Blog #12 – The End of the Fellowship

We got a bright and early start to Sunday, put down a hearty breakfast and packed up our rooms. Our group was splitting right down the middle. Six people were leaving and five of us were staying. There wasn’t much time to say goodbye. We had one last group photo and then hugs all around. And that was it. They packed into the mini bus and drove away.

The five of us stood there for a while… nothing to say.

It didn’t feel as if they had left – we knew they would be back soon. Except that was it. This was the end. Our group was whittling down and now we were left alone to survive!

We were all exhausted from the trip, but it felt odd to nap or go back to sleep. So we just lounged around for a little bit, waiting for our new rooms to be prepared. Eventually we packed a day bag and headed out. We were going to explore the city and conquer it, haha!

Our goal – find the mall, get cell phones, but groceries. It was simple enough. As we walked around down the roads we came to realize just how large the city was, especially when you were on foot without the aid of a minibus. There is a lot of construction going on in Gaborone and it seems like something is always being built within eyesight. We had a little bit of trouble with the navigation…I had absolutely no sense of direction here, which wasn’t aided by the fact that all of the major roads seem to curve and bend! However, we eventually found our way.

We bought cell phones for $45 CND…that’s right! And then bought a pre-paid plan with Orange for less than $6. Getting a cell phone is definitely loads easier here that worrying about land lines…but that also makes getting internet at home more difficult! Regardless, I have my number now and can be reached most anywhere in the country – and if anyone wants to call or text me, just email or message me and I will send you the number.

We went to the grocery store, which was surprisingly similar to those back home – not even a great deal of variety in the produce available. That is partly due to the fact that nearly all of their food is imported, as there is not a lot grown or processed in Bostwana. This is quite the area of contention and concern – and has even been the topic of a radio show!

On our way back we decided to sit and enjoy our meal on the University of Botswana campus. It is pretty large campus considering that is smaller than Guelph; we heard approximately 10, 000 students. But there are some gorgeous buildings and some really nice landscaping! I really wish we could have gotten into some of the buildings or seen a lecture, but it is Sunday – so no hope!

By the time we made it back to the hostel, we truly were exhausted. We crashed for the evening and just snacked on our food and chatted. We experienced a power outage that lasted for around an hour – so we had some reflective personal and religious chats via candlelight. It was a really nice, chill evening and we got to bed at a reasonable time to get a good sleep for tomorrow. That is when I start my orientation as a Student Without Borders with WUSC (World University Service of Canada)!