It is starting to warm up here in Botswana. We are now entering spring. I’m starting to get a little concerned by all the reports about how hot it gets here. Apparently, by late September and October, it is uncomfortably hot and you just sweat all the time. We are trying to mentally prepare ourselves, as I have noticed that the temperature goes up almost a degree each day. Apparently, with the coming heat, then the rains in Dec./Jan., we will see a lot more creatures- some we want to see, some we don’t (like puff addlers and mambas). Apparently, there will be tons of birds and also chameleons, which I’m really excited about.

A couple of weeks ago, Richard attended a program called Taking Services to the People. It is a program in our district where different departments go to each village in the district and bring services that people may have difficulty accessing because of transportation, etc. It normally lasts about 17-18 days and the staff camps in the villages each night. Richard only attended the first few days, to bring HIV/AIDS information and to help the DAC Monitoring & Evaluation officer, because we wanted to attend my counterpart’s wedding which was some distance away.

Last weekend, we traveled with the Home Economics officer Gomolemo from my department, her husband, and her baby to my counterpart Pretty’s wedding. We had a really good time. We also got to see some friends while we were there. It was interesting to see the wedding customs unique to the area where my counterpart comes from in Northern Botswana. For example, she is supposed to keep her eyes lowered during the day. Also, she puts a cup of water on her head, which her new father-in-law drinks from. When that is finished, the cup is used for friends and family, as they dance around the couple, to put money in.

In most of Botswana, there are several stages in the marriage process. First, the brideprice is paid. The paying of the brideprice (lobola) is still very widespread. I’m told that the average price is 10 cows, although this price varies by region and local custom. After the brideprice has been paid, the couple will go to a local official to sign papers so they become legally married. After this (usually the next day), there will be what can be compared to a wedding reception in the bride’s home village. Anyone can come to this reception and eat- there are rarely official invitations. A week or two later, there will be another “reception” in the groom’s home village.

Richard and I just spend the last two days in Maun for a workshop. We saw some other Peace Corps volunteers while we were there so we got to hang out with them, which was fun. Richard will leave next weekend for a ten day Peace Corps training, then I will go the weekend -Peace Corps split our Bots7 group up so we come in two different shifts.

We now have another Peace Corps volunteer in Gumare, which we are happy about. She was supposed to be here originally, but her site got changed right after we were sworn in. Since her housing fell through at that site, they were able to find housing here in Gumare (after a long, somewhat complicated process). She will now be at the local HIV testing and counseling center. Welcome!!

This last Saturday was the annual Okavango District Home Economics Craft Show organized by the Home Economics officer in our department. It took place in Gumare and featured woodwork, beadwork, leatherwork, and basketry. My committee (solo) was publicity so I helped by making fliers, brochures, business cards, name tags, etc. The Okavango is actually known for its baskets (often called Ngamiland baskets). The baskets are very beautiful and intricately done. It is said that some baskets are woven so tight that they can hold sorghum beer. The exhibits at the craft show were judged and the winners are being sent to the capital for the national competition. Several Peace Corps volunteers came to the craft show (cheap baskets) so it was nice to see them.

Our pack of dogs continues to increase. In addition to the trail of dogs that follow us wherever we go, we now have 4 dogs that sleep on our porch at night, including our puppy Peba, an ex-volunteer’s dog named Skye, and 2 abandoned dogs Lady and Buster. The community knows us not only for being the local PCV’s, but also being the couple with many dogs. Our female dog Lady was in heat last week, so every male dog within a two kilometer radius was hanging out in front of our place waiting for a chance to violate her. There is a government vet that comes a few times a year to spay and neuter dogs (for free), but unfortunately he is not coming to September or October so it will be too late for Lady, who will probably be ready to give birth by then.

Richard is leaving today for a work trip- a program called Taking Services to the People. People from different departments go on a 17 day trip to visit villages in the district and bring services that are not normally readily accessible. Richard is only going until Wednesday or Thursday because we are going to my counterpart’s wedding next weekend.

Things are still going well as we continue the community integration process and get a better sense of the work we will be doing for the next two years. We finally had the opportunity to go around to the schools and be introduced. There are three primary schools and one secondary school in Gumare. Since there are only a few secondary schools in the district, the secondary school in Gumare also serves the surrounding villages and has a hostel to board students from the more outlying areas. It seems there is some good work to be done with the schools so we will be meeting one on one with the guidance counselors in the next few weeks. We were also introduced at the primary hospital, which is the only hospital in the district. Currently, the primary hospital in Gumare and a clinic in Shakawe distribute ARVs for the district and blood for CD4/viral load counts are sent to the lab at the Gumare primary hospital.

My birthday was very nice- I appreciated all the Happy Birthday messages I received. Since there was a DMSAC (District Multi-sectoral AIDS Committee, which meets quarterly) meeting that day, I got to see a few of the other Peace Corps volunteers in the area. One of the volunteers Joe even baked me a chocolate birthday cake. Since there are only a handful of volunteers, besides Richard and myself, in the Okavango Delta region, we call ourselves the “Delta Force.”

The end of last week kicked off the start of the Men’s Sector in Gumare. There was a “beauty contest” for men, as well as football (soccer) tournaments, horse racing, and a party. There was a formal kick-off for the Men Sector at the kgotla early Saturday morning, which we attended. A lot of important members of the community turned out to show their support, which is very positive.

We made our first day trip into Maun to buy our “specialty” groceries. Maun has 5 different supermarkets to choose from and their goods give us much happiness. We made sure to stock up on cheese because we have been making our own pizza. Luckily, there are two take-away places in Gumare so we do get to “eat out” every once in awhile. The one take-away we like serves fish (fresh since we are near the only “body” of water in Botswana), as well as the staples, such as chicken, beans, rice, madombe (boiled bread), papa (maize meal), and chips (french fries). While in Maun, we had also a chance to meet up with the Peace Corps volunteers who live there.

We finally named our new puppy. We call her Peba, which means rat in Setswana. We call her this because her tail looks very rat like. We have also officially taken in two other dogs, a male named Buster and a female named Lady so we already have three dogs within the first month of site. We have also been promised a kitten from a volunteer in Maun who has a pregnant cat.

Saturday-Tuesday was a four day weekend for us. Presidents Day was on Monday, followed by another extra day off (public holiday) on Tuesday. It gave us a chance to relax and thoroughly clean. Since everything is dirt/sand, it is a constant struggle to keep oneself, as well as one’s clothes and house clean. Everything is always covered in a layer of dirt/sand. When we wash our clothes (by hand), the water in our wash basin always turns brown. We have to sweep our house almost everyday because sand is always getting dragged in. There is only one paved street in Gumare, so we walk mainly on sandy paths where the sand can get quite hard to walk in because it is deep in some places. The sand in Gumare actually reminds me of the sand at the Jersey shore because it is the same color and consistency.

Settling In

Richard and I have been busy settling in and getting to know our community. We have been walking around and introducing ourselves in our free time. Richard and I managed to find a poultry farm a mile outside town. There, we can buy fresh chicken fairly cheap.
We also added to our pack of dogs. The newest member of our pack is a 8 week old puppy who has yet to be named.

Last Saturday, I was invited to baby shower, which was a nice opportunity to get to know some people from the Rural Administration Center (RAC) where I work. When a woman goes to a baby shower here, she is supposed to bring the present wrapped in a cloth diaper. That way the expectant mother has a supply of diapers when the baby is born (although disposable diapers are readily available and often used). When opening the gifts, the expectant mother has to guess who brought each one. Finally, after the gifts are opened, all the women at the baby shower offer the expectant mother advice and words of wisdom.

On Monday, Richard left for a workshop on HIV prevention in Francistown (2nd largest city) sponsored by NACA (National AIDS Coordinating Agency). There, he got a chance to see some of the other Peace Corps DACs from the region. He returned on Thursday night. I stayed in Gumare to work this week. I am getting a better sense of what S&CD (Social and Community Development office) does at the district level, compared to the community level. I’ve been able to meet most of the social workers who work within our district. In my office, we deal strictly with administering orphan care for the district, while the community social workers deal with all issues, including orphans, destitutes, needy students, home based care, home economics, etc.

This week the Home Economics officer asked me for help with the district craft show, which is going to be in Gumare on August 2. Okavango is known for its crafts, especially baskets. For the show, I am working on publicity, which includes making and distributing fliers, creating a show program, making business cards for the artists, etc. Richard is currently working on the newly formed committee to establish a Mens Sector in Gumare. There is going to be a soccer tournament and horse race next weekend to encourage HIV testing for men.

We finally have a new a post office box:

Richard Rain and/or Stacy Wallick
P.O. Box 546
Gumare, Botswana

Our New Home

Richard and I have been in our new home in Gumare for a week and a half now. We left Molepolole last Thursday and arrived in Gumare the following day. Since it is such a long drive (10-12 hours), we spent the night in Ghanzi, which is one of the bigger cities in the West (Kalahari). Since there are no big supermarkets in Gumare, we stocked up on stuff like granola, cheese, cereal, etc. that we can’t get at the general dealers here. You can get a lot of the staples and basics like milk, eggs, rice, and canned goods in Gumare, but we will probably be going to Maun (the tourist capital of Botswana ), which is three hours by bus, at least once a month to buy our specialty items at the supermarkets and stores there. For those who know my diet coke addiction, I am happy to report that I can buy diet coke in Gumare, though I have curved my intake due to budget restrictions.

We both started work last Monday. Richard and I work down the hall from each other the Rural Administration Center (RAC) for the Okavango District. It is about a twenty minute walk from our house to work. We are often escorted in the morning by the neighborhood pack of 5 dogs, who like to hang out in our yard during the day. The government working hours in Botswana are 7:30-4:30 (with lunch from 12:45-1:45). Since we are usually up with the morning calls of the roosters and the donkeys, it hasn’t been a big adjustment to start work earlier than we did in the United States. Since it is winter here, it is quite chilly in the morning, although not as cold as it was in the southern part of the country where we were training. The days are pretty warm (low 70’s), though I hear it gets very hot and humid here during the summer.

The emphasis on the first 2.5 months of Peace Corps service is on community integration and getting a feel for our jobs/project. Every village in Botswana has a Kgotla (similar to a tribal court), which is a central meeting place (usually near the tribal offices and usually a semicircular enclosure), where the kgosi (chief) consults the people, where decisions are made and problems resolved, and where everyone (regardless of social standing) has their say. One of the most important parts of community entry is meeting the kgosi, which we were able to do this week. We have also been walking around quite a bit during the last two weekends to get a feel of the town and meet people. Our neighbors are very nice and we have made friends with some of the kids in our area. This Tuesday is actually a holiday (Sir Seretse Khama day- in honor of the first president) so we have day off to explore the community more.