More Safari.

I know I can only going on about the all the wildlife and safari rides and epic sun rises and sets that I saw over the next few days for so long so I’m going to stop here. There are tons of photos you can check out on my facebook if you are interested and I’m always willing to chat your ear off once I return. But for now I will tell you about relaxing poolside, enjoying a nature walk and talk in the evening, getting lost in the bush in the dark maybe not so sober and getting to know Lydia. Lydia, the poor woman was made to join our wild bunch of college students on safari. At first we were very standoffish with her but once we got out of the bush and had a chance to speak with her about what we were doing and her about her life in Monaco and travels to South Africa before arriving in Botswana minus the friends who were supposed to join her we really came around. Again it is the possibility of meeting people and learning about them that study abroad is about right? Lydia made me think, not just because of her touching story about how AIDs has touched her life but on how lucky I am to be having this experience so young in life and how much I can gain from it and how my interactions shape others views of American youths. I know I choose to this for a lot of reasons and it’s really hard at times to remember way due to frustration and enjoyment but in the smallest ways I’m learning so much about people, myself, literature. At one point I complained to Katlego about missing the “real” discussions and thought processes I had at Bowdoin but I know I have now engaged and listened to discussions and learned facts and things I would have never learned at Bowdoin at the same time. These are not only tied to being in Botswana or studying abroad but a lot to do with the people I am in contact with and their experiences in the world. Thato said that “She is older and smarter than us in books but in the social we know more” and I agree, but I also know that just means I can gain some much in different ways from my time here.

Email from Lydia 

HI "you all"

It was wonderful meeting you and  sharing special moments with you ... Unforgettable places ... Like the loo in the camp !!!..
Boy ! Does that create a bond ......!!! .... Never to be Broken ..
I hope to meet you again some day if you wish to come to Monte-Carlo !

All the best and REMEMBER YOU ARE HAVING NOW THE BEST TIME OF YOUR LIFE ...
Later .. Shit will start hitting the fan ... I hope not too hard , but it will, that's called LIFE ..

Kisses to "you all" !

Lydia