Mochudi livin, week three!

Friends!

I can now say I've lived in Africa for a few weeks! One more week and it will be a whole MONTH in Botswana! How is everything in Canada?! I am feeling more and more immersed in things here and I had another great week working with SSI (www.steppingstonesintl.org). I've gotten my act together a bit so this time I'll include pictures as I go. I’ve realized that loading pictures on a desktop is a LOT quicker than over WIFI so I have all kinds of pictures for you today.

Some things that happened:

- Since getting here, it seems like my weekdays never have enough free time. I wasn't thinking too much about it, until Kate and I realized that our days are LITERALLY 11 hours long (from leaving the house to getting back in the door). We leave every morning at 7:45am, and get back at around 6:30.

Such long days! Here is a picture of the path we take to get to and from work:

- SSI is really into capacity building for their staff, so for the past couple weeks we've been coming to work thirty minutes earlier twice a week for African sign language classes! SO COOL! Its pretty much the same as American sign language so I really hope it sticks. I've learned the alphabet, numbers, greetings, the basics (like who, what, where, when, why, which etc) and some other random things. The instructor is doing it all pro bono in order to gain work experience, so it has been a great set up for all of us. He is VERY set on us having absolute focus, and although its a little much for me as far as teaching methods go, it really does make us zone in on what he's teaching. Look at me go! Gaining so many new skilllllzzzzzzz!

- This week I unintentionally facilitated my first leadership session. As you may recall, the leadership program is for older youth who are no longer in school (aged 16-26). This makes them a lot more intimidating to me than the younger kids since they're around my age and I feel like I have ZERO percent authority with them. The regular instructor was away until this week, so when she got back we sat down and discussed how I'd slowly ease into leading the sessions. Wellllll, it didn't quite work out that way. In light of this week centring around the Day of the African Child (June 16th), a camera crew showed up wanting to speak with two orphans from the leadership cohort. And the instructor had to help. So mid session she was like "okay, here's a sheet with the activity, take it from here." It was SO intimidating to try and BS the session in front of 40 youths! We were discussing political figures and their leadership styles and I didn't even know a bunch of them since they were from Botswana. I kiiiiiind of felt like an idiot. And my English accent didn't help. I got through it all okay though, and the silver lining was that after we finished the activity I finally got to formally introduce myself to them all. I did an "ask me whatever you want" period, and they were pretty receptive and curious about me. I guess it was kind of like ripping off a bandaid- at least now the initial hurdle is behind me. Their questions were pretty funny too: Are there cows in Canada? Are you rich? Are you married? Do you live in an igloo? Here are the leadershipers:

Here are the leadershipers during phys ed.

- Special education reading has been ROCKING! I can't even believe how much I enjoy it. If my love for this work stays as high as it is for the rest of my time here, it might be a bit of a game changer for my future. So far I find it insanely rewarding. And now that I have the right tools, the kids have been making so much progress each and every session! I got this literacy guide that outlines the 20 something foundational sounds of the English language, and it has been an excellent resource to help me get my act together. You start by teaching a basic sound like "at", and then show the kids what happens when you slightly change the start of the sound to make a word like "cat", "bat", "mat", "bat" etc. It just builds and builds and builds until they're comfortable enough with the foundations that they can read almost anything. SO great! I also got some flashcards and games together, and they have been a hit. The kids are actually hassling me to read more often. Its fantastic! Here are some of my resources:

  

- On Friday I presented my first sex ed session with the girls! It went very well. I got them all sitting on gym mats, had "Girls Only" signs on the entrances, and made the whole thing as casual and relaxed as possible. In an ideal world it would be mixed genders, but its all about baby steps here. They seemed surprisingly comfortable with the information and had questions for me during and after the presentation. We covered the changes that happen in puberty, anatomy, and the menstrual cycle. I made it very interactive and I think that was the key to keeping them engaged throughout. Next session (probably in a few weeks from now) will cover healthy and unhealthy relationships, contraceptives, HIV/AIDS, consent and sex. Woo!!!! I'm SO down with these sessions. Its empowering for them to have enough information to make educated decisions about their personal lives.

- The kids often ask us for things, and our robot response is always "sorry, we're volunteers!" But this week, I had a great moment with one of the kids. Her birthday was this week, and for DAYS leading up to it she was begging me for a present despite my continual speech about not being able to get her anything. A creative idea popped into my head, so before her reading session I grabbed a piece of coloured paper and drew her a big, bright, colourful flower. Underneath it, I wrote her name in big curvy letters. And when she came for reading, I told her that I hadn't forgotten and that instead of buying her something, I made her something instead. She loved it! I think it was a great lesson about value of a thoughtful gift as opposed to a bought one. It made me très happy.

Here are kids being goof balls

 

 

- Kate and I also have our first official Botswana friend! His name is Kemelo and he lives next door. He comes by everyday and it has been really great to hang out with him. Last weekend we hung out after church and last night he was kind enough to walk us home from the bus stop when we got back past dark. I'm hoping I will be able to convince him to sing us the national anthem (in exchange for the most beautiful rendition of O Canada anyone has ever heard) and he even gave me some mp3s of traditional Botswana gospel singing. A-mazing! Kemelo you rock and you'd better visit us in our new place.

- Speaking of which, it has been a long time coming, but Kate and I will finally be moving out this upcoming weekend! It will be so lovely to have my own room/our own kitchen/HOPEFULLY a shower. Living with our host has been an excellent experience, but it will be SO great to fiiiiiinally settle in to our own space and fully unpack. Details to come on this! I am SERIOUSLY hoping there will be a shower.

- There was one night this week where I was woken up by dogs going bonkers in the yard. I was scared it was a robber or something,  but in the morning found out that it was loose donkeys hanging out in the backyard here. Ohhhh Botswana!

- I'm pumped to start preparing actual meals since my nutrition has been pretty limited these days. Cereal, pb and banana sandwiches, grapefruit, and a few other very random things are the extent of my diet. On Friday we went out for lunch with a gal from SSI and our meal was a HUGE fried chicken thigh, fries, a warm roll, and pop. Delicious, but OMG the carbs! Sooooo maaaaaaaannnnnnyyyyyyyy caaaaaaaarbsssssss!

- A kid fainted during one of the sessions this week, and ended up having to go to the hospital. It was pretty scary, but he is completely okay thank god.

- On Friday the kids were done eating earlier than usual, so we all got to hang around outside for a while. Somehow everyone ended up trying to braid our hair (our hair is quite a novelty here) and it was SO hilarious having five sets of hands all grabbing at my head. The pictures are pretty unflattering but also pretty funny. It was quite a scene.

Selfieeeeee!!! hahahaha

- This weekend ROCKED! Kate and I went to Gabs yesterday (Saturday) and I honestly died and went to heaven. It was PARADISE to me! Everything seemed so luxurious and modern and normal. I haven't spent much time in the capital yet, so yesterday was my first time being able to leisurely explore. We went to one of the grocery stores, and ohhhhhhhhhh my GOD it was SO INSANELY NICE INSIDE, I couldn't even believe how pumped I was. I never envisioned a day where a SUPERMARKET would make me so happy hahaha. Soooo much selection! 

We looked around the shops and there was the equivalent of Shoppers Drug Mart here! Thank baby jesus! I was so happy. To know that these places exist and have the things I need gives me SUUUUCH piece of mind. I have been rationing a lot of things and I'm so pumped to know that I can get it if I need it! This is me being the happiest in the world having waffles with ICE CREAM

We also found a booth with local products right from our village, and I got a BEAUTIFUL elephant tapestry to take home with me! They showed us ones with guinea fowls on them and we were like OH GOD NO hahahaha. If you didn't know, I looooove elephants and get a little one from every place that I visit, so I picked up a super cool green one. I got a few pieces of jewelry as well.

We went for dinner at a nice restaurant, and sat on their balcony, and we ate a BURGER, and it was delish! Such a treat, omg. Here is us and the sunset

We even picked up a few groceries that we can't get here (and Kate accidentally paid $10 CDN for Honey Combs cereal hahahaahha). I was hoping to find warm clothes and didn't have much luck, but I managed to find a nice scarf which will serve me well in the mornings. Kate didn't feel so hot on the bus ride back (and the INSANE bumpiness of the bus didn't help) so unfortunately she upchucked into a plastic bag before we made it to Mochudi. So many props go to Kate on this one though! It was the most discreet, casual, calm spew I've ever witnessed hahahah. Poor Kate! Poor lady sitting next to Kate! She's fine today thank god. Here is a picture of what our buses are like. This is from a couple weekends ago. 

So aside from the less-than-ideal bus ride home, it was a GREAT day! I feel infinitely better knowing that only a short (ish) bus ride has almost all the things I took for granted in Canada.

- Today we finally did laundry. It was veeeeery needed. It has been three weeks and I'm not being dramatic when I say that my wardrobe consists of me alternating between two grey sweaters. Packing fail. Who knew Africa was so cold?! I LOOOVE hanging things on the line (mom I bet you are SO proud right now) but here the stakes are SO HIGH! If you drop something, it falls into the red, red mud. I only dropped some PJs so I was lucky.

- I have yet to see another white person around Mochudi. In Gabs its pretty common, but here its rare. Thats why we're such spectacles.

- So far I'm doing great for not missing things. Certain things would be nice, but I haven't reached a OMG I'D DO ANYTHING FOR _______ phase. Which is good. I miss PEOPLE! Big time. And I miss the ocean. But I don't really miss THINGS too much yet. Actually I'd probably do anything for a shower. But as for the material things I had the luxury of back in Canada, I'm doing pretty okay so far without them! The emails from home help a lot, and I've even been able to do a bit of FaceTime with my mom and the lovely Maura in Cameroon (although the connection was so bad that we kind of just smiled at each other for a while hahah). Ewa sent me here with some candy keys and I finally cracked into them this week- SUCH a delicious and familiar treat. But yeah. I'm happy my headspace is alright on this front so far.

- Oh oh oh oh ANDDDD my parents promised to come visit me in a couple months!!! Mom, dad, its now blog official. You're committed. Theres no going back now! SEE YOU SOON!  :D :D :D

Oh and also, I am fully aware of the correct way to use "its" and "it's" but in all honesty have been lazy writing this. For the grammar enthusiasts out there, my apoluhgyyyyzzzz!

Thats all for now! Email me about your life/with any questions you have!

shilaleblanc@gmail.com

Here are some random pictures:

Here is Kate and one of our fave gals

Here is the gorgeous desert on our way to Gabs

Here is the precious kid who lives on our plot. He must have gotten into something pink, its all over his face. He was a tough nut to crack but he came around, mostly because Kate had a soccer ball. He's finally our pal!