Dumelang

Today was an adventure! I finally got up in time for breakfast.  It was delicious!  I had eggs, toast, oatmeal, and tea!  I went immediately to the registration office and started figuring out classes.  I only had to run to the education office in order to get information approved.  I also got my student ID today after waiting in a long line or "que" as they are known here. My Id has a nice yellow picture of me.  I think maybe the camera wasn't set right for white skin and blond hair.  Oh well.  I'm working it.  After going back to the registration office and haggling for more classes I was satisfied with my coarse load.  I think I may go tomorrow to the nursing school and see if I can add a class about aids/hiv but if I don't get it, I'm not worried.

After lunch, I set off with a group of people to hike Kgale Hill. The experience finding the place was an adventure in itself. We walked across campus and jumped in a combi. ( Combis are these little white van things that everyone travels in. They are cheap, costing 3.30 pula each ride. I only spent 2 American dollars traveling to and from Kgale.) The combi took us to rail park mall,  where we walked to another combi location, hopped on a second combi, and got dropped off at the base of the hill.  While slightly lost and confused, people were very nice to point us in the right direction. .. or most people anyway.  At the base of the hill, we explored for quite a while trying to find the trail.  We saw baboons!  Yes, real live baboons just chilling on dirt hills and crossing the road.  Amazing!  We also saw cows roaming around and grazing by themselves.  They had huge bells around their neck and could be heard from a good bit away.  The hike was petty steep but not too long and the view from the top was amazing.  It showed a view of Gaborne. (pronounced hab ah roni) We also had a view of several beautiful hills and the desert.  It was such a great sight!  It was just one of those moments of  "WOW, I'm in Africa!!"

After climbing down, we walked to game city.  It is the newest mall.  I got a loaf of bread because our free meals end tomorrow and we get our meal stipend.  We can eat at the dining halls which cost about 15 Pula each meal.  (2 bucks).  I'm going to try and eat breakfast and lunch in my dorm.  I don't have a microwave and I'm working on getting a fridge, so I'll see how that goes.  I figure peanut butter sandwiches will last me a while!  There are two dining halls (Refactories) on campus, two other food places, and two malls within walking distance.  The malls have a nice selection of food but take about 25 minutes to walk to.  Although, everything is just a short combi ride away.


I start classes tomorrow but apparently nobody usually goes.  I'm going to at least see if I can find these places.  oh boy!


Oh and here are just a few pieces of info that people have asked me:

• I bought a phone for 200 pula which included 20 or 30 minutes.  That's around $29 dollars.  When buying more minutes, each pula you pay equals about a minute.  Texts cost 25 thebe.  (100 Thebe = 1 dollar.)  
• As for the weather, it changes rapidly depending of if the sun is out.  At night it is pretty cold.  I'm guessing it gets to around 45-50..?  It's enough to make me layer up and snuggle under my blankets at night.  (Check for bringing a long sleeve shirt!)  During the day it is beautiful.  It is warm enough for shorts and a t-shirt but won't have you sweating like a maniac.  
• My dorms are called Las Vegas.  They were named that way because of all the lights around them. he he.  You know what they say.... "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas"  :) 
• There are around 70 exchange students but 20 or 30 of them are CIEE and they pretty much do their own thing currently.  The remaining people are in Isep or they have come directly from their university.  We have people from Sweden, Finland, Germany, Austria, Australia, Canada, Japan, and of course the states.  Most people are from the US but it's nice to have some variety!
  

Review:

• Botswana is the country
• Batswana are the people of the country
• Motswana is a person from the country
• Setswana is the language

(If you notice they all have "tswana" in them.  Tswana are a type of people in which Botswana was named after.)

 To say Hello in Setswana:

• Dumela - one person   (Pronouced  Do Mel Ah)
• Dumela mma- to a woman
• Dumela rra- to a man
• Dumelang- to a group of people

Interesting right?!
That's it for now.  More to come later. 
Peace out cub scouts!

P.S  I changed my settings so anyone should be able to comment now!