#8 November & Decemba
Well Howdy! Welcome to my brilliant ramblings. As I sit here writing this at work, one of the nurses son, Tlotlo, is sitting on my lap fidgeting like crazy. See below for a generally-in-chronological-order description of my last few months.
A normal day at work continues to be similar to before. Now that I have largely wrapped up my community assessment project I spend all of my time in the clinic. In the morning I help with Child Welfare Clinic (CWC); weighing babies and writing down an incredible amount of information. In the afternoons I bounce around the clinic, talking and learning from my coworkers, and slowly chip away at writing up my report. I have some funny stories to tell, and some non-work related events, but every work day I have been here at the clinic trying to find a way to stay busy.
November started with a fun adventure: going to Gundigwa with some WHO doctors to check on leprosy patients. Gundigwa is about a 2-3 hour drive further into the bush, and is the most remote village in my area of the country. With one Canadian canoe trip exception, I believe visiting Gundigwa was the farther I have ever been from civilization. On the drive, I was stuck in the middle seat, and found yet again that laughing is the only remedy to being thrown around like sack a’ potatoes on the bumpy roads. On our way I made the mistake of asking what leprosy was, as all of my leprosy knowledge comes from a brief seen in Monty Python and the Life of Brian (“I was hopping along, mindin me own business, when all of a sudden, up He comes — cures me! One minute I’m a leper with a trade, next minute me livelihood’s gone! Not so much as a by-your-leave! You’re cured, mate. Bloody do-gooder.). The nurse next to me in the car looked at me askance and said “Have you read the Bible?” “Well, clearly not well enough!” I replied. I am very proud of this response, so quick witted, so brilliant, implying I HAD read the Bible but maybe missed just a few key passages, like when the disease Leprosy is described in scientific detail including the cures, the side effects, etc. Unfortunately my cunning was lost on my friend, who did not deign to bless my blasphemy with a response. We visited several lepers in Gundigwa, and then in other villages on the way back home. It was a long day, but interesting. The WHO doctors were concerned with linkages and making sure the clinics/hospitals were taking care of the patients, not treating them in the field. Topped the day off by making some amazing tomato soup when I got home.
One day I was invited to go to the boat station—a beautiful part of my village, where a big channel of the river comes close to the bank—with a friend. I thought we were just going to watch the sunset, but it turned into an entire picnic/birthday party/charades/barbecue type situation and I ended up getting home around 11. It was really nice to just hang out with some young people for a change, with no expectations on how I had to act or anything. We played a South African based version of trivial pursuit, which was an excellent example of where our knowledge crossed and didn’t. They knew tons of the South African things, but not as much about American/European historical events (duh! I loved gaining an understanding of what was deemed important enough to be taught. A fantastic lesson that I’ve finally learned after trying to teach my Boston friends for years: we aren’t the center of the world!).
A few weeks later, my host cousin had a wedding celebration here. He had the actual wedding elsewhere, but came home to celebrate with his family who was unable to attend the wedding. My host parents were the Aunt and Uncle, which in Setswana culture are very important familial roles for big events. There was a DJ blasting amopiano music, and we kept sitting down, getting up to dance, sitting down again, and repeating. Eventually the sister of the bride went up and gave a solo performance, singing a song and dancing in front of everyone. To my horror, after she finished she looked at me, started the music again, and gestured irrefusably for me to come up and dance with her. For what felt like 10 minutes, we held hands and danced (…tried…to dance). I would like to tell you that I effortlessly adapted to the dance, didn’t blush at all, and managed to not embarrass myself. I would Like to tell you that.
I later found out that the couple, who had gone back home across the country, was trying to get my phone number from my host parents. Bless them, my host parents got super protective, refused to give them my number, and told me they were “not ok with the way she wanted to dance with you. You are still a child!” So escaped that one by the skin of my teeth. Phew.
Sadly, the event that has overshadowed these two months was the passing of my coworker. Mma Jakhana, who was a Health Education Assistant, meaning I worked with her every day, passed away in the middle of November. I got a first hand, close up experience of the funeral and grieving process for Batswana. Every day until the funeral, which was about 10 days after her passing, friends, family, and community members gathered at her house where church elders led a brief service, sang some songs, and then everyone spent the evening talking and relaxing together. I went every day, spending about an hour there overall. There was a memorial at the clinic a few days before the funeral, which I was asked to speak at. After 10 days, her body came back from the post mortem, all the family was gathered, and we had the funeral. Viewing the body started around 5:00am, and after a short service, her coworkers carried the casket to the hearse, myself included, in the midst of a few hundred people singing. There was another service in the graveyard, and then it took almost two hours to fill in the grave by hand. The clinic staff gathered around the grave and we sang a few more songs that we had prepared the day before. Afterward, her family served a meal to everyone who attended, and then we all left. It was a long, emotional, exhausting morning and grieving process. In the weeks since, I realized that I enjoyed the entire process, as the intensity and amount of time spent together meant that most of the grieving and remembering had run its course by the funeral.
In December, one of my coworkers was on a temporary assignment, so that left two people in the health education office, myself included. We had a lot of work staying caught up with all of the things that normally four people do. We are still feeling the effects of having lost Mma Jakhana, especially with the paperwork and day to day jobs.
In December, I had a week-long Peace Corps training in Maun. It was a fun week, spending time with the other volunteers and getting to know some of my clinic coworkers who came with. Nothing too terribly exciting happened during this week. The most notable thing was the food: the breakfast buffet was amazing (omelet bar, bacon, pastries out the wazoo) and we went to an Indian restaurant a few times. The material we covered was interesting and useful, although turning the information into action is going to take a while. I felt especially grown up as I read a New Yorker while eating a plain scone and fruit for breakfast, but as many of you know a quiet breakfast with some quality reading material is as close to heaven as one can possibly get.
I spent the holidays with my host family at the cattle post in a nearby settlement. Extended family has separate homes in the surrounding area, and more relatives came to visit from the village on Christmas and New years day. By 3pm on Christmas Day, when most of you were waking up, I had already sown an entire cornfield, collected firewood, ate an entire plate of head meat, and helped slaughter and butcher a goat. A few hours later I was the MC of our Christmas Day program, and then we went to bed by 8. Now that’s what I call ‘party all night, back by 8!’
Usually against the wishes of my family, who wanted me to “go rest” or “go read,” I helped a lot with various jobs. I liked to stay busy, and was learning so much about farm life. I find it hilarious that after growing up in Red Wing I got my first experience herding cows/goats, working the fields, etc. all the way over here in Botswana. (A brief note on herding cows…learned the hard way that freezing/lowering my shoulder to divert a running calf is not the best idea. I would suggest raising the stick in your hand and yelling instead of spending the rest of the day aching from blunt force trauma).
My host father started to teach me how to carve traditional Setswana tools, like an axe. I spent the holidays slowly working on my own and simultaneously building some callouses on my hands. So so so nice to be making things again. The next time I go to the cattle post I believe I will make an axe to take home, so I can continue to work and make things when I am not at the cattle post.
Books books books. Boy oh boy have I read a lot recently. I read the entire Harry Potter series, the Witcher Series, and most recently the massive new book by one of my favorite fantasy authors. I enjoy sprawling fantasy series for the time I get to spend with the characters. However, Brandon Sanderson’s new book clocks in around 1300 pages long…and follows four 1000+ page books. After finishing over Christmas I had to take a break from reading for a few days, as I have had my fill of fantasy novels for a bit. As a glutton for punishment, I’ve now started Les Miserables. Wish me luck…
On another sad note, I finally lost my Colby-sponsored Microsoft Word account. After searching for an answer, I found my only option was Apple Pages. Now I know I am in the weeds here, but for someone who organizes his folders and notebooks down to the color and brand, this is quite the change. Some things that I completely took for granted on Word are no where to be seen on this Pages platform. It feels like going from a Lamborghini to a go-cart.
Nick! Let’s be real honest here…what on earth are you talking about? Let me explain; I’ve been thinking a lot recently about our (American) privilege. This is normal for Peace Corps service apparently, even making top spot on the list of issues grappled with around months 3-6. I approach this topic hesitantly, as it would be easy to explain Botswana as impoverished, struggling, or third-world. To walk the line, explaining that while Botswana does struggle in some ways but flourishes in others is difficult; the best way to explain would be to tell you to apply for PC Botswana yourself. There are some minor things that make sense off the bat that I can use as an example: Botswana is a desert. Water is scarce, so I think about water usage differently now. When I think about home, and long showers or water fights in the yard I can’t believe the wanton waste of water.
Let me bring this back to the Pages fiasco. I’ve been trying to come to terms with the fact that having privilege is OK. I don’t need to beat myself up about it, and stressing needlessly over some splurging or excess will not help. Thus, while before I might have completely suppressed my annoyance over Word/Pages because “the man across from you lives in a tent, nick!” I have now allowed myself some of these things. I cannot and do not need to fully assimilate or lose myself while I am here. Blending in, becoming a true Motswana, is not who I am. It has taken a few months to be OK with this, and to learn that I need to own my privilege as it is something I cannot change.
Enough seriousness! For my last act, I present bullet points of funny stories!
You’ve heard of a Christmas miracle, but have you heard of the little known phenomenon called a Thanksgiving miracle? On Thanksgiving day I finally got a package from home that my mom had sent…on August 13th! The shipping isn’t that slow, but a comedy of errors and my moving around the country led to the delay. I’ve been reading New Yorkers and wearing my jeans ever since.
Several little kids that I see often at work or in my family have discovered the camera on my phone. I now have the Cutest selfies and videos of them grinning at the screen.
I showed my host parents the photo of the extended Bayley/Anderson family at the Anderson Center for Thanksgiving and they couldn’t believe it. Eventually led to a small service and gathering on Christmas Day at the cattle post.
I have to mention the breakfast from my training again. One day I had avocado toast with bacon. Avocado toast. With bacon. If I could only SEE that again I will die a happy man. Of all the difficult things with Peace Corps, by far the most tangible is the difference of food, and my lack of cooking ability.
One day my host dad’s car got stuck in the sand and it was hilariously similar to being stuck in the snow. Nearly the whole damn town showed up to help get the little Toyota out.
I have several decorations around my house now! Starting to make it a home. It is amazing what a few things on the wall can do to make a place feel more comfortable.
If I add anything less than two massive spoonfuls of sugar to my cup of tea I get scandalized looks and interrogated on my consumption of sugar. I’ve started adding the extra sugar.
My host brother’s favorite food is polony, so I bought some for us to eat as a Christmas gift. Now if the words “mechanically deboned meat” written boldly on the packaging don’t turn you off, the substance itself tries just as hard. It’s like a hotdog, but if the hotdog was blended on high for thirty minutes and then reshaped into a tube. A tube! I mean cmon. Safe to say I won’t be buying that again.
Christmas gift to myself was The Adventures of Tintin: The Black Island. Still holds up. So good.
The cattle from the cattle post wandered off for a few days so my host father and I set out to bring them back. We went with his cousin who lives next door; the cousin had a large rifle, my father had an axe, and I had a machete as we walked into the bush. About 10km later we found a few of them, but didn’t manage to bring any back. After another ~10km walk back, we were wet, tired, and cattle-less as we returned home.
I’m perfecting the art of the bucket flush on my toilet. Major developments have been made in technique, amounts, and more in recent days.
Had a good, busy holiday season with my host family here, but still missing all of you! I appreciate all the notes and calls over the holidays, and can’t wait to see you again when I return home.
Before I let you go, a brief note on the Okavango Delta itself. I have been to few other places that have the same raw beauty of the Delta. Staying at the cattle post is almost like setting up camp deep in the Boundary Waters, or out in the Maine wilderness. Walk 10 minutes away from the house and it feels like you are the only person for miles. The wildlife are incredible, the plants and trees are fascinating, and the views are amazing. I will upload some photos that don’t quite capture the true glory of the Delta, but come close. The quiet grandeur of the wide open plains, the silence, the pleasant river, all make for an impressive, almost overwhelming experience.