Better late than never

Hello people!  Here's a post from earlier in the week that I wasn't able to post because of sketchy internet! Apparently this week, UB did not like google or any other fancy website.  Thank goodness there are other search engines out there or I would have been in a pickle!   On the topic of intenet, Pandora will not work here but I found a new website called Jango.  It streams music for me pretty well.  Yay music! :)

Tuesday

Tuesday was a "get er done" day.  I went to class Tuesday morning and then decided I would do laundry instead of attend my 10am class.  I packed up all my dirty clothes, grabbed my laundry detergent, and headed to the washing facility.  When I got there it was like a mad house.  Of the machines that were working, all of them were being used and people were calling machines so that each machine had a line of people waiting to use it.  I was a bit overwhelmed and finally these two super nice girls helped me out.  They arranged for me to get their machines after and then chatted with me for awhile.  I did two loads and headed back to my room to hang my clothes up in the windows of my common room.  The whole process took about 2.5 hours.    Once I was back in my room I got busy working on a lab report.  I was tempted to skip Setswana in order to continue working on the lab report.  Instead I made a deal with myself that I could have an egg and cheese papata if I went to class.

It was delicious!  I know this isn't the best picture but I'm including it anyway.  I really miss eggs!  After class, I continued to do school work and then went for a run.  I ran 39 minutes averaging a 11 minute mile.  Woo hoo!  It's nice to see progress! I ran with a girl who does track and cross country so she's a good motivator. 

Wednesday

I skipped French class in order to split a cab out to Mokolodi with Rebeccca.  Yay reduced price!  Our project Wednesday was to catch up all the birds, check them over, and weigh them.  This included two large vultures, a martial eagle, a heroin, and two owls.  We also weighed the tortoises and two pythons.  It was quite an ordeal.  I’m glad I had the experience from Crow on how to properly handle the animals.  Another volunteer is trying to start a program where they will be weighed every month to keep track of them but I really doubt that will happen once we leave.  It’s a tight rope to walk because on one hand you want to make sure the animals are healthy, but you also do not want to stress them too much or cause injury to your volunteers/staff.   How do you ensure that captive wild animals have an adequate lifestyle, enough enrichment, proper diets, the correct habitat all on a nonprofit budge with not enough staff to go around?  Keeping animals that were previously wild in a cage for the rest of their lives is a big responsibility yet they can do a lot of good in educating people about the importance of respecting wildlife, conservation, etc.  Again.. It's a fine line to walk.   I'm still working on where I stand with issues like these.  Meanwhile, I'm busy collecting experiences!

Miss. Jones- A vulture with an old wing injury.  I believe she's been there for 10 years or so.

 The martial eagle.  What a majestic animal.  He was actually really docile when caught.  I think a past volunteer tried to train him to a glove.  I can't imagine.  He's simply too big.









For the rest of the day we played with snakes, broke up some dirt, and made a few adjustments to the new roof we put on.  While holding the larger python, I apparently moved my leg to fast for its liking and it bit me.  It’s the first time I’ve been bitten by a snake.  It really didn’t hurt, nothing like a dog or cat bite, but it did draw some blood.  I got this great picture that makes it look intense, but I promise it wasn’t.   The girl has been feisty recently because she hasn’t been getting handled as much as she should be.   The employee running the sanctuary is no longer working there so everything is in a bit of transition right now. It felt that most of the day we were just waiting around for a job, or waiting to find someone, or tracking down this.  The time of doing nothing can be a bit frustrating.  I always feel like I should be doing something.  I think this is just part of the adjustment to African time. 

Wednesday night I was exhausted.  I hand wrote the lab report I had finished the day before.  It took me like an hour and a half.  Quite a waste of time!  The teacher wanted everyone to practice their penmanship.  Unfortunately, I believe that she will be requiring handwritten work for most things.  Well, I guess here is one way for me to work on my spelling abilities.   After writing that I hit the hay.  

 

Thursday

Ohhhh Thursdays… My longest school days… and usually the most special.

My morning was normal as usual.  I had two classes and then went back to my room for a bit of a snack and to study.  At 1 I headed off to Setswana.  I’m better adjusting to the new teacher but it still has it’s special moments.  The teacher really tries but it is all a bit slow and boring.  Never less, I am learning Setswana bit by bit!  ( I can tell at the vet clinic I’m better able to recognize words!)  After Setswana,  I headed to my physiology lab.   The same man who gave me heck last week for trying to walk into the lab room without my lab coat on again caught me outside the lab today.  He walked up to me and asked what lab I planned on going to.  Confused me was like uhhhh bio 214…?  His response was “not with those shoes, I will not let you in this lab, you must go…” and then he sashayed off into lab before I could respond.  I started the long journey to the other side of campus to put on shoes that were not opened toed.  It bothered me so much because he had been so rude about it.  Like obviously, I’m not sure to the way things are done here.  I didn’t think drawing and labeling eye ball and ear models would require close toed shoes. I arrived back at lab twenty minutes late and still managed to walk in with four other people.  The lab itself was simple and basic.  They didn’t like my drawings because I hadn’t used a ruler and it wasn’t perfect, but everything was labeled right and you could obviously tell what it as.   She gave me a 7/10, preached to me the importance of drawing well and how I would fail the test if I couldn’t, and sent me on my way before most of the other students were done.  Aye Aye Aye. I’m sorry but I do not have the patience or motivation to spend two hours meticulously drawing an eyeball.  There is a reason I’m a scientist and not an artist. I think I’m destined to just be the odd man out in that lab.

After lab, I decided that a run was necessary because I was all antsy (and trying to avoid studying for my test…)  I did a new loop where I left campus and headed to river walk.  I enjoyed the loop but felt pretty tired and stopped after 31 minutes.  I used map my run (love that thing) and saw that I ran a 10 minute mile!  (I increased speed so that’s my excuse for running less time….)   For the rest of the night, I studied for my Dynamics of Savanna Ecosystems test on Friday and then crashed around 12.  

It was quite a busy week.  I think next week will be much smoother and then it will be time for break! Woo hoo!

Gratitude lately

I am grateful for...

Clean sheets and a fresh made bed

 Letters from home

 Tea time!

Easy open cans of beans! 

My roommate!

 My computer and how convenient it is to contact home

 

 

 How easy my first test was

My 2nd adventure abroad with this chick finally official.

Three months and counting...

 

Have you taken time to be grateful today?

Freshers Ball

You may wonder... "Kaylee,  Why are you posting on your blog on a Saturday night.  Should you not be out doing something?" 

Well, I've been  "locked in"  my room for the afternoon and night.  That's not to say I didn't have a productive morning.   I went grocery shopping, for a run, and took a shower today all before 1pm! 

Each year a big dance, called the Freshers Ball, is held at the stadium for ub students.  They have dj's and music lasts throughout the day and into the night.  It sounds fun right!  Unfortunately, each year there is usually a lot of trouble associated with the ball.  Last year was apparently really bad.  Rumors circulating report people getting mugged, stabbed, raped, and rooms getting broken into.  The international students are apparently easy/wanted targets.  We were advised by both local students and the international office to not attend the ball and not only that but to stay locked in our dorms and not open the door for anyone.  Not very comforting, but nothing has gone amiss so far.  It's been a day of forced productivity.  I've researched travel options, taken a nap, and studied for my mammalian physiology test on Monday.  

Here are a few tidbits from the end of my week...

Thursday:

• I checked the international office, post office, and mail room in the administration building for a package.   No luck yet.... 
• I tasted my first cheese and egg papata.  WOW!  It was delicious!  I'm really going to want one all the time now... it was a bittersweet discovery.... :) 
• My physiology class was super short because all we did was discuss what would be on the test!  Woo!  Unexpected free time.
• I took old sheets in and received fresh and ironed new ones.  Wonderful. It's the little things in life....
• I had my third setswana class with my new teacher.  I hate to complain or sound whiny, but it was literately horrible.  The poor teacher doesn't really know what we've learned so far, she's not exciting, she repeats things over and over, and she gets confused often.  They split the class up, so that there are two smaller classes.  This is supposed to make it easier for us to learn.  But I miss my old class and old teacher!!!!!   But these are one of those times, where you just have to get over it.  If I keep up with this attitude I will do nothing but make myself miserable.  Therefore,  here's to a new experience to challenge myself!  Cheers.  
• I had a physiology lab.  We used programs on the computer.  It was very slow and monotonous.  Then they surprised us with a pop quiz.  Yeah, that didn't go well.....
• For dinner, I went to the curry pot  (the dining hall).  I ordered a special noodle mix thing and beans!  Yum
• Finally, the best and most productive thing of Thursday was my personal statement.  I created copy 2,932.  I like this one because it sounds more professional and explains more about how I felt with each experience.  I need to stop worrying over it and submit my applications soon!  

Friday:

• I again searched for my package.  I'm hoping that the delay is caused by "african time" and not that it is lost...  I am excited to check Monday! 
• I met someone at the library to buy a school book I needed.  The  bookstore was selling it for 600 pula and I just refused to pay that much.  I bought this one for 300, which was still a bit high in my opinion but at least now I have a book.  We've become well acquainted today.
• While at the library I plopped down on one of the couches to get some work done.   While there I couldn't help but keep glancing at the tv. There was some movie on that looked like it came straight from a sci-fi network.  How ironic that it was playing in a school library in the middle of Botswana.  
• Friday afternoon, I headed to the vet clinic.  Nora was already there and she got to see a dog with an uterine prolapse.  The afternoon was a bit sad.  We had to put down the dog we previously had done a blood transfusion on.  They believed she was bleeding internal and had planned to open her up, but she had a large seizure.  It was decided the best thing would be to end her suffering.  The second euthanasia was of a small puppy with parvo.  The euthanasia was done by injecting the blue juice straight into the heart instead of into a vein.  This is the first time I've seen this done on a conscious patient and I can't say it was the best experience.  Even so, good experiences or bad, I am so thankful to be able to assist and learn at the clinic.  I wish I was able to devote more time there! 
• I spent several hours in the dining hall for dinner socializing with different people and gossiping about the freshers ball.  It was fun and nice to not have to worry about anything.
• Friday night, I walked over to a group of people to Gaborone Sun.  It is a nice hotel with a golf course and casino.  That was the first time I've ever been in a casino.  I think I'm too stingy to enjoy loosing my money.  I did discover the game of blackjack.  It was fun to watch.    I probably won't be back soon.  There are too many other cool things to do here!  

Random facts:
The "2nd floor"  is actually the 3rd floor in american standards.   So if someone tells you "2nd floor"  go up two flights of steps!   
Fresh fruit smoothies do not exist here.  The "smoothies" they sell taste like milkshakes.  (Which are usually still delicious!) 
Bread, is sold mostly in a large loaf.  There is a machine at the store that you can use to slice the loaf.   My roommate bought one today.  She swears the bread is amazing.  I have been buying pre-sliced whole wheat bread, so maybe next time I'll adventure out!

Handy man in training

Hello beautiful people!

I know I'm a couple days late but happy labor day!  Labor day hints at the end of summer!  Is fall really that close!?  Fall is my favorite time of year so I'm going to sure miss it!

I've been keeping busy here!  Monday I spent the first part of the day at the vet clinic where I was able to observe 2 dentals, help take 2 x-rays, observe a bee-sting, and participate in several checkups.  I also enjoyed my first tea time.  I love how this experience is giving me the opportunity to interact with locals!
Monday afternoon I battled a setswana quiz and the start of a research paper.  I finally finished my paper around 11pm.  I am truly a procrastinator.  

Tuesday, I spent most of the day stressing over my personal statement.  I came here with a ps that I was proud to send off to vet school and now I've changed it quite a bit.  The thing stresses me out!  What gets me the most is they don't want to know that you have worked with animals for a long time. I've read in several places not to include animal experience before college.  UH HELLO!  I spent 8 years volunteering with my shelter, you don't want to hear about it???  Do you not think it is important?  Well listen her ps readers,  if I spent 8 years doing it, you can spend 2 minutes reading my paragraph about it!  I know I need to just finish it up and get over it.  I hopefully have a strong enough application that a school will like me regardless!

With vet school on my mind, I've been looking around at different blogs from people in vet school.  Yes, they make it sound intimidating, hard, and capable of inducing severe breakdowns, but I'm still so excited!  I've been wanting to go to vet school for as long as I can remember and now I'm actually applying!  Wow!  Don't get me wrong, I'm enjoying every minute here, but I also can't help be excited about my future! I've been thinking a lot about where to apply.  I really wish it weren't so expensive!  I'll let you guys know when I finally decide! 

Tuesday night, I finally decided that I couldn't think anymore about my ps so i sat down with a cup of tea and nutter butters (darn those things) to look up changing my return flight. It looks like I can change the date for $300, but they won't let me change the airport I leave out of.  I will therefore have to leave out of Gaborone.  The reason I'm looking is that my friend, Emma, is going to come up after she gets out of classes and we are going to backpack around.   Is this really happening? Could I be that lucky?  Yes, it will be expensive, but it will be a once in a lifetime opportunity.  I don't care if I have to a kidney on the black market.  I think we are considering coming back around the 1st or 2nd week of January.  I will then be ready to start my next adventure.  Not sure yet what that will be, but I've been researching!

As for today, I spent the whole day at Mokolodi.  My french class was cancelled, so I split a cab with a fellow student and got there on time.  We worked on putting a new roof on a snake enclosure.  We used large pieces of wire and stapled/nailed them to wooden beams.  We then used wire to interlace the large pieces together.  It was quite a job and we still aren't all the way done.  We also successfully convinced an employee to have a load of dirt brought to us!  Yes!  He dumped it at the door of the sanctuary.  We then took wheelbarrow loads to the future turtle enclosure and dumped them in.  We had dirt flying and we were sweating, so it was sticking to us in streaks.  I left there with a dirt beard down my face, grit in my teeth, and sand in my shoes.  Good times!  I tell you what, by the end of this I may be quite a little hand man.   I really feel like we got a lot done today.  It was nice to just have a project and be able to work on it!   I hope that we get to do some more things with animals, but I am happy helping with things I know they need!  I wanted a look into running a nature reserve, well buddy it's not all about taking care of cute monkeys, helping children color, and doing game drives!  It takes a lot to run a place! 

 The cage....

 Just look at that roof!

Moving dirt! 

Now, I need to go wash socks.  I've been running quite a bit lately and my sock supply doesn't last long!

Happy Day!

Well it's time to start searching for the gray hairs, going to bed by 9am, and taking calcium supplements for my brittle bones!  Okay okay.  Maybe not that drastic.  But 22!  WOAH!  I'm now into my twenties.  I think I'm actually an adult now.  he he.  Oh boy.   I feel like just a couple months ago, I was celebrating my 21st with some of the coolest people I know!

I've had a great birthday!  I mean I think I could have sat in my room and done absolutely nothing and still had a great birthday because I'M IN AFRICA!   But everything was taken up a notch by the wonderful people here!

Last night a huge group of us headed to Bull and Bush.  It is a local bar/restaurant by day and small dance club by night.  We got there before 9am to avoid the cover charge but they still made us pay it bbecause they could.  sigh.  Sometimes, you just have to take things as they are and move on.  We all just talked and hung out over a couple beers and chips (fries).  I was sung happy birthday in sweetish and finish!  It was soooo cool! Talk about an international birthday....  Finally the music started and we moved ot the dance floor.  It was so much fun to dance with everyone and see people who could actually dance!  I really liked Bull and Bush because it was a nice mix of locals and foreigners.  The music ended at 2 and we headed back to our dorms.

This morning I woke up and stumbled to my door still half asleep.  When I opened I jumped back because my door was decorated!  Now we have Jillians door decorated and mine!  Our neighbors think it is really cool.  They have heard of someone decorating a door. 

 "It's party time"

Today was very relaxing and chill.  I went to the mall and stopped at Woolworths.  It is a nice, high price store that has a lot of delicious foods.  It kind of reminds me of whole foods.  I bought cream cheese, a block of cheese, jelly, dried fruit, and GUACAMOLE!  These were all precious items that I didn't really need but wanted and I used the birthday excuse to pay for them! :) 

Tonight, we of course had cake.  Michelle, from Australia,  made a delicious brownie cake!  That's right MADE from scratch.  It was sooooo good! Probably one of the best cakes I've ever had. Now, I'm full and trying to focus on my personal statement.  I'm bidding my time until I get to skype with the Iowa gang!  What a great way to finish my day!

Paige and our two neighbors! 

Thanks everyone for the birthday wishes and for making my birthday so special! 

BSPCA - Local Animal Shelter

 I volunteered at the BSPCA on Saturday.  It was pretty awesome!  I really enjoyed my time there!  I went with Nora, a fellow ub exchange student and Agang, a motswana who is currently going to vet school in Scotland! 

The shelter was relatively easy to get to! We caught a combi to the bse (?)  mall and then took a cab to the shelter.  The shelter wasn’t all that far.  We walked back to the mall when we left and next time I’ll probably just walk to the shelter.  The walk seems pretty safe.  It goes through a more upscale neighborhood. It will be a nice way to save money.

The shelter was set on a big piece of land.  They had a small office and two small catteries.  Then their were kennels set up around.  The dogs all seemed relatively happy and healthy.  I was pretty impressed.   We walked around to check the place out and walked a couple of dogs.  We then spent time in the cattery playing with the cats.  

Purina and whiskers signs were in a couple places so they must donate food!  Thank you kind people.  

One cool thing is there were a lot of kids out there walking dogs and helping out.  I guess they just come up to spend time and volunteer.  What a great way for them to learn respect for animals and have fun!  

It was great to spend time and give attention to those who needed.  I will definitely go back there!  I am interested to learn more about their policies and procedures.  How many animals do they take in?  How many do they adopt out?  Is it completely no kill?  

I think it’s great that Gaborone has a place like this.  It really says a lot for the city.  

I’m including a bunch of pictures for all my fellow animal lovers out there!  Enjoy! 

This was one of the many dogs just hanging around the area.  The shelter had a large fence surrounding it so they couldn't go anywhere.  Most were just laying in the shade.  The only problem I saw with this was the potential for fights when dogs from kennels were going on walks.  

This is a picture of the center of the shelter.  To the back left of the picture is the office.  The middle section with the shade and tree was a nice place to hang out.   To the very right was one of the catteries. 

This was a small staff only room on the side of the cathouse.  I think maybe they used it for boarding and isolation..... We provided fresh water and love.

  

How freaking cute!

 

I wish I could foster... oh the joys of dorm life.  :P   

I highly encourage any of my readers to consider fostering animals from their local shelter.  (cough cough APL if you are in the Columbia area!)    Fostering is a tremendous help for the shelter but it is also limitless advantages for the pet. Fostering allows for one on one attention and allows for the animal to grow and learn.  It makes them even more qualified for adoption and therefore improves their chances of a speedy adoption!  I can't even explain how rewarding it is to take a dog or cat into your house, learn it's personality, help it improve any behavioral or social issues, give it tons of love, and then have it find a forever home.  It so satisfactory to know that you made a difference in that animals life and gave it a new "leash on life".  I know the main reason people don't want to foster is that they are afraid that they will become too attached and won't be able to give the pet up.  I'd be lying if I said that this hasn't happened to me.  But in the end, you have to love them enough to let them go.  Fostering, is is so extremely beneficial that it is worth becoming strong enough to let them go, so that you can help. Meeting so many wonderful souls, knowing that they are going to a good home, and that you played an important role in that makes it all worth it.  I promise!!

Okay I will stop lecturing!  Hope you enjoyed the pictures from the shelter!

Puppy Love

Hello there ladies and gentlemen!
 
Sitting outdoors, cool breeze, full moon, babbling water fountain, delicious Indian food, and conversation about the vet clinic... If that isn't close to a perfect night I don't know what is!   The Indian restaurant was in African Mall, which I hadn't been to before.  Someone told me it about it and Norah and I decided we needed to investigate.  After leaving the clinic we took a taxi for 20 pula because it was too late to walk.  We also took a cab back to UB for 20 pula.    In all I spent 83 pula tonight ($12), but I'm using it as a birthday celebration!  Plus, that food was amazinggggg! 

Today was a typical Friday.  I had class at 8am, rested in the library for an hour and then went to lab at 10am.  We loaded up on a little bus and headed for Kgale hill.  Once there we made 10x10 meter squares and counted the number of trees/stumps present. We were looking to see the impact of humans on the area, mainly tree's cut for firewood.   It wasn't difficult and it was nice to get out and enjoy the afternoon.  I do not think I'm cut out to be an ecologist.  All that data collection and such seems too boring to me.  When we were counting trees, I was just like "yeah... there looks to be about 20... does that sound good?  sure let's go with that!"  This philosophy will definitely not help any research project!  I'm glad I'm taking this class because it is opening my eyes to a whole other field of knowledge! 

The traffic getting back to UB was horrible so we ran a little late.  I got back to my dorm around 1:30, ate lunch, and crashed for a bit before heading to the vet clinic. Today, at the vet clinic I saw three, 5 day old, puppies get their tail docked.  I do not agree with tail docking or ear cropping but I had never seen it done.  They clipped the hair around the tail, cut the tail off, cauterized the wound, and then added a few sutures. There was no anesthesia used.  They do not use anesthesia if the puppies eyes are closed.  If the eyes are opened, they wait for 3 months of age and then use some anesthesia.  I can't say I agree with this....  I feel like they deserve some kind of pain relief.  In the other arguments defense,  the puppies did not scream any louder or differently when the tail was cut or skin cauterized.  It yelled from the moment it was picked up until it was placed back in it's box.  I do not wish to see that process again anytime soon.  I hope that I don't have to perform tail docs and ear crops in the future.  If it is needed for some medical reason, I want to provide pain relief.  Still, I think this was an educational experience.  Today, I also got to administer vaccines and deworm five Rottweiler puppies.  SO CUTE!  It's hard to beat puppies.  Do you think anyone would notice a puppy in my dorm??? Surely not....

Side note:  Students from Botswana who qualify are sponsored to attend vet school abroad.  They then have to work at leave five years in Botswana.  Plus, each student here at UB is sponsored by the government.  They do not pay to come to school.  They get a stipend for books and food.  I think they eventually are supposed to pay some money back when they start working but I'm not really sure how that works.  Also, in Australia, going to university and vet school is sponsored by the government.  Then when you begin working, you start paying them back.   This mean that there aren't any student loans.  If a student from Australia wanted to go to vet school abroad, they would have to pay for it upfront because they can't get student loans.  Different right?

Last night, I decided I was tired of the usual room things and went to the dining hall.  I was actually craving pap!  While waiting in line and started talking to two girls behind me.  First, they asked me if I could hook them up with any of the white boys here.  Then they asked if I saw famous people all the time in America.  This isn't the first time I've been asked this question.  I always try to explain how big the US is and how famous people aren't actually that prominent.  It's interesting to hear the stereotypes about the US. 

Yesterday, I had my first Intro to mammalian physiology lab.  They had many different skeletons laid out on the table and you had to go around and write down observations about each one.  At the end of the lab, your group turned in one paper.  The lab itself was a bit boring to me, but I did meet some pretty cool people in my group.   I now have to write a lab report describing around 12 mammals, including details about their teeth, bones, adaptive traits and such and how it helps them fit their niche.  Oh boy.

The days are getting to be quite toasty here.  But, we aren't even to hot yet!  People are still walking around in sweatshirts and such and I'm running around in jeans and a t-shirt and feeling warm!   I'm going to be one hot, sweaty mess by the time that summer rolls around.  Thank goodness for deodorant!   I think that investing in a fan will be mandatory for sleeping at night. 

Well cool peeps,  That's it for now.  I'm going to go read more blogs and try and plan my trip for when school gets out and Emma comes to visit! woot woot!