Many of you, rightfully so, are curious as to the reasoning of my return to the USA prematurely. I would like to use this entry to explain the events that transpired leading to my evacuation and summarize my time on Africa.
As you read a few weeks ago in an earlier entry, there has been some unrest among the students at the University of Botswana. Unfortunately, things have now escalated from protests to violent rioting. Last Friday, I was directly involved in another aggressive confrontation with the angry students because I was partaking of my lunch in the refectory. In anger, they raided the cafeteria, commandeering the food, and turning over tables. They approached me (150 or so) with large baseball bat size logs demanding I put my hands over my head because they were going to “f**k me up.”
I obliged their demands and beside them destroying my school notebooks and scaring the crap out of me, I went unharmed. However, this being the second encounter in two consecutive weeks, UNCG felt if unwise to remain there and boy were they ever right.
As of now, the university has been shut down indefinitely by the government and everyone has been made to leave the premises. So far, 60+ students have been hospitalized do to injuries from the strike and the riot police are now using tear gas and rubber bullets to try to maintain order. The US Embassy has required all citizens to stay clear of the university area and the roads leading into the school as well as surrounding the university have been closed.
Had UNCG not acted so efficiently, it may have been me injured, and for that, I commend them. They had me on a plane out of the country within 24 hours of them knowing of the situation. The worked on my behalf registering for courses back at UNCG, and have been nothing but helpful and understanding in the readjusting process that I and the other students are continuing to battle through.
Botswana is a land of democratic stability and hospitable people. It is unfortunate for all parties involved that my departure become necessary. With the exception of the incidents, I enjoyed my time and experiences in Africa, both South Africa and Botswana, and hopefully, someday I will return to the continent and explore new horizons not yet seen.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Hakuna Matata
This week, as I ventured outside Gaborone to some neighboring villages I got my first glimpse of rural Africa. There was poverty and destitution. Animals roamed the roadways and sidewalks. The women carried baskets of flour and maize on their heads.
I saw Africa in its most unadulterated state; where life and living are different concepts. Where hunger brutally collides with survival and the cruel reality of poverty evidences itself on the smitten livelihoods of the rural Batswana. Yet, the people are happy; they seemingly had no worries, like hakuna matata.
By American standards, they would be considered the poorest of the poor, but here they are like many of the other people in rural Botswana (and Africa for that matter) and it’s ok; they have what they need to survive and what is important to them.
Botswana is a very communal society. The people feel that it is their responsibility to care for one another as if they were your own family. This helps explain the unusual hospitality I have received since coming here. Whether it’s getting directions or translating a word or simply the “hellos” as I walk across campus.
I had my first hamburger since 2008 for dinner last night and it was wonderful. I got it with bacon, cheddar, and guacamole on it and a salad and chocolate shake. I spent money that I didn’t necessarily need to spend but it was so worth it.
Tomorrow it’s back to the grind for school. I am really going to have to buckle down. A professor told our class that if any of us were lucky, we might get up to a 80 for our final grade, I haven’t decided whether I should feel challenged or scared, I guess time will tell.
I tried to buy a episode of 24 on iTunes but once it began downloading it said I had 134 hours remaining…yes, the internet connection here is that slow, so I don’t guess I’ll be watching it till I get back home.
I saw Africa in its most unadulterated state; where life and living are different concepts. Where hunger brutally collides with survival and the cruel reality of poverty evidences itself on the smitten livelihoods of the rural Batswana. Yet, the people are happy; they seemingly had no worries, like hakuna matata.
By American standards, they would be considered the poorest of the poor, but here they are like many of the other people in rural Botswana (and Africa for that matter) and it’s ok; they have what they need to survive and what is important to them.
Botswana is a very communal society. The people feel that it is their responsibility to care for one another as if they were your own family. This helps explain the unusual hospitality I have received since coming here. Whether it’s getting directions or translating a word or simply the “hellos” as I walk across campus.
I had my first hamburger since 2008 for dinner last night and it was wonderful. I got it with bacon, cheddar, and guacamole on it and a salad and chocolate shake. I spent money that I didn’t necessarily need to spend but it was so worth it.
Tomorrow it’s back to the grind for school. I am really going to have to buckle down. A professor told our class that if any of us were lucky, we might get up to a 80 for our final grade, I haven’t decided whether I should feel challenged or scared, I guess time will tell.
I tried to buy a episode of 24 on iTunes but once it began downloading it said I had 134 hours remaining…yes, the internet connection here is that slow, so I don’t guess I’ll be watching it till I get back home.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Collision of Fun and Food...can life be better?
What an awesome weekend. This weekend wasn't just one of those weekends that are “good” under the circumstances; in fact, it was probably the most fun and exciting weekend I’ve had in since this summer.
It was action packed starting bright and early at 8 AM Saturday morning. We all met up outside the hostels to take a UB bus to our various excursions. Our first stop of the day was a village about an hour from Gaborone called Mochudi. We went to the Phuthadikobo Museum, a fascinating display of local crafts, community artifacts, and an archaeological display of Modipe, an Iron Age settlement.
Next, we went to the “Big Foot” of Africa, the Matsieng foot prints. Legend tells the story of how Matsieng, a giant and ancestor of the Twana, led his people and animals from the center of the earth to inhabit the world. This supposedly happened long ago when the rocks were still soft and so the footprints of Matsieng, his people, and their animals are outlined in the ancient sandstone rock. The hole, from which Matsieng allegedly emerged, is over 12 feet deep and filled with water.
We then took a bus for about an hour and a half until we reached the Manyana Rock Paintings. Located near the village of Manyana, this was a large group of rock overhangs at the base of Kolobeng Hill. This is where the bush men would hold ceremonies with the witch doctors. After proceeding with their rituals, the witch doctors would have a vision and then transcribe their visions onto the rocks using a mixture or animal blood and urine. They are estimated to be about 2000 years old but you can still see the pictures, including animals, people, and geometric shapes.
Saturday night we stayed in the Bahurutshe Cultural Village in Mmankgodi. We had a traditional Twana dinner and got to learn some about the deep rooted culture and traditions of Botswana. The man, in traditional culture, is esteemed higher than a woman. We learned a couple dances and then hung out around the fire until the wee hours of the night.
On Sunday, we went to Mokolodi Nature Reserve. We went on a game drive for a couple hours and saw some cool animals. The elephants were in arms length from our land rover. We saw giraffes, leopards, baboons, impalas, and a ton of other cools wild animals. We had a braai, which is like a cookout, in the bush (which was awesome) with some great food and views.
To close out the weekend, we went to Lion’s Park. Think Emerald Point meets the Zoo meets the Dixie Classic Fair…yeah, it was that good. We swam and listened to music and just relaxed after a hectic two days.
Classes are now in full swing. I have 5 research papers to do and a 50 minute presentation on Monday about Idealism and Constructivism. I have 20 hours of lectures each week and quite a bit of reading, but I think I will be able to bear the load comfortably. My final schedule is as follows:
POL 305: Politics of Southern Africa
POL 309: Politics of Poverty
ECO 412: Development Problems and Policy
POL 409: Security Studies
POP 303: Migration, Urbanization, and Development
ALL 132: Introduction to Setswana
It was action packed starting bright and early at 8 AM Saturday morning. We all met up outside the hostels to take a UB bus to our various excursions. Our first stop of the day was a village about an hour from Gaborone called Mochudi. We went to the Phuthadikobo Museum, a fascinating display of local crafts, community artifacts, and an archaeological display of Modipe, an Iron Age settlement.
Next, we went to the “Big Foot” of Africa, the Matsieng foot prints. Legend tells the story of how Matsieng, a giant and ancestor of the Twana, led his people and animals from the center of the earth to inhabit the world. This supposedly happened long ago when the rocks were still soft and so the footprints of Matsieng, his people, and their animals are outlined in the ancient sandstone rock. The hole, from which Matsieng allegedly emerged, is over 12 feet deep and filled with water.
We then took a bus for about an hour and a half until we reached the Manyana Rock Paintings. Located near the village of Manyana, this was a large group of rock overhangs at the base of Kolobeng Hill. This is where the bush men would hold ceremonies with the witch doctors. After proceeding with their rituals, the witch doctors would have a vision and then transcribe their visions onto the rocks using a mixture or animal blood and urine. They are estimated to be about 2000 years old but you can still see the pictures, including animals, people, and geometric shapes.
Saturday night we stayed in the Bahurutshe Cultural Village in Mmankgodi. We had a traditional Twana dinner and got to learn some about the deep rooted culture and traditions of Botswana. The man, in traditional culture, is esteemed higher than a woman. We learned a couple dances and then hung out around the fire until the wee hours of the night.
On Sunday, we went to Mokolodi Nature Reserve. We went on a game drive for a couple hours and saw some cool animals. The elephants were in arms length from our land rover. We saw giraffes, leopards, baboons, impalas, and a ton of other cools wild animals. We had a braai, which is like a cookout, in the bush (which was awesome) with some great food and views.
To close out the weekend, we went to Lion’s Park. Think Emerald Point meets the Zoo meets the Dixie Classic Fair…yeah, it was that good. We swam and listened to music and just relaxed after a hectic two days.
Classes are now in full swing. I have 5 research papers to do and a 50 minute presentation on Monday about Idealism and Constructivism. I have 20 hours of lectures each week and quite a bit of reading, but I think I will be able to bear the load comfortably. My final schedule is as follows:
POL 305: Politics of Southern Africa
POL 309: Politics of Poverty
ECO 412: Development Problems and Policy
POL 409: Security Studies
POP 303: Migration, Urbanization, and Development
ALL 132: Introduction to Setswana
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
First two weeks
This journey has proven quite adventurous in just these first few days. My time with Tebatso, my UNCG friend from South Africa, and his family was really great. Having a local who knows the city to explain and show me around was invaluable.
We went places many tourists never go. We went through Hillbrow, the roughest ghetto in all of South Africa and walked the streets of Johannesburg as if we were the city’s main attraction. While in downtown, we went to the “Top of Africa,” the highest building in the entire continent and saw the amazing landscape of Jo’burg and its surrounding suburbs. A more educationally rich experience was a visit to the Apartheid Museum. I purchased Nelson Mandela’s autobiography “A Long Walk to Freedom” and so far it is outstanding.
On the noon of January 5 Tebatso took me to the main bus terminal of Jo’burg. It was utter chaos, but I managed to find what I needed and was able to check in with minimal hassle.
The bus looked quite nice. It was an Intercape Mainliner; one of the coach lines operating in Southern Africa. We loaded the coach with everyone’s luggage and then boarded for our departure. This was when things got interesting.
After sitting on a stifling hot bus (about 100 degrees) for nearly an hour with no A/C or ventilation, I alighted and inquired with the driver as to the problem. The hydraulics that balance and lift the bus had no pressure, and thus, the bus was basically resting on top of the tires unable to move. A mechanic was called and arrived about 30 minutes later. After working on the bus for about an hour, the bus company decided to call for a replacement bus. However, before it could arrive from Pretoria, the mechanic fixed the issue and called off the other bus. So, finally our 1 PM departure for Gaborone rolls out at 4:15 PM.
The A/C was hardly functioning so I was sweating profusely. About 150 km beyond Jo’burg en route to Gaborone, the hydraulics broke once again and we became stranded on the side of the road in the middle on nowhere. Many passengers, including myself, disembarked from the coach to escape the heat. Suddenly, in almost an instant, a treacherous storm began to rise from the northwest. The lightning was stark and frequent, the winds gusty and relentless, and the rain torrential and tumultuous. Thus, we had to reboard the broken bus no A/C, wet and muggy, until the storm passed.
After nearly two hours a new bus arrived. The shoulder where our original bus had pulled off was now a mud whole in which we had to tread to remove and transfer our luggage. We finally got back on the road with a mechanically sound bus that lacked A/C had stationary windows. Needless to say, a deluge of perspiration began almost immediately.
Once reaching the border (at around 11:45 PM) we had to walk across and complete our departure immigration of South Africa and entry into Botswana. There were no signs, no lights, no one to ask for directions. It was essentially and open field with unlabeled buildings dotted across the land. No sidewalks one to another; just thigh high brush with shoulder width mud pathways.
After clearing immigration, the final leg of the journey was worry free and we arrived in Gaborone around 12:45.
Luckily, my ride had waited for me over 5 hours to take me to the university. I was thirsty and hungry, not having eaten since breakfast the morning. Unfortunately, nothing was open and I had no Pula (currency of Botswana). Charity, the director of the International Office, said to find my way in the morning to the ATM on campus to get money for breakfast because our meal cards weren’t ready.
After getting to bed around 2 AM, I woke up at around 6:30 AM, took a shower, and went in search of the ATM. Starving, I wasted no time in my quest for cash. After asking directions 3 times and walking 30 minutes, I found the ATM, which was by Murphy’s Law, out of order.
I wandered a bit more and found a convenience store on campus, my saving grace, only to find out they don’t accept debit/visa cards. Now, having gone 24 hours with no food and having no cash to get a taxi I began to walk. One hour had passed and there was no sign of an ATM, only 95 degree temperatures and dehydration. At the end of the second hour (and come to find out about 5 km away) I saw a shopping center and found an ATM. I withdrew some money and bought some food and drink immediately. Within 20 minutes, I had drunk 2 liters of water, 2 diet cokes, and a huge glass of mango juice.
After being revitalized, I began the grueling journey back to UB. I was beat and had to take care of some registration issues so I walked to the administration building and got my schedule finalized.
At 2 PM, I met up with the other exchange student and chilled for an hour or so in the shade. The dorm rooms are extremely hot with little to no ventilation.
To my (dis)pleasure, the afternoon activity was walking to that shopping center. However, I kept good spirits and made the long haul once again. We bought drinks and mangos and watched people pass for a while. By this time, my feet were aching and I was exhausted so I and another student shared a taxi pack to the school.
After that first day, things have only gotten better. We had orientation on Thursday and Friday to go over policies, protocol, and safety. We went an on bus tour of Gaborone and walked though the Main Mall and saw the embassies. We saw the 3 Chiefs statue which is a memorial to the three men you went to England to petition Queen Elizabeth to give Botswana their democratic independence.
For our orientation dinner, we took a bus to a village outside of Gaborone called Mepololole. It was in the middle of the bush and we had to walk because the roads were impassable. All the food was cooked in large cast iron pots over an open fire. The meal was quite an unexpected surprise. We had goat intestines and stewed caterpillars with homemade ginger beer.
After the meal, played some traditional Tswana games. We danced and had a great time. I learned some new moves and showed the locals how to swing dance. Later, we went around the circle and everyone told the group about themselves and we all became acquainted. I sang George Strait’s “Carrying Your Love with Me” and everyone seemed to like it though few people knew who he was.
Mangos and Mineral water have become the main staples of my diet. Food is not as easy to get as it is in the USA. In fact, every meal is an expedition. The heat has forced me to succumb to the temptation of buying a fan. I won’t be able to carry it home but I’m going to get my $20 worth of use out of it.
Time here passes quite slowly. The city winds down around 9 PM with the exception of the nightclubs which are really my scene anyways so it’s early to bed and early to rise for most.
Mosquitoes are the enemy. I have about 10 bites as of today but they are massive ones and in the worst places like my wrist, toe, and behind my ear. I killed a beetle the size of a Twinkie and its guts splashed about 18 inches on impact from my shoe. I’ve also encountered wild warthogs and hyena-like beast with the occasional cow and goat crossing through campus.
So far, every thing is great. My roommate, Jon, is from Wheaton College and is super friendly. There are only 4 male exchange students; myself, Jon, Cameron (who is also from UNCG), and Rupert from Germany. The campus is vast, the weather is hot, the people are friendly, and the food is…well, edible.
Classes “started” this week. No one, including the professors, show up the first week. I did have one lecturer come on the first day of class and he seems really interesting. He is the highest ranking general in Botswana’s army and is teaching POL 409; a course on Security Studies where we discuss terrorism, nuclear warfare and proliferation, and the war(s) in the Middle East, notably in Gaza between Israel and Hamas.
There is a strike/protest on campus by the students because the government reduced the amount of refund they will receive. The student protesters skip class and march throughout campus and to the Minister of Education. I was in a class today and the protesters raided it. As we were running away, the protesters threw rocks at me, handfuls of rocks. Luckily, I wasn’t hurt but it was pretty intense and not something I want to experience again.
We had a speaker on campus today from the UN to discuss if Botswana can eradicate poverty by 2015 and their progress in reach the 8 Millinium Development Goals. It was really interesting and right on target with my academic interests.
I have no regrets about coming here. The anticipation of what lies ahead keeps me excited and looking forward to everyday. This weekend I will be going to another village and spending the night then going to game reserve to do a game drive! Rhinos, leopards, and giraffes anyone?
We went places many tourists never go. We went through Hillbrow, the roughest ghetto in all of South Africa and walked the streets of Johannesburg as if we were the city’s main attraction. While in downtown, we went to the “Top of Africa,” the highest building in the entire continent and saw the amazing landscape of Jo’burg and its surrounding suburbs. A more educationally rich experience was a visit to the Apartheid Museum. I purchased Nelson Mandela’s autobiography “A Long Walk to Freedom” and so far it is outstanding.
On the noon of January 5 Tebatso took me to the main bus terminal of Jo’burg. It was utter chaos, but I managed to find what I needed and was able to check in with minimal hassle.
The bus looked quite nice. It was an Intercape Mainliner; one of the coach lines operating in Southern Africa. We loaded the coach with everyone’s luggage and then boarded for our departure. This was when things got interesting.
After sitting on a stifling hot bus (about 100 degrees) for nearly an hour with no A/C or ventilation, I alighted and inquired with the driver as to the problem. The hydraulics that balance and lift the bus had no pressure, and thus, the bus was basically resting on top of the tires unable to move. A mechanic was called and arrived about 30 minutes later. After working on the bus for about an hour, the bus company decided to call for a replacement bus. However, before it could arrive from Pretoria, the mechanic fixed the issue and called off the other bus. So, finally our 1 PM departure for Gaborone rolls out at 4:15 PM.
The A/C was hardly functioning so I was sweating profusely. About 150 km beyond Jo’burg en route to Gaborone, the hydraulics broke once again and we became stranded on the side of the road in the middle on nowhere. Many passengers, including myself, disembarked from the coach to escape the heat. Suddenly, in almost an instant, a treacherous storm began to rise from the northwest. The lightning was stark and frequent, the winds gusty and relentless, and the rain torrential and tumultuous. Thus, we had to reboard the broken bus no A/C, wet and muggy, until the storm passed.
After nearly two hours a new bus arrived. The shoulder where our original bus had pulled off was now a mud whole in which we had to tread to remove and transfer our luggage. We finally got back on the road with a mechanically sound bus that lacked A/C had stationary windows. Needless to say, a deluge of perspiration began almost immediately.
Once reaching the border (at around 11:45 PM) we had to walk across and complete our departure immigration of South Africa and entry into Botswana. There were no signs, no lights, no one to ask for directions. It was essentially and open field with unlabeled buildings dotted across the land. No sidewalks one to another; just thigh high brush with shoulder width mud pathways.
After clearing immigration, the final leg of the journey was worry free and we arrived in Gaborone around 12:45.
Luckily, my ride had waited for me over 5 hours to take me to the university. I was thirsty and hungry, not having eaten since breakfast the morning. Unfortunately, nothing was open and I had no Pula (currency of Botswana). Charity, the director of the International Office, said to find my way in the morning to the ATM on campus to get money for breakfast because our meal cards weren’t ready.
After getting to bed around 2 AM, I woke up at around 6:30 AM, took a shower, and went in search of the ATM. Starving, I wasted no time in my quest for cash. After asking directions 3 times and walking 30 minutes, I found the ATM, which was by Murphy’s Law, out of order.
I wandered a bit more and found a convenience store on campus, my saving grace, only to find out they don’t accept debit/visa cards. Now, having gone 24 hours with no food and having no cash to get a taxi I began to walk. One hour had passed and there was no sign of an ATM, only 95 degree temperatures and dehydration. At the end of the second hour (and come to find out about 5 km away) I saw a shopping center and found an ATM. I withdrew some money and bought some food and drink immediately. Within 20 minutes, I had drunk 2 liters of water, 2 diet cokes, and a huge glass of mango juice.
After being revitalized, I began the grueling journey back to UB. I was beat and had to take care of some registration issues so I walked to the administration building and got my schedule finalized.
At 2 PM, I met up with the other exchange student and chilled for an hour or so in the shade. The dorm rooms are extremely hot with little to no ventilation.
To my (dis)pleasure, the afternoon activity was walking to that shopping center. However, I kept good spirits and made the long haul once again. We bought drinks and mangos and watched people pass for a while. By this time, my feet were aching and I was exhausted so I and another student shared a taxi pack to the school.
After that first day, things have only gotten better. We had orientation on Thursday and Friday to go over policies, protocol, and safety. We went an on bus tour of Gaborone and walked though the Main Mall and saw the embassies. We saw the 3 Chiefs statue which is a memorial to the three men you went to England to petition Queen Elizabeth to give Botswana their democratic independence.
For our orientation dinner, we took a bus to a village outside of Gaborone called Mepololole. It was in the middle of the bush and we had to walk because the roads were impassable. All the food was cooked in large cast iron pots over an open fire. The meal was quite an unexpected surprise. We had goat intestines and stewed caterpillars with homemade ginger beer.
After the meal, played some traditional Tswana games. We danced and had a great time. I learned some new moves and showed the locals how to swing dance. Later, we went around the circle and everyone told the group about themselves and we all became acquainted. I sang George Strait’s “Carrying Your Love with Me” and everyone seemed to like it though few people knew who he was.
Mangos and Mineral water have become the main staples of my diet. Food is not as easy to get as it is in the USA. In fact, every meal is an expedition. The heat has forced me to succumb to the temptation of buying a fan. I won’t be able to carry it home but I’m going to get my $20 worth of use out of it.
Time here passes quite slowly. The city winds down around 9 PM with the exception of the nightclubs which are really my scene anyways so it’s early to bed and early to rise for most.
Mosquitoes are the enemy. I have about 10 bites as of today but they are massive ones and in the worst places like my wrist, toe, and behind my ear. I killed a beetle the size of a Twinkie and its guts splashed about 18 inches on impact from my shoe. I’ve also encountered wild warthogs and hyena-like beast with the occasional cow and goat crossing through campus.
So far, every thing is great. My roommate, Jon, is from Wheaton College and is super friendly. There are only 4 male exchange students; myself, Jon, Cameron (who is also from UNCG), and Rupert from Germany. The campus is vast, the weather is hot, the people are friendly, and the food is…well, edible.
Classes “started” this week. No one, including the professors, show up the first week. I did have one lecturer come on the first day of class and he seems really interesting. He is the highest ranking general in Botswana’s army and is teaching POL 409; a course on Security Studies where we discuss terrorism, nuclear warfare and proliferation, and the war(s) in the Middle East, notably in Gaza between Israel and Hamas.
There is a strike/protest on campus by the students because the government reduced the amount of refund they will receive. The student protesters skip class and march throughout campus and to the Minister of Education. I was in a class today and the protesters raided it. As we were running away, the protesters threw rocks at me, handfuls of rocks. Luckily, I wasn’t hurt but it was pretty intense and not something I want to experience again.
We had a speaker on campus today from the UN to discuss if Botswana can eradicate poverty by 2015 and their progress in reach the 8 Millinium Development Goals. It was really interesting and right on target with my academic interests.
I have no regrets about coming here. The anticipation of what lies ahead keeps me excited and looking forward to everyday. This weekend I will be going to another village and spending the night then going to game reserve to do a game drive! Rhinos, leopards, and giraffes anyone?
Sunday, December 28, 2008
"Where exactly are you going, Adam?"
Ok everyone, here's the low down.
I'm leaving New Year's Day to fly into Johannesburg, South Africa. I'll be staying there for a few days until I take the bus to my new home, Gaborone, Botswana. I'll be studying at the University of Botswana taking economics, political science, and Setswana language instruction.
I plan on exploring and getting away from the classroom as much as possible seeing Africa how it really is. I'll be gone for five months and plan to see and do as much as humanly possible during that time. The tentative itinerary includes Mozambique, South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Namibia, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, and Egypt. I'll post periodically so check back now and then to see the new jottings and links to photos.
I'm leaving New Year's Day to fly into Johannesburg, South Africa. I'll be staying there for a few days until I take the bus to my new home, Gaborone, Botswana. I'll be studying at the University of Botswana taking economics, political science, and Setswana language instruction.
I plan on exploring and getting away from the classroom as much as possible seeing Africa how it really is. I'll be gone for five months and plan to see and do as much as humanly possible during that time. The tentative itinerary includes Mozambique, South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Namibia, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, and Egypt. I'll post periodically so check back now and then to see the new jottings and links to photos.
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