new beginnings

I have finally been able to resume my art project at Mosielele Primary School. We have been working on the world map mural for months now. Just when I was basking in the accomplishment of collecting all necessary paints to continue with the next phase, I faced another dilemma: the school ran out of food. The children are fed either kidney beans or sorghum (porridge) at teatime each day. For a few weeks the school was out of food and gas. This meant that some of the children went without, being that some received little to no food at their homes either. I was meeting with the students at about 2 pm a couple of times a week to draw on the map, but when the food was out I couldn’t keep them any longer than their school classes because some needed to get home to eat. You may be under the impression that this is representative of some nationwide food shortage, with mental images of starving children in mind. Let me assure you this is not the case for Botswana. Food is aplenty. You should see the average portion size. This food and gas is government funded and I imagine it is something as small as not taking the initiative to put in the paperwork to renew the supply. Also because there is so much hoopla and miscellaneous forms with official stamps and necessary signatures, there was quite a delay in resolving the issue. Shortly after the food shortage, the school went on break for about 4 weeks. I have yet to figure out how the school year works because they are “writing exams” every three or four months, which are often followed by some type of vacation time. I have a feeling the schedule used to coincide with the harvest schedule and work at the fields, but now that only seems relevant to a small percentage of the student population. Regardless, school is back in session and they can enjoy beans and porridge, ALSO enabling us to continue working on the project.

That, my friends, is a bucket of sorghum. Super nutritious, but I'll just say it doesn't dance on your taste buds. It's really ok with a little milk and sugar. Tastes like oatmeal, feels like grits.

Working on drawing cartoons this particular day.

This last session I had a great time visiting with the group of girls that were eager to participate (some are less than interested and I don’t’ have much desire to FORCE them to partake). I showed them what the map will look like with all the colors when finished and they ooh-ed and ahhh-ed in a most reassuring and heart-warming way with genuine excitement! I think until now they hadn’t really processed what EXACTLY they would be doing and contributing to this project. They are working together to use the grid system and are really improving their understanding of how it works and realizing that they really can draw things on paper as they are seen with the naked eye. All the while, they are jabbering away like normal 12 year old girls, except that they were discussing what they wanted to be when they grow up. It’s like they were just WAITING for me to ask them. One of the girls expressed her desire to be a pastor. Her main point was that if she were a doctor, she would retire at the age of 60 and get her pension check every month with nothing to do, whereas as a pastor, she could continue to preach and “share the love of God”, remaining active in her work. Some of the other girls laughed to think of her wanting to be a pastor, knowing that it is not a profitable career. I was all for the notion if only for her challenging those gender norms! Many of the others’ reasons for their selected profession was a pursuit of money. I tried to take the opportunity to say that they should do something that interests them and if necessary, find a way to supplement their income, stressing that it was most important to be able to provide for yourself and do something relevant to you as a person. I am saddened by the fact that they have these grandiose notions in their heads of how possessing lots and lots of money will make them happy. I guess when you come from an upbringing where luxuries and even mildly extravagant spending is not the normal lifestyle, it’s easy to imagine the pleasures of wealth. Also, with such high unemployment I imagine that the luxury of choosing a profession of interest is second to mere job availability. When I try to relate with my own life ambitions, I explain that I’m just a girl wanting to pursue the arts, knowing that fortune is neither a goal nor a feasible reality, but they already think that I just have money coming from my ears.

Let the drawing begin.

Another reason I am feeling pressed to get this mural going and completed is because winter is fast approaching! When it arrives, there is no way I am getting those kids to participate in the cold. It seems to have arrived early this year and we have already had a couple of chilly mornings. I am genuinely fearful of the cold just remembering the constant discomfort I felt with numbed extremities and cold sweats while wearing so many layers. It’s practically inescapable being that there is no insulation and central heat anywhere you go. In the same way I carried an umbrella in the extreme heat everywhere I went, I feel like I carry my space heater as an appendage, but sadly that’s only in my house. If I could carry a heater outside, I would. Mom, perhaps I need that propane heater we used at soccer games. I’ll just tote it around in my little red wagon. Being that this is my second round with the TWO seasons we have here, I would like to think I am more prepared. I have started taking baths while it’s still daylight because going to sleep with wet hair and even the slightest chill is absolutely miserable. Regardless of the weather, I am ALWAYS out of sync with the Batswana. I am always at least 10 degrees warmer than they are. My threshold for heat and stuffiness is MUCH lower than theirs, particularly on a bus. Where I am concerned with proper ventilation AND temperature, they are merely concerned with the temperature of the air. It was still like 85 degrees here and the old women were wearing pea coats and scarves. I on the other hand am wearing my shorts and sandals with a comfortable sweater/sweatshirt. This is my transitional attire, but that notion doesn’t exist, really so I just look a little strange.

I have recently planted an idea in my neighbor’s head about starting a business here in Moshupa. While I have NO experience in starting a business, I can at least recall most basic economic principles to recognize a need for competition in this area. We have one grocery store servicing all of Moshupa and some outlying areas. The prices are high and selection and quality is relatively poor. While we have a co-op in Moshpa, which serviced the area prior to the commercial invasion, it doesn’t have nearly as much food product to sustain the area. In addition to needing more grocery stores, there is also a need for a conference hall or a place to host workshops. We have a District Administration office (where I work in the District AIDS Coordinating Office) that often needs to host larger meetings in facilities that provide tea and lunch with tables and chairs. It seems it would be a relatively simple setup to start, outside of the largest expense of building an accommodating space. There is one small room that you can rent out at the lodge located just on the outskirts of Moshupa. It works well for the area, but there is always room for something more, a better service, competitive price, bigger space, etc. Since my neighbor has thought over the idea a little more, she has come back to me to ask how to accomplish something like that. Because the Botswana government wants Batswana to take the initiative to start businesses and build their economy, they provide grants for small business development (specifically to “youth” ages 13-35…yeah, although with all things considered, America doesn’t seem too far from these figures). Hopefully, in the coming months we can figure a way to get something like this started. I think it would be a profitable business, relatively low maintenance (she has 3 kids) and address a specific need in the community, and potentially be an inspiration for others to take such initiative. One can hope.

The electricity at my house is still an issue and my landlord tries to tell me it’s not a problem with the wiring in the house, but because the power company has not inspected the house. I can assure you it’s the wiring when it goes out only in only my house. Like I said it’s connected as a duplex and it feels like we are competing for electrical power even with the most minimal use of appliances. I am hoping this will be resolved soon, but “soon” is totally subject to interpretation.

In other news, my GOLDEN BIRTHDAY is next week, 24 on the 24th! My last birthday was “celebrated” during training with a really shitty piece of cake from the grocery store. I was in the company of people that still felt like strangers and now I am hoping that things will feel a little more festive for this special birthday…if I don’t mess it up for myself. I haven’t felt much like company lately and have really spent a good bit of time alone, tending to myself and focusing on organizing some projects. I cycle through these phases where I cannot spend another minute in Moshupa and flee the village to see familiar faces every chance I get. Then other times I just don’t feel like going anywhere. I assume that’s normal, it’s just weird when you live alone and are considering your alternatives or prospective plans and what all that entails in terms of cost and transit, and you wonder if it’s worth the effort. (Laziness has hit me full force!) Needless to say I miss packing a bag and being on my way at my convenience. (Although if gas prices have anything to do with it when I get back, I imagine I may face similar dilemmas). I am anticipating some FABULOUS care packages, and while I don’t know their specific contents, I have planted a few seeds in terms of things I wanted. I might actually be ok with gorging myself on the goodies and enjoying the novelty of the items inside…all from the comfort of my couch. Put on a good movie, pop some old school popcorn and call it a day! Those are the likely birthday festivities. The ambitious birthday plans entail traveling to the capital city to eat at my favorite Indian restaurant. The Batswana don’t really celebrate or hardly recognize birthdays so it’s strange trying to explain their importance in my culture…or just our customary celebration or at least acknowledgement of aging! We’ll see how it pans out. Either way, I’ll be 24?! Weird.

I wish I had more photos to share, but the truth is that I've been slacking on that front. It's a birthday/my "new year" of life resolution to pick up the camera again.