Hello from Botswana!

I have now been safe in Gaborone for almost 7 whole days. With everything that's been going on between packing and preparing to go, flying 24+ hours, orientation, room-switching, getting to know my fellow international students, registering for classes etc., I haven't had a lot of time to blog. But that changes today. My time in Botswana has already been one pretty incredible mixture of fun, anxiety, exhaustion, homesickness, and excitement all wrapped up together. The first 24 hours were particularly difficult, since I was jetlagged from 2 overnight flights, my accommodation at UB was not figured out yet, and I didn’t really know anyone yet. As each day comes, though, I am feeling more and more comfortable with the fact that I will be living here for the next four months. I have already met some wonderful international students, and being in their presence reminds me that I am not alone in the anxieties and feelings of disorientation that I may experience. Beyond being with fellow Americans and foreigners, though, the people of the University of Botswana and around Gaborone in general are very warm and welcoming. Most of the local students I engage in conversation with here are anxious to hear about where I come from and why I chose to study in Botswana. It really helps me feel even more at home realizing that, even though the international students have been told to be cautious about whom we become friends with here (since petty crime, especially theft, can be a problem), the students at UB really are genuinely good people.

Last night, after eating Botswana’s traditional meal in the cafeteria (rice, beef or chicken with a stew-like sauce over the rice, and vegetables) I went to see The Tourist with a group of ISEP students, which was a lot of fun. We piled into a combi (quite the experience!), paid our 3 pula for the ride and saw the movie at the Rivermarket Mall, one of the many malls in Gaborone where you can shop for all sorts of things. Today I was officially registered as a student here and began my first day of classes. I’m taking Setswana, which I am looking forward to because I will be able to utilize it in communicating with the local people; Sustainable Development, a solid environmental class; an African Religions course; and a politics class on the management of natural resources. I am impressed by the university more and more each day—the faculty seems very committed to helping their students learn, and—even though it’s frustratingly confusing sometimes—the overall appearance of the campus is very appealing to the eye. And everywhere I go, students say hello and look at me with such intrigue on their faces—a true exchange of culture happens in those moments.
I look forward to what lies ahead for me this semester in Botswana, from classes to volunteering to safaris! Keep reading!



the graduate student villas where I live



sunset at a barbecue for the international students