Motho Ke Motho Ka Botho

I will be presenting tomorrow to my colleagues in Health Canada on some of my learnings from my year volunteering in Botswana.  I did a trial run with my small work team last week, and am excited to share my experiences with a broader audience. 

There is a saying in Setswana, "Motho Ke Motho Ka Botho" that roughly means "you are what you are because of other people", and I want to acknowledge that I was able to experience all that I did in Botswana because of the people here who allowed me to do so, by granting me a leave and covering my workload.  This is my way of saying, "Look what I was able to learn and achieve because of your support"...and to demonstrate that I did more on my year away than have pool parties and go on safari -- haha !

I will be presenting again next week to the Edmonton Branch of the United Nations Association in Canada, and again in May, to the Health Canada Human Resources Team.  Each presentation gives me a chance to focus on a different angle of my work in Botswana.

I am curious to know what kinds of questions people will have !



And I Say Hello...

I left Botswana Feb. 12, arrived home, Feb. 13, and was back at work Feb. 15.  After my first full week of work, my friend Lisa and her dog Louie took me to Jasper for a relaxing weekend getaway. It was a great chance to catch my breath and unwind.  Thank you !




Louie models the latest in mountain wear.

Main Street, Jasper.

Me -- back in my natural habitat !



The view from my 9th floor office on a snowy day.

The view from my 9th floor offfice on a sunny day.

My office cubicle is now clear, but was festooned in feather boas and Hawaiin leis when I arrived.

You Say Good-Bye...

Some of the friendly faces I will remember from my good-bye pool party.

Nothing quite like outdoor living !  Sigh !

Philip demonstrates adaptability.  I had no bbq tongs, so he used wooden spoons.

Scenes from my last days in Gaborone

36 friends and their families came to my house for a

Sala Sentle / Tsamaya Sentle Farewell Party.   

I hosted it at my house, as I couldn't pass up another opportunity to make use of the

awesome entertaining space (and pool and braai / bbq).  

When will I have this kind of space again ?

I was very touched by the kind words and turn-out.

Also, my house-mate prepared a farewell dinner for me,

and my colleagues at BOCAIP hosted a good-bye office party.

I am so fortunate to have worked, stayed, and played with so many wonderful people. 

We will stay in touch, and hopefully meet again !

My house-mate Anaisa prepares a yummy Portuguese cod and potato dish.

I will miss your sweet smile !

Some of the team at BOCAIP.

The ever gracious Mma Kwape.

Julia prepares drinks for the party.

Thank you for the kind words and gifts.

I'm Back...

I am back in Edmonton...and also back to my blog.  My friends in Botswana encouraged me to continue with my postings, to show what life is like here, in Canada.  It is a good opportunity for me to look at the familiar with new eyes.  I am still getting re-settled, so haven't quite got my act together enough to start sharing stories and pictures...but I will soon !  I left Botswana Feb. 12, after a series of sweet good-byes (which I will write about another time) and returned to Edmonton on Feb. 13, after a safe and uneventful journey.  I then reported back to my job on Feb. 15.  I am adjusting to the streamlined work environment and life at home, which for the moment is my old, childhood home.  I am bunking in with my father until my tenant moves out of  my house at the end of this month.  So, once I get properly resettled, I will resume writing about the continuing adventure....

Marula Season

It is marula season.  They are ripening and falling off the trees in droves.  I was almost hit on the head on my morning walk to work today.  I have to step gingerly around then, to avoid slipping.  Occasionally, I will pick one up, break the skin, and suck the sweet/tart juicy pulp.  I don't see many people doing this, and am surprised that they are not scooped up and harvested.  The marula fruit is a great source of Vitamin C.  Each tiny fruit contains five times the amount of Vitamin C of a single orange!  They are also high in fibre, and can be dried, fermented, or cooked for jams or jellies.

One of our WUSC/Uniterra volunteers is working with a women's cooperative in Palapye to produce and market marula products  The folks in Gaborone, however, seem content to let them rot on the ground.  Maybe if I was here longer, I would learn from my friend in Palapye how to dry them or turn them into jam.

When I arrived here over a year ago, it was at the tail end of marula season -- and mango season.  I didn't know much about marula fruit then, but I knew I loved mangos, and I had the bright idea of making and canning mango chutney and salsa. However, by the time the idea occured to me, mangos were no longer in season. 

Again, if I were to stay longer, I would jump on the mango wagon and make some products to enjoy for future times.  I would also eat more watermelons when they are in season in April.  I love watermelons. Did you know that watermelons originate in the Kalahari Desert ? -- Botswana's sweet, juicy gift to the world !

I have learned that these wonderful treats come and go, and, like most of life's opportunities, you have to make the best use of them when they present themselves to you.  How many of life's opportunities do we let pass us by because we do not recognize how precious and fleeting they are or are not prepared to reap them when they are ripe ?

 

It takes a good year or more of living in a place to get a feel for the rhythm of the seasons. I feel I am just getting into the groove, so to say --- but now I have to get ready to adjust to an old, familiar beat, back in Edmonton.

I leave in just over a week....can you believe it ?  

Let's hope I remember to take the best advantage of Edmonton's seasonal offerings and any opportunites that come my way. 

 

The Power of Soccer

There was 5 minutes left in the movie I was watching when the power went out at Riverwalk Mall.  The power went out just before 7:30 pm -- which is not so coincidentally when the latest Africa Cup of Nations game was about to start.

You see, Botswana has been hit by a series of power outages, following faults in the system and a delay in completing the country’s new 600 megawatt power station.  Until the new power station is complete, Botswana will continue to rely on power from it's neighbor, South Africa.

I have been learning to adapt to these power outages.  The other night, I hosted a dinner party entirely without power. Instead of calling it off, I used candles for light, my friend's i-pod for music, and the gas oven to bake our "build-your-own" pizzas.  It worked !  We had a fun power-free evening.

Last Friday, when temperatures soared close to 40 degrees Celsius, my office-mates plugged away in the heat, without air-conditioning, and long after the batteries on their laptops had died, until quitting time.  My colleagues are very ethical (I love them for that!) and no one wanted to set a bad example by leaving early.

Our power outages are happening more frequently these days.  This is because South Africa is also experiencing its own power shortages and has to ration the available amount.

It so happens that South Africa is also at this time hosting the Africa Cup of Nations soccer tournament.  When it is time for games to broadcast, the South African powers-that-be make sure they will air in their key markets.  Botswana is not a contender in the Cup this year, so they must suppose that no one here wants to watch the games and can do without power for a while.  So, just before a game was set to broadcast at 7:30 pm this evening, Gaborone experienced a blackout in the area around Riverwalk Mall.

On the dimly lit taxi drive home, I started thinking....if a soccer game can be the cause for a power outage, could it not also be the solution ?

When I was in Kenya last August, I learned about an ingenious invention called Soccket that harnesses kinetic energy generated from a soccer ball to power electrical appliances. Surely, the African Cup of Nations game balls could be so equipped to keep a movie projector running.  

I will have to see if the powers-that-be can agree to that proposal....in the meantime, is there anyone out there who can tell me what happens in the final 5 minutes of the movie Argo ?

Magical Madikwe

Last weekend, I had a magical time in Madikwe, a game reserve just across the border in South Africa.  It is so close -- less than an hour and a half drive away, including time for the border crossing. I can't believe I had never been before !  

I accompanied Amanda, a WUSC Leave for Change volunteer wanting to have the safari experience, and we were joined by my friends John, Naki, and Tomek on Sunday. 

I found accommodations for Amanda and I at Motswiri Lodge, a 5-star luxury lodge, and we were not disappointed.  It is low season, now that the holiday rush has abated, and we had the whole lodge to ourselves ! We were thoroughly spoiled -- gourmet meals, game drives -- we didn't have to lift a finger.  And it didn't hurt that they charged us less than half the normal rate !

Can you blame me for planning to go back again this weekend ?  Yes, I am heading back tomorrow with Anaisa, my Portuguese house-mate. I have only 3 weekends left here, and I am thrilled to be able to spend another one in the bush.

Here is a taste of what we did and saw:

Amanda and John, in the Motswiri Lodge lounge.

Naki and Tomek.

The gang, at Jaci's Safari Lodge for lunch.

Amanda and I with our guide Andre.

Roughing it in the bush.

Our gorgeous room, with fireplace, spa tub, and outdoor shower over-looking the water hole.

Amanda's first safari experience !



Yup - We got this close !



Flat tire from following lions over the stony terrain.

Can't forget the little guys !

Hyena with remnants of wildebeest.



Rhino.

The kudu is my favourite antelope.  I love the curly horns!

Lunch time!

Wildebeest.

We followed this black maned lion for quite a while.   

He was looking for his pride, and would call out for them every now and then.

Eventually, he gave up and flopped down under a tree.

Have you got my best side ?

Chin rest.

Mom and babe.

This pride of two lionesses and nine cubs was feasting on a zebra.