Sites and Safari

Life here moves in sort of bursts of activity, where some days will pass with little to no excitement and then we’ll have a slew of them in a row where everything is packed together. Such was this past week, where classes were laid back, low key if they occurred at all. None of my classes are large, but they aren’t exactly discussion-based either. It’s a different kind of format to which I’m adjusting, and the pace is definitely slower. All of my classes were canceled on Friday so Ani, Sam and Nancy (two people from CIEE), and I went to Game City (the farther away mall) and browsed around. I caved to the inevitable and bought a hot water heater so I am now the contented drinker of morning tea once more. Ani thinks I’m crazy for having a hot drink when it is absolutely sweltering here, but those with an addiction such as mine may sympathize.

The beautiful object itself.

We’ve also been to the small kiosk in front of the library, where I discovered to my joy they sell vegetarian…pies? Pastry-things. Essentially, the kiosk food works a little big like the MN State Fair. Only instead of putting anything you want on a stick, they put it in pastry-puff. So there’s all sorts of chicken and beef and what have you in a pastry puff. This little kiosk has become my best friend.

Ani and Sophie enjoy their meat with phyllo dough.

Ani bought two shirts from Game City and then Ani, Nancy and I rode the combis (first time for Ani and myself doing this without an experienced guide! Although Nancy sort of filled that role) to Main Mall, which is the mall that is more open with stalls along the side of the walk way and then stores behind them. Here Nancy and I both got dresses that double as skirts – mine was only 45 pula which is the equivalent of about $7.50 so I was immensely pleased.

The following day was an early one with almost all the exchange students meeting at 7 (or around 7 really – it is still Botswana time after all) to go on a weekend excursion that functioned like an “experiential weekend.” We began by all sleeping on the ride out to Botswana’s National Food and Technology Research Centre. This was cool because they’re in charge of a range of projects, from determining the nutrients and labeling of Botswana’s food, to developing new food, to encouraging agriculture throughout the country. Right now Botswana imports a huge amount of its food (I think it was 90%), mostly from South Africa. Getting Botswana’s economy away from dependence on SA is a huge deal in most governmental projects for Botswana, so this wasn’t an exception. We were also given a brief tour of the facilities.

Where Science occurs

Then we went to the village/town (about 50,000 people) called Kanye (yes, like the rapper) to visit a kgotla. Kogtla’s are a traditional meeting place where everyone comes together to make decisions for the community. They function as sort of a combination of executive and judicial authority and are still very much in use around Botswana today. The chief presides, but chiefs are also officially part of Botswana’s national government so the whole process is very interconnected. These kgotla’s are also largely credited for helping to make Botswana such a successful democracy, as they contain a lot of democratic elements.

Kgotla from the outside

Kgotla from the inside (not that it isn’t really all outside as it’s an open structure).

Behind Kanye’s kgotla, there are the government offices, where the chief spends the rest of his day. From what I can tell, these combinations of traditional and modern function relatively well together. We were given the tour by two elders, who also showed us around the compound where traditionally the chief’s extended family would live. Today that doesn’t always happen, so a lot of the buildings were empty. We were also told by the women in the building that they could find Ani a husband. Being picky, she declined unless she could see him before deciding - thus throwing away a perfectly good opportunity for us to see a Setswana wedding. :)

The government building behind the kgotla

The two men showing us the kgotla then led us on a hike up to a small gorge. Once more, this was sort of a path-less excursion, though not as strenuous as Kgale Hill! The most embarrassing/impressive part of the whole adventure is that we were out-hiked by a 77 year old man.

I would like to be this man when I am 77.

The gorge itself was quite beautiful

Apparently people come up here to pray sometimes, which I thought sounded much nicer than Kgale Hill where they come to mug people

(new dress!)

Following a somewhat precarious hike back down, we bid out tour guides farewell and made our way to the day’s final destination – a somewhat traditional Setswana lodging. Here we were able to sleep in traditional homes, eat a traditional meal (no mopane this time though!), and watch/try and learn some traditional Setswana dances. It was fun; we all were sort of grotty so it was a bit like glorified camping, with a lovely bon fire and mattresses on the floor in the huts. The whole thing was very much set up to give the tourists an experience, but I think it was tastefully done and provided a good learning opportunity.

Myself in front of our lodging for the evening!

The bon fire – there was a man there whose job it was to ensure the fire stay lit all night, not a position I fancy!

Featured here: A traditional beer, also described to us as chunky beer. Let’s just say it was an experience to take one sip ;) Ani declined even that.

The following morning we all rose at 7am again (I sleep like a log these nights, let me tell you, hiking in 90+ degree weather is exhausting). On Sunday we first visited some rock paintings that were made by people almost 2000 years ago. The entire place was very informal, one man and the rocks were fenced off, but that was all. Nevertheless it’s incredible to think that what people painted thousands of years ago can last this long. It made me wonder how durable something we might do would be. If I drew something with sharpy on a rock somewhere would it be there 2000 years from now?

Giraffes

Some other animals

We then visited what is known as the David Livingstone Tree, which is MASSIVE. For those who were wondering, this is what Wikipedia says on old David:

"Perhaps one of the most popular national heroes of the late 19th century in Victorian Britain, Livingstone had a mythic status, which operated on a number of interconnected levels: that of Protestant missionary martyr, that of working-class "rags to riches" inspirational story, that of scientific investigator and explorer, that of imperial reformer, anti-slavery crusader, and advocate of commercial empire.

His fame as an explorer helped drive forward the obsession with discovering the sources of the River Nile that formed the culmination of the classic period of European geographical discovery and colonial penetration of the African continent. At the same time his missionary travels, "disappearance" and death in Africa, and subsequent glorification as posthumous national hero in 1874 led to the founding of several major central African Christian missionary initiatives carried forward in the era of the European "Scramble for Africa.""

So some good and some bad there, but he used to come and sit under this tree and this is where he did a number of baptisms, as well as medicinal work. The tree itself was large enough to provide a significant amount of shade when he was there, so our guide estimates it is about 300 years old.

My pictures don’t really do the tree justice

We walked in underneath it to this sort of secret, canopied clearing made by the branches.

Finally, you can’t say you’ve done the Africa tourism thing if you don’t do the safari and safari we did (there will probably be some more of these, Botswana’s really pushing the eco-tourism so there are reserves around the country, not without some controversy for the people who have lost land as a result of this). We got to ride in these surprisingly speedy and tough cars, whizzing around the reserve looking for animals. I was sure that we’d only see a few, but there were more than I expected!

Our mode of transport

Ani, Batsi, and his son preparing to ride through the reserve and spot fabulous animals!

We saw a ton of giraffes (which is apparently called a tower of giraffes-who’d have thunk)

African Elephants! (they’re the biggest type of elephant)

Giraffe crossing!

Giraffes apparently get darker as they get older

Wildebeest

Impala!

And an ostrich!

Thus ended an exciting weekend and a rather long and sticky bus ride. At some point we may be charged with finding our own weekend entertainment, but right now the weekends have been the time when I feel like we learn the most!