Kutlwano Magazine

JOURNEY OF A LIFE TIME

Source : Kutlwano

Author : Ndingililo Gaoswediwe

Location : GABORONE

Event : Travel

Many people fail not because of inability but due to doubt. On the other hand, a fraction is afraid of dismal failure or, even worse, will not make any attempt even where there is a clear chance of success. Consequently, such uncertainties ultimately present many with missed opportunities or render most as failures in life.

Given many would jump into the bandwagon of doubts, not so with Kutlwano columnist, Lillian Moremi. Curiosity, determination to overcome in the face of adversity as well as tenacity to reach one`s goal, have at times combined to drive Moremi to do what most would consider extreme.

“...I am scared, what if it doesn`t work out, what if I didn`t make it alive, are some of the obstacles to success” reckons 28-year-old Moremi who recently returned from Antarctica - the earth`s southernmost continent, on average regarded as the coldest, windiest and driest place on earth.

Despite the stress of missing a return flight home and waiting for 24 hours for the next flight, the youthful Moremi walked into Kutlwano offices with her energy levels at their peak.

She is on assignment to empower the youth and save the environment. Upon touching down home mid last month after a brief sojourn to the Antarctica, Moremi who is Ducere Foundation coordinator, was already on call. She has no time to sleep, for if she slept her dream too will also take a nap and maybe for good. Instead, she is running around town trying to share her story which she is strongly convinced will immensely benefit Batswana.

By her own admission, Moremi took a “calculated” risk to Antarctica to meet and share ideas with other youthful leaders from across the globe. The expedition led by Robert Swan was aimed at building personal leadership skills to inspire change and create committed global educational and environmental ambassadors.

The objective of the expedition was that lessons would be learnt through challenges experienced throughout the journey. Of the 80 participants from 26 nations across the world, Moremi was the tinniest, only black and African partaker.

Armed with a thermal and fleece gear, wind shield and rain coat, Moreri hit the skies only to find herself at Buenos Aires, South America where she spent three days. Here, life was a bit of a test, both mentally and physically, for the pint sized woman given her language barrier.

“However, I realised that you can achieve anything you set your mind on,” quips Moremi as she recalls how her survival instincts kicked into gear in a city where Spanish was the only medium of communication. At the same time she appreciated the beauty of the city and today Moremi imagines Botswana reaching the same levels of development with tall buildings, tarmac roads and a booming economy that is able to absorb most if not all graduates.

Incidentally, Moremi is not happy with Batswana`s dependency syndrome, saying seemingly all eyes are on government for survival. “We always complain about pot holes but what are we doing? In Buenos Aires there are toll gates whereby commuters part with a few dollars to contribute towards the development of roads.”

From Buenos Aires, Moremi moved to Ushuaia – the closest gateway to Antarctica where final logistics were made. Given that it was her first travel to a snowy place, she had to fork out a few thousands from her savings to top up for her gear.

Lesson learnt; a credit card is very important in case one is stranded in a foreign land.

Moremi spent time in Ushuaia sharing a room with Sonal from India. The two shared a lot in that Moremi eventually relealised how spoilt Batswana are compared to other countries. In Botswana, she says, education and health care are free and government continues to dole out money towards human resource development which is not the case with other nations.

Talk aside, the 80 participants were divided into groups of eight and activities included mountain hiking and exercises to prepare the group for the conditions in Antarctica.

While locally Moremi works as a team leader and always shouting out commands, things took a different twist during the expedition given that she was relegated to third position on the rope that held her group together. If she was taking instructions from the group leader, she would be conveying messages to those behind her.

“...as a leader you also have to learn to be a follower in certain situations..,” she reckons. The exercise lasted for four hours and Moremi explains that a wheelchair bound Indian young man who participated in all activities motivated her to keep going.

Every day was a new experience and it was not smooth sailing for her as she bears a scar on her elbow after she fell in a shower. She describes experience at the Drake Passage as the scariest because the sea was rough and at some point she had to take a pill to calm her nerves.

Notwithstanding, highlights of her stay in Antarctica included sleeping on a shallow bed on the snow and polar plunging in the Antarctic Ocean. It was not easy but patience, determination and perseverance saw her pull through.

“It (expedition) was not about me but for the benefit of my country and that is what carried me throughout the entire journey,” quips Moremi.

Now loaded with knowledge on climate change, sustainability, change and leadership, Moremi has a mammoth task of turning the knowledge she acquired into practical results.

With a full time job elsewhere, Moremi is not deterred and remains optimistic that engaging relevant stakeholders she would be able to come up with a project through which she will put her knowledge on such issues to good use.

One does not have to go to Antarctica to change Botswana, rather a mind that thinks globally and acts locally - that is how Moremi sums up our conversation which lasted hours! ENDS