Yesterday I came home to find kids throwing rocks at a monkey in one of the trees of our back yard. It was another grey one with the black face. He was a lone ranger and the neighbor was pretty mad at him because apparently the monkey has been eating his garden crops. He wanted to kill him. If I was home earlier I would have got to see him hanging out on the roof of my man cave.
Two of the girls might get deported because Botswana is not processing their residents permits quick enough. The the government workers are not striking (illegal in this country) but working so slow that everything is backing up in order to force the government to pay them more money.
I saw a bull with his herd walking down a back street today and a bird was catching a ride and eating bugs off him.
Yesterday E.J and I went to Gaborone to pick up materials and we stopped at a used car parts store. That place was unbelievable. The biggest chop shop you have ever seen. Every kind of part hanging everywhere and on shelves. I really did question how much of it was legal and how much not.
Also we went to a few hardware stores in Gaborone. Man I love hardware stores! But we could not find some of the hardware I needed to fix the swings at the Day Care Centre so I had to bust out the stick welder and piece some of the old ones back together. They turned out well but it was time consuming.
There was a 4 inch lizard living in my room for a few days. I could hear him at night sometimes. Finally I found him and was able to shoo him out the door.
Monday's aerobics was pretty intense. At one point I went outside because I felt like I might hurl if I did not get some fresh air. They keep all the doors open and one fan running but when there are 30 people just givin'r its gets pretty hot and stale!
I have been learning many things about the Botswanan people. The other night I walked to the office with two nationals and as cool as they were, I just wanted to knock their heads together. The two guys wont even work if someone pays them because the pay is not enough. I will give you some perspective. These two guys have NO experiential skills. The men in this country generally dont teach their sons much and all they have accomplished, is graduating secondary school. They are not stupid but they have no experiential skills that would initially benefit an employer. Yet they will not work for little money. They want full wages. I tried to explain to them all the volunteering Canadians do through school and other programs. They just laughed thought it was crazy that we would work for free. They laugh that we work for free while we acquire jobs and they do nothing, EVERYDAY. I am not even kidding. Most people 18-21 are awaiting their test scores from secondary school so they cannot go to college and will not work to acquire skills that will help them become employed. Most will not go to college regardless.
E.J and I talked about this while travelling to and from Gaborone. His insight was very beneficial. He and Koekoes have been working with these people a long time and they make him very angry sometimes because of their selfishness. Despite what you hear on T.V, this is a very materialistic people. EVERYONE wants to be rich and not do much for it. Even pastors wives pressure them because they "cannot keep living such a low income lifestyle". Meanwhile pastors live very well because many of them preach the prosperity gospel.
It is a well known fact that when travelling to other parts of the world, you eat what they serve you. This is also very important in Botswana. It is a slap to the face if you dont eat what they serve you. HOWEVER, they feel no hesitation to refuse what others serve them. E.J told me stories about some nationals refusing to eat many things at white peoples homes. One worker was even given a complimentary trip to a European country and when there, refused food. Koekoes used to drill it into the national volunteers that they were to eat whatever is served them. They dont see it as rude to refuse but its rude if you refuse them.
Now, there is good in these people just like there is in anyone else but I do warn you investigate who you give financial help to. I am EXTREMELY hesitant to give a single penny to these people because they have enough to live and many of them are to lazy to go and find a job, or keep one if they find it. If they had the ambition to work and still could not afford to feed themselves then I would assist in any way I could. But people have to find workers in Zimbawee and bring them into Botswana because the Zimbaweeans are willing to work hard because there are no jobs. Botswana has money. I have seen Jaguars, Audi's, high end BMW's and other expensive cars driving around Gaborone. There are very fancy and very large houses in Gaborone. All this to be said, give whatever you can to those in need but dont be foolish about your giving. Do a little research. Check out www.nationwares.com on ways to support and be a part of social enterprise. In this way people who have the drive to provide for themselves can do so and work to build a more economically stable country for their children and grandchildren.
Two of the girls might get deported because Botswana is not processing their residents permits quick enough. The the government workers are not striking (illegal in this country) but working so slow that everything is backing up in order to force the government to pay them more money.
I saw a bull with his herd walking down a back street today and a bird was catching a ride and eating bugs off him.
Yesterday E.J and I went to Gaborone to pick up materials and we stopped at a used car parts store. That place was unbelievable. The biggest chop shop you have ever seen. Every kind of part hanging everywhere and on shelves. I really did question how much of it was legal and how much not.
Also we went to a few hardware stores in Gaborone. Man I love hardware stores! But we could not find some of the hardware I needed to fix the swings at the Day Care Centre so I had to bust out the stick welder and piece some of the old ones back together. They turned out well but it was time consuming.
There was a 4 inch lizard living in my room for a few days. I could hear him at night sometimes. Finally I found him and was able to shoo him out the door.
Monday's aerobics was pretty intense. At one point I went outside because I felt like I might hurl if I did not get some fresh air. They keep all the doors open and one fan running but when there are 30 people just givin'r its gets pretty hot and stale!
I have been learning many things about the Botswanan people. The other night I walked to the office with two nationals and as cool as they were, I just wanted to knock their heads together. The two guys wont even work if someone pays them because the pay is not enough. I will give you some perspective. These two guys have NO experiential skills. The men in this country generally dont teach their sons much and all they have accomplished, is graduating secondary school. They are not stupid but they have no experiential skills that would initially benefit an employer. Yet they will not work for little money. They want full wages. I tried to explain to them all the volunteering Canadians do through school and other programs. They just laughed thought it was crazy that we would work for free. They laugh that we work for free while we acquire jobs and they do nothing, EVERYDAY. I am not even kidding. Most people 18-21 are awaiting their test scores from secondary school so they cannot go to college and will not work to acquire skills that will help them become employed. Most will not go to college regardless.
E.J and I talked about this while travelling to and from Gaborone. His insight was very beneficial. He and Koekoes have been working with these people a long time and they make him very angry sometimes because of their selfishness. Despite what you hear on T.V, this is a very materialistic people. EVERYONE wants to be rich and not do much for it. Even pastors wives pressure them because they "cannot keep living such a low income lifestyle". Meanwhile pastors live very well because many of them preach the prosperity gospel.
It is a well known fact that when travelling to other parts of the world, you eat what they serve you. This is also very important in Botswana. It is a slap to the face if you dont eat what they serve you. HOWEVER, they feel no hesitation to refuse what others serve them. E.J told me stories about some nationals refusing to eat many things at white peoples homes. One worker was even given a complimentary trip to a European country and when there, refused food. Koekoes used to drill it into the national volunteers that they were to eat whatever is served them. They dont see it as rude to refuse but its rude if you refuse them.
Now, there is good in these people just like there is in anyone else but I do warn you investigate who you give financial help to. I am EXTREMELY hesitant to give a single penny to these people because they have enough to live and many of them are to lazy to go and find a job, or keep one if they find it. If they had the ambition to work and still could not afford to feed themselves then I would assist in any way I could. But people have to find workers in Zimbawee and bring them into Botswana because the Zimbaweeans are willing to work hard because there are no jobs. Botswana has money. I have seen Jaguars, Audi's, high end BMW's and other expensive cars driving around Gaborone. There are very fancy and very large houses in Gaborone. All this to be said, give whatever you can to those in need but dont be foolish about your giving. Do a little research. Check out www.nationwares.com on ways to support and be a part of social enterprise. In this way people who have the drive to provide for themselves can do so and work to build a more economically stable country for their children and grandchildren.
