Africa Light

Some of our Local-born friends tell us that what we experience here in Botswana is “Africa Light”.  This, they tell us, is a mere shadow of “real” Africa.  I try to imagine what they might mean.

We experience weekly power outages.  Though these are planned, they aren’t promulgated, as best as we can tell.  Much less frequently we lose water too.  A few weeks ago we were advised by the US Embassy to boil all our drinking water.  We didn’t think that would work, so we are drinking local water without ill effects (so far).  None of this is particularly noteworthy to locals.

I’ve written about the potholes previously.  Two of my students, in one class of 184, missed the exam due to deaths in the family.  One lost his sister when she was beat to death by her boyfriend.

Cows roam the streets here in the capitol city.  Robberies and muggings are common.  In the last three months we have chatted with people robbed and mugged during that period.   This explains why many stores have formidable chains locking their doors.

We have seen cows, horses, goats, donkeys in the road, along with baboons and elephants.  Monkeys more than dogs are likely to get into your garbage.  Lizards abound, big ones too.  We have seen many wild animals up close and personal.  Little independent vendors line the streets selling candy by the piece, along with roasted corn, watermelons, mangoes, bananas, and some sort of cooked food.

Most people here travel by combi.  Combis are 15-passenger vans, typically full.

Everyone here knows there way around.  Intriguing because there are very few street signs, and no one uses street names.  Landmarks are referenced, but these may not have signs identifying them.

You can’t carry a bag into a store.  On exiting, your receipt is checked against your bag contents.  Sunscreen and other things of high value in a supermarket are sold behind a special counter in the front.  Stores close pretty early but our standards.

Bathrooms are almost 100% lacking in paper towels.  Many also lack a more essential paper item.

Each morning at 0545 someone blows an automobile horn in our parking lot to signal the arrival of the “private school combi”.

You can get your hair cut, your auto repaired, or play a game of pool in a tent beside the road.  You can buy cow heads at the local grocery along with wildebeest and chicken feet.   You can get malaria pills without a prescription here, but I am not clear on what does require a script.

But know too that we live less than a kilometer from a nice art center,  and just a bit further from a free Botanical Garden.  There is a very cheap Game Park just about 5 KM from our apartment.  We get to hear Praise and Worship music sung in Tswana.  Lots of different hair styles exist in more braid patterns than I could ever have imagined.  Flowers abound.  Most everyone will give you a smile and a “dumela” in exchange for one from you.  The stars are especially beautiful, as is the sky and the frequent rainbows.

And where else can you experience a robbery by two monkeys?

Africa Light, indeed.