Instead of giving you a detailed version of everything that I have done in the past 12ish days, I thought I would give you a quick recap, and then tell you about the best things that have been going on lately, or those that have been consuming my mind. Last weekend I went on a camping trip with a group on campus called the UB wildlife conservation society. We went to a game reserve called the Gaborone Game reserve, pitched a big 40 person tent (looked kind of like an army tent), cooked pounds of rice, meat, fish, pap (Maize) and fat cakes (kind of like donuts without the sugar) all over an open flame in a HUGE caldron. It was a really fun time. This weekend was just a retreat, so we spent the day hanging out, talking, eating, and drinking. It was really nice to just hang out with some local students, outside of campus. I had never met any of these students before, so it was great to see new faces and learn about different people. I ended up having to return back to campus a little bit early, because I felt incredibly sick (from heat, not enough water, e.t.c.), but the weekend was very enjoyable. We were camping right in the bush with all of the animals! An ostrich wandered through our camping area! The weeks have been pretty laid back. I have class on tuesdays and thursdays. Monday I have a two hour class, but other than that I have no classes. I have been really enjoying doing a lot of reading, swimming and just hanging out with new friends. There is a pavilion right outside of our dorms that many of us have started to hang out in almost every night. The social life here seems very different from at home. People here spend a lot of time doing pretty much nothing, with good friends. Whereas in the U.S. it seems that many times people spend their time doing lots of things, with not as good of friends. I hope to encourage people to spend more time with friends that they really care about when I get home, rather than worrying about where the most happening party is. I am about a month deep in this experience, and although the campus is still very confusing to me (along with the country!) I am starting to feel more at home each day. As I look back, the month has gone incredibly fast, however some days seem to drag on. The days where I feel a bit lonely, or lost, or frustrated are a bit harder. These days are very few, but they do still happen. I think that most of the time when I feel homesick, it is usually because I am in a situation where I cannot do something that I can do at home. The nights where I want to just sit in and watch a movie, or order food to the room; it isn't that easy here. There are days where that is the main reason I love it here, but there are times where convenience brings comfort. I hope that by the end of this I will be more patient and have an easier time working with inconveniences.
Today I went to a school that is in the "slums" of Gaborone to talk to them about volunteering. IT WAS SO GREAT!! The headmaster was not actually there, but we turned in some of our paperwork so that she could discuss it with the headmaster when he/she returned. I am going back on monday to talk about my schedule. There seemed to be about 3-4 big classrooms with only one teacher in them, so I think there will be lots of room for me to help out. Some school volunteers get to be the main teacher in the classroom, some get to tutor, and some get to be a teacher's aid, so it will be really fun to figure out what I get to do. The coolest part about the school is that it is in a rural area. The surroundings seem very poor, but I think that it is my favorite part of gabs that I have seen so far. The clothing was all really vibrant, the people were very welcoming, and it just seemed to be more like a real village. The classrooms are all just little buildings on their own, so you feel like you are outside, even when you are in class. As I was leaving to go back to campus, the whole school was let out for break. Students were running all over the place! Many of them however were very intrigued by the white girls in the taxi driving down this dirt road. I felt like I was famous. All of the kids were running next to the car waving, yelling hello, singing, smiling, and my favorite: dancing! A small boy who must have been in kindergarten did a dance for us while following the car the whole drive out of the property. It was adorable! Many times when children here see us, they tend to dance for us. I asked some locals why this was, and they said because most of the kids want to dance for you because they are very proud of their dancing skills, and want to impress you. Well I am impressed! And even if they aren't the best dancers, they are VERY adorable! While I was at the school, a lady overheard my conversation with one of the teachers there, and heard that I was interested in special education. She started talking to me and gave me the name and number of a school that is just starting up that is purely for kids with disabilities. Most of the students have down syndrome she said, however there are many other disabilities as well. She said the school is called the Dream Center, and it is being started by a psychologist who sees a problem with the special education system here (basically non-existent). So, I will be giving that number a call as well. As much as I am loving school here and the campus, I am mostly looking forward to working with children. I really believe that these experiences are what will make this trip the most rewarding and memorable. The opportunities I will have here are also much more plentiful than those in the U.S. (because of requirements), so I am going to take advantage of everything that I can.
The weekend has started, which means lots of relaxing and socializing. I do not have anything big planned this weekend, except a braai tomorrow afternoon (barbeque). I will be laying low and saving money because monday is my birthday!! I will be interested to see what the celebration is like here. I hope all is well for you, and I will hopefully be updating more frequently again. There is just so much going on! For those of you about to go abroad, good luck!!! You will truly enjoy yourself, it is a crazy experience. And for family and friends at home, I miss you all!
P.S. I got my first sunburn. Do not worry, it was gone the next day, and it was only on my shoulders, however I thought I would inform you. Otherwise, still no burns, so I am doing well!
No comments:
Post a Comment