The end of the month has been upon us for about a week and is about to dramatically culminate tomorrow. This is a phenomenon quite unlike anything in the States. The last Friday of the month is the universal pay day, and it is not uncommon for people to take off the whole day to stand in queue at the bank or to start their shopping early. As it is, every Friday most businesses (except retailers) close between 1:30 and 3:00 (the school quits at 12:15). There are big discounts at the supermarket, the bottle store, and many more street vendors hawking everything from phone cards to candy to roasted meat. Huge staples for sale - a kilo of cornflakes for $4, a case of good bottled beer for $15, ten kilos of rice for $8, and lots of meat specials, to name a few. I finished any errands for the week yesterday because it really turns into chaos (and the sales were good all week anyway). While this is my first end-of-the-month here in Botswana, it is a vivid memory from Namibia. It's a festive time but also a little stressful if you have to be out and about.
On the subject of beer, there are actually quite a few to choose from. The two most popular options are St Louis, which is the local beer and tastes much like Budweiser (there is a more substantial "export" version) and Windhoek which is a solidly good German style lager from Namibia. But the South African favorites Carling, Lion, and Castle are also here along with Heineken and Amstel. And let's face it, wherever you are in the world, there is nothing like a cold cold beer on a hot day (which pretty much means most days here)
Pula is the name of the country's currency and is a rallying cry, but it also means rain. It is so incredibly valuable in this dusty desert and we were blessed with a good downpour last night. It was also the loudest thunderstorm we had ever experienced. It's the first real shower of the season although we have had dusty sprinkles before. The smell of rain is really earthly and lingers about for awhile. Green plants/weeds are springing up from the unlikeliest places; their resiliency to the near-constant lack of water is something amazing to watch. Everything craves water, especially the ants who enter our house not looking for food (but will still descend on any crumbs left behind) but any amount of water. So they will be around the toilet, the shower, the sinks. They are small and not too bothersome, unless there are hundreds of them, which gets a bit gross.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Monday, October 25, 2010
On a roll now
This is great, being online and having access to this site. So much to write about.
Shoes and cars are always very shiny, which is quite a feat because it is drastically dusty here and hard to keep either clean. Shiny shoes always make me think about Mma Makutse from the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency books. I am truly amazed with the effort it takes to keep things undusty.
People generally dress more formally here. This was not so different from Namibia when I typically wore only skirts or pants. Actually, its not so different from many places outside of the US. Shorts are for the house or when we go out in the bush or on vacation. That’s hard sometimes but skirts are a cool relief in the ever increasing heat.
Here is what Africa time means: you will wait in long lines for most everything. You will not find immediate answers. Paying the water bill can take up one afternoon. I have stopped wearing a watch. What's the point?
There is some effort to recycle here even if not with cans, bottles, and plastic. There are cloth bags for sale in the supermarkets and plastic bags cost money if you have not brought your own. We of course are saving everything to use again for some purpose, much more than we did in the States.
On a whole, Gab feels tired. Many of the buildings downtown are from the sixties, and the ones in the outlying areas look like they were put up too quickly in a western-style mall pattern. The suburban malls are bustling and I am sometimes taken aback by the uber-consumerism here. A lot of people seem to have a lot of money to spend. Oh, and the Christmas decorations are already in the stores. Any thoughts that we left that in the States for something else is sadly naive.
From what I have seen and from what locals have told me, there seems to be a smaller gap between rich and poor. Even in the poorest areas of the city, everyone still has a house, as opposed to cardboard boxes seen in shantytowns throughout the rest of Africa’s cities. Crime is reportedly much lower than in neighboring countries. Botswana is rich with a small population and the government seems keenly interested in sharing the rewards of their mineral production. The current President is the son of the first president Seretse Khama, who is highly revered. The son seems to be doing a pretty good job at living up to the legacy.
Most people I have encountered are genuinely friendly. It helps to greet them in Tswana: Dumela mma/rra. Likae? (ketang is the response). I am getting informal language lessons from the cleaners at the school whose English is really good and they have a good command of Tswana grammar and sentence structure.
Some of the things that I love here - bread is baked in the stores and sliced right in front of you. It is always fresh. I can even find real whole wheat bread (before it was just "brown bread"). At petrol stations, it is always full service which personally I just think is great. Of course we are paying over $4 a gallon too. It is nice knowing that I can find just about anything in the store that I want; it may just be that it is more than I want to spend. I did find local (full fat) milk and nonfat bulgarian yogurt. There are growing organic and free range options that we never dreamed of in Namibia ten years ago.
A few things we cannot find: m&m's, chocolate chips, paper bags, splenda. But these are small inconveniences. Really, our food selection is pretty good. Again, produce is hit or miss but I will spend a little more for that.
Shoes and cars are always very shiny, which is quite a feat because it is drastically dusty here and hard to keep either clean. Shiny shoes always make me think about Mma Makutse from the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency books. I am truly amazed with the effort it takes to keep things undusty.
People generally dress more formally here. This was not so different from Namibia when I typically wore only skirts or pants. Actually, its not so different from many places outside of the US. Shorts are for the house or when we go out in the bush or on vacation. That’s hard sometimes but skirts are a cool relief in the ever increasing heat.
Here is what Africa time means: you will wait in long lines for most everything. You will not find immediate answers. Paying the water bill can take up one afternoon. I have stopped wearing a watch. What's the point?
There is some effort to recycle here even if not with cans, bottles, and plastic. There are cloth bags for sale in the supermarkets and plastic bags cost money if you have not brought your own. We of course are saving everything to use again for some purpose, much more than we did in the States.
On a whole, Gab feels tired. Many of the buildings downtown are from the sixties, and the ones in the outlying areas look like they were put up too quickly in a western-style mall pattern. The suburban malls are bustling and I am sometimes taken aback by the uber-consumerism here. A lot of people seem to have a lot of money to spend. Oh, and the Christmas decorations are already in the stores. Any thoughts that we left that in the States for something else is sadly naive.
From what I have seen and from what locals have told me, there seems to be a smaller gap between rich and poor. Even in the poorest areas of the city, everyone still has a house, as opposed to cardboard boxes seen in shantytowns throughout the rest of Africa’s cities. Crime is reportedly much lower than in neighboring countries. Botswana is rich with a small population and the government seems keenly interested in sharing the rewards of their mineral production. The current President is the son of the first president Seretse Khama, who is highly revered. The son seems to be doing a pretty good job at living up to the legacy.
Most people I have encountered are genuinely friendly. It helps to greet them in Tswana: Dumela mma/rra. Likae? (ketang is the response). I am getting informal language lessons from the cleaners at the school whose English is really good and they have a good command of Tswana grammar and sentence structure.
Some of the things that I love here - bread is baked in the stores and sliced right in front of you. It is always fresh. I can even find real whole wheat bread (before it was just "brown bread"). At petrol stations, it is always full service which personally I just think is great. Of course we are paying over $4 a gallon too. It is nice knowing that I can find just about anything in the store that I want; it may just be that it is more than I want to spend. I did find local (full fat) milk and nonfat bulgarian yogurt. There are growing organic and free range options that we never dreamed of in Namibia ten years ago.
A few things we cannot find: m&m's, chocolate chips, paper bags, splenda. But these are small inconveniences. Really, our food selection is pretty good. Again, produce is hit or miss but I will spend a little more for that.
Its a beautiful day in the neighborhood...
(Here is one blog I typed over the weekend)
Last night Helen invited many of the neighbors in our complex over to her house for a curry dinner. Helen has lived in many different parts of the world, hailing originally from England. Each person/couple brought over a curry and a lantern as we ate outside in her backyard. Russ and I brought a shrimp and vegetable curry; our lanterns consisted of cutting out jack o’lantern type shapes on cereal boxes and then filling the boxes with rocks and a candle. There was naan, pappadums, coconut chutney, Thai curry, Durban curry, rice pudding, even curried bananas (in mayo, quite an acquired taste and one I remember from Namibia). It was a lovely evening. Helen seems to be the matriarch of the complex, although she has only been here three years. She is constantly organizing events from evening walks to excursions around town (there is a group of us going camping in the bush in two weeks). She has also been our internet connection from time to time. There are wireless networks but they are all locked, so we get on her computer to skype from time to time. Lately though we are feeling more impatient with the process (one of the neighbors is trying to unlock it; we will not be able to get our own until we are residents).
If Helen is the matriarch, Zane is most certainly the patriarch of the group. He is one of the art teachers and grew up in what was Rhodesia, now describing himself as a man without a country. He is a real outdoorsman and knows the Botswanan countryside well. He once killed a spitting cobra. Kind of like Clint Eastwood but completely unassuming. Just cool.
Rosemary and Raphael (Raf) arrived in July and are younger primary school teachers from Canada and Spain respectfully. They have been involved with international schools in Spain and China. A very easygoing couple who we like to visit with. Another gracious internet provider.
Originally from Pakistan, Nazi (Nasi) and Terez have lived here for over twelve years; their two boys were born here. Nazi is one of the most beautiful people I have met here inside and out. She also wears the most stunning clothes to school and makes the best tea. The two boys are very polite and are crazy about cricket. They play it every day outside using our yard and theirs.
Rob is from South Africa and recently taught in Kenya. He is the other art teacher and his flat is wildly colorful. He also has a flair for the dramatic and often provides the entertainment in group situations. Jen, a friend of his who is the drama teacher, will be moving into the complex shortly. The two of them together are a complete riot.
Aphrodite (yes, the goddess of love) is Greek who has lived in South Africa and Botswana her whole life. We call her Afro, and she will be moving shortly into a house that she and her fiancée are building. She’s kind and also very funny.
There are other teachers too in our complex – Patricia from Zimbabwe, Pacifique from DRC, Sam from Kenya, Alex from Zambia, Sian from Ireland, and Lawrence from England. There are always a handful of kids playing outside making it a regular United Nations.
Earlier this morning, as we were just leaving our place, we saw a baboon scampering down Chief's Island Circle (the name of our street and the only one in our area I've been able to pronounce). Besides cattle, donkeys, and goats roaming around town, this is the first animal I’ve seen. Not exactly one I want to run into when we are out walking. We are trying to walk more in the evenings. It is easy in the extreme heat to become lethargic. I actually find that I am getting a bit thick!
Last night Helen invited many of the neighbors in our complex over to her house for a curry dinner. Helen has lived in many different parts of the world, hailing originally from England. Each person/couple brought over a curry and a lantern as we ate outside in her backyard. Russ and I brought a shrimp and vegetable curry; our lanterns consisted of cutting out jack o’lantern type shapes on cereal boxes and then filling the boxes with rocks and a candle. There was naan, pappadums, coconut chutney, Thai curry, Durban curry, rice pudding, even curried bananas (in mayo, quite an acquired taste and one I remember from Namibia). It was a lovely evening. Helen seems to be the matriarch of the complex, although she has only been here three years. She is constantly organizing events from evening walks to excursions around town (there is a group of us going camping in the bush in two weeks). She has also been our internet connection from time to time. There are wireless networks but they are all locked, so we get on her computer to skype from time to time. Lately though we are feeling more impatient with the process (one of the neighbors is trying to unlock it; we will not be able to get our own until we are residents).
If Helen is the matriarch, Zane is most certainly the patriarch of the group. He is one of the art teachers and grew up in what was Rhodesia, now describing himself as a man without a country. He is a real outdoorsman and knows the Botswanan countryside well. He once killed a spitting cobra. Kind of like Clint Eastwood but completely unassuming. Just cool.
Rosemary and Raphael (Raf) arrived in July and are younger primary school teachers from Canada and Spain respectfully. They have been involved with international schools in Spain and China. A very easygoing couple who we like to visit with. Another gracious internet provider.
Originally from Pakistan, Nazi (Nasi) and Terez have lived here for over twelve years; their two boys were born here. Nazi is one of the most beautiful people I have met here inside and out. She also wears the most stunning clothes to school and makes the best tea. The two boys are very polite and are crazy about cricket. They play it every day outside using our yard and theirs.
Rob is from South Africa and recently taught in Kenya. He is the other art teacher and his flat is wildly colorful. He also has a flair for the dramatic and often provides the entertainment in group situations. Jen, a friend of his who is the drama teacher, will be moving into the complex shortly. The two of them together are a complete riot.
Aphrodite (yes, the goddess of love) is Greek who has lived in South Africa and Botswana her whole life. We call her Afro, and she will be moving shortly into a house that she and her fiancée are building. She’s kind and also very funny.
There are other teachers too in our complex – Patricia from Zimbabwe, Pacifique from DRC, Sam from Kenya, Alex from Zambia, Sian from Ireland, and Lawrence from England. There are always a handful of kids playing outside making it a regular United Nations.
Earlier this morning, as we were just leaving our place, we saw a baboon scampering down Chief's Island Circle (the name of our street and the only one in our area I've been able to pronounce). Besides cattle, donkeys, and goats roaming around town, this is the first animal I’ve seen. Not exactly one I want to run into when we are out walking. We are trying to walk more in the evenings. It is easy in the extreme heat to become lethargic. I actually find that I am getting a bit thick!
Live and uncut
Now I feel that I can actually blog. We have been given access to the "restricted" websites here at school. I am not subbing this week but sit quietly in the science teachers' room and get done whatever I need to. Up to this point, I have been typing at home, then waiting to use a neighbor's computer which has become awkward. Hoping that we can set up skype soon too. Internet at our house will take a bit longer.
Also for the first time since I have been here, I really FELT something. Of course I am glad to be here. I am happy to be with Russ and like where we are at. I feel safe living in Gab. But last night I was truly moved. We went out with Helen and Zane to the Bokaa Dam, which was stunning. We went on a bird walk and saw a flock of flamingoes and several marsh birds, also some egrets. There weren't any other animals except for the cattle and donkeys that wandered around. There were a few other people fishing out of the dam. Then we sat and had a braai. To cook meat over an open fire in the middle of a spectacular wilderness area is one of the most sensory stimulating experiences I've had. The sunset was brilliant, and the smell both of the meat and from the water completely cleared my head. There was a slight breeze and the different sounds of the birds as they ended the day broke the silence. I could have stayed out there all night. Yes, I live in Africa and Gab is a good sized somewhat bustling African city. But last night revealed what I love about living here: the wildness, the vast silence, the stars. It stirs my soul and inspires me. We will find ways to explore more. It was a great way to end the weekend and we watched the full moon rise before heading off to bed.
Also for the first time since I have been here, I really FELT something. Of course I am glad to be here. I am happy to be with Russ and like where we are at. I feel safe living in Gab. But last night I was truly moved. We went out with Helen and Zane to the Bokaa Dam, which was stunning. We went on a bird walk and saw a flock of flamingoes and several marsh birds, also some egrets. There weren't any other animals except for the cattle and donkeys that wandered around. There were a few other people fishing out of the dam. Then we sat and had a braai. To cook meat over an open fire in the middle of a spectacular wilderness area is one of the most sensory stimulating experiences I've had. The sunset was brilliant, and the smell both of the meat and from the water completely cleared my head. There was a slight breeze and the different sounds of the birds as they ended the day broke the silence. I could have stayed out there all night. Yes, I live in Africa and Gab is a good sized somewhat bustling African city. But last night revealed what I love about living here: the wildness, the vast silence, the stars. It stirs my soul and inspires me. We will find ways to explore more. It was a great way to end the weekend and we watched the full moon rise before heading off to bed.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
The daily show
Here is what a typical day looks like for us, and surprisingly it is not much different from the States.
5:40 am Wake up (Russ sets his cell phone as an alarm). I make breakfast, Russ cleans up. Breakfast is a choice of oatmeal, cold cereal, egg, yogurt and/or toast. The sun has already been up for a while.
6:30 am Leave the house (we have been driving the past few days as we check out a car we might buy, otherwise, catching a ride with a neighbor. Driving has not been a problem.)
6:40 am Arrive at school (unless there is significant traffic). School starts at 7:00 with homeroom and then class begins at 7:15. Russ does not have class first thing every day. I cannot begin to explain what kind of schedule this is, some kind of modified block schedule. My first week at the school involved staying in the science teachers’ room, working on some things on internet. I started subbing in the third grade and this upcoming week I am running some groups and subbing for middle school English. Russ may have two or three classes a day and they may be one or two hours each. But there are also a lot of meetings. There are three twenty minute breaks during the day – one at 9:00, one at 11:00 and one at 1:00. The day ends at 1:00 for the primary kids and 2:10 for the secondary school. We have tried to bring snacks such as fruit or biscuits (tea is at 11:00). Lunch
consists of an English-style pie, a sandwich, yogurt, or dinner leftovers.
2:10 pm Some days there are after-school activities. Russ coaches middle school softball with the other American teacher Shelley on Tuesdays, and there are a vast array of sports, clubs, and other activities.
3:30 pm We are usually home by this time and take a short nap. Most everyday the floors need to be swept because of the dust. We generally take time to relax and cool off.
5:00 pm Usually we eat an early dinner because we’ve eaten early all day. Dinner can be anything from a vegetable curry to bangers and mash to a big salad.
6:00 pm It’s nice to go walking in the cool of the evening. Sometimes we go by ourselves, sometimes with other neighbors.
7:00 pm The sun has set and this is when we shower. Most often, it is cold water and that is refreshing. If we want a warm shower, the water heater must be turned on 45 minutes ahead of time. Sometimes we visit other people, sometimes we are in the house doing school work and reading.
9:00 pm We are usually in bed by this time. There is a fan in the room and it keeps the air circulating as well as providing white noise so we can sleep.
I can’t say that we have had a typical weekend yet, but they are definitely more relaxed. We have a washer in our house and then hang the clothes out to dry, which doesn’t take long. We now have a car and that helps us to get around. Saturdays are big shopping days, although it is somehow easier to drive around. We have discovered many different stores, the latest being World Foods, which had a wonderful selection of international foods and surprisingly not much more expensive than the regular grocery store. We will definitely not go hungry here. We are also drinking a lot more water (even Russ!)
Our internet access is a little frustrating. We have limited access at school and are still on our neighbors good graces for occassional blogs and skypes. We will not have our own until our papers come through, but we are hoping to piggyback off a neighbor once the account is unlocked (which no one seems to know what to do).
Life is good and time is moving along.
5:40 am Wake up (Russ sets his cell phone as an alarm). I make breakfast, Russ cleans up. Breakfast is a choice of oatmeal, cold cereal, egg, yogurt and/or toast. The sun has already been up for a while.
6:30 am Leave the house (we have been driving the past few days as we check out a car we might buy, otherwise, catching a ride with a neighbor. Driving has not been a problem.)
6:40 am Arrive at school (unless there is significant traffic). School starts at 7:00 with homeroom and then class begins at 7:15. Russ does not have class first thing every day. I cannot begin to explain what kind of schedule this is, some kind of modified block schedule. My first week at the school involved staying in the science teachers’ room, working on some things on internet. I started subbing in the third grade and this upcoming week I am running some groups and subbing for middle school English. Russ may have two or three classes a day and they may be one or two hours each. But there are also a lot of meetings. There are three twenty minute breaks during the day – one at 9:00, one at 11:00 and one at 1:00. The day ends at 1:00 for the primary kids and 2:10 for the secondary school. We have tried to bring snacks such as fruit or biscuits (tea is at 11:00). Lunch
consists of an English-style pie, a sandwich, yogurt, or dinner leftovers.
2:10 pm Some days there are after-school activities. Russ coaches middle school softball with the other American teacher Shelley on Tuesdays, and there are a vast array of sports, clubs, and other activities.
3:30 pm We are usually home by this time and take a short nap. Most everyday the floors need to be swept because of the dust. We generally take time to relax and cool off.
5:00 pm Usually we eat an early dinner because we’ve eaten early all day. Dinner can be anything from a vegetable curry to bangers and mash to a big salad.
6:00 pm It’s nice to go walking in the cool of the evening. Sometimes we go by ourselves, sometimes with other neighbors.
7:00 pm The sun has set and this is when we shower. Most often, it is cold water and that is refreshing. If we want a warm shower, the water heater must be turned on 45 minutes ahead of time. Sometimes we visit other people, sometimes we are in the house doing school work and reading.
9:00 pm We are usually in bed by this time. There is a fan in the room and it keeps the air circulating as well as providing white noise so we can sleep.
I can’t say that we have had a typical weekend yet, but they are definitely more relaxed. We have a washer in our house and then hang the clothes out to dry, which doesn’t take long. We now have a car and that helps us to get around. Saturdays are big shopping days, although it is somehow easier to drive around. We have discovered many different stores, the latest being World Foods, which had a wonderful selection of international foods and surprisingly not much more expensive than the regular grocery store. We will definitely not go hungry here. We are also drinking a lot more water (even Russ!)
Our internet access is a little frustrating. We have limited access at school and are still on our neighbors good graces for occassional blogs and skypes. We will not have our own until our papers come through, but we are hoping to piggyback off a neighbor once the account is unlocked (which no one seems to know what to do).
Life is good and time is moving along.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
To be or not to be
There are things that I expected to find and also had no idea of what to expect here in Botswana. Disclaimer: I may make some wild generalizations, as one tends to do when taking in a new environment for the first time.
No surprises: the meat is fresh and mostly regional single source…Fresh produce is hit or miss, but if caught at the right time, most anything can be found for a price. That can be said of most items, but I find it difficult to pay three to four times the price of something just because it is an American brand and there is usually a comparable counterpart…It is incredibly dusty and like Mariental, the red sand can enter the tiniest crevices of our house. Even the rain is dusty…Cricket is as boring as I remember but seemingly more popular than I remember in Namibia…Speaking of, the British influence is also found in certain foods – marmite on toast (an acquired taste and not mine), meat or curry veggie pies (more to my liking), and the ketchup is not what we Americans know and love (somehow sweeter if that is possible. I may lose my addiction to it here)…Teatime happens religiously at 10:00 and I appreciate that along with a biscuit in the morning…I was right to ship my frying pan, vegetable peeler and can opener but the electric kettle and iron are great...There is something spectacular about an African sunset which I have found not to be replicated anywhere else in the world (it probably has something to do with the dust).
On the other hand:There seem to be several Indian and Pakistani shopkeepers than we remember in Namibia. There are Chinese shopowners too in a particular area of town referred to as Oriental Plaza. A Batswana told me that the Chinese come here because starting a business is so easy and they can have more than one child, and there is probably some truth to that…I hear more Afrikaans spoken than I expected to; I’ve been told that Gab is a bit of a South African outpost – it’s only a few kilometers from the border anyway…Coke is no longer generally found in a glass bottle, sadly. It always tasted so much better that way. There is zero recycling and as a result there is a lot of trash and broken glass in the streets. When people have to return bottles (beer) and cans, the mess is practically nonexistent. And at the same time, food containers are reused often…Money seems to be going out very quickly but I guess that happens when one sets up shop. But things in general are more expensive…There are more vegetarian options in the stores than I ever remember and that suits us fine (one can only have so much boerewors).
I have been to Westwood International School for the past week and it’s been an eye opener. First, it is not as international as one might think. Half the faculty is Botswanan as is half of the student body.This is a positive. It’s a lovely shaded campus (shade is a premium here) and there are 400 students from Kindergarten through Grade 13.I was in a Grade One classroom the other day to observe, and the teacher had an aide with only 12 children in the room! The administration had wanted me to substitute for the other Grade One teacher, but then found something else for me to do, in typical private school style. I think I will be subbing for middle school English next week and also running some psychosocial groups. The teachers are very friendly and conversations are thoughtfully stimulating. Being at the school also gives me time on the internet, but not access to Facebook and the blog. Getting internet at home will be a bit of a wait. Everything is a bit of a wait, and that does not even count standing in queue for hours on end which will happen eventually.
It is so good being back with Russ and our routine has changed dramatically. We are starting to slow down. I am looking forward to when we have a car and can move about a bit easier (that may be soon). Taxi’s are expensive and not so frequent; there is no close busline and the only place within walking distance is the mall.
Looking forward to the weekend as we hope to get out of town for a daytrip!
No surprises: the meat is fresh and mostly regional single source…Fresh produce is hit or miss, but if caught at the right time, most anything can be found for a price. That can be said of most items, but I find it difficult to pay three to four times the price of something just because it is an American brand and there is usually a comparable counterpart…It is incredibly dusty and like Mariental, the red sand can enter the tiniest crevices of our house. Even the rain is dusty…Cricket is as boring as I remember but seemingly more popular than I remember in Namibia…Speaking of, the British influence is also found in certain foods – marmite on toast (an acquired taste and not mine), meat or curry veggie pies (more to my liking), and the ketchup is not what we Americans know and love (somehow sweeter if that is possible. I may lose my addiction to it here)…Teatime happens religiously at 10:00 and I appreciate that along with a biscuit in the morning…I was right to ship my frying pan, vegetable peeler and can opener but the electric kettle and iron are great...There is something spectacular about an African sunset which I have found not to be replicated anywhere else in the world (it probably has something to do with the dust).
On the other hand:There seem to be several Indian and Pakistani shopkeepers than we remember in Namibia. There are Chinese shopowners too in a particular area of town referred to as Oriental Plaza. A Batswana told me that the Chinese come here because starting a business is so easy and they can have more than one child, and there is probably some truth to that…I hear more Afrikaans spoken than I expected to; I’ve been told that Gab is a bit of a South African outpost – it’s only a few kilometers from the border anyway…Coke is no longer generally found in a glass bottle, sadly. It always tasted so much better that way. There is zero recycling and as a result there is a lot of trash and broken glass in the streets. When people have to return bottles (beer) and cans, the mess is practically nonexistent. And at the same time, food containers are reused often…Money seems to be going out very quickly but I guess that happens when one sets up shop. But things in general are more expensive…There are more vegetarian options in the stores than I ever remember and that suits us fine (one can only have so much boerewors).
I have been to Westwood International School for the past week and it’s been an eye opener. First, it is not as international as one might think. Half the faculty is Botswanan as is half of the student body.This is a positive. It’s a lovely shaded campus (shade is a premium here) and there are 400 students from Kindergarten through Grade 13.I was in a Grade One classroom the other day to observe, and the teacher had an aide with only 12 children in the room! The administration had wanted me to substitute for the other Grade One teacher, but then found something else for me to do, in typical private school style. I think I will be subbing for middle school English next week and also running some psychosocial groups. The teachers are very friendly and conversations are thoughtfully stimulating. Being at the school also gives me time on the internet, but not access to Facebook and the blog. Getting internet at home will be a bit of a wait. Everything is a bit of a wait, and that does not even count standing in queue for hours on end which will happen eventually.
It is so good being back with Russ and our routine has changed dramatically. We are starting to slow down. I am looking forward to when we have a car and can move about a bit easier (that may be soon). Taxi’s are expensive and not so frequent; there is no close busline and the only place within walking distance is the mall.
Looking forward to the weekend as we hope to get out of town for a daytrip!
Saturday, October 9, 2010
In the land of Parmalat
I guess now the blog can officially start as I am now living in Gaborone (which seems to have at least three different pronunciations, all commonly used: "Habaron" with long o, "Gaborone" with long e, and "Gaboron" without the e.)
Here are the numbers: 29 hours in transit, three flights (first two on time, third definitively on Africa time), five onboard movies, three crying babies surrounding me, 20 minute ride from the airport, 96 pounds of luggage arriving safely, ten hours of sleep last night plus a nap today, and five cold showers. All of it was worth it now that I am here with Russ. We have been talking nonstop about here and there, this and that, getting caught up on all the things that escaped our sometimes hurried phone conversations over the past month.
We´ve been out and about too. We walked over to the Game City mall, about a 20 minute walk from the house along a dusty road. It´s a little bit cooler, but not air conditioned. One would have thought it was end of the month - payday for the amount of people shopping. There is quite a selection of stores, more to offer than we had in Windhoek and certainly more than the Berkshire Mall. For those of you who remember, Mr. Price, Edgar´s, Spar, Shoprite, Pep, Fochini, Game, Nando´s are a few favorites among several more South African based businesses. The dollar is slipping but hopefully will even out soon.
From there we walked to the school in the heat of the day. It´s a lovely campus and they were hosting a farmers market where we bought some gorgeous leaf lettuce and peas. We also had some samoosas and cool drinks (sadly pop in the bottle is a thing of the past here) and took some time to sit in the shade.The people at the market were a combination of parents and people from the community.
A few priorities: finding a car to buy, securing internet, and yes buying a bathmat and garbage can. It´s funny how basic household items can make a difference but we´ve already started up a list of things like that.
Russ made a nice curry tonight. Generally, the juice is good and we have Greek yogurt. But I had forgotten about the boxed milk. Oh Parmalat (sigh). That is pretty much all I´ve eaten today so I´ll get back to you on the rest.
Not sure what and when our internet situation will be like.We are on the good graces of some neighbors Raphael and Rosemary. Other neighbors Terez and Nazi made me feel very welcome last night with some delicious Punjabi chai.
Here are the numbers: 29 hours in transit, three flights (first two on time, third definitively on Africa time), five onboard movies, three crying babies surrounding me, 20 minute ride from the airport, 96 pounds of luggage arriving safely, ten hours of sleep last night plus a nap today, and five cold showers. All of it was worth it now that I am here with Russ. We have been talking nonstop about here and there, this and that, getting caught up on all the things that escaped our sometimes hurried phone conversations over the past month.
We´ve been out and about too. We walked over to the Game City mall, about a 20 minute walk from the house along a dusty road. It´s a little bit cooler, but not air conditioned. One would have thought it was end of the month - payday for the amount of people shopping. There is quite a selection of stores, more to offer than we had in Windhoek and certainly more than the Berkshire Mall. For those of you who remember, Mr. Price, Edgar´s, Spar, Shoprite, Pep, Fochini, Game, Nando´s are a few favorites among several more South African based businesses. The dollar is slipping but hopefully will even out soon.
From there we walked to the school in the heat of the day. It´s a lovely campus and they were hosting a farmers market where we bought some gorgeous leaf lettuce and peas. We also had some samoosas and cool drinks (sadly pop in the bottle is a thing of the past here) and took some time to sit in the shade.The people at the market were a combination of parents and people from the community.
A few priorities: finding a car to buy, securing internet, and yes buying a bathmat and garbage can. It´s funny how basic household items can make a difference but we´ve already started up a list of things like that.
Russ made a nice curry tonight. Generally, the juice is good and we have Greek yogurt. But I had forgotten about the boxed milk. Oh Parmalat (sigh). That is pretty much all I´ve eaten today so I´ll get back to you on the rest.
Not sure what and when our internet situation will be like.We are on the good graces of some neighbors Raphael and Rosemary. Other neighbors Terez and Nazi made me feel very welcome last night with some delicious Punjabi chai.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Here and now
Today was my last day at work. Remarkably uneventful. I was surprised at how many students seemed to come out of their way to say goodbye to me. It was heartfelt.
One thing I have been aware of in the past week is staying in the present. After spending the past month saying goodbye and people constantly asking me "are you still here?", it would be easy to emotionally disconnect from the Berkshires. Yet, that would take something away from the total experience. With one friend today, I initially said "I don't want to say to goodbye", reverting to the African idiom "I will see you when I see you". But that was a cop-out and I ended up going back to say a proper goodbye. I am thankful for other friends who have stayed with me in the present, through the craziness of the move, and yet also keeping our friendship NORMAL like nothing else was going on in the world.
And at the same time, I am so excited, so anxious to go. Can't wait to reunite with Russ.
While I think of myself as someone who lives simply, the BIG MOVE obviously proved otherwise, as I mentioned in a previous blog. All the pens, all the personal care products, and the latest - eighteen small bottles of hand sanitizer gathered from the nooks and crannies in the house. Russ would have something to say about this. But I probably got it all on a really good sale. ;-) Actually, I am at the point where the thought of buying anything from groceries to clothes totally repulses me, which is not necessarily a bad thing. Aaah...in one week, its the chance to start all over, living out of what I can carry over in two fifty pound suitcases
I am deeply breathing in the thick dewy air after the heavy storm today. It is more humidity than I will undoubtedly feel in the next two years. It's wonderful.
One thing I have been aware of in the past week is staying in the present. After spending the past month saying goodbye and people constantly asking me "are you still here?", it would be easy to emotionally disconnect from the Berkshires. Yet, that would take something away from the total experience. With one friend today, I initially said "I don't want to say to goodbye", reverting to the African idiom "I will see you when I see you". But that was a cop-out and I ended up going back to say a proper goodbye. I am thankful for other friends who have stayed with me in the present, through the craziness of the move, and yet also keeping our friendship NORMAL like nothing else was going on in the world.
And at the same time, I am so excited, so anxious to go. Can't wait to reunite with Russ.
While I think of myself as someone who lives simply, the BIG MOVE obviously proved otherwise, as I mentioned in a previous blog. All the pens, all the personal care products, and the latest - eighteen small bottles of hand sanitizer gathered from the nooks and crannies in the house. Russ would have something to say about this. But I probably got it all on a really good sale. ;-) Actually, I am at the point where the thought of buying anything from groceries to clothes totally repulses me, which is not necessarily a bad thing. Aaah...in one week, its the chance to start all over, living out of what I can carry over in two fifty pound suitcases
I am deeply breathing in the thick dewy air after the heavy storm today. It is more humidity than I will undoubtedly feel in the next two years. It's wonderful.
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