Cape Town

Following a week in Cape Town and my return to Gaborone and the University of Botswana, I feel as if it’s time for another post.  Let me first just go off on how my trip to South Africa was amazing.  I knew it would be a good week considering the fact that Joe was coming and I missed him so much but that was only the start.  Joe’s flight was delayed leaving me to fend for myself Saturday night when my plane landed but it was no big deal.  Our week started Sunday when Joe finally made it to Cape Town.  We walked around the V & A Waterfront which was absolutely gorgeous and basically just explored the city.  I did not feel like I was in Africa at all.  It felt like a combination of what I imagine LA looking like and Atlantic City.  It was definitely a nice break from the dry and barren environment of Botswana.  Anyway, Monday we decided we would attempt to go to Robben Island but didn’t make reservations.  Somehow, Joe’s luck pulled through and a woman returned two tickets 5 minutes before the boat left.  That was one of our favorite days for many reasons.  The history of Robben Island is incredible and unbelievable as they told about the prisoners have to construct their own prisons, being kept in solitary confinement, being denied visitors for years upon years, and their desire to help one another through teaching during lunch times.  All of this was happening with probably one of the prettiest backdrops I have ever seen.  I just couldn’t get over the fact that Robben Island is a place where people would have come for a get-away vacation to appreciate the beauty but it is scared with the ugliness of humanity during the times of political strife in South Africa.  I guess that’s how history works most of the time though.

 

V & A Waterfront

Following: Robben Island, Stone Pit where prisoners worked, Nelson Mandela's cell, an extremely windy boat ride back to Cape Town

On Tuesday, we decided to tackle the beast of a mountain in the center of town.  It was amazing that Table Mountain, over 3,000 feet high, is the center of the city.  We successfully made it up the mountain but that’s not without many breaks and close to 100 pictures.  The views were just breathtaking.  I am a bit embarrassed to say, though, that we chickened out and took the lift down but in our defense, we had no water and I probably would have fallen down instead of climbing down so it was wise of use to use technology and get down in 5 minutes rather than the hour and a half it took us to get up there.  Wednesday we continued our physical activity with a 21km wine and bike tour.  We joined forces with Kelly, Sam, and Sean who had gotten into Cape Town the previous afternoon.  While it was beautiful, the first half mile or so of bike riding was nearly impossible as it was basically straight up a huge hill consisting of sand pits after sand pits.  The easy part was coasting down but even then you had to work because it was by no means a smooth ride and there were some sharp turns that made me a little nervous.  Everyone seemed to have fun though so it was good.  Thursday was my personal favorite day as I finally got to live the dream of every girl, according to Joe.  We went horseback-riding on Noordhoek beach which was absolutely GORGEOUS.  Definitely the prettiest beach I have ever seen.  My horse’s name was Cognac and only had one eye but was a good fit for me as he loved the water and refused to leave plus he was a bit pushy with Joe’s horse (I don’t know how they matched our personalities so well!).  Joe’s friend was named Jiffie and was a bit lower key than my horse, always doing exactly what he was supposed to and a bit scared of the water.  It was a lot of fun and I realized that is a place I could totally see myself living.  Friday we rented a car and with Joe’s phenomenal driving on the wrong side of the road skills, we made our way to Cape Point and Cape of Good Hope with the other three.  It was another fun and beautiful day as we got to see most of the coastline, which is beach after beach of white sand and crashing waves.  Saturday was a sad day because Joe and I had to part ways but not before another delicious meal and some time walking around the city.  It was one of my favorite weeks ever and I should thank Joe’s family for making that happen.

 Me on top of Table Mountain

On our way up

Vineyards

Fish hoek Beach

Us at the top of Cape Point (Southern-most point in Africa)

Atlantic Ocean on the left and Indian Ocean on the Right

The weird thing about the week was that even though all of these amazing things were happening all week and I got the break I needed form Gabs, I couldn’t help but the think about what I had been seeing in the streets of Cape Town.  Even driving from Gabs to Joburg through other parts of South Africa, it seemed like the gap between people living on sufficient incomes and those in poverty was way more extreme in South Africa than in Botswana.  I’m not sure if that is a cultural thing, purely economic, or a result from the government.  I would like to research that some more but based on observations, it seems like the poor are not given the help that those in Botswana are given.  It made me uncomfortable at times when I was stuffing my face with delicious meals and doing tourist activities that cost more than they should.  At one point, we were in an extremely fancy restaurant that was entirely unnecessary in a community which had people sleeping on the streets, stick thin, right outside the doors.  It did make me appreciate what the government in Botswana tries to do for its people in need and almost made me homesick for Bots strangely enough.

Well, I’d say that’s enough about my week on vacation but I am going to write another post about what is going on in Bots.  It seemed a bit strange to combine a fairly serious post with a fun one.  Anyway, still thinking of home and occasionally getting sad about what I’m missing but big things are happening here too!!

P.S. UB has put restrictions on the amount of time you can be on a blog to 3 ten minute increments a day for some strange reason (TIA) so I apologize if the quality of posts gets worse and I apologize but until I get somewhere with better internet, I will not be able to post many more pictures.

A week in Mochudi.

Written in Mochudi:

Dumelang bo-mma le bo-rra,

(Hello ladies and gentlemen)

Fair warning: this will be an EXTREMELY long post since I have spent a week in an entirely different place.

I am currently writing this while in my host family’s home which is located in a rural village in Botswana called Mochudi.  To begin explaining my experience, I guess I should describe my family and its dynamics.  I have a mother, a granny, a sister, a niece and a nephew.  My granny is 85 and diabetic.  As a result, she has lost one of her legs so she spends most of the day lying in her bed except for the occasional walk around the house using the help of two crutches and a fake leg.  My mother works for Botswana post and only had one child.  Her daughter, who is now my sister, is 26 and currently unemployed but graduated with a diploma (the equivalent of our degree) in information technology.  Her name is Tshepiso and has two children.  The eldest is 15 and his name is Lesedi.  Yes, that means Tshepiso has him when she was 11 years old.  My niece, Tshepiso’s youngest, is 4 and is named Lone.  There is also a cousin who lives with us named Kabelo but he is rarely seen.  Also related to my family is Sean’s family.  By coincidence, we ended up being cousins and living directly next to each other. 

My family plus Tabo, Sean's brother on the far left.

This brings me to the family dynamic which I have found in this house.  I came into Mochudi expecting to find a house-hold which is entirely dominated by men.  What I found, however, was completely opposite.  Batsi and other lecturers had warned us that in Mochudi, the traditional values were still very much observed.  This meant that women were to cater to men hand and foot.  We were told, as women, that we may have to do anything from cooking, to washing laundry, to sitting on the floor when a man enters the room so he has a seat.  Now a day, at least in my family, the boys cater to the women.  I believe some of this may have to do with the fact that all the women in my family are single and there is only one son in the house.  In fact, it is to the point that I feel bad for my nephew because he is always being yelled at to do this or that for his mother and grandmother.  In fact, I started sneaking him lollipops I brought home every once in awhile because he never gets any attention compared to Lone.  Anyway, I have connected pretty well with all of them except for granny who does not speak English which makes it difficult to bond over anything. 

There have definitely been times that I have been ready to leave Mochudi just because it gets old constantly trying to fight the ideas people how about Americans’ and their finances.   I cannot tell you how many time people, even my sister, have asked me to buy them something or give them something for free.  I feel bad because most people just can’t comprehend the idea that finances are relative and that’s why I seem like I have a lot of money here.  I have also had three or four people ask me to either take them or even their children back to the United States.  At first I played along with it and said if they could afford a ticket, I’d take them but it’s gotten to the point where I just say no.  Again, I feel bad but life isn’t as glorious as it seems in the US.  We still have plenty of poverty and inequalities we need to deal with on our own.  I could vent about the misconceptions of the US based off of media for hours but I will spare everyone and move on.

Sunday, the second day living in my new home, I joined Sean’s side of the family at the cattle post.  This is basically a HUGE farm for cows that is family run and owned in order to feed themselves and make some money.  Tabo, Sean’s brother told me they only had ten cattle but that was clearly a joke when we pulled up to a pen with 100 cattle.  I have never seen that many cows in one place!! It was pretty hilarious to listen to them all mooing and watch them all jockey for positions attempting to avoid being milked.  It sounds so stupid but I was actually REALLY excited to try and milk one or at least pet one.  I guess the animal lover in me came out that day and I did in fact milk a cow!  It was my first time and it was nothing like what I expected!  I managed to get a few squirts out but it was not as easy as I thought it’d be.  After about 5 minutes I have to let the professionals take over.  There are two men who live at the cattle post permanently in order to take care of the cattle.  I cannot imagine living that way because they are about an hour away from civilization and without any form of transportation.  I was told they are to wait for donkey carts (they are exactly what they sound like) if they want to ride anywhere. 

We spent nearly the entire day there and made some new friends who also live in Mochudi.  I was the only girl there so naturally, the guys had lots of awkward questions for me.  It was interesting though to talk with people and find out what goes on in their heads.  Many of the men here honestly do not value the idea of having one sexual partner at all.  It’s hard to listen to that and know they will not understand the importance of being faithful.  Many men here believe they have the right to leave a woman if she is unfaithful but they have no problems suggesting it to a woman they have only know for a few hours.  In fact, it is very common around here to hear people say they love you after they have seen you pass on the street.  The only good thing is that it seems like women are becoming wise to those tricks and are taking a stand against cheating men.  The problem, however, is that many times, them taking a stand means they go out and cheat also.  It’s a huge problem that needs to be stopped if the HIV/AIDS issue will ever be solved. 

I did meet one person at the cattle post who I found to be very interesting.  He is from Zimbabwe and was probably the smartest and most level headed person there.  Maybe I am biased from my little trip to Zim but after talking to him for a long time I truly believe he knows what he is talking about and cared about being informed.  He talked to me about the issues surrounding Botswana and Zimbabwe along with the theories of parenting.  He has two daughters and claims that is why he is so calm and collected.  Those are the people I love talking to here because I learn so much from them and their views on the world.  That is what I came to Africa for and I’m starting to think that it’s even better that I don’t find those people everywhere.  I have to look for them and once I find them, I thoroughly enjoy their company.

Coming back from the cattle post, I was very tired and the rest of the night was not filled with much.  Monday was about the same because my paper work did not go through for me to start at the clinic so I spent the day with my sister.  We went into Gabs to get some produce but instead shopped for her.  I don’t understand that because she is constantly saying how much money she doesn’t have yet she wants to spend more.  Seems that attitude is all over the world. 

Tuesday was the start to my rural clinic experience which turned out to have many surprises in store for me.  The first day, I saw things I never would have expected.  The level of care found in a rural clinic, in my opinion, is twice as good as that found in Gaborone, the capital of Botswana.  I think I have narrowed the causes to two.  One, there is much more space which allows for more rooms in order to provide more privacy and better working conditions.  The second is a larger staff.  The staff size was something that I had suggested be increased for the clinic in Gaborone and I believe that suggestion was proved valid this past week.  The people were so much more friendly and happy to be there.  They had time for mental breaks and were able to switch positions.  This is not to say the nurses here are not overworked because they most definitely are.  I made good friends with two of them, Thabiso (male) and Onneetse (female).  After spending four days with them, I see that they are incredibly smart and know exactly what is wrong with the governmental health care system.  They know the psychology behind treating patients and the theories behind sanitation and efficient work-ethic.  As a result, they work hard but are rewarded with pleasant patients and most afternoons free because they finish with patients early.  They are each trained in general nursing which means they can literally run the clinic on their own and, in fact, sometimes do.  There are health posts which are positioned in the middle of nowhere so the men working at cattle posts can be seen.  At these health posts, ONE nurse must do absolutely everything from consultations, to dispensing drugs, to injections/drawing blood, to suturing.  The most amazing part is that they know that things should not be so that they work alone like that in the most rural of areas but they do their time without many complaints.  Despite all of their brains and knowledge, they still disregard some basic safety issues such as wearing gloves during injections and I don’t know why.

Giving injections in a classroom.

The hardest part about working with the nurses this week was that I wish I could improve conditions for them.  They still work without the appropriate equipment and are expected to provide quality health care.  One of the biggest problems has come from the Ministry of Health in Botswana taking over the government clinics rather than local governments.  Due to this, there has been a huge drop in funding and it is becoming increasingly difficult for the clinic to provide transportation for patients to the hospital if needed.  I am not usually a very emotional person when it comes to prayer or other religious events but something got to me in the past four days at the clinic.  Every morning, before starting, a prayer is sung by all patients and staff.  Each day as I sat with the nurses and listened to the people singing and looked at all of the people in need of medical assistance, I thought about the struggles each of these people go through every day.  They are to the point that they cannot feed themselves and their families.  Some cannot afford indoor plumbing, screens on their windows, or doors on their houses.  It’s amazing the conditions some of these people live in while half way around the world someone else will be living in a multi-million dollar home by themselves.  It’s disgusting; these people did not do anything to deserve the struggles they have.  Everyone at the clinic knows their situations are not right and the diseases people in this area along with many others around the world are terrible yet preventable.  The staff does all it can given the supplies they have but it is still not the best care possible.  The amazing part is that each day these people come back to work and continue their daily lives with the faith that something will change.   I cannot imagine having the amount of optimism they have given the situations they are given.  I guess that goes to show the power of faith.

Clinic

I know this is getting absurdly long but I need to talk about one more thing.  The home based care which is provided by the clinic.  Thursday afternoon I visited one woman in particular who really touched me.  She is 81 and is so arthritic that she cannot sit up, stand, cook, or bath herself.  This woman literally lays in bad all day without human interaction, a TV, or music.  She has one son who comes to feed her twice a day but other than that she is alone.  She uses Pampers at night but there is a nation-wide shortage so during the day she must slowly move her legs over the side of the bed so she can use a bucket on the floor and then struggle to get her legs back on the bed.  She attempted to show us but was unable due to the pain.  This woman’s knuckles where so swollen and painful looking.  Her hands looked like the knuckles were on backwards.  Apparently there are volunteers who are supposed to come clean the bed linens and give her a bath each day but due to the lack of transportation from the clinic, they no longer come each day.  She has no idea when she will see them next and as a result may go days without a bath and clean sheets.  I leave it to the imagination the stench of her room due to her use of the bucket next to her bed as a toilet.  This woman is probably the most helpless person I have ever seen but yet she continues on each day living this way because there is no option.  I believe this woman has sparked a new interest of creating hospice care in these countries.  There is no way a human being should live that way and not be able to speak to at least one person a day and have someone check to see she is still alive.  The nurses only stop by when she is in need of more medication or if someone reports a change in her health.  That is not enough.  It was so sad but I wanted to stay and talk with her for hours.  I don’t think that I will ever forget the look in her eyes when she saw us walk in a sit down to talk.  It was unbelievable. 

Well, I guess that’s enough sob stories for this week.  Not much else happened but this has been one of the best weeks since I got here.  I loved working with this staff and learning from their situation and experiences.  I am going to miss them so much but I believe I will come back and visit at some point before I leave for the US.  Tomorrow, Saturday, I am going to a wedding with the family from Gabs (Mosetses') that is taking care of me and then I am moving back to UB on Sunday.  This week has gone by fast but has been so valuable.  The good news about going back to Gabs though is that Cape Town is only 6 days away!!!!!

Before the wedding with the Mosetse family.

Bride and groom dancing a traditional dance.

A post not for the faint of heart.

This post is a bit different from the rest of what I have been writing.  Instead of freely writing what I am thinking and experiencing, I have decided to post a portion of my clinical log that I have written for my class.  This is the log with follows my observations and reactions to everything I have seen in the past three weeks at one government run clinic alone.  I personally don't feel like it is too graphic but I will say that some of the things which I have seen are unbelievable and quite honestly, disturbing.  I apologize if anyone is offended or just grossed out but I think it is important for me to share these things as I am here in Botswana to study public health.  Please keep in mind this is not proof read nor finished so don't fault me for any mistakes!! :-)

Also, as a side note:

I will be traveling to Mochudi in the following week which is a village outside of Gaborone.  I will be staying with a host family and therefore will not have any internet access from the 12th to the 20th.  I will definitely have lots of stories when I return from there!!

Clinical Log #1:

In order to fully understand the aspects of public health which come into play in places such a Gaborone, it is necessary to have hands on experience.  The past three weeks, I have spent my Tuesday mornings observing at a clinic in Gaborone.  My initial impressions were ones which questioned how well any health professional could actually consult and treat patients in such a small and confined space.  The observations which I have collected in the past few weeks have proved to question much more than that initial observation.

My first Tuesday in the clinic was 25 January, 2011.  Upon entering, I found a waiting room approximately half filled with patients waiting to be seen.  The time was close to 8:30 am and patients had yet to be seen.  I had been told by one of the nurses in training that the clinic opens daily at 7:30.  Immediately a queue forms.  Speaking to the nurses that were sitting around, I realized that most of the staff in the clinic are not true nurses but nurses who have yet to graduate their program.  In total, there was one doctor who would not come until the afternoon, two trained nurses, and four nurses in training.  Due to the slow start to the day, I was able to ask a few questions of the nurse I was paired with for the day.  I learned that each patient, if from Botswana, pays P5 per visit.  While speaking with her, I noticed another nurse using a tongue depressor she had pulled form a box of sterile supplies in order to rip paper in straight lines.  After using that and putting it on the table where patients are seen, she continued to place the tongue depressor back into the box of sterile supplies. 

For the first day, I was put into the maternity and family planning section of the clinic.  The women were all asked to lie down on an examination table which was covered with a red plastic material used to protect from infection.  The nurse examined the patient using a glove but did not wash her hands after examination.  The red plastic was not changed despite finding out that the previous patient was infected with HIV.  It was not until one hour and 15 minutes after the nurse began to see patients that she washed her hands with soap and water.  Another issue found in the family planning section of the clinic is the lack of supplies in order to give a proper examination or to give the actual family planning injections.  Several patients had to be turned away and sent to another clinic in order to get the medicines and treatments they were requesting.  In the event that the clinic could provide the injections needed, the nurse did not take the time to clean the skin before injecting the patient nor did she take precautions to protect herself from any contaminations as she grabbed the needles bare-handed after use.  The final major observation made in the first day was the lack of privacy in the examination rooms.  Many times, multiple patients were found in the same room and people were able to walk in on pregnant women who were on the examination table in the middle of being checked. 

The second day at the clinic was spent in the dressing, injection, and bleeding room.  The three of those procedures are all preformed in the same room.  All patients seen were in for re-bandaging.  Each patients was told to undress wounds themselves and were given soap that the nurse had brought from home in order to wash hands.  Patients were forced to stand in uncomfortable positions for prolonged periods of time while the nurse was distracted from re-dressing the wound by a passer-by talking of the malaria outbreak.  New gloves were used for each patient seen and the nurses washed their hands after each patient, however, there were two patients in the room at a time at one point.  At the registration table, there was only one blood pressure machine working and the battery died quite frequently.  In the event of a dead battery, a hand machine was used with a faulty hose causing the nurse to take the blood pressure several times in order to get a semi-accurate reading.  One patient complained of waiting for three hours before even being registered while another patient had waited that period of time before having discovered she had a blood pressure of 192/160.  In this case, she was immediately seen and took precedence over the other patients. 

My third visit to the clinic was spent with the visiting doctor who was sent by the government.  He immediately seemed more focused and motivated to see patients and quickly yet efficiently treat them.  The doctor only spoke a bit of Setswana however thus needing to call in a nurse to interpret once in awhile.  One patient he saw could not be prescribed medicines because there was no way to transfer records from one doctor to another, a flaw in using the hand written record keeping system.  Each time the doctor touched the patient, he washed his hands with soap and water.  He mentioned he would be quick with patients to keep the queue moving, however, in the event of a person needing more attention such as a nicotine addicted patient, he was more relaxed and took the time to suggest solutions.  The same problem with the red plastic covering for the bed existed, however, as a patient who had experienced a miscarriage and was now bleeding laid on the bed followed by a patient who the doctor suspected of having an STI all without cleaning or changing the plastic.  The doctor was very careful to explain to a patient the importance of going to get further tests but was frustrated when the clinic did not have the supplies needed in order to perform a simple PAP smear.  When asked, the doctor said he could see any number of patients, usually averaging 100 per day.

The situations which are found at the Broadhurst 2 clinic are unbelievable.  At no time is it acceptable for a patient to be put at unnecessary risk for contracting a disease or illness.  The attitude of the nurses as they slowly move through the registration process and the consultations makes the atmosphere anything but pleasurable.  The suffering of each patient in a three hour queue without access to water or a bathroom is not a suitable situation for a person dealing with a so-called “advanced” health care system.  Patients’ privacy is completely ignored and their dignity is stripped as they must endure the constant interruptions during their consultations.  During all that the patients encounter during their attempts at making it through the clinic, they are exposed to countless infections which are completely avoidable.  The standards at which the nurses in the clinic are allowed to work are remarkable as there seems to be no supervision which must be noticeable to patients.  If a doctor comments on how poorly run a clinic is, there must be some changes made in order to provide to services and protections that a clinic is required to provide.

Found my happy place in Africa

I apologize for the lapse in time between posts but the good news is that there is a ton of stuff to talk about!  I guess I will just begin with things in order of when they happened.  First off, last Tuesday was my first day in the Broadhurst 2 Clinic.  The clinic is about 15 minutes away from campus by combi.  I had some trouble getting there just because I was at the wrong combi stop but once I got on to the right route, things got easier.  The weird part about that ride however, was the proposal I received from the driver.  At one point I was the only passenger and he proceeded to ask me if I was married.  I stupidly said no (I now know to always say yes)so he began asking me what he had to do to marry me.  I told him that everyone back home wouldn't be too thrilled with that but I don't think he really caught my drift.  That made the last 5 minutes of the ride interesting but luckily I just got out of the combi and have yet to see him again.  Once I was in the clinic, I was teamed up with some nurses in training and the head nurse in the maternity section.  I was so sick of seeing pregnant women by the time I left the clinic 3 and a half hours later but I definitely learned a lot.  I'm sure people aren't too interested in hearing all the gross details but I will make a point of saying I have never appreciated the health care system in the US so much.  Every woman was supposed to use the same plastic protective covering for the table the sat and laid on so I don't know what that was protecting them from.  Also, the nurse did not wash her hands after examinations until about an hour in to the day.  The patients have no form of privacy as other patients or anyone who is capable of turning a door knob walk through the examination rooms without any trouble.  Nothing was said about it but I was embarrassed and uncomfortable for them.  There are way more things that just were not right but I won't bore anyone with those observations.

Today was my second day at the hospital (I go every Tuesday from 7:30-12) but I had even more trouble getting there.  I don't know what happened but I ended up on the combi going in the opposite direction.  Luckily the driver and his fellow combi worker were extremely helpful and nice so I just stayed on that combi and completely reversed the route.  Once I got there, I got the chance to go into the room where they dress wounds, give injections, ad draw blood. Yes, they are all in the same room.  Again, the biggest thing I noticed was that there is no privacy, even for a man who had to drop his pants and stand in a strange position in order for the nurse to treat his wound.  I could not believe that people are able to walk right in and out and see everything that was going on.  I felt as if I shouldn't be looking and I am supposed to be in there observing.  Anyway, the dressing room was way more exciting than the maternity room last week.  Once again, my frustration continued with the clinic due to the lack of soap in rooms.  The week before the nurse only used soap once and this time a nurse had to bring in disinfectant so the patient who undressed their bleeding wounds themselves could semi-wash their hands.  It's a disgrace because as I found out today, all the clinic needs to do is put in a request for the equipment and the government will supply it.  I have no idea what the people who are in charge of the clinic are thinking.  Also, it would be beneficial to have a medicine counter open in a clinic which is prescribing medicines for patients, especially in a time of a malaria outbreak but the one in that clinic has been closed every time I have been there.  The one good thing I did learn though is that in the case of emergencies (such as a woman today who had a blood pressure of 192/160 if that's even possible), the patients do not have to wait in the 3+ hour line in order to see the doctor.  It was nice hearing some form of sane thinking this morning.

I guess I messed up my timeline a bit but I figured I'd save the big story to last.  This past weekend I experienced the most amazing portion of my trip yet.  Sam, Grady, Sean, and I left Thursday night and took a bus for about 16 hours to to Zambia in order to see Victoria Falls.  Along the way we saw some elephants and Sean claims he saw a rhino all just hanging out by the side of the road.  It was incredible to see these animals just wandering the wild knowing that they are in now way fenced in to any areas.  I love seeing animals where they actually belong.  Once we left the Botswana border post, we had to cross the Zambezi River via ferry.  While we were waiting, I kept hearing noises and seeing ripples in the water.  My hopes were up that it'd be a hippo since they are my favorite animals in the wild.  Nothing appeared until we were actually crossing the river when sure enough, the mouth of a hippo came out of the water and snapped shut!!! It was definitely one of the coolest things I have ever seen.  Unfortunately I only got a picture of its ears and nose sticking out of the water but the picture in my head is so clear.  Anyway, once we got into Zambia, we made out way to Livingstone Backpackers which was one of the most amazing hostels that I think exists in the world.  There we met up with Luke and Taylor, two other people from UB.  There was no rest for the weary as we hopped right into a free shuttle provided for Vic Falls.

I can honestly say that Victoria Falls was one of the most amazing and beautiful things I have ever seen in person.  I could only think of all the water that was falling over the end of the rocks and how beautifully green all of the plants were.  The mist comes up from the bottom of the falls so it appears to be raining up but in reality it is raining in all directions.  We were completely drenched within 5 minutes of being there but it was so worth it for the views we had.  Zambia is the home to only 1/3 of the entire falls which is almost 2 miles long.  There were points where the mist was so heavy that there was a complete white-out and we couldn't see much of anything.  Words and pictures cannot even begin to describe how powerful and overwhelming those sights were.  I don't think any of us stopped smiling but I must admit that it made me miss home.  I just wanted to be able to share those moments with all my close friends and family from home.  The strangest part about the falls was talking to the people who live there though.  Many of them have never seen the falls and I believe it is due to money.  Tourism has hiked up the prices of Victoria Falls entrance fees and I can't help but feel bad that these people cannot enjoy the beauty that is in their backyards.  When we continued on we came to yet another part of the day which was amazing.  We ended up basically on the lip of the falls.  This part is crazy because there is a distinct line going straight up from the end of the falls where the mist and rain stops and the sun and warmth dominate.  The pictures that follow attempt to show the beauty of it all but I don't think they do an accurate job.

Later that day, we walked around the town of Livingstone in which there was a market.  People in the northern part of Southern Africa apparently LOVE to barter for things because some man asked me for my hair tie and a few US dollars in exchange for a beautiful picture of a traditional couple.  I am fairly positive I made out well in that trade.  Friends of mine traded anything from clothes to tools to floss.  It was quite entertaining.

Saturday when we woke up, the six of us decided to be spontaneous and cross the border into Zimbabwe.  I cannot say how glad I am for that choice.  We went into the town of Victoria Falls and spent the day with our friend George we met there and in a craft market.  I met some amazing women who work so hard in order to scrap by and spent time playing with my new little friend named Yuna (she was 3).

I bought several things from the market and honestly felt broken hearted when we had to leave.  George was an awesome person to meet also because he showed us the town and spoke to us about anything we wanted.  The most important thing I feel I need to mention is that the people of Zimbabwe are embarrassed of their government.  Those people are some of the most hard working and intelligent people I have met in the past month.  Unfortunately, their president will not allow for himself to loose an election and will beat people who vote against him.  According to George, he was not to be president last time around but his men forged ballots for the 37% of registered voters who happen to be dead.  They are basically waiting for him to die in office and once that does, I have no doubt that Zim will take off as the new African jewel.  I cannot wait for that day.

Saturday night did not disappoint me either.  We spent the night on an overnight train which took us to Bulawayo, the largest city in Southern Zimbabwe.  The train was old and rickety and wonderful.  Luke and I talked about life as we hung our arms and heads out the windows watching the sun set on the countryside of Zimbabwe.  If I could have stayed in the moment for the entire trip, I would have been so happy.  That is one of the most peaceful times I have ever had and the country is unbelievably gorgeous.

It was during that time on the train that I realized I have found my happy place in Africa.  I found the place that I expected to find in Botswana.  Bots has it's own advantages but the people, the work ethic, the history, the culture, the scenery...it is ALL in Zimbabwe.  I don't know how or when but I will be going back there at some point in my life.  I was very close to tears when I had to leave.  That was surprising considering the fact that I had only spent two days in the country.  

We did not leave without some adventures, however.  Thanks to our friend Grady, we got to experience the legal system first hand.  Unbeknown to us, urinating in public is illegal in Zimbabwe, unlike in Botswana (well at least no one cares in Bots) and when Grady went to relieve himself, a man told him he could not do that.  Thinking the man was attempting to mug him, Grady simply walked off mumbling a few words under his breath and got back in the combi.  The officer came and found Grady, got him off the combi and walked away with him without any words.   My first thoughts were, "Oh my God, Grady is going to be arrested in Zimbabwe, we will never get him out." but then Luke came to the rescue.  We assumed since the police were so corrupt, they would just want money but apparently claiming your status as being a tourist does wonders as well.  Grady and Luke returned 10 minutes later with nothing except a fairly hilarious story to tell about Grady's near imprisonment in a country with one of the world's most corrupt governments.  Luckily we continued on home with no other issues.

I apologize for such a long post but I have so many emotions, thoughts, and memories about Zimbabwe and Zambia that I cannot help myself.  I wish that people could experience the real people and culture of Zim and not have to hear the awfulness that is the government.  I want so badly for their luck to turn around and for them to finally flourish again for their efforts.  5 years ago, there were very few people begging for money and food or being forced to sell crafts to make a living.  It is amazing how one man, the president, can absolutely destroy a country with such potential.  I am not one for suggesting much US intervention with other countries but I do wish so much that there was some way to end their suffering.  Being able to meet and talk with individuals and hearing their stories has some strong powers and I definitely feel like I have fell in love with that country. 

I guess I should stop myself from writing now considering this is the longest post in the world but I will continue to think about my trip and hope that maybe I can find a way to go back one day.  I know people from home might think I am crazy for having gone there in the first place but I want to see everything possible and because I did, I had a wonderful weekend.

 

Ever shower with a bucket?

I believe I have officially become accustomed to African life.  There are only two or three things that I feel like I need to blog about.  The first is about my new family here in Botswana.  The Mosetses (David, Charity, Obakeng, One, and Wabotlhe) have been going out of their way since I stepped foot on African soil to make me comfortable.  It is not until Saturday, that I have felt so comfortable and welcomed in this country.  I was asked to go to their house and make a traditional Setswana meal with Ms. Motsetse.  When I went on Saturday, we immediately began boiling some Botswanan meat.  She told me we were going to make nama which is meat in Setswana and bogobe which is almost like porridge.  The trick to making traditional nama in Botswana is pounding the meat.  Little did I know that when they say pounding, they literally mean pounding.  I was given a bowl full of slabs of meat and a wooden spoon.  It took me about 45 minutes to get the meat to break down.  It almost looked like pulled pork.  The cooking juices are then poured back into the meat and it is absolutely delicious.  As for the porridge, I will spare everyone the details on how they make it.  Just know it involves old porridge which they allow to sit in the sun for a few days and go sour.  Anyway, in the long run, the meal turned out delicious.  It also included some fried meat and some type of soup made from beef stock, potatoes, and onions. 

The reason why I felt so comfortable during that time was because some family friends came into the house and when I was being introduced, I was introduced as their daughter.  It is an honor here to be accepted into a family and I believe I have been.  I was also told that I am a true Motswana because I know how to pound meat. Continuing on with being part of the family, both parents and the oldest son who is 14 helped me do my Setswana homework.  It truly felt like I was at home in this house.  Probably one of my favorite days yet.

Moving on to Sunday, we decided to hike back up Kgale Hill again.  This time is was just me, Sean, Ronnie, and Grady.  Needless to say we made it up MUUUCH faster than last time.  In fact it took us about a third of the time.  The catch was that it was so humid that I don't think I have ever worked up that much of a sweat in 20 minutes in my life.  Once we got to the top though it was amazing because we just sat on the top of the hill/mountain for about 45 minutes.  I had a lot of time to think and clear my head which I think helped me get over some stresses from last week a lot.  We eventually headed down and found some more baboons.  This time however, they were way more interesting.  There was a family with somewhere around 10 babies playing.  We stood and watched them run around with each and climb trees until the mother started to grunt at us.  She was pretty big, I wasn't trying to play with her.  After we made a quick pit stop to get some well deserved milkshakes and french fries, we headed home. 

This is the second big thing that I wanted to write about.  Last night, Sunday, I had the biggest reality check of my life.  I went to turn the shower on and there was no water coming out.  I had heard of this happening before but thought it was only in the undergraduate dorms. We are staying in graduate housing.  When I asked my roommate what we do about it, she said we just wait.  So, despite being disgustingly sweaty from hiking, I sat down to attempt to do some work.  When I got hungry, I thought about making dinner and realized my options for cooking were severely limited considering the fact that I had absolutely no running water.  I got around that issue fine by making some eggs but around 8pm (4 hours had passed at that point), I began to start getting irritated.  I called the family but there was no answer so I asked a friend if I could shower at her flat.  I eventually got there around 9 to find buckets everywhere.  We thought that just meant the showers were not working (which is normal) but we realized there was only ONE faucet in the entire building which worked.  I quickly filled up two water bottles then went to claim a shower.  When I came back with my bucket to fill up, there was a line of three girls ahead of me.  The first two went through with no problem but the girl in front of me was in the middle of filling up her bucket when the water pressure went from the already measly half pressure to slightly above a trickle.  It came to be my turn so I put my bucket in the sink to wait.  About 30 minutes in, my bucket was half full when the water cut out completely.  I felt terrible for the people behind me but there was nothing anyone could do.  I took my half a bucket full of water into the shower to attempt the impossible.  I am so proud to say, however, that I was able to even wash my hair successfully!!!  I never thought I could do it.  At first I was so excited that I had done that and it felt SO good to be clean again but then I started thinking.

The part that bothered me the most about all this is that this is the way people live every day.  I have been so privileged my whole life to be able to turn the faucet on and have clean water.  Yesterday taught me just how precious water really is in life.  I was so thirsty and could think about nothing else.  I have no idea how people in Africa or anywhere are able to live daily lives like that.  My friend was saying that it is normal on this continent to simply run out of water or electricity.  They have adapted to these issues but it makes me angry knowing if I were to go home right now, people are wasting water left and right.  People are filling tubs to take baths, people are allowing the water to run while they brush their teeth or just dump water bottles out to fill them up with alcohol in the case of many college students.  I know that we should be able to enjoy what we have access to but I cannot help to think about all of the people who just won't have a drop of water to drink today.  I have heard so many talks and taken many classes that talk about how precious our resources are but yesterday and into today (18 hours later while there is still no water to be found) have taught me more than I could ever learn in a classroom.  We are lucky right now that it is raining so we can fill buckets and pots from the rain water and boil it to have some form of water but that too will stop eventually.  Hopefully, the situation is resolved soon enough and life goes back to normal but I hope to whatever power anyone believes in, that maybe one day these situations can be changed for good.  It is my hopes that Americans can be the start to that change seeing as we have so much power to influence people and places, especially those of the developing world.  So, anyone who reads this, please...please think about the water you use today and try your best to conserve as much as possible.  It honestly will make a difference.

Finally the big 2-1...

This week has by far been the best week I have spent here.  Last time I posted, I don't believe I had done much beyond sit in classes with no professors and be bored in my room.  Last Friday, the 14th, I had a fairly large adventure that was traveling in a combi myself.  One of my friends, Gerrica, lives on the other side of Gaborone, near a mall called Game City.  In order to get there, I must take a combi to Station which is just a massive bus station in the middle of the city and then catch a different combi to Game City.  The first ride went well and I found a girl who was extremely nice and walked my all the way to my next combi so I didn't get lost.  Once I got onto that combi, however, all hell broke loose!  I was all the way in the back against the window so there was no way I was getting out.  That was fine at first except for when a man opened the door of the combi and began yelling in Setswana.  Now, I believe I am doing a fairly good job at learning Setswana but when an entire van full of people screaming Setswana presents itself, I have no idea what's being said.  Typically it doesn't bother me when I can't understand conversations but that was a different story.  So anyway, we eventually got going after about 20 minutes of sheer chaos.  Eventually I reached my stop and made it to Game City alive but it was definitely an adventure.

The big day however, was SATURDAY!!! I was extremely hesitant to spend my 21st birthday in Africa because it didn't really seem like it would mean much let alone not being with my friends and family from home was going to be hard.  Luckily I have an amazing group of people with me here in Gaborone.  It was also a good time because my friend Grady was turning 21 the same night.  We started the day with going to the main mall and I bought a wooden hippo which I am super pumped about.  He will be my new study buddy. :-)  I am going to post a few pictures later of the crafts in the mall.  The night then was spent have a few drinks at dinner with about 14 people.  We went from there to a club called fashion lounge and danced the night away.  It was not what I would have expected but was certainly a wonderful way to spend my birthday.  Sunday was also pretty fun because I went on my first game drive.  I went with the family which is semi-hosting me here.  Their names are David and Charity Motsetse.  They are extremely welcoming and helpful.  Anyway, David picked me up from campus and we drove with two of their children, one being 4 the other being 6 months and saw all kinds of animals.  Half of them I have never seen nor heard of before.  We did see a baby monkey and baby warthogs which were funny. It was crazy to think that this is where those animals actually belong.  The most disappointing thing to me was that when I saw a zebra in it's natural habitat, it didn't look normal.  I hate that I am so used to seeing them in zoos that they now look out of place in the real world.

                                                                   The birthday kids.

As as for the rest of the days after that, they were not too exciting but classes are finally going which is awesome.  I was getting sick of going to class and not learning anything.  Funny thing is that the professors are not what I thought they'd be.  My prof for Politics of Poverty is extremely biased against whites which makes class interesting.  I have never been in a class where I have not only been the minority but also the one who is portrayed as the wrong-doer.  It is very interesting to see how others think of Americans but at the same time it is frustrating because not everyone in the US are like that.  I want to sit everyone down and explain individually how the world is not as it seems on TV.  I'm hoping that I can change some people's opinions so that they do not generalize.  The most hope that I see for this country and improving its status as both a economic and political jewel for Africa as it is considered now is for the youth to take over.  The president of Botswana is imposing many constraints on the people in the hopes of sparking action in the people but I do not see it working.  The elderly continue to have unprotected sex with multiple partners and choose not to use the advancements which are available.  The younger generation here are much more responsive to the liberal ideas which I think are needed in order to make some needed change.  It's amazing to me that wives here are still expected to allow their husbands to sleep with other women as long as they come back to their own house at the end of the night.  No wonder why HIV/AIDS is so prevalent.  The girls my age seem to be defying that though so I am hoping that will make a difference.

Anyway, unfortunately, my big plans of going to the clinic this week were also a bust.  The rainy season has wrecked havoc across Gaborone while flooding roads and delaying traffic so my ride never got to campus.  I'm hoping that next week things will work out better.  The plan is to go on Tuesdays from 7:30am-12pm to the Broadhursrt 2 clinic.  I am hoping to catch a lot of good information but I was told that the focus of my observations this semester will be sanitation and hygiene.  Considering the fact that most bathrooms do not have toilet paper OR soap...I think there will be plenty of stuff to see.

A few fun facts that I am just remembering off the top of my head are that a kitten was born around our building this week so a baby black cat is running around (adorable) and I was asked by someone if I would like to trade shirts because he liked me Gatorade shirt (I said no).  Also, I taught my roommates what stir-fry is and have made several Motswana experience the joy that is chocolate chip cookies and snickerdoodles.  The final interesting thing which I believe might have been my worst decision since being in Gabs was trying a caterpillar.  They are called something different here but basically it is a cooked up caterpillar about 2 inches in length.  My roommate asked if I wanted to try one and not wanting to offend...I did.  I think I have brushed my teeth 4 times since this afternoon.  I am proud of myself for trying it but I am definitely not a fan although I know many people are including international students.    

Life here has gotten a lot more comfortable and I find it easier to get through the day without being homesick.  We have our first weekend of volunteering at an orphanage this weekend where we will be swimming with the kids.  Speaking of swimming, I went swimming today in an outdoor.  I went swimming in JANUARY in an outdoor pool.  Strange strange feeling.  Also, we are thinking of going to Victoria Falls next weekend which would be awesome so let's keep our fingers crossed.  Only issue is the money but HEY!! When's the next time I'll be in Africa?!?! (hopefully not too long.. ;-) )

                                                      Crafts at Main Mall...all hand made.

                                                             Gaborone Game Reserve

                                                                      One(ohney) and I

Life as a UB Student

Dumelang,

As some of you may know, this was our first week of classes.  The funny thing is I have only had one class thus far.  While I understand that the first week is syllabus week, it still strikes me as odd that neither students or professors show up to class.  My first class on the first day, I arrived to a gated classroom (obviously no attempts whatsoever to have class).  The second class the professor did not show up and the third I had to miss for a meeting.  Tuesday, I went to my only class of the day which consisted of 6 people, 4 of which are international.  We ended up going to the prof's office and ASKING him to come speak with us (he was sorting papers).  When he did come we got a piece of paper and he said he'd explain more Thursday.  This is craziness.  I have already dropped two courses so I am now taking Politics of Poverty in Southern Africa, Demographic Aspects of the HIV/AIDS Epidemic, and Traditional and Alternative Medical Systems.  Don't worry though!  My semester won't be that easy.  I have three other CIEE specific courses and two of which I am the ONLY student.  The public health track is going to be a bit intimidating since I will be doing all work alone but I am excited to start going into clinics. 

As for the social life which I have experienced thus far, its a whole lot of hanging out.  Every single night the student bar has been absolutely packed.  Last night we stood for almost an hour talking to two random people we met.  The students are constantly wanting to talk to us and find out where we are from, what we expected to see in Africa and how we are liking it.  Yet again, the people prove to be extremely friendly but MAN...they LOOOVE to talk.  They all assume we Americans land in Africa and expect to see people riding elephants and everything.  I try my best to tell them that not everyone thinks that but it is definitely the way Africa is portrayed. 

I have also gone to the shopping areas several times in the past day.  It's strange how much their merchandise is like the US.  Honestly, sometimes I feel like I am at home.  There are still the crazy girls who were 4 inch heels to walk around the city and the guys who think they are thugs.  I also met a Fulbright Scholar who has been here several months so he was explaining to me the different quirks about Gabs. 

I guess the last thing to mention about life as a UB student is soccer.  Every night, soccer is played int he tennis courts.  Its nice because there is always something to do.  I played the other night (not well...I'm used to playing 5 year olds at camp and being awesome).  It was definitely made real that we were playing street soccer when a guy most likely broke his nose but waited just long enough for it to stop bleeding so he could come back and play.  Again...craziness. 

Well, I guess I should be going since I have to watch my clothes on the drying line.  Yes, I hand washed my clothing.  I'm still thinking of home every day and trying not to get homesick but Facebook is not helping.  Anyway, go siame (goodbye)!

Michele