February 1, 2011

It's hard for me to believe I've been here for nearly a month already. I'm making plans for the end of the semester with some friends, and I am hoping to extend my stay here by several weeks. I miss my friends and family, but the thought of leaving so soon altogether unappealing.

Some locals invited me over to their house several days ago and prepared a delicious dinner of mupani worms. I didn't like them the first time, but they are gradually growing on me. I hope to bring some back to the States.

Mupani worms are available throughout Gaborone from street vendors who sell them salted and dried. Some locals refuse to eat them, but they are rather popular overall. I have been told that they are found on mupani trees in the northern part of the country.

Over the weekend I went to a ballroom dancing competition and hiking with several international students. The dancing was fantastic. Dancers of all ages were tremendously talented.

On our hike we had a picnic at the top of the mountain in the shade of several trees and reminisced about American foods. We saw tons of chimps, and several varities of lizards and birds.

I joined Botswana’s women's rugby team. My first practice was yesterday. . I knew rugby was popular in Botswana, but I was very surprised to learn that there was a women's team. We are few in number, but working on recruitment.

My camera was stolen over the weekend, so I lost quite a few of my pictures. I will have to find a replacement soon.

I thought America was homophobic in many ways, but I am finding it is far worse here. I hear gay jokes multiple times seemingly every day, and many of the local students have asked me about my thoughts on homosexuality. All this seems to suggest a lot of cultural anxiety.

Yesterday in my postcolonial lit theory class, we had a discussion about mimicry and emulation of western culture that some argue act as a form of power here. One student raised her hand to argue that homosexuality was a form of mimicry. She claimed it didn’t exist in Africa prior to western colonization, and the overwhelming majority of the class agreed. Every local student I’ve talked to has been staunchly opposed to it. I hope to help change this, at least among my local friends, but approaching it the right way will be challenging.