I was off to complete the onerous task of getting the dreaded “five quotations.” All government expenditures require five quotes in writing, appropriately stamped and certified before any money can be spent (and you think American bureaucracy is bad!). These cost quotations were for printing our first-ever South East District Newsletter on HIV/AIDS related activities. (This project was made even more difficult by the fact that the office has only a 2007 phone book making addresses potentially obsolete. After driving all over Gaborone looking for the fifth printer, I discovered the company was out of business and had to do a last minute scramble to find another printer.
Anyway back to my original story. Tuelo, our driver was very late, nowhere to be found and not answering his cell phone. After making several calls to track him down, we learned that he was in the main administration building killing a snake! The two foot little fella had curled himself into the telephone switchboard office and Tuelo was trying unsuccessfully to hit it over the head with a stick. Since this was failing, the switchboard operator got a pan of boiling water and did manage to bring the snake to a final resting place on the floor.
We later found out that this is the second snake (noga—pronounced NO-HA in Setswana) that has shown up in that particular office. Tebogo, the assistant switchboard operator now says that she is refusing to enter that office again because it is “bad luck,” and has volunteered to be my first psychiatric patient in Botswana.
A little of this and a little of that
Our front yard Sunday morning at 10:01 AM
Our back yard Sunday morning at 10:02 AM
I hate to say it, but I am surrounded by asses.
--Our Street Bash was a big success, garnering a full headline on Page 2 of the Gaborone Daily News. The article highlighted the presence of Miss Botswana and quoted portions of her speech (fine choice if I do say so myself).
--No doubt the next piece of breaking news will be a picture of Kgosi wearing shorts in Ramotswa which I did for the first time yesterday. One must understand that most African men, no matter what the temperature, wear long pants. It was hot yesterday afternoon and I just didn’t have the energy to change out of the shorts that I have, to date, only worn inside the house. This event probably wouldn’t normally cause much of a stir except for the color of my calves which closely resembles a shade of washed-out talcum powder. These particular body parts have not seen the light of day in over 10 months. Their color scares even me as it makes me wonder if my lower limbs are still living and connected to my blood supply.
--We had a wedding right across the street from our house yesterday. There were the bride, groom and relatives dressed in their finery crammed into this little store-front chapel directly opposite us. I thought it was a little unusual given that the chapel is approximately 10’ from the entrance to Ray’s Bar. That was until I saw a picture of this couple in California that got married; tux, gown and all, in the aisle of the 99 Cent store which offered free marriages to anyone for one 24 hour period. Daughter Meghan—if the chosen spot in Carmel cancels out, don’t even think about it!
--The loud speaker trucks have been cruising the neighborhood regularly yelling (and I do mean YELLING) their political messages in anticipation of the national elections on October 16. It is annoying enough to hear these trucks in the middle of the afternoon, but it is apparently perfectly acceptable to blare out their speeches at all hours of the evening and as early as 4:30 in the morning. We have had several planned political rallies in small open spots in the neighborhood. Besides of course being in Setswana, the most noticeable feature is that they bring large portable loudspeakers so that everyone in the next two blocks will know they are there. Nonetheless, the candidates scream their messages at the top of their lungs with the speakers aimed directly at the 30 people who are sitting less than a foot away. My next African money-making scheme is to open up a chain of hearing aid franchises. I think I will call it McDeaf’s.
--We had our first dinner guests this week—my boss Semakaleng and Neo, our fellow PCV in Ramotswa. Contrary to American custom, it is unusual in Botswana to have people to your house for dinner, in part because most everyone feels the necessity to be home before dark which is still occurring by 6:30. Going out to eat is also pretty rare except in Gaborone. There is actually not a single restaurant in Ramotswa, a town of 25,000 people. There are a couple of snack-stands that close by 5, but nothing that would be considered an eat-in restaurant.
--Our hot water tank called the geyser (pronounced GEEZER in both English and Setswana) conked out on Wednesday. It is on the roof and has been leaking water over the eave for some time. Hot water was coming out at 7:05 and not at 7:15. Calls for repairs have met with the usual series of “We don’t fix them, call these other guys.” Word from other residents who have experienced similar utility breakdowns is that it sometimes takes months to actually get someone out for repair. Oh well, the hot weather is coming and a cool bath may be quite in order. We can still heat water on the stove and electric kettle.
--We broke down and purchased two large fans for the house. Assembling them from the parts took an afternoon since the directions, a one-page diagram without any clarifying step-by-step instructions, was in Chinese. The influence of Chinese commerce here is virtually everywhere from smallest appliances and products to building and infrastructure construction. Maybe like the US?????
With the fans, we are now prepared for the summer heat. We don’t need them much yet, as it is still cool at night. The late afternoon and early evening temperatures are just ideal and there are no bugs outside, which makes for very pleasant sitting out back. In this regard, the high desert climate here is much like Colorado.
--There is a two-day national holiday this week. By taking one vacation day, we can make a five day trip north to Maun, one of the tourist destinations in BW and a jumping off point for river trips and animal watching safari’s. If we survive the 10-hour bus ride which leaves Gaborone at 6 AM, we will be staying with several other BOTS 8 at the home of another PCV nurse friend. We are still trying to figure out a ride from Ramotswa to the bus rank with an arrival by 5:15am. Any later can mean a four hour stint of standing in the bus, as one of our fellow PCV’ers experienced two weeks ago. We’ll need the R&R to recover from our “vacation.”
Kgosi
Errata
I have been informed by my mother that it was she who sent us the Sports Illustrated article on the first African major league baseball player. Who da thunk it? My 91 year old parents get a subscription to SI. I guess it is to keep up on the latest news from their beloved NY Football Giants. They are licking their lips for the coverage of that thrilling Giant victory over the Dreaded Dallas Cowboys, spoiling the grand opening of the lavish new Dallas stadium last week.
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