Packed Stadiums, Cattle Posts, and Car Troubles

By Jarrett Costron:

On March 20^th-21^st we will be having our second grassroots coaching module.  As a result, a portion of the last couple of weeks have been spent preparing for the second module.  Thankfully, organizing the module has been a lot less stressful than organizing the first.  Not only do I have way more time to prepare, but I also have an understanding of how to find quotes and secure all of our materials efficiently.  As a result, in only a week all of the major projects related to organizing the module were complete.

As I mentioned in an earlier blog, a coach will only be invited to participate in the second module if Gladys, the Botswana Taekwondo Federation’s (BTF) Technical Director, believes they are ready.  Further, as I was preparing for the second module, Gladys was travelling to the different primary schools to evaluate the coaches as they teach taekwondo to their students.  As I predicted, the coaches have been doing very well and they will all be invited to the second module.

Fortunately, I was able to get away from my desk and accompany Gladys on a couple of her evaluations.  The kids participating in the program were having the time of their lives and the look on their faces were priceless.  Needless to say, watching the students participate in the program that I helped create was extremely gratifying.

Last week, Mgadla, a co-worker of mine, took me to the National Stadium to watch a Botswana Premier League soccer match.  Unfortunately, The Township Rollers (our team) lost.  However, going to see an African pro soccer match was an unforgettable experience. Part of the National Stadium is currently under renovation.  Consequently, a portion of the grand stands couldn’t be used.  Apparently the ticketing department didn’t get the memo because they went ahead and sold tickets as if the whole stadium was open.  Regardless, people piled into the stadium and sat anywhere they could, even if that meant they were in the aisle!!

 

Modisa, another co-worker, wanted to take me to his cattle post.  Interested in seeing the rural side of Botswana, I decided to take him up on his offer.  In order to get to his farm we had to travel 3 hours through the Kalahari Desert via a series of paved, and not so paved highways.  As expected the scenery was beautiful.  The desert’s vast sand dunes were framed by rolling hills and covered by a relative abundance of vegetation.

On our way back home, my adventure to the cattle post took an unsuspected turn.  About 60 kilometres outside of the city Modisa’s truck broke down.  Stranded in the middle of the Kalahari Desert, we were forced to push his truck to the side of the road and wait for his father to come and tow the truck home.  Once his father arrived, Modisa and I hiked to closest bus stop and took the next bus to Gaborone.

Despite the car troubles, it was an awesome day. If anything, being stranded in the middle of the Kalahari added to the experience!!

Until next time,

Jarrett