Village Homestay

First night of my Mochudi village stay. City/town of about 30,000 , but seems as though people are poorer here. Less white people as well. Our whole group left this morning around 9:30 and once in Mochudi, we dropped every9one off at their houses. I was hoping to be last so I could see everyone’s houses…and I was! Sophie is my neighbor so I went and hung out at her place for a few hours (which included a sweaty, but much needed, nap) before our moms and us went to Choppie’s for groceries! I’m pretty sure they used all of the money they had just received on food! My mom, Joyce, is so sweet and operates a tuck shop from her house. She sells ice blocks, ice cream, snuff, candy, clothes, mangos, and other random things. She loved the cutting board and kitchen utensils I gave her. I’m the third student to stay here, but the first to bring a gift!

The property is fairly large. The house is a one-story with three bedrooms and a bathroom. They have electricity and plumbing, which is nice, but seems as though they don’t have much money. She’s saving up to buy two more freezers for her tuck shop and also for a bus ticket to SA so she can buy more second-hand clothes to sell.

It’s definitely a different experience from my other homestay. Monkie isn’t rich, by any means, but the two lifestyles are very different.

Sounds I’m hearing:

• Mosquitoes flying over my head (thank goodness for my mosquito net)
• Dogs barking outside
• My brother’s Sean Kingston playing
• Little kids playing outside; clapping, singing, laughing
• Bugs chirping outside
• Joyce and Korabo speaking Setswana in the living room