Peaceful Pathway☮

Hello again! So here’s a quick update about the goings-on in Gobas: the IDCC opening was a great success.   Yesterday I spent the day in my neighboring village of Semolale with the doctor, Doctor Mashini, learning the process of how an official ARV day   is supposed to run.   He taught me the ins and outs of the system and recommended I teach everyone in Gobojango.   After transferring some patients from Semolale to Gobojango, learning to schedule appointments, and to take vital signs, the doctor then invited me to his house for a late lunch.   There, I met the doctor’s lovely wife and ate probably one of the most delicious meals I’ve had since I’ve arrived in Botswana.   Since Mr. and Mrs. Mashini are from DRC, they grow plants from their home country and cook with them.   I helped myself to seconds and even tried spring bock meat (which wasn’t necessarily my favorite).   Once I returned to the Gobas Health Post, I proceeded to find a cor...

I apologize it has been so long since my last post, many things have been happening and the network has been down this whole time so I haven’t been able to update! Let me start off by saying that I am safe and sound in Gobojango (Gobas) and I’m in my comfortable, beautiful home.   Slowly I am learning the individuals that live here, though the names are quite difficult to remember.   Whenever someone says, “Dumela Kitso!” (Hello Kitso), I simply respond, “Dumela tsala yame!” (Hello my friend!).   It seems to help in getting me out of an awkward situation.   I’ve mapped my community and continue to add onto the map as I venture out more and more into the cattle posts and farms surrounding my village. Next, my work at the clinic has begun.   My tasks change daily as the needs of the clinic change as well. For example, yesterday I assisted the lay counselor with conducting rapid HIV tests all morning while today I’m in an office counting pills.   Lucki...

I can’t believe that I’ve already been here for over two months…though the days seem like they drag on, the months truly fly by.   I’ve received my other bag from storage and am currently in the process of packing up my things. Either I’ve acquired so much crap, or I’m just not packing right! I have no idea how so many little things can accumulate to make such huge piles! I’ve already filled my big bag to its maximum capacity and I still have to pack my clothes! Eeesh, it’s going to be a long Sunday. Yesterday was the family appreciation ceremony.   I’d say even with all of the running around, it was a complete success J .   The hall was filled with families and trainees, everything worked properly, and I even had 5 people in the audience just for me!   My host mom came with her sister and niece, and two of my Batswana friends arrived from Joaneng (Keitumetse and Tshidiso)!   It was wonderful! The ceremony started by me singing the Botswana National Anth...

As the date nears, I’m getting more and more excited about moving to Gobojango (Gobos).   I am also realizing even further how truly alone I will be in exactly 8 days.   My Peace Corps experience thus far has truthfully been a unique one.   Though Botswana is fortunate enough to be considered a “middle-income” country, I am not necessarily living the “Peace Corps experience” I had originally intended or expected.   I have access to the internet, I have running water (sometimes) and electricity, and I feel pretty dang safe here walking alone.   What else could one ask for? Though I have been fortunate on many fronts, I believe we are faced with different predicaments that go alone with our kismets.   Adversity considering race relations is one thing I’ve had somewhat of a difficult time with.   Whether I like it or not, I stand out here.   I cannot walk to the tuck shop right up the street without everyone staring, trying to get my attentio...

The past couple days have been quite pleasant and fun-filled! I had a great weekend, mostly spent my time walking around Kanye and meeting different people. Then I spent a lot of time at Kogae Café (the “likoa” hang out apparently) with my friends and shared some friendly conversations and drinks.   I was even able to have a few full-on Skype conversations with my parents, TJ, and Ben! It completely brightens my day when that happens.   Sunday in it of itself was quite the adventure for me.   While I awoke early to do laundry and attend church, I decided after I had changed into my “church-going” clothes that I was in fact too lazy to do so.   I changed into jeans and a t-shirt and decided to take a box of Kraft mac’n’cheese over to my friend Jessica’s house.   We cooked, ate some yummy comfort food, and watched Back to the Future on my laptop.   It was the most normal afternoon I’ve had in a while.   (Well, I don’t know if you can call it en...

Hello again friends! I write you now with less than three weeks to go until I move to Gobojango.   For the past few days I’ve done some things worth writing about… First:   last weekend was our group’s visit to the cultural lodge.   We arrived to the village after about an hour in a bus from Kanye.   For the following couple hours, we had the great fortune to be able to watch some traditional dances.   As we arrived, women singing and holding drums awaited us at the entrance to the kgotla (wall-less hut). We entered and all took our seats as the presenters took their places in a line in front of us.   Then, the kgosi (chief), who walked with a cane, proceeded to dance for us as his peers sang behind him.   Next, they taught us how to grind sorghum between two rocks.   Selecting only a few people from the audience, the main presenter allowed Tate, TJ, and some other volunteers to happily walk to the front to give it a try.   After that...

So it has been quite a while since my last detailed blog post, sorry about that! Things have been pretty crazy recently! Let me back track to about a couple of weeks ago and my visit to Pandamatenga.   I had one of the best weeks of my life!   The transportation up there was a little unnecessary…15 hours in a crammed bus with hardly any pit stops was just too much to handle in one day.   But when I did get to Panda (which was just two silos and a dirt road), Christina and her boyfriend Coenie were waiting for me.   They then took me to a local lodge where we immediately saw an entire herd of sable.   It was beautiful.   Then, right as we were sitting down to eat; I saw something move out of the corner of my eye.   Out in the distance was a giraffe drinking water. It was so surreal!   The rest of the week seemed to fly by.   But in the course of only a couple days, I visited a local women’s group meeting, walked to Zimbabwe, gardened wit...