I grew up in Ottawa, went to school there and eventually began a career in the city I have forever called home. Ask anyone who knows me and they will tell you that although I have spent most of my life in Ottawa, I'm not a real fan of the city. I think it's small and doesn't have enough life.
Well that was the case until I moved to Maun.
Living in Maun makes me appreciate the little things that Ottawa has to offer like paved roads, coffee shops and restaurants open past 4 p.m. and movie theaters. Back home, my best friend Roxanne and I created what we call "the movie gang." Basically, as the title suggests, we are a gang of people that goes to the movies a lot. We are the ones who wait in line for two hours on opening night of pretty much any major movie. Throughout the years, Rox and I have invited new members and kicked most of the them out (that's right, were talking to you Ding Dong!). In the end, Rox, Rod-Todd and I were the core crew and I gladly spent most of my Tuesday or Saturday nights checking out movies with them.
So all this to say, that I miss not only them, but movies. Luckily for me, Blair and Jude have come to the rescue. Through some clever tactics, they are now the proud owners of a projector. They then purchased a large roll of white clothe, hooked it up to two long wooden polls to create a large screen and one night we sat down to watch our first big screen movie in Maun.
Our society has since grown and we now hold movie nights twice a month. We try to vary the type of movie we play. We cater to children sometimes while other nights are adult-only for films like Inglorious Basterds. We charge 10 pula per person (less than a dollar) and all proceeds go the the Maun Animal Welfare Society. Our biggest turnout so far was when 30 people filled our yard with picnic chairs, blankets and mattresses for a viewing of Avatar. I had already seen it as I was in Canada when it first came out, but for Maun residents, this was their first glimpse of the Oscar-winning film.
Maun is not and will never be a cosmopolitan and exciting town, but the Maun Film Society provides a little comfort of home and reminds me never to forget my movie gang.
Today, a goat gave birth on the road in front of our offices. Fellow Canadian volunteer, Kyle, and I excitedly ran out to take photos and videos while the locals laughed at us. I guess random goat births on the side of the road are just part of the daily routine for long-time residents of Maun. Here is a video of the two little ones standing up for the first time. Too cute!
Whoever said Canadian mosquitoes were bad, never met the evil Botswana mosquito. This is how my legs, arms and sometimes even my face look like when the bugs attack. Which by the way, is far too often.
Maun is a village located in Northern Botswana, at the edge of the Okavango Delta. It is a strange mixture of safari companies, NGOs and expats. Although 80,000 people live in this area, there are only two tar roads and no traffic lights. Here are a few things to know about Maun:
1.All bars close at 11 (This is a fairly new law in Botswana as an attempt to reduce drinking. Hasn’t worked, particularly in Maun. People just start drinking earlier).
2.There are more stray dogs, donkeys and goats in this town than there are people.
3.All white people wear khaki-coloured cargo pants and khaki shirts. On one of my first days of work at the Maun Counselling Centre, I wore a purple dress and my coworkers looked at me in disbelief. “Why aren’t you wearing khaki?” they asked. “I don’t own anything khaki,” I replied. “You lie!” they exclaimed. It took me a few minutes to convince them that I truly did not own anything cargo or khaki-related, but that purple dress broke the ice and helped me forge relationships with the women I work with. A purple dress. That’s all it took. A note to all my Caucasian friends: when and if you visit, bring some cargos and some khakis but don’t forget to add a little colour. This little gesture will go a long way in getting to know locals.
4.Nando’s fast food is considered a fine meal.
5.Maun is set to experience its first flood in 34 years. The water is rising
6.No one actually has HIV or AIDS. Could’ve fooled me. Although this disease has ravaged the country, people still refuse to talk about it within their communities and with their peers. Sure there are plenty of ads, billboards, literature, etc about the HIV statistics in Botswana, however, no one will talk about it. It is still a huge stigma to be infected with HIV and when people die from this disease, no one will ever acknowledge it. Everyone here dies of pneumonia, tuberculosis or the “black magic”, never of AIDS.
7.Termite mounds are considered landmarks.
8.When people talk about malls, they mean a grouping of shops next to each other, kind of like our version of outlet malls, but smaller, dirtier and all run by Asians.
9.It’s GNAW-kia, not NO-key-A
10.Although it has a lot of flaws, Maun is growing on me. Especially the outskirts of Maun where the lions, leopards, wild dogs and elephants roam. I’ve been fortunate to spend a few weekends in the bush and it is spectacular!
First flight=cancelled. Replacement flight=delayed. Next flight=delayed. Following flight=delayed…a lot...as in 24 hours sitting in London. Thank god for sneaking into the British Airways lounge! Next flight= missed because of prior delays. Subsequent flight=cancelled. And finally after two days, five airports, four flights, lost luggage, found luggage and a bad case of jetlag, I arrived in Botswana, ready to begin my new adventure.
I am in Botswana as a volunteer with the Uniterra program, a joint initiative between World University Services Canada and the Centre for International Studies and Cooperation. The goal of this initiative is to work in partnership with local organizations to build their capacity in various fields. In Botswana, Uniterra partners with organizations working in the HIV and AIDS sector, as the disease has reached pandemic level in this country.
The national HIV rate in Botswana is 17.6%, the second highest in the world, behind neighbouring Swaziland. Women have been the most affected by the disease with an infection rate of 50% for women aged 30-34. It is a terrifying statistic, especially as I will soon be entering this age bracket. It is nearly impossible to find someone who hasn’t been affected by HIV and AIDS in this country. Either you know someone who is infected or has lost a parent, friend or relative to the disease or your work is directly or indirectly related to HIV.
Over the next two years, I will work as a Communication Advisor for four NGOs, each somehow doing their part to ease the burden of HIV in Botswana. The Botswana Predator Conservation Trust is a wildlife conservation organization which runs a social development program which uses soccer skills and drills to teach children about the importance of protecting their environment. In order for kids to care about the future of wildlife and their habitat, they have to care about their own future, one which hopefully is HIV-free.
Maun Counselling Centre is an HIV testing and counselling centre which also provides services such as pre- and post-tests, clubs, advocacy for orphans and vulnerable children and mobilizes the community in the areas of equality between women and men, being faithful to one partner and grief and bereavement. It also runs a daycare centre for children aged 2 to 6 who have been affected by HIV.
The Ngamiland Council of NGOs helps build the capacity for all member organizations and lobbies government on their behalf. The Kuru Development Trust is the first NGO in Botswana that is devoted to a strategy of affirmative action towards the San, otherwise known as the Bushmen.
I am beginning a series of firsts in my life: First time that I have worked for four organizations at once. First time I have lived in a village and not in a large city. First time working in the HIV and AIDS sector. I am excited but nervous at the same time. And first foray into the blog world. Wish me luck!!!
