Things I never thought I'd need to learn - August 25, 2008

We left Moshupa fairly early this morning, stopping in Kumakwane to visit with Njale's mother who was not home. This photo is Njale's mother's home in Kumakwane. On to Gaborone to a fabric store, our most important errand today. Refilwe was to look for fabric for her prom dress for the fall graduation from her school. Her grandfather is giving her the dress as a gift from the family. As a typical teenager, she had given no thought as to what she wanted. We went believing she would want fabric to recreate the design of a short dress she purchased on her recent school trip to South Africa, only Njale (an expert seamstress, by the way) would turn into a long gown.

We were in what is the largest fabric shop in Gaborone, and instead of the purple we had heard at breakfast (thank goodness for that sustanence as you will read!), she began with a choice of turquoise satin with a black lace patterned with silvery roses. I showed her a similar lace with the exact shade of turquoise beads in its design, but she insisted on the black. While she and Njale talked, Anita and I made our way around the shop and purchased some fabric for either backdrops for presentations or tablecloths. Back to Refilwe and Njale where they were now considering a black slinky fabric and a silvery one as well. Both would have looked good with the lace, although a second pattern of lace was also being considered.

Ultimately no fabric was purchase - I will leave some funds with Njale that will cover the 3 meters of clothe that will be necessary for the dress under the lace. We purchased 1 meter of each lace, and we were finished. Refilwe was making no more decisions today - typical teen angst. Since she was catching a cold, and we had other errands we dropped her off at a cousin's house where she was to 'rest'. I knew that wouldn't happen, but we would not have someone with us who really did not want to be there.

Our second stop was at a big box story like Costco or BJ's. We were looking for medium plastic boxes to use to pack our stuff that we want to ship back to the US instead of carrying warm weather clothing and souveniers from Botswant with us to Cairo and Cyprus. We want to lighten our suitcase. We found 3 of the right size and went directly to the post office where Njale was certain we could purchased the cardbord boxes to hold our plastic ones for shipping. I had sent stuff ahead of me in an arrangement just like this, and everything arrived clean, dry and undammaged.

The ladies in the post office did not have large boxes for sale, but being helpful Botswana citizens, just like all those who tried to help me solve my charging problem with my Palms, recommended another stop. That business however was an courier service that delivered stuff in envelopes such as are received from FedEx or UPS. They suggested boxes from food or liquor stores and then back to the post office for mailing. Back to Square2!

We were getting hungry but decided to try one more errand - a visit to the American Embassy here in Gaborone. Njale made a quick stop at the office of the service for her internet connection to try to estimate the extra charges that Anita and I are encurring as we use the computer each evening. Because Brian's name is still on the account, they could not give Njale the information she requested. She must bring his death certificate to the office to change the name on the account. She can continue to pay it, but will receive no answers to questions. Our day for success had not yet started.

On to the Embassy where Anita and I were through the security search fairly easily. We both surrendered our cameras after turning them off. They thought my Palm was a telephone which I explained was not, but after I turned it off, I surrendered it as well. Finally, Njale was permitted to join us as my sister-in-law, but only after she literally emptied her purse of all keys, and anything metal. They did keep a small pair of scissors and a flash drive. Why the keys were of interest, we could not understand, because she was permitted to put them back in her purse.

I was given the only badge to wear and we were escorted to a waiting area inside the main building. Told to push a button that looked like a doorbell, a young woman soon appeared the other side of a window like is sometimes used in a bank for security. I learned she was one of the two people I spoke with before we left Moshupa. I had tried to make an appointment with a woman I had communicated with via email after receiving an invitation to attend the July 4th activities in Gaborone for American ex-pats.

My question today involved the recommecndations of the Embassy as to the best way to transport Brian's ashes back to the United States. It took approximately 45 minutes of waiting in the area outside this secure window before she returned, and we discovered that the process was WAY more complicated than any of us had imagined. On the advice of the Embassy we proceeded to the crematorium which Njale had used in February.

There we learned that they already knew of the difficulty we were facing and that each airline between Botswana and the United States would not permit me to carry the small box of ashes with me into the passenger cabin. He would need to be shipped in the cargo hold, and the arrangements would be difficulty to make within the week we have left in Botswana. The lady we were speaking with suggested at one time that perhaps she would arrange to have Brian's in his pretty box shipped home by himself as long as there was someone to collect him at the airport.

She is looking into this and at some point soon, Jim may be confirming that he is the person who will collect Brian at eigher BWI or Dullus. However, the information we have recently received suggest that she will need to work with the Hindu community who manage the crematorium to obtain the two certificates that are required by US law for the return of cremated remains to the US.
Right now we think Bone will collect the box with Brian's ashes from the funeral director in Gaborone, and perhaps we will have the decision by the time we return from Kasane. At this point, I don't know if Brian will be returning to Kansas as soon as we had hoped.

Finally, around 3 pm, with all of us starving, we went to Whimpy's at Game City for lunch. Game City is the mall that I have mentioned before and is like our large malls in the US.. Lunch revived us, and we were finally finished for the day. We wanted to do a bit of grocery shopping before picking up Refilwe, which we did. And Anita wanted to try to find a dashiki to take home. We finally found some for sale, but she chose not to purchase any. They are made for men, and do not fit women too well.

We picked up Refilwe and headed for home arriving in Moshupa (after another stop in Kumakwane where Njale's mom was still not available). We unpacked the car, packed bags for tomorrow, and are getting ready to go to bed.

We will leave here around 5:30, make a stop in Kumakwane to meet Kristin (one of Njale's adopted sisters), speak with Njale's brother, leave Njale's car and let Kristen take us to the airport. We want to arrive at the airport by 8:30 am as our flight to Kasane leaves at 10:30. We will arrive in Kasane about 2 hours later, be met by a representative of the lodge and will be taken to Water Lily Lodge where we will spend the next three days.

See you on the other side of our safari!

Sunday filled with family and friends - August 24, 2008

Today was to have been a family affair with lunch cooked by Njale, and both Bone and Sedi returning to spend the day. Early in the morning, we heard from Bone who unexpectedly had an appointment with a client - he is a loan officer at Barclay Bank in Gaborone. Just like loan officers in the States, he works at the convenience of his clients. He hoped to join us late afternoon, but as of right now, around 8 pm we have not heard from him. I don't suppose he will come out this late as he lives in Gaborone, about an hour away.

I have invited the entire family to dinner next Sunday at a restaurant of their choice in Gaborone. Bone and Sedi are working on finding us a place. During our journey to Manyana yesterday, I asked Bone if I could ask him a possibly embarrassing question. He happily said yes, and also yes to my question which was did he have a girlfriend. Is she important to you, I continued. Yes, he replied. In that case, may I meet her at dinner next Sunday? Will she come? Bone replied, with a smile, that he thought she would come. As you will remember from an earlier post, the mother of Sedi's daughter was unable to come with him when he brought Anele to meet me. Sedi has promised that he will bring Thosana on next Sunday.

As we relaxed during the morning, Anita and I refreshed our manicures. We were both looking ragged, and she wanted someone other than her to paint her nails. Unfortunately, she chose to wash dishes too early, thinking that being outside in the sun had dried them more than they actually were. Some things need attention no matter how far you are away from home!

The procession of friends and family began with the two neighbors who have visited several times. We know each other now, and still can not communicate. We simply nod and smile because everything they say to us is said in happy voices with smiling faces. If Njale is near she will sometimes translate, and sometimes not. They offered a lovely white sateen shawl with long fringe to me for $300 pula (about $40). Although it was lovely I refused as I don't wear shawls. They left on as a gift for Njale, and some fringe to use with a sewing project in the future.

Lunch was ready soon after their visit and we decided to eat on the porch outside. I scrubbed the table, then needed to mop the tiled floor, and all was dry by the time the table needed to be set. We used a tablecloth that Njale had had painted during the time she was exploring that craft. (NOTE: Njale kindly shared some of her handpainted cloth to use as filler and padding for the boxes we sent home. I'll be sharing this fabric at some programs I have been asked to prepare for the library and probably Harmony Hall.) The five of us sat down to Sunday lunch of roasted chicken (raised by Njale at her chicken farm in Kumekwane), cabbage/onion/carrot slaw (also raised in a small garden at the chicken farm and cut fresh this morning), lettuce and cucumber salad, rice, and rape (tastes like spinach and raised at the chicken farm). Just as we finished and got the table cleared, dishes done and leftovers stored, the procession began.

Lately Anita and I have felt a little like animals on display at the local zoo. Apparently part of Botswana culture, EVERYONE who knows Njale or Brian must come to meet Anita and me. Mostly me because I am part of Brian's American family, and many assume Anita is my sister since we are traveling together. There is little we can do to change their minds, so we don't try too much any more.

We had visits from a young man who had lived in the rondeval in the compound with 2 other foster sons of a man who rented from Brian and Njale. Njale was quite proud of this young man who came with his wife of about two years and their 8 month old daughter. The upbringing offered by his foster father kept this young man in school successfully and he is in the armed forces now. They stayed as long as an 8 month child can be satisfied.


















Soon after them came a grand daughter of the Disale family with her Norwegian husband Marcus and their 6 month old daughter Sasha (who was predicted to be a son, and was a big surprise at her birth). She considered Brian to be her uncle since her grandparents had adopted him as a son. She was probably one of the small children running around during the wedding celebrations in the Disale compound in 1990. She teaches fashion design at one of the for profit universities that have opened in Gaborone. Marcus teaches watchmaking and is a watchmaker, and spends his time in Johannesburg where the school is. It is about a 4-5 hour drive between Johannesburg and Gaborone/Moshupa, so it was special for them to spend time with us. We had easy conversation with these visitors because they spoke wonderful English. Refilwe cares for Sasha sometimes, so she helped with the baby as did the sister of Marcus' wife. Sorry, I didn't capture her name in my memory.

Soon, two women stopped by after church, friends of Njale's and from Kumakwane. We were told we had met one of the women just last week in Kumakwane and begged forgiveness for not remembering them. They moved to the porch with Njale and moved inside with us after Marcus' and his family left. We talked easily with them again in English. One lady teaches Setswana at a school and I said I should come to learn with her. She advised against it, saying it was a very difficult language to learn and I would do better to stick with English. English is the official language of Botswana and most people can speak it a little. Generally, the younger the person, the more English as it is taught in all public schools. As she and her friend left, she told us we should have planned 2 weeks in Cairo and Egypt and that we will be disappointed we did not. She would have come with us if school wasn't getting ready to restart after this break.

They had no more left us, when the gate to the compound opened again and this time 8 people arrived - 4 adult women and the children of two of them. These were Njale's adopted sisters and they also have 2 brothers who did not come. The 8 individuals got out of a car the size of a small Toyota (seemingly the most popular car in Botswana). In order from youngest to oldest was Rachel with her three children (2 girls and a boy), Kristen, Adelaide and Josephine (with her daughter Pamela). We had great fun with this family - the children were full of laughter, and the 2 sisters who we met just day before yesterday forgave our bad memories. I immediately remembered meeting Kristen when I was reminded of her name. I told her then that I would have no trouble remembering her name since my middle name is Christine. Such is the memory of someone who is meeting new people on a daily basis.


From top to bottom and left to right: Josephine, Kristen, Refilwe, Rachel's son, Pamela, Njale, Adelaide, Rachel's older daughter, Rachel, Rachel's younger daughter.




I blamed it on being 61, which happily no one seems to believe. One lady asked me how it was that I had so much energy, Njale's friend who teaches setswana and who wants to retire as soon as possible since she in NOW 60. I told her I beat her because I was 61. It's not possible - how can you be so energetic? I told her I laughed a lot and played with my husband. With a wink, she said that was a good thing to do. I told her that one day a few years after we were married, Jim had told me that 'if I every grew up, he might divorce me.' That brought another laugh, and I told her that this coming Friday would be our 38th anniversary. She agreed when I told her Jim and I would celebrate when I returned home next month.

With each visit, photos were taken, some by Anita and some by me. At one point during our last visiting group, Anita's battery died and so I took over. Finally everyone left, including Sedi, who lasted the afternoon by napping, since most of the visitors were women. He probably did the right thing.

Sedi is the older of my two nephews and I had similar conversations with both of them yesterday and today. I wanted them to know that as the new male heads of this family, I expected them to be ready to do everything necessary to keep the family safe and secure. I also asked that they keep in touch with me or Jim in case they needed our assistance. I reassured them that despite the distance, we would still love them and that they would always be part of the Trennepohl family. The problem of distance was something that we would need to accept, and find ways around. I also asked each of them to share their personal plans for their futures.

Bone and Sedi both hope to return to school to better their chanced in their current positions. Sedi tells me he loves the mother of his daughter and hopes to eventually marry her, but he must make some important decisions first, such as get his own place to live. He now lives with her family, which is a bit unusual in this culture. Bone tells me that the girl I hope to meet is very special to him, and he just smiled when I suggested that my next visit might be for his wedding.

The two young men in their mid 20s have had a lot of responsibility placed in their hands. I believe they respect me and will think about our conversations. This is not to say that Njale needs a lot of help. I have learned more about her resilience during this visit than I expected. In addition to the rental house in the Moshupa compound, she is completing the second of two rental homes in Kumakwane.

She had developed the chicken raising facility and slaughtering house with the help of a government grant around the time Brian retired as headmaster. At that time they had difficulties getting contracts for their chickens and reliable employees to make it work. Njale is determined to revitalize this production facility and tells us she can probably raise around 5-7,000 chickens at a time in 4 buildings. One building is rented now and a man is raising a small amount of chickens for slaughter. She has two small flocks of guinea hens and a flock of chickens in Moshupa. We ate several of them during our time here.

Finally, I learned that Njale owns outright and in her name 10 hectares or over 2000 acres of 'ploughable' land outside Moshupa, about an hour or two away. She rents 2-4 acres now and has raised corn, maize, sorghum, rape, watermelons and other vegetables. It is fenced and only needs a house for a caretaker to live in and all of it could be in production. This sister-in-law of mine is a wonder, and is deeply respected by many of her neighbors here in Moshupa and Kumakwane. I believe that once the shock of losing Brian so unexpectedly lessens, she will make a good life for herself and her family. She is one determined lady!

Tonight on Botswana satellite TV, the third season of a reality show began. While similar to the BIG BROTHER (I think that is the correct title as I don't watch reality TV), this show is presented on a single channel that devotes 24 hours a day for the next 91 days. 12 participants - 1 from each of 12 African countries - were introduced tonight and were put inside the house, where EVERYTHING is visible and shown through the cameras. The last person in the house will win $100,000 US dollars. House members lose their right to remain because the viewers text message their votes. A correspondant from each of the countries will keep the viewers up-to-date on how the 12 countries are talking about the participants. Refilwe had told us that a program was beginning at 7 pm and that she wanted to watch it. As Anita finished posting to her blog, I watched the first hour during which I saw the inside of the house, the foreign correspondants and none of the participants.

I'm about done for today. Tomorrow, we will go shopping for fabric for Refilwe's graduation dress, boxes to ship items home after we return from Kasane. We want to lighten our luggage, and we have received gifts that will not fit in our luggage.

If I am unable to post tomorrow, it will probably be Friday before I post again. We leave on Tuesday for Kasane and our short safari in Chobe National Game Preserve. Until then, goodnight.

August 23 - An Early Morning - part 2

We are back from Manyana and we were unsuccessful in seeing the rock paintings. Bone took us because we needed permission from the Chief to visit the area. No one was in the Ktogla in Manyana, and since we knew no one who lives there, we came to a dead end - no permission, no visit. Since Anita and I were in slacks from the cool morning, we waited in the car while Bone entered to find if some one could grant permission.

This brings me to an opportunity to answer a question from a reader about our previous visit to Moshupa's ktogla. I knew from our visit in 1990 that a skirt would be necessary should be be in the presence of Moshupa's chief, so I suggested Anita pack a dress or skirt for that specific purpose. We tried the morning of our visit to Mosupha's ktogla to find a family MALE friend to accompany us, and were unsuccessful. Although Njale tells me that she was not scolded for bringing us and introducing us to the Chief, I believe she was. I could not understand what was said as it was in Setswana, but the tone was scolding. Not bad - like a father to a child.

I had suggested the visit because of the unusual nature of living with hereditary tribal chiefs who can dictate actions such as women not wearing pants in his presence and using particular gates for coming and going and being allowed only in parts of the enclosure. At the museum in Mochudi the other day, we read that it was only after 1972 that women were actually allowed to speak in tribal meetings - attendance was OK I guess, speaking was not.

Njale and I spoke that evening about the struggle that women have all over the world becoming enabled. Our conversation began as she translated the discussion on a show on Botswana TV. A woman moderator was guiding a discussion on how the changes in women's ways and attitudes are undermining the strength and position of men in Botswana society. Njale and I agreed that what has been happening in Botswana and other developing nations is very similar to the rights of women in England and America with the suffragettes. Women must fight for themselves everywhere it seems, and in some countries, women are moving ahead. Botswana women are moving ahead now and it is causing family difficulties - men leave women to care for the children and to do what they want. One billboard I saw talked about small houses creating more opportunities for the spread of HIV/AIDS. The implication is that small, multi-generational houses put women at greater risk.

The questioner also asked if the visit to the Chief had anything to do with Brian's pension which was mentioned in one earlier post. No, thankfully, I guess, the chief has nothing (at least that I am aware of) with the delivery of the money due to Njale and the children from the University.

Another comment was related to our continuing difficulties with the satellite TV system in the house while Refilwe was away and that young folks seem to handle technology with no worries. The last day we spent without Refilwe was spent totally without TV - we actually had to talk to each other last night. Some how the 'parental controls' were activated and we were locked out of every single station. By the time we woke up this morning, all was fixed. Either Refilwe or Bone fixed as the arrived around midnight, and neither is telling how. Keeps us under control, I guess.

I've been to the garden again to take photos in the sunshine. Anita's little point and shot camera takes wonderful photos in total darkness, so we have some photos of our little ceremony this morning. We will share these only with family, and I am certain everyone will understand.

























This last view shows the location of the garden in relation to the house. It is in the front corner of the property right inside the wall that surrounds the home. You can also see the relationship between the first home and the more traditional home with the slanted roof, where the family lives now.





I had planned to place some birthday wishes at the end of appropriate posts, as a number of friends are celebrating special days while I am gone. That thought went out of my head until last evening when it suddenly reappeared. So let me wish...

BELATED BIRTHDAYS TO...

• Kenny Barnes and Liz Lancaster on August 12th
• Michele Happel on August 16th
• Jake Weisfeld on August 17th
• Robert Lockett on August 21st
• Carol Cooper on August 22nd
• My cousin, Sharon Lee Moss Buck today
  

BELATED HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO...

• Trish and Bob Hemler on August 19th

Something is smelling pretty good at the other end of the house. Perhaps some lunch is ready. It's just after 1 pm local time.

Weather is sunny and warm. Mornings have been cool enough for a second layer, but warm enough for light weight short sleeves by 10 am and shorter pants. Many locals consider this to be winter and are still wearing sweaters, coats and hats. Brian had the same difficulty coming to the US after living here - his blood had thinned and he was cold most of the time.

See you in the next report.

Brian's memorial - August 23, 2008

As I finished my post from yesterday, Njale came come with new tires and more flowers for the garden we have been creating as a place of rest, relation and contemplation. When we finished planting the new flowers, transplanting some from other garden spots in the compound and watering everything, we were ready for the memorial service. Brian's ashes will be placed in one particular spot where he will watch over his family. and Njale can sit and talk to him as she wishes.

Refilwe was not home from her trip by the time we all went to bed last evening. Her bus return was delayed almost 4 hours, hours that Bone spent sitting at her school and waiting. We are very grateful for his willingness to do this so we did not need a late date trip to Gaborone.

By the time Njale awakened Anita and me at 5:30 am, Bone was stretched out on the couch were he had spent the night. Refilwe was waking up and Sedi soon arrived. As we sat in the living room together, small portions of Brian's ashes were measured out for each member of his family and put in small pots for them to take to their homes and bedrooms. And, then we all walked to the garden in the night of early morning.

Only a little light was showing in the east and as I looked up at the stars I saw my old friend, Orion, who I love seeing in the winter sky at home. He too was part of the stories in Australia, but was not visible last evening. There he was in the morning sky, guarding all of us as we prepared to say our final good by to Brian.

Soon each of us had taken portions of the ashes and tossed them into the opening we had created last evening. Njale took a small portion to put in the hole we dug at the top of the double concrete heart that is the centerpiece of the garden. A bench sits at the top of the heart and the small hole is now an area filled and easily identified. Brian will sit with anyone on the bench.

After the ashes were distributed and covered with the earth, I was able to present my thoughts to the family, as Njale had asked. I talked about Orion, how wonderful it had been to find him in the sky, and to know that all of Brian's family will share this constellation over the course of each year. Orion will join us despite the distance between us. Then I shared a poem that I have given as a gift for a number of reasons - birthdays, promotions, retirements, graduations, and now a memorial. With apologies to Barbara J. Burrow, who is credited with its creation (entitled WOMAN, and used the feminine gender), I share it with you now....

BRIAN

That man is a success
who loves life
and lives it to the fullest;
Who has discovered and shared
the strengths and talents
that are uniquely his own;
Who puts his best into each task
and leaves each situation
better than he found it;
Who seeks and finds
that which is beautiful
in all people and things;
Whose heart is full of love
and warm with compassion'
Who has found joy in living
and peace with himself.

Anita kindly prepared breakfast for all of us while we were sorting through Brian's clothes. It is Batswanan tradition to distribute a persons clothes after his death, and Njale wanted each of us to take something - in my case, I was responsible for finding something for Jim, Dad, Jean and Ed and myself. Even Anita was encouraged to choose something.

Bone is waiting to take Anita and I to Manyana where we hope to see some ancient rock paintings. Perhaps, I'll be back later today.

For now, good bye and look for Orion when he returns to the northern skies.

Karen

Moshupa, Manyana, Mochudi, Moshupa - August 21 and 22, 2008

Right now it is around 12.30 pm in Moshupa. Njale left early this morning to drive to Gaborone for new tires and alignment for the car. Anita and I have been relaxing and hoping to have the first hot showers in almost 3 days. Washing with water in pots heated on the stove is not quite the same. While the hot water heater problem was supposedly fixed yesterday morning, we had little pressure coming from the hot water taps.

This morning while doing dishes after breakfast (egg and cheese omelet with toast, tomato and onion for me, and scrambled eggs and toast for Anita), there seemed to be warm water and some pressure from the hot water tap in the kitchen sink and also in the bathroom sink. I decided to be the brave one to try the shower, while Anita worked at the computer. I had very little pressure from the hand-held shower and by the time I had a good lather of shampoo on my head all I had was air coming from the shower head. Believe me, air does not rinse shampoo out of hair, not even if it is a short as mine is now.

I turned on the cold tap and the shower head began behaving as our pipes do at home when the water has been turn off for a while. Lots of popping and no water, then water and more popping. While I finished my shower with only cold water, I kept hoping that I was 'bleeding' the air out of the lines. I finished, gave Anita the bad news and the possible good news, and we both agreed that it might have not been good had she been the first to try the shower this morning.

Anita worked a couple of hours on the computer while I read, and now it's my turn to talk with all of you again. She went in to shower, and just came out to kiss my head and hug me because she had a shower of totally hot water. Guess I've learned something else from my wonderful husband as he fixes things around the house. Now that we are both clean, I can go back to yesterday and bring you up to date.

Before most of us were up and moving around yesterday morning, I was sitting out in the garden, enjoying the quiet, sunshine and breeze when an amazing sound and event interrupted my reverie. A trash truck pulled to a stop in front of the gate to the compound, three workers jumped off the truck, came in through the gate and collected the trash that was in a 55-gallon drum just to the inside of the gate. The three workers were one man and two women - the women in skirts, stacked short heeled shoes and gloves as we might use to wash dishes.

Ordinary? - nope not to my Botswana experience! This was a garbage truck just like we see at home, and I had never seen a truck like this before, and never seen trash collected. Trash was an interesting experience in 1990. Home trash was burned in 55-gallon drums right on Brian's property. Along those dusty, sandy roads, glitter would sometimes appear in the distance. Sometimes it was a single aluminum can, more often it was a mound of trash.

Brian explained that individuals simply disposed of their trash along the road. If someone else saw that trash, they might throw theirs at the same point. Eventually the mound was created. Several kilometers separated the mounds, so that the whole road did not have lots of trash every where. Now with all the pull-off areas where the bus stops to pick up passengers, and the private "little white vans" (just like Mma Ramotswe) also pick up passengers, there are trash cans mounted on poles. And people apparently have developed the desire to contain their trash. AND, the goats have learned how to tip the cans on their hooks so they can get to the trash for their snack. I saw one doing just that yesterday during our adventure.

It took us a while to get ourselves going yesterday. Njale has been such a good travel agent for us that she has grown quite tired, and she is not sleeping well as we approach the day of spreading Brian's ashes, still scheduled for early tomorrow morning. (Refilwe is due home this evening from her school trip and we are hoping Bone will pick her up, bring her to Moshupa and stay the night. Sedi may also come this evening for the night, or will come early tomorrow.) Our extra guest and her children are staying at another home tonight so they will not interfere with our plans for tomorrow morning.

It was after 10 before we left Moshupa and at the turn to Manyana, where there are ancient rock paintings that Anita hopes to see, we drove almost immediately into a small compound with two buildings. This was the factory where a friend of Njale's works for a small corporation making Botswana herbal teas with mostly locally grown plants. We have been drinking one in the evenings as it is a relaxer and stress reliever, also supposed to help a whole lot of other things according to the information leaflet.

The friend was pleased to see our interest and showed us the four types of tea made - three are differing flavors and are suggested for similar herbal remedies. The fourth is made from Kalahari Devil's Claw, a spiky weed that grows in the desert and is used medicinally by the native San tribe. In addition to a long list of uses, this tea has precautions as well. I took photos of the dried form of the weed, its seed, and slices of the died tuber root, which is also used in the preparations.

We saw dried forms of the herb leaves including recognizable mint for one of the flavors. Next was the machine that grinds the dried leaves to powder, and finally a large machine which automatically forms the square tea bags with the powder coming from an overhead hopper. Unexpectedly she offered us samples of all four tea flavors although she did not have boxes to put them in. So she put them in plastic bags with the informational leaflets. The Devil's Claw is in a box.

























Njale asked me how I would take these home as the bags as the herbs in them look very much like other stuff that might not be good to bring home. I think I will put them in the box that we intend to mail home. That box will also include the lovely wooden box with Brian's ashes, and other purchases and clothing not to be used after leaving Botswana. We will think about the teas a bit before we actually send them.

This lady is also a friend of Njale's who has never been married. Her mother has died, and a sister is to be married. At the women's ceremony that I attended in 1990, Njale was brought to a special animal skin in front of the special women in her life and Brian's - Mom, me, Mrs. DiSale and some aunties and cousins. Njale's mother and a couple of other women, perhaps Njale's aunts spoke to her. With translation, I learned that she was being instructed as to how to be a good Botswana wife - have tea ready for hubby when he returns home, cook good meals, don't talk back, don't ask where he has been or when he will return, and other similar traditions. Later I explained to Njale what while I respected her traditions, I wanted her to know that she was now a Trennepohl and that came with all the rights and privileges associated with our traditions.

Anyway, this lady can not be the instructor to the future bride. Only women who have been married can take this role, and Njale is being asked to assist with the wedding in November or December. It is an honor to be asked, and she will probably do it. They spoke again about this request before we left the compound.

Back on the road to Gaborone, we decided that it was very close to lunch so we stopped at a grocery on the outskirts of the city to pick up picnic lunch material to eat when we found a shady place. We were heading for Mochudi and a museum that had been recommended for us by another of Njale's friend. Mochudi figures importantly in some of the novels in the #1 Ladies Detective Agency series, so I was pleased to be able to visit this city.

Mochudi is much smaller than Moshupa and the museum is at the top of one of the high hills that surround the village. The road to the museum is quite well kept until you pass a lavish compound almost at the top, then it turns quite steep down the other side of the hill for a short distance to the parking lot of the museum. On the way back from the museum, Njale told us that the compound belonged to the village chief.

The museum used to have the local school and is now a small but interesting collection of not only the history of Mochudi, but also, in many ways, a history of Botswana from the time it became a British protectorate until after it gained its independence. Unfortunately, no photos were permitted inside the museum. Anita and I were fascinated by the very old photographs of chiefs, initiation ceremonies for young boys and girls, ceremonies with British dignitaries, pots and other implements used in the late 1800s and early 1990. There were letters and diaries and beautiful tapestries that told the stories of some of the chiefs.

The one letter that was most moving to me was a translation of a letter written to Queen Victoria in 1895 by the current chief of Mochudi. In it he pleaded to remain under the protection of the Queen. Apparently there was some talk of selling the land to a corporation, and the chief did not believe that this would be the best for his people, who were his responsibility. Whether this letter changed the possible history of Bechuanaland (as Botswana was called until its independence) or not, is hard to tell. But it must have played some part because the country remained a British Protectorate until the mid 1960s.

Surrounding the museum and still on the top of the hill were amazing rocks. Much of Botswana is flat, especially in the Kalahari Desert and central areas. This area of Botswana has quite a number of hills of various heights, and this one in Mochudi was the highest I have been in Botswana. As we walked around the building and climbed some of the rocky areas, we looking into the valley that contains Mochudi. The views were spectacular, and I shot many photos from this location. Hills and the rocks that top them play important rolls in some of the traditional legends and stories of the Batswana culture.













The two photos on the left are from Mochudi. The photo on the right above is one of the rocky hills right in Moshupa, and I think it shows the beauty of these rocky areas better than the photos I took in Mochudi.

Instead of coming directly back to Gaborone, Njale took us to another area of Mochudi where we met Bob and Bofile Williams, longtime friends of Brian's. Bob, Brian, Curt Hansen, and Peter Holly all arrived in Botswana around the same time. All but Peter were in the Peace Corps and all were educators, and all settled in Botswana. I had not met Bob or his wife - they as well as Curt were in the US while we were here in 1990 for the wedding. (Curt lived in Moshupa at the time of the wedding; he now has two homes in Mochudi, one quite close to Bob's. We are to perhaps visit with Curt before we leave Botswana as he is due home from South Africa tomorrow.) Bob lives in Mochudi now and we spent about an hour reminiscing about Brian, softball which all three encouraged and coached, and Botswana in general.

Bob's children are in college, one in Canada and one at the University in Gaborone. Bob and his wife will be coming to the US soon for a 4 month visit with family and friends. They will be in the Baltimore region, so I have invited them for a visit if they have time. They also know Gary and Baba Whisler who live up in PA who are also friends from the Peace Corp and Botswana.

The road out of Mochudi from this area was similar to the roads in 1990 including a couple of concrete dips where water will flow during the rainy season. Anita hopes we are back in this area so she can take a photo of the sign that marks these crossings - it is shaped like a bowl with a wavy line inside the bowl. Most of the time the crossings are just dips in the road, as rain in infrequent throughout most of the year.

Back to Gaborone, and a stop at the grocery and pharmacy - Anita and Njale needed the pharmacy, and we had a list of stuff needed to restock the kitchen. This stop make our leaving Gaborone difficult, as we hit rush hour. We were later getting back to Gaborone than we have been since arriving.

The skies were very clear and as I looked out the side window, I realized the sky was filled with stars. I had not seen a sky like this since a trip to the Grand Canyon in 2000. At one point, Njale stopped the car so Anita and I could get out, walk a little way from the car and the lights of cars passing on the road. It had occurred to me that we were in the southern hemisphere and there would be no north star or big dipper. The darkness was so complete and the sky so filled with stars that the Milky Way was visible.

During our trip to Australia, Jim and I joined a nighttime program with a ranger while staying near Ayers Rock. The ranger used 1,000,000 candle-watt lantern to shoot a beam in the sky pointing to southern constellations while he told traditional stories of the constellations. If my memory was correct from 20 years ago, I was able to show Anita the Southern Cross. If my memory was incorrect, it will still remain the Southern Cross for both of us until we are corrected. Since we are hoping for a night-time game drive next week during our safari, we might have a driver who can confirm my memory, or at least correctly identify the constellations.

We arrived home finally, put away the groceries, heated the fish we had purchased at the grocery, and had a late dinner. Njale could hardly stay awake, and our guests were not back yet. Finally Anita and I convinced Njale to go to bed - we would remain up until she returned home with her children. (She had spent the day helping the family prepare for the funeral that had brought her to Moshupa.) She arrived home later than Anita and I had hoped as we were tired as well. Around 11:30, we were able to go lock the front gate and lock and bar the front door. We went to bed and were not too long going to sleep. The end of another satisfying day.

We are still alone, and waiting for Njale to return. Anita has just started some laundry for us, and I am about to finish this entry.

Good reading, my friends.

Two relaxing days - August 19 and 20, 2008

First, just a little bit more about the 18th. I was so excited about the wonderful wall hanging I purchased from the weavers in Oodi, that I forgot to mention our visit to BotswanaCraft. This is the local outlet for all major crafts created in the country, and in 1990, Jim and I did most of our gift shopping in this store. In 1990 it was located on the Mall in downtown Gaborone, and we visited it several times. Our visit on the 18th was quite a shock - sticker shock that is. The crafts that were quite inexpensive and beautiful in 1990 were still exquisite, and now were priced way beyond what we were hoping to spend.

We looked at a lot and decided to try to return to the Botswana Museum were the same crafts were being sold after a museum exhibit, at more reasonable prices. I also suggested to Anita that since we had not walked the open Mall, we might want to try that area as well. I believe I have mentioned that many individual set up their areas and sell many items along the Mall in front of the stores that are also located there.

August 19th began with both Anita and I sleeping in until almost 10 am. Njale has left early for Gaborone as the heating element in her hot water tank failed on the 18th. My shower the morning of the 19th was quite invigorating. Anita passed. I worked much of the morning on the family computer as we were receiving frequent messages that the open space on the hard drive was critically low. We were down to 8mb, which I know is much smaller than my Palm. So I copied many files from the desktop to a flash drive that Njale had and then deleted them into the recycle bin. Finally I brought up the program list on the troublesome drive and asked the computer to arrange according to frequency of use. I started with programs that were over 100mb, and if they had not been used within the last two years, I asked the computer to uninstall them.

(NOTE - I can see Jim cringing now and wondering if I really knew what I was doing. The answer is probably no, but any program that I recognized, I did not uninstall. I finally found a program that required over 500mb and was a 'trial' program that as best as I could tell, had never been used since its installation in 2003. That one was the final program I deleted, and we are no longer receiving messages about a critical shortage of computer space. I think I did OK.)

After solving the problem of the computer, I tackled the television. As I looked at the setup, I recognized a power cord on the back of the cable box. At home, we sometimes need to disconnect this cord and let the box reset itself after the poor thing becomes confused. Crossing my fingers that it would work here in Botswana, I disconnected the cord, saw that the plug end really did look like ours at home. I waited 60 seconds as Comcast sometimes tells us before reconnecting, and voila, the television began resetting itself and finding all the stations we had been watching when Refilwe was home and mostly in control of the changers.

We have heard from Refilwe that she arrived safely, is not impressed with her accommodations, has already lost her glasses in the ocean, and apparently is still having a grand time. She is due home on Friday - time unknown as of now.

We tried on Monday to book a trip to the Okavango for Tuesday through Friday and were unsuccessful. The cost of this trip would have been almost 3 times the cost of our trip to Chobe next week. As much as Anita and I wanted to add the Okavango, we decided to err on the side of sensibility, and leave that area of Botswana for another visit.

Njale returned mid afternoon after an unsuccessful trip so we are still without hot water. The three of us spent the rest of the day resting, and talking. We combined talents for dinner and enjoyed a white sweet potato casserole I made using some left over vegetable sauce made by Njale on Sunday. Anita added a lovely cabbage and carrot slaw. And our meat was chicken sausages and a chili beef sausage in multigrain buns. Sliced tomatoes finished our plates.

Today, August 20th, we were up fairly early for a visit to the KTOGLA. This is the center of Moshupa tribal business. Njale called several friends to see if we needed a male to take us and present us to the chiefs. There are 2 chiefs, or almost chiefs, for Moshupa now. This is a hereditary position passing through the male side of the family. The chief we met in 1990 died several years ago. The two we met today are not official because one of them has not been elected to the Council of Chiefs who sit with the Parliament in Gaborone. We finally decided that we could go on our own.

When we arrived, Njale went into the offices and found that both chiefs were busy hearing municiple court cases. We were asked to wait and one would come to see us shortly. Njale had reminded us that we needed to be wearing dresses (brought with us for this specific purpose), and that we would be shown the location where women can enter the enclosure. We had a brief chat with the first chief who, indeed, showed us where we could enter and where he would enter.

Meeting inside, I remarked that the large tree that shaded almost the entire enclosure in 1990 was gone. He said that they realized it was sick and dying, so planted another to replace it. All that is left are two very large pieces of wood at one side. I was allowed to take a few photos.

One is of a baboon that was on the top of a high hill that is at the back of the space. I didn't have my long lens on my camera, so I don't think the baboon will be too visible. (The baboon shows when the photo is enlarged, but is only a speck on photos sized for the blog, so if you want to see the baboon photo, you will need to ask for a private viewing of all 5700+ photos. Let me know.)

When the second chief joined us, he mentioned Brian and remarked about how much he had done for Moshupa. During my last visit to Kansas, I purchased several packages of bookmarks that have interesting facts about Kansas. Offering them to the Chief to use as he wished, he suggested that I should take them to the 'school that Brian built'. That was to be our next stop, after returning home and putting on warmer clothes than dresses as it was a cool and cloudy morning.

Baitirile School is much larger than when I saw it in 1990. The school where Brian was headmaster had approximately 200 students then, if my memory is correct. According to the deputy headmaster, who we spoke with today, it now has over 600, thus the additional buildings. The deputy headmaster spoke of this being 'Brian's legacy' and that some teachers think of themselves as 'Brian's students'. He is remembered well, and I was happy to hear him spoken of with such reverence. The deputy headmaster accepted my bookmarks for the library, and locked them away until the students return after this brief vacation.

The Soroptimist Club in State College sent several boxes of books in the late 1980s to Brian and this school. In 1990, I saw the books in the library. Today we were unable to get inside as it was locked up tight, even with the windows covered from the inside.







Even the weeds are different - here is one in blue/green that is all prickly. I loved the contrast between the concrete step and the weed growing at the corner.







On the way home to change our clothes, we stopped at the home of one of the sisters of Mrs. Disale, one of Brian's 'aunts'. Although she was not feeling well, she invited us in for a brief chat, and allowed me to take her photo if I also took one of Njale.




We drove into Gaborone and Njale dropped Anita and me at the Museum where Anita wanted to purchase a number of baskets at more reasonable prices than we had found at BotswanaCraft, hoping that the exhibit pieces were still available. We were in luck, and she chose several. The prices were still more than was in her wallet, so we asked that they be held for us until we visited the ATM on the Mall which was only about a block away.










The seal of Botswana on the entrance arch to the mall. The mall from the ATM location showing the President Hotel where Jim and I stayed (part of the visit) in 1990.

As we walked to the bank, Anita began seeing the baskets for sale along the Mall, as I had told her they would be. The Mall looked much like I remembered and it was fun to be back in an area that had changed little, except for the names of the some of the stores. Even so, some of the stores we used were still there. Jim might remember the small food store across from the President Hotel where we stayed during part of our visit in 1990. The name has changed, but there still is a store in the location where we made a nightly run for snacks. The Cinema that was across the central square of the Mall is gone and the building has been replaced with a 5 story office complex. The Barclay Bank is on the same corner, and as we used its ATM, we ran into Sputnik who works at the bank and is a cousin of Njale. We also ran into Njale's boss who was wondering why she did not answer her cell phone. I explained that I had the phone and had not heard it ring.

Njale's expertise was needed to help with some computer problem, so I promised to have her call as soon as we met up. She was spending the time looking for the heating element we need to fix the hot water tank.

After Anita and I walked the Mall from one end to the other and back, she had purchased the baskets and other woven goods she had wanted and had saved quite a bit of money. I also made a purchase of something different for Dad's wall in Kansas to remind him of this visit to Botswana.
We went back to the Museum to purchase part of what they had been holding for both of us, at prices at least half of what was being asked at BotswanaCraft. We were very lucky to find the end of an exhibit of local craftsmen and women who were willing to let the museum sell they products.

A walk back to the central square of the Mall, where the President Hotel is located, and we were near the spot where we were to meet Njale. Anita and I were hungry; I suggested the restaurant at the Hotel which is one story above the mall and has outside seating so we could watch the comings and goings of individuals below us. We had just ordered our meals, when Njale disappeared under us. Anita ran down the stairs and stopped her from purchasing a fast food meal. She came back up and we enjoyed a leisurely meal in the shade of the warm day. For this meal we had macaroni spirals baked with tomatoes, basil and Parmesan cheese.












A view of shoppers from the terrace where we had lunch at the Hotel and a sign on the building where Jim and I shopped for snacks in 1990.

The drive back to Moshupa was longer than normal because we needed to stop in Kumakwane to speak with Njale's brother about coming tomorrow to fix our hot water heater, and to check on progress in the rental house being built there as well. Next stop was in Thamaga where Njale visited with her doctor to check to see if she should have malaria medicines as well for our trip next week. He said no; a pharmacy where she had stopped said yes, so Njale is uncertain what she will do.

We are expecting more guests for a couple of nights. A dear friend of Njale's needs to be in Moshupa for a funeral and called to ask if she could stay here. Although it will be a bit crowded, Anita and I said, of course. So we will have more friends to meet. Anita remarked that although we know only about 5 people in Botswana, counting Njale, we continue to run into people we know. Amazing!

That's the news from far away. I wish one or more of you readers would comment so I can tell how I doing and if I'm telling you want you want to know.