We had breakfast at the hotel and got picked up to meet with the Regional Health Director at the American Embassy. However, she was ill, so our meeting was canceled. We tried to reschedule, but things are very busy and we will be meeting her on the Malaria Campaign next week anyway.
We walked over to Gaborone Secondary School to meet with the headmaster and to see more of the campus. While we waited outside the headmaster's office, we noticed a faculty member carrying a long, thin stick. We asked Tommie what this was for, and he told us they use it to beat the students! Corporal punishment is very common here for serious offenses such as drinking, smoking, stealing, and bullying. A group of boys was brought into the headmaster's office before us, and through the door we could hear the sound of the stick hitting their backs. It was hard for us to imagine this, but Tommie assured us that these incidents are rare and the threat of being beaten is what keeps the students so well-behaved.
The headmaster is very friendly and he is very supportive of Tommie's ICT club. In the past he has participated in the Malaria Campaign, but he has other engagements this year. He also said that he would help arrange some other activities for us while we are in town, such as the Gaborone Game Reserve and also taking Dena to a school for Deaf children. He is an extremely busy man, so we were thankful that he was able to make some time for us.
After our meeting we walked to a part of campus where William Ruddell had planted a tree in 2006. William Ruddell was a former Mayor of Burbank who passed away within the last 2 years, and he is the man responsible for building the Sister City relationship between Gaborone and Burbank.
William Ruddell's Tree at Gaborone Secondary School
Next we got a tour of the cafeteria. Each student is given a hot lunch every day, and the lunch is actually cooked rather than simply heating up frozen food. These meals are free and included in the 450 pula each student pays for yearly tuition. We sampled the food and it was very delicious--beef stew with carrots and potatoes, served with samp (a plain, starchy side dish, similar to rice) and butternut squash. We talked with the head chef and she requested that we send her a recipe for pizza. I don't think they have mozzarella cheese here, but they can try.
When students arrive in the cafeteria for lunch, they have assigned seats at picnic tables--10 students per table. The sections of the cafeteria are named after game animals, such as cheetah, lion, rhino, etc. It reminded us of summer camp because they are served family style at each table and every student has an assigned task, such as serving the food or getting the utensils. Several on-duty teachers walked around the cafeteria with their beating sticks, but we didn't see anybody using them. The students all politely greeted us as they walked past, obviously recognizing that we were outsiders.
We had our own lunch at the hotel, and then we had a meeting in the afternoon at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We met with Nkoloi Nkoloi (un kuh loy), who is in charge of Europe and the Americas. He is also very supportive of the Sister City relationship, and we hope that his office will help us to bring American students here in the future, as well as facilitating GSS students to visit Burbank. He is also a very funny man. He said to tell all of you that "we met on top of a tree." His office staff also promised to help arrange some activities for us later in our visit, such as diamond processing and some cultural music, dance, and crafts.
Next we visited the Game City Shopping Mall to print a few pictures, do a little shopping, and have coffee. Then we went back to the hotel and sent a few emails. Then Tommie and his family came to the hotel so we could meet his wife and three of his four daughters (the oldest is away at boarding school). His wife's name is Moono, the 11-year old daughter is Chipo ("gift"), and they have 4-year old twins, Kubota ("this is nice") and Chabota ("this is also nice"). They are so adorable and we can't wait to stay in their home.
Later that night we found a nearby nightclub to have dinner and a few drinks, called Cafe Khwest. They had loud dance music, but we sat outside on the balcony. The weather is a little warmer here compared to South Africa, so it was very pleasant to sit outside.
That was a long day! Tomorrow we will get to meet the mayor of Gaborone.
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