I’ve completed my first full week of my Peace Corps service. What an accomplishment! I’m finding a home in the space I call my house…this isn’t exactly founded in the visual aesthetics, but I’m doing my best to make it a “va space” no less. Generally speaking, my look tends towards excessive accessories like throw pillows and wall hangings, but those are totally non-existent in my house. Every piece of furniture is provided by my landlord (I’m just appreciative to have a couch and a bed, seeing as other volunteers have yet to receive their furniture). I’ve switched out some of the curtains to some crazy printed textiles that look similar to stereotypical African prints you imagine (and often see in places like Anthropologie). The Botswana print is not as “cool”…their prints are typically red, blue, or brown and are of Dutch design with less and more subtle patterning. Before I put these curtains up, let me tellllll you- France had these awful red satin curtains in the living room that went to the floor that filtered the natural light in a terrible way. Those things partnered with the black tiled floor and red velvety couches…it felt like a brothel scene for some low budget movie. All that to say, my living space is much better lit and adorned and soon to be decorated with some crafty projects in the coming weeks.
France (my landlord) brought me his bike! It is a little large for me so I stand on my tip- toes when I’m sitting on it at a stand still, but I’m willing to make it work. It looks like an old Schwinn with the metal fenders and all (and only one pedal)…there is even a fender plank where I can strap on my groceries for a quick ride across the village. Mr. Busang, the District Aids Coordinator with whom I work, laughed when I told him about the bike saying that is what the old men ride. I’m already a scene just walking in my village, you can imagine me on this bike with a helmet scooting around Moshupa. This village is just too big for being on foot for two years. Also, my curiosity has compelled me to explore the village, but my feet only allow for a few hours and a few miles of exploration at a time. The possibilities are greatly increased with this new fancy mode of transit!
In my first week of work, I’ve discovered that it takes me approximately 55 minutes to walk from my house to work (in my American pace of walking, which is apparently like superhuman in Botswana standards). I have to wake up at 5:30, make some coffee on the stove and dress myself as quickly as possible in front of the little electric heater. I imagine this is probably hard reading from the sweltering heat of summer, but you’ll manage. I leave my house when it’s still dark at 6:30 with just a little sliver of the sun visible across the way. I’ve also resorted to wearing my business attire with my running shoes, b/c walking three miles in the cold in ballet flats is no way to start your day. I change shoes when I get there. (When I start riding my bike, I’ll be packing an entire change of clothes). So I really enjoy this walk because I get to watch the sun rise along the way. To get to the office I head Northeast and I can just look to my right and see the sun coming up from behind the mountainous rocks. When I arrive, the sun is this huge orange circle just above the horizon line. It’s really a refreshing way to start my day.
Another small, but relevant moment was meeting today with the lady that runs the Red Cross office here. She is the only employee there, but she operates with the help of a handful of volunteers. She was talking about several projects they work on, such as weekend programs for Orphaned and Vulnerable Children (OVC) and teaching life skills and sexual health in the local schools. It was really refreshing meeting with her to sense her and enthusiasm and dedication to the work that she does. Because this is the only NGO in Moshupa, I plan on spending some time here to see what I can participate in and contribute to. They really need help with fundraising, and that’s not my forte, but it fulfills a need. This feels like another opportunity for me to pursue and the beautiful thing is that I have the ability to navigate and evaluate all these opportunities within Moshupa. Because we are supposed to spend the first months doing a community needs assessment and compiling a report of our findings, this will be logged away for now and food for thought for future plans.
DID I MENTION that First Lady Michelle Obama is coming to Botswana. Well she was in South Africa, but is coming to Botswana next. A few Peace Corps Volunteers have the opportunity to attend this luncheon where she will speak for a moment. Hopefully we will get to take a photo with her and say hi! In any case, it should be a nice excursion. I’ll share the photos if I get the chance! I don’t get giddy over celebrities in the states but the giddiness abounds when it’s one of your own in a far away land! She’s a cute modern day Jackie-O in a J.Crew suit with two cute kids to boot.
Cheers from Botswana
Tsamaya sentle
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