KB goes to Botswana

End of one chapter. Beginning of another

2009-06-25T10:59:00.006-05:00

So I am offically not a Peace Corps Volunteer anymore. And as much as I loved my job, I am loving the freedom that life outside of PC brings. Here are just a few things I am allowed to do now:

1. Drive a car.

2. Use firearms.

3. Be in a car after dark (not that I do it much, way too dangerous!) .

4. Hang out with the Ex-patriots.

5. Leave my village/town without telling anyone.

and so many more.

I know it may not sound all that exciting but you would miss being able to drive too if you weren't allowed for 2 straight years.

So I have been living it up. Ryan and I got to go to Johannesburg, SA to visit with his friends and see his mom for a day or two. We got there just in time surprise everyone. And here Tom got to be the lucky guy of the night and have all the girls lavish our attention on him.

Then we got to go to Kruger National Park in South Africa. I know it may seen kind of silly considering I've had Chobe National Park in my backyard for the last two years, but it was totally worth it. I got to see my first leopard. This wasn't the leopard, but this lady was the reason I got to see the leopard. She was sitting overlooking a pan and the leopard got wind of her and ran right in front of our car. So cool.

Now Ryan and I are back in Kasane and working hard. We are helping Ryan's folks run the lodge. Here are just a few pictures.

I'll try to update again soon. I know it's been such a long time, but now hopefully we are getting into a routine and I'll have a little more freetime.

Quality of Life

2009-06-25T10:36:00.004-05:00

Sadly, today Jerome had to be put down.

In the words of Kathy VD "It's not the quantity of life, but the quality of life." Jerome lived a full and happy life. His last adventure was taking down a bushbuck. He will surely be missed.

Jerome April 2007- June 25th, 2009

I've Moved!

2009-06-08T10:56:00.000-05:00

Hey All,

I've offically moved out of Kachikau and into Kasane. Things are crazy at the moment, but here is my new mailing address:

Private Bag K48
Kasane, Botswana

Please send me tons of mail. I've been missing everyone terribly. Love you all.

Mozambique

2009-03-13T05:40:00.004-05:00

In February Ryan, Kim, Shaun, Ryan C, Melise, Grant and I all went on a road trip to Mozambique. And what a trip it was. It was one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. We drove down through South Africa and up into Mozambique.

We got to stay at a beautiful place called Blue Water's Beach Resort in Vilenculos. It was right on the beach, so all I had to do was open my front door and there was the beautiful beach below.
I know, it's totally not fair is it? Well personally I feel like I totally deserved a vacation. I've worked so hard the last couple months and this was my last holiday as a PCV. I basically saw it as my reward for 2 years here. But then I was made totally jealous, because I ran into 3 PCVs who actually live and work in Vilenculos. Totally, completely, and ridiculously unfair that they get to live in a place that beauiful. :)
This is Melise and Kim. They are some of the most amazing women in the whole world. I love them to pieces. Melise is one of the best cooks I have ever had the pleasure of watching. She cooked all of the seafood while we were out and about. Delicious! And Kimmi, she is my shining star. She keeps me laughing and we just have so much in common. These chickens are the best!

So this is the group of crazies I went on the trip with.

And here's the bestest boyfriend in the whole world. He treated me like a princess the whole time. He's such a sweetheart. He took me horseback riding and snorkling and we just had the best time.

But I guess it's back to the real world. Got to get back to working on the life skills manual and working with YOHO to turn over the life skills program. We have a camp coming up this weekend in Kasane, and I am really looking forward to it. It is a true balance of YOHO staff with our life skills facilitators. The kids are really going out of their way, and we had 125 applications for this camp. So super excited to get back to work. Gonna be a good weekend.

I know, I know, I know

2009-03-11T09:35:00.005-05:00

I know, I know, I know... It's been months since the last time I wrote a blog. For those of you who follow, I am incredibly sorry. I try to write as much as possible, but lately I've been having some trouble, well more writers block.

I know, for those of you who actually know me, when have I ever been without something to say? Well, that really wasn't the problem. It was more than I just couldn't put what I wanted to say into writing. I even stopped writing in my journal.

It's been a rather difficult time period actually. Usually I use my journal to help me process what's going on, but I just haven't been able to do that.

This whole writers block thing started when Ryan and I started talking about our plans after I finish Peace Corps. We both have always known that we want to go back to school. I also want to go home to the States eventually. We want to do some traveling. We have a lot of options and a couple months to decide. I guess the idea of making this life atering decisions just got to me and no matter how much I tried, I couldn't.

These days, Ryan and I have made a few decisions. :)

1. We are going to stay in Botswana for a while after I finish my PC service. We are both going to work at his parent's lodge while we apply to schools and save up a bit of money. The last thing either of us want to do is struggle to find decent jobs when we get home. I know the economy isn't the best right now, and we have the opportunity to work at the lodge here while we make future plans.

2. We are going to do a little traveling while we're still around. I'll have a lot more freedom once I finish PC, so we are going to be able to come and go more often. Probably during our breaks at the lodge.

3. We are going to start applying to schools in the states. We are still waiting until Ryan finishes his Master's thesis before we apply anywhere, but it's certainly on the list.

So I am feeling much better about a lot of things. At least now I know where we are going to be for the next couple months. So it looks like all of you will have to continue care packages and letters to Botswana for a while longer :)

Looking For a New Home

2008-12-18T15:16:00.000-05:00

When I got to Kachikau some 17 months ago, I toyed with the idea of getting a dog. I knew that a dog would mean lots of responsibilities and eventually finding it a permanent home. Well the time has come, and Jerome is looking for a new home. Ryan and I have been talking about it a lot lately because I want to make sure he goes to someone who is going to treat him as a pet, someone who will treat him as good or better than I do now.

With that said, it is unfortunate that those requirements cut out a lot of people who have shown interest in taking Jerome. Most dogs in the village are seen as protection and nothing more. They are malnourished, beaten, and left alone to fend for themselves.

This week Jerome had an interview with a family in Kasane who seem interested in taking him. They have a huge backyard and another dog who could use the company.

And today I got a super great Christmas present finding out that Jerome has a home. The family he interviewed with has decided to take him and he will be moving to his new home at the end of January. Although I am going to miss him dearly towards the end of my service, I know it’s the right thing that he will have a home for years and years to come.

Devastating News Upon Return

2008-12-18T15:13:00.000-05:00

It’s been a rough couple of days since I got back to Botswana. I knew coming back here wasn’t going to be easy. But I also assumed that everything would be the way it was when I left. I guess we all know what assuming does. So when Ryan and I got into Johannesburg after our long flight from Washington DC, I was finally able to check my email and thrilled to be able to tell my parents I had made it back to Africa safe and sound. That’s when I noticed an email from Kachikau:

Puso passed away.

I am having a hard time with this now. I just am not quite sure how I am supposed to feel about it. Kethipile Puso was my counterpart, the person who came down to pick me up from training and introduce me to my clinic staff. She saw me as a baby PCV with all of my ideas on how to change the world and watched me grow into the independent realistic Peace Corps Volunteer I am today. She was my go-to person, my next door neighbor, my source for cultural information, and my friend. And now she’s gone.

Puso had been sick for a while before I went home to see so many of you. She had been feeling ill for months before she finally went to her home in Maun to see the doctor. And the only information I am getting out of anyone here is that she checked into the hospital and never came out. I am finding it harder and harder to deal with this as the days go by and no one wants to talk about it, to greave with me. Everyone wants to go on with their lives as if nothing happened and as if she was never apart of our lives.

We are trained to deal with the death and destruction that HIV leaves in it wake. But how do I deal with an unknown illness?

Part of me feels guilty I wasn’t here when it happened. To say goodbye.

Part of me is questioning how someone could be taken away from us so young (she died at the age of 27).

Part of me is extremely sad because although I am here in Botswana sharing my knowledge, I am forbidden to share my faith.

It’s not something Puso and I ever talked about because it’s a taboo subject for volunteers to breach. I have no idea where she stood, and I have no idea if on that Day of Judgment I will see her again or forever know I am unable to reach out to her.

Kethipile Puso left behind a group of people who will miss her dearly. I can only pray that she finds the peace she so deeply deserves.

Home for the Holidays

2008-12-18T14:39:00.002-05:00

As you all know, I was fortunate enough to be able to come home in November. After 15 hours of driving down to Johannesburg, an 18 hour flight to Washington DC, and a 2 hour flight to Orlando, I was happily reunited with Mom and Dad. As you all know as well, Ryan came home with me. This was his first trip to the states and he swears he had an amazing time.

The first couple days home we a bit hectic because one of the main reasons for my trip home was to be a bridesmaid in my best friend Diana’s wedding. I have to admit, she was an absolutely beautiful bride and if I do say so myself, she had some smokin’ hot bridesmaids ;) The wedding was beautiful and we had an amazing time. I got to see Diana’s parents who have been like 2nd parents to me since UNF and her wonderful Aunts and Uncles who have taken me into the family with open arms. I love you all and miss you dearly. Aunt Mares & Uncle Howard – I am fully expecting to see you both out here on safari soon, so start packing.

Mr. and Mrs. David Miller spent their honeymoon living it up in Las Vegas and I wish them nothing less than a marriage filled with love and happiness. Welcome to the family David and I love you Di.

Once the newlyweds were on their plane to Sin City, I was off to church to see my long lost church family. I can’t tell you amazing it felt to be surrounded by the people who have supported me throughout this experience. I know I am in your thoughts and prayers and I can’t thank you all enough. I also have to thank my dad for letting me get up and sing with the praise team the two Sundays I was home. 19 months is too long to go without belting it out in front of the church next to Mom, Bonnie, and Dawn. I had an absolute blast.

I also have to say thank you to Susan for coming out to church with your hubby to see me even if it was only for a couple hours. You’ve been promising for years now to do that, and I loved getting to see you. Hi everyone at Strang who reads this. Miss you guys.

During Thanksgiving week Ryan and I went to Disneyworld. (Special thank you to Michelle Astol and Jeffery for all of your help.) We had an amazing time riding rides, running through the park, and pretending to be kids again. When you are gone from Orlando for any real length of time, you forget how much fun you can have pretending to be tourists, Ryan and I did just that.

Turkey Day was incredible. I was able to spend the whole day with the family, and Ryan was able to have his first Thanksgiving. Thank you Mom for all of your delicious cooking and it was wonderful to see you Grandma & Grandpa. I love you guys.

Kali’s husband was home with us for part of the week too. I never really got to know him before I left for the PC, so this was a great time for Ryan and I to get to know him. He is one of those amazingly brave soldiers in our military. He left for his first tour of Afghanistan a week before I left for the PC, so I know Kali is thankful to have him home for the holidays. And I thank you for coming out bowling with us as well as going to the range and teaching me how to shoot. I guess that’s what brother-in-laws are for.

I have to admit I wasn’t totally innocent while I was home. I have been talking about getting a tattoo to encompass the 2 years I am spending as a PCV in Botswana. It took me a long time to figure out what would sum up my service and I am grateful to Raphael at Mystic Tattoo for putting up with me, Kali, Lauren, Heather, Ben, and Ryan crowding around him while he stuck a
For those of you wondering why I chose an elephant to sum up my PC service, let me explain:

I am extremely lucky to be one of the few volunteers who is able to see Elephants, Buffalo, Giraffe, Zebra, Monkeys, Baboons, Lions, Crocodiles, Hippos, etc on a regular basis. Chobe is amazingly beautiful and I know how lucky I am to get to spend my two years of service surrounded by all this beauty.

They are graceful creatures. You can’t imagine how awe inspiring it is to stumble upon a herd of elephants and watch as these gigantic creatures move almost silently through the bush. It’s a reminder that most of the time, in order to be effective, you have to tread lightly.

They are strong, something that I had to be throughout many nights spent alone and halfway across the globe from everything I love most in the world.

They are clumsy. A baby elephant still learning to use it’s trunk is exactly what I felt like when I first got here, learning how to live and work in a community very different from my own.

They travel in herds. Trying to change the world isn’t something I am going to be able to do on my own and it’s with the help of my friends and fellow PCV’s that we can make a difference.

They protect the weak. I can’t tell you all the times I have had to be brave, stand up, and say something that no one wants to hear. Teaching subjects that are considered taboo isn’t always the easiest job, but it’s worth it if one life is changed because of something they learned from me.

They can be dangerous. Sometimes it’s not about being nice, polite or friendly. Sometimes you have to be straight forward, driven and even mean to get your point across.

They say Elephants never forget. And I hope that’s true about this experience. I hope to never forget the two years I’ve spent living among the Batswana doing my part to help eradicate a disease that is wiping out a population. I also hope to never forget the people to have touched my life while I have been here. You know who you are and I hope you guys always keep in touch. needle in my side for over an hour. It came out perfect, it’s exactly what I wanted.

Family picture day was hilarious. We all went out the day after Thanksgiving to the mall to a small photography studio and had family pictures taken. The whole thing was crazy, from picking out what we are supposed to wear, to getting everyone there, to how we were supposed to sit, even to what pictures we were taking. But it was a morning of good fun. I know I am going to look back on these photos later in life and remember just how insane my family really is.

Then we as a family took the evening to go see the Blue Man Group at Universal. It was an incredible show. Ryan and I had a great time.

If I leave out the parts about my friends, I know they would probably disown me, so I guess I should say a little… There is absolutely nothing like being with your best friends. From evenings at the Ale House with Lauren, Heather and Ben to Pie night at Heathers house playing Battle of the Sexes, I swear I have some of the best friends in the whole. We went out bowling and the time flew by. We sat a restaurants and everyone treated Ryan as though he had always been a part of the group. I love you guys. I can’t wait to come back and have you guys around all the time.

It was so nice being home with you all. I know how fortunate I am to have everyone come see me. Thank you to those of you who took time off work, drove 2 hours, or put off studying to hang out with an old friend. Being home just makes me miss you more now that I am back in Africa, and I am determined to keep you guys updated more often with my blog.
The flight back to South Africa wasn’t nearly as good as the flight there. A jerky pilot, more turbulence than I appreciate, and 15 hours later we were back in Johannesburg. Now it’s time for a 15 hour drive back to Kasane and another hour out to Kachikau and I will be home again.

Getting Ready To Come Home

2008-11-01T03:25:00.003-05:00

I am getting so excited. In 2 weeks I leave my village in northern Botswana to head down to Jo-berg to catch my flight home to Orlando. I can't believe it's getting so close. It feels like just a couple days ago that I booked my flight home and now it's practically here.

Things here in Bots are going well. I am working with a local organization in Kasane called YOHO (Youth Health Organization) who are taking over the life skills program that we (the 2 other PCVs and myself) created here in Chobe District. It's one of the ways we hope to make the program sustainable. And so far, so good. We just finished the beginning of the funding proposal process. So now it's a bit of a waiting game to find out if our proposal has been approved.

Since I'm waiting on activities to resume, I have been working really hard on putting together the new life skills manual for our district. It's a serious need in my opinion because I think it's important to have lesson plans written by the local people who have some experience teaching the kids we are targeting, instead of just having lesson plans written by people from around the world. Now, don't get me wrong, the manuals I have gone through are wonderful, but they lack the Batswana cultural aspect that I think is a necessity for teaching the youth out here.

But the next couple months are going to be crazy. I am trying to get as much done with the manual as I can before I come home for Diana's wedding. Then as soon as I get back here after my visit home, I have a week of Life Skills Facilitators training. Then sometime within Jan, Feb or March we have to plan and implement 2 camps. I am trying to work with YOHO to establish the roles we should each play in the program and how things should run after I finish PC.

I am getting really stoked about the coming months though. It's getting close to the end of my PC service and things are winding down. I get to come home for about 3 weeks and spend some quaility time with friends and family. Then I am planning on going to Mozambique for a week of fun in the sun and a little vacation hopefully in February. And then I have 3 months of quality time in the village before I finish PC. Hopefully then I'll have the time to go on a safari up to Ethopia. That would be awesome. So good things yet to come.

Happy Independence Day Bots

2008-09-30T16:41:00.002-05:00

Today is Botswana's Independence Day and so to celebrate, I decided to do something different. And with me, we all know that something different has got to be unusal, so I made a plan to play with some Mongeese that live at the snake park. All in all, it was a great day of fun and excitement. These little guys are super cute.

Eventually, we got into a serious staring contest and things got heated

He got a little upset when I won and decided he didn't want to play anymore.

But now we are friends again. Next week we are talking arm-wrestling, maybe a little snake eating competition, and of course a rematch.

I hope you all found a fun and exciting way to celebrate the day :) Now i need a nap

Reflection

2008-08-19T08:00:00.005-05:00

I can't believe I am another year older. How is it possible that the year can pass by without you noticing? Well this past birthday year has been one heck of an experience. I found a home in the middle of the bush, living in a house without a bathroom inside. I found the cutest little puppy that turned into my chicken chasing, lovable, loyal dog Jerome. I found myself coordinating and running an entire District's new life skills program. I made tons of friends, one of whom already has dibs on flower girl at my wedding (love you Courtney), and many more that will hopefully be around to bug me even when I'm 80. I met the most amazing guy and can't wait to bring him home to meet the family in November. I had friends graduate, find jobs, get married, have children, and buy houses. I got to see Victoria Falls, one of the greatest wonders of the world, twice. When I look back on this past year, I see so many sucesses, so many failures, and a multitude of happy memories.

Here is a couple of the pictures from my birthday party. I would have more, but my camera died after about 5 pictures. I guess that's what i get for being nice and letting the school use it for end of term pictures.

I guess I owe a lot to this big guy. That's Paulie, in pink, he introduced Ryan and I. Gotta love him!

Here we have NSR (No Shoes Ryan), Bronwin, and Paulie. We call him NSR because he honestly never wears shoes. I keep warning him that it's a great way to get a disease, but I guess he'll never learn.

And here we have Paulie, Mark, myself, and NSR. The boys spoiled me all evening, but of course it wasn't the same without my birthday crown.

Life Skills Camp /KC Life Update

2008-06-25T03:19:00.004-05:00

For all those curious minds out there, it's time for another life skills camp/life out here in KC update.

Life Skills Camps-
So far things are going really well with the planning of our upcoming life skills camp in September except for my lack of sleep and crazy dreams. I have been having meetings with the management staff members in order to get everyone on board with the project. One of the organizations we are working with, YOHO (Youth Health Organization) is totally on board and just awaiting dates and meeting times (got to get that planned). The DAC office is also hard at work to get this camp planned as well. I met with the office staff and had a brain storming session with them. Hopefully we will have a refresher training for the out of school youth facilitators a couple times before the camp in September.

I am super excited because we now have 2 new PCV's in our district that are extremely excited to work with us. The two new PCV's are Tom & Jana, an older married couple (I am starting to think PC doesn't want me to have friends my own age) in their late 50's. They seem to be ready to jump right in running on the project, so we've given them lots to do.

I am currently working on a life skills manual that is specific to my district as well as specific to out of school youth teaching junior secondary school kids. It's coming along, but it's also quite irritating because i am compiling lots of information into one book as well as writing up my own lesson plans and game ideas.

So if you have any books on icebreakers, energizers, or games with moral lessons involved, please send them to me!

The sleepless nights and crazy dreams are getting interesting. I woke up this morning at 4:30am after having a dream about nothing being prepared and the kids being little terrors and nothing going right. Only good thing about dreams like that, is they remind me of things i need to get done the following day.

Life in KC-
Things are, as usual, unique and exciting. For the last week I have had a PHD student, Clare, from UC Berkley staying with me. She is doing proliminary research in my area and a friend of mine got us in touch. It's been nice having someone else at the house to cook & talk with. Only problem with her, is that she speaks much better Setswana than i do. But in all fairness, she is taking classes at University of Botswana. So i guess i shouldn't feel so bad.

Things at the youth center are going well. It looks like we are starting a movie day with the primary school kids. Each Thursday, the kids come to the youth center and we watch a cartoon movie. It's time for me to interact with them in a stress-free environment. Plus it gives the kids a chance to see some movies they might not have seen before.

The Clinic is the same as usual. Nothing much to talk about there.

Nadine is doing really well. Her family came to visit and she is currently hanging out in Maun. I think it was a much needed break for her and she is sounding all rested and relaxed.

Robert is the same. He is still running around his village working on his Alcoholics Anonymous stuff. I think by the time he is done with his two years, the program might be up and running. But it's a constant challenge because drinking is a favorite passtime in his village and he's certainly fighting a battle.

This weekend is a holiday weekend of some kind. I think it's President's day, which means it's a 4 day weekend. I am stoked because I am going camping with the gang from Kasane. Im looking forward to a little bit of time in the bush with all those wild animals (Ryan's friends, heehee). But it should also be lots of fun because it's my last weekend before midservice in Gaborone. Ryan and I are doing well too. We are planning an overland safari for when i finish my service here. That should be really awesome. I want to go as far as Etheopia or Kenya if I can't make it to Egypt. And with the price of fuel these days, I have a feeling that a road trip is out of the question unless it's on one of those safari's. But just the planning is keeping my spirits high because it constantly gives me something to look forward to.

Plus towards the end of July, I am going to be helping my friend Johnny with his GLOW camp training. Johnny came up to Kasane to help out with the life skills camp training and so i am kindly returning the favor and heading down to his village near the Orapa Mines. Gonna be fun! Plus Courtney will be there too.

Ohh and I recently found an awesome tv series that is a total MUST SEE for you guys. It's called America's Most Smartest Model. I am about half way through the season and loving every episode, so if you can find it online, I say go for it.

A Miller Wedding

2008-06-25T03:11:00.003-05:00

It's crazy how all of my friends keep getting married now that I reached the age of 21 and here goes another one. Congrats to Jeff and Erin Miller. I am super excited for you both and sad that I wasn't able to be there dancing the night away with you. Enjoy your honeymoon and I expect to get pictures in the mail within the next 3 months. Love you both.

Flights of Frustration

2008-06-24T10:11:00.000-05:00

I am really looking forward to my trip home to the states for Diana's wedding in November. It's the topic of conversation more often than not between Ryan and I. We are making plans to visit Disneyworld, eat at ALL of my favorite restaurants, and spend as much time with friends and family as possible.

However, getting tickets has been the leading cause of my frustrations here lately. I tried booking them online from here, but apparently the site I tried to use didn't take non-American credit cards, so Ryan couldn't book his ticket. Then when we just used mine, I got a strange charge on my card and had to cancel everything immediately. Then finally when we did everything again through another site, it worked for less than 24 hours when i got an email telling me the flights weren't available. GRRRRRR.

Needless to say it's annoying not being able to take care of things. Now it's looking like my trip will be planned and purchased from home (Thank You Dad). So I should still be seen wandering the streets of Orlando in November, and stoked to be doing so.

The S'more

2008-06-17T02:05:00.002-05:00

I've discovered a major dificiency in my world. I was sitting at the youth center watching the girls burn the dead weeds after they had cleaned the yard. I got a sudden craving for s'mores. I turned Ryan and said we should get stuff for s'mores next time we are in Kasane, and I got this look like I was speaking German to him. Come to find out that s'mores aren't available here because graham crackers aren't sold anywhere in Botswana. (I know)

So this is a very determined request for graham crackers. I can't imagine camping without the yummy deliciousness of the sweet treat, so please... send graham crackers.

A quick update with Pics

2008-06-10T09:17:00.002-05:00

So it's been a busy couple of months. But along the way I have gotten to do some really cool things. They say that a picture is worth a thousand words and I am really starting to believe that. But for information purposes, I'll fill you in on details.

Ryan and I went on a game drive into the park one weekend and I got to see just about everything Chobe National Park has to offer. We saw elephants, giraffe, buffalo, antelope,mongeese, and loads of other creatures. This lioness walked right past the truck on my side, I could have stuck my hand out to touch her, she was so close. It was unbelievable. In fact we happened to see her a couple times in the last couple months, the only reason I know it's the same one is because she has a slight limp. Beautiful isn't she???

I am extremely lucky to be here in Bots. I love it, and I can't explain how much fun I am having. For those of you who don't know, Ryan plays for Botswana's National Rugby team - the Vultures. I went down to Gabs to watch his game and Courtney was there too. We even made t-shirts! Ryan scored a try and the Vultures won. It was an amazing game. But not to worry, I am doing everything I can to turn Ryan into a Steelers Fan.

So like I was saying before, I get to see tons of animals around here. It's simply amazing. Each time I get to see something like this giraffe, I always remind myself that we don't have these walking around my backyard in Orlando and I need to appreciate it while I get to see it here. It's completely amazing.

Here is one of the times I've been in the park with my own personal safari guide. I'm learning all about the animals, plants and ecosystem here. He's a smart boy and I'm trying to keep up by constantly debating the whole micro vs macro evolution thing with him.

This was incredible. A whole group of elephants came wandering past the truck and this little one stopped to say hello. I really thought he was going to stick his trunk in the window, but mamma elephant was close by to keep him in line, plus he wasn't completely in control of his trunk yet. He's still a young'n but so adorable.

As for the work side of life, things are going well. I am currently putting together a Chobe District Life Skills Manual for our out of school youth to use as a guide when myself and the other PCVs in my area are gone. It's endless nights of looking up information and constantly trying out new lessons on the kids in Kachikau. Hopefully by the end of my two years, the kids here will be very diverse in the area of life skills and will be able to teach each other.

Things once foreign... but now are completely normal

2008-04-23T02:36:00.001-05:00

Having 2 lizards live in your couch & stare at you throughout the day. You also tend to warn people of these tenets before they sit on that couch because they may come out to visit.

Reading random novels by obscure authors under a mosquito net by candlelight.

Having two way conversations with your dog and chickens when there is no one else to talk to.

Knowing what sound the water tap makes when the water will be off for at least 3 days. And leaving work to fill various buckets & jugs to get through the drought.

Lighting candles in the bathroom, not for the ambiance, but just in case the power goes out while you’re in the tub.

Eating PB&J, grilled cheese sandwiches, and burritos every week and thinking you have a well balanced diet.

Carrying toilet paper everywhere you go.

Getting stuck in a bathroom in town, crawling out the window, opening the door for the next unsuspecting victim and then doing it again the very next week.

Being hit on, told “I love you”, and proposed to routinely by men of the ages 16-75.

Being offered cows in exchange for my hand in marriage and turning the offer down because I have told myself I won’t be gotten for less than 250 cows.

Being asked for money every time you leave the house.

Telling the two frogs that live in your bathroom to keep the place bug free while you’re in the tub.

Not speaking for upwards of 48 hours.

Having people stare at you for long periods and not wondering why or what they are thinking.

Having a assigned spot in the morning meeting to stand because it is the place where the previous volunteer stood.

Being involved in conversations that last for hours and only saying 10 words.

Not watching television for more than 8 months.

Letting flies and other insects sit on your skin for long periods without flinching or brushing them off annoyed.

Seeing a spider the size of your hand come out from behind your stove while the oven is on and saying “Sorry Judes, I know it’s getting hot back there, but the cookies are almost finished and you can eat the flies that land on them”.

Killing chickens, goats, cows, etc.

Having to be home before dark…

Sitting next to a mother breast feeding in the back of the ambulance and talking about the terrible road conditions over the machine-gun rattling sound the door makes.

Saying, "I'm coming," when actually you’re leaving.

Having people talk about you in front of you and not knowing exactly what they are saying because they are speaking so fast.

Sitting at the bus stop for upwards of 6 hours waiting to hitch a ride into town to buy groceries.

Becoming a contortionist in the back of a small combi (mini bus) crammed with 15 people more than manufactures recommend and bags traveling at 120 kph and being able to sleep for hours with someone else’s baby on your lap.

Having upwards of 10 names you are called throughout the village: (just a few)

Refiwe Mokabedi
Refilwe
Ref
Fifi
Mma Jerome
Mma KC
Kara
Kara Tokar
Lekgoa

Being asked to sing in the Village Health Committee choir knowing that all of the songs you learn to sing you will know a total of what 6 words mean.

Not attending a meeting for a community event and being nominated for at least 1 committee.

Having kids everywhere you go to ask you for sweets.

Walking out into the bush, cell phone in the air, searching for network signal.

Knowing just where to stand on the hill, in the tree, with speakerphone on, to make a phone call.

Using at the very least 5 acronyms each day.

Boiling water for baths.

Waking up to the sounds of roosters, donkeys, and cows before your alarms rings.

Being able to tell which animals pooped in your yard by the size and shape of the poo.

Knowing that when the tub or kitchen drain isn’t working properly, there is a very large frog nestled inside the pipe outside.

Washing all of your clothing by hand.

Going weeks at a time without water or electricity.

One Year

2008-04-22T02:33:00.003-05:00

I can't believe I have been gone a year already! It feels like just a month ago I was at the airport with Mom, Dad, Kyle and Justin saying goodbye. This year has flown by so quickly and I am sure this coming year will fly by just as fast (if not faster). I wanted to take this time to reflect on some of the lessons I have learned so far in the last 12 months living in Kachikau.

No matter what happens in the rest of the world, in my village life goes on as usual. I have noticed more and more that news of the rest of the world travels very slowly out here in the bush. I have been trying to keep up with election news and current events, but typically the news I hear around the village is at the very best 2 weeks behind. One of the great things about this is, life is so much simplier here. People aren't concerned with what's happening with the stock market, who won some reality tv show, who the next president of the states will be, etc. They are more concerned with where their cattle are grazing, what community event is coming up, and saying hello to neighbors as they pass. It reminds me daily to stop and think about the big picture in life.

Greetings are extremely important! I made the mistake not that long ago of going into the Kgotla (the Chief's court/offices) to use the telephone to call PC and the woman on duty was on the phone. I figured it would be rude to interupt her, so I went into the other office to use the phone. When I finished, I was severely repremanded for not waiting to greeting her. I typically try to greet everyone as I pass them, but sometimes it isn't always easy. I may be in a hurry to get to the youth center or clinic for a meeting and I will pass someone on the street and along with my greeting, they will want to talk about an upcoming event or project we are working on together. It is extremely rude to cut someone off and tell them you are in a hurry, so greetings aren't always convinient, but they are esential.

Big Brother is watching. I guess from the couple of years I lived in Lake Wales, I always knew that in a small town everyone knows all of your business, but it's different here. It's funny and I joke about it with other PCVs, but I really do believe that everyone in my village knows where I am at all times. I will walk into the clinic in the afternoon and a lady sitting on the bench waiting to see the doctor will ask me about some person I said hello to at 10:15am this morning. Or I will overhear someone say I spent 20 minutes with the Chief this morning, then went to the youth center to work, and when I went home for lunch Jerome didn't come with me. This has taught me that nothing I do is private. Every move I make may be watched, so I really should be setting a good example.

The idea that I may go back to the states is always on the community's mind. This is one that both annoys me and makes me laugh at the same time. It may be that I have been really busy at the clinic or youth center and I haven't taken a walk through the village in a while, or I may have a couple day workshop in Kasane, or I may go on holiday for the weekend. When I get back and someone who I haven't seen in a couple weeks will say something like "Ohh you're around... I thought you went back to the states". No matter how many times I tell people I am not going anywhere, it's a constant battle. Part of me feels that this is a part of PC that is never talked about. That our communities feel abandoned when we eventually complete our 27 months of service. But mostly it makes me laugh because most people expect me to tell them where I'm going and when I'll be back, it's like having a whole community of overbearing, but caring parents.

Family, friends, and a social life are necessities of life. No one likes to feel like they are excluded from the world around them. People need the love and support from people nearby. No matter how much friends and family are praying for you back home, there is just something missing if you don't have friends or a social life. It could just be my personality, I was probably a little depressed for a while when it was the holidays, I was missing friends and family. But now, I have an active social life both in my community and out of it. I have very reliable friends who are becoming more like family. And I am seeing the fruits of my labor. I really couldn't be happier. In fact, PC just came to do a site visit here with me. I got to meet the new APCD (Assistant PC Director) who is in charge of my program. They ask a lot of questions about how I'm doing, what I'm working on etc. Two other PCVs were with them and overheard the question "How are you doing?" I could hear them sarcasticly saying "Ohh Kara is just miserable here, can't you tell? She never smiles, she is never in her village, she is counting down the days till she goes home". I started laughing and it was in the moment I realized just how happy I am here. For those of you who know how bubbly I am most of the time, you have no worries. I am just a bubbly here as ever!

Everyone needs a place to vent their frustrations. Whether you keep a journal, listen to music, talk to friends, write letters home, draw, etc you have to do something to shed the daily frustrations here. I have days where nothing seems to go right... I loose electricity & water, the project I am working on still isn't going right, I sat though a 4 hour meeting (conducted all in Setswana) which I understood only about 10min of, I am still waiting for information from Kasane, people are asking me questions I don't have the answers to, etc. It's those days that I sit in the house and write like it's going out of style. These are also the days I appreciate my family the most. I see how important our family dinners were and how much I miss them.

Patience is a vertue. No matter if you have to wait 6 hours for transport, 2 months for a definate answer to a project you are working on, or weeks for the right paperwork to be filed, things take time. So for those of you who are praying for patience for me... please stop! I am certainly much more patient than I EVER was in the states, and with or without your prayers I am sure there will be plenty more things thoughout the rest of my PC service I will need to practice my patience with.

Letters/Packages from home make all the difference! I don't think I will ever be able to explain the feeling I get when I find packages and letters in my mailbox from home. Even the shortest card makes me smile and reminds me that there are people back home thinking about me. Thank you to all of you at the church who wrote little notes and put them in easter eggs for me! I can't tell you how much that made me miss you guys. Are you now thinking you should send me something, but just don't know what to send??? It's okay, here are the things I would love to have most:

1. Books - any good novel. I like to read while I eat my meals and before bed so I go though books like candy. I try to update my books read list, but seriously send me anything. They will all get donated to the village library when I finish my service, so you are helping not just me, but the many others in my village that love to read.
2. Music - I don't have a radio here. So I am falling behind on music very quickly. Burned mixed CDs are best, because it gives me lots of varity. But please include the names of the songs and their artists so I know who I am listening to.
3. Magazines - National Geographic, People, Oprah, Men's Health, Cosmopolitan, In Style, Glamour, Vanity Fair, Etc. Really anything is good and it doesn't matter if it is months old. I read them and then use them with the kids for LOTS of projects, so magazines like Oprah with strong black women pictured really help the kids to dream big.
4. Twislers, M&Ms, Milk Duds, any chocolate (although M&Ms travel best), Goldfish, pretzels, dried fruit (this is great for traveling), beef jerky, pasta sides, etc. I love junk food and I promise it will all get eaten!
5. Art supplies - I have a lot of the village kids that come to my house after school and they color, draw, etc. I can always use things/activities for them to do. Dollar store stuff works great!
6. Bath & Body works body splash - I am running out of my body splash, and I can't get it here. I really like Cherry Blossom, Cotton Blossom, Exotic Coconut, Moonlight Path, Sweet Pea, and Warm Vanilla Sugar.
7. Vera Bradly Journals - I am going though journals like crazy and I love the patterns with the Vera Bradly collection.
8. Pens - Bic pens are the best, colored, black, blue, clicky, non-clicky... it doesn't matter. Pens are like gold around here.
9. Anything fun for the kids in my village. stickers, small toys, pipe cleaners, glue, school supplies, etc. The kids love it and they make great prizes for the kids, and better incentive for them to read books for library club.
10. Children's books - I can't tell you how disappointed I was when I realized the lack of children's books in my primary school library. So send whatever you can. Its the best way for the kids to learn english and to read!

Last but not least - LETTERS!!! If you write me I will definately write you back!

My address is:
Kara Tokar
PO Box 917
Kasane, Botswana
Africa

The US Postal service has these really great flat rate boxes that you can stuff full and the weight doesn't matter. If you are just sending books & magazines, they have something called an M-bag. It is only for media stuff like books & magazines. It is a lot slower than the regular mail, but it's cheaper for the super heavy stuff.

Cheers & happy mailing

Traveling to KC

2008-04-17T04:49:00.001-05:00

A Blurb from another PCVs blog that mentions what it's like to travel to Kachikau from Kasane. I thought you would all enjoy this as it paints the perfect picture of what it's like.

"From Kasane we went to a village called Kachikau (on a very “sad” bus, built in 1979, which lumbered approximately 20 mph down a dirt road through the bush- the bus was in it’s death throes right when we arrived, I doubt it made it much further after that- it took two hours to drive 40 miles!). Kachikau, pronounced “Catch a Cow”, is where another PCV, Kara, lives, in the middle of the bush, just south of the boonies, a little north of oblivion, an hour away from nowhere, and about 100 km away from absolutely nothing. There is no cell phone service there, she has no land line, no internet, and no post office. (Props to Kara for keeping it “real and “rural” and “really really rural”- she loves it there though)."

Thank you Andrea for visiting me and I miss you terribly.

Out with friends on the river

2008-04-16T09:23:00.003-05:00

So this past weekend I got invited to go out with a bunch of the locals from Kasane into the Park (Chobe National) for a little R&R. Here are just a few of the pics.

Elephants in the park - they are super cute when they are little

Ryan and I on the top deck of the boat (Isn't he adorable???)

Jacques (the elephant hunter), Me and Ryan on the boat - These are the guys I hang out with most when I am in Kasane. No worries about them, they always take really great care of me. Yes, Jacques hunts elephants, but it's his job.

A couple of the girls relaxing.

As the sun goes down on the water

More pictures of Training Cont'd

2008-04-16T09:00:00.003-05:00

Johnny & Joe (it's been a rough day for Johnny)

Standing on a chair to try and direct the trainees... I'm too short

Learning some traditional dances

Back on that chair again!

More pictures of Training

2008-04-16T08:43:00.003-05:00

WARNING
This post contains Sexual Reproductive images!!!

The group of Trainees and Staff (can you find me? Cause I'm hiding)

The Management Team (what an amazing group of people)

Courtney and I teaching Reproductive Health

Courtney and I afterwards

Don't you just love teaching fun subjects???

For those of you who are wondering, Courtney and I were teaching about sexual reproductive health. This includes but is not limited to the following subects: anatomy, abstainance, condoms, partner faithfulness, masterbation, oral sex, and any questions the trainees had on the subject.

Pics of Training

2008-03-25T04:06:00.003-05:00

Playing a game. I somehow got sandwiched between Big Mamma Mpho and Clearance.

Chami teaching a session on becoming what you want to be

The trainees playing "hide the ball" it's a game related to how difficult it is to know who is infected with HIV.

Giving Johnny a back rub

Random Pictures

2008-03-25T03:48:00.002-05:00

So this is me in the old Kasane prison. It was made out of the Boabab tree. This was the women's prison. I look way too happy to be in here.

Nadine and I hanging out in the women's prison.

This was the men's prison... it's the hole next to Joe's leg. They would have a hard time sticking me in that sucker, it's very dark inside. Ohh and Joe decided to hug the tree- what a true peace corps volunteer

Life Skills Training

2008-03-18T03:12:00.002-05:00

Thank you, thank you, thank you... I really appreciate all of your prayers this past week, they were certainly answered. The training went very very well. It looks like we have a good group of young people who have major potential for facilitating. The training was LONG... but we got through it with flying colors. I have tons of pictures I will post when i get the chance (hopefully by tomorrow) there are some funny ones of Courtney (PCV) and I teaching reproductive health (we have models and diagrams we were using to teach with). All in all a great week.

Very happy this weekend is Easter. Sad I'm missing out on the sunrise service, but glad that I have been in botswana for 11 months.

I'll try my best to update tomorrow before I head back to Kachikau. love and miss you all

Prayer Request

2008-03-11T03:27:00.002-05:00

I have to ask you all of your prayers for me this week. The first Life Skills camp facilitators training starts tomorrow in Lesoma, and to say I am nervous and freaking out is a whopper of an understatement. Basically we have about 50 out of school youth between 18-25 coming to learn how to teach life skills to Junior secondary school students. This is my first big event I've helped to plan and I would love your prayers that things go smoothly and that the kids get out of this camp training the skills they need to help change the world.

It's a lot to ask, but just be thinking about me this week. I could use all the positive thoughts possible. I love and miss you all. Thank you

More Pictures

2008-03-08T05:02:00.006-05:00

Melissa and I on the boat... the guys got out to pee in the middle of the river

More beautiful water lilies

Sunset on the Chobe River

Mr. Elephant

Mr. Elephant

Well I promised more pictures... and here they are. Apparently the internet has something against me posting pictures today, so it's being very umcorporative, but i'm determnined. But i promise to post more when it lets me and when i have time.

Thank you Katelen for requesting more pictures... I will try to put up as many as possible. I miss you.

Day on the River

2008-03-07T03:46:00.002-05:00

So things are going well here. I got the opportunity to go out on the boat with a few new friends of mine on the Chobe River. So here are a couple pictures. It was a lot of fun and i wish i had a camera with a better zoom lens because most of my pictures don't capture the beauty like they should. I'll try to upload more this week. Miss you guys

Happy Valentine's Day

2008-02-14T05:08:00.001-05:00

Things are good here in Bots. I am keeping extremely busy with work and yearly planning. I thought I would give you an update of my work progress and new projects.

I’m really excited because The District AIDS Coordinator’s office asked me to help on a project for the district. Basically the project is teaching life skills to junior secondary school students (grades 8-10). My job is to plan life skills camps throughout the year for these students as well as train the facilitators who will be running the camps. All in all if the funding comes through and things go as planned, by the end of the year we will have trained 250 students and 50 out of school youth (ages 18-25) in the following life skills: HIV/AIDS Education, listening, non-verbal communication, peer pressure, communication with parents, alcoholism, health & reproduction, gender awareness, relationships & family, decision making, goal setting, career options, fiscal responsibility, money management and budgeting skills.

It sounds like a lot of things to cram into a week long camp… and I’m sure it is. But hopefully with the right amount of planning, a productive and energetic crew, and a little bit of luck it will turn a few lives around and help the kids make better decisions and life choices.

My first goal in this project is to find a great group of people to be the management team. Considering everything I do as a Peace Corps Volunteer is focused on making things sustainable, I am looking for people who will be able and willing to continue on with the project after I leave. I already have a few amazing people who are helping, they work for YOHO (Youth Health Organization) and BNYC (Botswana National Youth Council). Both of these organizations already do amazing work with the youth here in Bots and I know they will do a great job with this project as well. I’m also really lucky because I have the help of a few PCV’s (Nadine, Robert and Chami) in my area who have taken a role in helping me plan these events. There is no way I would be able to do this without them.

My next goal is to find 50 facilitators for the camps. It’s my desire to use out of school youth between the ages of 18-25 because they are a very high risk group for contracting HIV. If I can train them to be life skills facilitators as well as peer educators, then maybe they will make wise decisions preventing themselves from becoming infected throughout their lifetime. Since this is a District project… I am looking for facilitators throughout the district. Lucky for me, my district doesn’t have a ton of villages, and I work closely with 5 of them. Robert, Nadine Chami, YOHO, and BNYC are also helping to find facilitators.

I’m still waiting to hear if funding for my project comes through. But even if it doesn’t my hope is that we are able to train the facilitators anyway. Funding is always a struggle and it never comes in on time, so I am just going to cross my fingers and pray.

As for other projects: I am still working with my primary school GLOW girls. Unfortunately the beginning of the year is extremely busy for the schools and all of them are currently trying out for various sports, so the club has temporarily been put on hold, but they are all extremely excited to get started again soon. And I am SUPER proud of my Junior Secondary school GLOW girls because they have started the club at the school on their own. I think their first meeting is this week. I’m looking forward to attending. The girls who came with me to Camp GLOW have taken the initiative and started things on their own since I have been extremely busy with the life skills camps as well as the clinic. But they know I am always here for help and support.

The Library clubs are doing well also. I have a new group of standard 4 students this year, and there is something like 43 of them. It’s a lot to handle at one time, so we are working at splitting up the classes. It has also been fun to see how much the standard 5 students have grown since last year. They are more outgoing, and much more focused. All together I think there is something like 60 kids in library club. Just this week we made Valentine’s cards. It’s not often that kids get to express themselves creatively and they are all so artistic, so I wasn’t surprised that the cards turned out beautiful.

Things here at the clinic are also going well. The clinic staff has been changing a lot lately… one of our nurses transferred, one is in Kasane filling in for someone, our driver retired, we had a new nurse transfer in, we had a new driver transfer in and we are getting ready to receive a Doctor and a Pharmacist. Plus one of the staff members just found out she is pregnant with her first baby. I’m completely stoked about the last one because she listens to the little bit of advice I can give her and seems to be doing really well and happy. Plus I will still be here when the baby is born.

That’s pretty much it for things happening here. I’m keeping very busy and really enjoying myself. I hope you all are doing well. Thank you Mom and Kali for sending me the new pair of flip flops, I absolutely LOVE them! Thank you for the other stuff in the boxes as well…

With the election stuff getting close, could you start sending me info on the candidates? I get Newsweeks from PC, but they are always months behind what’s going on.

PS Thank you to all of you who answered my plee for play money for the life skills camps. It should be really cool and I look forward to your packages!

My PC Family

2008-02-14T05:07:00.000-05:00

It’s come to my attention that I haven’t told you much about the PCV’s I consider family here in Bots. I think it’s time to rectify that and share some funny little stories from our times together.

I have 2 PCV’s who are closest to me in proximity as well as relationship wise. These two, Nadine and Robert came over with me on the plane and hopefully will be around for many many years to come. Just so they know… I’m doing this in alphabetical order so as not to cause conflict between you to. Somehow I got really lucky to be place close to Nadine and Robert. They are both 61 years old and have become sudo-parents for me here.
Nadine lives in Kasane and is completely wonderful to open up her home to me when I need a place to crash. She works with an NGO called Fair Lady Day Care Center and is doing amazing things with her organization. Just this year she raised money to support something like 10 orphans for this school year. So cool. She is also working to make her organization self sufficient, although they have a long way to go to get there, she is really getting the ball rolling. Nadine has really taken me in as a daughter and is always there to give advice, listen to me vent, is an amazing cook, let me teach her how to make tortillas, bakes cookies with me, helps me with projects, supports my decisions, and is all around a wonderful woman. She was a complete Godsend during the holidays. She realized I was depressed & missing home, and she made me come into town to spend the holidays with her. When Justin was here, we had Thanksgiving with her. I had Christmas with her, Monica, Cassie, Liz and Leah. Her birthday is coming up this month and I plan on spending that with her too. Life here would be a lot tougher if I didn’t have Nadine around.

Robert is my resident psychologist and father. Dad… don’t worry he hasn’t taken your place; he is just filling in while I’m here. I absolutely adore Robert; he is my traveling companion, advice giver, never afraid to put me in my place, shares my sense of humor, is always good for a laugh, and currently is my reluctant partner in crime. Robert lives in Pandamatenga and works at the clinic like I do. His interests are very different from mine and he works more with the older community. Right now I believe he is working with support groups, the social worker, and the local police to cut down the alcoholism in his village. It’s a steady problem throughout the country and Robert is working hand in hand with his village to create self-esteem within the community so people face the problems rather than try to drink them away. Robert would fit right into the Tokar family, probably as an uncle or something. He has our same pick on each other, sarcastic, anything goes attitude. And it’s delightful to have him around to keep me grounded as well as protect me from whatever I may need protecting from.

Recently both Nadine and Robert had been really concerned about me. They see me and are typically the best judge of my character as well as mood. The could both tell I was going through a rough patch and took turns supporting me, talking with me, and kicking me in the butt when needed. I really do owe them a lot of thanks and I’m sure I will never be able to thank them enough for what they do for me here.
Now don’t get me wrong… I have more than just Nadine and Robert here to support and love me. Of course I have all of you at home, but I also have other PCV’s who rarely get mentioned because they are so far away. These PCV’s know who they are and know how much I miss hanging out with them, talking to them, and getting my daily quota of hugs. I love you guys!

Safety...

2008-02-09T03:38:00.000-05:00

Hey all... So I am sure some of you have been hearing all kinds of things that are currently going on here in Africa. But I wanted to reassure you that I am perfectly safe and sound here in Botswana. In fact I had a meeting with my Country Director yesterday and she said that at this point myself and the other PCV's here in Bots are not in danger.

So put on your happy face, write me a letter, and send me goodies. Because a package is the best way to show you care. Sadly for me almost every time I check my mailbox I am greeted with an empty space. Makes the day sad and the weeks long. But for those of you who don't love as much... an email is always welcome.

Miss you all

The Start of a New Year

2008-02-02T03:21:00.000-05:00

Can you believe it’s already February 2008? I have a hard time with that. Partly because the start of a new year means that, I am in my 10th month here in Bots. It always surprises me how fast time goes by. Just look how big Jerome is getting…

He is certainly a challenge right now because he is going through what I consider puberty. Jerome learned very quickly not to hump anything in the house… so he has taken to the other dogs in the neighborhood. He also does this really funny thing when he lays down when I am in the room, he lets out this long sigh like he has the whole world on his shoulders. He is also very defiant. I swear that some days I really feel like I am leaving with a 13 year old. But in all hopes this phase will end soon and I will have a happy, healthy, dog living with me again. Jerome doesn’t know this yet, but very soon he will be going to the doctor to get *snip snip* taken care of. The last thing my village needs is for Jerome to be fathering any children.

With this new year, I am getting a new perspective on my yard. We are in the middle of rainy season here, and all this rain has made my yard into a dense jungle. I spent a couple days pulling weeds and tearing up my hands and finally decided to contribute to the local economy by hiring someone to do it for me. I know you are all probably thinking I am silly for not doing it myself, but seriously my weeds are about shoulder high in some areas and my yard isn’t small. Its not like pulling weeds by the pool in Orlando, it’s more like clearing the waterfront in Lake Wales without the water to swim in during breaks. Anyways, my yard is getting there. I will be thrilled once it is finished and I can fully enjoy the lack of weeds.

2008-02-01T09:06:00.000-05:00

Hey Mom... okay I talked to Nadine and apparently her blog is restricted, so I am going to see what I can do to get you invited so you can check hers out too. Sorry this is not really a post, just an update for you Mom.

For the rest of you, new post coming soon

Hey Hey Hey

2007-11-13T01:54:00.000-05:00

I really stink at updating this thing lately... so on that note, here are a few updates from life here in Botswana.

The Clinic... things are going really well at the clinic. I love working there. The staff is awesome, the patients are super sweet, and they are keeping me busy. A lot of the girls I work with have been gone at workshops for the last couple weeks, so I have been working really hard with them gone. I am also very sad because one of the nurses is leaving my village. I am extremely happy for her, because she is moving down to the village her husband lives in, but I am sad because she is leaving me.

I had a rough week a couple of weeks ago. A friend of mine passed away. She was an older lady in the community, but we had become friends and I know her daughters as well as her grand-daughters. She was on ARV's and doing really well until one week she got really ill and went to the hospital. I went to the funeral. It was very sad, but nothing like funerals at home.

Okay enough depressing news...

GLOW, I am so excited. I am taking a group of girls down to Gaborone next month for a 10 day camp. It kinda feels like I am going back to Lake Aurora, except for the lack of the lake and no religious stuff. It should be really fun. The girls I am hoping to have over for dinner before we go. I want them to get to know eachother better as well as myself and Sega.

Jerome is doing well. He had his first vet visit 3 weeks ago today. He got shots, a bath, his ears cleaned, a full check-up, and an appointment for today to get more shots... update on that, I went yesterday to pick up his shots from the vet and today I get to play nurse and give him them myself.

I don't remember if I told you I am planning a football(soccer for all you american's) tournament in my village. I have been working on this for quite a while now and things are going well. I had to change the dates of my tournament this last week to coordinate with World AIDS Day. The tournament's focus is to increase male involvement in health services as well as increase male and couple HIV testing. So now that it is now partnered with World AIDS Day, I have a lot more support and help from my community.

Guess who's here??? Yep, that's right Justin is. That crazy boy flew half way around the world to come hang out with me for a couple weeks. Today is his 5th day on the job with me. Yesterday we spent the day in Kasane settling the administration side of my job. We also checked out all the fun stuff we are planning to do while he is here. I will let you know more when it happens.

I think this is good for now. I should be updating again soon.

Thank you Kyle & Justin

2007-10-19T06:55:00.000-05:00

So sometimes i totally lose my mind. Thank you Kyle and Justin for pointing out my error. It's the Broncos. I don't know why i typed Bruins. I guess i was not paying any attention.

I love you guys. I'll talk to you soon.

Pictures

2007-10-14T05:45:00.000-05:00

Here are a couple pics. The computer is slow, so it's only two

This is my puppy, Jerome Bettis!!! See I am not starving him to death.

This one is a picture of Sega and I doing prep work for the Independence Day celebration at the Kgotla. Don't you just love my apron?

Time for an update

2007-10-13T09:56:00.000-05:00

I have a feeling that most of you have been wondering what exactly I have been doing lately and I humbly apologize for my lack of blog-ing lately but things have been busy.

Okay so to catch you up on the ever-changing life of Kara “Refilwe” Tokar. I am in the middle of planning a football (soccer for all you Americans) tournament that my village is hosting next month. It has been semi-stressful because right now I am the only one in my village really working on the preparations. However, it is certainly coming along and I promise to post pictures of the event after it happens. In addition, I will have better pictures than the ones from the Choir competition because I will certainly not be playing in any of the games during the tournament. Lol.

This month has also been a serious month of planning in my district of Botswana. The District AIDS Coordinators office has been planning all of next years events and I have been working with them to plan the events in my village as well. Not only that, but Bots National Tree Planting Day is coming up next month (the weekend after my football tournament) and I am on one of the committees planning that event. That means I am going to meetings at least 3 times a week now and at least one of them is in Kasane. I am also planning my youth activities for next year as well. Therefore, I have been semi busy lately.

Good news from the youth end of things… I had my first meeting with the Primary school girls for a club I am starting in my village called GLOW (Girls Leading Our World). It was an impromptu meeting because I wasn’t planning on them the day it happened, but I was thrilled at how well everything went. I explained what GLOW was to the girls and then asked what kinds of things they would want to talk about at our meetings. They had so many ideas; I couldn’t help but get extremely excited. It looks like I will be teaching everything from Sex Ed to the perils of having a boyfriend. I am definitely not an expert on Sexual Education, so I am calling in another PCV who knows WAY MORE than I do about both the male and female reproductive systems. But I think I have plenty enough experience to field the perils of having a boyfriend questions and discussions. Lol. Honestly some of their questions they put in the question box (made to encourage asking the most difficult questions to ask) floored me. For instance, “Why does a girl have to have a boyfriend?” “Why is a boyfriend important in our lives?” “HIV can be transmitted to a person when they do what?” “If you don’t have a boyfriend, what is the point of your life?” “What is menstruation?” “Why do boys want sex so much when they see a naked girl?” and my favorite … “ What is patriotism?” (the oddball question). Some of these are just impossible to answer in this culture. From everything I have seen I am not quite sure its possible to get through high school without having multiple serious boyfriends. So I have some culture/soul searching to do in order to come up with some good answers that will spark discussion among the girls.

I am also starting a GLOW club at the Junior Secondary School in my village. I am completely stoked about it too. I can do so much more with the older girls because most of them are going through all of the relationship problems right now. So I know I will be able to make a difference with them. They also have a lot more English under their belts so the language barrier is not a concern. I am applying to take 3 of the JCSS girls with me to a GLOW camp in December. I really hope we get to go because it could have an amazing effect on the girls in my village. The GLOW camp is a 10 day camp for girls from around the country. It is put together by a couple of PCV’s and each GLOW group is brought in by a PCV and a community member. So I will be able to share ideas and get the best practices from other PCV’s who have been doing GLOW longer than I have.

Very exciting news for those of you out there who were worried I would be terribly lonely out here all by myself. I got the most adorable puppy this past week. I of course named him after my favorite (ex) Steelers player Jerome Bettis. I had been talking with Kali about names and she suggested historical names. Then I was going to go with an Author, but it hit me the night I brought him home. His mother is a golden yellow and his father is jet black. Hello – Steelers colors! Since I can’t be there in front of the TV to cheer for my team the next couple seasons, I have a little Steeler living with me now. I must tell you that he has caused some controversy within my community. One, I am still deciding if he is going to be an inside dog or not, so I am house training him. The moment anyone hears that he sleeps indoors they freak out on me. I have had amazing luck so far because Jerome has only peed on my cement floors a couple of times, nothing else. But everyone in my village believes Jerome is going to turn my whole house into his personal toilet and poop everywhere. I understand that this culture does not raise inside dogs, so no one has the experience to house train one. But Jerome is actually extremely smart and prefers to go outside. Two, everyone is on my back about what I am feeding Jerome. I bought puppy dog food and he seems to be happy with that. Plus he gets rice and meat every once in a while. I am certainly not starving my dog by any stretch of the imagination but that’s what you would think if you heard my clinic staff. I get accosted by them each morning about what Jerome is eating and if I am feeding him enough meat. I told them he eats dog food and I thought they were going to take him from me because apparently dog food is not good enough or healthy enough for an African dog. I am baffled by this because half the dogs in my village are always searching for food because no one feeds them, yet I feed my dog a couple of times a day and I’m starving him to death. You can see for yourself he is by no means going hungry!

Moving on… computer classes are at the moment on hold in my village. The youth center where the computers are located is under permanent staffing issues. The girl who is supposed to be here now working is never in my village and neither are the keys to the building. I am working on getting a set for myself but that takes time and mostly never ending patience. (Speaking of that… whoever has been praying for patience for me, knock it off, I have plenty!) I am also waiting for typing programs so I can work with the teachers at both the primary and secondary schools. Most of the teachers know how to work at computer, they just can’t type. So that’s the scoop on that.

Quick comment going back to the Steelers and my lack of game watching ability. I am extremely jealous because my PCV neighbor in Kasane has been getting the Broncos games on DVD. I don’t care to watch the Broncos play unless they are up against the Steelers. So if it is at all possible for someone to tape the games, burn them on a DVD for me, and send me them to watch on a regular basis, I would be the happiest girl in the world! (You won’t have to send the Oct. game against the Bruins because my PCV neighbor will have that one).

This blog has become way longer than I had expected, so I am going to go now. I will try to update more often. I’ll keep you posted! I love and miss you all.

PS. Happy 50th Birthday Dad. I know it is late but I hope you had a blast jumping out of the plane and at the party. I love you

I don't have time to post the pics today, but i will post them tomorrow.

This blog...

2007-09-20T06:18:00.000-05:00

So I tried to update my picture the other day, and well when i signed in, everything came up in some African language that I couldn't read or understand, so I started pushing buttons and somehow erased my photo. Lucky me. Though the wonderful Justin N, I was able to post a photo in my absence of internet. Thank you honey. I finally changed it today, it's a picture of me in Moshupa. I had gotten lost on my way back from shadowing another volunteer. It was crazy and tons of fun. Okay, i am out of time. I will try to post again soon. Things are well and i am really happy. I miss you guys.

Hey SSCC, miss you guys. thanks for the constant messages.

Totally stressed out

2007-09-17T09:54:00.000-05:00

I am totally stressing out. Last week I got back from a Peace Corps workshop in Kanye that was two weeks long. I swear it was the longest two weeks of my life. I really don’t like leaving my village for that long. I came home and unfortunately I had left some chicken in my freezer and of course the power had gone out and popped the circuit breaker so my refrigerator smelt like something died while I was away.

Not only that, but I had been working on a project with my village youth center before I left for the workshop. We had 2 computers donated and everyone seemed really excited about getting the computer classes up and running. Since I have been back, I have yet to get a hold of the girl who runs the youth center to get working on the project again (Not that I have had much time to think about my secondary projects). Apparently this month is the National Month of Prayer and before I left the workshop my counterpart was adamant about me planning something to celebrate this event. Why I was the one who needed to plan this celebration, I have no idea. Thank goodness that when we actually returned to site, someone else had already started planning something.

So I have been back to work for a week. Monday, I was ironing out the plans I had made for my next 8 months in my village. I am trying to start up a couple of support groups for people living with HIV/AIDs as well as pregnant mothers enrolled in the PMTCT program. I work with the Primary school library club every week and I am still trying to finish writing the curriculum. The youth center and the computer classes is on the top of my list of things to do, because it is such a great project that I am so excited about, I just want to see it underway. There are so many other things I have on my list of things to do.

In fact, while I was at this PC workshop, I was told that I have to turn in a report at the end of this week (it’s a very complicated report that I am still trying to figure out how to fill out). I need to find 3 girls and a teacher for Camp GLOW (Girls Leading Our World) and have our paperwork turned in by the end of the week. Also, my mail from the Peace Corps office was being sent to another PCV so I never received some forms I needed to fill out and I had to fill them out this week and I am sending them in today.

It’s just been a lot crammed into 7 days. I will be very thankful when I am all finished with these reports and I get back into my routine.

I really missed my village. I know my blog today my sound like nothing but complaining, but I really do love it here. This week has been super busy but I enjoyed every second of it.

Side-notes:
Hi Mayor Family, thank you for all of your comments. I am glad you guys are reading this on a regular basis. Thanks for the pictures too. Caitlyn & Nicholas, I miss you guys so much! Be good for mom and dad. Give each other hugs for me okay.

Welcome back to the states Mom and Dad. I am sad the only two weeks I have cell service continuously; you are out of the country. However, I am glad you had fun on your trip. I love you.

HAPPY 21st BIRTHDAY JUSTIN!!! Only 44 more days till I get to see you ;o)

Lastly, this may sound a bit harsh… but I have decided I am not going to write people who don’t write me anymore. It costs too much in postage to write to people who don’t want to take the time to write me back. So I am terribly sorry if I offend those culprits to whom this note applies to, but ohh well, nuff said.

VHC Community Choir

2007-08-31T07:00:00.000-05:00

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

2007-08-16T07:57:00.000-05:00

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Change of Address

2007-08-16T07:50:00.000-05:00

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

2007-08-16T07:11:00.000-05:00

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.

A Week in my Shoes

2007-07-26T06:53:00.000-05:00

I am finally getting into a routine here at site. My days are usually busy and filled with excitement, extremely friendly people, new experiences, and lots of hope for the future. Mondays are a catch up from the weekend. I start at the clinic in the morning. I am typically pre-packing pills, talking with patients, doing home visits, weighing babies, etc. Then after lunch I head to the community library to meet with the Standard 4 class. I am with them from 2:30 until 4:00 and then I head back to the clinic to check in. I go home, and usually by the time I get there, I have about 6 kids waiting for me. They all want to play games with me or watch me cook (which I have yet to really learn how to do) or listen to me read to them. I have my favorite little one, he is the grandson to one of my neighbors and he is about 8 years old. He does not speak much English, but somehow we are able to have wonderful conversations without even talking. He is truly the highlight of my days. When the sun starts to set around 6:30 or so, I send all the kids home and eat dinner. Then I sit around and read or I head to one of the staff houses to watch a little TV and catch up on what’s new.

Tuesdays are just like Monday’s except that I got to the Primary School library instead of the Community library and I meet with the Standard 5 class. I give them vocabulary and have them look up information about historical figures in the encyclopedias and then we all read. I check back with the clinic at 4 and then go home to find a large group of children at my house to play and read and talk with me. I have dinner and read or visit again.

Wednesdays are becoming my favorite day of the week. It’s ARV day at the clinic, so the patients on ARV therapy come to see the doctors and to get their prescription refills once a month. The day is always busy with so many patients to take care of. I can usually be found in the caravan with the pharmacist counting patient pills and helping to dispense the next month’s supply of medicines. I find this job both extremely overwhelming and also ever hopeful. It is overwhelming because of the shear number of patients on ARV therapy. There are just so many people who are HIV positive that it sometimes is too much to deal with, I have to step out of the caravan for a moment to catch my breath and clear my head. This is especially true when I see multiple children come to collect their medicines. They always hit me the hardest. Just listening to them tell me what time of day they take each of their many medicines and how much of each they take is heartbreaking. Such small children with the responsibility of remembering to take certain medicines twice a day at the exact times and exact doses or else they might die. It really takes all my strength not to smack their parents around for putting them in this awful position or to keep myself from breaking down in tears. But then, the day is full of hope. Every patient I see on Wednesdays is happy and most of them are feeling very well. All of them remember a time when they felt extremely sick and were at death’s doorstep. But they know that ARV therapy has helped them to find strength to carry on. I really love listening to the patients talk about how they are feeling. It always reminds me of what I am in Botswana for.
After all of the prescriptions are filled and the last patients are seen, it’s somewhere around 2pm. I finally get to go home for lunch. I eventually check back with the clinic around 3:30 and stay for about an hour. Then I go home eat a quick snack and head to the Primary school for Computer classes. I am in the process of teaching the Head Master and School Deputy how to use the computer. I am also teaching some of the teachers as well. We meet twice a month. The Head Master & Deputy on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays and the teachers on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month. So far I am tackling basic computer skills, like how to turn it on, using the mouse, and typing. I have a feeling the typing is going to be the biggest and most difficult area for my computer classes.

* Speaking of typing lessons, if any of you have a copy of Mavis Beacon that you don’t use anymore, I would LOVE to have it to use with my students, honestly any typing program will do, but I learned on Mavis Beacon, so it’s the only one I know. Thanks in advance to anyone willing to send me the program. And multiple copies would be wonderful, I have a whole community interested in learning to type and use the computer and I am working on getting more computers for the schools in Kachikau for the kids to learn on as well *

I normally don’t get home on Wednesdays until after dark and I always feel really satisfied about how the day went. So far the teachers are learning at least one new thing with each lesson, so it’s made me really happy.

Thursday lately have been my day to go into Kasane. I am currently under ‘House Arrest’ by order of PC, which basically means I am not allowed to leave Kachikau unless I need to purchase groceries or conduct official business. But lucky for me, lately I have been receiving packages in the mail (yes I love you for this) and so I have to go into Kasane to get them. I go to the clinic in the mornings and wait for the Ambulance from Kavimba to arrive to pick up patients bound for the Hospital. The driver’s name is Master and he is wonderful to me. One the way to Kasane, we drive through Chobe National Park. He always slows down so I can stare at the animals we see along the way. We drop the patients at the Hospital, then we head to the Health offices to check in. I take care of any business I have here and find out what meetings I am suppose to attend. Then I get a couple of hours for the internet and grocery shopping. I also pick up my packages at the post office. Throughout the day I text other PCV’s because I only have service when I am in Kasane. And before I know it, Master is picking me up and we are on our way back to Kachikau. I get home around 6ish. Make dinner and read my book. I have been doing a lot of reading if you couldn’t tell. Loving it though.

Fridays I start my day at the clinic as usual. I do home visits, talk with patients, help out wherever I am needed. It seems to me that there is always something happening at the clinic. After lunch, I go to the Non-Formal Education office. I just started helping them teach English to the adults in the community. So far so good. It’s really been fun and I am hoping that my Setswana gets better through teaching English. I am at the NFE office until around 4:30, so I go home. Most of the community goes to Kasane for the weekends, so there isn’t much going on. Sometimes Puso gives me her keys so I can watch TV while she is away, other times, I work outside on my yard until it gets too dark.

Saturdays are my day of cleaning. I have been trying to make this routine permanent, but I have a feeling that when I finally get off restriction cleaning will probably not be my #1 priority. I am already planning trips with some of the clinic staff. One of them is going to be a safari through the other side of Chobe National Park. I am really looking forward to this one. I will finally get to use my tent and camp out under the stars.

Sundays I try to get out into the community and walk around. There really isn’t much to see, but hiking up the back roads is beautiful and I love the view. I also typically get one or two visitors who come over and catch up with me. I am still looking for a church to attend here in Chobe. I have one prospect that I am planning on checking out this week. But I’m not sure how it will go.

From now on, I am hoping to keep up updated on my weekly activities. The comings and goings of my work. Now you should have a little better idea of what my weeks consist of. I miss you all, and thank you to everyone who has been posting comments. I love reading them. Ohh and if you have questions, please feel free to ask, I will try to answer them in upcoming posts.

Celebrating Small Victories

2007-07-19T06:50:00.000-05:00

Does a full gas cylinder make you want to bake the office cookies?
Does the arrival of your coffee table cause you to jump with joy?
Do you squeal with excitement when the maintenance man comes to change the locks?

I have the feeling that most of you would answer no to these questions. I however giggle yes to every one. I suppose you could say I am learning to appreciate the things I have been given. But honestly this week has been a cause for celebration! Once I arrived at site, I had enough gas for the 1st week. Then I went about a week and a half without. Now don’t worry, I have amazing staff members at the clinic and Mma Kgolwane (the principle nurse) let me borrow a hot plate (gestures like this are becoming saintly in my book). So when a full cylinder of gas arrived at my house (by ambulance ride with the very awesome Mr. Peters) I had the sudden urge to bake not just chocolate chip cookies, but snicker doodles as well. I couldn’t help it, I just had to show my appreciation.

Then that very same day, the maintenance men show up at my door with brand new locks in his hands. I just couldn’t stop myself from squealing with excitement. I now have keys to every door in my house, and they all work properly. (I was safe before, I had locks, but no keys to some of my doors)

Now, I was thrilled by both of these events this week. I was certainly a happy PCV. But then today, the Awesome Mr. Peters knocks on my door. In the back of the ambulance was my coffee table. I just had to jump for joy. Most of you are probably thinking I have totally lost my mind. But seriously if you just take the time to celebrate the small victories in life, it’s hard not to be the happiest girl in the world!

Oh, next week I should be getting bedroom furniture for my guest bedroom. Now those of you who come to visit me will have a bed to sleep in. Lol. I have no idea how I am going to react when it arrives.

My house will be almost complete with the addition of this furniture. I am still awaiting the maintenance men to come back and fix a few other things, and I have a semi-small bat population living in my attic. But I assure you all that I love my house. It really feels like home (it’s just missing you all).

Long Awaited Pictures

2007-07-05T05:25:00.000-05:00

Hey All, I know I promised to upload pictures like forever ago, but we both know that the internet is something you all take for granted in your everyday lives. So I finally was able to find a connection that didn't take 80 years to upload one picture. I hope all is well for you all. Here in Bots, life is really great. I am currently living in a cute village outside of Chobe National Park. I get to see Giraffe, Elephants, Zebras, Baboons, and more on a pretty regular basis. The pictures below are as follows. I was captured boy some boys in the village and they didn't want to let me go, so of course I had to take a picture with them. I know how selfish of me... lol.

This is my House. It's is so cute! It's got the right off the beach feel. I really love it. Plus I have 2 papaya trees in my backyard. Lucky me I know.

This is my Host family from Moshupa. My Host Father, Mother, sister Thuto and I in the living room. I miss them. :)

Ohh here is a picture of one of the elephants I was talking about. Cool huh!

Okay, I have to run. I have a meeting to get to. Miss you all though. Thank you to those of you who have sent me letters and packages. I much appreciate it. If you are wondering what you should send, the answer is BOOKS, Magazines, anything I can read! I hope to hear from you soon.

Moving Day

2007-06-22T09:29:00.000-05:00

Hey guys, Kara is moving today to Kachikau, about an hour outside of Kasane. Yesterday she was officially inducted into the Peace Corps. She's excited about the move, but would really love to hear from everyone. Once she gets settled in Kachikau, she will no longer have cell or internet service unless she can make it into Kasane. Feel free to send her e-mails and good ol' fashioned letters to her new address. She says hi and loves you ALL.

-Justin

Mophane Worms

2007-05-31T04:26:00.001-05:00

This post is really for my Strang Crew… you know how you all were talking about me eating worms when I got to Botswana. Well I ate a worm, a Mophane worm to be exact. It looks a little like a caterpillar, but tastes like seaweed. We had a lesson on nutrition and apparently mophane worms are considered a delicacy by the Batswana living in the northern part of the country. I figured why not? If Batswana can eat the worms, so can I. And I was right. They taste pretty good. Nothing much to them, but I don’t know how often I will be able to get mophane, because they are only in season around I believe spring time here. The one I ate was dried, but apparently they can be eaten many different ways. I will let you know how each type tastes when I get the chance to try them. Tasha, thank you for peaking my interest in the first place. Hope all is well at Strang, I can’t say I miss working there, but I certainly miss you guys. Thanks for all your help in getting me where I am today. Good luck. Ohh and Susan, I hope you and Woodley are putting together a box of books to send me because I need to catch up on my reading!
PS I get the God channel here, and I get to watch half our authors on television every Sunday morning. It’s funny to see them on TV here considering I never watched them in the States. My family loves to watch John Hagee and Benny Hinn.

Things That Go Bump In The Night

2007-05-31T04:25:00.001-05:00

It is 9:30pm and I am lying awake in bed at my host family’s house. I cannot think of a time in which I have had such difficulty falling asleep. There are just too many new and interesting noises all around me. For starters, I know in America we think that chickens and roosters only crow in the morning when the sun rises, well this is definitely a myth; they crow ALL NIGHT LONG! And when it gets colder outside, they crow louder. I’m sure that there is some explanation as to why this is, but all I know now is that it is a little distracting when I am trying to fall asleep, because I will be on the verge of sleep and one will crow right outside my bedroom window.

Do you have any idea what two donkeys having sex sounds like? Oh I do now. My first night at home-stay (my host parent’s house during training), I was trying to sleep, but there was this awful noise outside my window and I was a little afraid to check to see what it was, but I just had to know. When I opened the curtains, I saw a male donkey mounting his female. It was definitely a sight to see. Something I think every person should really experience on their own. Words just cannot do this experience justice.

Dogs barking, chickens clucking, roosters crowing, cars passing by, political ranting from loudspeakers of passing cars (all in Setswana), and random animals doing very random but of course natural things are the normal sounds from outside my bedroom window at any given time throughout the night. It is a very interesting experience to come from a place where it can get so quite at night, to a place that never seems to stop is the exact opposite of what I thought it was going to be like. I assumed that I was coming from a place that never sleeps a place where people always have places to go and people to see. That I was going to a place of peace and tranquility, a place where people and things move slower. I suppose in some instances, it’s very much this way. But at night, the noised seem to bump all night long.

Training So Far...

2007-05-31T04:22:00.000-05:00

I made it over half way through training so far… I’m officially over the hump. YEAH! I’m stoked. So far training has been apparently the hardest part of our 27 months of service in the Peace Corps (at least that’s what everyone keeps saying). It’s rough, because we start Monday through Saturday at 7:30am and don’t end until 5pm. Then I have tons of information to read, a host family to interact with, and language homework to have done before 7:30 the next morning. Plus everything is so up in the air all the time. We get a new schedule each week, but the schedule is never finalized, we are bound to change it at least 3 times throughout the week. LOL it’s just funny, I stopped wondering what the plan was the second week of training because it became too complicated to try to keep up with what is suppose to happen and when. Now I just go where I am told to go, when I am told to go there. It seems to be working out quite well for me.

Language Lessons – I know my family has been asking me how my Setswana is coming along. Well, let me just say Dumela borra le bomma. Leina lame ke Kara, sefane saime ke Tokar. Ke biduwa Refilwe. Ke tswa twa America ko Orlando, Florida. Ke moitaopi wa Peace Corps. Translation – Hello Ladies and Gentlemen. My first name is Kara, my sir name is Tokar. I am called Refilwe. I am from Orlando Florida, America. I am a Peace Corps volunteer. I know it’s not much, but I apparently understand a whole lot more than I can speak. But I plan on spending the first couple months at site (my placement for the next two years) doing intensive language study. I am really hoping that my first 3 months at site will give me a lot more time to learn. My plan is to get a tutor and be semi-fluent by my one year mark. *good luck to me*

My Botswana name is Refilwe. Refilwe means gift. My host mother gave me my name on the day I met her. Sir names in Africa are extremely important, because everyone wants to know who you are connected to within the community. (I didn’t post my Setswana sir name for privacy reasons, plus I am moving to site in like 3 weeks, so no need really). So by giving us volunteers a Setswana name, we are becoming a part of the community. I love my Setswana name, it really makes me feel special, and I always get really surprised looks when I tell people who ask: Ke biduwa Refilwe (I am called Refilwe). Of course, the other day a doctor told me that Kara Natasha was an African name, so I guess I always fit in anyways.

Once I get to site, I am not allowed to leave for the first 2 months. We are basically on lock down. This time is really for us to integrate into our community. We spend most of this time getting to know our neighbors, co-workers, and community members. We also do an extensive observation of the community needs during this time. Our observations will help us to better define our jobs for the next 2 years.

So back to training… So I spend most of my time during training in Moshupa, my training village. I live here, and it is beautiful. There really are no words to describe Moshupa, because it is not at all what I had pictured Botswana to be. It is a very big village, in fact it’s extremely easy to get lost in (isn’t that right Hunter). I live on the right side of Moshupa, near the post office & Blue bar (I know, it’s extremely vague, but people here know exactly where I am talking about). Moshupa has these amazing rocks that my training group loves to climb on our little bit of time off. When we have center days, we get on a bus to Thamaga, which is closer to Gab’s (the capital) and we meet with the other PCT’s (Peace Corps Trainees). I am a CCB (community capacity building) Trainee. I will be working in either PMTCT (Preventive Mother to Child Transmission) or S&CD (Social & Community Development). As you might have noticed, Botswana and Peace Corps in general LOVE acronyms so I am trying to explain them, if I miss one, just leave me a note and I will explain in a later post.

Outside of that, the other trainees, I am sure you have been wondering about them… well they really have become like family. It sounds so cheesy saying that, but I have become so close to so many of them in such a short period of time, it’s hard not to think of them as anything other than family. They have become my home away from home. There are 44 of us in total, and about 23 of them live in Moshupa with me. The other 21 live in two other villages in the area.

I know this is a really long post, but I know everyone wanted to know all about life in Botswana so far. This is only the tip of the iceberg. There is so much to tell. I wrote a couple blogs throughout the time I have been here, so I am posting them as well. I really hope all of you write me. I can’t check e-mail very often, so letters are best. I also got a cell phone. Feel free to call me anytime (just take the 6 hour difference into account) but remember I go to bed early and am usually awake around 5:30am. So calling me when you all are going to bed is totally do-able.

Also, I know a few of you asked about what I would like to be sent… well I have a list. In fact it’s a whole long list, but I am waiting until I get my site placement and address at site before I post that. But please feel free to send me your love and letters anytime. Thanks for checking in with me to see how things are doing. I will have more information as to my internet frequency when I get site placement this Saturday! I’ll keep you updated.

I love and miss you all. Thanks for your prayers and support. Talk to you soon!

Im in Africa!!!

2007-04-19T15:23:00.000-05:00

So I officially made it to Africa! And so far it has been amazing. The flight was really long, but really much better than I expected it to be. I slept a little and really was able to hang out and chat with the other volunteers. There are 43 of us altogether in my group, so it is a lot of new people to get to know and a lot of names to remember, but I think I’m getting it.

I know this is short, but my computer is dying and I need to get a power converter before I run through all my battery.

I miss you all! Talk to you soon. And don’t forget to write me ASAP!!!

Pics will go up as soon as I have time. Promise :)

Staging

2007-04-17T21:23:00.000-05:00

Hey All,

So I made it to Philly. My flight got delayed, then I spent about an hour waiting for my luggage at baggage claim, then it took forever to get a shuttle to the hotel, and about an hour to get to the hotel on the shuttle while it went from hotel to hotel dropping people off. Not only that, but I have been feeling really ill since Sunday morning, probably nerves and stuff. But I was feeling terrible when I got to Philly and nothing was settling my stomach. But I checked into my room, threw down my stuff, and ran downstairs to meet up with the rest of the group. The next couple of hours I got to meet just about everyone, hear all about safety and Peace Corps policies etc. As soon as we were done for the night, everyone went out, well everyone but me. I went across the street to the store, bought some crackers and ginger ale, went back upstairs, called Justin, threw up, took a shower, and went to sleep.

This morning, I got up, still feeling nauseous, got all dressed and stuff, and went down to start the day. We had training from 8:30 till around noon. Then I went to lunch with some of the other volunteers, it's always nice getting to talk with these guys about fears, worries, etc. So lunch (my first real meal since Sunday night) went well, I had some delicious chicken soup, yeah I figured I should start slow. Then we went back to training. Finished around 6pm, went to my room to change, and then headed downstairs to go out with the girls. Courtney, Ashlee and I went to the mall really quick so they could each pick up something. Funny, we all got kicked out right at 7pm because apparently they were closing and everything in downtown closes at 7pm. So after our shopping spree we came back toward the hotel to look for a place for dinner. We ended up meeting up with Joe, Eric and Hunter from the group at Mad 4 Mex. This Mexican place was delicious. I had Mahi Mahi fajitas (very yummy). It was a blast to get to know each one of these people I am going to be spending so much time with for the next couple of weeks. I will try to post pictures of the group and from tonight next time I have access to the Internet, not sure when exactly that will be. But I am off to go finish packing up my luggage and sleepy time.

I love and miss you all.

Today is already Thursday???

2007-04-13T07:54:00.000-05:00

I'm not quite sure where all the time has gone. It's sure seems to disappear. Yesterday, Mom took the day off work to hang out with me, you know spend a little Mother & Daughter time together. We had a really good time. We shopped for some things I need, like my color coordinating towels in Pink and Green. It's always nice getting to spend time with Mom, she has this unique sense of humor that always makes me laugh. Dad brought home my bible from Long's, they printed my name on the cover in pretty script. Dad spend most of the day looking for a laptop for me. I think he found one, but I have to call the stores in the area to see which ones have it. Mom and Dad didn't want me going without a laptop, which is really really nice of them. It will give me the chance to keep a journal, save all my pictures, and update i-tunes with other volunteers music.

Last night I hung out with Justin, he is stressing out over me leaving and ATO stuff. I just hope that everything works out with that. Justin and I went to Ale House at 10 to meet up with Heather, Ben, Bret & Shannon. It's such a bummer having to say goodbye to all my friends. It wasn't this sad saying goodbye when we all went off to college; but then again most of them won't see me until I come home. Oh yeah, Bret if you are reading this, I have some advice for you. My opinion is drop her, drop her now. You are way too great a guy to be with a girl who treats you like crap. Nuff said.

Heather & Ben - I love you both. Ben you better take care of her. Heather, I will miss you tons. And don't beat up the homeless guys by your office, maybe you should try just being nice, you know, killing them with kindness lol. Love you!

Last Week In Orlando

2007-04-10T06:26:00.000-05:00

It's early and I'm up because I can't sleep. I wish I was able to enjoy sleeping in my bed, enjoying my last few nights with air conditioning, loving my bed free room, and basically really enjoying just being home. However, I don't know if it's just nerves or if I just have a lot on my mind, but sleeping through the night doesn't seem to be anywhere on my minds list of top priorities. So instead, I have been going through my luggage again and again, making sure I have everything (which I don't), trying to figure out the best way to pack it all, and also trying to decide what items I want to put in my bag for the first 3 month and what goes in the big suitcase. You see, when we get to Botswana, we have to leave one of our bags with the Peace Corps while we live with a host family. There is really only room enough for one of our bags in their homes. So before we all leave, we are suppose to have it all figured out as to what bag we want to take with us for our training time. I already picked my bag, and now it's just a matter of deciding what clothes to pack, and what else I may need. I am also trying to decide what I want to wear in Philly, that way it gets packed at the top of my big suitcase, so I don't waste time in the mornings hunting for things to wear. I am also putting together my bag for the airplane rides, mainly the 17 & 1/2 hour ride to South Africa. Can't really say I am looking forward to that flight.

I know I promised a packing list. I am still working on it. I think I am almost done, so that should go up soon.

I went through all my pictures last night to decide which ones I want to take with me. I can't live without pictures. So it was definitely a tough decision. I also need to go to the store and print out pictures from the last couple of weeks. Today is definitely going to be a day of running errands. Trying to get the last few things I need. Today is a trip to Wally World (aka Wal-mart). I am also going to run to Long's Bookstore to get my name engraved on the bible I just got. I'm taking a new bible with me, along with my old bible. The one I'm taking is "The Message", it is a more modern version, hopefully it will explain anything I have questions about. I have my devotionals I am taking with me too. Maybe while I'm at Long's I'll pick up some new christian music to put on my I-pod. That's another thing I need to do, update my I-pod and go through all the Cd's in my car to decide which ones I want to take with me.

I think the fact that I have so much on my mind really does have something to do with me not sleeping.

Havelock, North Carolina

2007-04-09T08:17:00.000-05:00

I left Jax around 3:30 a.m. Sunday morning to drive to Havelock, NC. The 8 hour drive went by pretty quickly. I got to Havelock around 11 a.m. and met up with my Grandma at a local restaurant. It was so nice getting to see her, I haven't seen her in at least 4 years, so we had a ton to catch up on. Grandma and I went to her house and talked until we went to wake up my cousin Ginny. It's been close to 10 years since I have seen any of my family on my Dad's side, so getting to see Ginny, and my Uncle Paul and Aunt Sissy was great. We went to my Aunt and Uncles for dinner, Paul made a pot roast (delicious, I didn't know he could cook). After dinner I fell asleep watching Pirates of the Caribbean.

Grandma and I went back to her place, and before we made it in the house, she fell and fractured her ankle in two places and we spent most of the night in the ER. (Yes, Diana I am trying to spend a little quality time in the ER in every city I visit. lol)

Grandma and I spend most of Monday sleeping, we were both tired from the day before. But we did get to go to Uncle Paul & Aunt Sissy's for dinner. Yummy fried chicken (Uncle Paul's famous Fried Chicken).

Tuesday ended up being my last day in Havelock. Grandma and I hung out talking most of the day, and for dinner went back to Uncle Paul & Aunt Sissy's. Larry M. from SSCC is apparently living there, so he brought over his almost 1 year old twins who are just starting to walk. OMG so cute. Anne Marie & Rose Marie. I still can't believe they are so big. Beautiful girls though.

After Larry left, we had dinner. Ginny was there with her son Jacob (so cute and incredibly well mannered). Dinner of course was delicious, I have to say Uncle Paul is a very good cook. We took a bunch of pictures, although non with Uncle Paul in them, and Grandma and I headed home. I sat up talking with her until around 10 p.m. when I got back in the car to start my 10 hour drive back to Orlando.

Grandma - Thank you so much for everything. It was so great getting to see you. I hope all is well with your ankle, and I hope you are having a good time at Uncle Paul & Aunt Sissy's for the next little while. I love you.

Uncle Paul & Aunt Sissy - I can't thank you enough for your hospitality. Uncle Paul, thank you for my Liberty coin, that was beyond cool. Aunt Sissy, I'm sorry I didn't get to stay longer. I would have loved to hear all your stories about Dad when he was little. I love you both. Thank you.

Ginny - Thank you tons. I don't know if I would have come up to visit if it weren't for you. I'm sorry I got off myspace so abruptly before, but it was really nice getting to spend some time with you and finally getting to meet Jacob; you are very blessed to have him. I hope you get some time to relax soon. I would love for you to come visit me while I'm in Africa. And I think we are going to have to go to Europe together when I'm all done. I love and miss you.

Saturday Night in Jax

2007-04-09T07:55:00.000-05:00

First and foremost, Thank you Jeff for the wonderful time everyone had at Melting Pot. You absolutely made the evening better than I could have expected.

Javonne, Diana, Myself, Jass & Peter went to Friends and Family weekend at the new Melting Pot that just opened up this week in Jax. We had the pleasure of enjoying a night there before opening weekend. We had the most amazing time. By the end of the night, we had laughed so hard and eaten so much that it literally hurt to move. It was honestly the best way to end my weekend in Jax before I drove to NC.

All the way on the right, is our server Rob. He did a great job, and he had a very demanding table of people that kept wanting more of this or another drink, or another bottle of wine. Next to Rob is Amber, Diana's little sis. It was nice having her there. Oh yeah we also ran into Kelly B during the night. She's as cute as ever. I have so many amazing memories and I can't thank you guys enough for making that night wonderful.

Javonne, I will see you when I get home. I love you tons and I am going to miss you terribly.

Peter, you and I will always have our ups and downs. I hope things go well for you the next couple of years, and don't worry about finding that girl for you, I promise she will find you when you least expect it. Jass, I love the fact that you gave me a shout out on the radio on my way to NC. You are the best!!! I am going to miss you and your goofy personality. Keith, I know you couldn't be with us tonight because you were at the Lion King. But I forgive you, and I thank you for hanging out with me afterwards while I tried to get some sleep before I left. You also will find someone soon. You are too amazing a guy not to have an amazing girl to match. Diana, I am not saying goodbye to you yet. You get that the day before I leave.

Friday Night in Jax

2007-04-09T07:20:00.000-05:00

Last Friday night I had my last weekend in Jax with the college friends. The night started at Maggianos for drinks & dinner with Jessica, Diana, Keith, Peter and I. We started off the night right by getting yelled at by some angry man and his date in the bar, he obviously didn't like the fact that we were having too much fun. OMG dinner was delicious, and there was so much food. After dinner, we all headed back to Peter & Keith's place to hang out.

We all piled into a couple cars and went to LIP. It was great, I got to see Ashley, Jass, Robby, Ben, Dan, and so many others. OMG Randall Robinson was there too. He looks amazing, I haven't seen him in the last 2 years. Randall was there with Ben and I can always count on Ben to put a smile on my face. Toward the end of the night JJ showed up :) he ended up hanging out with us till the early morning hours. By the time we got home, everyone was falling asleep anyplace they could find.

Of course, every night in Jax has its drama. My party was no exception. LIP ended with relationship drama, cops, and nipples being tweaked (lol). Altogether a great night in Jax.

PS, Twigg & AJ - shame on you for not coming, you missed out on a really great night. See you both in a couple years.

Last week at Strang

2007-03-26T14:17:00.000-05:00

Today is the first day of my last week at work. I don't know if I can fully express my excitement (maybe the thought of me jumping up, singing Born Free, and running out the front doors of the place might begin to show you).
The last couple of weeks have been interesting. I trained the girl who took my position in only a couple of days, then I cleaned out my desk and some closets, and I read a few books; really interesting stuff. So this week, I really have nothing much to accomplish, other than saying goodbye to everyone I work with. I have a couple more books to finish reading, capri pants to wear to work on Friday with flip flops of course, and my Marketing Department lunch to look forward to.
I am going to miss a few things about my job though. I am going to miss my chats with Susan, she and I have always had a lot in common. Susan, I expect you to be in Brazil when I come home from Botswana! No more taking orders from the Little Mermaid's evil villain! Of course, I am going to miss Lucy, Margie, and Woodley. They are the glue that holds the Marketing Department together. They are also the life of the Marketing Department. Tasha, Tasha, Tasha... if anyone can find recipes for good African food, it would be Tasha. Don't forget to send me updates about the boys. I will definitely miss Renee, she is new to the department, but it would not have been the same without her. Outside of Marketing, I will miss my daily copy room chats with Wanda, supply swapping with Carmen, weekly drop-ins with Judy, and of course my running commentary with Anthony and Rob.

Thank you all for your prayers and blessings. Good Luck with everything!

Philadelphia here I come!

2007-03-20T08:19:00.000-05:00

I got my staging packet yesterday. I am headed to Philadelphia, PA on April 16th. Staging is going to be packed full of information. And I'm only going to be in Philly for basically whole days, most of which will be spent in training sessions. Then it will be off to New York to catch our flight to South Africa. I'm really excited about this trip.

Oh I went out a bought my hiking pack on Sunday, and I am still deciding which suitcase to take as my second bag. Dad wants me to take the bigger one, but I am afraid I won't be able to lug it around on non-paved roads. Then again, I would love the space the bigger bag affords. Who knows. I guess I will decide once I actually start my pre-packing packing. You know, the time when you sit down with everything you want to take surrounding you and you have to figure out a way to make sure you take everything you need along with some luxury items, and don't go over weight limit.

Diana has been really funny lately. She is helping me plan my party in Jax with all of my college friends. I'm stoked because I get to see her this next weekend!!! And I am even more stoked that I get to spend some quality time with her in Jax again. I love that city. Miss you guys too. And I think we are doing Melting Pot on Saturday night *yummy*

So, I have been reading Running with Scissors, and let me tell you it is the craziest and funniest book. It's all about this kid (the author) and his life growing up basically in a nut house. It has taken no time at all for me to get through it. I really hope the library in Botswana has good books, either that or the other volunteers bring some good reads, because I will need new reading materials on a regular basis. And as always, not just any book will do. Then again, soon enough I might think very differently.

One month and counting...

2007-03-15T11:55:00.000-05:00

It's getting to be that time. I officially have 1 month until I leave for staging. I can not believe how fast this time is flying by. I joined a yahoo group with other members of my "Bots 6" group. It's been nice getting to know the people that I will be spending the next couple months with, before we actually meet at staging. And I am still waiting for my staging materials to come in the mail. I am getting anxious each day that passes without it. But of course, as soon as I get it, I will be anxious about something else (go figure). Outside of PC stuff, I have my last 2 weeks of work coming up and then 2 weeks of time to spend with family and friends. I also have my two going away parties to look forward to. The first one is in Jacksonville with all of my college friends on the 30th. Then on April 6th my Orlando friends are throwing me "Beer Olympics", yeah its a toga party with Olympic events. Only Heather Rae would think up something like that, lol love you Heather.

I have my last couple of weeks here at the church too. This week, the kids from FUEL (SSCC youth group) are on spring break. Tuesday night, Justin and I met the kids at the church for a few hours to get ready for our up & coming Art Show/ Silent Auction this Saturday night at 6pm at the church. The kids have all either done their own art, like painting, pottery, drawing, etc. or they had stuff donated by their art teachers and friends. I was really surprised at how artistic FUEL is. Then last night was youth group, we finished our series on Napoleon Dynamite and the kids gave us feedback. The general consensus is that they really like working out of a book they can relate to. *Note to self & Justin... work on more of these* After we finished up with the lessons, the kids finished working on their art projects. Justin and I also gave the kids an update on tomorrow's Beach trip. I think the only problem we are seeing so far is that we might not have enough cars to go, but I think we can talk someone else into driving; hey, it's the beach.

Back to PC stuff, sometime tonight I need to look up all of the specific measurements for my luggage that I am allowed. I am hoping to go pick up my hiking pack and sleeping bag tomorrow or Saturday if I can. I also need to find a Leatherman and a money holder. I started a packing list, but that will be on a different post later this week. I'll probably change the list several times before I actually decide to post it, and then I have to fit everything into my bags, so the list will probably change several times after I pack and unpack and pack again. Well, I should get back to that packing list...

My Aspirations Statement

2007-02-21T12:18:00.000-05:00

So I sent in my Aspirations Statement and Resume today. I am getting so excited. I posted my aspirations statement below. It was a little stressful writing a statement that is going to make my first impression to my host staff. But I guess I have plenty of time to change whatever misconceptions they might have once I get there. :)

A: My aspirations for this journey are so widespread it is difficult to begin to describe them. I am hoping to make a difference in the lives of those I come in contact with in Botswana: whether that is native citizens or other volunteers. I am hoping to educate my community about the many ways to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS, how to live a fulfilling life after contracting HIV/AIDS, teach others about the facts and myths associated with the disease in order to eradicate stereotypes and stigmas associated with HIV/AIDS and lastly to help Botswana’s prevalence rate of HIV drop through education and community outreach.
I am also hoping to make a difference in the lives of the orphans who have been affected by this disease, helping them to understand what happened to their parents, and how to prevent the cycle from continuing. I am also looking to make their lives better by assessing the orphanage system and finding ways to improve their quality of life.
Preventing HIV+ pregnant women from infecting their newborns by providing education about the transmission of HIV through breastfeeding. Helping to provide formula to those to opt to protect their newborns. Get involved in counseling women about the importance of getting tested, helping women find out about the free services offered within their community, and working to provide woman and girls with a sense of empowerment and wellbeing.
Helping to rid the world of the ideas that all Americans are greedy, self righteous, rude, overweight, selfish people. But that we can be a vital part of the community, able to show love, support, understanding, patience, generosity as well as so many other things.

B: My strategy for working effectively with my host country partners to meet the needs of those around me is very simplistic. I am going to observe first, watching how they relate to those around them, how they tackle the issues, and how they provide support and answers to problems. I am then going to help to find ways to improve areas that need improvement and become experienced in the ways that work well. I am going to try to become a vital part of the organization by offering the knowledge I have, the knowledge I gain through training, and my past and future experiences.

C: Adapting to a new culture is something I am most looking forward to. I love the idea of being able to incorporate parts of a community I find fascinating into my own culture to make something unique. One of the ways I plan on adapting is by never refusing to try new things; whether that is food, a way to do something, a language, washing my clothes, relating to others, etc. Another way I plan to adapt is by determining to never be offended by someone different then myself, but to learn the reasons behind the actions and ways of that person. My cultural background is a part of me, but it is not what makes me who I am. My experiences and desire to help others have shaped me, and I never want to stop learning, living, and adapting because when I do, life stops having meaning. I also hope to live a modest lifestyle, in order to blend in as best as I can.

D: I am hoping to learn a language that is unique to Botswana. I also want to learn as much as I can about the culture in order to keep myself safe and to best integrate myself into my community. Anything I can learn about keeping myself safe from harm, so that I can complete my two years of service without major incident. I also want to learn tricks of the trade when it comes to working with HIV/AIDS prevention and education.

E: I am expecting to come away from this experience with a much better understanding of what I am capable of. Independence, self sacrifice, humble attitude, good business sense, open heart, and an unfailing determination are all things I hope to come away with. I am looking forward to the lifelong friends, endless stories, tons of photographs, and a new outlook on life. As far as my professional aspirations, I am expecting to go to graduate school when I return. As far as what I earn my degree in, I have a feeling it will ultimately be determined by my experiences in Africa.

Time Line of My PC Application

2007-02-17T20:33:00.000-05:00

So like I promised, here is the time line of my Peace Corps application journey.

July 2006
3rd - Submitted application
12th - Sent in loan information
14th - Application being processed

August 2006
8th - phone interview
9th - sent paperwork

September & October 2006
Nothing but doctors appointments and follow-ups

November 2006
20th - Sent in Medical paperwork
28th - PC received Medical packet
29th - Dental Clearance

December 2006
Nothing... extremely frustrating

January 2007
23rd - Sent more Medical paperwork in
23rd - Placement Clearance!
29th - Last Medical form sent in
30th - Medical Clearance!

February 2007
8th - Invitation sent from PC
13th - Got Invitation!
14th - Accepted Invitation to Botswana

It was a long process, full of constantly being asked for more information. Not only that, but also being asked to keep updating my community service and resume. I hope this helps. Good luck to anyone applying, remember to be patient, it just takes time. Also, make sure you are on the same page with your medical doctors. They can cause all kinds of problems if they are not equipped to answer all of the questions the Peace Corps requires. Again, Good Luck, feel free to comment with questions... I will be happy to answer them.

Im Going to Botswana, Africa

2007-02-15T15:15:00.000-05:00

So, I got my invitation from the Peace Corps in the mail the 13th. I'm going to Botswana! Okay for all of you who don't know where that is, its the country above South Africa. My assignment is the Community Capacity Building for HIV/AIDS Project. Basically a brief summary of what I will be doing: HIV/AIDS Education and Prevention, Orphan Care, and Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission.

Oh it has been such a battle to get everything done. I am really glad I decided to keep a journal of everything it has taken to get this far. I have about 2 months before I officially head out of here (April 16th for staging and April 19th for Africa). I was getting so stressed out wondering where I was going, so finally getting my invitation has been such a relief.

This whole blog thing is new to me, so I'm gonna try and figure it all out and make this something all of you out there are going to want to read on a regular basis. I will also put up a time line of my PC application process for anyone looking for info, I know I did.