"I never knew of a morning in Africa when I woke up that I

was not happy."

-Ernest Hemmingway

Friday, January 7, 2011

First impressions

The flight to Gaborone was a quick hour jaunt with amazing scenery thanks to the cloudless sky. I stepped off the plane and started sweating. Welcome to Botswana. Every local I have talked to complains about the heat, and then asks if they can come visit me in Canada or America. The following is a list of expressed desires (direct quotes):
-I want to see snow. It is so beautiful and cold. Can you eat it?
-I want to have a snow day. Or two. What about a snow week? Is that possible? Oh, that would be so wonderful.
-I want to make snowmen. Yes, just like in the movies, with a carrot nose. Run in the snow, play in the snow, lie in the snow...and make snowangels!
-I wish I could buy matching scarves and mittens. And all those cute hats. They do not sell these things in Botswana. No one will buy them.
Needless to say, there is never a lack of things to talk about, and everyone at the university LOVES to talk to international students. However, you might need to make the first move. Approach a classmate and introduce yourself. Sit at a table with locals when you eat in the cafeteria (or refectory, as it is called here). Taking those first steps is always hard, particularly in a new country, but I haven't gotten a cold shoulder yet.
Student tip: There were almost 80 students at the first international gathering/orientation, and almost half didn't have their luggage (thankfully I wasn't one of those...this time around). Eventually all the suitcases arrived, but be prepared for the worst. Bring your essentials and two changes of clothes in your carry-on luggage. There is nothing like travelling to a different country, living with strangers, and meeting new people in a three-day-old sweaty outfit.
IMPORTANT: Students from the United States and Commonwealth countries do NOT need a visa to enter Botswana. When you pass through customs/passport clearing at the airport in Gaborone, pay careful attention. The officer should stamp your passport and write V90D in the stamp. This stands for “valid 90 days” and allows you to stay in the country as a legal visitor for this amount of time. After ninety days you are considered an illegal immigrant: if your status is discovered you will be arrested, detained, sent to prison, or deported. I'm nodon't know what the exact consequences are, but they are certainly serious. Ninety days is the current and accepted time frame. If the officer writes a different number, politely question him or her. One student had V10D, another V14D, and several V30D. Erroneous. Applying for a residence permit (free of charge if the duration of your stay is under 6 months) can be a very stressful process in such a short time frame.
Dress code: You will need to take numerous showers in Botswana, or (if a 'save the planet' proponet like myself, use babywipes unless really unfortunate smelling). The weather is hot and humid- dress and pack accordingly. I was absolutely flabbergasted by the number of students on campus wearing pants, lonsleeve t-shirts, and (in the case of a few men) full out suits. It is a cultural expectation in Botswana to dress more conservative and professional, regardless of the egg frying temperatures. That being said, foreigners can get away with a few skimpy slip-ups. Along with my fellow international students, I have been wearing shorts and tank tops nearly every day-it has simply been too hot. Perhaps the cause of so much male attention. If you want to blend in and respect the customs in Botswana (I wish I had the fortitude to do so, but I would end up having to change clothes several times a day), keep this in the back of your mind when packing. Long, light skirts might be a good option for females, and thin, summer pants a safe bet for males.
Cultural note: White is not a common skin color in Botswana. Wherever you walk, people will stare. Particularly men. Perhaps women too, but being of the skirt wearing gender I can't fairly comment. Walking with a group of friends, we even had a car slow down, goggle, then turn around to drive past a second time. I suppose it depends on the individual, but I haven't found the attention in any way frightful or unnerving. It's quite amusing actually. And so far, any advances have only been for the sake of saying hello and exchanging names and smiles. However, without intending disrespect, the one word I would describe many Botswana men by is “smooth”. The local girls are in complete agreement.
Essentials: Bring a fan, or be prepared to pay around 150 pula to buy one. The dorm rooms do not have air conditioning (nor do most buildings on campus) and might be compared to a sauna during some hours of the day. Maybe a slight exaggeration, but it gets HOT, and there's nothing like thrashing around on the bed, sweating, and trying to fall asleep. Also, pack an umbrella. While you might get laughed off the streets in North America if you use it during summer weather, this is certainly not the case in Botswana. Embrace the parasol. Can't guarantee that males can tote one, but definitely fashionable with the ladies. Naturally quite useful when it rains as well. Rain jackets are simply too hot and induce more sweating, thus rendering the 'stay dry' purpose moot. Plug adapters and voltage converters (Botswana deals in 230 Volts, while North America uses 110 Volts) should also be on your list if you plan on using any North American technology in Botswana. While most of the country has plug sockets that fit three large, round prongs in a triangle, the dorm rooms are equipped with outlets that only accept the three pronged, rectangular shaped plugs. Did I mention toilet paper? Yes, bring at least one roll to tide you over when you first arrive at the dorm. A monthly allotment should be supplied, but things were so hectic at check-in time that I barely even secured a room.
More essentials:
-padlock for your dorm room door
-water bottle, cheap plastic or fancy depending on your preference
-a pair of flip flops
-a swim cap (required if you intend to use the olympic sized pool on campus. Given the heat, I would recommend this)
-laundry bag, sunscreen...just about everything you need can be purchased in Botswana, but packing it in your suitcase will save you some of the hassle. There are two reasonably large malls located within walking distance (under 30 minutes) of the campus.

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