Second Week in Botswana!

I can’t believe I’ve already been in Botswana for just over two whole weeks now!  Time has flown by so quickly, but I’ve definitely been enjoying every minute of it! 

Last Tuesday we volunteered at a local orphanage for the afternoon, and that was truly an incredible experience.  The children were wonderful, and I am hoping to return at least once before I leave Botswana.

Last Wednesday was my first day as an intern at a local clinic, and I have already learned so much through my observations and discussions with the staff.  I’ve also noticed several similarities and differences between the Botswana health care system and the U.S. system, and I’m sure that as I continue my internship over the next five weeks, I’ll notice even more comparisons.  I also took a combi on my own for the first time last week, and I managed to arrive at the correct stop without getting lost at all, which was quite an accomplishment.  Of course once I arrived at my stop I had no idea where to go, but luckily people are so nice and helpful here.  After asking several different people for directions, I eventually found my way. :) Although the combi system can still seem confusing at times, I’m definitely starting to get the hang of it.

Last Friday we all went on a tour of a local landfill for my Public and Environmental Health class.  We learned first-hand all about the different ways that Botswana manages its waste, as well as the waste management-related challenges that the country will face in the coming decades.  It was really fascinating to learn about an aspect of Botswana’s infrastructure that most people would not ordinarily have the chance to see, and I realized how much I take for granted when it comes to waste management and recycling in the U.S.  Prior to my arrival in Botswana I would not necessarily have thought that waste management was such a vital public health issue, but after seeing more of the country and speaking with the staff at the landfill, I can see how waste management has become such a critical concern.

On Saturday afternoon, we traveled to the Mokolodi Nature Reserve for a sunset safari drive.  It was such a beautiful drive, and I saw tons of animals along the way.  Among my favorites was the ostrich, due in part to the fact that I was not expecting it to be quite as majestic in person.  We also saw a family of warthogs, and the baby warthogs were really cute! :) During the drive we also started an impromptu Lion King sing along, which definitely put us all in the safari spirit!  All in all, I was just as much in awe of the scenery as I was of the animals, since it was truly breathtaking to drive through the middle of an African nature reserve just as the sun was setting. 

After we finished the safari drive, we drove into the middle of the reserve for a traditional African braai.  All of the food was delicious, and I enjoyed a dinner of steak, chicken, butternut squash, onion garlic bread, and papa (pronounced “pop,” this is a side dish that I have eaten several times and already begun to love!).  One of the most amazing things about eating dinner in the middle of the game reserve was that I was able to see more stars than I have ever seen in my life.  Although in my neighborhood back in the States I am used to seeing a fair number of stars, nothing I have ever seen, whether in the city or in more rural areas, could compare to the night sky here in Botswana.  It was mesmerizing to look in any part of the sky and see hundreds upon hundreds of stars.  It’s definitely difficult to describe the majesty of the Botswana night sky in words, but I can say without a doubt that it is a sight I will never forget for the rest of my life.

Another one of the highlights of this past week was the number of new foods that I had the chance to eat, and I already have some great inspiration for new recipes to try when I return home.  Even though I’ve only been in Botswana for a short time, I already have a few favorite meals that I know I will miss when I leave.  In addition to eating goat meat for the first time last week, I also tried my very first fat cake.  At a price of about a quarter each, I can already tell that fat cakes will be a dangerously tempting snack! :)

Here are a few pictures from my safari this past weekend, and you can see additional pictures from my trip here:

The orphanage where we all volunteered

 

A male kudu we saw on the safari

A beautiful pond at Mokolodi

A hyena from the safari

A warthog!

A cheetah lounging at Mokolodi

Sunset during the safari drive

This week I will continue with my classes and clinic internship, and later in the week we will be visiting a traditional healer.  We will also be traveling to another local game reserve, and I cannot wait to see even more amazing animals!

Peace,

Lizzy