Vacation Part 2: Salajwe continued

While in my village, it’s safe to say my mom and Carol got the full Peace Corps experience.  The electricity went out for a few hours the first night, so we made dinner by candlelight. The water went out the second night as we were going to bed- luckily I had filled all of my storage containers when we first arrived, and it was back on in the morning. Bucket baths, laundry by hand, sand everywhere, and kids playing in my yard. Then the third day as I was finishing laundry, we had a crazy dust storm blow in followed by a thunderstorm… in July. It’s the dry season. But it rained for EIGHT hours that night, which of course knocked the power out again. It also made it impossible to dry everything, since we were running around grabbing clothes off the line as I yelled, Get inside!!! As a wave of dust preceding the rain ominously blew towards us. Nothing like a little drama. I was worried that the rain might delay us from leaving the next day (rain can wreak havoc on the dirt road out of my village), but it actually compacted the road nicely and made for a less dusty ride, although it was pretty cold.

My new house! And nice big yard.

Neighbor's donkey cart, used for collecting water and fire wood.

My neighbors. Note the solar panel leaning against the left hut. 

My school in the background.

My neighborhood kids were thrilled to have a new playmate!

We taught a few kids to catch, and mom taught them all how to high-five.

Making homemade tortillas in my kitchen!

We went on a walk around the village...

The Chibuku (local brew) bar. 

The inside of our general dealer, where I can buy non perishables and whatever random produce he has in the front. Today, cabbage, onions and potatoes.

Goats!

Sheep.

We stopped by the clinic and I figured something out for them on their computer.

Kgotla. This is where the village chief and elders have a few offices, and where they call village meetings to discuss things.

This is where those meetings take place. It's not exactly a democracy, but everyone has a right and a chance to speak and have their voice and opinion heard before the elders make decisions. This sometimes means that meetings can last HOURS, but its a pretty neat process, and even better than colonization didn't trample it like in lots of other former colonies.

Laundry! By the bucket system.

The secret is 2 rinse buckets, and to wash outside. Otherwise I wind up mopping the floor as well.

Hello sir. Can we ride in the back of your truck?

Hunkered down in the back of the truck with Carol. Yes I know I look like a space alien, but this keeps the dust out of my hair. Also, it's cold! 

Mom is amused with the transport and ready to take pictures.

The road out of my village. Sometimes you find yourself amongest the cattle/goats/donkeys/sheep/guinea fowl/horses/ostriches. Today it was mostly cattle.

And so we left my village, back to Gabs, headed to Maun!