Tuesday 5 July 2011

My last month is flying by.

Less than 4 weeks to go until the end of my placement, and I feel like time is slipping through my fingers. We were warned, but back in May it didn't seem too far in the future to worry about.

On Canada Day we invited some new friends over for a semi-traditional Braai (bbq). I alternated between worrying we wouldn’t have enough food, and worried we wouldn’t have too much, but it turned out perfectly. The menu included steaks, sausage, chicken, chili, lasagne, paap, sempe, chakala and buns. Our Motswana friends schooled us with their dance skills with a Canadian flag as our backdrop. We plastered everyone with Canadian flag tattoos and pushed our maple syrup candies. What more could you ask of Canada Day in Botswana?

The next two weeks are filled with traveling. On Friday morning I leave for Maun, in Northern Botswana. A friend from school is placed at an orphanage/day care in the area. Our plan is to visit her, see some wildlife, and relax.

Big news everyone! I have an exciting trip next week! I’ll be traveling to Adama, Ethiopia to represent the SADC Gender Unit at a UN Women meeting on the Africa UNite Campaign to End Gender Based Violence. I hardly need to express to you all that this is the trip and opportunity of a lifetime. I’m both nervous and excited! I’ll only be there for two days, with a day of travel on either end, so I’m sure it will be over before I know it. I hope in that short time I can at least get an impression of the country, and learn as much as possible at the meeting.

The night I return from Ethiopia is the beginning of the extra long weekend in Botswana, and I’ll go from the airplane to an overnight bus to Kasane in the North East. After a day safari on land and water, we’ll cross the border into Zimbabwe. “But isn’t that a dangerous country Angela?” You might ask. While their dictator Robert Mugabe oppresses the people, it’s not a dangerous place for visitors. The people who live in the area depend on tourism. I’m looking forward to meeting some of them and hearing their stories. In my next blog, I’ll share what I’ve learned. Our main reason for going is to see the world famous Victoria Falls, watch for my pictures on facebook.

I hope you all enjoyed your Canada Day, once again, thank you for reading!

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