One of the coolest things we did this year was to hold day long workshops for all of the government drivers in the district. I have a group of men that have been trained to speak on all sorts of issues and especially to talk to other men about "Men and Sexuality." Sometimes I am in awe at a workshop because I listen to one of the men in my trained group speaking to a group of government drivers about how men need to be involved in the fight against AIDS. They talk about how sexuality has to change in Botswana and how men have to learn to communicate with their partners and how Botswana need to "start having sex with the lights on" (they love to talk about this…the implication being that it's not something that you should only partake in when the lights are off and there's little communication about protection).
At the end of our workshops the drivers are each given a little cloth bag to keep in their vehicles. These bags were made by a People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) group that we have in the district. The bags contain male condoms, a female condom, latex gloves, and all sorts of educational pamphlets concerning HIV programs. These bags have become quite popular in the district, and I am incredibly proud of our PLWHA group for their work in making them!
The best part of these workshops is seeing actual change take place…the change is slow, but when you see men start to talk about issues of sex and family and faithfulness…you can't help but notice the beginning of change.
Here's what the bag looks like (the bag says "Stop AIDS" in both English and Setswana):
I even sometimes dream that this guy is in my backyard. 
But in reality it's these guys that manage to find a way into my yard and eat my trash! I call them Eyeore and Baby Eyeore (they pretty much just stare at me when I do this…after they mumble "thanks for noticin' me"
It's shocking, I know....that's why I love it. I love it because most of the controversial or "conversation starting" (as I call them) campaigns are targeting the youth and it's working. That's not to say that these campaigns are every one's up of tea. In fact, this masturbation campaign has caused quite a stir in many of the districts....but, personally, I find it refreshing when people start taking about HIV in a very real way...a way that gives the youth viable alternatives. This is just my opinion...but I have to say that sometimes when I see the youth react to a campaign like this, and I see that it really gets them talking, I find that the criticisms involving these campaigns are muted. I can no longer hear the disapproving gasps. I am no longer distracted by the indignant stares. These things don't bother me anymore because I am too busy listening to all of the things the youth have to say about what they think about sex and what they worry about when it comes to their future....I'm too busy listening to kids talk about how HIV relates to them and how they are going to prevent themselves, their brothers and sisters, and their friends from contracting the virus.
We even did a little traditional drumming together!
Okay, so I am about to celebrate my 7 month anniversary in Botswana (is that one the paper anniversary? I can never remember). There's always so much going on. There are little defeats and little victories every day. And, more commonly, it has become harder and harder to tell one from the other. My life here has turned into just that…life.
One fantastic addition to my life is my new telephone line that was just installed in my home (installed by an overly friendly Motswana who told me that I should have kids by now…I love the shyness of the Motswana). I quickly decided that this man could say absolutely anything he wanted to me…because he was installing my phone line. In fact, I believe that I gave him a very nice smile, told him that he was right that I should have kids by now, and then offered him some water, or better than that, anything from my fridge. Heck, I may have even offered to have his kids….anything to get this damn phone line!
Now I have access to the internet! It's not like I didn't have access before it's just that I usually have to go all of the way to Gaborone (capital city) to get onto the internet and I am kind of too busy coordinating AIDS programs to do that!
How will this change your life? Now I plan on posting lots of pictures….giving lots more details about my life here….and, in general, forcing my life upon anyone who chances to read!
To begin, I am posting a picture of my boyfriend and I that was taken a little while ago when we were wandering around Gabs (by wandering around I mean that very likely we were going grocery shopping…I tell you, life is just one big adventure around here)!
p.s. Big shout out to my sister, Megan, for helping me post blogs, read my e-mail, and keeping me up to date on Britney and K-Fed's divorce (shocking…would have never guessed….really, if these guys can't make it, does anyone have a chance?)
On a morning game drive with Mom.
Sunset in the Delta from a Mokoro.
Getting a spray from Victoria Falls with Mom.
Preparing for an extreme adventure with Sylvia.
Enjoying an outdoor shower.
First we signed our life away
Then we made sure we geared up...putting all of the straps in all of the right places
Then we rubbed some unnamed idol for good luck
Then we did the flying fox
Then my dad and I did a zipline together
Then the Gorge swing!
Then we praised the lord that we lived through the whole thing
Manda, Dad, Dereje, and Mom meeting at the Airport
Manda and Mom in the Delta
All of us on a game drive
Mom and Manda in the Delta
