I look down. Two large, navy blue towels are tightly wrapped around my ankles. My breathing is remarkably calm and relaxed. Just another day in Africa...
I stand up and try to walk, but end up waddling across the cold metal surface under my feet. In a matter of seconds, I have stopped walking. I can see for what seems like miles, and I can hear the constant snapping of metal. A cool breeze rushes by beneath my bare toes. Everything and nothing is on my mind. And above the deafening roar of the water below me, I hear a muffled voice...
"I count from five, and you just push out as far as possible...much more fun that way."
"Ok, so do I...?"
"Five, four, three, two..."
A nudge. An extremely soft push from behind, but with enough force to send me off of the bridge and out into a great nothingness. Wind rushes past my face. My arms are stretched out. I am falling quickly, yet time seems to be stopped, completely. For the first couple of seconds I am excited; the next few extremely freaked out (the whole time screaming :). Finally, I reach a state of awe, entranced by the exasperating beauty that surrounds me; yet, I am again shaken when the cord above me jerks and I am pulled up in a completely opposite direction. The beautiful blue African sky, dotted with small cumulus clouds, is at my feet, while the cold gray waters from the majestic falls rush above my head. I am surrounded by huge rock walls on either side. The pressure in my head builds with every ebb and flow of the bungee cord. I have just willingly jumped off of a bridge on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe. I have just successfully completed my first bungee jump!
About an hour before, I jumped off of the bridge for the first time...but the jump was not face first towards the water. My first jump was called the "bridge swing" and was a much different sensation than the invigorating, exhilarating dive of the bungee jump. Now, don't get me wrong, any jump from a bridge that high towards a raging river is always going to be exhilarating, but it was a different feeling. For some odd reason, I felt much more in control when jumping face first. I'm not really sure why.
The past couple of days have been quite lovely. Although I started going a little crazy after a week alone in Kasane, my lovely Matt and Laura came to visit!! I was so happy to finally indulge in conversation with someone when I didn't have to ask their name, nationality, travel plans, etc. Their visit was like a breath of fresh air. After chasing mongooses for the day, I met the two at the lodge, where we shared a couple of hard ciders (quite delicious after a long day on my feet) and some much needed conversation
A couple of days ago I took the afternoon to go on a "boat cruise," or rather, a safari by boat, on the Chobe River. I got to see many hippos and crocodiles (and of course the normal elephants, impala, baboons, kudu, etc) and the beautiful sun set on the horizon of the Chobe River... a truly breathtaking, beautiful view.
Otherwise, my days mainly consist of mongoose chasing (6:30am-5:30pm every day). Friday will be my last day of field work, leaving Saturday and Sunday for data entry and analysis. On Monday I will travel back to Gaborone where I will begin to write my 20-40 page report on my mongoose research. It will be may last time travelling in the country before I go home.
I cannot believe that in a couple of weeks I will no longer be in Africa. Though it will be exciting to return home to see family and friends, it will indeed be a difficult process. I have been told numerous times that the transition back home is, actually, the hardest part of the trip. And I do not doubt it one bit...it may be scary, but I'm sure I will pursue it the same way as the lovely bridge at Victoria Falls--calm, cool, relaxed, and most of all, extremely excited to feel, again, a completely new sensation.
erin elizabeth
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
a little bit of kindness
Just a short blog post today, but one that I think is important.
Over the past two days, I have been overwhelmed with acts of kindness from virtual strangers. I was a little apprehensive of being here in Kasane alone for the week, but just over the past 48 hours, I have been shown otherwise. I am not alone here in Kasane. I may not know anyone very well, but this small town is filled with many incredibly kind individuals...just hidden among all of the crazy ones :). These few people have done nothing incredibly outrageous for me, but their actions were greatly appreciated.
The first act of kindness involved a manager at the lodge just doing her job. She quickly helped me find the cheapest alternate lodging situation (whether is was at her lodge, or another). The smile on her face lowered my stress level significantly.
Second act of kindness: My troop has recently been frequenting a lodge on the north end of town, far from Safari Lodge where I am currently residing. The "Garden Lodge" is a quaint little bed and breakfast type of place, with a couple of dogs lounging around the terrace that overlooks the Chobe river. A middle-aged German woman, Gaby, runs the place with her husband. This morning, she saw me walking down the road and offered me a ride to the mongooses (who all happened to be denning at a house just next to her lodge). Directly following my observations, she insisted that I come in and have a cup of tea (free of charge) while I waited for my next scheduled observation time. We sat and chatted for a while, and I learned that she is from a town about 80km from my own family in Germany. She had only met me a little over a day before, and she was so kind, so hospitable, so welcoming.
Third act of kindness: After sitting for a while in the dirt near the river, a man walked up to me, introduced himself, and offered me a bottle of cold water. He noticed that I was looking for the mongooses, and he thought I might be a bit thirsty.
All of the people mentioned above knew nothing of me, or had just met me the day before. These experiences seems small and insignificant, I know, but I can't explain the impact they have had on me. Therefore, I challenge you all to think about the little things that you do throughout the day, whether they involve close friends or mere strangers. Because, little do you know, a small act of kindness can make the day of another person.
erin elizabeth
Over the past two days, I have been overwhelmed with acts of kindness from virtual strangers. I was a little apprehensive of being here in Kasane alone for the week, but just over the past 48 hours, I have been shown otherwise. I am not alone here in Kasane. I may not know anyone very well, but this small town is filled with many incredibly kind individuals...just hidden among all of the crazy ones :). These few people have done nothing incredibly outrageous for me, but their actions were greatly appreciated.
The first act of kindness involved a manager at the lodge just doing her job. She quickly helped me find the cheapest alternate lodging situation (whether is was at her lodge, or another). The smile on her face lowered my stress level significantly.
Second act of kindness: My troop has recently been frequenting a lodge on the north end of town, far from Safari Lodge where I am currently residing. The "Garden Lodge" is a quaint little bed and breakfast type of place, with a couple of dogs lounging around the terrace that overlooks the Chobe river. A middle-aged German woman, Gaby, runs the place with her husband. This morning, she saw me walking down the road and offered me a ride to the mongooses (who all happened to be denning at a house just next to her lodge). Directly following my observations, she insisted that I come in and have a cup of tea (free of charge) while I waited for my next scheduled observation time. We sat and chatted for a while, and I learned that she is from a town about 80km from my own family in Germany. She had only met me a little over a day before, and she was so kind, so hospitable, so welcoming.
Third act of kindness: After sitting for a while in the dirt near the river, a man walked up to me, introduced himself, and offered me a bottle of cold water. He noticed that I was looking for the mongooses, and he thought I might be a bit thirsty.
All of the people mentioned above knew nothing of me, or had just met me the day before. These experiences seems small and insignificant, I know, but I can't explain the impact they have had on me. Therefore, I challenge you all to think about the little things that you do throughout the day, whether they involve close friends or mere strangers. Because, little do you know, a small act of kindness can make the day of another person.
erin elizabeth
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
A One Armed Monkey and My Jar of Jam
For the past week, I have been following a troop of mongooses through the bush of Kasane, Botswana. I have, throughout this one week, decided that researchers are not given enough credit for the work that they do. I know it all sounds pretty simple...find the troop, sit and observe them, count them, take GPS coordinates, record the surrounding habitat characteristics, count disturbed food plots, watch mongooses run off into the bush, and start the process all over again. Well I, Erin Elizabeth Hester, am here to tell you that this is not easy work. Not easy work at all.
Every morning, I wake up around 5:45 or 6:00am to prepare for the day. I leave the lodge around 6:30am, so that I can have ample time to determine the den of the troop before the crazy little animals wake up (around 7ish) and scurry off into the bush. The troop that I am following usually camps out around Chobe Safari Lodge, the lodge I am currently calling home. But, for the past week or two, the troop has decided to den and forage on the opposite end of town. I walk about 2 or 3km to my destination and follow the guys around until 5pm.
Usually, it isn't too hard to find the troop; however, I have to constantly be aware of my surroundings. I am working right beside the Chobe River, and it is not uncommon to see a crocodile, poisonous snake, or warthog (There are warthogs running around everywhere. I would compare them to deer at home...I have seen them get hit by cars in the road.). For the past couple of days, my troop has been frequenting a golf course at the other end of town, and unfortunately, so have about 5 or 6 elephants. I have not come upon any yet, and I hope I do not come across any during my observations--elephants do not like humans very much, and can be rather dangerous.
And on the subject of the wildlife...
While lying in my tent at night, it is not uncommon to be serenaded to sleep by the trumpeting of an elephant or the deep gargling sounds of the hippos that live in the river quite close to my tent. In the morning, I am usually awakened by the screeching of baby monkeys. These guys are everywhere! I think there are about 20 that live around the lodge and steal food from the restaurant area. Just the other day, while enjoying a lovely Sunday brunch at my lodge, a couple of the grey monkeys kept stealing little jars of jam from my table. One of the thieves only had one arm. Actually a couple of the little guys only have one arm...and I'm not sure why.
And then there is the wildlife that is not so cute...yes the ant infestation has continued. I was completely sure that these tiny creatures were biting holes in my tent. But, unfortunately, this became the least of my problems. I finally got completely fed up with sleeping on and around a million ants, and a friend offered to let me use one of the beds in his room for the night. Upon return to my campsite in the morning, expecting to get ready to frolic with my little mongoose troop, I discovered two large holes in my tent. During the night, some sort of animal had chewed its way through my amazing tent. After gnawing another hole in a package of my crackers, the creature decided to leave me a couple of surprises (of course on my newly cleaned clothes...) and chew ANOTHER hole in my tent as its route of departure. Stupid thing couldn't even exit my tent through the first hole it managed to create.
Well, of course, today was the day that my advisor, Pete, began his trip to Gaborone. He left this morning around 5am and will be gone until Sunday. Therefore, I was on my own to figure things out. Fortunately, I was able to talk to the day manager, and she gave me a pretty decent rate on one of the tents at the lodge. I am paying much more than I was before, but I figure I can splurge a little bit. And my new tent is just wonderful! I don't know if I would even refer to it as a tent...it has wooden floors, electricity, a desk, and two twin beds. Outside, I have my own covered porch area with a table and chairs--I have definitely moved up in the camping world, and I am already loving it. For the first time in 3 months, I am actually living in my OWN room. For the first time in 3 months, I have been able to take everything out of my backpack. I still do not have my own bathroom. I still have to hand-wash my clothes. I still don't have a kitchen to cook in. I still have to deal with bugs. And I am completely in heaven.
Also, now since Pete is gone for the week, I am now really doing research on my own. There is no one else here to help me if I have a problem, and that fact, at times, can seem a little overwhelming. But, in actuality, it is a pretty sweet situation. My name is Erin Hester. I am living on my own in Kasane, Botswana. And I am on my own, tromping around in the African bush with the crocodiles, warthogs, and elephants, researching my own troop of mongooses. The experience is quite exciting and liberating.
Last week, something even more exciting happened to me. It was just another day. I had just completed a days work on the mongoose hunt, and I was sitting outside Pete's house, waiting for him to get home so we could discuss the day. To pass the time, I was flipping through an old National Geographic, issued March 2009. And on the next to last page, I see a little heading in red on the right hand side which read "Botswana." Of course, since I am currently living in the country, I was intrigued by the title...so I read on further. Come to find out, the little blurb stated that research is currently being conducted in Botswana on mongooses with TB, etc. I would have to say that that moment was one of the coolest moments I have experienced in my life. To be researching in Botswana is one thing. To discover that the research you are preforming in not only legitimate, but also referenced by National Geographic, is another.
And so, it is a new week, and I am off on more mongoose adventures.
until next time,
erin elizabeth
Every morning, I wake up around 5:45 or 6:00am to prepare for the day. I leave the lodge around 6:30am, so that I can have ample time to determine the den of the troop before the crazy little animals wake up (around 7ish) and scurry off into the bush. The troop that I am following usually camps out around Chobe Safari Lodge, the lodge I am currently calling home. But, for the past week or two, the troop has decided to den and forage on the opposite end of town. I walk about 2 or 3km to my destination and follow the guys around until 5pm.
Usually, it isn't too hard to find the troop; however, I have to constantly be aware of my surroundings. I am working right beside the Chobe River, and it is not uncommon to see a crocodile, poisonous snake, or warthog (There are warthogs running around everywhere. I would compare them to deer at home...I have seen them get hit by cars in the road.). For the past couple of days, my troop has been frequenting a golf course at the other end of town, and unfortunately, so have about 5 or 6 elephants. I have not come upon any yet, and I hope I do not come across any during my observations--elephants do not like humans very much, and can be rather dangerous.
And on the subject of the wildlife...
While lying in my tent at night, it is not uncommon to be serenaded to sleep by the trumpeting of an elephant or the deep gargling sounds of the hippos that live in the river quite close to my tent. In the morning, I am usually awakened by the screeching of baby monkeys. These guys are everywhere! I think there are about 20 that live around the lodge and steal food from the restaurant area. Just the other day, while enjoying a lovely Sunday brunch at my lodge, a couple of the grey monkeys kept stealing little jars of jam from my table. One of the thieves only had one arm. Actually a couple of the little guys only have one arm...and I'm not sure why.
And then there is the wildlife that is not so cute...yes the ant infestation has continued. I was completely sure that these tiny creatures were biting holes in my tent. But, unfortunately, this became the least of my problems. I finally got completely fed up with sleeping on and around a million ants, and a friend offered to let me use one of the beds in his room for the night. Upon return to my campsite in the morning, expecting to get ready to frolic with my little mongoose troop, I discovered two large holes in my tent. During the night, some sort of animal had chewed its way through my amazing tent. After gnawing another hole in a package of my crackers, the creature decided to leave me a couple of surprises (of course on my newly cleaned clothes...) and chew ANOTHER hole in my tent as its route of departure. Stupid thing couldn't even exit my tent through the first hole it managed to create.
Well, of course, today was the day that my advisor, Pete, began his trip to Gaborone. He left this morning around 5am and will be gone until Sunday. Therefore, I was on my own to figure things out. Fortunately, I was able to talk to the day manager, and she gave me a pretty decent rate on one of the tents at the lodge. I am paying much more than I was before, but I figure I can splurge a little bit. And my new tent is just wonderful! I don't know if I would even refer to it as a tent...it has wooden floors, electricity, a desk, and two twin beds. Outside, I have my own covered porch area with a table and chairs--I have definitely moved up in the camping world, and I am already loving it. For the first time in 3 months, I am actually living in my OWN room. For the first time in 3 months, I have been able to take everything out of my backpack. I still do not have my own bathroom. I still have to hand-wash my clothes. I still don't have a kitchen to cook in. I still have to deal with bugs. And I am completely in heaven.
Also, now since Pete is gone for the week, I am now really doing research on my own. There is no one else here to help me if I have a problem, and that fact, at times, can seem a little overwhelming. But, in actuality, it is a pretty sweet situation. My name is Erin Hester. I am living on my own in Kasane, Botswana. And I am on my own, tromping around in the African bush with the crocodiles, warthogs, and elephants, researching my own troop of mongooses. The experience is quite exciting and liberating.
Last week, something even more exciting happened to me. It was just another day. I had just completed a days work on the mongoose hunt, and I was sitting outside Pete's house, waiting for him to get home so we could discuss the day. To pass the time, I was flipping through an old National Geographic, issued March 2009. And on the next to last page, I see a little heading in red on the right hand side which read "Botswana." Of course, since I am currently living in the country, I was intrigued by the title...so I read on further. Come to find out, the little blurb stated that research is currently being conducted in Botswana on mongooses with TB, etc. I would have to say that that moment was one of the coolest moments I have experienced in my life. To be researching in Botswana is one thing. To discover that the research you are preforming in not only legitimate, but also referenced by National Geographic, is another.
And so, it is a new week, and I am off on more mongoose adventures.
until next time,
erin elizabeth
Monday, April 13, 2009
Ant Genocide in Northeastern Botswana
Hello from Kasane!
Crazy how life can change here in a matter of days. I can already tell that this last month is going to fly by...mainly because I am going to be SUPER busy.
Last Thursday marked the final day I would spend with the group until we meet in Gaborone in mid-May. The day was pretty hectic. Most of the day was spent studying for my final exam and finalizing essays to be turned in prior to my departure. On Thursday evening, the whole group boarded a little boat on the Okavango River around sunset. We rode along the river just around the time when there is still an orange glow on the horizon and the stars are beginning to emerge in the sky. After about thirty minutes we docked the boat upon a tiny dirt road in the middle of nowhere. Little did I know, this tiny dirt road would lead to the home of an extremely interesting man from the states. We spent the next couple of hours outside of his home, gazing upon stars and planets with his huge (and I'm sure extremely expensive) telescope. Of all the celestial bodies witnessed, Saturn was one of the most extraordinary. I was able to see the planet, its rings, and its moons as if I were looking at a picture drawn in a children's book. Also impressive was a nebula located in the constellation of Orion's Belt. While it resembles a star, this bright body (located in the scepter of the belt) is actually a cloud of light, a birthplace of stars.
Craziness began the following morning. I woke up early, packed up all of my gear (a common occurrence while studying abroad) and took a taxi to the bus rink in town. I took a bus for a couple of hours to Nata (being the only white person on the bus, and I am pretty sure the only foreigner-- an interesting experience, especially at the Foot and Mouth disease checkpoints. Tourists definitely never use this mode of transportation). The particular bus that I was riding was destined for Francistown, and I therefore had to switch buses mid-trip. I waited alone for quite a while on the side of the road in Nata, but the bus never came. Now, I cannot actually say that my next mode of transportation included hitchhiking across Botswana because 1) it is kind of against SIT rules and regulations, and 2) I think my mother would freak out. Therefore I will just say that the bus never came, and I had to become creative and devise my own mode of transportation. But if I had hitchhiked, it may have just gone a little like this:
After sitting for quite a while at a gas station where the bus was supposed to stop, an old (and quite possibly drunk) man kept hassling me to buy one of his carved sticks. He knew that I was waiting for a bus, and for some reason, he was persistent on finding me a way to Kasane. After about an hour, and large truck pulled into the station. Two South Africans, by the name of Michelle and Mark, jumped out and began pumping gas. And long story short, the old drunk man convinced these two lovely people to take me to Kasane (even though I think they just felt bad for me having to deal with the guy--he told me that I was supposed to give him all of my possessions since he found me a ride). I soon learned that Michelle and Mark were horse trainers headed for Zanzibar, and Mark was actually stopping by the hospital in Kasane (he believed he had recently come down with malaria). With Celine Dion blasting in the background, I made interesting conversation with the two; and after four hours of riding in the middle front seat of the huge truck, I found myself in Kasane.
Pete, my research advisor, picked me up from the hospital. From there, we went back to his house and had a lovely potluck dinner with a few of his friends. He lives in an adorable little cabin right off the main road. After dinner, we watched a movie, and I finally headed to the lodge that I will call home for the next month. It was around 9:30 when we actually got to Chobe Safari Lodge, and the receptionist did not understand my sleeping arrangements (Pete knows the manager and had earlier reserved a camping spot for me off the record). Again, long story short, I didn't camp the first night. I was able to use the room of the manager. It was so nice to have a bed to sleep in and a hot shower.
For the last couple of days, I have basically been following Pete around and learning the ins and outs of mongoose research, and I have learned SO much over the last couple of days. I am learning how to use radio telemetry, triangulation, and homing to locate my mongoose troop. One mongoose in the troop has been previously trapped, and a radio collar has been placed around its neck. For the next couple of weeks, I will be walking around with my own little yagi (the antenna that attached to my receiver) trying to locate the troop. I will be taking behavioral and clinical observations of my troop every couple of hours. I will also be using food plots to determine the "giving up density," or GUD, of the troop which will provide insight into the relative foraging capacity of the mongooses in my home range. Fecal samples will also be taken daily to provide information about stress hormone levels present in individuals of the troop. All of my observations should provide information for Pete's current study regarding the incidence of tuberculosis among the banded mongoose species, Mungos mungo. The next month is going to be insanely busy.
**Side note: The CORRECT way to say the plural form of the word mongoose is not mongeese. It is "mongooses." I apologize for my ignorance.
The lodge at which I am camping is located between the Chobe river and Chobe National Park. It is a four star lodge and is quite lovely, except for the ants. I truly believe that there are more ants on and around the area of my tent than there are people currently living in the country of Botswana. I have spent a lot of my time committing ant genocide, as the ants have spent the majority of their time devising new ways to enter my tent. I have already been through a can of Raid, and the surgical tape my mother insisted that I pack has finally come in handy...I think the ants are actually gnawing holes in my tent. It is insanity.
Tomorrow begins my first day of independent field work. And while I have learned a lot since my arrival, there are still so many things to be learned...I'm sure I will just begin actually catching on around early May. Wish me luck!!
erin elizabeth
Crazy how life can change here in a matter of days. I can already tell that this last month is going to fly by...mainly because I am going to be SUPER busy.
Last Thursday marked the final day I would spend with the group until we meet in Gaborone in mid-May. The day was pretty hectic. Most of the day was spent studying for my final exam and finalizing essays to be turned in prior to my departure. On Thursday evening, the whole group boarded a little boat on the Okavango River around sunset. We rode along the river just around the time when there is still an orange glow on the horizon and the stars are beginning to emerge in the sky. After about thirty minutes we docked the boat upon a tiny dirt road in the middle of nowhere. Little did I know, this tiny dirt road would lead to the home of an extremely interesting man from the states. We spent the next couple of hours outside of his home, gazing upon stars and planets with his huge (and I'm sure extremely expensive) telescope. Of all the celestial bodies witnessed, Saturn was one of the most extraordinary. I was able to see the planet, its rings, and its moons as if I were looking at a picture drawn in a children's book. Also impressive was a nebula located in the constellation of Orion's Belt. While it resembles a star, this bright body (located in the scepter of the belt) is actually a cloud of light, a birthplace of stars.
Craziness began the following morning. I woke up early, packed up all of my gear (a common occurrence while studying abroad) and took a taxi to the bus rink in town. I took a bus for a couple of hours to Nata (being the only white person on the bus, and I am pretty sure the only foreigner-- an interesting experience, especially at the Foot and Mouth disease checkpoints. Tourists definitely never use this mode of transportation). The particular bus that I was riding was destined for Francistown, and I therefore had to switch buses mid-trip. I waited alone for quite a while on the side of the road in Nata, but the bus never came. Now, I cannot actually say that my next mode of transportation included hitchhiking across Botswana because 1) it is kind of against SIT rules and regulations, and 2) I think my mother would freak out. Therefore I will just say that the bus never came, and I had to become creative and devise my own mode of transportation. But if I had hitchhiked, it may have just gone a little like this:
After sitting for quite a while at a gas station where the bus was supposed to stop, an old (and quite possibly drunk) man kept hassling me to buy one of his carved sticks. He knew that I was waiting for a bus, and for some reason, he was persistent on finding me a way to Kasane. After about an hour, and large truck pulled into the station. Two South Africans, by the name of Michelle and Mark, jumped out and began pumping gas. And long story short, the old drunk man convinced these two lovely people to take me to Kasane (even though I think they just felt bad for me having to deal with the guy--he told me that I was supposed to give him all of my possessions since he found me a ride). I soon learned that Michelle and Mark were horse trainers headed for Zanzibar, and Mark was actually stopping by the hospital in Kasane (he believed he had recently come down with malaria). With Celine Dion blasting in the background, I made interesting conversation with the two; and after four hours of riding in the middle front seat of the huge truck, I found myself in Kasane.
Pete, my research advisor, picked me up from the hospital. From there, we went back to his house and had a lovely potluck dinner with a few of his friends. He lives in an adorable little cabin right off the main road. After dinner, we watched a movie, and I finally headed to the lodge that I will call home for the next month. It was around 9:30 when we actually got to Chobe Safari Lodge, and the receptionist did not understand my sleeping arrangements (Pete knows the manager and had earlier reserved a camping spot for me off the record). Again, long story short, I didn't camp the first night. I was able to use the room of the manager. It was so nice to have a bed to sleep in and a hot shower.
For the last couple of days, I have basically been following Pete around and learning the ins and outs of mongoose research, and I have learned SO much over the last couple of days. I am learning how to use radio telemetry, triangulation, and homing to locate my mongoose troop. One mongoose in the troop has been previously trapped, and a radio collar has been placed around its neck. For the next couple of weeks, I will be walking around with my own little yagi (the antenna that attached to my receiver) trying to locate the troop. I will be taking behavioral and clinical observations of my troop every couple of hours. I will also be using food plots to determine the "giving up density," or GUD, of the troop which will provide insight into the relative foraging capacity of the mongooses in my home range. Fecal samples will also be taken daily to provide information about stress hormone levels present in individuals of the troop. All of my observations should provide information for Pete's current study regarding the incidence of tuberculosis among the banded mongoose species, Mungos mungo. The next month is going to be insanely busy.
**Side note: The CORRECT way to say the plural form of the word mongoose is not mongeese. It is "mongooses." I apologize for my ignorance.
The lodge at which I am camping is located between the Chobe river and Chobe National Park. It is a four star lodge and is quite lovely, except for the ants. I truly believe that there are more ants on and around the area of my tent than there are people currently living in the country of Botswana. I have spent a lot of my time committing ant genocide, as the ants have spent the majority of their time devising new ways to enter my tent. I have already been through a can of Raid, and the surgical tape my mother insisted that I pack has finally come in handy...I think the ants are actually gnawing holes in my tent. It is insanity.
Tomorrow begins my first day of independent field work. And while I have learned a lot since my arrival, there are still so many things to be learned...I'm sure I will just begin actually catching on around early May. Wish me luck!!
erin elizabeth
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Thank goodness for the Mongoose with TB
First, and foremost, I have to say CONGRATULATIONS to my wonderful, amazing, epic, UNC Men's Basketball National Champions. I was extremely sad to miss out on the fun, of course, but I was elated to hear the great news. I knew that they would win this year, due primarily to the fact that I have left the country...I like to think of it as taking one for the team :). My lovely UNC study-abroad mate, Christina, and I attempted to watch the game. At 3am. But, since we are camping at a lodge on the outskirts of Maun, it was pretty much impossible...though it was nice to have someone to celebrate/be sad with. I hope one of you lovely UNC girls and/or boys have saved me the DTH from yesterday...
**Side note: Although it made me a little bit homesick, I LOVED the picture my lovely UNC girls sent to me. It was wonderful. And it made me miss you all like crazy. My father taped the game for me. We must all watch it together in our UNC apparel at my lake house this summer. That is a must.
Now, back to Botswana...
This week has been pretty much amazing as usual, even though we have been lounging around camp and going into town to run errands all week. We are technically in "ISP prep" week, and I am currently working out the logistics of my new ISP...drum roll please...
I am going to be working near Chobe National Park in northern Botswana, in a little town/village known as Kasane. I will be following a troop of mongeese and collecting behavioral data for a month. The mongeese in this particular area have seemed to contract a human strain of Tuberculosis, and I, Erin Elizabeth Hester, will be contributing to the research :). They have found that more specifically, the mongeese that are contracting the particular strain of TB are mainly the mongeese who are foraging on trash around the neighboring lodges. This is not my lemur ISP that I had previously planned on. But it is pretty damn close (considering the fact that I will still be doing animal behavior field research) and even more interesting due to the fact that my research is now a little more unique. I still do not know how things seem to work out so well for me these days.
I have discovered that cooking for myself is quite enjoyable, though making a fire and keeping it burning is quite annoying. I have found ways around this though. Two nights ago I made a version of my mothers asian coleslaw without a recipe...and it turned out to be quite delicious. Other frequent meals include oatmeal with apples and cinnamon/sugar for breakfast. Apple and peanut butter sandwiches for lunch. Pasta, veggie burgers, or salad for dinner. I have also recently discovered that I like beets almost as much as the citizens of Botswana (they eat a ton of beets here)...beet salad is delicious. The most difficult mountain to overcome is the fact that I don't have any refrigeration, and that eliminates butter, cheese, etc, though I have discovered that cheese can last a pretty long time without spoiling (granted the ants don't invade first). I can buy a cooler box, but I want to wait until I get to Kasane to purchase any more cookwear.
The rest of the week has been spent beside the pool, listening to music, going for morning jogs, leisurely reading "What is the What," cooking out on the grill and drinking cider with the guys, doing my laundry, napping in Matt's hammock, and trying to sort out things back home (class schedules, internship information, etc). Evenings have included much of what you can imagine normal college kids doing at night. We went out to the local club last Saturday night, which was an interesting experience. We left the lodge around 12pm, all piled into a little safari truck, and voyaged out among the rest of Maun's night life. Halfway to "Trekkers" we got a flat tire...and the evening progressed from there...long story short, we made it to our destination, danced like crazy, and had a great time.
Today, I had to sit down and actually get some work done. This week I have a couple of papers due and tomorrow I have my "final exam." And this morning was the happiest I have ever been while writing a paper. Since I am not bogged down with tons and tons of unnecessary work here in Botswana, I can enjoy the times that I spend in my academic world, evaluating and expressing my own scholarly thoughts and ideas on paper. I cannot remember the last time I got excited about writing a six page report. It feels so refreshing.
I am leaving this Friday for Kasane. Currently, I am planning on being there alone, since most everyone else is planning on staying in Maun or going to another part of the country. I will be taking a 5 hour bus ride with ALL of my things. I am going to miss Matt and all of my new Botswana friends. But, throughout this experience, I have become so much better at meeting new people. I am excited to see a new part of the country and meet some new interesting individuals. The journey should be quite interesting...
<3 to you all,
erin elizabeth
**Side note: Although it made me a little bit homesick, I LOVED the picture my lovely UNC girls sent to me. It was wonderful. And it made me miss you all like crazy. My father taped the game for me. We must all watch it together in our UNC apparel at my lake house this summer. That is a must.
Now, back to Botswana...
This week has been pretty much amazing as usual, even though we have been lounging around camp and going into town to run errands all week. We are technically in "ISP prep" week, and I am currently working out the logistics of my new ISP...drum roll please...
I am going to be working near Chobe National Park in northern Botswana, in a little town/village known as Kasane. I will be following a troop of mongeese and collecting behavioral data for a month. The mongeese in this particular area have seemed to contract a human strain of Tuberculosis, and I, Erin Elizabeth Hester, will be contributing to the research :). They have found that more specifically, the mongeese that are contracting the particular strain of TB are mainly the mongeese who are foraging on trash around the neighboring lodges. This is not my lemur ISP that I had previously planned on. But it is pretty damn close (considering the fact that I will still be doing animal behavior field research) and even more interesting due to the fact that my research is now a little more unique. I still do not know how things seem to work out so well for me these days.
I have discovered that cooking for myself is quite enjoyable, though making a fire and keeping it burning is quite annoying. I have found ways around this though. Two nights ago I made a version of my mothers asian coleslaw without a recipe...and it turned out to be quite delicious. Other frequent meals include oatmeal with apples and cinnamon/sugar for breakfast. Apple and peanut butter sandwiches for lunch. Pasta, veggie burgers, or salad for dinner. I have also recently discovered that I like beets almost as much as the citizens of Botswana (they eat a ton of beets here)...beet salad is delicious. The most difficult mountain to overcome is the fact that I don't have any refrigeration, and that eliminates butter, cheese, etc, though I have discovered that cheese can last a pretty long time without spoiling (granted the ants don't invade first). I can buy a cooler box, but I want to wait until I get to Kasane to purchase any more cookwear.
The rest of the week has been spent beside the pool, listening to music, going for morning jogs, leisurely reading "What is the What," cooking out on the grill and drinking cider with the guys, doing my laundry, napping in Matt's hammock, and trying to sort out things back home (class schedules, internship information, etc). Evenings have included much of what you can imagine normal college kids doing at night. We went out to the local club last Saturday night, which was an interesting experience. We left the lodge around 12pm, all piled into a little safari truck, and voyaged out among the rest of Maun's night life. Halfway to "Trekkers" we got a flat tire...and the evening progressed from there...long story short, we made it to our destination, danced like crazy, and had a great time.
Today, I had to sit down and actually get some work done. This week I have a couple of papers due and tomorrow I have my "final exam." And this morning was the happiest I have ever been while writing a paper. Since I am not bogged down with tons and tons of unnecessary work here in Botswana, I can enjoy the times that I spend in my academic world, evaluating and expressing my own scholarly thoughts and ideas on paper. I cannot remember the last time I got excited about writing a six page report. It feels so refreshing.
I am leaving this Friday for Kasane. Currently, I am planning on being there alone, since most everyone else is planning on staying in Maun or going to another part of the country. I will be taking a 5 hour bus ride with ALL of my things. I am going to miss Matt and all of my new Botswana friends. But, throughout this experience, I have become so much better at meeting new people. I am excited to see a new part of the country and meet some new interesting individuals. The journey should be quite interesting...
<3 to you all,
erin elizabeth
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Everything and Nothing In the Same Moment
It is 6:45 on a Sunday evening on the African Savannah. The sun is quickly setting on the horizon, and the whole landscape is glowing. The sky has a beautiful orange/redish glow, and you can see some stars beginning to emerge higher up in the sky. An elephant is bathing in a watering hole just a couple hundred meters away. Not far off in the distance, a lion and lioness lounge in the golden yellow grass, just having finished eating their afternoon zebra kill as other zebras watch from afar. In the fields behind the watering hole, hundreds and hundreds of springbok graze in the tall grasses of the african savannah. ---This is an example of the beautiful landscape I have been witnessing over the past week. This scene was actually what we saw on our first game drive, in Nxai Pan National Park.
I ended my village stay last Saturday morning. The previous evening, all of the families in the little village of Sexaxa gathered together for a small party...we ate and danced and had a lovely time together. My homestay family was so nice to me throughout the whole experience. My mother, Kerileng, was constantly telling me that she was sad that I had to go, that she was going to be bored when I left the family. I am extremely glad that I was able to experience a third homestay in Botswana...even if there were tons of awkward moments when I couldn't speak Setswana. I feel as though this last experience really completed it all--having lived in three completely different settings. My Fort Dauphin homestay was the most westernized, and I was able to see how a family with educated adults were able to live in Madagascar. During the Faux Cap village stay, I was able to witness extreme poverty. Seeing how these individuals were surviving day by day, it really gave me a better understanding of life under extreme conditions, and that poverty is caused by a lack of many different resources (access to education, health care, decent soil for farming, clean water, etc.) and as my dear father would say "Location, Location, Location." My stay in Sexaxa really completed the puzzle. I would not say that this family was living in extreme poverty, but they were definitely not well off (monetarily speaking). Although they still lacked electricity and running water, there was an available (and clean) water source in the center of the village. It was truly amazing to me how much of a difference that one factor plays in the livelihood of an area. Also, the people of Sexaxa live relatively close to a larger city, and they are exposed to a much greater level of diversity (among other individuals and lifestyles). I was sad to have to leave my family, but the end of our village stay meant the beginning of our week long excursion!
We left the village on Saturday afternoon and camped for the evening in Maun. It was nice to have a shower and my own place to sleep (since I had been taking baths outdoors with about a liter of water and sharing a bed in a mud hut with Kerileng). On Sunday morning, we departed Maun, and headed towards our first destination, Nxai Pan National Park. It was in Nxai Pan where we saw the majority of the landscapes and mega-fauna that I described in the opening paragraph. We arrived in Nxai Pan in early afternoon, set up camp, and went out on our first game drive. Riding around the park in two big safari trucks, we saw tons and tons of wildlife. We spent hours driving around, watching 1) tall elegant giraffes gracefully gallop along the landscape, 2) many types of antelope (springbok, impala,etc) pronk back and forth through the tall grasses, 3) elephants slowly make their way from tree to tree, and 4) zebra and wildebeest playfully fight for access to the watering hole (and of course, much much more). Pictures to come soon!
Our camp team was awesome! We had a couple of guys travelling with us who cooked all of our meals. It was neat to see how they were able to prepared food for us for a week without adequate refridgeration and on a camp fire...and not normal campground food either. We ate well--potato salad and hard boiled eggs, rice and chicken with summer squash, pasta with a delicious meat sauce, etc, etc. They were quite creative with the meals, and we were all grateful to have one last week of good food (this week I begin cooking for myself!). We camped in special hyena proof tents (which were huge and very very sturdy) and slept on nice thick mattress pads provided by the safari team. Main point: we slept and ate well, and therefore were always happy...even if there were hyenas howling and lions prowling close to our campsite in the night.
**Side Note: I was unaware before I came to Botswana, but the second most formidable creature in Southern Africa is the hyena. The spotted hyena has a minimum weight of 135 pounds and are known to decapitate campers in the night.
We spent two days at Nxai Pan doing two game drives a day. On the third day, the group left the park and headed towards a lovely little campsite named Planet Baobab. This campsite had a bar and a pool, so needless to say, free time was well spent lounging around.
Planet Baobab, just south of Nxai Pan, is situated quite close to Magkudigkudi National Park, and more importantly the Magkudigkudi Salt Pans and huge baobab trees. On Wednesday, we travelled to see Green's Baobab, Seven Sisters, and the salt pans. Green's baobab was used as a travelling landmark in the late 1800s. There are still carvings in the trunk from Green's expedition in 1858. The people on this expedition would leave letters in the holes of this baobab for other travellers passing through the area. The second baobab, Seven Sisters, is the second largest tree in all of Africa. We spent the lovely afternoon climbing the majestic baobab and eating our picnic lunch under the huge branches.
**Side Note #2: There are eight different species of baobabs that occur on planet earth. Six of these species are endemic to Madagascar, while there are seven species that actually occur on the island. Mainland Africa shares that seventh species. Australia is the home to the eighth species of baobab, which is also endemic to the continent.
Our afternoon was spent gazing upon the vast salt pans of northern Botswana. There is no way that I can adequately describe these salt pans. The best way to describe my experience is to say that while staring out over a large landscape of salt covered sandy soil, I was seeing everything and nothing in the same moment. The salt pans were created many many years ago when the lake beds dried up, and all of the sediment remained on the ground. When walking across the salt pan, you could break through the crusty layer of salt. I loved the crunching sound of my feet while walking across the pan. It was one of the most beautiful, and different, landscapes I have ever seen, and I plan to one day travel to Argentina to witness them again.
We returned to Maun late yesterday afternoon. Today begins a week of ISP preparation, and next Friday, I will commence my Independent Study Project. I don't know exactly who I will be working with or what I will be studying, but I am not too worried about it. All will work out in the end.
Last night was the first time I actually realized that I will soon be living all on my own in the country of Botswana. I will be camping by myself, preparing my own meals, and have my own agenda...AND I AM SO EXCITED! Throughout my entire time studying abroad I have been on the SIT agenda, going to class, being fed by homestay families, etc. This will be the first time in my entire life that I will be living on my own in a foreign country. Today I am going to go and buy provisions...a cooking pot, cooking utensils, plate, cup, bowl, firewood, and food supplies. Oh excitement!
I wish you all a very merry weekend, and I hope to hear from you soon!
erin elizabeth
I ended my village stay last Saturday morning. The previous evening, all of the families in the little village of Sexaxa gathered together for a small party...we ate and danced and had a lovely time together. My homestay family was so nice to me throughout the whole experience. My mother, Kerileng, was constantly telling me that she was sad that I had to go, that she was going to be bored when I left the family. I am extremely glad that I was able to experience a third homestay in Botswana...even if there were tons of awkward moments when I couldn't speak Setswana. I feel as though this last experience really completed it all--having lived in three completely different settings. My Fort Dauphin homestay was the most westernized, and I was able to see how a family with educated adults were able to live in Madagascar. During the Faux Cap village stay, I was able to witness extreme poverty. Seeing how these individuals were surviving day by day, it really gave me a better understanding of life under extreme conditions, and that poverty is caused by a lack of many different resources (access to education, health care, decent soil for farming, clean water, etc.) and as my dear father would say "Location, Location, Location." My stay in Sexaxa really completed the puzzle. I would not say that this family was living in extreme poverty, but they were definitely not well off (monetarily speaking). Although they still lacked electricity and running water, there was an available (and clean) water source in the center of the village. It was truly amazing to me how much of a difference that one factor plays in the livelihood of an area. Also, the people of Sexaxa live relatively close to a larger city, and they are exposed to a much greater level of diversity (among other individuals and lifestyles). I was sad to have to leave my family, but the end of our village stay meant the beginning of our week long excursion!
We left the village on Saturday afternoon and camped for the evening in Maun. It was nice to have a shower and my own place to sleep (since I had been taking baths outdoors with about a liter of water and sharing a bed in a mud hut with Kerileng). On Sunday morning, we departed Maun, and headed towards our first destination, Nxai Pan National Park. It was in Nxai Pan where we saw the majority of the landscapes and mega-fauna that I described in the opening paragraph. We arrived in Nxai Pan in early afternoon, set up camp, and went out on our first game drive. Riding around the park in two big safari trucks, we saw tons and tons of wildlife. We spent hours driving around, watching 1) tall elegant giraffes gracefully gallop along the landscape, 2) many types of antelope (springbok, impala,etc) pronk back and forth through the tall grasses, 3) elephants slowly make their way from tree to tree, and 4) zebra and wildebeest playfully fight for access to the watering hole (and of course, much much more). Pictures to come soon!
Our camp team was awesome! We had a couple of guys travelling with us who cooked all of our meals. It was neat to see how they were able to prepared food for us for a week without adequate refridgeration and on a camp fire...and not normal campground food either. We ate well--potato salad and hard boiled eggs, rice and chicken with summer squash, pasta with a delicious meat sauce, etc, etc. They were quite creative with the meals, and we were all grateful to have one last week of good food (this week I begin cooking for myself!). We camped in special hyena proof tents (which were huge and very very sturdy) and slept on nice thick mattress pads provided by the safari team. Main point: we slept and ate well, and therefore were always happy...even if there were hyenas howling and lions prowling close to our campsite in the night.
**Side Note: I was unaware before I came to Botswana, but the second most formidable creature in Southern Africa is the hyena. The spotted hyena has a minimum weight of 135 pounds and are known to decapitate campers in the night.
We spent two days at Nxai Pan doing two game drives a day. On the third day, the group left the park and headed towards a lovely little campsite named Planet Baobab. This campsite had a bar and a pool, so needless to say, free time was well spent lounging around.
Planet Baobab, just south of Nxai Pan, is situated quite close to Magkudigkudi National Park, and more importantly the Magkudigkudi Salt Pans and huge baobab trees. On Wednesday, we travelled to see Green's Baobab, Seven Sisters, and the salt pans. Green's baobab was used as a travelling landmark in the late 1800s. There are still carvings in the trunk from Green's expedition in 1858. The people on this expedition would leave letters in the holes of this baobab for other travellers passing through the area. The second baobab, Seven Sisters, is the second largest tree in all of Africa. We spent the lovely afternoon climbing the majestic baobab and eating our picnic lunch under the huge branches.
**Side Note #2: There are eight different species of baobabs that occur on planet earth. Six of these species are endemic to Madagascar, while there are seven species that actually occur on the island. Mainland Africa shares that seventh species. Australia is the home to the eighth species of baobab, which is also endemic to the continent.
Our afternoon was spent gazing upon the vast salt pans of northern Botswana. There is no way that I can adequately describe these salt pans. The best way to describe my experience is to say that while staring out over a large landscape of salt covered sandy soil, I was seeing everything and nothing in the same moment. The salt pans were created many many years ago when the lake beds dried up, and all of the sediment remained on the ground. When walking across the salt pan, you could break through the crusty layer of salt. I loved the crunching sound of my feet while walking across the pan. It was one of the most beautiful, and different, landscapes I have ever seen, and I plan to one day travel to Argentina to witness them again.
We returned to Maun late yesterday afternoon. Today begins a week of ISP preparation, and next Friday, I will commence my Independent Study Project. I don't know exactly who I will be working with or what I will be studying, but I am not too worried about it. All will work out in the end.
Last night was the first time I actually realized that I will soon be living all on my own in the country of Botswana. I will be camping by myself, preparing my own meals, and have my own agenda...AND I AM SO EXCITED! Throughout my entire time studying abroad I have been on the SIT agenda, going to class, being fed by homestay families, etc. This will be the first time in my entire life that I will be living on my own in a foreign country. Today I am going to go and buy provisions...a cooking pot, cooking utensils, plate, cup, bowl, firewood, and food supplies. Oh excitement!
I wish you all a very merry weekend, and I hope to hear from you soon!
erin elizabeth
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