for us. Mostly we're holding each other up, even when we're commiserating.
However, there are always the downs, too. I went to Catholic Mass on Sunday for the first time since moving here, and while the service was lively and wonderful, I walked out missing home more than I have in a while. Sometimes doing things that I connect with home hurts more than it helps, but it's usually worth it. I can get all caught up in the things that I gave up to come here- two years of seeing my family in person, 2 years of holidays as I know them, 2 years of going to the beach, 2 years of hanging out with friends, 2 years of talking to all the people that have known me for most of my life, 2 years of snow and changing leaves, 2 years of driving a car, 2 years of seeing my younger siblings grow up and reach new milestones in their lives- and I wonder if it's worth it. Then this afternoon we found out that we had our first ET (early termination)- one of our fellow trainees made the decision that Peace Corps wasn't for her and asked to go home. While we completely understand (and we really, really do) and wish her the best in whatever she decides to do (and will miss her!), I know it has at least made me step back and think how I would feel if I were going home tomorrow. While I do miss home and don't anticipate that changing anytime soon, I don't think I would feel good about a decision to go home. I know that I'm here for a reason, and that I'd be disappointed in myself if I went home at this stage in the game. This is still an adventure for me, and I think I can see this through to the end. I have a lot of support from home, and a lot of support here in Botswana from staff, current volunteers, and fellow trainees. There are things that I want to do here. I want to get to site and see if I can hack it there. I want to see if there's a way that I can help people make their own lives a little better. I want to get to know my fellow volunteers better, and make friends within this new culture I'm trying to adapt to. I want to learn new skills and see what I can really do if given the opportunity, and I don't think I would easily find such an opportunity in the US. And I refuse to leave Africa until I have seen a lion, a hippo, and a zebra. The end. I'm staying, at least til then.
Please don't let any of that keep anyone from sending letters and packages and reminding me of home- like I said, it's worth it! Letters and packages are the highlight of the week when we get them. I'm still working on getting to the post office here, but I promise to write back. Hope to hear from you!
Hello again! Sorry for the length of time between entries, but I'll try to catch you all up as well as I can with one blog entry. For simplicity's sake, I'll break up the major events and updates into their own little sections
1. Shadowing
For those who are not quite sure what shadowing is, I'll attempt to explain here. As part of Peace Corps training, trainees are split up and assigned to a currently serving volunteer that they spend a couple days with to get a sense of what a volunteer really does. I shadowed Erica, an amazing volunteer who is based in the S&CD (social work) office as a CCB (same program as me) in a small rural village called Mokubilo, about 120k west of Francistown. Another trainee, Sydney, also shadowed Erica, and since there were a bunch of us taking the same bus into Francistown, we all met our shadowing hosts there for lunch at an Indian restaurant and a tour of the town. Francistown is the second largest city in Botswana, but it is still pretty small. There's an open air market atmosphere at the bus rank, and you can get cold drinks, produce, snacks, and air time pretty conveniently there. There are a couple mall-like areas with shops, restaurants, and grocery stores, as well as office buildings and a new stadium. We didn't spend too much time in Francistown, as we all had to catch rides to our actual destinations. There should have been an afternoon bus to Mokubilo, but bus schedules are not set in stone here, and by the time we finished our lunch, all the buses had left already. We took a cab to main road, and set out to find a ride. Hitching is not encouraged by the Peace Corps, but it is accepted that it is sometimes the only mode of transportation, especially when traveling in and out of very small rural villages. As Americans, we think of hitching as a negative thing that will only end badly for either the driver or the hitchhiker, but here in Botswana, most people do it, and it is generally a very safe and affordable way to get around. There are areas on main roads that are agreed upon 'hiking spots', and the hiker and the driver agree on a fee before a ride is accepted. And of course, hikers know to be on the look out for drunk drivers and vehicles that look like they're ready to fall apart. Anyway, it took a while to find someone heading the right way, but we eventually found a ride and made it to Mokubilo. Erica doesn't have electricity, so we made a lovely grilled cheese sandwich dinner by candlelight and headlamp-light. I learned a lot from my shadowing experience. I learned that no electricity is fine, but a real bath can be considered a coping mechanism (she had indoor running water!). I learned that watermelons in Botswana can be yellow inside and must be eaten by scooping with your hands and then slurping the juice- no knives or spoons allowed. I learned that it's important to know that there are times when jokes are an appropriate response, and that the people of Botswana have a great sense of humor. I learned that there might not be a lot of structure to my days once I'm at site, and that's ok. Erica has a few different projects that she is working on, including building a library, working with the HIV support group, teaching computer skills, and whatever is needed by the S&CD office, among others. She does some grant writing and fundraising, and always makes sure that she's not the one running the show, which is really the key to capacity building. I know she absolutely hates it when I say this, but I think she's doing a great job, and she really helped Sydney and I understand the role of a CCB. I learned a lot of other things and had other great experiences while shadowing, but you'll just have to ask me if you want to know more.
2. Setswana language lessons
We had our first language proficiency exam right before shadowing, and I placed novice-mid, which is where most people placed. I was a little disappointed with how I did, and didn't feel that I was able to show off the extent of my knowledge and that I got flustered with what was asked, but now I know what to expect. We switched up our classes and instructors after the exam, which I think was needed. I'm not really settled in with this group yet, but I like everyone in it, and think that aside from a little burn-out, we're doing fine.
3. Site Placement
No idea yet. We'll find out on Saturday where we'll be living for the next 2 years. This may be the longest week of my life.
4. Cultural visit
On Saturday, we went for a “cultural visit”, which ended up being a visit to see some rock paintings and some traditional dancing. The rock paintings were pretty cool, mostly pictures of animals painted by the bushmen (I know the term isn't exactly politically correct, but that's the term our guide used). A few of us scrambled up the rocks ( I felt like I was back in the Hudson Valley!), and got a pretty good view of the region. I'll try to get a picture up on here, despite the slow internet connection. The dancing was very interesting, and they even put on a mock wedding ceremony for us, with one of our instructors as the 'groom' and one of the trainees as the 'bride'. The traditions they showed us are not really part of every day life here anymore, but many children still learn the dances, and people are proud of the culture. I imagine that it's a lot like the Native American traditions in the US, but I'm definitely no expert. We also made a stop at place that sells handmade pottery, and we struggled to remember that we are not tourists who are leaving in a week, but people who will be living here for 2 years and have that length of time to accumulate things to bring back to the US. It's still hard to get my mind around that!
5. Odds and ends
As usual, life at PST has a lot of ups and downs. After shadowing, I was a on a high for a few days, and was very excited about seeing more of the country, getting to know people better, finding out our site placements, and beginning service. I really feel like I should say something more about the people here, because they are that amazing. It is incredible that there are 57 trainees, and in the whole group, I can't think of anyone I don't like and couldn't get along with. While some people have naturally gotten closer to some than others, there are no cliques. Everyone is very accepting, and there is no sufficient way to describe how wonderful it is to have a group of people backing you up who know exactly what you are going through. Sometimes it's tough to remember what a diverse group we are because of our common experience here, but when we remember it, it only adds value to the connections we've made. Within this group, there are people that I can see myself being friends with for a long time, people that I know I could really talk to if I needed to. There are people that have already accomplished things in their careers that I hope to accomplish in my future, people that can serve as mentors (and maybe even stand-in grandparents!), and people that are excited about the same things that I am excited about. It's true that if a few of us are down, sometimes it can drag the whole group down, but that has been pretty rare for us. Mostly we're holding each other up, even when we're commiserating.
However, there are always the downs, too. I went to Catholic Mass on Sunday for the first time since moving here, and while the service was lively and wonderful, I walked out missing home more than I have in a while. Sometimes doing things that I connect with home hurts more than it helps, but it's usually worth it. I can get all caught up in the things that I gave up to come here- two years of seeing my family in person, 2 years of holidays as I know them, 2 years of going to the beach, 2 years of hanging out with friends, 2 years of talking to all the people that have known me for most of my life, 2 years of snow and changing leaves, 2 years of driving a car, 2 years of seeing my younger siblings grow up and reach new milestones in their lives- and I wonder if it's worth it. Then this afternoon we found out that we had our first ET (early termination)- one of our fellow trainees made the decision that Peace Corps wasn't for her and asked to go home. While we completely understand (and we really, really do) and wish her the best in whatever she decides to do (and will miss her!), I know it has at least made me step back and think how I would feel if I were going home tomorrow. While I do miss home and don't anticipate that changing anytime soon, I don't think I would feel good about a decision to go home. I know that I'm here for a reason, and that I'd be disappointed in myself if I went home at this stage in the game. This is still an adventure for me, and I think I can see this through to the end. I have a lot of support from home, and a lot of support here in Botswana from staff, current volunteers, and fellow trainees. There are things that I want to do here. I want to get to site and see if I can hack it there. I want to see if there's a way that I can help people make their own lives a little better. I want to get to know my fellow volunteers better, and make friends within this new culture I'm trying to adapt to. I want to learn new skills and see what I can really do if given the opportunity, and I don't think I would easily find such an opportunity in the US. And I refuse to leave Africa until I have seen a lion, a hippo, and a zebra. The end. I'm staying, at least til then.
Please don't let any of that keep anyone from sending letters and packages and reminding me of home- like I said, it's worth it! Letters and packages are the highlight of the week when we get them. I'm still working on getting to the post office here, but I promise to write back. Hope to hear from you!
Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, and 2Pac
(written 4/30)
What a strange day. It began with heavy fog and mist, and ended with skies blue enough to match the Botswana flag- no complaints there. Tensions and frustrations met their highest point yet in Setswana class. I feel like I'm not doing badly, but it's still a difficult language, and our group's performance has just not been meeting our instructor's high standards. We have our first language proficiency exam very soon, so we'll see how we're really doing then. We ended the morning with a security briefing by the Peace Corps regional security officer, an ex-Marine with a strong southern drawl. It was a long, informative session, but I'll summarize by saying that I continue to feel safe here. Most people got to take a lunch break after the briefing, but I spent my break getting vaccinated for hepatitis A, meeting the country director for a group discussion, and getting an official diagnosis of 'sprained foot' from the medical officer. I hopped down from a ledge and twisted my foot last week, and was a little concerned when it was still painful and swollen today. It's really no big deal. I can walk and get around fine- just a minor inconvenience.
We spent the afternoon speaking with a panel from a local HIV positive support group about stigma and discrimination. It was probably the most interesting and inspiring session we've had so far. Here in Botswana, it is very rare for an HIV positive person to go public with their status, and today we met a group of people who have not only gone public, but were willing to share their stories with 60 Americans. Despite high infection rates, their support group is one of only a few in the region. The attendance numbers are not astronomical, but they are a dynamic and ambitious group, and they are already looking to set up like-minded groups around the country. One of the Peace Corps volunteers here does a lot of work with this group, and it was inspiring to see them recognizing his efforts- volunteers are not always recognized or thanked for their work, so it's always nice to see it happen.
As has been happening more and more often, a few of us ended up at the lodge for some cold drinks and internet access after training, and were treated to 2 hours of non-stop Whitney Houston and Celine Dion. And this was not the first time, and it wasn't even surprising. While their careers have in essence ended in the US, their music lives on here in Botswana. When I asked my 11 year old host sister who her favorite musicians were, she answered “Rihanna and Celine Dion.” My host mom sings Bette Midler and Whitney Houston songs while cooking and cleaning, and the blaring of Dolly Parton literally drove me out of the house on one particular Sunday. Divas are not only Western imports. Hip-hop is huge here, and “2Pac” is spray painted on the front door of one of the houses on my street. Chris Brown is another celebrity whose career would be completely revitalized if he came to Botswana- they love him here. Beyonce doesn't exactly need a career face lift, but if she came to Botswana, I think the whole country would turn out to see her. Of course, traditional music is played too, and is even preferred once the dancing gets started at parties, but it's still a bit of a trip to move across an ocean to Africa and have my host mom like the same music my American mom likes.
What a strange day. It began with heavy fog and mist, and ended with skies blue enough to match the Botswana flag- no complaints there. Tensions and frustrations met their highest point yet in Setswana class. I feel like I'm not doing badly, but it's still a difficult language, and our group's performance has just not been meeting our instructor's high standards. We have our first language proficiency exam very soon, so we'll see how we're really doing then. We ended the morning with a security briefing by the Peace Corps regional security officer, an ex-Marine with a strong southern drawl. It was a long, informative session, but I'll summarize by saying that I continue to feel safe here. Most people got to take a lunch break after the briefing, but I spent my break getting vaccinated for hepatitis A, meeting the country director for a group discussion, and getting an official diagnosis of 'sprained foot' from the medical officer. I hopped down from a ledge and twisted my foot last week, and was a little concerned when it was still painful and swollen today. It's really no big deal. I can walk and get around fine- just a minor inconvenience.
We spent the afternoon speaking with a panel from a local HIV positive support group about stigma and discrimination. It was probably the most interesting and inspiring session we've had so far. Here in Botswana, it is very rare for an HIV positive person to go public with their status, and today we met a group of people who have not only gone public, but were willing to share their stories with 60 Americans. Despite high infection rates, their support group is one of only a few in the region. The attendance numbers are not astronomical, but they are a dynamic and ambitious group, and they are already looking to set up like-minded groups around the country. One of the Peace Corps volunteers here does a lot of work with this group, and it was inspiring to see them recognizing his efforts- volunteers are not always recognized or thanked for their work, so it's always nice to see it happen.
As has been happening more and more often, a few of us ended up at the lodge for some cold drinks and internet access after training, and were treated to 2 hours of non-stop Whitney Houston and Celine Dion. And this was not the first time, and it wasn't even surprising. While their careers have in essence ended in the US, their music lives on here in Botswana. When I asked my 11 year old host sister who her favorite musicians were, she answered “Rihanna and Celine Dion.” My host mom sings Bette Midler and Whitney Houston songs while cooking and cleaning, and the blaring of Dolly Parton literally drove me out of the house on one particular Sunday. Divas are not only Western imports. Hip-hop is huge here, and “2Pac” is spray painted on the front door of one of the houses on my street. Chris Brown is another celebrity whose career would be completely revitalized if he came to Botswana- they love him here. Beyonce doesn't exactly need a career face lift, but if she came to Botswana, I think the whole country would turn out to see her. Of course, traditional music is played too, and is even preferred once the dancing gets started at parties, but it's still a bit of a trip to move across an ocean to Africa and have my host mom like the same music my American mom likes.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Here Comes the Sun
(Written 4/28)
If you haven't guessed from the title of the post, the rain has stopped! The dark clouds have literally lifted, and it's amazing what a difference it makes. Yesterday was somewhat miserable- the fifth straight day of rain and cold, and to top it off, I was sick all night. I have never missed indoor plumbing so much. I woke up feeling slightly better, but still exhausted even after 11 hours of sleep. The morning was gray and misty, the type of morning I usually love, but was less than thrilled about after being damp for almost a week. We struggled through 4 hours of Setswana, which is a lot, even if you love languages and have a good teacher, which I do. Tempers and patience were in short supply. Some familiar comfort food from KFC for lunch made things a bit better, and by the afternoon, the rain and mist had left. We sat through a lecture on behavior change models and finally the day was over. Most of the group went to the stadium, but a few of us who were not quite up to playing sports made our way over to the lodge instead. At some point during the conversation there, we realized that it was bright outside, and we could see shadows. Upon further investigation, we saw it- the sky! It was blue, bright, and beautiful. I have never been so happy to see the sky in my life. When it rains in the US, it's an inconvenience, and we retreat to warm dry houses and cars. Here in Botswana, rain is a big deal. Because the country is mostly desert, rain is highly valued, so much so that the words for rain and the currency are both 'pula'. However, because rain is so infrequent, heavy sustained rain can cause a lot of damage. Botswana has done a great job of paving roads, but many smaller roads are not yet paved, and get washed out when it rains. The garden walls my host grandmother built from cow dung and mud have collapsed, and our yard is flooded. Rain also keeps some chores from being done, namely laundry. I can't wait to have clean, dry clothes again!
I'm sure that in a few months, in the midst of the dry season, this post will sound ridiculous, but so be it. Bring on the sunshine!
In other news, I had my first interview with my APCD yesterday, and I think it went really well. The APCD is the person who matches volunteers with their sites, but this first interview was meant as more of a 'getting to know you' session. I'd been feeling a little insecure about my skills and capabilities (so many people here are so accomplished!!), so it was good to go over the experience I do have and to head the APCD say she thinks I could contribute a lot as a volunteer. I still have no idea where my site will be or exactly what I'll be doing- no one does at this point. We did, however, discuss some potential projects that I'd be very excited to tackle- some projects mentioned were mother/child health programs, vaccination programs, nutrition for the HIV positive population, sustainable agriculture projects, youth groups, and library building. These types of projects are exactly what I'd hoped to be working on when I applied to the Peace Corps. I'm not getting my hopes up for anything, but if I could work in any of those areas, I'd be more than content. Discussing site placement and potential projects makes everything feel much more real and meaningful- let's hope the rest of training goes quickly!
If you haven't guessed from the title of the post, the rain has stopped! The dark clouds have literally lifted, and it's amazing what a difference it makes. Yesterday was somewhat miserable- the fifth straight day of rain and cold, and to top it off, I was sick all night. I have never missed indoor plumbing so much. I woke up feeling slightly better, but still exhausted even after 11 hours of sleep. The morning was gray and misty, the type of morning I usually love, but was less than thrilled about after being damp for almost a week. We struggled through 4 hours of Setswana, which is a lot, even if you love languages and have a good teacher, which I do. Tempers and patience were in short supply. Some familiar comfort food from KFC for lunch made things a bit better, and by the afternoon, the rain and mist had left. We sat through a lecture on behavior change models and finally the day was over. Most of the group went to the stadium, but a few of us who were not quite up to playing sports made our way over to the lodge instead. At some point during the conversation there, we realized that it was bright outside, and we could see shadows. Upon further investigation, we saw it- the sky! It was blue, bright, and beautiful. I have never been so happy to see the sky in my life. When it rains in the US, it's an inconvenience, and we retreat to warm dry houses and cars. Here in Botswana, rain is a big deal. Because the country is mostly desert, rain is highly valued, so much so that the words for rain and the currency are both 'pula'. However, because rain is so infrequent, heavy sustained rain can cause a lot of damage. Botswana has done a great job of paving roads, but many smaller roads are not yet paved, and get washed out when it rains. The garden walls my host grandmother built from cow dung and mud have collapsed, and our yard is flooded. Rain also keeps some chores from being done, namely laundry. I can't wait to have clean, dry clothes again!
I'm sure that in a few months, in the midst of the dry season, this post will sound ridiculous, but so be it. Bring on the sunshine!
In other news, I had my first interview with my APCD yesterday, and I think it went really well. The APCD is the person who matches volunteers with their sites, but this first interview was meant as more of a 'getting to know you' session. I'd been feeling a little insecure about my skills and capabilities (so many people here are so accomplished!!), so it was good to go over the experience I do have and to head the APCD say she thinks I could contribute a lot as a volunteer. I still have no idea where my site will be or exactly what I'll be doing- no one does at this point. We did, however, discuss some potential projects that I'd be very excited to tackle- some projects mentioned were mother/child health programs, vaccination programs, nutrition for the HIV positive population, sustainable agriculture projects, youth groups, and library building. These types of projects are exactly what I'd hoped to be working on when I applied to the Peace Corps. I'm not getting my hopes up for anything, but if I could work in any of those areas, I'd be more than content. Discussing site placement and potential projects makes everything feel much more real and meaningful- let's hope the rest of training goes quickly!
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