Generalizations for Simplicity's Sake

My family here really goes out of their way to make me feel comfortable. For example, last night, they were low on paraffin, so rather than light the lamp, we all sat around the fire where dinner was being cooked. This was also where everyone was taking their evening bath. When it was my turn to bath, (they use "bath" as a verb, not "bathe") they lit the lamp, brought it and the bathtub into my house/room, and left me alone. Privacy is one of those things that is different in American culture; we were warned and so were our host families. I was flattered that they were so considerate.

O a opela?
Ga ke itse. Ke a opela?
Ee mma.

(You are singing?
I don't know. Am I singing?
Yes.)

That's how I know I'm happy, when I'm looking at the stars and someone accuses me of singing.

Race is a whole other ballgame in the north. (On an unrelated note: "If ethnic diversity were a contest, Africa would win.") Most white people here are tourists, and tourists don't take any care to learn the local language or culture. They come to see lions and to be pampered. At the campsites where we stayed, the white tourists shouted at and ordered around the local staff. Each time someone in my group busted forth with a "dumela-rra" or "dumela-mma", we were met with smiles and surprise. I dumela'ed a cashier at a local grocery store and she was so shocked, she even bagged my groceries for me, which I haven't seen yet at all. And more white people yelled and criticized for their own mistakes.

Also, some white South Africans migrated to northern Botswana to escape non-apartheid. They opened lodges and safari companies in a lovely place free from any anti-apartheid taboos. Simba told us a story of an SIT group a few years ago that was on safari at a particular lodge on excursion. The white guide/owner refused to talk to Simba, and would only communicate with him through the students, until one of the students angrily pointed this out. Insincere apologies ensued.

For this reason, Batswana don't strike up conversations with us on the street. They often don't even make eye contact, a complete turnaround from the Gabs/Otse region. The two young children at my homestay are terrified of me. (Although I think I've begun to change that, with the help of two lonesome Beanie Babies, Koko (chicken) and Tau (lion.)) Last night, my host-grandmother was explaining to the children: her name is Robin, not lekgoa (white person). I was amused to pick up bits of that Setswana conversation.

Here's a shoutout to all the people, to my delight, I've discovered are reading this. Hi!