back to (a different kind of) reality

Really Tall Giraffe in Savuti

After almost eight months in Botswana (so grateful for sabbatical leaves) it is time for me to head back to “reality”, or at least a "different kind of reality". On the eve of my departure I thought it might be appropriate to reflect on what I’ll miss about Botswana and what I’m looking forward to when I return to the States (I would say “home” but “home” really does seem to be where my suitcase is these days).

Of course, one of the most obvious things I’ll miss is Paul. This is the longest stretch of time we have ever spent together since we met in 2007 (for all but two weeks of the last eight months we have been together). And while there were certainly moments that were challenging (if you know either or both of us, you know how “strong willed” we are), for the most part we have found a nice rhythm together that I will miss dearly. 

I'll also miss Spike, "the dog that is not my dog." This sweet little Jack Russel (our landlord's dog) has been part of our evening life on the ostrich farm. He arrives when we return from work, eats dinner, watches TV with us, and spends the night. In the morning, after chewing my toes and pulling on my bathrobe cord, he is off to do whatever his day time ritual is (I still think we should mount Paul's "GoPro" camera on a little helmet for him and see what he does all day).  

Sable Antelope

 

I’ll also miss the bush. As I’ve mentioned before one of the best parts of being is Maun, is getting out of Maun to the bush. This past weekend (and Monday and Tuesday) we spent in Savuti, Nogothsaa (a central/eastern area of the Chobe National Park that I haven’t been to before) and Kasane/the Chobe River front. Paul was doing some mapping and meeting the Wildlife Department.

Super moon in Nogosthaa

The list of things I’ll miss about the bush is quite long as I think about our most recent trip. As I lay there at night in Savuti listening to the roar of lions coming from three different directions I thought, what an amazing life I have…I will miss this. I’ll also miss the isolation. In Nogothsaa, a very remote and beautiful area of the park, we only saw one vehicle all day (and that was a BDF – Botswana Defense Force vehicle out doing anti-poaching activities). As we watched a ginormous orange “super moon” rise over the pan and watering hole we were camping near, I sang “Dancing in the Moonlight” as we danced with no one else in sight and I thought…I will miss this. When we encountered a pack of eight wild dogs prancing down the road in front of us I thought… I will miss this. As we sat on the deck of Chobe Safari Lodge sipping a margarita at sunset watching a rather large crocodile (probably ~10 feet long) boldly wiggle its way on the surface of the water after eating a fish, I thought…I’ll miss this.

Wild dogs in the road

Margaritas at Chobe Safari Lodge

Sunset at Chobe Safari Lodge

But trying to stay positive about my return (so I won’t cry for the entire 24+ hours it takes me to get home) and being honest about the difficulties of living in Africa I should mention a few things I won’t miss including: dust, lack of food diversity (although it has gotten better now that there is a Woolworth’s food store in town, if you are willing to pay the price), “hobbled” donkeys (they often tie the front feet of their donkeys so that they don’t stray too far but it makes it impossible for them to move with ease), too skinny TWDs – Third World Dogs (kind of tan colored short haired dogs that are everywhere and certainly look like they need more food), and the general difficulty of operating in Botswana.

One recent example involves keeping up-to-date with needed licenses for vehicles. In order to register and pass roadworthiness for our two safari vehicles, we had to hire a man to work for four days (that’s right 4 days, I’ll never complain about an American DMV line again!) including standing in line starting at midnight in order to (perhaps) be helped the next day. Craziness!

New paint job at Paul's office block

There are so many things about this culture that, while I do my best to try to understand, I don’t.  Another example involves hiring some workers to paint Paul’s office block. While they did an excellent job, when it came time to pay, we received a bill that was five times higher (that’s right 5 times higher!) than the original quote. Several days of measuring and negotiation and we managed to pay only 3 times more than we were quoted (which actually seemed like a fair price given the amount of work) but misunderstandings or attempts to bilk the client happen all the time. Another set of workers we had hired recently tried to charge us for work at the house that they didn’t even do! When we confronted them on this they simply said, “Let’s not fight. We will come back and do the work.” No apology for lying. There is clearly some type of cultural discord going on here as there is no shame or guilt or remorse for attempting to cheat someone. It is as if, “I’ll try to cheat them and if it works, great and if not, oh well.” Talk about “biting the hand that feeds you.” We had used these two workers for several jobs and had planned to do so in the future but won't now and the irony is that they showed up after this incident asking for more work as if nothing had happened. I don’t get it (and the looks on their faces suggest that they don’t “get” our response either).

Another view of the new paint job

On a positive note I’m looking forward to returning to see my Greenville friends and to be able to have closer contact with my family and other long distance friends (without a 6 to 9 hour time difference which can be difficult to coordinate). I’m looking forward to our annual Labor Day Beach Weekend at Isle of Palms to catch up on all that’s happened in everybody's life over the summer and to see how their kids have grown in my absence. I’m looking forward to seeing my girls at book club. I’m excited about teaching my new course on the “Social Determinants of Health” that I’ve worked on creating over my sabbatical and am hopeful that the students will find the material as fascinating as I do. I’m trying to look forward to the two job searches my department will do this fall to replace some of our recently departed faculty (we’ve lost four of eight members of our department since February! To clarify “lost” as in they have gone other places to teach). Lots of work ahead but first I’ve got endure the 30 hours of travel that separates my two lives or should I say, my two realities?

Young zebra crossing a pan (if only getting back to the States was this easy)