By Maya Agata (Macalester College)

 

Ingredients:

1 Vervet monkey

6 Hyenas

1 Large crocodile

300 Impala (minus one)

4 Lionesses

1 Waterbuck, to taste

1 2-L bottle of ginger beer

6:4 Student to instructor ratio

+/- 3 Escort guides

16 African wild dogs

3 Overloaded vehicles

1 Shower with hot water

1 Beyonce sing-along bedtime song

5 ½ Days of rain

 

Week7_photo3

 

Instructions:

Step 1. Ask Eda to explore an isolated downpour from a tree, which actually ended up being pee from a lone vervet monkey in the branches directly above her.

 

Step 2. Visit a hyena den and see six hyenas, including two fuzzy cubs napping and frolicking.

 

Step 3. Spot an adult male impala stuck in the mud on the riverbank. Spot a large crocodile downstream. Now spot a large crocodile approaching. From the opposite bank, watch nature’s great cycle continue (with your mouth open in shock and terrified tourists behind you).

 

Step 4. Discover four lionesses under a bush, 200 meters from camp. Lions enjoy the taste of waterbuck. Return later to find them lying on their backs and rubbing their tummies. (At least one had cubs!)

 

Week7_photo2

 

Step 5. Divide one bottle of COLD ginger beer (cold!) between all individuals present for a group discussion about conservation in Botswana.

 

Step 6. Say farewell to three fantastic community escort guides with a goofy photo shoot.

 

Step 7. Looking up from a lecture about hyenas, find sixteen African wild dogs trotting through camp, and follow them (of course)!

 

hyena

 

Step 8. Load three vehicles with gear and move to a new camp, Banoka, and meet three new community escort guides.

 

Step 9. Rotate six students who have not washed their hair in the past 36 days (intentionally; let’s just say that the theory of hair self-regulating in a month was put to the test and debunked) through a shower with warm water and shampoo.

 

Step 10. Add one impromptu sing-along to a bedtime Beyonce song thanks to music from our neighbor, a guide at the camp.

 

Step 11. Sprinkle the last five days with non-stop rain (a wonderful break from the sun!), and serve around a campfire with damp chairs.