Welcome to Botswana!

Well...what i thought would never happen to careful, on-guard me in fact HAPPENED. Yesterday I had my wallet stolen at Bus Rank. I have grown to love the walk between bus rank and UB every morning as the sun is starting to rise and I can reflect and listen to my music. I am always SUPER careful though on the bridge crossing-- a haven and regular hangout for thief gangs. I speed walk across the bridge holding my backpack tightly, keep my phone and key in my pockets, and don't take my ipod out until I successfully cross. Well-- apparently thats not good enough because some how these tricky thieves managed to locate my hidden zippers, open my bag, and sneak the wallet out of my backpack pocket without me or any of the people around me noticing. SOOSOOO frustrating. Its not that I care about the 100 pula i lost...more the credit cards, debit cards, IDs etc. At least my passport wasn't in there... I'd be in Botswana for ETERNITY :) These thieves here are crazy..they work together, distract you because literally its their job. Its sad that it happened but I guess now i've truly "experienced" Gaborone

On a separate note the last few weeks I have stayed in Gaborone. Life has become pretty rhythmic and consistent but I've definitely had some exciting highlights:

- going to a tomb stone unveiling in Mochudi at 5 am with Alicia and our host moms and then proceeding to feed dinner food to hundreds of Batswana (read: MEAT, PORRIDGE, SAMP, etc.) at 9 am

-crazy awesome thunderstorms. About a week ago I experienced the loudest thunder i have ever heard in my life. Pretty unreal.

- its starting to get dark a little later so i have finally started working out. I've gotten past the initial unable-to-breath-the-air-is-so-bad stage and have really started enjoying running around my block. Only really got lost once when it started getting a bit too dark! I'm going spinning tomorrow at 5:15 am with my Setswana teacher, Ntati. Should be a fun time!

- started working at the Women's Health clinic at Princess Marina Hospital which is part of the UPenn-Botswana partnership. Much more to come about this incredible opportunity, but I am starting a clinical research project relating HIV and the progression of cervical cancer which probably last me far into when i get back stateside

thats about it for now..More to come in the future. Hopefully I will have more travels to write about after finals Only two weeks of school left :)