I knew this was going to be great, but with each day I spend here I'm increasingly excited to go and I'm SO pumped to be a part of this!
I'm laying in bed at the moment (listening to Mr. Roboto, actually) and I'm feeling tired but good. We went to see Slow Coaster at the pub last night (basically the only pub in the small, small town that is Antigonish) and it was a blast! I'm having constant déjà vu being back at X. Going to meal hall three times a day, living in my old residence, walking around campus and main street, it's so strange to be back.
So a few things:
a) The 19 other YIPers are PHENOMENAL! Seriously. They all rock. I already feel so close to everyone and it's a lovely, lovely thing. Our days are spent almost entirely together and the group love and unity is the BEST! Kate, my partner in Africa crime, is a total star and I'm the most grateful human on the planet that she's my travel partner! We're going to kick butt. The Coady did a great job choosing people if I do say so myself :)
b) Training has been very fun, informative, and BUSY! Our days go from 8:30 to 5:15 ish and I'm learning a zillion news things. We ended the week with a three day course from the Center of Intercultural Learning and I feel a lot more prepared for my placement. We've had sessions on all kinds of interesting things: aid versus development effectiveness, a history lesson about Moses Coady and the Antigonish movement, how to adjust and contribute abroad, etc etc. The structure is very interactive and activity-based. My days are spent drawing things, cutting things out, writing on flip charts, and having group activities/discussions. It's neat. We're learning completely important and relevant information but in a way that keeps us engaged and entertained.
Here are some pictures.
Maura and I nervously heading in for our first day
THE MOST BEAUTIFUL FLOWERED TREES I'VE EVER LAID EYES ON! Seriously. These trees almost stop my heart.
The beautiful Coady buildings
Some more Coady
Again more Coady
Some of our activities
The Indigenous Women in Leadership program singing/being activists over our lunch hour
An example of the fun things we get to do. We had to demonstrate cultural differences and its effects on collaboration. Maura, your ability to act like a panda was bar none the best acting I'd ever seen.
MY LAST SHOT. Rabies. I'm not going to lie, the fluorescent purple was a liiiiittle stressful. Wild animals, get at me, y'all aint got nothin on meeeeee!
Being ever so studious at the Coady Library. SO MUCH BOOK LEARNIN!
Knowledge swapping
US! Photo cred to the Coady. Definitely the most attractive cohort to date, amirite?!
I love you all!
US! Photo cred to the Coady.
Other cool things: One of the MAAAAJOR highlights of my week was meeting a wonderful man named Sydney. This is him:
Part of our training includes meeting someone from our host country, and talking to Sydney (who is from Northern Botswana and now lives in Hali) was THE MOST interesting and helpful conversation ever. Kate and I were both super pumped afterwards. A few highlights (out of many):
- Sydney has known more than a few Westerners who loved Botswana so much that they ended up moving there permanently
- We were mispronouncing a few of the city names, so we sorted that out (thank god, thaaaat would have been embarrassing)
- Our area (Mochudi) was described as far more rural than the capital, so apparently F-bombs are dropped on the daily and middle fingers are common
- People HATE theft there, and may potentially be violent to someone if they're caught stealing
- Victoria Falls and the Okavango Delta are MUST SEES
- Botswana is pretty Western, we'll be able to get mostly everything there
- People drive like maniacs (200 clicks an hour on highways... IMAGINE) and everyone has this signal system to warn each other if there are police around, so its really rare to get a ticket
- Pretty much all the food there is organic
-It's hot hot hot in the summer
- There are really cool initiation rituals that young men and women do (I super hope to see one)
- All in all Botswana sounds like the COOLEST
Sydney also told us about a time that he was visiting a reserve and an ELEPHANT came over to their camp and STUCK HIS TRUNK IN THE SHOWER STALL TO DRINK THE DRIPPING WATER. Ummmmm AMAZING! I'm pretty sure I'd die of happiness.
Oh, speaking of which, I found out EXCELLENT news about Kate: SHE SHARES MY LOVE FOR ELEPHANTS!!!!! We are so on the same page in terms of adventure priorities: MUST. MEET. ELEPHANTS.
Anyway, Sydney was super helpful and even got us going with some basic tools to learn the traditional language (Setswana).
THANKS SYDNEY, you rock a lot!
I've also recently became a completely uncertified and informal yoga teacher to some of the women here, and it has been SWEET! I dont know what I'm doing, but so far everyone seems really down with getting their zen on, so that has been awesome. Thanks ladies for joining me, I am loving it.
I'll write more as things happen.
Peace and love!
good bai
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