This week, it finally rained! In Setwana, rain is called pula. This year has been very dry. In fact, an article was published saying that February 2024 was the driest February in Botswana in 40 years. Since locally farmed vegetables are so important in Botswana, everyone was very happy about the rainfall! Often when it rains in Botswana, it comes down very heavily. But, the ground is very dry and sandy. So the water will not be soaked into the ground right away. Instead, the water makes its way to creek beds which are often dry and waiting for water!
This week, I saw lots of cattle and donkeys! In Botswana, it is common to see cattle and donkeys freely roaming around the village. There are a lot of farms outside on the outer edges of the village. Sometimes, animals get loose. But, animals are very protected in Botswana. So farmers do not worry about the safety of their animals while they are in the village looking for grass.
