My New Home

I am now getting settled into my new home in Ghanzi. It is much different from Gabs but equally as intriguing. The drive from Gabarone to Ghanzi was long but luckily I was able to get in some sleep along the way. We had to stop multiple times along the way to let donkeys, horses, cattle, goats and even ostriches cross the highway.

Ghanzi is a small town, but not what people made it out be. There are two grocery stores where I am able to buy everything I need. There are also a variety of different shops where people are able to buy clothing and household supplies. Many of the shops are Chinese run which is very interesting to me. There are also two banks and a hotel (that from what I have gathered so far, is the main place in town for entertainment). Despite all this, the feeling of the town is much different.

When we first drove into Ghanzi, we drove by small squatter settlements with houses haphazardly made out of cardboard boxes and scrap sheets. One, the woman from WUSC who brought us to Ghanzi and helped get us settled in, informed us that most of the dwellings are occupied by San people. There are also many street kids here, most of which are also San. These kids are all in bare feet and torn clothes, some as young as 4. They hang around the grocery store and persistently ask for money. We have been told not to give them any money because most of them use it to go buy glue to sniff. They also ask for bread but this too is difficult because after you give it to them once they will expect it every time they see you.  I was also informed that there are programs here in place to provide support for the kids, but many of them still just go to the streets.

There are also many different languages being spoken here because people come from many different tribes (so even if I am able to learn basic Setswana...I will always experience some sort of language barrier). The clothing that people wear is such a mix of traditional and modern. There are some women dressed in completely traditional Herero attire, with big dresses and hats (they are beautiful, but I have no idea how they can manage all the layers in the heat here). At the same time, there are women in jeans and tank tops. To work, people do dress more formally – women are often in a skirt and blazer, and men in a suit (minus the jacket in most cases due to the heat.)

My house is very simple, but quite nice. The landlord made a big effort to make things comfortable and supplied Sarah and me with basic furnishings. We live right beside each other which is also comforting. When we first drove up to the house, I was hesitant because it is about 200 metres from the prison in Ghanzi. However, we were assured that it is very secure and One told us that one of the biggest criminal offences in the area is cattle theft (which I found confusing because animals seem to just wander freely through town, but apparently they are marked so that the farmer can identify which is his). Yesterday, there was often a goat or two roaming in the front yard.  Today, we had a man come and set up the electricity. He started talking to us and asked us where our partners were. Sarah and I replied back in Canada. He then went on to say that if it was his girlfriend, he would have been sure to impregnate her before she left so she wouldn’t be able to full around when she’s gone (we just kind of laughed..unsure about how to respond). Everyone seems to be very interested in your relationship status here and is very expressive about their opinions on these matters.

I also met with my co-workers at Ghanzi Craft this morning and it sounds like I have a busy 7 months ahead of me. I will be doing a lot of travelling to various San settlements to collect resource data. This data will then be compiled and assessed to identify which settlements should focus on which products/resources to ensure the greatest sustainability. I will also help with health workshops in the settlements. I really don’t know too much about what exactly this all means, but I start work officially on Monday so I’ll know more then.

Sala sentle!