During pre-service training (PST), a chunk of our sessions were based around cross-cultural issues and learning how to adapt. One idea we looked at involves Johari’s window, with a “Peace Corps twist”. Typically, the model talks about how we show are selves to others and how others perceive us, but with the Peace Corps the “others” is the new culture we find ourselves immersed in. The “window” is broken up into 4 panes:
If that seems kinda wordy and repetitive, it is. Here’s the same panes again but with examples of each category:
You can move from the bottom panes in the dark blue, to the clearer, lighter blue top panes by increasing self-awareness, curiosity, and humility. And also having guests visit you or trying new things, so you can share things you didn’t realize you knew!
The last two weeks involved just that. My first real holiday and my college buddy Daniel came to visit!
It was so amazing to have a visitor. Someone from home, who knew me before Peace Corps, getting a glimpse into my day-to-day reality was so so nice. Now there’s a commonality that makes my life easier to explain. Daniel just kinda gets it now. He can now envision when I tell him my house is hot, he can picture when I’m home during tea break, he can remember the view of the milky way from my porch. And we were only at my site for one evening. The rest of the trip, we might’ve gone places I’ve also never seen, but I was still able to share this part of my life. And share things I didn’t realize I knew (which has lead to more self-awareness, curiosity and humility and thus, the feeling that my life is getting to a “clearer” pane). Like what different handshakes mean and the signals someone uses to get a ride and how to change my words or my accent to be understood. I know a lot more than I thought I did. Some days, I feel integrated. Others, I feel like I know nothing. Which leads to frustration and stress. So it’s nice to come to the realization that I do know a few things. And there’s of course so many things that I know that I don’t know (and probably a million more that I don’t even know I don’t know). That’s ok. That’s what makes adapting to a new culture so fun… you never know what you’ll get into.
I met Daniel in Livingstone (the Zambian side of Victoria Falls) where we ended up getting to witness a lunar rainbow. Since there was a full moon the night we got there, the falls had special after dark hours because the moon was so bright and there’s so much water that you could see a rainbow. At night! It was so so incredible. And it was like we had one of the wonders of the world to ourselves! I’ll show you my pictures (of this and the rest of the trip) and then refer you immediately to Daniel’s (delafephoto.com). His are actually legit (so he better update from this trip soon!).
The next morning we went back in the day to see the falls from the Zimbabwean side. It’s just such a cool place. So much water, and it all comes from the little Zambezi River! I still can’t believe how close I am to it. After, we traveled to Kasane, Botswana where we picked up our 4×4 truck rental. We decided to travel through a few national parks and reserves, Chobe and Moremi, on our way down to Maun which works through the Okavango delta, the largest inland delta and a world heritage site (which basically means it is BEAUTIFUL). The roads were made of deep, deep sand and we didn’t see a tarred road for 3 days. There were a few campsites along the way we stayed at, but otherwise, it felt like the whole delta was ours. We drove past maybe 3-5 cars each day so it was like a 3-day private game drive. We saw hippos, giraffes, elephants, wild dogs, a gazillion birds, impala (and every kind of antelope/deer thing), wildebeest, water buffaloes, crocodiles, even a leopard! Basically everything but a lion (glad I’ve already had some awesome encounters with those and Daniel ended up seeing some later on his trip). And the scenery was so open and wide and then got wetter and wetter as we made our way down the delta. It was wild. I wish we just had one more day in Maun, so we could have spent some time on (or over) the water. Otherwise, it was so awesome. I’ll have to go back. (Again, I also can’t believe how close I live to the Okavango). Then we made it back up to Namibia, and I got to share the spot where I go to the river in town, my commute home, and my house and roommate. It was so fun and felt kinda surreal. I loved having a guest. (So… you should come visit, too!)
I had to go back to work (I had a 4-day weekend because of Namibian Independence day on Thursday), but lucky for Daniel his trip wasn’t over. He kept traveling around the country, and he even immersed himself in the culture of each region by picking up locals (totally safe here) and eating at local markets (I felt bad for not taking him to get kapana or pap but he found those himself!). He also saw all of these amazing Namibian places I haven’t even been able to travel to yet! Now he knows what I don’t know. I’m looking forward to picking his brain so I can show my family all the good places when they come shortly!
Other than that, I’m looking forward to marking my tests this week, working on Peace Corps things, and just enjoying life here in the ‘Bezi while learning more things that I don’t yet know.
Oh and I did a practice half-marathon yesterday… I finished! Slow, but no walking. Which is good considering I haven’t really run during the last 2-3 weeks and most of my entire life having felt negatively toward running ha.
Zam+Zim+Bots+Nam Pics:
Another visitor perk: so many guilty pleasures… I’ve had s’mores AND pepperoni pizza in the past week. Life is good.
The Zambezi river about 800m upstream from the falls. So calm!
Lunar Rainbow!! It was crazy and amazing.
I know it’s fuzzy, but give my phone a break. Plus look at the stars!!
Now look at Daniel’s picture…
Well, I tried.
Deck views! (Although I preferred our pop-up roof tent)
So. Much. Water.
Zim side. Although just across a ravine, this side seemed greener and had more monkeys. (Cute ones, too. Not the baboons)
Sunset 1 in Botswana.
Day 1 game drive along the Chobe River
We spotted 2 hippos and 2 crocs down there! (Little did we know we’d see 100s of hippos by the end of the weekend)
Another hippo pool
1st (of many) giraffes!
Hills are so rare to me now
Sunset 2 in Botswana
Zebras!! Also saw 100s and 100s…
Sunset day 3 viewpoint. We were sadly too late to get a boat ride! Next time…
A giraffe in its natural habitat. A De la Fé in his (behind the wheel). Shoutout to Daniel for actually coming to visit! And driving me around for 3 days straight (PC volunteers in southern Africa aren’t allowed to drive). Whatta road trip!
This is the road I run/walk on. And these are my nighttime views. If it isn’t obvious, this is another De la Fé photo and I’m super excited for it to be on my wall one day!