6-3-09- Wednesday

I decided to write these things at night now because it is kinda confusing to talk about the past couple days when it was really today. Anyways…


Today, Wednesday, I made it to work in time for morning prayers, which is a lot like one of those really enthusiastic churches you often see on TV or movies. A lot of signing and dancing. The whole clinic was involved! Walking in, hearing our thin quiet male receptionist singing beautifully to the participating crowd, all the while know that ever person in this room either has one of the most deadly viruses known to man, or has a loved one who has it. Nevertheless, the spirits of everyone in that room easily produced a smile on my face. A vision of human nature at its best. I hope to get in tomorrow even earlier to hear the whole thing.

I took a walk today to this small local market that is just on the outside of the hospital’s gates. They sell everything from oranges to “orange cards” which is the local cell phone company’s calling cards. Most phones here are pay-as-you-go. I said hello in setswana (it seems like they really appreciate the effort to speak their language; so I’m trying to learn it, although slowly) to one of the ladies at the market and asked if I could take her picture. She said yes, and I did. After saying thank you and bye, a nurse, dressed in their militarily like clothing (it helps people know what the nurses have been trained it) told me that I should not have taken a picture of her wrinkly old face. I told her she was ridiculous and we talked for a bit. She was extremely candid and opened up to me about how one of her fellow nurses became sick and was now her patient. I sympathized and then parted way wishing my best to the fallen nurse.

The day ended early enough for me to run the 2 miles down to the “village” where my new gym, “active gym” is located. The area is surrounded by Botswana culture, great smells, red dirt, children walking home from school, honking horns and many open markets (although no cows today curiously). I know I am going to enjoy running to the gym everyday, even if I am the only white person in it. It is a very nice gym, and for at least personal sanity’s sake, it was worth every penny.

The jog home was tough, 2 miles up hill. I stopped briefly to catch my breath and to watch some local soccer. Rats, they already had two goalies…

It was back home where Mariyah cooked myself and JW some curry chicken. Which was great. I did the dishes and sat down to do some work. So I leave you tonight to do more work and then my nightly chess game while sipping on some wine…you know, I think I’m finally starting to feel happy here.