Half Way Through My Trip!

I cannot believe that it has already been more than two weeks since I last posted an update, and two weeks from yesterday, I will be leaving Botswana and beginning my adventure in Cape Town!  The time has flown by so quickly here, but it seems like each day I have a new amazing experience and learn something about myself in the process.  Since I have not updated my blog for a little while, this post is a bit longer than usual so please bear with me. :)

The past two weeks in particular have been some of the most profound and exciting weeks of this entire trip.  Later in the day after my last blog post, I traveled to another local game reserve, this time right in Gaborone.  Upon our arrival at the reserve, we were met by dozens and dozens of monkeys!  We were fascinated by them, but at first they seemed more skittish and would not come very close to us.  However, once we started setting up our food at a picnic area in the reserve, they started to inch closer and closer to us.  Within minutes, it seemed like most of the monkeys in the reserve had come over to our picnic area, and it did not take long before they were stealing our food.  As time went on they became more and more brazen, and I was startled several times by various people warning me that there was a monkey just inches behind me.  Even though they did steal several handfuls of our food, it was still so incredible to eat lunch in a game reserve, surrounded by hoards of monkeys. 

The day after we visited the Gaborone game reserve, we left for Mochudi, a rural village just north of Gaborone.  As we were driving to Mochudi we noticed several military vehicles and personnel parked along the route.  We had heard that Michelle Obama was going on a safari near Gaborone that day, so we assumed that they were just stationed in the surrounding area for added security.  However, later that day when I was watching the evening news with my host family, I found out that she had visited Mochudi on a surprise trip to the village the very same day that I arrived there!  It was so exciting to think that we were in the same city as Michelle Obama when she stayed in Gaborone, and it was even more amazing to realize that we were in the very same village on the same day that she visited it! 

After we arrived in Mochudi each student was dropped off at their host family’s home.  My host family in Mochudi was wonderful, and my experience in the rural village was simply amazing.  I learned so much about Botswana’s history during my homestay, as well as some of the long-standing traditions that still exist in the country.  I really enjoyed the slower pace of the village life, which actually surprised me since I have always enjoyed being busy and plan to eventually live in a more urban area.  However, there was something refreshing about the life there, and it is an experience that I will never forget.  One of the days in Mochudi, I noticed a donkey on my street that was just standing alone.  No one knew whose donkey it was, but it spent most of the day just grazing and standing under a tree.  The following day the donkey was still there, and in the afternoon I noticed that it was stuck on a fence.  I tried to free it by poking at the fence and trying to get the donkey to move, but it didn’t budge.  Finally a couple of the people on the street came over to help and the donkey was eventually freed.  We all cheered, and the donkey wandered over to shade itself under a tree.  That was probably the most excitement I had that day, but it was still nice to just walk around and take a more relaxed approach to my time there. 

Many aspects of Botswana’s rich culture are alive and well in Mochudi, and I had several interesting discussions with my host family about these traditions, as well as other village stereotypes that are not necessarily applicable to Mochudi.  For example, when I first heard about a visit to a “rural village,” I expected a living environment rather different from the one I experienced in Mochudi.  Instead, what I found was a community that still values many long-standing traditions, yet is also very much in touch with every aspect of modern life. 

During the week that I stayed in Mochudi, I interned at a clinic in the village.  My clinic was rather far from the center of the village, so it was really interesting to see the comparisons between the city clinic where I normally intern and the rural clinic.  I met some really amazing people and had some incredibly life-changing experiences during my week at the rural clinic, and it was quite difficult to say goodbye at the end of the week.  It was also my first major “goodbye” when I left the clinic and my homestay family, and although it was hard to say goodbye after only a week, I have already begun to feel emotional about the prospect of saying goodbye to everyone at the end of my program in two weeks.   

While I was in Mochudi I also visited a local museum that documents the history of the area and has preserved some really incredible artifacts.  The museum is at the top of Phuthadikobo Hill, and the view from the top of the hill was spectacular.  I could see the entire village from the top, and it was so peaceful to just sit and take everything in.  Here are some pictures of my trip in Mochudi:

Museum at the top of Phuthadikobo Hill in Mochudi

Sitting outside the museum at the top of the hill

The view from my window at my Mochudi homestay (Madibana Hill)

The day after we returned to Gaborone from Mochudi, we had classes in the morning and then left for a rhino sanctuary in Serowe, which is about 3 and a half hours north of Gaborone.  We took public transportation to the sanctuary, which was definitely an experience in and of itself.  The bus we took was actually really nice, and I am so glad that I got the opportunity to travel via a form of public transportation here other than the combis, just to compare my experiences.  We arrived at the rhino sanctuary in the evening, and we ate dinner at the sanctuary’s main restaurant.  I had my very first slice of pizza since being in Botswana, and although it did have a slightly sweeter and cheesier taste than the pizza at home, I still loved it!

Although we were initially planning to camp in tents at the rhino sanctuary, our director decided that we would stay in the indoor accommodations at the sanctuary since it was so cold.  Once the sun went down and the temperatures began to drop significantly, I could definitely understand why.  We stayed in buildings that reminded me of the cabins I used to stay in during summer camp, and that experience has definitely been one of the highlights of my time here. 

Just as we all were getting settled into our cabins before bed, one of the safari guides came into our rooms and warned us not to wander around at night or visit the other cabins because there were many predators in the reserve.  When I asked her to clarify what she meant by “predators,” she simply said, “Leopards…jackals…no lions, but definitely lots of leopards.”  After hearing that, I was even more relieved that we were not in the tents! 

The next morning we got up bright and early for a 6 a.m. sunrise safari, which was so amazing.  Although at first it was pitch black and rather chilly, it did not take long before the sun began to rise just as we were in the heart of the game reserve.  Before starting the safari, our guide told us that there was a good chance that we would not see any rhinos until our later drive, and he warned us that we would be much more likely to see a greater number of animals around dusk during our sunset safari.  Therefore, although we were all excited to see the sun come up and maybe catch a glimpse at a few animals, we did not have high expectations.  This actually made it that much more amazing when we did see so many animals throughout the safari.  The first major animal we saw was a giraffe, and it was surprisingly difficult to spot at first because it was behind a tree, so all we could initially see was the top of its head.  Once we got closer it was incredible to see two giraffes so close, just eating their breakfast at the top of the trees.  After that, we were all so excited and happy that we had the chance to see such a majestic and awe-inspiring animal.  A little while later, we came to a clearing on the side of the road and found a family of zebras!  The zebras were so fascinating and beautiful, and the baby zebra was especially cute. :) We kept driving, and at one point our guide stopped unexpectedly and opened his car door.  We weren’t sure what he was looking for, but all of a sudden he said, “These are rhino tracks.”  We were all so excited and giddy at the prospect of seeing a rhino up close, but we still knew that it was not necessarily likely.  We kept driving, enjoying the beautiful sunrise and breathtaking scenery, when all of a sudden someone said, “There’s a rhino!”  We could not believe how fortunate we were to see one, and we drove slowly down the road to get a closer view.  Once we could see the rhino better we realized that there were actually three, two males and a baby rhino.  It was so incredibly amazing to see such a powerful and regal animal up close, and we sat just watching them for quite a while.  The safari guide told us that the larger male’s name was Peter, and once he moved more into the open, I could not believe how enormous he actually was.  Eventually the rhinos began moving toward the road, and they even crossed right in front of our safari truck!  I asked the safari guide what he would recommend if one of us was chased by a rhino, and he said that we should climb up a tree or clap loudly to startle the rhino.  I still think that I would run in a zig zag pattern, although I am glad that I did not have to test out this escape method when in the reserve. :) In addition to the rhinos, giraffes, and zebras, we also saw wildebeest, springbok, impala, and dozens of different birds.  We were all so completely amazed at the multitude of incredible animals that we saw, and we could not believe that we had the opportunity to see even more animals later in the day during our sunset safari. 

We ate lunch at the rhino reserve’s restaurant, and during our meal a rhino came over to drink from the watering hole just outside the restaurant.  It was such a cool experience to be eating my meal while a rhino was taking a drink outside the window.  During our evening safari, we saw a mother rhino and her calf, a male giraffe and a young giraffe, ostrich, another group of rhinos, a family of warthogs, a vulture, more birds, and the amazing sunset during our ride.  As the sun was beginning to set, we pulled into a large flat area in the middle of the reserve that reminded me of The Lion King. :) The sunset was one of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen in my life, and I could not believe how lucky I was to be in Botswana, taking in a spectacular sunset in the middle of a rhino reserve.  We drove back to the main restaurant in the reserve and ate dinner around a campfire near the watering hole.  After dinner we even roasted s’mores, and I was so happy that I got to take part in one of my favorite summer traditions. :) Several different animals came over to drink while we were there, and again, I had to pinch myself because I could not believe how lucky I was to be having such an amazing experience.  Here are some photos from our two safaris:

Rhino Sanctuary!

First giraffes we saw at the Rhino Sanctuary

African Sunrise

Wildebeest!

Mother and baby zebras

First rhinos we saw at the Rhino Sanctuary

Posing with the mother and baby rhino

Ostrich!

Second set of giraffes we saw at the Rhino Sanctuary

African Sunset :)

After dinner we went to bed early because we had to leave by 5:20 a.m. to make it to the bus station in time for the 6 a.m. bus back to Gaborone.  In the morning we all piled into the safari trucks and assumed that we would take a combi to the bus station, since there was one waiting near the entrance of the reserve.  As we got closer to the entrance, one of the other people in my truck said, “I wonder if we’ll take this truck all the way to the bus station.”  We chuckled and commented on how wild that would be, but as we got closer to the road, the truck did not stop.  Finally the truck just pulled onto the highway, and we ended up traveling about 20 km from the reserve to the bus station in an open-air safari truck.  Although it was bone-chillingly cold, it was still pretty exhilarating.  Afterwards I thought to myself, “How many times in my life will I get the chance to be flying down the highway in a safari truck?”  Now I can say that I have. :)

Later in the day after returning to Gaborone from the rhino reserve, we took a tour of the Diamond Trading Company.  It was really interesting to learn more about the resource that has played such a significant role in the development of Botswana.  We also had the chance to see many raw diamonds up close, and we learned more about the various stages in diamond production, including those that happen right at the Diamond Trading Company.  During that tour, it also became clear how well the diamond wealth has been managed in Botswana, unlike in many other countries in the region.  Our guide even explained that before diamonds were discovered in Botswana, school was held outside under trees, but now school is offered free of charge to all Batswana, and the government even pays for Botswana’s citizens to attend college.  It was great to observe a side of Botswana’s main industry that many people may not normally have the chance to see.

On Thursday I returned to my clinic internship in Gaborone, and I felt like I had a new perspective on my time there after interning for a week in Mochudi.  Thursday evening I also saw two chickens go from the coop to my dinner plate, which was definitely an interesting experience to say the least.  The meal was delicious though, and it was definitely the freshest meat that I have ever eaten.  Every part of the chicken was cooked however, so I asked my host mom how one would go about eating a chicken foot.  She began to show me and even offered me a piece.  She said that the best part of the foot was the palm, so I decided to try a piece.  It was unlike anything I have ever eaten before, so it is hard to compare the taste to any food I have eaten back home.  I am still glad that I at least gave it a try, and now I can say that I have eaten chicken feet. :) Since my last post I have also eaten several other new foods, including cow liver when I was in Mochudi.  I have recently begun trying everything and asking what the food is after I have already eaten it.  That way I can eat the food without any preconceived notions and more fairly judge whether or not I actually like it.  I have been surprised by some of the foods that I actually enjoy, and I am sure that when I return home that I will be an even more adventurous eater. :)

As I approached the half-way point of my trip on Friday, I began to reflect more about my experiences and the changes that I have seen in myself.  While I was in Mochudi I came to the conclusion that it is not possible for me to be the exact same person that I was prior to this trip.  There are people and experiences from this trip that will be seared into my mind forever, and these are the memories that will continue to shape my life long after I return home to the States.  I have been changed in ways I never would have expected, and yet there are also other qualities in myself that have been strengthened or reinforced through what I have seen and done.  While I have had some really exciting and enjoyable experiences throughout this trip, I have found that the difficult and challenging times have had the most transformative effect on me.  Never again will I think of HIV and AIDS the same way again, but rather I will live for the rest of my life with a completely different image in my head when I think about these issues.  When discussing HIV and AIDS in future classes or work environments, I will think about many of the individuals I have met and the stories I’ve been told, which will completely change the context in which I consider a multitude of different health crises.  Over the course of the trip I have also noticed that several of my values have changed with regard to how I live my life and what I decide to do in the future.  Perhaps the simplest and yet one of the most important things that I have realized is that I would not necessarily have been able to completely grasp many of the lessons I have learned about myself and various health issues without actually being here.  I have taken several classes and read many books about AIDS, Africa, and other health issues affecting this region, yet it was not until I actually witnessed firsthand many of the social barriers affecting individuals here that I began to more fully grasp some of the underlying causes of the health crises affecting Botswana.  Although I previously thought that I had a fairly reasonable understanding of various social issues that affect health, it was not until my time in Mochudi that all of my classes, prior knowledge, and experiences began to create a somewhat clearer picture of issues I had only just begun to understand before coming here. 

I have had some incredibly moving and powerful experiences over the past five weeks, and these are the moments that have changed me the most and also motivated me the most to make the most of my life.  I am looking forward to continuing to see changes in myself as I have even more incredible experiences during my final two weeks in Botswana.  This week I resume my normal schedule of classes and my internship, after which I will begin my final week in Botswana.  I also updated my photo album with new pictures from my safari and other adventures, so check out the album at this link. As I continue to gain new insights and experience new things, I will post them here!

Peace,

Lizzy