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Julien’s Journal

 

Freak out at Bushcamp

 

Mi Njhani everyone (That’s a Shangane word meaning how are you. I’m trying to use it as often as possible and that includes here).

 

Yesterday was something of a success. I’m going to spend all of today writing up notes from 4 interviews I did with farmers and one with an extension worker. It’s such a relief to have some interviews under my belt and now I can take the information from them back to Hectorspruit and discuss it with Priya. I’ve also got something to take to Pretoria on Sunday to discuss with Sylvester, the PhD student who is doing the same stuff. All is well so far. I’m a little concerned about what’s going to happen next week though. The group of students from Monash Uni I was with are heading home on Sunday, Derick (the guy who has helped me meet people at this end) is going away and the three students I am sharing Bushcamp with are back to Pretoria on Sunday. I’m probably going to feel very much alone after that and I hope that some more people will be moving in here next week. I’m going to have to rely much more on my own resourcefulness to get myself organised. Most likely I’ll do a lot more writing on this thing.

 

Yesterday was very hot. Close to 40ºC and in the evening gusty winds picked up, bringing with it loads of insects. When you haven’t been properly introduced to and exchanged pleasantries with an 8-legged bright red evil looking bastard who thinks it can just rock up when it likes and scuttle around your room you tend to get a bit nervous. Especially when you’ve had a few beers – then you kinda shit yourself and are intent to kill anything smaller than you that happens to be in a 10-metre radius. I ended a few insects’ lives last night.

 

It’s only just started to hit me how long I have been here. A week and a half I’ve been here and are only going to be at Wits Rural for a few more weeks. Even though it feels like a long time to wait to get home and stuck into the beers I’ve put aside for myself, it’s also a very short period of time to get busy and get done what I need to.

 

God, it’s just all about me, eh? I promise I’ll upload this stuff when I head back down towards civilisation and will be rapt to pick up some e-mails and reply. I want to know (choose the ones that apply to you):

How school is going

What the situation is with the fires in Oz

If you’re sober yet

How the cat is

How is work treating you

How the shop is doing – are we still beating the other one?

How’s life?!?!?!?!?

 

The answers to all those questions and more will be revealed when I next visit an internet café.

 

Until then, look after one another (but not insects),

 

Julien