granadillas and baboons

Evertying in Tlokweng is greener than I remember. There must have been more pula (rain) this year. The bougainvilla is in full bloom even though May marks the beginning of Botswana's winter. Also, there is a family of baboons at my apartments.
Today has been the warmest day yet, at 3 oclock I was still soaking up the sun outside. Since arriving on Monday, I've been spending every morning/afternoon at S.O.S. It was so wonderful to see my "babies" from last year (even though it took a day or two for them to really remember "Teacha Naledi"). A good number of my Green Rabbits from last year are still around, but I was sad to learn that nearly a third of my babes were no longer at S.O.S. Some orphans, like Dimpho, moved in with their extended families while others, like Mototlegi, simply stopped coming. NO one really knows where or why they left. I guess I should have known better than to expect to reunite with all my kids... but S.O.S. feels different without them.
THe ones that are still around have certainly gronw up. Not just in size or appearance, but in demeanor as well. Mickey cut his dreds and now goes by Michael, for instance. Particularly striking are the changes in little Laone, a boy I was very close with last year. He has become very aggressive, externalizing his angers and fears. Last year, it become clear that he was beginning to experience some abuse at home, but now, the frequency and severity of the abuse is much more apparent. He is quick to flinch and recoil from teachers when they reprimand him (verbally). It's as if he even expects a beating if an adult physically reaches out to him (for instance, if you try to hold his hand). This shift is rather heartbreaking for me, especially because the only thing I an do is provide him with as much love as he'll let me and help him to express his emotions in a less violent way, a pretty lofty goal for the next 2 1/2 weeks. Again, time is my biggest challenge here.
But ultimately, things are much easier this time around. There was relatively no ajustment period at S.O.S. or back into Botswana language and culture, it all just kind of came back (I remembered far more Setswana than I had thought). Every morning, I wake up at 7:30 and catch a Khombi by 8:30 (enough time for granadilla yoghurt, yum!). By 9 oclock, we're at SOS serving breakfast to the little ones and chatting over tea with the staff. Tshepang (a teacher affectionately known as Tshepi) finished his last day at SOS today, which is particularly sad for me because he had become a good friend (we worked int he same classroom last year, as well). During recess, we sang all the songs we had taught each other, he still remembered them all, as well as some of his choir songs (including Con Te Partiro, though he had never heard the Andrea Bocelli version, I shall have to send him the CD).
My days at SOS also consist of lots of snotty hugs, "teacher look! teacha me! teacha push!"s, tears (its truly survival of the fittest on the playground), and sometimes failed attempts at lesson plans. Yesterday, recess was especially crazy ebcuase one of the Canadian volunteers was passing out mini Canadian flags to the children (little Batswanas running around with Canadian flags was quite a sight to see). Every child started with one, but by the end of recess, only a handful of kids were in possession of the flags--some acquired by bartering chips, but most by force. It was C-H-A-O-S.
Hmmm, what else...
We were lucky enough to overlap with the semester students here, so I got to spend some much needed time with Sonya, among others. Sadly, they've left today to continue their travels in Africa and elsewhere. Speaking of travels, Olivia, Megan and I are trying to make a trip next weekend to the North to explore Kasane and Victoria Falls. We're trying to do it cheaply though (unlike Mita who is doing a big 4 day Safari), so that means taking an overnight train to Francistown, a 6 hour bus ride to Kasane and crossing the border to Zimbabwe. IT will be long, but definitely worth it. I've heard only the best thigns about Northern Botswana (in fact, Sonya couldn't stop raving about Maun and Kasane--she even went bungee jumping at Vic Falls!).
Honestly, I could write on for hours, but I don't have more time. Next time, I'll try to write more anecdotes rahte rthan little updates. Maybe Ill even post some pics, though my camera screen completely broke on the airplane (no idea how, it was on my carry on...). Lots of love from the other hemisphere!
Salang Sentle (remain well where you are).