Gaborone

Arriving in Gaborone

I lost track of how many days ago now since I left home and departed for Botswana.  It seems that the days have run seamlessly one into another as I take in this country as easy and naturally as I breathe. Yet I can’t claim to know Botswana, it’s people, nor its history. But what I feel is an ease, naturalness, un-strangeness, even as I am a stranger in a strange land.  The people of Botswana appear to look at others without judgement or malice.  A smile is met with a quick smile in return.  We are a gulf apart, in culture and language, yet I feel a knowing ease with them.  As though I am seen as a person, not quickly glanced over, undifferentiated from the furniture, from which I sit. 

The two days spent in Gaborone were packed and yet fun filled.  Another Canadian volunteer and I were given an orientation, by the WUSC staff on the processes of our mandate, the superintendent of police provided information on safety, and a lecturer from the university gave us a back ground of Botswana.   The superintendent took a look at me and said, he thought he was looking at a sister, my skin colouring similar to his was like that of the people who live in a town called Kanye.  I decided that I had found my people. 

The land is open with low buildings, it feels free, uncluttered and somewhat reminds me of parts of the Caribbean.  What I have seen so far of this country is well developed, including the roads and the malls.  This is amongst the reason that Aid agencies are planning on pulling out is that Botswana had the highest average economic growth rate in the world economy.  

The Challenges

The challenges so far have proven to be none challenges.  One of my concerns coming here was about food and getting used to a different diet.  I have not had to adjust, not that I am not willing to try a local diet. It is just not available around me instead, I have eaten Chinese food, Nando's, and chicken and ribs while watching the soccer match under the stars.

My first night I did come face to face with the largest spider that I had ever seen. It was not a fun experience, but I found the courage to smash it, yet even as I write that my stomach turns.

When we arrived I could not find one of my suitcases, the one that had all of my clothing, apparently someone had mistaken taken it home, but thankfully they returned it the next day. 

We, four volunteers from Canada each with a different mandate and different length of time here, spent time at the Mokolodi Nature Reserve after I missed my flight to Maun. I was struck by the vastness of this land existing in the midst of the city where animals roam freely. Mostly, I was fascinated by the giraffe.  It is a majestic animal, stately, graceful and peaceful. I felt that if I could just sit and stare at it for hours wishing that I could imbue the spirit that emanated from it. So far it has been a wonderful introduction to Botswana.