Nata Hot Thata

So this isn't the lengthy informative update i have promised, more of a "sitting at someone's computer grabbing a few moments while sweating profusely" kind of update.  This is shadowing week here in Botswana PC world and I and Amelia are visiting Sydney up north in Nata for a few days to see what a real volunteer looks like in action. She has been in this town of about 8,000 for 12 months and seems to have made some real friends and good connections.  We have been following her during her daily rounds at the clinic, showing us where they see people for various things, including their ARV clinic, where medications are distributed to people who are HIV+, blood is tested and they see the doctor for checkups.  People line up early and wait a long time to see the doctor on two days a week.  they can pick up their meds any week day and come to do that once a month. Meds and care are free, but they do have to wait for things. this small town has a fairly high prevelance of HIV and I saw people of all ages sitting and standing in line waiting. More on that later.

This trip to Nata was our first venture off our training grounds, other than that less than productive trip to Gabs.  We were picked up at our home stays at about 4 a.m. to travel to Gabs to catch the 6 am bus to Francistown that arrived just before noon. one stop on the way long enough to get a pee break, which of course i did then spent the rest of the trip not drinking a drop.  in francistown we met up with 3 current volunteers who took us to a nice coffee spot and an indian restaurant. Then amelia and i rushed off to catch our bus to Nata, which we found but it didn't leave until later than we thought so we stood and sweated and talked to the very friendly street vendors who were trying to sell us water we so desperately wanted and needed but didn't dare drink because of the upcoming 2 1/2 hour bus ride w/o amenities. this bus was more of what they call a combi, which is a smaller van type thing - wider than our family type passenger vans but not as big as the kind we have at HSRC.  So, it was cosy, and warm.  We dosed off and on being woken mostly when the driver would slam on the brakes because of a donkey or cow or even goat that decided to try to figure out why the chicken crosses the road by doing the same themselves.  Pretty common for cars to hit these animals on the road, so traveling at night is not at all recommended.  apparently if you damage an animal who does this, you have to pay the owner of the animal.  on the other hand, in town when you cross the street drivers don't worry so much about damaging you, so one must be vigilant and light on ones toes, to say the least. 

We arrived unscathed, but sweaty and dehydrated to be greeted by our host Sydney who brought us home and made us a nice chicken soup. today we did a walk around till we could walk no more. did I mention it is hot here?  Thata means alot. and thata thata even more so.  We are resting now and plan to visit a local refugee camp and maybe the salt flats tomorrow or Saturday, which is an area that fills during the rains but in non-raining time is a huge vast sandy salty flat area.  I am guessing anyway. also a bird sanctuary nearby, but I am guessing they are not seeking sanctuary from the heat, because this aint the place.  i need to mention that the opinions expressed on this post are mine and mine alone and do not in any way, shape or form represent Peace Corps or its opinions.  i have to post that officially somewhere, but just so you all know.

HIV is definitely a major issue here and I will talk more about that later.  Have i mentioned that I met my four sisters here over easter weekend?  They are in their 20s the oldest is 33.  I now have 4 sisters constantly texting and calling me to see if i am okay!! they are awesome!  My host mom called me last night to see if I got to Nata okay and told me she missed me as did the kids.  Golly. I lucked out with this family, very kind and fun and the kids rock. Okay. all for now.  

I am here!

Just a quick message to say i am alive and well.  We are at the peace corps office in Gaborone, were supposed to get our visas but the computers and immigration were down so i have a few minutes on the computer before i have to share with someone else. i left my computer in storage so that i could focus on just learning the language, figuring out my family situation and dealing with the differences. I have a host family that has a 14 month old boy and a 2 year old girl, along with at 13 year old girl, 22 year old mother of the two kids, my brother (her boyfriend) and my mom who is 54 years old. thank goodness the 14 month old does't expect me to speak to him. He understands more than I do but I can say about 10 words more than he can.  it has been challenging and funny at times. Sad and stressful but i will save my stories for when no one is looking over my shoulder waiting for the computer.  My stress relief is hanging with the kids and some of the other voluntees in my neighborhood who I have language classes with.  I managed to fall in my house while mopping the floor and hit my head so I have decided that i have to be careful doing anything. my house has electricity, running water and and indoor toilet, so i am luckier than most. we get our placement assignment after we are sworn in on June 7th, so by then, I should be acclimated and hope for the best in terms of housing.  i was my laundry outside in a basin and hang on the line. i got to do a bit of weeding here last weekend, just like home.  we have had some tremendous thunder/lightening torrential downpours so i feel at home. unfortunately, this won't last and it will be very hot in a few months.  I am the 7th oldest in the group. we have a 84 year old male as our oldest, two couples in their 50s/ 60s 2 women in their 60s, a guy in his 50s and 2 other people in their forties, then the rest are between 22 and 30.  A good group overall who are all so danged smart. I like smart people.  So far I am not the dumbest. Though maybe I am. hmmm. when i fell on the floor i felt pretty dumb. anyway, should sign off. will borrow a computer next week to do some emails, but so far i am just soaking up the situation.  The food is interesting, but I will save that for later.  If you want to send me something, candy, power bars, nuts, good sunscreen for faces (35+ spf) and well, can't think of anything else right now. All is well, homesick at times, but that is normal and so I just roll with the flow and see where it takes me.  I am not spell checking this for eloquence either, so there you have it!