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
Monday, April 13, 2009
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
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Mud Huts and Soft Porridge
I can't believe that I have already been in this country for a week! I have been staying in my new village stay in Sexaxa, and I am having the most lovely time. I live in a compound with my mother (who is 25), her mother, and her two children (ages 4 and 1). My mother, Keroling, can speak a little bit of English, and we can usually communicate between ourselves. And she is also helping me to learn a little bit of Setswana along the way. Our compound consists of one house (which my mother made out of sticks and mud all by herself), an outdoor kitchen area surrounded by a wooden fence, and a little "bathroom" where I bathe twice a day.
**Side note: One huge difference about this country is bathing. During my homestay in Faux Cap, I wasn't able to bathe once (and neither did my homestay family). Here, we must bathe twice a day--In the morning and at night before I go to bed. This just goes to show how a slight change in access to water can affect the families which reside around the same longitudinal coordinates.
My family here also seems much more excited about and interested in my presence. I am constantly helping my mother cook, clean, fetch water, etc., and I feel much more integrated into the family's daily life. I'm am sure this has a lot to do with the fact that communication comes much easier here than it did in Faux Cap, but nonetheless, I am enjoying myself much more.
I share a double bed with my mother in the mud hut, which has actually not been a nuisance thus far. I am happy to be sleeping in a bed in general. Meals so far have consisted primarily of soft porridge (a mixture of cornmeal and milk) and hot tea. Sometimes, my homestay mother will prepare pumpkin or beans for me that she harvested in the fields. The meals are not extravagant, but I am happy with what is available...it is a good change from eating rice 24/7!
During the day, all of the students travel into the city for classes. We have our lectures in a small hotel, and we are on our own for lunch. I have started buying peanut butter and bread, apples, and yogurt from the grocery store for my lunches. I am really enjoying the availability of food items in this country, especially the Cadbury chocolate bars! It is nice to have a break from the village during the day as well. I find that division of time between the city and the village has made the experience a little more pleasurable due to the fact that I am not getting burned out with either setting. The days are a nice melange.
Last Sunday, I went on my first game drive! We spent a couple of hours in the morning driving through the wilderness of Africa, looking at all of the mega-fauna!! While riding in our crazy safari trucks, we saw so many elephants, giraffes, zebras, and a plethora of antelope. I am hoping to post pictures some time this week!!
And I have discovered my new mailing address. Hopefully, this address will be a bit more reliable, since Botswana is not experiencing any political stress at the moment. I am told that the mail takes about 10 days, but I will let you all know when I receive my first letters!
**Side note: One huge difference about this country is bathing. During my homestay in Faux Cap, I wasn't able to bathe once (and neither did my homestay family). Here, we must bathe twice a day--In the morning and at night before I go to bed. This just goes to show how a slight change in access to water can affect the families which reside around the same longitudinal coordinates.
My family here also seems much more excited about and interested in my presence. I am constantly helping my mother cook, clean, fetch water, etc., and I feel much more integrated into the family's daily life. I'm am sure this has a lot to do with the fact that communication comes much easier here than it did in Faux Cap, but nonetheless, I am enjoying myself much more.
I share a double bed with my mother in the mud hut, which has actually not been a nuisance thus far. I am happy to be sleeping in a bed in general. Meals so far have consisted primarily of soft porridge (a mixture of cornmeal and milk) and hot tea. Sometimes, my homestay mother will prepare pumpkin or beans for me that she harvested in the fields. The meals are not extravagant, but I am happy with what is available...it is a good change from eating rice 24/7!
During the day, all of the students travel into the city for classes. We have our lectures in a small hotel, and we are on our own for lunch. I have started buying peanut butter and bread, apples, and yogurt from the grocery store for my lunches. I am really enjoying the availability of food items in this country, especially the Cadbury chocolate bars! It is nice to have a break from the village during the day as well. I find that division of time between the city and the village has made the experience a little more pleasurable due to the fact that I am not getting burned out with either setting. The days are a nice melange.
Last Sunday, I went on my first game drive! We spent a couple of hours in the morning driving through the wilderness of Africa, looking at all of the mega-fauna!! While riding in our crazy safari trucks, we saw so many elephants, giraffes, zebras, and a plethora of antelope. I am hoping to post pictures some time this week!!
And I have discovered my new mailing address. Hopefully, this address will be a bit more reliable, since Botswana is not experiencing any political stress at the moment. I am told that the mail takes about 10 days, but I will let you all know when I receive my first letters!
C/O Stewart Chirova
P. BAG TO 10 Suite 91
POSTNET TLOKWENG
BOTSWANA
<3 and miss you all!!
erin elizabeth
P. BAG TO 10 Suite 91
POSTNET TLOKWENG
BOTSWANA
"What I found appealing in life abroad was the inevitable sense of helplessness it would inspire. Equally exciting would be the work involved in overcoming that helplessness. There would be a goal involved, and I liked having goals." --DavidSedarisWhen reading Me Talk Pretty One Day on the plane ride from Madagascar to Botswana, I came across this quote. Throughout this past week, and the following weeks ahead, I am trying to keep these thoughts in the back of my mind. I am still adjusting to this new place, and I am not expecting everything to be easy for me. But, if I understand that fact, I can confront my new obstacles with a sense of power rather than helplessness--a personality trait that I admire and hope to acquire.
<3 and miss you all!!
erin elizabeth
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Metamorphosis
So I just got to actually watch the news story that I previously posted. The highlight of the entire story was hearing my little brother talking. He has grown an insane amount over the time that I have been abroad. Just hearing him talk on the phone, I can tell already tell a difference in his articulation. It is amazing to discover the subtle nuances of daily life that I took for granted before I left the country.
All is going well in Botswana. Matt and I have been spending the last two or three nights in a hotel, acclimating ourselves to the area, while the others have been staying in their village stay in Sexaxa. It has been nice to have some time to readjust myself, to "switch gears" from living on the quaint, island town of Fort Dauphin, to the landlocked, bustling tourist town of Maun.
I miss a lot of things about Madagascar. I will list them for you:
1) The people. I had spent a month and a half building relationships with an amazing group of individuals (students, professors, homestay family members, etc), and they were all taken away from me in a matter of days. I miss these guys a ton, and it will be interesting to start building a group of friends all over again. The people here are extremely nice and friendly, but the group in Madagascar will always hold a special place in my heart. I love and miss you guys.
2) The countryside of Fort Dauphin. I was basically living in a little Caribbean paradise for a month and a half, and I miss the ocean and the cool ocean breeze.
3) Classes at Libanona. The classes here are held in a conference room at a hotel. While that is all fine and good, it is not my quaint little peninsula that overlooked the Indian Ocean. Lunch will no longer be spent outdoors in the grass. I am now in an actual touristy town, and I miss the outdoors.
4) The accessibility and quality of fruit. They have fruit here, but I do not get to go into the market and buy freshly picked mangos and bananas from a little street vendor for 10 cents. Everything here is sold in packages, much like the US, and I despise it.
5) Speaking french. I didn't expect this at all. I was often times frustrated with the french language. But now that I am unable to use a language that I have been depending on for the past month and a half, I miss it. Matt and I speak the beautiful french language sometimes, but overall, it is just not the same.
Now, don't get me wrong, there are many things about Maun that I really like. The internet is fast. I can drink the water without getting dysentery. Items are much more accessible. The food is still tasty. But it is definitely a change for me.
Yesterday afternoon, Matt and I found our way to Sexaxa, the village where the rest of the SIT kids are staying (and also the village that I will be living in next week). We had an interesting time finding the correct bus, etc., but we finally made our way to the lovely little village. It was nice to meet some of the villagers and to become acquainted with the area. From just seeing Sexaxa for a couple of hours, I can already tell that this village stay will be a lot different from the one in Faux Cap. There are some people who speak English (thank goodness), and the families here are just not as poor as the families in Faux Cap. All of the villagers have access to Maun by bus, and a good portion of the villagers have lived in a larger city at some time or another. It is not uncommon for the villagers to have a house in the city, as well as the country. Also, all of the compounds are relatively close together, and the students are able to interact a lot more than we ever could at Faux Cap.
Ever since I have come to Botswana, I have felt a little bit lost (academically speaking). The past week has felt like a vacation in the sense that I have been travelling and living in a hotel in this new country. I think it will take some time to find a new niche for myself here in Botswana, but I suspect that it will all come in due time. Throughout this entire experience, I am definitely learning how to adequately adjust to and cope with change--something that has been quite difficult for me to handle in the past. I am proud of the way I have personally handled this entire situation, and I can already see myself morphing into a new and improved "erin elizabeth."
All is going well in Botswana. Matt and I have been spending the last two or three nights in a hotel, acclimating ourselves to the area, while the others have been staying in their village stay in Sexaxa. It has been nice to have some time to readjust myself, to "switch gears" from living on the quaint, island town of Fort Dauphin, to the landlocked, bustling tourist town of Maun.
I miss a lot of things about Madagascar. I will list them for you:
1) The people. I had spent a month and a half building relationships with an amazing group of individuals (students, professors, homestay family members, etc), and they were all taken away from me in a matter of days. I miss these guys a ton, and it will be interesting to start building a group of friends all over again. The people here are extremely nice and friendly, but the group in Madagascar will always hold a special place in my heart. I love and miss you guys.
2) The countryside of Fort Dauphin. I was basically living in a little Caribbean paradise for a month and a half, and I miss the ocean and the cool ocean breeze.
3) Classes at Libanona. The classes here are held in a conference room at a hotel. While that is all fine and good, it is not my quaint little peninsula that overlooked the Indian Ocean. Lunch will no longer be spent outdoors in the grass. I am now in an actual touristy town, and I miss the outdoors.
4) The accessibility and quality of fruit. They have fruit here, but I do not get to go into the market and buy freshly picked mangos and bananas from a little street vendor for 10 cents. Everything here is sold in packages, much like the US, and I despise it.
5) Speaking french. I didn't expect this at all. I was often times frustrated with the french language. But now that I am unable to use a language that I have been depending on for the past month and a half, I miss it. Matt and I speak the beautiful french language sometimes, but overall, it is just not the same.
Now, don't get me wrong, there are many things about Maun that I really like. The internet is fast. I can drink the water without getting dysentery. Items are much more accessible. The food is still tasty. But it is definitely a change for me.
Yesterday afternoon, Matt and I found our way to Sexaxa, the village where the rest of the SIT kids are staying (and also the village that I will be living in next week). We had an interesting time finding the correct bus, etc., but we finally made our way to the lovely little village. It was nice to meet some of the villagers and to become acquainted with the area. From just seeing Sexaxa for a couple of hours, I can already tell that this village stay will be a lot different from the one in Faux Cap. There are some people who speak English (thank goodness), and the families here are just not as poor as the families in Faux Cap. All of the villagers have access to Maun by bus, and a good portion of the villagers have lived in a larger city at some time or another. It is not uncommon for the villagers to have a house in the city, as well as the country. Also, all of the compounds are relatively close together, and the students are able to interact a lot more than we ever could at Faux Cap.
Ever since I have come to Botswana, I have felt a little bit lost (academically speaking). The past week has felt like a vacation in the sense that I have been travelling and living in a hotel in this new country. I think it will take some time to find a new niche for myself here in Botswana, but I suspect that it will all come in due time. Throughout this entire experience, I am definitely learning how to adequately adjust to and cope with change--something that has been quite difficult for me to handle in the past. I am proud of the way I have personally handled this entire situation, and I can already see myself morphing into a new and improved "erin elizabeth."
Friday, March 20, 2009
africa in the news!
Check out this link. It is crazy! The computer I am on won't actually allow me to listen to the report, but just seeing the pictures has me stoked! Thanks to everyone back home who is taking interest in my African experiences!
http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=news/local&id=6717427
PS: the bit where my brother is pointing to the globe...I taught him that ;)
http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=news/local&id=6717427
PS: the bit where my brother is pointing to the globe...I taught him that ;)
Thursday, March 19, 2009
From lemurs to zebras in 24 hours!
I have arrived in Botswana safe and sound! (after quite a long journey)
Matt and I left yesterday from Fort Dauphin, and flew into Johannesburg. Because we were traveling on a chartered flight, we had an small issue with baggage...I was only allowed 20 kilos of weight, total. Because I was actually carrying 30, I was told that I was going to have to leave some of my things behind. But after about 10 minutes of freaking out, we eventually worked it out, and all luggage made it on to the plane. Woof.
When we had finally made it to the huge airport of Johannesburg, our connecting flight to Gaborone had already departed. Yet, amidst all of the craziness, Matt and I were able to secure another flight with Air Botswana (after an hour and a half of running back and forth across the airport like two chickens with our heads cut off). At least everyone there spoke English...
We arrived in Gaborone late last night, and the gentleman who was supposed to take us to our hotel had already left. Eventually, we found someone who had been waiting with the gentleman who understood our situation, and long story short, we made it to our hotel. We ate dinner at a crazy huge restaurant down the street from our own place of lodging. And there is only one way to explain my feelings at that point in time. Culture shock. I drank a ginger ale with lime juice along side a glistening pool, while eating an Asian chicken noodle salad. The bathrooms had granite counter tops and foamy soap. I didn't know where the hell I was. Just the day before, I was using the bathroom in an old broken down outhouse. It was, indeed, an intense situation that I did not expect to experience.
This morning we arrived in Maun, where we were greeted by our new academic director (who goes by the name Simba!!). We drove to a little hotel and talked about our new home. He described the structure of the delta, the megafauna, and the economics of the region. Botswana is actually a remarkable country, in terms of economics. All of its wealth has been obtained since 1966.
As Matt and I were eating lunch, we were bombarded with a ton of new faces, just out of class. It was a little overwhelming, but the dynamics of the group seem great...full of sarcastic individuals :). There is another girl here from UNC, and a couple of them took us out to show us around a little bit before class. And that is where I am now. In an internet cafe in Botswana!
It will be interesting to see how everything plays out here, and I can't wait to see what crazy things happen! I learned today that in a week or two, I will get to follow zebra migrations across the delta. Yes, be jealous ;)
erin elizabeth
Matt and I left yesterday from Fort Dauphin, and flew into Johannesburg. Because we were traveling on a chartered flight, we had an small issue with baggage...I was only allowed 20 kilos of weight, total. Because I was actually carrying 30, I was told that I was going to have to leave some of my things behind. But after about 10 minutes of freaking out, we eventually worked it out, and all luggage made it on to the plane. Woof.
When we had finally made it to the huge airport of Johannesburg, our connecting flight to Gaborone had already departed. Yet, amidst all of the craziness, Matt and I were able to secure another flight with Air Botswana (after an hour and a half of running back and forth across the airport like two chickens with our heads cut off). At least everyone there spoke English...
We arrived in Gaborone late last night, and the gentleman who was supposed to take us to our hotel had already left. Eventually, we found someone who had been waiting with the gentleman who understood our situation, and long story short, we made it to our hotel. We ate dinner at a crazy huge restaurant down the street from our own place of lodging. And there is only one way to explain my feelings at that point in time. Culture shock. I drank a ginger ale with lime juice along side a glistening pool, while eating an Asian chicken noodle salad. The bathrooms had granite counter tops and foamy soap. I didn't know where the hell I was. Just the day before, I was using the bathroom in an old broken down outhouse. It was, indeed, an intense situation that I did not expect to experience.
This morning we arrived in Maun, where we were greeted by our new academic director (who goes by the name Simba!!). We drove to a little hotel and talked about our new home. He described the structure of the delta, the megafauna, and the economics of the region. Botswana is actually a remarkable country, in terms of economics. All of its wealth has been obtained since 1966.
As Matt and I were eating lunch, we were bombarded with a ton of new faces, just out of class. It was a little overwhelming, but the dynamics of the group seem great...full of sarcastic individuals :). There is another girl here from UNC, and a couple of them took us out to show us around a little bit before class. And that is where I am now. In an internet cafe in Botswana!
It will be interesting to see how everything plays out here, and I can't wait to see what crazy things happen! I learned today that in a week or two, I will get to follow zebra migrations across the delta. Yes, be jealous ;)
erin elizabeth
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