The Intervarsity Games

*Oops! I meant to post this several days ago!*

This week happens to be vacation for the students at UB. I guess it's kind of like spring weekend at Brown, times 5. The whole week is filled with sporting events (and non-sporting events, like chess and cultural performances). The "inter-varsity" aspect means that students from UB, Lesotho, and Swaziland (which used to all share the same university until not so long ago when it became the university only for Botswana) compete together as all-star teams. Otherwise, the week is filled with raucus parties and lots of rowdiness. I live pretty close to the university and the traffic is awful at night!!



Last night, most of my friends and I went to see the big football (aka soccer) game--the all-star team versus the Mochudi Chiefs. It was a great game, and UB scored first, but then in the last 15 minutes it all fell apart and Mochudi ended up winning 3-1. It was cool, though, because several of the players on both teams were actually from the national team, the Zebras. Their soccer skills were incredible.



Getting home was such an adventure though! People normally stare at us and talk to us just because we're obviously "lekgoa" (foreigners), but when they're drunk and riled up over the game, it happens a lot more. The other thing is that guys here really want to marry an American. I've even had a mother in Otse offer me her soldier son. I honestly don't know how many marriage proposals I got last night! (To turn them down, you can usually just tell the guy that he can't afford you--I cost at least 9 to 10 cows, according to the Otse mom. Also, telling them that they can marry you if they pay for their ticket to America works, too.)



Anyway, traffic here is also terrible. There don't appear to be any real regulations, and as my sister Mpelo put it, "Batswana are so selfish." They've mastered offensive driving. If you're in their way, they will drive anyway and only stop just before they would otherwise hit you. I haven't seen any crashes yet, though, which is impressive, but it's terrifying trying to cross the road here, particularly at night after a crazy game when they drive on the left side of the road. (Side note: the lane lines on the roads are also reversed here--white in the center and yellow on the shoulders.) After working our way out of the crowd, we found combis and divided up to go our separate ways home. Mission accomplished. *sigh of relief*



Today happened to be Culture Day at UB, so in our break between morning lectures, we wandered into the gym to see some traditional dancers. We saw two groups, one male, one female, and they were incredible. They dance in time to drummers and they kick their legs up so high. Wow!

In Otse when our mothers tried to teach us to dance at our farewell party, my friends and I were totally inept. I was told, however, that my African dancing makes a marvelous chicken impression.