Meeting in the Mountains

My Boss Vicki, Jen and I

When Jen and I arrived Friday to work we had to be there a half hour early which was alright but we did not know what was in store for us that day. When we arrived at the office our supervisor Vicki made it aware that we would be traveling to Mokolodi for a meeting about HIV/Aids awareness. We weren’t very enthused but remained open minded. I became very ecstatic when we pulled up to the Mokolodi Game Reserve and learned that our meeting was on the top of a mountain on a Game Reserve. We had to take a twenty minute Game Drive to get there and ended up seeing an Ostrich, Antelope, Warthog, Impala and Judo (not sure about the spelling but it resembled a buck with two very long twisty horns.) The driver was very nice and allowed us time to stop and take pictures.When we got to the top of the mountain to “World View” where the conference was being held we were left breathless.

We could see for miles, mountains, Gaborone Dam, wildlife walking around the Reservation and also rivers, houses, lakes and neighboring cities. I forget how high they said we were but the temperature differed about fifteen degrees from the bottom of the mountain to the top. I don’t know why but I decided to only wear a black dress t-shirt and my dress paints. I was freezing the entire time I was there.

Half way during the lecture I left the conference room to go find a gift shop to buy a jacket or sweat shirt and during my search I ran into a worker who asked what I was looking for. When I told him I couldn’t stand the coldness he offered me his jacket to wear and told me the gift shop is too expensive and over priced. That is just how friendly these people are that they are willing to give you the shirt off their back and ask for nothing in return. I have friends in the United States who find it troubling and provoking to give a homeless man their left over food. What does this say about how we treat strangers in the U.S., fend for yourself is what the social norm is. We are a giving country in the large scheme of things but I feel like it’s the little things that we take for granted. I plan on changing this part of my everyday life when I get back.

I want to volunteer more, learn more, teach more, inspire more and get involved more. Today when I was making my breakfast tea the back of my sugar packet had a quote on it “Be the change you want to see in the world”. This means if you want the planet to be healthier recycle. If you think there should be less homeless don’t criticize and ridicule them donate, volunteer learn why they are homeless and help them to over come it. So many times I think about how people call themselves Christians yet they are so worried about not having so they forget to give to others. Healthcare is an important example, why should people with money pay a higher premium for others who don’t have jobs to receive healthcare. Isn’t well-being a divine right? Do you think Jesus would say lets help the poor man so long as it doesn’t take away from what I have earned? Sure there are going to be people who abuse the privilege but let God deal with them in his own way don’t over generalize the poverty population because of a few. Stay open minded to the possibility and do your research.

During the conference there were many issues which were brought up that I could not understand because questions were being asked and answered in Setswana. The overall purpose of the meeting was to promote the question “Who is in your sexual network”. They want to get people thinking on a larger scheme of things. I was a little disturbed because they want you to be more aware of your partner and what they might be hiding. I was disturbed at how they presented the information. They spoke as though you should trust less and observe more of what your partner is doing. I don’t know how to tackle the rising problem of HIV/Aids but I don’t think not trusting your partner is the way to approach it. Another problem they have is promoting condom use but not how to put it on. You don’t just give a pilot a plane and don’t teach him how to fly it.

After the presentations we ate dinner overlooking the beautiful scenery. We had to wait for about an hour until a jeep came to get us but I didn’t mind. When we left Mokolodi we stopped by Game city so I could buy a jacket seeing as how it was very chilly here in the morning and evenings. During the day it got up to about 70 degrees and low of 30’s. This wasn’t how I predicted African weather to be like. It even snowed in Johannesburg, South Africa on Friday. From Game City Vicki took us to her house so that we could see where she lived. Jen and I were both shocked to see that she lived in a very large and well decorated house. She introduced her son who is about seventeen and lives in a little guest house in the back of property which has its own living room, bathroom and kitchen. The inside of here house was very eloquent and she even had her own house maid which I guess is becoming more common in Southern Africa.