I Need A Favor

I was walking down my road today and was called over by the Cow ladies to take this photo of their day care centre. I would love to give them this picture. But it will be a month of Sundays before I can get to a place that can develop it. It's a big favor, but could someone print this out in color on glossy paper and send it to me?

Again my address is:
Mike Wigal
P.O. Box 170
Charles Hill,
Botswana

MAil takes forever to get here. At LEAST three weeks. But it would give the ladies and those kids a thrill.

Thanks in advance

Good Bye Baba

Word has reached me that Betty Gill, my mother-in-law has passed. She was 84. And another link to Jan fades away.

Baba (as she was affectionately known) was the Gazda in the Gill family. I don’t know exactly how Gazda translates, but Sloko, my late father-in-law, called her that. Undoubtedly it was Ukrainian in origin and meant she ruled the roost.

Betty was a great lady. She had more than a little influence on raising Mick. Jan’s dying hit her hard of course. It’s tough enough to lose one’s spouse. But to lose your child, regardless the age, it’s just not in the seeming order of things.

Words cannot express my sadness at her passing. She had a big heart and was proud of her Slovak heritage. She accepted me into the family and always went out of her way to make me feel at home in her house.

I’ll miss her and I know Mick will miss his Baba.

I’ve been reading “The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying” lately and it has made Betty’s passing and Jan’s too even more meaningful, if that is possible.

Tsamaya Sentle Baba(Travel Well)

What I Miss....

It has been asked what I miss. To tell the truth not much. I have pretty much everything I need on a day to day basis. Sure, access to a decent pizza parlor (or just A pizza parlor!) would be nice. But all in all I'm pretty happy with my situation.

I neither have nor want a TV, although a Seinfeld rerun would be enjoyed now and again. If I had the series'DVDs I could play them on my laptop (hint, hint.) But otherwise it's all good. I have a fair-sized stash of books. But I'm always on the lookout for more. ANYTHING by Paul Theroux! I read his "Dark Star Safari" a couple years ago and knew I wanted to go to Africa. Read it again about a month ago and it merely confirmed how glad I am that I came.

A few eons ago, when I was in Korea with the army, I used to absolutely fantasize about drinking Mountain Dew. But there's none of that sort of thing now. I hear other younger volunteers going on about this or that specific thing they crave. Maybe it's a function of age, but there's nothing really that comes to mind.

One thing I have realized is that I am basically stuck (if that's the right word) in Botswana for the next couple years. I'll be able to travel around southern Africa during leave. But my usual jaunts are out for a while. To relieve the travel itch a bit I hiked five miles to the Namibian border last weekend. Just to go through customs, have lunch and walk back.

It was a good feeling just to get a new stamp in my passport. Funny thing, the guy on the Bots side of the border took my passport, looked up and asked "Mothusi?" I tell you I'm famous here!

Anyway, I stopped at a petrol station just over the line, grabbed a bite (love the meat pies here) and crossed back. By 12:30 I was back home. But it counts: Namibia is in. I think number 46.

The road was the Trans-Kalahari Highway, fortunately for me a (more-or-less) major thoroughfare past Chuck Hill.

JOHN LEY YOU HAVE REACHED ME!!!!

Use my email, John.
mike247worldwide@gmail.com
It's more direct.
Mike
Charles Hill, Botswana

And While We're On The Subject...

The subject being foodstuffs, They have this catsup here (They call it "Tomati Sous") called All Gold. I'm sorry, but this stuff puts Heinz to shame. I know that is sacrilege to those of us who come from near Pittsburgh. But it's true! It's a little bit spicy (They have a hot and spicy sous too). I tell you I could eat this stuff on applesauce! When I'm finished in Botswana I'll be shipping All Gold to the States by the case.

Why Coke is King

I’ll say right from the start I’m a long time Pepsi fan. And you can get it here. But, in the Developing World Coca Cola is the 800 kg gorilla. For one thing, at least in Botswana, they have the 440 ml monster King can. Maybe a Pula or so more than your standard 330 ml dosage. But well worth the price.

PLUS, it just tastes better than that found in the US. Why? Check the label. Second ingredient: sugar. Not corn syrup or fructose, blah, blah blah. Real 100% Sukiri. The good stuff.

Hey! In Charles Hill it's the little things that help you keep it together.

My Postal Address

It has been requested and I am hereby delivering my postal address:

Mike Wigal
US Peace Corps Volunteer
P.O. Box 170
Charles Hill, Botswana

That's it. Mail takes at least three weeks to get here. PLEASE send me something. Anything! (Well, not ANY thing.)

The box cost me 82.50 Pula for the rest of the year. (So OK, that's only about $13US. But still...)

Mail only arrives in Chuck Hill on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I keep checking. But so far...Nada!

I Need To Learn More About This

OK, the most common "community" or tribe in Botswana is the Bakwena. They speak Setswana. But out here in the west are a group called Herero. I don't know what the whole story is, but apparently they were driven out of Namibia years ago by the German colonists. From what I gather they are largely involved in cattle raising. In fact wealth in Botswana is kind of measured by the number of cattle you own.

So clearly from looking at the Herero women there is some kind of cow influence. I've been told it's an honor to wear this outfit. You see them all over the place. These two ladies I met in Ghanzi at a kind of county fair. Kind of interesting along the lines of the Amish.

Mi Casa Es Su Casa...

All you have to do is get here. The donkeys are available as transport for small fee based upon hay burned per kilometer.

Actually I don't know what these guys were doing outside the house the other day. But this is my humble abode. The yard is pure Kgadihadi Desert sand. It's common for "yards" in Botswana to be skinned down to bare dirt. Deters the things that creep in the night.

But it's now home. Three bedrooms, ELECTRICITY(!), water, even a water heater. Kitchen, bath and a half, living room with ceiling fan, PLUS a fireplace (doubt I'll ever use it).