The evening is approaching : I decide to back to the hotel. There, a traditional Botswanian dish is served. It is called « Mabele » : mushy millet and sorgho, with cucumber and pumkin : very nourishing !
The modernity of the Square Mall is evident. It is modelled like a Walt-Mart store. Worldwide companies, such as Sony or Orange can be found there. I feel myself at home there, and I can buy food that I’m used to eat in France.
Something amazed me today : whether they are poor or not , the Bostwanian seem to be a very happy people. None of the one I have met has been unpleasant with me. They seem to be full of hope for their future… Maybe that’s another big difference between France and Botswana !
As I mix with the Botswanian population there, I notice that my white skin doesn’t catch the eyes. Actually, I’m not the only white person at all here : Botswana has been coloniazed by Britain, and thus the implantation of european there is quite important.
The city infrastructures seem to be fairly well developped : there are tar road rather than earth road. The taxidriver explains me that the construction of road is a very delicate topic in Africa, and a source of many political conflicts : « It costs so much » he tells me. Once again, I notice that the preoccupations in Botswana are very far from ours. The city is invaded by sand. « It comes from the Kalahari desert » the driver explains.
13/10 Fortunately, somebody is waiting for me at my arrival : Kefentse, a Bostwanian middle-aged man, sent by the NGO. He is very open-minded and asks me a lot of questions about my country. He is reassuring, and tells me that the Botswanian people is very welcoming with foreigners.
Suprinsingly, the airport is brand new, and I can see no signs of poverty there.
A taxi drives me to my hotel : the Gaborone Sun Hotel. It is a occasion for me to catch a glimpse of the city of Gaborone. The gap between rich and poor is striking there. As we pass along the Central Business District of the city, where I notice many luxurious buildings, the taxidriver explains me that the Botswanian people have managed to raise their standard of living, thanks to a good repartition of the money made by the diamond industry, and a low level of political corruption. I am struck by the number of building sites there : Gaborone is a very fast growing city, and very modern architecture mix with quickly-built houses which make me think of a shanty town. It so different from the organisation of our french cities !
« Aids is a disaster for our country » the taxidriver tells me. « In some city, up to the half of the adult population is contaminated ». I’m struck by these words. I begin to realise how different the life in Botswana is. There, precarity, and even death, are common events, living rather than surviving is still the major preoccupation for many Botswanian.
A taxi drives me to my hotel : the Gaborone Sun Hotel. It is a occasion for me to catch a glimpse of the city of Gaborone. The gap between rich and poor is striking there. As we pass along the Central Business District of the city, where I notice many luxurious buildings, the taxidriver explains me that the Botswanian people have managed to raise their standard of living, thanks to a good repartition of the money made by the diamond industry, and a low level of political corruption. I am struck by the number of building sites there : Gaborone is a very fast growing city, and very modern architecture mix with quickly-built houses which make me think of a shanty town. It so different from the organisation of our french cities !
In Gaborone CBD : the Ministry Offices
12/10 Time has come for me to leave France, to go to Gaborone, the capital of Botswana. I leave Roissy-Charles de Gaulle at 4.50 pm. 2 stops are scheduled, one in London, one in Johannesburg ! I eventually arrive in Sir Seretse Khama International Airport (Gaborone airport) the 13/10 at 9.20 am… I’m exhausted !
Before leaving my hometown, I have barely no idea of the universe I am going to live in during 3 months. Of course, I have many preconceived ideas about Africa. Would they reveal to be true ? I have to get vaccinated and immunized against many diseases : hepatitis B, diphteria, tetanus,… As my internship approaches, I feel both excited and stressed : I wonder how dangerous life in Botswana is, if I will be able to integrate the Botswanian society, if I will suffer from racism,…
I’m preparing myself for my (virtual) 3-month internship in Botswana. I have applied to work in a NGO there, which is making investigations about the question of human rights in the diamond industry. I was told that my profile fulfilled the requirements, and asked if I wes ready to face such an experience. The aim of the mission that was offered to me, as well as the desire of discovering a new culture motivate me, and I answered yes.
