Semester in Botswana- Can I Go Back Yet?

I'd like to begin by saying that my semester in Botswana was absolutely one of the best, most formative times of my life. Although I was a bit nervous before departing the states, all of my worries were immediately put at ease upon arriving in the country, being introduced to my homestay family, and meeting the CIEE staff.

One thing I really loved about CIEE Botswana was the integration of our program into the local university, people, and culture. During our orientation week we took multiple cultural excursions such as to a small village to spin pottery and to a traditional restaurant. We also took dance lessons from a man trained in traditional dancing. All of these experiences allowed us to become comfortable fully immersing ourselves in the experiences from the beginning.

Secondly, the structure of the CIEE Botswana program is also great for meeting and engaging with local students. Although we took some classes with our program, we also took classes with students from the University at large. Additionally, CIEE student volunteers were active and present at almost every gathering we had, even if these gatherings were planned outside of the typical CIEE structured meetings, etc. Weekly clinic visits allowed us to visualize and apply what we were learning about in the classroom.

Finally, the relationships I formed while abroad mean so much and will continue to mean so much to me for the rest of my life. Our amazing program director proved to be so much more to me than that: she was a confidant, care giver, and friend. From the beginning she made sure to do anything and everything she could to guarantee us a good experience. She spent hours looking for families to pair us with for homestays. She visited excursion sites, scheduled meetings, and organized everything far in advance. She answered late night texts and made an effort to engage with each person on an individual level. Without her hard work, the program would not have been nearly as successful as it was for us. Her hard work brought me countless other friends like the student volunteers, Bethel (our beloved taxi driver), my homestay mother, sisters, and brothers, and many, many more. Already, I am wondering when I can head back to Botswana.