By Macalester College student, Maya Agata
The six of us students recognized each other in the Johannesburg airport pretty quickly. While we had chatted with each other a little bit on Facebook before we all left, it was also easy to pick out the few girls with duffle bags and hiking boots, all looking ready for some adventures.
After a pretty bumpy flight, we all arrived safely in Maun! Right now, we’re camped at Island Safari campgrounds, right along the Thamalakane River, as we get ready for heading out to the Okavango Delta. Our campsite is feeling pretty luxurious since we have showers and hot water and a pool (which is great considering daytime temperatures are usually around 100 degrees Fahrenheit).
Our campsite also has some great animal friends. We’re visited daily by vervet monkeys, horses, and cattle that pass through our campsite to get water from the river. The monkeys have been causing quite the commotion, especially once they discovered that we’re well-stocked with cookies and that our tents are bouncy. These visits are pretty distracting when we’re having class.
Last night, we got to have a cultural presentation from a woman named Bonti who taught us all about Botswana’s customs involving birth, puberty, and marriage. We even got to try some drumming around the campfire. Bonti is also an author of stories based on traditional folktales, and we finished the night with a beautiful story about the origin of elephants.
So far, I’m having an amazing time getting to know our group, learning about Botswana’s people and culture and animals, and being somewhere without snow! We plan on leaving for the Delta on Tuesday, and I can’t wait for all the adventures to come.