Morning in Botswana

When people talk about Africa, they almost always mention the sunsets.  There’s a reason for that – the sunsets are breathtaking, with colors more vibrant than if it had been painted.  My favorite time of day, however, is the early morning. 

I love that in my time here I have gotten on the earth’s schedule.  When the sun goes down, I get sleepy, and when it rises I am ready to greet the day as well.

I love the breeze that comes in my door as I get ready for work. The heat of Botswana can be stifling, even throughout the night, but when I wake up and open my front door, it’s a breath of fresh air in every sense.

I love that the sounds of morning, which were once so foreign and jarring, are now the backdrop to my life.  Chickens and their babies clucking, chirping, and scratching at the ground for breakfast.  The dogs taking a friendly morning romp on the grass outside my window.  The birds that live in my roof haphazardly flying into my wind-chime.  Katlo, my host cousin, running back and forth across the family compound as he gets ready for school.  And let me not forget the roosters incessantly crowing from all sides.  These sounds have, mercifully, replaced the noise of cars, trucks, and television in my morning routine.

I love the walk to school.  The sun has just come over the top of the acacia trees and it bathes everything in rose and golden hues.  Lizards, ants, and mice scamper in the grasses on either side of the path and the breeze that came through my door now ruffles the tree tops.  As I walk past the primary school the students wave to me and giggle when I respond in kind.

So yes, African sunsets are beautiful and mesmerizing.  But there is nothing like a Botswana morning to clear the mind and prepare for the day ahead.