I am approaching my last week in Gabs and my last few days commuting to BOFWA in Mochudi…funny enough…we finally received the poster paints that we have been counting on for the last couple weeks…however…I refuse to fret;) We started painting the wall of the hall with our ‘tree of Sexual Reproductive Health’ It didn’t look too bad actually by the time we left….

However, i am especially excited to get our wall of messages going…they are messages that are anywhere from generally inspirational to HIV based to youth-focused based…anyways, all in all..i was happy to see t h ose paints…and definitely plan on doing some more painting when I get home:) I’m done with science…on to art….;) hahah

So I have definitely been trying to take in all the things that I have learned to love about being in Gabs…whether it invloves our crazy daily commute…ALWAYS filled with surprises…or our adventures in Mochudi….or the things said to us by locals…(often jaw-dropping)…but all in all…something that I won’t forget….and most importantly….the smell of campfire…always the smell of campfire….

The part that I am having the hardest time with..was definitely made clear this weekend…we visited the S.O.S childrens orphanage village. We played soccer with some of the 100′s of youth there…not as many came out as we hoped…as the older ones seemed much  more hesistant…but all in all..a great turnout..and I met some wonderful youth:) Some names I remember…Tayco and Sarah. Prob around 14 years old or so. Anyways…definitely hard to get through to them…but I think I did eventually…

The part that still does not settle well with me…the fact that I had to leave. How often has that happened to them I wonder. How often? Proabably…or most likely…much too often.

That is also how I am viewing my placement right now…

There is much to do. The people I work with. the people that seemed to be hard to break and hard to obtain their trust…now trust me. These same people are now excited to see me when I get there every sleepy morning…They have told me about their lives and their dreams…something that may seem far at hand to them some days…and yet…they still trusted me with it.

And then…away I go.

i was laughing when i was writing in my journal after I wrote this but think I should share it…

“I definitely have commitment issues”

Hahah, I do.

I find it very hard to not give of myself fully…when it is needed. And especially, when I am dedicated to the work and believe in it.

So I think I leave it off like that..because that is where I am right now. Questionning some major things in my life..and realizing yet another flaw of myself…my comittment issues;) hahahah

I will be travelling to see the northern part of Botswana with 4 friends, and will get close to the border of Zimbabwe and possibly travel into Zambia for a day…to see Victoria Falls, Chobe National Park and the Delta of course! So hoping to be back in the homeland on the 12th…

After writing what I jsut wrote up there, I definitely wasnt up to writing about travelling…as I have seriously been doubting that…thinking that my time could be better spent here….but anyways, thought I should inform you wonderful people:)

But yes…i will be coming home:) (for those of you that were doubting it) and am excited to see you….

I have so much more to say…and if given the chance…will say as much of it as I can…

Take care…

your kat

I think I added a few…

not sure..

but apparantly I also added another 12 but cant seem to figure out how to find out where they are…so look around…hahah, they are somewhere

So this will def be a short one….because Im changing things up:) oh, how exciting! new blogging styles! hahahha, nah, but I have been way too exhausted to write in my journal at night…and way too occupied with making sure that Im sleeping alone and not accompanied by too many 4 legged friends…insects…not anything bigger than that…well, yet anyway….ahhh! soooo, i have been making use of my hour long bus ride to Mochudi village every morning by writing things that have been of importance to me in the past days… anyways, the list in growing and i have yet to bring it here…but thats the next destination!

I have just experienced a hell of a lot in the past week while working full time in Mochudi…whether it concerns the working style of the other local volunteers at BOFWA (Botswana Family Welfare Assoc), the projects we were ‘assigned’ and the changes they are experiencing, the racial challenges, the cultural challenges, the commute, the food…theres plenty to say:)

I need to be quick also, as I need to practice my presenation on BEHAVIOUR CHANGE for youth to avoid teen pregnancy! Yup. I will be speaking, on my own, with my distinct Cdn accent to a gym or field (not sure where they will fit) of 500 high school youth about ways they can change their overall behaviour to target the common problem of teen preg. It was a task that has made me and my ‘work mates’ quite nervous…but at the same time..I cant wait to experience this. Wish me luck…this crazy thing goes on tomorrow and I am expecting all the youths eyes to be focused on me and excited to hear what this foreigner has to say, or for their eyes to be full of tears after laughing so hard at this crazy canucks accent that they can barely make out. I mean, who is this white girl anyway!  50 50 chance. Prayers please;) haha.

But all i will say right now…is something simple…but gives you a bit more of a picture of how my days are…

We leave before sunrise…(sometimes to see a warthog scrambling through the campus fields) and board the bus that brings us from an futurized, urban wonderland in construction…to a small village that always smells of camp fire, where there is red dust as far as the eye can see and where white people are not common, especially in groups of 5!! We leave Mochudi after a day of anything from sitting in the shade of the acacia trees and learning a mix of Setswana slang or learning about the serious increasing numbers of teen pregnancies in the nearby secndary schools. Or we could spend an afternoon helping to rake the red dust that makes up the front yard of just about every building in Mochudi. Or we may spend a couple hours playing futball (soccer) in our ‘working wear’ with the village youth and forget all about the fact that we are wearing a skirt:) Well, i did anyway. 

To summarize…

My feet are always dusty and never seem to stay clean very long

And I love it:) 

 

Kathryn

I will warn you all again prior to me starting this msg…that I am in the library of the Uni of Botswana…our new home and place of many lectures re. the HIV and AIDS issues of Botswana for the past week…and the lights are out for some reason, sooo, realize that typing the dark is not a task that I have perfected!

So, where oh where to begin once again….it feels like AGES since i last wrote…that is how much has happened in the past week…so our week was centred primarily around orientation…not only of the city of Gaborone…but also of learning A LOT concering the major epidemic that has hit Botswana, this small country of 1.6 million in the past 20 years….i do not think i need to specify the HIv virus…but good guess…that is exactly what struck this beautiful country and what hit the Batswana people even harder of course. So, I feel lucky and more ‘prepared’ and ‘knowledgable from the training that we were given. We were able to people who have lived here all their lives or only a few years or less. Canadians that have volunteered here and those who specialize in HIV and AIDS education…or those who were affected by the virus personally..well, most have been affected by the virus personally…in some form or another (which was a major theme of all that we learned…the virus does not come and kill and go….it has a place in every family and every issue in the country…it has made an impact that can be seen in so much of the land….therefore, its importance……huge). Talking to a woman who was infected by HIV was a very powerful experience…beyond words…as i have said before (and most probably will say ample times again).

However, yesterday…myself, Dustin, Trista, Christina and Siobbhan made our way by combi (small, crazy african music-pumping ‘taxi’s that whip around the streets faster than you can imagine and pick pple up and throw them off and make the world go around ) and then to the bus rank…oh the bus rank….just imagine…hundreds of buses and combis surrounded by 1000′s of pple all squishing on to find their wayt to work….yes, thats us..and starting tomorrow…thats us for the rest of the month. anyways, an hour and half later…and nerves slightly stingingwe found our way tp Mochudi…and the HIV testing clinic/counselling centre, youth sexual reprod health ctr..you name it….(its called BOFWA for short;))

Beforei explain my project….i need to explain what it was like stepping into one of the country’s 100′s of HIV testing clinics, testing room. It was hard. its the same virus…the same virus that lives in 1000′s of individuals in canada…right now. something so many pple fail to see or understand. something so many pple at home deny. but thats the truth. the same little virus….that unfortunately..hit this country hard. damn hard.

so, before i head out…as my day starts extremely early tomorrow..(as we have become used to going to bed super early) (and i need to plan my clothing for tomorrow…as skirts are the common ‘attire’ for women here…so i had to go out and get some as that was definitely an area that i was lacking in!) So, my project….:) In the little time i have here…its a big one…

the project in called Pledge 25…and it encouages Batswana to pledge that they will donate blood several times a year, at least 25 times in their lives. Whats the point of that? big deal? think about it…its simple…but important:)

To donate blood, one must be HIV -free.

Anyways, its a personal pledge for one’s own health…and i am to build a photo-profile collection of those who have pledged. I will be meeting those who wish to particpate and talk to them about why they beleive in this program..etc,,and photo-document it:)

anyways, we will see how it goes..

there is so much more to say…but i cannot wait to hear from everyonne..i love hearing from you all so much:) it always makes my day…

God bless and cannot wait to talk soon;)

Your kathryn;)¼/p>

funny how a warm night van ride through the buslting, active town can get my mind going miles a minute..and now in the quiet of the wusc office…with this soft-english music in the background….i suddenly feel lost for words

talk soon…

k