It was a day spent waiting, with rumours flying up and down the corridors, interrupted by the occupy COP17 that happened in the afternoon.
I was watching from the gallery when it started and the amount of cameras present was just incredible.
After about two hours, the group of protesters were removed, leaving us with more hours waiting, trying to find out what's happening in the Indaba.
The plenaries were short and without much news, indicating how difficult the negotiations were at this stage.
Around midnight the news were that the stock-taking plenary would not happen until the next morning, so I went back to the hotel eventually after saying goodbye to the amazing Germanwatch team, and leaving for the airport in the morning.
Turns out, I didn't miss out on the news while traveling, but was able to follow the final night via twitter and the livestream, before finally, finally, a decision was made.
While some are spending their time searching for elephants in the North, others have to stay at home and work. COP17 is just around the corner and things have started to get quite busy.
During our trip to Italy, I spent some time to think and reflect on Europe, my roots and the big or not so big differences between life here and life in Botswana, and I must say, it felt like a pretty big culture shock to be back in Europe after some time abroad. Tuscany, with all its history, monuments and century-old culture, was probably the most contrasting place we could go to from the empty lands of the Kalahari, and I felt how strongly my own identity is impacted by European culture, history and whatever values come with it.
These past weeks in Germany have been great and extremely busy - especially compared to the pace of life back in Gabs - and we were traveling from South to North and back to meet family, friends and colleagues. It was really nice to be back home, but it took a while to get used to the speed. It always feels like time is running way too fast, and there is never enough time to see everyone and do everything, but now I am also looking forward to flying back to Africa tonight.
This art exhibition and the performance saved my day, and the party afterwards was fun with everyone dancing the night away. And now a full, free, weekend lies ahead!
on mango island, he found the perfect spot and so she found the ring in a shell.
to the sound of the ocean, he asked the question and she didn't have to think long about the answer.
so now they are planning a wedding and are looking puzzled at each other.
seems like the happily ever after has already started :)
We're back in Gabs and I already miss the ocean, the beach and the tropical green vegetation of Zanzibar island. It has been such an amazing trip, with everything and much more than I hoped for! 
We're off to the beaches of Zanzibar in the Indian Ocean!
Some failed attempts of trying to take a picture of the dog and me.
We spent a couple of nights in a lovely cottage in a nature reserve in the Waterberg area, having breakfast on the terrace with impalas watching us curiously, hiking for hours through the hills and looking for leopards (who are said to be living in the rocks and trees around the reserve). Unfortunately, we didn't see any of the shy wildcats, but we sure saw some trails during our hike.
We also went horseback riding through the bush and came quite close to the game.
The best part of the day was to come back to the cozy cottage, eat a home-cooked dinner and spend some hours cuddled up in front of the crackling fire.
It was exactly what we needed. 
It's been exactly a year since I first came to Africa and I have been thinking quite a bit lately about the last 12 months on this continent. Obviously, I have not really seen a lot and there is still a lot of unexplored territory on my personal African map, but many of the bits that I've seen in the past year are definitely among the most beautiful places that I have ever been to. The most fascinating part of Africa for me is the beautiful nature, the amazing wildlife, the wide sky and the stunning sunsets. And of course, the people - even though interaction has at times been and still continues to be challenging. Coming from Europe, some of the habits and attitudes of people here are simply startling and I sometimes find it hard to understand their acts and choices in life. That being said, I also find that making an effort from my part almost always pays off. The reward is a beautiful smile and some very interesting insights into Batswana culture. Of course, the fact that I am not on my own here also helps a lot - so a big thanks to my favorite man and all the other people who have made me feel at home here!
This week has been pretty uneventful here, as weeks in Gabs can be sometimes. There was some work over the weekend, some cake on Monday, some pizza on Tuesday, some tennis on Wednesday, some meetings on Thursday and maybe some fun today? I almost forgot that this is what life & work usually are like...
My mother brought us some "Milchreis" from Germany and with the evenings getting colder and colder over here, it was time for some comfort food. And so we heated up some milk and sugar, added the rice and stirred diligently for about 30 minutes. Served with some fruits and cinnamon it was a delicious dinner!
