A Brief Education in Culture Shock

Yesterday, we began our orientation to the University of Botswana and the city of Gaborone. We watched lectures on safety and public transportation, bought cell phones, and got to know each other a little better. Today, we went on a tour of the U.B. campus, visited a crafts shop, and took a traditional dance class. (The dance class was crazy fun, and a few of the other students and I are planning on signing up for lessons with the teacher for the semester.) We also learned about the phenomenon of culture shock.

According to Mma Maposa, culture shock could cause many severe reactions, including screaming, cursing, and physical illness. After the lecture on culture shock, “culture shock” became the buzzword of the group, a little inside joke. Somebody’s acting a little b****y? Culture shock. Someone’s ill? Must be culture shock. At least a few people laughed every time the words were mentioned, and almost everyone denied experiencing symptoms. (For right now, most of us are in the “honeymoon phase.”)

This afternoon, I had my first little taste of the frustration implicit in culture shock. After the dance class, I was exhausted, and I just wanted a few pula to use for a combi (van) ride home. My Visa was denied at three ATMs, and my new Botswana cell phone would not allow me to call my bank in the States. I had to use an office phone and spend almost 10 minutes on hold (each minute costs several dozen pula), after which time the bank told me that “it looked like everything was in order, so my card should be working, and was I sure I had entered my PIN correctly?” Very helpful. Thankfully, the fourth ATM (belonging to a British bank, instead of a local one) I tried was successful, and I was able to catch a combi home. I accidentally stopped the combi at the wrong time, which required several minutes of explanation. Now, I’m finally at my homestay, and I am about to begin the dreadful course registration process…

Culture shock, at least after my few days in Gaborone, is not one long scream. Instead, it’s dozens of little frustrations, that, for the time being, I will try to approach with patience and a cheerful attitude. Eventually, I’ll look back on this and laugh at these small things that seem so difficult and strange right now. Until then, sala sentle!