Saturday is one of the few days I actually get to sleep in, but my alarm still went off at 6:15am. My plan was to hit snooze and sleep until at least 6:30am, but at 6:17am my phone started ringing. I couldn’t imagine who would possibly want to call me this early until I saw Sam’s number on the caller id. It was a little past midnight for him, so I was pleasantly surprised to hear his voice. It’s amazing the effect Sam has on me. I was immediately wide awake and ready to start my day with a giant grin on my face. It was a wonderful start to the day and I couldn’t be happier or more prepared.
Because of my extra early start to the morning, I got to Setswana lessons early. Every day we sit out in the garden without ever getting the opportunity to explore. I used my extra twenty minutes before class to walk around and find a nice place to sit, look over the field and stream, and sip my tea. I found a raised stage where I sat swinging my feet over the ledge. It was a cool, crisp morning and the warmth of my tea allowed for a perfect combination of temperature. If I lived at this house I would wake up early every morning just to sit in the garden and watch the sun rise.
The Gods were smiling down on me today because after Setswana class and having lunch I got to video chat with Sam and talk to my mom on the phone. Some people become sad after talking to friends and family back home, but talking to Sam and my mom had the opposite effect on me. These are two people that always know how to ground me and reaffirm my greater purpose. Through talking to them I was able to refuel my passion for joining the Peace Corps and prepare for week three.
It was so wonderful seeing Sam’s bright smile and comforting eyes. Seeing him gives me butterflies and I fall in love all over again. We talked for hours, never tiring of each other. I shared pictures of local livestock, cute dogs, my room, and my house. Mme Chiliwa has done a wonderful job of making me feel at home and like I’m part of the family and I can’t thank her enough; however, it doesn’t matter where I am, Sam will always be my home.
I reluctantly said goodbye and walked home. I get tired of sitting on the couch watching television for only an hour, so I don’t know how my host sisters do this all day long for several days in a row. In order to feel part of the family and get further Setswana exposure, I often sit in the living room and study while everyone else watches television.
Sitting in the living room I actually became intrigued by the show that was playing. I started to watch “My African Dream Teen Semifinals” with Princess. I immediately became reflective of American culture and the expectations placed on children and young adults. Leave it to me to turn innocently watching television into an inquisitive examination of cultural differences.
I found myself analyzing the dancing and singing of the competitors, being somewhat harsh and critical at times. I couldn’t help but compare Batswana teens to American teens. This isn’t fair for several different reasons, the first that came to mind being there are significantly more Americans than Batswana, allowing more talent to choose from. To dig a little deeper, my reasoning is inherently flawed. Talent should not be based on how many people each country has to choose from or for that matter how good of a dancer or singer each contestant is. These are young adults who should be recognized for their immense courage to go on television and compete. Americans are often overly critical of their children and young adults, setting an unrealistic standard to meet. With shows like “So You Think You Can Dance?” “American Idol,” and “America’s Got Talent,” American youth are discouraged from expressing themselves artistically because of the unspoken, unattainable expectation that they have to be near perfect. Although “My African Dream” is no Hollywood show, it represents an outlet for Batswana youth to express themselves and be proud of who they are and what they have to offer.
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