Hey all.

Sorry I haven't updated. Really, I have no excuse since I am now living in a home that has wifi. I'm currently living in Phakalane with the GREATEST family. Honestly this family could not be more different from my last.

I live with my mother, father, sister (31), brother (not sure how old... late 20s maybe), two nieces (6 and 13), one other man (not sure the relation) and our maid. It's a busy household but I love it. The 6 year old is ridiculously hyper and not the most well behaved child, but other than that, the family is one of the nicest families I have ever met. My host mother is the COOLEST. She is always offering to pick me up or take me places. She shows me off to her friends and she is even making me a traditional dress. On top of all of that, she has said she is going to put together a collection of traditional Botswana crafts for my mother and me. I'm the luckiest.

My 13 year old niece (we call her and my other niece my sisters), Amo, made me a sandwich the other day for me to take to school because she was concerned I wasn't eating enough. Super adorable.

I leave Phakalane this weekend and head to the far eastern part of Botswana to begin my DISP (Directed Independent Study Project). I'll be working on a private game reserved called Mashatu conducting field research on elephants (and perhaps on wild dogs and predators like lions and leopards as well... though I'm mainly interested in the elephants). I could not be more excited. This is exactly what I have been wanting to do and I'm so lucky I found an internship dealing with elephants.

I'll be at Mashatu for the next 4-5 weeks or so. Then, I come back to Gabs, write my report, present and then LEAVE BOTSWANA. Where has the time gone? It does not feel like we've been here for almost three months and I'm so sad that we only have less than 7 weeks left. I'm definitely going to return to Botswana some day.

I think that's all for now... I'm sorry these are so non-specific but I feel like that's all time allows for.

Until next time!

-Jess