Just as I make observations about this country and its people on a daily basis, it is inevitable that observations are being made about me too. Here is a little bit of insight into what it means to be a Canadian volunteer in Botswana.
First of all, other than Bailey and Casey, both fellow INDEVOURS, and a few other WUSC volunteers, I have not met or heard of a single other Canadian in Botswana. Maybe I am in the wrong part of the country, or they are just being humble and not showing themselves, or there truly is a lack of Canadians living in or traveling through the country. Nevertheless, Canada seems to have a reputation among the Batswana.
Here are some common responses to me saying I am from Canada.
Additionally, being an obvious foreigner but yet also usually evidently not just a tourist to Shakawe, without fail every person I talk to beyond saying 'hello' or 'dumela' will ask at least one, but usually all, of these questions:
The question of "how long are you here for" I find particularly interesting. Yes, I am evidently foreign, but this makes the assumption they know I will be leaving, an assumption that they have been able to make from seeing many volunteers through the years pass through their community for a few weeks or months or years and then move on.
There can be a lot of tourists to the area in peak times, though most tourists can be found hanging out at the lodges or on the Delta, not around the town. And other foreigners, including those who run the "Chinese shops", are those who have lived here for a significant period of time and are more or less known in the community. So it seems the people in town that are unrecognizable (at least when they first arrive) are assumed to be volunteers; they have seen these people come and go before.
One of our friends who came here from England to teach several years ago and now lives here permanently commented that he finds that most locals do not go out of their way to befriend foreigners, because they know that most are volunteers and will leave again in a few months.
This makes me question (as usual) the nature of development and the impact it is having on communities, and I wonder what other impressions the Batswana have of me. Even though I like to think I am doing something good, I am here mostly to learn, I am here for a significantly longer period of time than many volunteers, and I am living among the locals, I am still a volunteer. I will still leave after a pre-described time, and for all I know, I could be creating more harm than I am helping.
So while I continue to hold onto my Canadian pride half way around the world, I can only wonder how far the friendly and humble Canadian stereotype actually carries beyond its borders.
First of all, other than Bailey and Casey, both fellow INDEVOURS, and a few other WUSC volunteers, I have not met or heard of a single other Canadian in Botswana. Maybe I am in the wrong part of the country, or they are just being humble and not showing themselves, or there truly is a lack of Canadians living in or traveling through the country. Nevertheless, Canada seems to have a reputation among the Batswana.
Here are some common responses to me saying I am from Canada.
- Ah! It's cold there!
- I would die if I were in Canada
- I love Canada
- I would like to go to Canada
- What is snow?
- What language do you speak?
- Do you speak French?
- Are you from French Canada or English Canada?
- You are from Ontario…so you speak English or French?
Additionally, being an obvious foreigner but yet also usually evidently not just a tourist to Shakawe, without fail every person I talk to beyond saying 'hello' or 'dumela' will ask at least one, but usually all, of these questions:
- Where are you from?
- How long are you here for?
- Do you like Botswana? (I always say yes, except that it is hot (both Canadians and Batswana like talking or complaining about the weather), and they say I am just saying that, like they think they are catching me lying or something)
- After, what do you plan on doing? Do you plan on coming back?
- You don't want to marry a Motswana?
The question of "how long are you here for" I find particularly interesting. Yes, I am evidently foreign, but this makes the assumption they know I will be leaving, an assumption that they have been able to make from seeing many volunteers through the years pass through their community for a few weeks or months or years and then move on.
There can be a lot of tourists to the area in peak times, though most tourists can be found hanging out at the lodges or on the Delta, not around the town. And other foreigners, including those who run the "Chinese shops", are those who have lived here for a significant period of time and are more or less known in the community. So it seems the people in town that are unrecognizable (at least when they first arrive) are assumed to be volunteers; they have seen these people come and go before.
One of our friends who came here from England to teach several years ago and now lives here permanently commented that he finds that most locals do not go out of their way to befriend foreigners, because they know that most are volunteers and will leave again in a few months.
This makes me question (as usual) the nature of development and the impact it is having on communities, and I wonder what other impressions the Batswana have of me. Even though I like to think I am doing something good, I am here mostly to learn, I am here for a significantly longer period of time than many volunteers, and I am living among the locals, I am still a volunteer. I will still leave after a pre-described time, and for all I know, I could be creating more harm than I am helping.
So while I continue to hold onto my Canadian pride half way around the world, I can only wonder how far the friendly and humble Canadian stereotype actually carries beyond its borders.
(Being a Canadian in Botswana during the Olympics also means not being able to watch anything online (a country with no athletes competing on a continent with only 7 athletes competing), so instead it means skyping home on occasion to watch TV from there and devotedly following Twitter and the news as internet access permits.)