Groundhog day
Hannah home schooling
“What day of the week is it?” – the first thoughts of the day flicker into focus as the dawn chorus spoils yet another unfinished dream. And such is life in Kang, Botswana, each day merging into the next. For most of us, it takes a few moments to figure out the the name of the day. Now, don’t get me wrong, we’re are by no means bored here, what with home schooling, meetings, field service and the planning of a trip to the Moremi and beyond. Well …. let’s just say, for the rest of the village it is permanently Sunday.
The clatter of the beat up Landcruiser as it passes by, signals 6:30 am. The electricity board pickup is the first of three vehicles that will pass our house during the course of the day – it’s tired shocks offering no resistance to the corrugation of the sand road. A chicken will flap and squawk from under the wobbling steering rack as the driver negotiates to avoid the sad looking gray donkey as it stands motionless in the middle of the road.
The barefoot boy with a wire truck and his friend will pass at 7:03 AM followed closely by three giggling teenage girls whose animated conversation floats in through our window as we sit down to breakfast and the first of two strong cups of coffee.
Maids in blue
At 7:28 AM, as I turn my head to look out of the window while I wait for Hannah to find her place in her days text book, I will see the blue dust coats of our neighbors domestic workers as they scurry to make their 7:30AM start.
A herd of goats will circumvent the dreary donkey at 7:40 AM and head to the fence across the road to try some weeds.
Home Schooling, for us, starts at 7:45AM just as the donkey in the road brays, making sure that those who are supposed to be awake, are indeed awake. The braying will last for three minutes before itinerant beast resumes it’s motionless stance in the middle of the road.
"outside!"
At 7:58 AM a hoopoe will land on the sand next to the braai, just as a our two golden dachshunds appear at the front door, tails wagging for breakfast and some attention. They will be allowed the luxury of stepping just inside the door before being told that their presence in the house is forbidden.
The dogs will bark at 8:13 AM as Lindi, our maid appears on our front stoep.
“Dumela Maa, dumela Raa” she will say by way of greeting.
“O tsoga jang, Lindi?” (How are you?) Fleur will enquire.
“Maa?” replies a confused looking Lindi, lightly pinching her nose with two fingers and sniffing.
Sad donkey
The donkey will bray again as it ambles down the road towards nowhere in particular.
After waiting a few seconds to see if the original question will land somewhere, Fleur will rephrase, “O kae? ” (How are you?)
“Mmm.”, the reply barely audible.
Our attention will be quickly diverted back to work at hand by the nature of home schooling. A new concept, a challenging project or the correcting of a mistake.
Lindi will sniff again reminding us of her presence. And should a sniff require translating, I suspect it would be translated as: “What must I do?”
Victoria home schooling
“Come, let me show you the kitchen. Wash your hands. You can start by washing the dishes. Don’t forget to mop the floor. When you have finished mopping the floor you can……” Fleur moves with Lindi into the kitchen repeating the same instructions as the day before.
Fleur will re-emerge from the kitchen at 8:27 AM, a bemused expression on her face.
“I can’t believe she’s been working here for four weeks!”
