2009.03.01: March 1, 2009: Headlines: COS - Botswana: Wildlife: Albany Times Union: Jude Nordhoff writes: As a Peace Corps volunteer in Botswana about 13 years ago, I worked for the Department of Wildlife, which enabled me to travel often to the country's many game reserves
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2009.03.01: March 1, 2009: Headlines: COS - Botswana: Wildlife: Albany Times Union: Jude Nordhoff writes: As a Peace Corps volunteer in Botswana about 13 years ago, I worked for the Department of Wildlife, which enabled me to travel often to the country's many game reserves
Jude Nordhoff writes: As a Peace Corps volunteer in Botswana about 13 years ago, I worked for the Department of Wildlife, which enabled me to travel often to the country's many game reserves
Being able to experience wild animals roaming freely was an amazing thing. My favorite place to go was the Okavango Delta, a maze of channels and islands, lush with around 400 species of birds and a huge variety of mammals. One working day found me on a small boat out of Xakanaxa camp cautiously maneuvering past the hippos that did not like us disturbing them. We spent the afternoon in the water clearing reeds that elephants had knocked down, subsequently blocking a channel. On the way back to camp, we turned a bend and an enormous crocodile slid off the bank and into the water as we sped past.
Jude Nordhoff writes: As a Peace Corps volunteer in Botswana about 13 years ago, I worked for the Department of Wildlife, which enabled me to travel often to the country's many game reserves
Peace Corps takes woman to exotic lands
By JUDE NORDHOFF, Special to the Times Union
First published in print: Sunday, March 1, 2009
As a Peace Corps volunteer in Botswana about 13 years ago, I worked for the Department of Wildlife, which enabled me to travel often to the country's many game reserves. I would be driving along a dusty road and have to wait for a herd of elephants or giraffes to cross in front of me.
Once, when pitching my tent, I was surrounded by baboons, creatures I'd previously only experienced behind bars at a zoo. I decided to ignore them, and at dusk, they went up into the trees to sleep. I learned to rev the engine of my vehicle if I wanted an elephant to get out of the road, as opposed to beeping the horn, which could alarm it and initiate a charge.
Being able to experience wild animals roaming freely was an amazing thing. My favorite place to go was the Okavango Delta, a maze of channels and islands, lush with around 400 species of birds and a huge variety of mammals.
One working day found me on a small boat out of Xakanaxa camp cautiously maneuvering past the hippos that did not like us disturbing them. We spent the afternoon in the water clearing reeds that elephants had knocked down, subsequently blocking a channel. On the way back to camp, we turned a bend and an enormous crocodile slid off the bank and into the water as we sped past.
It was rough going in the bush. Roads consisted of heavy sand and were often difficult to navigate even with four-wheel drive. Getting from one point to another could take several hours, with no services along the way.
At our quarterly meetings, we always had goat for lunch. These goats, however, came from a local village, were led into camp, slaughtered and cooked. Although I am largely a vegetarian because I can be healthy without eating the critters I love, I have to say that the goat stew was mighty tasty.
At night, there were always hyenas in camp; we fell asleep to the roars of lions.
When on leave, I took solo trips for weeks at a time, to South Africa, Zimbabwe, Tanzania and the island of Zanzibar. I either pitched a tent or stayed in bare-bones guest houses. I always gave myself permission to go back if I felt uncomfortable as I ventured onward, changing currencies, learning at least a few native words, and going with the flow in whatever country I was in.
One morning, I was walking along a beach on the Indian Ocean, trying to figure out how to spend the day. I soon noticed a boat out in the water with someone waving, asking if I wanted to join them to share expenses in a visit to Prison Island. "OK"!
They picked me up and off we went. On the island, we found giant tortoises roaming freely and we fed them bananas. There was an old ruin of a hotel serving fish for lunch.
On the way back to the mainland, and just as we had gotten far enough away from the island that we couldn't swim back, our motor died. One of the crew members dug out some rusty tools from a very banged-up, oily cardboard box from the bottom of the boat. While the passengers bailed water with tin cans under the broiling sun, our boatman tinkered away.
After nearly an hour, the motor started putt-putt-putting to life, and off we went.
It reminded me of a trip out of Arusha. Tanzania. The roads were high in the hills, narrow and full of giant potholes with no shoulder. Every so often, the jeep would stop and our driver would get out with a hammer, crawl underneath and make some banging noises. Then we would continue on our way.
After two years in Botswana, I flew to Bosnia as a volunteer for the United Nations, but that is another story.
Jude Nordhoff lives in Saratoga Springs.
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Headlines: March, 2009; Peace Corps Botswana; Directory of Botswana RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Botswana RPCVs; Wildlife; New York
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Story Source: Albany Times Union
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Botswana; Wildlife
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