To internet or not to internet

Before we even could post the ‘Hardships’ underneath, we experienced once again the worst hardship of all for us spoiled Western Europeans: not having almost permanent internet access. No internet access at home, nor at the village. Nor at the about 5 villages in between Gabs and us. (It took us about a few weeks to learn that what we thought is Mochudi actually is three villages stuck to each other.)
After some trial & error we found a nice spot in the Old Mall (the mall Maud remembers from 1989, and Bram even from 1978) in Gaborone, an internet joint where we even can blog small pictures. But than – Monday Gabs-day, but no time for the Old Mall. Wednesday again Gabs-day. We saw Hamish once again in his African Development Fund Headquarters (www.adf.org), went out for lunch together in the mall, than went to the internet spot to blog and read our mail, but the servers had a serious attack of downtime.
It’s strange, until a couple of years ago we never used the internet to have contact. The year before last we had internet access as a Big Novelty, but only the first and last couple of days in Potchefstroom. And now suddenly we got quite dependent on it, also because people reckon they can use it to make contact and appointments.
It’s like a parallel to how incredibly fast Botswana is changing. In 2002 we got totally confused in Mahalapye, driving to Serowe, because the single lane tar road full of potholes made place for a double with lots of robots and roundabouts. We couldn’t even reach Kate’s Kitchen (fabulous chips, and chicken for Bram, not to be confused with chicks).
By now we are used to tar, robots, roundabouts and streetlights appearing in the most unexpected places. We also got used to all the female drivers, in their almost dead bakkie or Toyota, or in their Prado, Mercedes or Lexus, but there’s a lot more changing. Some years ago aids wasn’t something you could talk about, than government started its fabulous campaigns (also thanks to Gates’ money). Last year free condoms were added to the standard motel bathroom equipment, and for a lot of people it isn’t a forbidden subject anymore.
It’s like almost everyone has a mobile phone, than again we’re surprised about the vast areas where you don’t have connection. The ministries moved to posh new buildings. There’s building in process everywhere, and Gabs spreads like an anthill, not with shantytowns but with huge, luxurious houses. In many villages you hardly see traditional houses anymore.
Bram was very happy when he noticed this week that even Choppies (supermarket) has a big display of sweet bakery stuff. Huge malls with luxurious shops and restaurants sprout like mushrooms. Together with the fancy malls we saw the first beggars coming in. This year the big novelty is schools aren’t free anymore, and paying school fees, next to the uniforms and books, is a big problem for people. But than again hiv is costing government a lot, the treatment for the positives alone costs a fortune.
Not only the Netherlands has withdrawn all it’s development aid, a lot of other countries also. So another noticeable difference is that there’re fewer expats. Another source of expats, teachers (there used to be a lot of Cubans for instance), also have been localized, which has unfortunately made the standard of government schools very poor. A reason for the rise in expensive private schools, thus creating an even bigger gap between the have’s and the have not’s.
Finally: the yards. The traditional Batswana plot was barren, except for one Acacia Camel thorn, to provide some shade. The explanation was: it’s because of the snakes. In the eighties almost desperate expats were doing gardening projects, trying to convince people they should have some fruit trees and vegetables. Now a lot of yards have not only fruit trees and vegetables, but also beautiful flowering trees, shrubs, and exquisite flower borders. Bram already helped Francina digging out plants to swap with her friends.