Half-way mark

It is hard to believe that we are about 1/2 way into this adventure. In many ways the time has flown by. We still have lots more we want to do and see in this corner of the world and will try mightily to fit it in before April 15 rolls around. Today seems like a good time to take stock of what we have learned so far, about ourselves, Botswana, travel, living outside the US, etc. So here is my list:
1.We have discovered birding! The birds of southern Africa are beautiful, easy to spot, very colorful and a wonderful way to look into the ecosystem. For many years I watched my sister and brother in law, Roberta and David, pursue birds all over the world and did not get their fascination. At first, I was looking at the birds here kind of as a proxy for my dear sister, but then the birding fever caught hold. We have purchased bird guides, make lists of what we see, and are always looking up. This is clearly a dangerous hobby for anyone with anal-compulsive, listmaking tendencies. Anyway, it is great fun and the colors of birds here are off the charts.
2.The world has shrunk; the world is vast. So how do you hold on to this contradiction. Clearly, all this technology connects everyone not matter where in the world they are. We talk,skype, and IM with family and friends. In many ways we do not feel far away. The NYT home page is still a click away! However, there is a huge divide once you step away from the IT and look around you at a piece of the world, particularly outside of Gabarone that is untouched by many of these advances and where people live in a manner that is very different than the west. In some ways the IT is kind of a tether to what is comfortable and reminds us of home. It has also made it possible for us to keep working and communicating with you all.
3.Setswana is a hard language! I felt a little better about my slow progress once I read that Setswana is one of the Bantu languages and this language group is unlike virtually any other language family in the world. The other extremely difficult language is that of the San people (bushman of the Kalahari) who are known for the language with all the clicks!
4. Greetings matter. I am reminded of this daily as I make my way around Gabarone. Most people greet you or respond to your greeting with a dummela mma/rra, followed up by a whole how are you doing exchange. This is all before you get to your question, request. Some of the young folks may not mind shortening it up, but it is quite rude to rush into a conversation without the niceties.
5.People are people, and relating to the people of southern Africa is easy and rewarding. Working with men and women from this part of the world is enjoyable. They have as much to teach us as we can for them.
So that's all the musings for today.