A Plethora of Photos

For a viewing of most of the photos I have taken while studying in Africa, visit the following website.

Africa Photos 2009

I am currently updating the site. All photos from Madagascar have been added. Botswana still to come.

<3

erin elizabeth

retrospect

"Our critique began as all critiques begin, with doubt; doubt became our narrative. Ours was a quest for a new story, our own. And we grasped towards this new history driven by the suspicion that ordinary language couldn't tell it. Our past appeared frozen in the distance, and our every gesture and accent signified the negation of the old world and the reach for a new one. The way we lived created a new situation, one of exuberance and friendship, that of a subversive micro-society in the heart of a society which ignored it. Art was not the goal but the occasion and the method for locating our specific rhythm and varied possibilities of our time. The discovery of a true communication was what it was about. Or at least the quest for such a communication. The adventure of finding it and losing it. We, the unappeased, the unaccepting, continued looking, filling in the silences with our own wishes, fears, and fantasies. Driven forward by the fact that no matter how empty the world seemed, no matter how degraded and used up the world appeared to us, we knew that anything was still possible, and given the right circumstances a new world was just as likely as an old one."

A transition yet again...

One last update from Africa--lectures have been heard, research been carried out, papers been written, and presentations been given...and the time has finally come to update my blog one last time in Botswana.

I have spent a lot of time the past couple of days thinking about my return home to the states. As I have to constantly remind myself, life has continued back home. Friends and family members have been living their own lives as well, and I am expecting to be welcomed home by many changes. I have a new house at the lake. My best friend is in nursing school. My little brother is now able to articulate his thoughts in a quite impressive manner, and if he is anything like his father then you all understand what that means :). As my world completely changed four months ago when I left the states for African adventures unknown, life is again going to recommence in completely different manner. It has taken time for me to adjust to the African lifestyle--once when arriving in Madagascar and again throughout my transition from island to continent. Now, as I pack my bags for the final adventure, I will experience another transition of my own. No more young children yelling at me on the dirt paths along Madagascar's blue beaches. No more standing out on the mongoose chase in Botswana. I will once again blend in completely, and I am looking forward to that more than anything else. 

The past week has been devoted to my independent study project--long hours writing up reports and preparing for presentations. The process was begun two Sundays ago while I was still in Kasane. Back in January, on my final night in the States, I decided not to bring along my computer. And, of course, this week I was wishing that I had my lovely little laptop at my side. Because I did not have access to a computer (that I didn't have to pay for) I spent four straight days writing out my entire 35 page report by hand, in a little notebook that I purchased in Madagascar (little did I know at the time that the thing would one day hold an ISP report on a project performed in a whole other country). I don't think I have written out an entire paper on actual paper since middle or high school, let alone 35 pages of mongoose research; yet, oddly enough, the process was again a refreshing experience. Had I been writing a 35 page report in the states during finals at UNC, I feel as though the process would have resulted in the long and painful demise of my soul and sanity. The process was at times stressful during the analysis process and in the many hours spent typing up my report in an internet cafe, but, overall, I was quite pleased with the week.

There is so much more that I could say, but I will be home in a couple of days, and I will then be able to tell you all my stories in person (well, most of you). I have lots of loose ends to tie up in my last day--things to buy, emails to send, cheetahs to pet, and goodbyes to be said. I will return to the states on the 14th of May and be home on the 15th. And though my time in Africa is about over, my adventures have only yet begun. It has been fun telling you all my stories throughout this trip, and I hope you have found some enjoyment amongst my silly ramblings. 

cheers from Botswana (one final time),

erin elizabeth

big ole warthogs

Today is my last full day in the lovely little town of Kasane. And as usual, the time has literally flown by. Who would have known that following mongooses for three whole weeks would seem to dash away in a flash...

The last days spent out with the troop were quite interesting. The day before my last day, my troop decided to venture into the home range of another troop that dens (and pretty much spends every hour) at a large lodge called Mowana Safari Lodge. (Interesting fact: "mowana" means baobab in Setswana). Therefore, the last two days with the troop were pretty epic in the mongoose world. The Chobe Safari Lodge troop (my troop), for the first time since being observed by any researcher, left their own home range and overtook the lodge of the Mowana troop (and consequently displacing the Mowana troop to den elsewhere). Leave it to my little mongooses to make things interesting right before I leave...

Side note: Theoretically, I have been staying at Chobe Safari Lodge because that is where my troop mainly dens; yet, the week or two before I came to Kasane, the troop decided to leave their normal den sight and travel up and down the Chobe River (only denning in one place for a night or two). Mowana Safari Lodge, where I left the troop on my last day, is 5km from my lodge. ie. lots of walking for Erin. Go figure.

My last day in the field was most enjoyable. After a morning of chasing the mongooses around Mowana lodge, the little guys decided to stop and rest for the afternoon--conveniently at the home of a young couple that I have recently become acquainted with. Therefore, my afternoon was spent lounging in the cool grass, under the shade of lovely African trees, reading and lounging and taking mongoose observations every hour or so. At some point in the afternoon and elephant walked by. I am going to miss those lazy African afternoons...

Yesterday and today have been devoted to data entry and analysis. Bluh. So, basically, I spent all of my Saturday in front of a computer (from 8am to 6pm) entering in my observation data. Today was spent learning even more. Pete and I began the analysis of the data and decided the manner in which the data will be organized for presentation. Let's just say I'm glad I had a statistics refresher course last semester. The next few days will be filled with correlation coefficients, statistical significance, Mantel's test for spatial correlation, Kernel's home range estimations, response and predictive variable associations, and any other extremely 'mind blowing' statistical terms you would like to insert here. I have a lot of work ahead of me, that's for sure.

So tomorrow I begin my 10-12 hour journey, by tiny bus, to Gaborone. Hopefully I will find the right buses this go around. It is the 'last leg' of my journey, or as my dear father would put it, I am "gettin' in the short rows now." The days are about to become crazy and hectic and filled with long lengths of time spent in front of a computer, giving presentations, or celebrating the last few nights/days with my lovely African friends. I can already tell that this last week and a half is going to be the quickest of them all.

until Gaborone,

erin elizabeth

*****
An extra note for your general amusement--something I forgot to mention in a previous post:

One day I was performing troop observations at Garden Lodge. It happened to be just another usual morning, when out of nowhere, I hear a strangely familiar voice...

"Those are some big ole warthogs aren't they?!"

I gasp for air. I haven't heard that twangy dialect in over four months. I feel oddly at home.

"Y'all must see them things all the time around here, don't chya?"

Again, my heart is happy. It is funny the little things that you miss when you leave home. I never thought I would miss the awkward southern accent, but I must say that this man's voice struck a nostalgic chord in my heart. With a big grin on my face, I ask the man where he is from: Louisiana.