LONG UPDATE

Hello everyone! I am sure you’re dying to have a recap of my last week and a half with my host family right? SHA PO! (meaning “sharp” I think, but it is used as slang in Botswana).

By the way, this blog took a few days to write so it's terribly long!

***Today's update: I washed all my clothes by hand for over an hour and was putting it up on the clothesline to dry when the clothesline snapped. Mind you, my sister and I decided to use the last of the water we have (we haven't had water for about 18 hours) and so now there is no water to rinse with. Now all my clothes are dirty so I dumped them in my hamper and ran away from home to an internet cafe.***

So last Wednesday, the Peace Corps Trainees (I know, technicality) and the host family representatives met at a high school in Molepolole to be paired up. I have to admit I was a bit freaked out when my name was called because while everyone got to greet a host mother, I was surrounded by 3 men. I soon found out that they were my brothers (and neighbor) and were only there to pick me up because my host mother was working that day. You can’t even begin to imagine how relieved I was to hear this.

My host family is very nice. I have a host mother, 3 brothers, and 3 sisters. The father passed away a couple years ago. I call my host mother Mma Mhete or Mum or Mme. The two eldest brothers, Sepotoka and Kaone do not live at home anymore and I rarely see them. Kaone I believe works with cars and I have no clue what Sepotoka does. Then there are the two elder sisters Tiny (a teacher) and Mmaunaka (a secretary). They are home often but will be in and out during the school year and/or other work. My 21 year old brother, Phemelo and my 17 year old sister Tono are the people I am closest with. Tono, although she is younger, takes care of me as if I am her child. Oh and of course, the family has a dog named Scooby Doo.

I will be staying with my host family for two months. I am a bit worried about having enough alone time– my family is VERY social and so I have already been to a family meeting. This includes my host mother’s 6 brothers and sisters and their children (my cousins) and the children of my cousins. They get very offended when I cannot remember their name but Setswana names are terribly difficult. I have not had a day to myself yet because I am constantly meeting family members! On the first day, the phone was ringing off the hook and they were all for me! The whole family has been very welcoming but at the same time overwhelming.

In Ntloedibe (the ward I live in), there are random plots of fenced off land with one house or several houses on them. In between these houses are random dirt roads with some dried out overgrown grasses in patches. It is almost entirely dirt and there is absolutely no order or structure to the paths or the placement of the houses. You should see these roads after it rains! Walking is very difficult on muddy dirt roads… especially if it’s still raining =(. Many of the plots have a mud hut as well as a more modern looking house on it. Supposedly the mud huts are cooler to stay in during the summer but I haven’t been in one yet. Molepolole (the city) is not breath-taking, but it is charming. Away from the busy paved street there are hills of dirt and bushes. I am lacking in words, so once I find my camera cord, I will try to post pictures. The main street is CRAZY however and the PCTs and I have already been almost hit by a bus and many cars. We have been warned by current volunteers that people would rather hit people than goats, which roam randomly around the streets along with lots and lots of chickens (and baby chicks!). So back to my home (sorry to jump thoughts) I have a nice home with electricity, running water and a flushing toilet! I even have a bath tub! I found out I was quite spoiled because although many have electricity, most do not have running water (especially HEATED running water) and have to use a pit latrine (out house) outside their home. They even have to take bucket baths and heat their water by fire. But some other PCTs are far better off! One PCT has his own maid and got a bubble bath the first night. I do my fair share of cleaning and cooking and I am only allowed to have 2-3 inches of water in the bathtub. The water at my house is also unreliable as it will randomly stop running. This happened the first night I was there so I only had a very small portion of fried potatoes for dinner. Luckily I had a gigantic lunch and wasn’t very hungry. I have been fed better since then but I have to admit, I am not a huge fan of the food here. Sorry Kelsey, and Lynn. I don’t think I will be losing weight though, because I am eating carbs carbs carbs allllll day. The staple seems to be the maize porridge which is so thick it looks like mashed potatoes. The dumplings here are good, which consists of pieces of bread dough cooked in boiling water. You dip it into some saucy meat stuff in a similar manner to Indian food.

Oh so back to my schedule. Monday-Friday I have language classes at 8 am. Supposedly I have class on Saturday also but that hasn’t happened (no, it’s not because I am sleeping in, the classes just didn’t work out on PC’s end). I get up at 6:00 am but this is not completely my choice. The roosters in Botswana have absolutely no clue what time they are supposed to crow. They crow around 11pm, 3am and 6 am and often they go off in between those times too. Not only do you hear your own rooster, you hear the roosters of the whole village crowing at each other. I think this explains my recent cravings for chicken. There are days that the roosters don’t crow – they just happen to be the days that the winds are so strong that I can’t get any sleep. The other night, I got about 3 hours of sleep because I was afraid the roof was going to rip off. My tin roof somehow survived the winds and the rest of the night, I struggled to sleep because of the rain (on the metal roof). And after the rain, winds, and roosters, there you hear tap dancing from the fleet of bats. After the tap dancing, I hear sawing because my family is building a new house a couple 5 yards away. So yes, I am now in my 5^th year of living with construction. Oh of course there are quiet times throughout the night, but that just means I can hear the mosquitoes very clearly ( I am being eaten alive). Sleeping in is not really an option, and when it happens, you get to sleep in until about 8 am because the village erupts into r&b and hip hop music. Once my family realizes I am up, I am blasted by T-Pain, Fergie, Chris Brown, and Ne-Yo. “Ice-Box” or whatever that song is called follows you everywhere… even in the stores. Last Saturday night, I heard my usual hip-hop/r&b and some oldies, 80s and 90s BLARING til the wee hours. I couldn’t believe how loud the music was. So it had to be a incredible house party right? Wrong. It was actually a party at the Nurse’s station. Oh and the next day, I had to get up early for church. People in Botswana can all sing in harmony at any given moment. It was an absolutely amazing experience that I plan not to experience again.

Peace Corps classes are interesting. We get lots of manuals, lots of lectures and then they give us shots. Sometimes I get sick from some of the shots, and once I recover, I get more injections. Some PC trainees are on their 8^th one! My host-mom thinks I am constantly sick and keeps calling my teacher. Don’t worry my American friends, I am fine. I only have 2 medical concerns: 1) I break out into hives randomly 2) I already lost my glasses. Yes, I know you are all not surprised. We have some assignments we have to do and evaluate, then we put them into a portfolio which will be checked off by the staff. It feels like I am in school again. They also want us to keep a journal on top of that. Now, I have a personal journal, a blog, and a PC journal. This does not make me happy. Classes end around 4 or 5 and I usually get home by 6/ 6:30. Since I am not allowed out after dark, there is not much to do afterwards. Cook, eat, clean and bathe (which I have to do twice a day. My family must think Americans are dirty after I told them most Americans bathe only once a day). The night sky is incredible and I will sneak out sometimes just to enjoy the view.

Next week, I am shadowing a current PCV in Kule/Kole. It is very close to the border of Namibia. I have to admit I am a bit disappointed that I didn’t get placed in the Okavango Delta but I am sure this will be interesting no matter what. Supposedly, you have to really make sure you elbow and shove your way into the bus or you’ll end up standing for 10 hours.

I apologize for not sending out postcards. First of all, I cannot find any postcards. Second, the envelopes I bought are now drying off after the rain. Third, the post office in Botswana is always surrounded by the elderly (for pensions/social security equivalent) and is a terribly long wait. Last, the walk to the post office is almost an hour. These reasons combined, you are more likely to receive an email than a post card, although this may become less likely. The internet café is a ways away (as I stated in the last post) and I like to spend my time reading your comments and emails.

Okay one last major thought (sorry this entry is so long!). The goat. I pet the goat I the morning, in afternoon I saw it being skinned (it was hanging from a tree by a foot, just as you imagined Gordon), I ate liver the first night, meat the 2^nd night, and luckily I was sick the 3^rd night for chopped up intestines/stomach, and the next night I was handed a gigantic bone with meat on it. The goat meat was out for a bit which makes me worried, but so far I haven’t been sick from the food. I am nervous about cutting off a chicken’s head. I have been notified by my family that this is going to happen, but I am not quite sure when. It’s in my host-grandpa’s honor (who is turning 95!) Sorry if this is repeat information. With 2 journals, phone calls, and this blog, I don’t know what information I’ve already stated.

OH I forgot to mention what my Setswana name was! I took my mother’s last name so my full name is Tshegofatso Mhete (Tsay(hockaloogie)ho faht so Meh heh tee). It took me 3 days to learn my name because I could only concentrate on the “fatso” part of my name! I don’t think my Batswana (people) are aware of this however and the locals have commented on how beautiful my name was. It means blessing. My family calls me Tshego for short and I am growing fond of it. Anyways, it makes a good story, especially since it’s a good incentive to lose weight!

Before I end this entry, I’ll put a list of things I’ve noticed about Botswana (an excerpt from my personal journal):

1) Batswana walk slowly. An errand is an all day event.

2) They are insane drivers.

3) They have tasty orange squash drink

4) They do not sell spaghetti sauce.

5) The toilet paper in Botswana is narrower than American toilet paper

6) They ask for all your personal belongings and once they are comfortable they may start grabbing.

7) Mosquitoes like me and only me.

8) Contacts are not fun to wear here.

9) They love American hip hop & r&b, electronica/house and gospel.

10) They LOVE wrestling/WWE. Just like my real mother back in California.

11) They call baked beans + vegetables soup. (maybe this is just my family).

Until next time, go siame.

~Tshegofatso Mhete