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1730 Cambridge Street Room 403 Cambridge MA 02138 617.495.5265 africa.harvard.edu

Maru-a-Pula ProgramIntern Guide2016

Dumelang, new interns, and congratulations! That’s Setswana for “Hello.” As you begin preparing for this summer (or “winter”) at Maru-a-Pula, we hope that you use this guide to get an idea of what to expect this summer. This guidebook is meant to provide you with a sense of what to expect, and what may or may not work, based on our previous interns’ experiences at MaP. Once you get to Gaborone and settle into life at MaP, be sure to make note of what in here was useful or totally off so you can make it better for future interns.

Good luck!

The 2015 MaP Interns

Caleb Johnson ‘17 Melissa Joseph ‘17 Natalie Atunez ‘17 Paul Stainer ‘18 Jessica Sithebe ‘18 Alondra Ramirez ‘18

Welcome to the maP family!

INTRODUCTION... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1Maru-a-Pula Program Overview...............................................................................................................................................................................................1Roles and Expectations...................................................................................................................................................................................................................1

GETTING READY................................................................................................................................................................................................................................4Pre-Departure Checklist................................................................................................................................................................................................................4International Travel..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................5Travel Registry ..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................6Physical Health..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................6Finances..................................................................................................................................................................................................6Packing List........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................7Gift Ideas............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................8

WORKING AT MARU-A-PULA.......................................................................................................................................................................................................9Day in the Life..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................9Additional Projects & Opportunities......................................................................................................................................................................................10School Resources............................................................................................................................................................................................................................11Socializing with Students............................................................................................................................................................................................................11

LIVING AT MARU-A-PULA............................................................................................................................................................................................................12Co m m u n i c at i o n s. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 2Food.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12Laundry...... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12ATMs/Money.....................................................................................................................................................................................13Transpor tation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13H o u s i n g. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 3We at h e r. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 3

TRAVEL & EXPLORATION..............................................................................................................................................................................................................14G aborone. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14R e gi o n a l . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 4

STAYING HEALTHY & SAFE........................................................................................................................................................................................................16

CULTURE & CUSTOMS...................................................................................................................................................................................................................17Cultural Adjustment......................................................................................................................................................................................................................17Hospita l i t y. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18Communication. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18Personal Space .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................19T i m e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 9Fa m i l y. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 9S ocia l iz ing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19National Pasttimes..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................20Leaving MaP.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................20

BOTSWANA QUICK FACTS.............................................................................................................................................................................................................21

RESOURCES.... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

IMPORTANT CONTACT INFORMATION.....................................................................................................................................................................................23

table of contents

1introduction

Maru-a-Pula Program OverviewHarvard’s relationship with the Maru-a-Pula school began in 2008, when Daniel Liss ’11, interned at Maru-a-Pula (MaP) during the summer before his sophomore year. As a former student of MaP’s principal, Andrew Taylor (who previously worked at the Horace Mann School in New York), Daniel found that he could make an important impact interning at the school. In collaboration with Mr. Taylor, Daniel put together a proposal for an ongoing internship program, through which Harvard students could teach and tutor at MaP for eight weeks every summer.

In 2010, Daniel approached the Center for African Studies, then Committee on African Studies (CAS), about housing the MaP program within its programming portfolio. That same year, a generous donor pledged to support six Harvard MaP interns each summer, fully-funding their experience. Thus, the summer of 2011 was the first formal Harvard/Maru-a-Pula Internship Program. At this point, CAS formalized the application process, prepared students through pre-departure activities and built systems for effective program management, with all stakeholders: MaP administration and students, Harvard students, the donor and the College.

The summer of 2016 thus marks the ninth year of Harvard students’ service at Maru-a-Pula, and the sixth official MaP Intern cohort. CAS and MaP look forward to your summer of service, and building upon the legacy of remarkable interns before you!

MaP INTENSHIP ALUMNI Dec. 2007:  MaP Principal, Andrew Taylor, meets with Harvard Treasurer, James Rothenberg, who proposes selecting Harvard undergraduates to serve as Teacher Aides/Interns at MaP 2008:  Daniel Liss 2009:  Amanda Lu  2010: Noah Hoch & Tian Wang 2011: Sarah Akhtar, Athena Lao, Sarah MacVicar, Isaiah Peterson, Cerianne Robertson and James Wood 2012: Samantha Barkowski, Aya Darwazah, Theresa Gebert, Dichaba McGinty. Hope Ndhlovu and Ali Slaight 2013: Julia Kee, Daniel Ki, Bhekinkosi Sibanda, Grace Njunge, Jennifer Kizza, and Alice Hyde 2014: Jesus Moran, Maya Park, Jennifer Leung, Ye Dam Lee, Haven Jones, Betty Lema 2015: Caleb Johnson, Natalie Atunez, Melissa Joseph, Paul Stainer, Jessica Sithebe, Alondra Ramirez

Roles and ExpectationsThe primary objective of MaP interns is to make the most significant educational impact possible with the students at Maru-a-Pula, given each intern’s particular background and skills. You were selected by the Center for African Studies and the MaP administration because of what YOU have to offer to MaP’s students! Each intern will have a role that capitalizes on his/her specific skillset, but listed here are the general areas in which MaP Interns assist.

Interns should make the most of the experience by getting involved in as many aspects of school life as possible. The first week will be hectic as you attempt to figure out school life and as faculty members and students learn that you are at the school and ask you for help. We encourage you to be very proactive in pursuing projects at the school and or around Gaborone that you might be interested in: Note that eight weeks is not that long!

INDIVIDUAL TUTORINGInterns will often serve as tutors in various subjects, such as Writing, Math, Literature, Science, Economics, etc. Upon arriving at MaP, some teachers will provide lists of students who would like and/or need help. Sometimes you need to ask for these lists. Past interns recommend that you create your own schedule to meet with these students throughout each class cycle (cycle lasts 6 days). Other students will seek out interns themselves, asking to meet regularly, or for one-time help with a certain assignment.

MaP,, is a boarding school; this means that about 100-150 students live on-campus in hostels. These boarders have prep hours from 7-9pm each school night. As many interns as possible should be available in the boarding house common room from 8-9pm each night to help students with homework questions or just to hang out with those who don’t have work. In addition, it is likely that each of you will have prep duty in your respective boarding houses for at least one night per week—this means that you will

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be checking in the boarders after prep to make sure that everyone is in their rooms and ready to go to sleep.

From 7 to 8pm, boarders have mandatory quiet time where no tutoring is allowed in the common room area, but you can make arrangements with students to meet them in their dorm rooms during this time. While there might be ‘slow’ nights where not many students are asking for help, it is highly encouraged that interns make themselves available in the evenings, as it is the best way to get to know the boarders. Even if you’re reading your own books or brainstorming for your upcoming travels, it’s great for the students to see you around in their common room.

SERVICE-PHYSICAL-ENRICHMENT PROGRAMThe extensive co-curricular program at MaP is referred to as the SPE (Service-Physical-Enrichment) program. When you arrive at Maru-a-Pula, you will be given a long list of all the SPE organizations at the school. Read over the list carefully to see which of the projects look most interesting and worthwhile to you as soon as possible. Once you’ve found an activity or activities that interest you, contact the supervising teacher for the group to ask how you might get involved. You are welcome to participate in more than one SPE activity. Keep in mind, however, that the longer you stay with a program, the more meaningful your involvement will likely be. Also, make sure that the SPE activities you choose aren’t on the same afternoons you’ve agreed to tutor students in the library! Oftentimes,

the younger students won’t have free blocks during the class day, so afternoons will be the best time to meet with them—keep this in mind when you are scheduling your SPEs.

Interns are also invited to start their own SPE activity, individually or in teams. Historically, the bulk of intern SPE projects have fallen into the Enrichment category, but interns are encouraged to start Service or Physical/sports projects. Examples of past intern-led projects include starting essay writing and SAT Math workshops for Form 5 students, moderating the debate club, overhauling the student newspaper, and spearheading an essay-writing contest. Last year, the interns ran a weekly SAT Prep Camp .

If you decide that you want to start a new activity, make sure you talk to Brenda Turnball, the Director of SPE—it is imperative that you get the ball rolling on this as soon as possible! Eight weeks will pass very quickly, and it’s hard to get a new activity off the ground in the last few weeks before you leave, as many of the students will be preparing for exams and will not have much free time. During the meeting with the SPE teacher you should brainstorm ways to publicize the activity to students. Finally, be sure to take into consideration whether you would like for the club to keep running once you’ve left, and how you might make this happen if that is the case. The 2015 interns took afterschool time to run open workshops dedicated to SAT Tips, Resume Building, Personal Essay Writing, and other things, as well as organize and participate in campus-wide games of Capture the

Volunteer at Childline!One service activity that past intern groups recommend is volunteering at Childline, a community orphanage for young children. Maru-a-Pula sends two groups of students, one on Monday and one on Wednesday, to Childline to play with the children for an hour. For the first few weeks, while government (public) schools are in session, there will mostly be children under 5, even including a couple of babies under 1 year. In the last few weeks, after school lets out for break, there will be almost twice as many kids (maybe 20 or so total) to play with. The children don’t speak much English, so be patient with them, but they value the playtime so much so that they will beg you to stay when you need to leave. Spending more than one visit there is very rewarding!

Extra Teaching at SSKIn 2015, MaP started a relationship with Sir Seretse Khama Memorial Junior High School in which the Harvard Interns would go to SSK after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays in order to provide extra lessons to government school students. In 2015, from 2:30 to 4 pm, Tuesdays were spent tutoring Science and Thursdays were spent on Math. The government schools in Gaborone are vastly under-resourced and any extra help the students (as well as the government school staff) can get, they are grateful for.MaP’s main contact with SSK is Peter Green, an assistant principal at SSK, and he will help organize the meeting time as well as the group of students you will be teaching. Once you meet these students, you will see how much they have to gain from the Harvard Interns, and how far your tutoring can go. It will also highlight just how lucky the MaP school community is. While this may at first seem like a lot of added work, look forward to teaching at SSK!

introduction

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Flag on some weekends. This gave the interns more time with students outside of the classroom and was a fun way to engage the MaP community. Each group is different, so see what your group of interns would like to do. The important thing is to make your presence known at MaP!

MaP SCHOLAR MENTORINGEach year, MaP selects approximately ten “MaP Scholars”, who are students that will have the opportunity to attend a top American high school for senior year (though last year, four went to the UK). Selection of MaP Scholars is based upon excellent exam scores at the end of Form 5 (roughly equivalent to junior year of high school) as well as demonstrated charisma and leadership potential.

Because the Botswana school year ends in December (remember, it’s in the southern hemisphere!), this means that MaP Scholars have a period of time, from January to when the American school year starts in September, in which they continue to attend MaP, but with a special status. MaP Scholars take some classes and continue extra-curriculars, but they also have to prepare for their year in United States. This entails SAT prep (as described more below) and cultural literacy courses designed to address what to expect when living and studying at a US boarding school. The intern group works together to create fun lesson plans and lead discussions to address cultural literacy. Some topics that the 2015 interns covered with the US Scholars included SAT help, Resume workshops, SAT II help, Essay Editing, Financial Aid information, One-on-one college search guidance, (Popular) American Culture, Frequent Flyer Programs, College Life, and Job Opportunities during and post- college.

While previous years have had each Harvard intern take on one or two US Scholars as individual mentees, the 2015 interns chose not to split up and to work with the group as a whole, rotating when individual help was necessary. Check with your group of interns, as well as the vibe of the group of MaP scholars, to decide which strategy might work best to help the students.

SAT PREPAnother important function of MaP Interns is assisting students with SAT Prep. While there will be 1-2 interns whose primary role will be to prepare and run these after-school classes, it is encouraged that all interns contribute as needed. If at all possible, bring a couple of good SAT prep books with practice tests in them—you’ll find that a lot of the students will have done nearly all the sections in

the prep books available to you in the library. In previous years, these lessons were held for one-hour durations, twice a week. Those in charge of this project will need to take initiative to set up the class schedules and publicize!

TOP ACHIEVERS MENTORINGStarting last year, the MaP community includes a group of twenty students from the country’s Top Achievers Programme. Top Achievers are students who previously went to government (public) schools, and have been given scholarships to attend MaP, due to it’s ranking as one of the country’s best high schools. The Top Achievers Scholarship Programme is a project through the Botswana Ministry of Education and Skills Development. It sponsors a select number of students with outstanding academic ability to pursue careers that are of strategic importance in terms of driving the economic diversification agenda of Botswana. This initiative is aimed at motivating young people to excel in their studies, gain recognition, learn at the best environments to realize their potential and create a pool of exceptional leaders for the country over time.

Last year, the Interns took over the Form 6 Discussions for the two months. There are three different Form 6 classes, Lower 6, Lower-Middle 6, and Upper 6. In these discussions, they presented on pathways to college, post-graduate options, and led workshops on resume building and interviews.

HELPING WITH CLASSES

While not all interns will be expected to help with classes, you will find that your mornings will be very boring. Some teachers will reach out to the intern group to ask for volunteer assistants, but don’t wait for this to happen. The teachers are most concerned with teaching their students, not accommodating interns, so if there is a subject you want to help out in, reach out to the department head within the first week so you can get set up as a teaching assistant.

In some subjects, you might actually be teaching your own classes. In 2015, a Math teacher had a baby, and left his class to three of the interns to continue. Two other interns created their own curriculum and taught English as a Second Language to Form 1 and 2 students. Keep an eye out for projects you can get involved in.

introduction

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Summary of Forms to return to CAS: (1) Maru-a-Pula Internship Program Grant Recipient Form, (2) Travel Waiver and Release Form, (3) Maru-a-Pula Internship Program Grant Terms and Conditions Form (available end of March), and (4) Health Clearance Form. (5) FNIF Form necessary if international student without SSN.

Pre-DepartureASAP Г Check and make sure your passport is valid until December 2016

Г If not a US citizen, check Botswana’s visa requirements for your nationality. Contact Harvard Global Support Services with any questions.

Г International students (without an SSN only) complete Foreign National Info Form (FNIF).

Г Complete and return to CAS Maru-a-Pula Internship Program Grant Recipient Form.

Г Complete and return to Harvard University Travel Waiver and Release Form. Г Complete and return to CAS Maru-a-Pula Internship Program Terms and

Conditions Form. Г Book travel to Gaborone. Program dates are June 1, 2016 - July 31, 2016. Use Harvard

Travel Services website for assistance as needed. April 2016 Г Complete online Health and Safety Orientation before attending International

Health & Safety orientation session. Г Attend International Health & Safety orientation session Г Attend Maru-a-Pula Internship Program Orientations:• Thursday April 7, 6:30-8pm (dinner provided) – S450• Thursday, April 21, 7-8:30 pm (dinner provided) – S450• Tuesday, May 5, 5-7pm (dinner provided) – S450

May 2016 Г Return Health Clearance Form to CAS office by May 5th. Consult with your doctor about immunizations and other health precautions.

Г Register your trip with Harvard Travel Registry. You MUST keep your profile up-to-date throughout your trip with ANY side trips/changes.

Г Register your trip with US Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), or home country’s equivalent national travel registry.

In-CountryBy August 3rd, 2016

Г Participate in creation and production of Maru-a-Pula Program 2016 video. Г Contribute to Maru-a-Pula Intern Guide updates as assigned.

Post-ProgramFall 2016 Г Participate in creation and production of Maru-a-Pula Internship Program 2016 video.

Г Contribute to Maru-a-Pula Intern Guide updates as assigned. Г Complete Maru-a-Pula Program Evaluation, to be sent via email. Г Submit a thank you letter to the donor responsible for the funding of the program. Г Actively participate in recruiting next summer’s cohort (i.e. help with info sessions,

forwarding marketing materials, etc.).

Maru-a-Pula Program Checklist

GettinG ready!

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As with any experience living and working overseas, being a MaP Intern requires a great deal of flexibility as you continuously adjust to life in Botswana and delve into your work at Maru-a-Pula School. It is essential that you try to bring your expectations to the surface before arrival on campus, to assess the “lens’’ through which you will evaluate daily life. Working overseas places a special responsibility on you as an individual. Not only do you have a job to do, but you must also develop the intercultural skills necessary to do it effectively.

Naturally, you will have expectations of the MaP community, and likewise, the MaP community will have expectations of you. Your students, colleagues, the principal, the local community and the donor who made this opportunity possible will all have expectations of you. People have invested in you just as you have invested in them. Always remember that your success as an intern has not only immediate effects on the students you will work with, but also long-term effects on the perception of the Harvard/MaP program.

International Travel Interns are responsible for booking their own flights to and from Gaborone, the capital city of Botswana, where the Maru-a-Pula School is located. Interns are free to select their own travel dates and routing. However, you are required to be at Maru-a-Pula on June 6, 2016 to start your position; your last official day with the program is July 29, 2016. Once you have booked your travel arrangements, email these details to the CAS Student Support Officer who will subsequently be in touch with MaP to ensure your arrival arrangements. Before departure, you will be in direct communication with Tlotlego Gaogakwe (TG), MaP’s Student Exchanges and Visitors Coordinator. In the past, interns have found it beneficial to arrive on either the Saturday or the Sunday prior to the date above—this allows for some time to adjust to the time zone and to get some rest before you officially start. Be sure to check with TG about this before booking flights however.

Interns recommend starting your search with such websites like expedia.com, STAtravel.com, orbitz.com, cfares.com, and kayak.com. If you get creative in how you buy your tickets, you can save hundreds of dollars! For example, consider booking connecting flights separately instead of all part of the same trip. This may require you to pick up and recheck bags, but can still be worth it!

NOTE: Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo International Airport is the air transport hub of Southern Africa and a bustling place! It is advised to not book connecting flights too close to each other as it can take around an hour to get through customs upon arrival.

VISAS & PASSPORTSMaP Interns will enter Botswana on tourist visas. When you enter, be sure to tell immigration officials that you are there to VISIT & TRAVEL – NOT TO WORK! Avoid getting caught up in immigration interrogation by telling officials you are there to work, without a visa!

You must have a passport with at least six months of validity remaining upon the time of entry (i.e. make sure your passport is valid until December 2016!).  U.S. citizens are permitted stays up to 90 days total within a 12-month period without a visa. Also be sure to have a copy of your yellow immunization card with you in case you are asked to present it.

NOTE: If you intend to visit South Africa during your summer, be advised that you must have at least two blank (unstamped) visa pages in your passport, each time entry to South Africa is sought; these pages are in addition to the endorsement/amendment pages at the back of the passport. Otherwise, you may be refused entry into South Africa, fined, and returned to your point of origin at your expense.

GettinG ready!

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Travel Registry HARVARD REGISTRYOnce you have booked your flights to Botswana, you MUST enter this information into the Harvard Travel Registry (http://www.traveltools.harvard.edu/index.shtml). You can always amend this information as necessary, if your plans change.

The Harvard Travel Registry collects travel itineraries and contact information for Harvard affiliates traveling abroad. This information allows Global Support Services to quickly contact travelers in the event of an emergency (i.e. natural disaster, civil unrest, etc.), so that they may account for affected Harvard travelers and provide assistance to their best of their ability.

NOTE: Through Harvard’s Travel Assistance Program, International SOS continues to provide the same advice, assistance, and evacuation services it has provided in the past, including country-specific medical and security advice, available at www.internationalsos.com. For reference, Harvard’s membership number is 11BSGC000038. Please also see the eligibility criteria at: http://www.globalsupport.harvard.edu/international_health_safety/isos.shtml.

US EMBASSY REGISTRYYou are also highly encouraged to register your travel arrangements to Botswana with the US Embassy, through its Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). STEP allows the US government to help you in cases where their assistance is critical (e.g. lost passports, arrests, natural disasters, etc.).

U.S. citizens can register at https://travelregistration.state.gov (note the “https”). Citizens of other countries should register with their embassy in the destination country. (Some governments have centralized registration for their citizens, usually from a link on the foreign ministry website.)

Physical Health All Harvard undergraduate students traveling abroad this summer are required to submit a Health Clearance Form. This form was included in your acceptance packet and can be found on the Harvard Global Support Services website (http://www.globalsupport.harvard.edu/). Your doctor will be able to consult with you on

what vaccinations and/or medications are best during your stay in Botswana. CAS suggests that you also check with the Centers for Disease Control website for Botswana (http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/botswana.htm) for recommendations.

Gaborone is not in a malarial area. However, areas in the north of the country are malaria zones, though higher levels are seen during the summer rainy season (November-March). In addition, many neighboring countries are also malaria zones.

NOTE: Although yellow fever is not a disease risk in Botswana, the government requires some travelers arriving from or transiting through countries with risk of yellow fever virus transmission to present proof of yellow fever vaccination. If you will be traveling to Botswana from any country other than the United States or transiting through another country on your way from the United States, this requirement may affect you. For specific requirement details, see Yellow Fever &

Malaria Information, by Country

FinancesEach MaP Intern will receive $5,000 to fund their experience. This grant is intended to cover an international flight to/from Gaborone, incidentals in-country and support personal exploration of Botswana and the greater Southern African region. Room and board is provided by Maru-a-Pula School.

The Center for African Studies will need certain information from students, including SSN or TIN, to process your checks. Given processing time – which can be a tad lengthy during the spring term – you should expect to have your check around mid-April.

NOTE: It is recommended by previous interns to look up the exchange rate before departing to get a sense of how many Pula (unit of Botswana currency) $5,000 USD will get you.

It is recommended to take at least $200 in USD with you, especially if you wish to go to Victoria Falls. In addition to a $30 visa entry fee (from Zimbabwe), it is easiest to do transactions in USD.

The grant also includes the funds to travel within Southern Africa as well, though how much it will cover depends on how you travel. There are two long weekends in July which are good times to travel. Below are some trips that previous interns have taken and

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the relevant costs of said trips. The school will put you in touch with a travel agent that they regularly use for visitors—they do a good job, but you should be very clear from the get-go about your budget and requests.Johannesburg: $400 to cover B&B accommodation for 2 nights, bus fare from Gaborone to Johannesburg, day trip with a driver, museum trip, and meals.

Kasane/Victoria Falls: $900 to cover the flight, safari tent accommodation for 3 nights, meals, visa fees, game drives& river boat trip, and park entrance fees. For a more detailed itinerary, email alicehyde@college. harvard.edu and she can give you the one from 2013. (Pricey but worth it!)

Cape Town: $600 to cover the flight from Gaborone, 4 nights in a reasonable B&B, transport in city, various attraction fees, meals. Recommended to do this trip at the end of the program to allow enough time to take advantage of all that the city and surrounding region has to offer. The cheapest route is by taking a bus to Johannesburg and flying out of there.

Packing ListCLOTHESLAYERS LAYERS LAYERS! Although it will be winter in Botswana during your service, Gaborone is a temperate climate. It is warm during the day (think Cambridge spring) though can get genuinely cold at night (think chilly Cambridge December night!). As such, being able to peel off – and replace – layers will be crucial to being dressed comfortably. While it is impossible to give a verifiable packing list that fits everyone’s needs and styles, here are tips from previous interns: • Work clothes for during the week—nicer pants or

jeans, blouses or button-up shirts, sweaters. Each person has their own definition of what work attire constitutes during this internship, but you should look presentable and professional for your students, even if you’re wearing jeans.

• Warm pajamas (It will get very cold at night!)• 1 or 2 nicer outfits for cultural events, etc.• 2-3 sweaters/hoodies for layering• Mid-weight jacket or fleece—Useful for trekking to

the staffroom both in the morning and evening, and for staying warm while en route on a game drive (if you choose to do one). The cold has definitely taken interns by surprise in the past, and you’ll be glad you brought the jacket!

• Shoes: 1 pair of sneakers, 1 pair shower shoes/flip

flops, 1-2 pairs professional shoes. (You may even consider bringing a pair of boots for the colder days if you have space but know in advance that shoes will get very dusty from walking around the school, where sidewalks are sparse.)

• Bathing suit• Exercise clothes—for helping with Sports SPEs,

jogging around the school campus, playing tennis and Frisbee on the school grounds, etc.

• Headlamp/flashlight—you’ll want one when the power goes out.

NOTE: One exception to the Cambridge spring rule is that you will be in Botswana during its dry season, and as such, will see very little to no rain. The only time you might want a rain jacket is if you go to Victoria Falls, though cheap raingear can also be purchased there. ALSO, ‘ACs’ in Botswana also serve as heaters!

HYGIENIC ITEMS• Shampoo, conditioner, body wash, lotion, shaving

equipment• Girls: make sure to bring enough female hygiene

products to last you for eight weeks!

Of course, if you are tight on volume or weight as you’re packing, lose the liquids and buy anything you need in Gaborone. The products may not be as nice as what you’re used to, but they’re really cheap too! You may also be surprised at how superfluous conditioner may seem when you’re taking an ice-cold shower at 5AM!

ELECTRONICSLaptopMost former interns recommend bringing a laptop with you. It will be helpful while making lesson plans, and you’ll also want it for free evenings and weekends to watch a movie or Skype with friends and family. There is a decent WiFi signal in the staff room, and a somewhat less reliable signal in parts of the boarding houses, intern housing

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annex, and the library. Keep in mind that it is very difficult to get your computer fixed while you are in Botswana, and this is true tenfold if you own a Mac. Just in case, you should back up your computer before you leave for Gaborone at the beginning of the summer, and it probably wouldn’t hurt to bring your software CDs with you just in case. Also, don’t forget your charger!

In the event that something does happen to your laptop or if you want to print something, you can use the computers in the library and computer lab, though they have limited daytime hours of availability. You can also use the staff computer room. Some interns prefer to work with a flashdrive, and use one of these labs.

Whatever computer you use, save your work often and consider emailing a backup copy of your work to yourself—you never know when the power might go off and you might lose what you’ve done.

Last year, an intern took an iPad in lieu of a laptop to MaP and this worked fine. As mentioned, you can always use the staff room computer when needed.

You should be aware that MaP does have wireless internet around their campus, but its speed is variable and it is often not working. Be prepared to deal with limited internet access throughout the summer.

Adapters You will need an adapter. There are two types of outlets at MaP—some have three flat line holes, and some have three circular spaces.

The adapter with three flat lines is standard for both Great Britain and Africa, and as such should be relatively easy to find in the United States (two good places to look for converters are Target and REI). You should definitely get this adapter before leaving for Botswana. It’s not necessary to purchase an adapter for the other kind of outlet. On the off chance that your room in the dorms only has outlets with the three circular spaces, you should check with the MaP IT department to see if they have an extra adapter you can borrow. Here’s an example of a cheap one from Amazon that will work with almost all the sockets and plugs you find: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000YN01X4/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

ConverterYou may also need a converter. Sockets in Botswana run on between 220 to 240 volts, while they run on between 110 and 120 volts in the United States and Canada. Because many people in Botswana need converters for their own American/European appliances, converters are readily and cheaply available in-country.

Camera• Camera, memory card and batteries

Interns recommend bringing a large memory card(s) to hold photos for multiple days/game drives because you probably won’t bring a laptop on your trips to transfer them.

Other• A towel & facecloth• Copy of your passport, credit card, insurance card,

other ID card (if you have it) to keep locked in your room at the boarding house. Leave another copy of these records at home with your family just in case.

• A copy of your immunization records• Books! (In past years, interns have brought along

3-4 of their favorite books to share with MaP students.) Note: These are meant to be left in Botswana.

• A performable skill (You may or may not have to put this on display at the first assembly…!)

Other useful but not absolutely necessary things: Small binoculars (for use on game drives—don’t spend a ton of money on a pair if you don’t have any, because you can ask your guide to borrow his or hers if you want to take a quick peek at a faraway animal), deck of cards, a Frisbee, Botswana/Southern Africa guidebook, and a good pillow.

Things to leave at home: Bedclothes/linens (these will be provided), sleeping bag, things you wouldn’t want to misplace during your trip, rain gear.

GIFT IDEASMany interns want to bring something to thank the administrators and students of MaP for their hospitality. Some recommend taking advantage of that post-Memorial Day sale, and stocking up on some “American” items to share with your new friends and colleagues in Botswana. Lanyards, keyrings, and other such souvenir things are best.

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9WorkinG at maru-a-PulaMaP is a far cry from the typical school in Gaborone. MaP is considered one of the best schools in Botswana due to the high academic achievement of its students. By contrast, government (public) schools are larger and lack MaP’s great resources, both physical and human.

Founded in 1972 to serve as a model of non-racial education in southern Africa, Maru-a-Pula is a coed, independent day & boarding secondary school which has gained a reputation as one of Africa’s premier academic institutions. MaP, like all Botswana schools, follows the British system of grade levels; it offers academic preparation for the Cambridge IGCSE and A-Level examinations (Forms 1-6 or U.S. Grades 7-12).

The structure of the academic program is quite different from that of the states. In Forms 1-5, students are learning material for their IGCSE exams in a wide range of subjects. After Form 5, students can decide to continue with the A-level system at MaP, move to a school with International Baccalaureate (IB), or…. Form 6 is made up of the Cambridge A-level program. This is two years long, and consists of two sets of exams: AS (taken at the end of the first year) and A2 (taken at the end of the second). In the first year, most students will take four subjects that correlate to their academic interests and what they want to study at university. After AS exams, most students drop one subject and continue on with three in their second year. Some universities accept students after AS levels, but most schools in the US require students to finish both years before enrolling.

You are highly encouraged to read more about the school on its website http://www.maruapula.org/ before departure.

There are some staff that interns in the past have found particularly welcoming and helpful. This group includes:

• Tlotlego Gaogakwe—also know as TG, he coordinates school visitors and is your go-to guy for most things

• • Bruce Nkala—teaches math and is head of SPE. He is super friendly and very willing to help with anything you might need.

• Judy Brown—she is head of the staff, and can point you in the right direction if you need to track down other staff members

• Sally Jobson—college counselor. She can help you find resources and give you MaP specific information about the college process for students, past and present.

• Princeton in Africa Fellows—recent graduate students

completing a 1-year teaching fellowship at MaP. These fellows end there year around June/July, so you’ll get to meet both the old and cohort. They’re great people, lots of fun, and extremely relatable!

• Sylvester—a very reliable and friendly driver who has a van that fits 6+ people! He charges about 40 Pula/ride, so its also a very economical option! He has also coordinated trips with large groups of people, so talk to him when planning your trip to Victoria Falls/Cape Town/Johannesburg because he may provide a cheaper alternative! (Get contact from Jesus)

Day in the LifeSAMPLE WEEKDAY SCHEDULE

The school runs on a complicated six-day, six-period schedule. The staff room board will let you know what “day” it is in terms of the school schedule. After a couple weeks, you will get the hang of it!

6:10-6:30 AM: Breakfast. Eat with the students in the cafeteria. Go earlier rather than later! They will stop serving breakfast as soon as the last person in line is served. Alternatively, buy your own snacks and skip breakfast. Or you can wait until 9am when you can get sandwiches in the staff room.

6:55-7:05 AM: Faculty Meeting. Attendance is mandatory so that the principal, Mr. Taylor, sees you are present for work.

7:10-7:20 AM (Tuesdays and Wednesdays): Morning Assembly. Expect to lead one assembly before you leave. Sign up early. The sign-up sheet is in the staff room.

7:05-7:20 AM (most days): Homeroom. This is usually the best time to track down students.

7:25-9 AM: Periods 1 + 2.

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9-9:25 AM: Sandwich and tea break. Try not to eat all the sandwiches in the staff room (they’re delicious though).

9:30-11 AM: Periods 3 + 4.

11-11:10 AM: Short break.

11:15-12:45: Periods 5 + 6.

12:45-1:30 PM: Lunch. You’ll most likely eat this in the cafeteria, as space in the staff room is limited.

1:30-2 PM: Break. Sometimes you’ll end up tutoring. Mr. Taylor always goes home and naps.

2-5 PM: Afternoon activities. Get involved! Check out the SPE program on MaP’s website to get a feel for the types of things you can do.

6-6:30 PM: Dinner in the cafeteria. Mix and mingle with the students. Don’t sit together all the time.

7-9 PM (Sundays – Thursdays): Boarding House Study Hours. Go to the boarding house and knock on students’ doors and ask if they need help. Sit in the common room and work or just hang out with students. 7-8pm is mandatory quiet time.

9 PM: Brain break. This is when the kids (and you!) can have a snack in their boarding houses—often hot cocoa and PB&J. Interns often hang out in the staff room afterwards, but this is basically free time!

SAMPLE WEEKEND SCHEDULE8:30-9 AM: Breakfast

1 PM: Lunch

6-6:30 PM: Dinner

Additional Projects & Opportunities While you are at MaP, you are strongly, strongly encouraged to get involved with one or more activities outside the classroom, in addition to SPE activities. These projects are so important to daily life at MaP that they are called co-curricular—rather than extracurricular—activities. Try to start these projects early (in the first or second week!) so that you too can build relationships with the people you are helping.

These projects were taken on by former MaP interns, to great success. You may think about resuming these this summer, or starting your own.

GSS AFTER-SCHOOL TUTORING/MENTORINGIn 2011 and 2012, MaP interns visited Gaborone Secondary School (GSS), the local government high school, to assist its students in preparing for tertiary education. Interns presented on the college application process for over 1,000 students, and spoke to the school’s guidance counselor about setting up a tutoring program and offering more regular college application mentoring. You are encouraged to pursue this opportunity if you are interested; the MaP school administration can give you the GSS contact information. Definitely pursue this if you’re interested and have time.

AMERICAN COLLEGE INFO SESSIONIn 2011 and 2013, the interns held a College Night event at MaP and invited students from several schools in Gaborone to participate. A few things to keep in mind if planning a similar event:

1) Information about American universities varies from school to school within Botswana. Students in public schools in the area know very little about the process of applying to American schools, while students in private schools, such as MaP, will have access to a lot more information. In order to hold a successful College Night, one will need to balance these extremes.2) Publicize well. Do not depend on the local school administrations to disseminate information about College Night events. Take out an ad in the local newspaper or use grassroots measures to reach out to students. You can get contact information for other schools from Sally Jobson, MaPs college counselor. 3) Make sure that the presentation is interesting and/or fun. You may be speaking in front of a LOT of students. 4) Consider topics like the differences between colleges in America and Botswana, academics, housing, extracurricular activities, components of an application, and choosing a personal statement topic.

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School ResourcesYour best human resource at MaP will probably be Tlotlego (“TG” affectionately), an English teacher at the school as well as the Students Exchanges and Visitor Coordinator. TG is also in charge of assisting MaP visitors, including you! He is the person who will pick you up from the airport, will acquaint you with campus, and will make sure you’re well-adjusted. In sum, he is the one you go to for all your questions about living and complaints (e.g. if there is no hot water anymore). By all accounts, he is “really nice, sweet, and funny!” He’s also got a funny nickname that you should try to find out—just don’t tell him we told you about it!

COMPUTERS/PRINTINGAs mentioned, there are computers in the library, a school computer labs (although these both have limited day hours), and the staff computer room which interns can use. In addition, WiFi is available in the library and the staff room if you chose to use your own laptop (WiFi is not the most reliable). If you give the librarians documents on a memory stick, they can print them for you too if you ask them. Save regularly - you never know when the power will go out! Alternatively, you can give

TG a USB or send him an email with a PDF of whatever

you need printed and he’ll take care of it! There is a copy machine in the library for staff to use. You can use this copier for MaP Scholar printing too. Ask the librarian or a friendly teacher to show you how to operate the scanner/copier the first time around.

STAFF ROOMIt’s all yours in the evening! Make some nice tea or coffee, but try not to use a staff member’s special mug—either bring a mug with you or plan to get a cheap one when you get there if you want to have tea/coffee .

Socializing with Students

Have fun with the students! Plan some events that will be fun for you and that will be different and exciting for the students. Previous interns recommend at least one ‘s’mores fireside night’, to introduce students to the American tradition (you can get the supplies for free from Belinda, the head of the kitchen!). Other ideas in-clude movie nights, pajama/dance parties, and Capture the Flag!

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12livinG at maru-a-PulaIn addition to adjusting to a new job, you will also be adjusting to life in a new culture. Here are some insights into what to expect while living at MaP and in Botswana.

CommunicationPHONESYour first purchase in Gabarone will likely be your cell phone. You can find a basic phone for about 20 dollars (last year’s interns found some in a shop at Airport Junction Mall). In addition to the phone, you will need a SIM card. MaP should provide you with one (ask Tlotlego!), or they will assist in getting you one. Your plan will be pay-as-you-go, and will need to buy airtime to use. You can buy minutes from most food/convenience stores, including the Choppies just down the road from MaP, or from Linda in the front office—she carries both Mascom & Orange. Note: It may be cheaper to purchase 200 Pula worth of airtime the first time around because you get about 100 free, and together, that should last you the entire two months. (with Orange).

MAILYou can receive mail as long as people send things to you under your name to MaP’s address. If you would like to send mail, TG can assist you. Stamps to send a normal postcard or letter will cost about BWP8.

LEARNING SETSWANAAsk the students! Ask the librarian for a list of key terms. If you’re really serious about learning Setswana, think about ‘trading’ lessons with a MaP student. There is also an SPE called “Conversation Setswana” run by Mma Maevis that you might find helpful for basic

interactions with school grounds staff members.

FoodYou will have almost all of your meals (including breakfasts, if you choose to attend) with the boarding students in the cafeteria. Although boys and girls usually sit on different sides of the dining hall (by their own choice), feel free to sit wherever you want. Some gender mixing does occur naturally, especially among older students. There’s nothing wrong with eating with other interns, but the dining hall provides a chance to meet and mingle with different students.

As you will see, meals tend to be heavy on starches and meat, and less so on vegetables. The traditional food in Botswana is delicious and is very rich and savory. Some traditional foods are paleche (cornmeal-type starch),

stampa (hominy beans), madombi (dumplings), nama (meat), seswaa (shredded meat), and morogo (green vegetables).

For buying groceries, Choppies down the road is good for the basics. A trip to a mall to go to a Pick’n’Pay grocery store will get you whatever else you need (it is a step up from Choppies in both quality, variety, and, marginally, price). For your fancier shopping needs, Woolworths is good, but be prepared for a drastic price increase over the other two.

Gaborone also has a wide variety of restaurants ranging from Indian to Italian to Portuguese, as well as plenty of fast-food restaurants, most popularly Nando’s and Chicken Licken. Many people will recommend Bull’n’Bush, a popular restaurant in Gaborone, but be prepared for long wait times for food!

LaundryThere are two laundry machines for the entire girls’ dormitory, though they are often broken. Essentially, be prepared to wash some clothes by hand! Powder detergent is predominantly used in Botswana; anything that comes in a bottle is probably a fabric softener. Feel free to ask a student to show you what they use before you go out to buy any. There are no dryers at MaP, thus all clothes must be dried outside on a clothesline (divided by gender).

You can leave a laundry basket out in the annex (your accommodation) hallway in the beginning of the week

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and the school’s cleaning staff will return your clothes in an unspecified number of days. Clothes can and do get misplaced from time to time, but are always found soon after!

ATMS/MoneyThe closest ATM is next to Choppies. If that one is broken, there is another one at the other end of the road (i.e. turn left when leaving MaP, not right) in front of the Gaborone Sun Hotel. Just remember that you will pay a small fee (about $5) each time you draw cash. Visa credit/debit cards work in many stores in Gaborone, but don’t count on them; always have enough cash. Past interns recommend withdrawing a decent sum of money to avoid the atm fees—just carry what you need and leave the rest safe in your room. You can lock the door so theft isn’t really an issue.

TransportationThe easiest way to get around Gaborone is to use taxis. Taxi rates are not nearly as much as in the United States, especially with the conversion rate and if you’re traveling in big groups. Taxis will also mark you even more clearly as a tourist. Try to get a feel for how much a taxi ride should cost. Trips to Riverwalk or similar distances should cost about BWP30. Ask a teacher or student about how much a ride from MaP to downtown Gaborone would cost, as well as farther out of town—for example, to Airport Junction, Phakalane, or the Gaborone Yacht Club, which may cost around BWP80.A huge resource when trying to travel is Sylvester. He is a trustworthy and fun cab driver with cabs big enough to fit all six of you. Ask a previous intern for his number, as he can be guaranteed to give you a reasonably priced ride wherever you need to go. Whether you need to go to Riverwalk or to Johannesburg, Sylvester can take you there.

Another way to get around is to use kombis. They are 12-

14 passenger mini-buses that the locals use to get around Gabs very cheaply. They are safe, and fairly easy to get the hang of once you find out the right route numbers. For instance, Route 2 kombis stop near Main Mall and Route 5 kombis should take you part of the way to Riverwalk Mall, where you can do more extensive grocery shopping and enjoy a nice series of restaurants. You pay the same fee each time you board the kombi, no matter if you need to go 1 stop or 5.

Don’t be shy to ask a teacher or student to walk you through the kombi travel ‘process’ before you head out!

HousingInterns will live in an annex, which is a building adjacent to the boarding house in which the students live. The building is two floors; each floor has three double bedrooms and a bathroom with two showers. How rooms are split will depend on the ratio of male/female interns, and who else is living in the annex. The school often has visitors for different periods of time, so you may have someone around for a few days, or a few weeks.

The bathroom has a toilet stall, which is separate from the sink and shower area. The school provides bedding, though the pillows are much harder than what Americans are used to. Most importantly, the school provides super-duper warm blankets that are useful in those really cold nights!

WeatherIt may be deceptively warm for the first few days after you arrive, but by the second week of June, the temperature will most likely dip. It will get progressively colder in the morning and, eventually, warmer in the afternoons, but you should expect a very chilly 30 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit in the morning and a sunny 65 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit in the afternoon. . If you plan on traveling, note that the Namibian Coast as well as Cape Town can be quite cold.

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14travel & exPloration

If you haven’t been to southern Africa before, now is your chance to explore! Past year’s interns went up to Kasane and Victoria Falls over a long weekend—travel outside of one trip can be done if you are willing to spend a bit of your own money outside of the grant, though how much will depend on your grant amount and your travel standards.

Gaborone• Malls: Game City, Riverwalk, Main Mall• Kgale Hill• Wildlife Reserve • Camping (ask Mr. Wilson if you can camp on his

property about 45 minutes out of town)• Nearby villages• Bull & Bush (B&B) bar/restaurant - Monday ribs night

Regional

OKAVANGO DELTAThe world’s largest inland delta, this is an amazing spot to stand in an open field with elephants, zebra, and giraffes with experienced guides – although you may find the mokoro rides (narrow canoes powered and steered by men with poles) to be dull after the first fifteen minutes of staring at swamp weeds. Take a bus from Gaborone to Maun and stay at the Bridge Backpackers (highly recommended but do NOT take any food into your rooms) for a night. The hostel can organize a one-night mokoro camping trip for you/a group. You’ll then return to the Backpackers for the third night, hangout at a local restaurant, before heading back to Gaborone.

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KASANE / VICTORIA FALLS Kasane is a great safari spot located on the Chobe River in northeastern Botswana. You can take a LONG 10-12 hour bus (consider overnighting) to Kasane if you’re prepared to be cramped and to deal with limited bathroom stops. Air Botswana also operates daily flights from Gaborone to Kasane but book early as these fill up, particularly on holiday weekends. Interns recommend staying three nights in order to spend one full day on a game drive and/or river cruise around Kasane (try to find DreamSafari for the best safari package deals) and one full day at Victoria Falls. The Zimbabwe side is ‘better’ than the Zambia side of the falls (i.e. views of the falls), but you’ll need to splurge on the border crossing ($60 for Americans), bargain for a ride from the crossing to the Falls, and carry U.S. dollars for any expenses. Often, if you book through a safari company or travel agency, they can arrange transport for you. Last year, the interns booked this through AT&T Travel, and almost everything was covered. Definitely check out the adrenaline activities at the gorge and white water river rafting along the Zambezi; you’ll get the best deals in a package from one company.

CAPE TOWN Some interns chose to go to Cape Town after the internship is over, to have the time to fully take advantage of all the city and surrounding area has to offer. Flights to Cape Town can get pretty expensive, so plan ahead and be flexible to get the best prices. In addition, the Intercape, a regional bus provider, can get you there; while it takes a great deal longer, it usually is much more cost-effective!

JOHANNESBURGIdeal for a two or three day jaunt down from Gabs, Johannesburg is great for the history buffs or those who want to learn more about how South Africa shook off apartheid. From the famous Apartheid Museum to Constitution Hill, there’s a ton to do and learn in the city. Intercape bus services can get you there from Gaborone, though you will need to arrange transportation to and from the bus stations. The Melville area, both safe and comfortable, has lots of B&Bs with great prices—they are a bargain and are in a good part of the city. As a city, Johannesburg requires caution to get around so go with a buddy or group—use common sense and you’ll be fine!

travel & exPloration

School Holidays

Wednesday 1st July Seretse Khama DayThursday 2nd July Public HolidayFriday 3rd July MaP Holiday

Monday 20th July President’s DayTuesday 21st July Public Holiday

16stayinG healthy & safeFOOD AND WATERThe tap water on MaP’s campus is safe to drink, as are all the meals that are prepared on campus and given to you in the cafeteria. The fresh fruit purchased from Choppies and other grocery stores were safe to eat as long as it was washed. That said, you may want to start slowly when eating fresh fruit to see if, and how, it affects you before purchasing a lot.

For buying groceries, Choppies down the road is good for the basics. A trip to a mall to go to a Pick’n’Pay grocery store will get you whatever else you need (it is a step up from Choppies in both quality, variety, and, marginally, price). For your fancier shopping needs, Woolworths is good, but be prepared for a drastic price increase over the other two.

ILLNESSUpon your arrival, you will have an orientation meeting with Mr. Taylor (the principal) and other staff. They will be sure to cover the procedures of what to do if and when you are not feeling well or find yourself needing to seek medical attention. There is a school nurse, and this is typically everyone’s first line of defense. However, if it is after-hours and the nurse is not around, there are several

hospitals in the area that are safe to visit. Information about general practitioners and hospitals can be found at this link: http://photos.state.gov/libraries/botswana/19452/pdfs/Medical%20Information.pdf (note that the list was last updated in 2010).

MEDICATIONSIf you will be bringing medications with you, make sure you also bring a copy of your prescription. Keep the prescriptions together with the medications, and keep all of them in your carry-on luggage (this applies even to gel or liquid medicines more than 3 oz. or that might not fit into the gallon-size Ziploc limit; just make sure you verbally declare the medicines to a TSA officer before you go through security). If you regularly take Motrin or Tylenol for headaches or sometimes need other over-the-counter medicines, bring those with you as well. Finally, don’t forget to have both your yellow immunization card (preferably kept with your passport) and a copy of your shots record when you leave!

Always remember that the US Embassy is in Gaborone and is there to help US citizens! Contact information can be found at the end of this guidebook.

17culture & customsCultural AdjustmentLiving in a foreign country is not easy. While you have the opportunity to make significant impacts on the lives of your students, make lifelong friends and be exposed to a society quite different in many ways, some of them subtle, from the one you leave behind, there are also hardships and frustrations that are intertwined in this process. In place of the common term “culture shock,” which emphasizes only the negative aspects of the adjustment, we like to think in terms of a “cultural adjustment curve” as it better describes the continuing process of cultural encounter and adaptation.

There have been more than a handful of scientific studies on cultural adjustment, which have given rise to multiple theories. However, one thing remains the same: cultural adjustment is a very individual phenomenon. Every person adapts differently.

The five stages of the most common adjustment curve can be described as:

1. Initial euphoria (Honeymoon)2. Initial Culture Shock3. Initial Adjustment4. Further Culture Shock5. Further Adjustment

This curve expands and contracts depending on the individual's length of stay. The extremes are also often softened if the person has had previous living experience in another culture. Of course, this is all subject to individual variation, so do not expect your summer to follow any predictable or even "appropriate" pattern. In fact, you will probably feel as though you are going

through a mini-cultural curve every day. If you are so inclined, you may want to track your personal adjustment curve throughout the summer.

LOW POINTSWhile the path of your particular adjustment is unpredictable, at some point you may feel irritable, confused, and homesick. This is normal! Keep in mind that recognizing and acknowledging your feelings is the first step towards feeling better. The following is a list of some of the feelings and behaviors you may experience during your summer:

• Loneliness & isolation• Homesickness• Boredom• Anxiety• Withdrawal• Fatigue• Compulsive eating• Irritability• Exaggerated cleanliness• Family stress and conflict• Stereotyping and hostility to host nationals• Loss of ability to work effectively• Unexplainable fits of weeping• Physical ailments (headaches, stomachaches)

COPING MECHANISMS• Be comfortable with being uncomfortable. Cross-

cultural encounters take you out of your comfort zone. If you are feeling uncomfortable, you are seeing the differences….and learning. Practice role reversal. Try to see things from a local point of view.

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• Get out and do something. Develop new routines. Do something specific for others.

• Don’t be negative. Avoid complainers and don’t make comparisons to home.

• Be a good listener, ask questions, and learn about the culture. Show more of an interest in learning how they do things than telling them how we do things.

• Prepare. Read. Study the local language – the best antidote to culture shock is knowledge and a lively interest in others. You are not likely to have this sort of long grass-roots experience in a developing country again. Be determined to get the most out of it you can!

• Write down what you are experiencing, your philosophical response to what’s going on. This may prove very interesting to you later, and can help while you’re having problems.

• Don’t deny reality when things are hard.• Seek respect. Don’t get hung up on being liked. Don’t

take things personally.• Create comfort zones. Go some place where you can

be your American/British/Australian self.• Speak English, do things that you like.• Reduce stress through activity. Exercise, meditate,

relax, and write. Set realistic work expectations. Do not expect to be as effective, especially in the beginning, as you were in your last job.

• Get one host friend who can fill you in on what you do not understand. A real friend can make all the difference in your experience.

• Make observations, not judgments. Cultures are different, try to figure out why.

• Make sure you are eating a good, balanced diet – an essential for good physical and mental health. Given the meat & starch heavy menu served in the cafeteria, it’s important to make sure you are eating enough fruit and vegetables!

• Remember that cultural norms are never predictors of individual behavior. Adjust your actions in response to individual differences.

• Make use of a support system. Turn to other interns on weekends, compare notes, and help each other.

• Have faith in yourself, the experiences and the curves.

HospitalityBatswana are generally very hospitable and welcoming, and there is a great sense of tradition and manners. For instance, part of being hospitable is offering food or drink to any guest. To not accept whatever is offered is often considered rude and an offense to the host.

CommunicationYou will find that almost everyone at MaP is bilingual (in Setswana and English), speaking at least basic English. However, locals appreciate it when visitors make an effort to learn – and USE! - some Setswana, even if it is just the greetings.

As mentioned, proper manners are very important to Setswana culture. Cultural norms place great emphasis on the importance of greetings. Everyone greets each other, even strangers in passing. To not do so can be considered rude. This applies to the staff room too—if someone walks in while you are there, you should greet them and be polite. There’s a lot more hierarchy in Botswana than in the US, so be sure to be more deferential to the older staff members than you would normally be.

Basic Phrases:The most basic form of greeting is “Hello,” which is usually followed by sir or madam:

Hello Sir - “Dumela Rra”

Hello Ma’am - “Dumela Mma”

If you are greeting more than one person, the plural of “Dumela” is used: “Dumelang.”

There are a few variations of “How are you,” but the most common are:

How are you? - “Le kae?”

I am good/fine - “Ke teng”

OR

How are you?(literally How did you wake?) “Le tsogile jang?”

OR

I am fine (literally I woke, or I woke well) “Ke tsogile” or “Ke tsogile sentle”

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Personal SpaceGenerally, maintaining personal space is not as important as it is in the United States. For instance, squashing in next to strangers on the kombi is not uncommon when it is busy. Men can also be forward, and sometimes even grabby, towards women.

TimeBe prepared for what is affectionately called “African Time.” Batswana do not have the same sense of urgency that many Americans/Westerners do, and it will only frustrate you to expect things to be done quickly, or to be in a rush for many things. Plan for this when booking taxis if you are going somewhere and promptness is necessary. That being said, this doesn’t apply professionally, and you should be at the staff meetings on time.

FamilyFamily and family values are very important to Batswana, and most Batswana are close to both their immediate and extended families. It is said that no one can be “from” Gaborone, as everyone has ties to a home village, where extended family live. It is a fantastic opportunity to experience a different side of Batswana culture.

SocializingAlthough your main purpose in Gaborone is to be as useful as possible to MaP, there are plenty of opportunities for socializing and fun activities. Mr. Taylor likes to have the MaP interns over to his house on Wednesday nights for dessert and a game of scrabble. Some interns have enjoyed playing tennis in the afternoons after SPEs, or running on the trail around MaP. Talk to the younger faculty about what they like to do on the weekends—last summer there was a recurring Frisbee game that the interns were invited to.

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There are also several restaurants and clubs in Gaborone. Former interns recommend Fego, Sanita’s, Europa, Gaborone Yacht Club, and the ever popular Bull n’ Bush for Monday Rib Night, as the happening spots in town. There is a movie theater at Riverwalk, one of the three malls. BotswanaCraft is a really nice shop for gifts, and the Main Mall (sometimes called African Mall) has stalls during the week which sell crafts and trinkets, music, and food. There is also an outdoor market on Saturday mornings at Riverwalk. Talk to older students and young staff members about what they like—things often change year to year, so get as much present information as you can when you get there!

For outdoorsy activities, you can hike Kgale Hill, go kayaking at the Dam (the Yacht Club), or go to Mokolodi Game Reserve. Definitely try to hike Kgale Hill at least once—the view from the top is beautiful. Oftentimes the boy’s boarding house head takes a trip out early on Saturdays, so talk to him if you are interested.

National PasttimesFootball (i.e. American soccer) is a big sport across Africa, and Botswana is no exception. Botswana’s national team, the Zebras, is not the greatest on the continent, though people support it in droves. Many Batswana also support European clubs as well as South African teams (e.g. the Kaizer Chiefs or Orlando Pirates). Many people play football, in pick-up games, or more formally organized leagues. Rugby also has a significant fan-base in Botswana.

Many gatherings in Botswana revolve around food and music. Braais (barbeques) are very popular in the summer, although they still do happen in the winter. Accept any invitation to a braai; the food is delicious!

House music is very big in Southern Africa right now, and is mostly what is played at clubs and on popular radio stations.

Leaving MaPJust as there is an adjustment period to living abroad, there is the adjustment of leaving a place where you have spent two months. It is likely that you will have mixed emotions about leaving MaP at the end of the program. You’ll have made new friends over the course of the summer, established a routine, and settled into the rhythms of life at MaP. It’s important to talk about these with your fellow interns. Make sure you exchange contact information with the people you wish to keep in touch with, and take the time to say proper goodbyes to those students and staff you have become close with. Also, you might have some students who will wish to continue working with you on things such as college essays—if you agree to continue working with them, honor those commitments and be honest with the student about how much you will be able to help from afar, particularly once you get back to Harvard.

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REPUBLIC OF BOTSWANAFormerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name upon independence in 1966.

INDEPENDENCE DAY (BOTSWANA DAY)30 September (1966)

POLITICAL SYSTEMParliamentary republic

CHIEF OF STATEPresident Seretse Khama Ian Khama (since 1 April 2008)

COUNTRY MAP

AREA581,730 sq km Slightly smaller than Texas

POPULATION2,098,018 (July 2012 est.)

NATIONALITY (NOUN AND ADJECTIVE)Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)

CURRENCYPula (BWP)

LANGUAGESSetswana 78.2%, Kalanga 7.9%, Sekgalagadi 2.8%, English (official) 2.1%, other 8.6%, unspecified 0.4% (2001 census)

RELIGIONSChristian 71.6%, Badimo 6%, other 1.4%, unspecified 0.4%, none 20.6% (2001 census)

NATIONAL FLAG

The light blue with a horizontal white-edged black stripe in the center; the blue symbolizes water in the form of rain, while the black and white bands represent racial harmony

CAPITAL CITYGaborone, population: 196,000 (2009 est.)

MAJOR CITIESFrancistownKanyeMaunMolepololeMochudiSerowe

TIME ZONEGMT + 2 Hours

NATIONAL EMBLEM

botsWana Quick facts

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There are a few resources out there to help you get acquainted with Botswana, from websites to some novels that have been written about Botswana. Below are some that interns in the past have liked:

BOOKS & FILMSNo. 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith (Book series that is also a TV series from HBO)Lonely Planet Guide to Botswana & Namibia (Useful guidebook that focuses on the needs of budget travelers)

WEBSITESMaruapula.org (school website—check out the SPE lists and school information before you head out)Botswanatourism.co.bw (This website has useful information about the different regions of Botswana and can be helpful in planning travel)Tripadvisor.com (Has useful reviews and ratings of hotels, lodges, etc)

OTHERPast interns! Below are a few who have volunteered their email addresses:

• Paul Stainier: pstanier@college.harvard.edu

• Melissa Joseph: melissajoseph@college.harvard.edu

• Alondra Ramirez: alondraramirez@college.harvard.edu

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CENTER FOR AFRICAN STUDIESStudent Support and Outreach Officer, Nthatisi QuellaCGIS South, 1730 Cambridge Street, Room 403Cambridge, MA 02138Tel: 617-495-5265africa.harvard.edu

HARVARD TRAVEL ASSIST+1 617-998-0000

INTERNATIONAL SOS +1 215-942-8478 (worldwide, 24/7/365). You may call collect.Harvard’s membership number: 11BSGC000038

MARU-A-PULA CONTACT INFOPrincipal, Andrew TaylorOffice phone: +267 391-2953Cell phone: +267 7130 3800Address: Private Bag 0045, Gaborone, BotswanaWebsite: http://www.maruapula.org/

U.S. EMBASSY OF GABORONEAddressPhysical: Embassy Drive, Government Enclave, Gaborone, BotswanaMailing: P.O. Box 90 Gaborone, Botswana

Telephone(+267) 395-3982 (Monday-Thursday, 7:30AM - 5:00PM)(+267) 395-3982 (Friday, 7:30AM - 13:30PM)(+267) 395-7111 (After Hours)For Visa Information Telephone: (+267) 390-4669 For American Citizen Services Telephone: (+267) 373-2322

Fax(+267) 395-6947

Websitehttp://botswana.usembassy.gov/

imPortant contact info