Day One

Our driver picked us up at 0815h. We had been awake for an hour and it felt like the middle of the night. K. drove us to the BUP headquarters (1 block away from our flat in Pilane Court), where we met Gill Jones, the administrator of the program and the mother of Nikki Jones, who directs the residents and students in their stay here. Gill is about our age and is the daughter of a missionary. She was raised north of here initially, and moved to the nascent community of Gaborone in 1954. She went to school in the UK, became a nurse, and has lived here after that, raising a family. Like many UKers, her family connections are world-wide, with a daughter and grandchild here in Botswana, and a son in Dubai, about to relocate (with wife and 5 children) to Australia!
Gill briefed us (again) about the program and helped me complete the governmental forms permitting me to deliver health care in this country. We then proceeded on Independence Ave. to the police department, where I had to have an officer document I am who I say I am, stamp and sign in several locations on the multiple forms, and then have to explain ("because you are a professor!) the origin of earthquakes (Haiti is much in the news) and the reason for hurricaines (idle curiosity, I think). He also tried to steal my pen, but since I had the last use of it, it went into my pocket thereafter.
We were driven downtown through the government center (flashy high-rise buildings) to the Ministry of Health. The picture is actually the dept of the Attorney General, but I couldn't take more because a security guard said it's illegal to take photos of public buildings. We rode an Otis elevator to 7th floor, where I delivered the paper work to a very quiet-speaking apparently insouciant young woman (it turns out that this is a cultural characteristic), who told me to return at noon next Wednesday for final processing. I can start showing up at Princess Marina Hospital on Monday, but I can't see patients until I am offically inscribed.
Koulong took us out to the Riverwalk Mall, where we had lunch and shopped for groceries. Once again, furtive photography was discouraged by a security guard ("the owner wants to pictures to be taken"). See attached anyway.
The groceries are Woolworths (high end vegetables and fruit) and Pick 'N Pay (meats and all other needs).
Back to BUP for a meeting with two of the Penn MDs where we discussed how I'll fit in over the next 3 months. I think it will be great, and am looking forward to the experience. I'm waiting to hear back from the echo distributor, and plan to set up the equipment at the beginning of the week.
Weekend plans will be discussed by my fellow blogster!