Well for starters the refrigerator is smaller, more narrow than in the US and powered by 220v. Milk is expensive, better preserved and in boxes of 1L. So we pay P11-16.00 for a liter or about $1.60-$2.30/liter or roughly twice that for a half gallon. We have fruit that is grown in this hemisphere, typically in S.A., grapes, apples, pears, guava, kiwi, papaya (called papa here), small but delicious pineapples, and the like. We of course pay a large sum so I eat less fruit but hey, here I am in Bots having fruit on some morning oats.
The oats are from SA as well, as are many cereal products. The favorite grain here is sorghum (mealie meal), samp (coarse ground white corn), pap (finely ground sorghum, I think) are all served at meals here. One eats with ones hands in the home. It’s only us expats from the west that use utensils. Although the hands thing sounds inviting.
One can have any variety of manufactured drinks here. The soft drink area is reminiscent of Menifee County, occupying a huge area in the grocery store with pastel colors of drinks that are sure to dye ones insides. Coke is huge here, not Pepsi. One can get Tab as Bots apparently is less worried than the US about phenylalanine. Fanta is generic for any non-Coke, non-Sprite drink in a can again in a variety of technicolor displays.
Beer is local, meaning both Bots and SA, and light lager in variety. All the liquor stores have the same varieties like in Pennsylvania. The only non local brand that I have found thus far is Black Label, from Philly(!), source of a great hangover after first semester finals in med school, courtesy of Mad Dog John Mallili.
Meat (beef) is a source of national pride and is raised rurally in numbers that far exceed the 1.6 million human population. It is uniformly good and I enjoy it about once a month in some form or fashion as we try to remain vegetarian.
This afternoon we went to Mokolodi, a local game reserve, travelling throughout the park, seeing the usual assortment of bush wildlife. Interesting that I have become so casual about the fact that we can see these animals so readily. The trip also included an opportunity for the Penn folks to pet a domesticated cheetah, accompanied by pictures and poses; odd and a little over the top for my tastes.
Then tonight a brai (barbecue) to celebrate the tenure of one of the best and most regular neurology residents I have met. Good food, lots of it and now home to bed. Not a bad weekend, indeed.
Midlife in Botswana; teaching, mentoring and learning medicine. And living the life.
Where are you?
Botswana
Where we live
About Me
- Mike
- It’s a little odd, being retired and all. So much so that many of my colleagues are now calling it “re-prioritizing”. The thinking here is that there will be less existential identity angst about whether, as retired physician, I can still call myself “physician”. Well…. I re-prioritized on the 27th of December 2019 and have not hung up my stethoscope. Through various degrees of separation, I have connected with an organization and am headed to Gidel in South-Central Sudan where I will be working at Mother of Mercy Hospital. 11°07'07.7"N 30°37'41.1"E for a 3-4 month gig. It will be back to doing what I love most about medicine; the nuts and bolts of history, physical, diagnosis in real time, creative approach to disease and no electronic health record. Perfect.
1 comment:
So is the lack of local beer what has thrown you back into the arms of Kentucky Mother's Milk? Not a bad thing, really, but a shame considering the NW beer selection. Isn't it funny how similar the local beers are? All light and less than appealing, but still better than Bud.
Interesting to hear how the local wildlife becomes more ordinary, although not unlike the "local" bald eagles of the gorge, no? So easy to get used to the day-to-day. I take it as a sign of adjustment.
Love ya, and keep the updates coming!
Eli
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