Winter is here and this time, I'm prepared.

I wrote an entire post last week titled “Cynics Corner” if that’s any indication of the tone. I will postpone my posting of that piece for the time being. Instead I’ll tell you about a few things going on here as of late.

...some as big as your head...

playing in the sunflower fields near the South African border with Julia. 

The map is almost done! I’ll shut up about this one for a while until it’s actually completed and then inundate you with all kinds of photos and exclamation marks. To be honest, I am most nervous about this project ending. It has been something that really gets me through the week and one of the few things that I genuinely anticipate working on, feeling competent in the nature of the work and also just enjoying the setting and people I’m working with. I have resolved to work on another map project with a fellow volunteer and am considering collaborating on another mural piece at the Boys’ Prison here in Moshupa. They love murals here, and let me tell you these white and crème colored walls could use a bit of color lovin’.

detail of Botswana...

I have also been working pretty steadily on updating the Peace Corps Botswana newsletter with another Volunteer, Celia. I have really enjoyed working with her in revamping the entire newsletter and making it, once again, a forum for Volunteers. Before we started it was a Staff published piece with a lot of dry (but necessary) information because with Volunteers leaving every two years, it’s difficult to keep a steady transition of willing editors. Celia has a background working in news and all kinds of writing credentials that make her a really great partner for this project. I have already learned so much. It has been one of the more fruitful and affirming projects for my time here, which makes me enjoy it all the more. Being that we are trying to give a good representation of Volunteers across the country, it keeps us in tune with Volunteers that live so far away from us. And thank god for the Internet because this definitely wouldn’t be possible otherwise. I have also come to be pretty close friends with Celia and have decided (with other Volunteers to attest) that we are versions of the other with a 40-year age difference. 

John and Traci preparing for the braai. John preparing his first chicken, which conveniently enough we can just buy from Karla's landlady. She has a chicken coop in her compound. 

Mia, Karla, Celia, John, and Carolynn (I think Traci was still preparing foods)

Celia hosts writing retreats where she facilitates writing exercises, providing prompts and feedback for those involved. She has done this kind of exercise all over the world in all kinds of settings, with close friends and even prison inmates. As she says, “this is not a therapy session, but writing is therapeutic.” I couldn’t agree more. Both Karla and I decided to host a workshop here in Moshupa since we have two houses to accommodate for people’s sleeping arrangements.  We had such a great, small group of seven. We spent most all day Saturday doing different kinds of writing and sharing what phrasing or scenes stuck from each of our respective pieces. It was not a critical kind of setting to assess and revise, but rather it was a practice that lent to an uninhibited writing style with little room for self-critique, just to let you mind run and your hand write (a practice I have neglected for far too long). We capped off the weekend with a DELICIOUS braai. So braai is just a BBQ, but when the weather is right, it’s essentially a national pastime in Botswana. I’m not sure how to describe it as distinguishable from a BBQ in the States, but something about the ambience and the camaraderie of the occasion is beautiful. There’s not football game on and you can look up to easily see every single star in the universe- well those visible in the Southern hemisphere. Also, vegetables taste their finest when cooked over an open fire. You hardly even need salt, although it’s all the better with a dab of butter and a sprinkle of salt. We roasted marshmallows and made improve smores with strawberry marshmallows and coconut-flavored biscuits. You’d be surprised how hard it is to find the ingredients for normal smores here. All the while we were listening to a bit of Etta James and some Motown jams on Karla’s request. A couple glasses of wine later, we inevitably have a rather interesting conversation on our generation divides, Karla and Celia taking credit and ownership for a time where “real music” existed. Somewhat true but also pretty debatable! I was the youngest in the group, but thanks to my father, I’m totally up with just about every Oldies tune played. We had someone present from every decade since the 60s so it was interesting to discuss what we grew up listening to. I told Karla she couldn’t take credit for the Beatles because they weren’t American and then she tried to include Michael Jackson in her generation’s list of merits. My foot. Needless to say, it was a great weekend and a great evening, seeing Volunteers I don’t often see and enjoying some quality conversations. Karla is in the same village as me, but we often don’t see each other but maybe once a week.  It’s still nice to know someone’s around.

Karla and Me (the Moshupa ladies) at Karla's house

I’m still working on putting together the GLOW Camp collecting all the necessary money and supplies and organizing the activities. It’s a nice way to occupy my time in some ways, but frustrating in others when dealing with the logistics and needing Batswana to participate. At least it isn’t crunch time and there is still plenty of time to prepare everything. I am working with other Volunteers on this project too, so it will be another occasion to get together to do something productive and fun. That’s the name of the game.

In other news, Christopher arrives in Botswana in 2 weeks, quite possibly making me the happiest girl on the entire continent of Africa!!!! That really can’t be far from the truth. We have our trip planned to travel up to Victoria Falls on the Zambia side and go rafting for a day. We are then going to a rural camping lodge on the Zambezi River for a little vacation excursion, relaxing in the bush. Next up is a two-day stint in Gweta, Botswana where we will go on a quad bike (4-wheeler) excursion over the expanses of the saltpans. This includes a MEERKAT SAFARI! We’ll get to hang with some meerkats! We are then going to Maun, the beginning of safari land and ex-pat haven. We can’t stay here long, but it will be fun to see Northern Botswana being that I haven’t made it past Sowa and Nata. Don’t you worry, there will be plenty of pictures to share! I haven't traveled since January vacation to Mozambique so I'm so eager to get out and travel again. This will also be my first visitor from home and will be interesting to share my life here for a little while with another American that isn't a Volunteer. 

Until next time, sala sentle. 

Shameless solicitations: This is no Children's Miracle Network or KONY 2012 campaign, people. It's a small scale endeavor with no middle man. Just sending books to people that need them.

In a country where it's cheaper to buy three days worth of food (if not more) than to purchase a book, Botswana Book Project was set up as a program through Books for Africa to have annual shipments of books sent from the U.S.A. to Botswana. Many of the libraries in cities, townships, and villages around Botswana have benefited from these donations, enabling children and adults the access to books they could not otherwise afford, or find reason to justify purchasing.

Volunteering at a primary school, I witness students having no interest in recreational reading and no one encouraging such an exploration of a hobby. If it's that music from overseas is so readily accessible for them and of such great interest, why can't we take the initiative to make books just as prevalent and popular. This is a country content in its culture and its geography. To provide them books that takes them places without the commitment of leaving the comfort of home, we could eventually mobilize the Batswana to see and do and explore beyond their borders. In addition, these endeavors could also prepare them for a future with a competitive education through a developed interest in books and reading.

Last year the Botswana Book Project brought about 30,000 books to this country. In addition to gathering the actual books, the organization partners with volunteers in-country to collect the necessary money to cover shipping costs. This year, we are trying to raise $9,000 USD to have the same successful book donation.

If you are interested in the project, please visit the website for further information, including how to donate monetarily.

www.botswanabookproject.org

Thanks for reading.