Trying Things, the African way!

Yesterday I got an HIV/AIDS test right here on the good old University o f Botswana campus, not that for any reason I think that I have contracted the disease while being here, or had any concerns, but if Obama did I’ll do it. No but really, I thought that it could be a really substantial and memorable experience that I could do before I left this country, which seems to be quickly approaching. I don’t know, I guess I am just to much a produce of my up bringing and that consist of two important things: do on to others as you would like to be treated (which is still makes things interesting when you have siblings, even into your 20’s . . . or just a head ach for my dear mummy Kay), and before you make up your mind about a person walk a mile in their shoes, because a persons life is never a glamorous as you may think it is. This latter one always really hits home considering my lovely health. But I’ve digressed, let me continue this last month here I have really been focusing on really trying to see, feel, and experience everyday culture here. So to me being a student at UB having an HIV/AIDS test is with my fellow peers was something that was important for me to do at some point, also if I am going to preach at home and at my own campus awareness I have to practice what I preach, eh? So I sat down in the consulting room before hand and got asked tons of questions, some in which I didn’t always find necessary but I have come to learn that I am the white girl and something about that is novel. After confirming that I had prepared myself for the outcome no matter what it was I was sent into the lab which was across the hall. This is were I found things to have a wonderful comedic relief, I don’t know how many of you have ever gotten an HIV/AIDS test but I have found that one matter what, you freak yourself out, you maybe I am just an extremely worrisome person, however all of my friends who have been tested have said the same thing. I think it has a lot to do with the stigma’s that people have with HIV/AIDS and the lack of information people have about it in most of our worlds that we are living in, also most people in the states I feel don’t know about the great advances that have been made with ARV’s, making it that this is no longer a death sentence, still serious no doubt, but not a death sentence.

ARV’s are free here in Botswana so any one that’s CD4 count gets down to a certain number, one that means that they have moved across from HIV to AIDS they get all of their medical for free, yes logically you would say why let it even go there, but they do, and research is being done to make sure that in the future it doesn’t have to go there but for now . . . Anyway I am a little scared that here in Botswana - because of the free ARV’s and the fact that they personally see everyday that this is not as much of a death sentence, that they are not being as careful as they once were, and the pregnancies on campus are definite conformation of this. Oh and how cute these pregnant girls are!!! But that is a totally different subject for a different time, and really doesn’t help that I definitely think that pregnant women and the cutest most beautiful things ever.

Sorry for the anecdote, sometimes I feel like a position while I am writing these, but anyway the comedic relief in the lab room . . . the guy that took my blood had pictures of himself taped to the white walls all over the small room. One in his lab coat posed in front of the needles and rubber gloves, one of him looking dashing in his sunglasses, oh many more. However the best part for me was the music in the background. R. Kelly. People love him here! But not just R. Kelly, it was R. Kelly singing about two girls he just met and was getting to know (yes in the biblical sense) who had “crazy legs” and the effect of two women with “crazy legs” on one man. What an interesting song to have one while testing people for, in this country is mostly a sexually transmitted infection/disease. If just made me laugh. But the waiting outside in the hall with others for 45 minutes did not. That gave me time to think, a lot. On the upside, I um . . . made some friends while waiting, all for the same thing. I was very happy and excited when my results came back, and I was even happier that I had taken the test being able to sit with my peers and understand a little more.

Oh and on this journey of mine . . . I also got my hair did. I feel pictures are necessary to fully understand this wonderful thing, it was quite interesting, it gave me a little bit of a head ach, and those braids were really tight! It was a good thing and a bad, some people didn’t look at me look at me, talk to me, or try to touch me as much, and it stopped me from playing with my hair all the time, which is a horrible habit. Lastly, hair is really hot, and it was getting to the point where I was like, should I shave it all off, do this, that, and I can’t tell you how much cooler I felt, ahh it was nice. However on the other hand some people looked, talked to me, followed me more and it made things just as interesting, but not really in a good way. Also the headaches man the respect I have now for anyone that gets their hair braided. It takes a few days for it to stretch out. I also was getting lots of frizzies, so it started to look bad kind of quickly. But hey I did it, it was only 60p = 10 USD and I will always remember it.

It was called a fish tail braid if anyone was wondering.

Oh and today is an important day for all those Dems out there, so keep your fingers crossed!

And lastly I am having a beautiful quilt made and I got to design here in Gabs and I get to see it for the first time (not finished but still) this up coming weekend, I will try to take a picture!

venting

Today, yesterday, and tomorrow, mosquitoes are, were, and will be my mortal enemy. I fight with them all day, but especially at dusk as they bite my feet, back, and arms. When I try to seek refuge in my own postage stamp room, they patiently wait for me within my clothes in my closet until they know that I have crawled into bed. It is then that they emerge and they buzz in and around my ear to let me know that they are there, while I am defenseless in the dark moments of the night. Tricky basterd. See I feel that I have lived in this country long enough to not have to look like I have been overcome with a permanent case of the mumps, measles, small pox, or chicken pox. However, for the past three nights I have had very active fights with one active pest. He has been winning until just recently. While I have been writing this, I can proudly say, “I have taken the punk DOWN!” and he did not leave one drop of blood on my strong hands either as I pulled him off.
Yes, I know what you are thinking: A. Ew! Elizabeth that is so disgusting, why did you need to share that?! (the answer to that is to prove further that I won this battle, he can’t bug me anymore, and he didn’t get me once tonight, although let me tell you that little bugger tried!). B. Wow, I think she has spent a little too much time thinking about bugs while in Africa, and I’m scared (and I have). C. When did my gentle loving of all creatures, Eliz, turn into such a blood thirsty murderer?! Or. D. All of the above
If you chose D, don’t be embarrassed of yourself, least of all me! This is because I am embarrassed enough for the both of us. Please, don’t think for a second that I like the murderer that I am turning into. I am a little scared of her, yet the worst part of it all is that I have begun to enjoy killing these foes long ago. Even worse, I have started to look forward to the different sound that each one makes as I step on it or smack it to its doom. I know, I know, I preach being a pacifist, I am ageist the death penalty, and as little as five months ago you could have found me walking a spider outside. It’s also true that I study Buddhism, and strongly relate to this religion. But pray tell me . . . how many times are Tibetan monks disturbed a day up in their cave or monastery, way up in the mountains, to ants crawling up there feet and legs biting you every step of the way!? As you may have read in a past post . . . I am now dealing with roaches, and I only know of one way to get rid of them, and that it by killing them, ahh, but if you just knew that satisfying “pOp-ing” sound they make as they get squashed. The sigh that I breathe out after this is a great one, and the only thing that I can think of is, “This is one less roach that will try and crawl in my ear tonight!” And if you are wondering, NO, no roach has ever been caught on my body. However! I have heard stories and if you want to hear them just ask my mom about her early nursing days
Let me just close with this, as I pause to scratch another bug bite, I realize that this whole thing was written because I am sick of feeling like a horse shacking and swatting fly’s off my body, or even near my body. I no longer, if ever, care to see and observe the powdery residue left /loose on the wings of a moth after it is killed, I don’t like being woken up to ANYTHING buzzing in my ear, and I don’t think it is cool to have different kinds of spider bites mixed in with my mosquito bites. So, in conclusion, I am going to need a little vacation from bug on my return to the States, and if you want me to come over, have your exterminator’s receipt out for me to see and confirm upon my arrival to said places. Thank you and I hope that you really enjoy your bug free nights rest, because I rather not think about how many bits of “protein” I will be able to enjoy as I sleep and my body and mouth relax.

Oh and on a much lighter note, if anyone is looking for a good new band, I really like Vampire Weekend. I also know from personal experience that they are on the Jukebox at Shubba’s. I you happen to go there for any reason, play one of there songs and think of me, I will be sure to send you good vibes back. Oh and high fives all around . . . don’t get too excited, but if you want to jump up and down, well that’s understandable . . . Margot and the Nuclear So & So’s new album is coming out in months! My count down has long since started. And NO, “Broadripple Is Burning” did not make it on the new album, and your right, NO, I don’t want to talk about it.

Now, also featuring . . . Weird!

yep you got it. I have been struggling the last couple of post because there are things that i want to write about but they fall neither into the cheer nor jeer categories, thus starting the new category today entitled "Just Weird". I think that i am going to start with this one first today, and pray that one or both of my parents don't pop up too often from their stay here. . . just joshing ya'll!

Weird . . .
* Group projects, sorry i know this ones kind of lame, but i haven't had a group project since i was in middle school and now i have three, which is just new and i really don't know how i feel about it.
* My program here in Botswana is over and done in less then a month, and i lonely have a week and a half classes left before finals begin! Where did all this time go, and how do you get some of it back!?
* some kids in one of my group projects asking if i knew how to talk like a black person from the US. After i hesitated, one speaking up and just blurting out, "you see we can understand black people from your country better then we can understand you, so if you just talk like you were black for our project on monday i think it will be better for everyone." To be perfectly honest i really didn't know how to respond, or what to say when they continuously asked me to do it, and i still don't. Personally i find this on the weird side because if i were to walk around doing this at home for a presentation well some form of disciplinary action would probably be taken, and i think it is offensive, however . . . who knows, let us just say, i talked how i always do for our presentation, and everyone stared at me as if i had marbles in my mouth. But what else is new.
*Getting extremely board. You would think wow, she is in Africa, how could she ever get board, and i even think that myself sometimes. But with no car, no bike, and some prohibiting restrictions (ie class, and papers that i signed saying i wouldn't do this or that), there are times that i really don't think i have enough to do. But these are the times that everyone prays for when they are super busy, which is oddly how i like to live my life, so i am going to hold on to these feeling an remember them next time i don't think i am going to fit it all in. (PLEASE in no way think that i am not enjoying every min. i am here, Because i totally am, i just sit reading more then i would like to at times, esp when books are kind of hard to come by.

Cheers!
* White Sox baseball! God i hope its a good year and not just a good first few weeks.
* My mom and dad coming and visiting
*gambling with my mom and dad, and making lots of money!!!
* I am Officially going to Thailand, and i am leaving in one month!
* The nights here in Gabs are starting to get cooler . . . so maybe the days will a little.
*Clean laundry! and Clean sheets . . . It just such a task that it is a celebration when ever it is done!
* Everyone i have talked to in Africa, not only supporting Obama, But loving him!
*Seeing every animal i could have ever wanted on Safari with Bob and Kay.

Jeers.
*Bank of America forgetting that i am in Africa until May 3rd for the 4th time, thus not allowing me to take any money out of the ATM. boo
* My cell phone getting lost and having to go through the struggle of getting a new one.
*Cell phones having a 5sec+ delay when talk to people in the states. It makes me not want to talk to any one and it makes me grumpy.
* Missing people, not home sick, i just miss having some people in my life.
*My US roommates not doing there dishes after they eat and now having roaches in my apt. I am not a happy camper.

Easter

In honor of the Easter Holiday I going to post a little poem I wrote about Jesus Christ. I hope you can enjoy it and not get to offended.

Myth

Today I heard a myth, but
I heard it yesterday too.
It’s been preached to me
since I exited the womb.

The first time I kneeled
in front of your image
I thought I saw your face.

When I would swing,
The wind blowing my hair,
the bounce of the swing
Dropping my stomach
into my legs. I thought
that the drop was your
spirit entering me,
proving that I was special.

Something told me I could
be next to hold you reincarnated within me. But as the years passed, my belly never swelled.
Now I’m forced to stop and think
about you, pondering if you ever were immaculately conceived.

All the stories I heard in school
Readings, teachings, and
The homeless man who
screamed on the street
started to make me see you
Just like a made up myth.