VHC Community Choir

It’s official; I have become a “vital” member of Kachikau’s community. This last week my clinic staff talked me into joining the Village Health Committee choir. Originally I was told that we would be singing one song and that it would be ever so painless. So reluctantly I agreed to join and began going to practices. Mind you, the competition was this past Saturday and so I had approximately 4 days to learn a song we wrote that is completely in Setswana. This is completely do-able. However, when we started having practices each night it became clear to me that we would be singing 2 songs. I am always up for a challenge, so I graciously continued practicing, trying my best not to sound horrible. On Tuesday we chose parts. For the life of me I was not going to sing Soprano or Alto because both parts are in the front row where everyone wanted to put me, that way I could be seen. I however decided that Tenor would be best because I would be hidden by everyone else and if I made a mistake or forgot the words no one would notice. This posed a tiny problem; I have never sang tenor before in my life, so I really had no clue what I was doing.

Anyways, so come Thursday I find out at practice that we have to sing a song as we enter the stage. At this point I was ready to quit all together because I was having significant trouble learning the first 2 songs and then everyone wanted to add another song to my plate. The problem with this entering song is that it also included dancing. And I am not talking swaying from side to side or a few hand motions, I am talking intricate steps and shaking of my behind. This was something I was not comfortable with at all because everyone here will tell you that white people can’t dance. I have proved to my clinic staff that I can dance “African” just like they can, but doing it in front of a crowd of people, on stage is a whole other story.

So moving on to Friday, it was our last practice before the competition and I was feeling not so great about 2 of the 3 songs. When I got to practice (which always started about an hour after it was scheduled to start) I found out that we would also be singing a leaving the stage song. Suffice to say I was beyond upset about all of the additions to the one original song I agreed to sing. This meant that I had less than 24 hours to learn a new song (completely in Setswana mind you) along with more dancing. I was furious. But I decided that I would go through with it because I knew that if I quit, people would really be disappointed and I was not willing to disappoint my community. So I did my best to learn everything before the next morning.

The actual competition was beyond entertaining. I was dressed in my choir uniform (which I have to say looked very nice on me) and I met everyone at the clinic. It took a while to get everything started, but eventually it was time for the choirs to sing. At this point I was still not sure what I was singing exactly, I didn’t really know the dance steps, and I felt like I was going to puke because I knew all eyes were going to be on me. There were probably around 200 people in attendance. Kachikau was second to perform. Amazingly I did quite well. I sang all 4 songs, and danced my dances (to the amazement of the crowd) and it wasn’t too long before it was over and I was beyond grateful for the reprieve.
I don’t exactly know how, but my choir got 3rd place and 1500 pula. I was elated because it meant that I didn’t screw up. Lol. Plus it made everyone from my community extremely happy that I joined the choir.

All in all, I am just glad it’s over. The VHC Choir has already started talking about practicing for next year and I know they want me to participate. I told them the only way I would join is if we practice for more than a week, because I need at least that much time to learn the songs. Below are some of the pictures from the day... Somewhere someone took video, so i am trying to get a hold of it. I will post it if i do.


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New Pictures

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Change of Address

Hey All,

Okay so getting my mail was unreliable, so I went ahead and got my own box. So make sure from now on if you are sending me anything, please send it to...

Kara Tokar
PO Box 917
Kasane, Botswana

I love you all

My Birthday Weekend

My Birthday Weekend

It’s that time of year again. I know you all look forward to this every year (I know I do), that’s right you guessed it… My Birthday. This year was a bit of a challenge. I originally talked to Puso (my counterpart) about having a get-together at my house for my birthday. Needless to say, plans didn’t finalize until Tuesday night. Well on the 9th we decided to have my party. Granted it was a Thursday night, but most of the teachers in my area wanted to come but were all planning to leave Kachikau bright and early on the 10th because it is the end of term and they all want to go home for the holidays. So I graciously decided to move my party to Thursday night so the teachers would be able to attend. Wednesday Puso and I went to Kasane to pick up everything we would need for the party. I bought braii meat, sausage, and stuff for a spicy bean salad (I didn’t eat any of the bean salad, beans are yucky). On Thursday after lunch we collected firewood and set up my yard for the party which was to begin at 6pm. Of course, the party didn’t start at 6pm, I think the first guest arrived around 7:45/8pm. Finally more people showed up and we started cooking. It was around this time that I noticed that none of the teachers were arriving (the whole reason we were having the party on Thursday instead of on my actual birthday). No biggie, most of the clinic staff came and we had a great time. We danced, ate, and they even sang me happy birthday. I was really surprised when I opened my presents from the staff. I received a traditional skirt (pictures to follow) that I LOVE, wooden jewelry (which matches the skirt), a beautiful hand carved wooden statue of 2 giraffes, a picture frame, and a special gift from Puso (it was suppose to be embarrassing, she got me a nightgown lol). Really, the party was a great success. I had a blast and I went to bed exhausted.

On Friday, I woke up and made myself a special breakfast of an omelet, toast, fruit, and yogurt. It was delicious. I decided that considering it was my birthday I was going to dress up and look special. I wore my new traditional skirt and jewelry with a cute shirt and my rainbows. I had already decided that I would be picking up my packages in Kasane on my birthday because I knew that they were birthday presents and so they should be received accordingly. I asked Pinny (my APCD/ Assistant Peace Corps Director) if I would be allowed to spend the night in Kasane with Nadine (another PCV) for my birthday and come back to Kachikau on Saturday. She told me that would be more than okay, so I had packed a bag to take with me. I arrived in Kasane around noon and went off to the post office to get my packages. Then I met up with Nadine at one of the internet cafés. We also ran into Robert (another PCV) so we hung out and were able to catch up on life so far with each other. Nadine told me that she and Chami (another PCV) were taking me out to dinner at one of the lodges in town. I was thrilled. Nadine and I went to Chobe Safari Lodge and had very expensive sodas and talked while we sat by the river enjoying the view. (I have to say that I had already opened my packages from home and was wearing my birthday girl crown and pick lay all evening long!) We found out that the lodge stopped serving from the restaurant a little earlier than when we got there so we ended up at one of the only restaurants in town, The Old House. I got to have Hawaiian pizza (it was quite good) and we had a wonderful time. We finally we back to Nadine’s house and I got to talk with the family and Justin for a while. It really meant a lot to me because I hadn’t talked to Mom since I have been living in Kachikau.
On Saturday morning I woke up and was able to take a real shower with HOT water. It felt incredible! (You all take hot water and showers for granted, let me tell you) Then we got dressed and went down to run a few errands. I had a mint chocolate ice cream bar (basically my birthday cake) and we walked to the nicest and most expensive lodge in Kasane, the Mowana. This place is incredible. It is absolutely beautiful. They have a golf course, swimming pool, they are right on the Chobe River, they do boat cruises and safari’s, it really is luxury at it’s finest. Nadine and I walked all around the compound and finally sat down by the pool to have a drink before we walked back to the center of town. Our drinks were really expensive (my juice 15pula, her spite 11pula) but they were well worth it because of the atmosphere and ambiance. We finally left Mowana and went to meet up with my ride back to Kachikau. Sega and her husband are becoming some of my best friends in Kachikau. They are honestly some of the nicest people I have ever met. Sega works with me at the clinic and she is determined to teach me everything I need to know. Sega and her husband picked up my stuff at Nadine’s house and we went back home. I was a little disappointed because some other PCV’s were coming into town today and I missed getting to see them by only about an hour. But it’s all okay because I get to see them sometime this week. I was really surprised when I got home because I realized that I missed my house and I missed Kachikau. I have really grown to love it here. So I decided to relax and go through all the stuff I got from home.

BTW I want to thank all of you who post comments. Every time i check my mail i get a small message from home. So thank you.