Cultural Adjustments

It has been one month since I arrived in Gaborone. I’ve definitely gone through some of the stages of culture shock and am continuing to do so. Just this past week I had sort of a low couple days…was homesick for a little while, missed my family, and found it hard to think I am going to be away from home til August. However, my feelings have changed over the past couple of days and I’m now finding things [some of which I did not like at first] in Botswana that I know I’ll miss once my departure date arrives:

• Combie public transport system
• How people are always walking everywhere…starting at 5am
• The slow walking pace
• How babies are carried…wrapped in fabric around women’s backs
• How some items are carried…on people’s heads
• The value of the dollar here and the resulting low cost of things here
• The hot weather
• The conversation style here…much more laughing involved that I’m used to
• The street vendors that sell candy and airtime
• The availability of beautiful, African crafts
• The amount of televised soccer and almost absent amount of basketball, football, and baseball
• The fact that I am in AFRICA, and I am easily able to travel to countries I may never visit again in my lifetime

Now here are things I have yet to like and, as of now, don’t think I’ll miss when I leave:

• The stares I get everywhere because of my skin color
• The automatic target for pickpocketing
• The assumption of wealth with white skin
• No women wear shorts here…either pants or long skirts
• The delay in movie releases in the theaters
• The lack of entertainment and things to do in the city
• How guys ask for my phone number and also my marital status on a daily basis
• The lack of air conditioning, washing machines, and dishwashers
• The absence of soap and toilet paper in almost every public bathroom