Sugarcane, Setswana, and Homesickness!

Sunday April 17th

We have been with our homestay families for a little over a week now. It seems like longer- there have been so many ups and downs! One of my favorite things so far has been trying sugarcane. You can buy a big stick of it for about P1 (one pula), and you use your teeth to pull down the green stalk. In the middle there is the sweet stuff, which you just chew up like gum and then spit on the side of the road. Soo that was fun. During the week we are kept pretty busy with Setswana lessons and Peace Corps meetings at the RIIC center about everything we need to know...when I get home in the evenings I will just make some food and sit with the host siblings for a little bit, sometimes we watch tv...then I go to bed at about 9 (not that much to do anyway!) and wake up early, around 5.

I've definitely been bonding a bit with my fellow Bots 10 Peace Corps Trainees (I know, you'd think it'd be Bots 11 because of this year...I think the number has to do with the number group since Peace Corps has returned to Botswana. Peace Corps originally came into Botswana in 1966, left sometime in the 90s' and then came back some years ago at Botswana's request in order to work specifically on HIV/AIDS.) I think I've been bonding with my host family too although we come from such different backgrounds. The 23-year-old girl (Cono) and the 21-year-old boy (Lawrence) speak English pretty well, although I really have to adjust the way I speak and speak more slowly when I speak to them.

People in our village are really interested in us, which sometimes is really nice. Sometimes, though, you just want to walk down the road and be anonymous! I remember a current PC volunteer telling us how he had to leave for work pretty early each day in anticipation of so many people stopping him to talk to him on the road. Also, greetings are VERY important in Botswana to show respect and to show that you are friendly.

I'm starting to feel more at home here, although I definitely experience a bout or two of homesickness a day. It's all to be expected- this is pretty much a whole new world compared to the US, and everyone said it's not any easy thing to do- but knowing that doesn't really make it any easier sometimes. I've met a lot of really great, interesting, warm and funny people so far- both Batswana and American PC people. However, I definitely wonder a lot if this will ever feel enough like home that I'll want to stay here for the full PC term of 2 years. There have been some great moments, and I think I'm giving it all my best, but at this stage in the game I just don't know. I think it would be a lot easier for me to be so far away from home if I was in a big cosmopolitan city....even though this is considered a pretty big village, it feels a little isolated sometimes. Peace Corps has a 'Peer Support and Diversity Network' group to talk to, and I talked to one of those girls about being homesick yesterday. She said it gets a lot better later on and that your actual service is nothing like your pre-service training.

We watch tv, but we watch Botswana news in Setswana or South African channels (the soap opera “Generations” is my favorite so far)...I would kill for some international news right now! At lunchtime this week at the center we had our PC meetings at there was wireless internet, so it helped to be able to e-mail/facebook for a little bit each afternoon. Other parts of my experience have been easier for me to adjust to- a few more bugs, handwashing clothes, having a pit latrine in the back for the toilet- but the lack of internet is sooo different. I'm told I can eventually buy a little stick internet thing for my netbook so I'm hoping I can do that at some point. Next week we have to use our lunchbreak to walk a ways from our language lessons to the RIIC center, so me being me I'm worried that that will cut into or erase any internet time next week.

There aren't a ton of stores here, just little 'tuck shops' that have snacks and drinks, two grocery stores, and some stores that seem to be somewhat all-purpose carrying clothing, tupperware, and some electronics.

Another adjustment has been a loss of a bit of my independence. I think I will be more independent once I'm not with the host family anymore (we'll be with them 2 months overall), but it's different in that I'm not driving, obviously. Not that there really would be anywhere to drive to! I also can't go running as my stress relief...it's just not practical or culturally normal. I would probably be able to go and feel safe if I got another guy volunteer to go with me, but we'll see. I know that some PC girl volunteers do run in their areas, they just take certain precautions. Anyways, did some sit-ups and push-ups on the cement floor of my room this morning, that will have to do for now, haha.

Now am going to go finish my clothes washing- the only big event of the day- and later this afternoon meet up for a bit with a friend who is from Gaborone (Gabs, the capital).

Send me a message on facebook if you want my Botswana cell phone number. My parents call it from skype and I don't think it's too badly expensive for them- (Mom and Dad, is that correct??)...but it is a little expensive for me to call the US. Also I am hoping that I will get more regular internet at some point (after PST, probably) and be able to set up 'skype dates' to call people. And just fyi Botswana is 6 hours ahead of Indiana time- I'm usually free and have my phone anytime between 5 pm-9 pm my time.

Tsamaya sentle (go well),

Sara