Homestays and Learning to Dance

Hi Friends and Family! 

We are finally in Gaborone and were welcomed to Botswana by a phenomenal sunset as soon as we landed!

​Host Families and Botswana Culture

It is always challenging and scary to go to a new country, but it can be a lot easier if you have a home away from home. At the airport all of us were picked up by our host families. The students each have a host sibling, that is the same age as them, that way they can see first hand what a teenagers life is like in Botswana. The host families welcomed us with open arms and made us feel like part of their family.

Since arriving, there have been a few cultural differences that we have been learning about and adapting to. In Botswana, it is custom to greet people when you walk into a room. You can do this by saying “Hi, how are you?”. If you do not greet someone then you are considered rude. We have also noticed that the locals in Botswana are very blunt and honest. They are not afraid to ask uncomfortable questions or share their opinions. Here are a couple of cultural differences that our students noticed in their homestays:

“The bathrooms here are very different. There are separate rooms for the toilet and the bath tub, and there is not a shower.”

“The roles of students are different, my host sisters don't have homework, and school isn't stressful for them.”

Learning to Dance

After orientation we were taught some traditional Botswana dance moves with a modern twist. We were supposed to show emotion through our dancing, but I'm not sure if we accomplished this. Haha. I think we need a few more classes before we know what we're doing. Even though we looked silly it doesn't matter because we had a great time learning the different moves and techniques.

[VIDEO::https://youtu.be/Q1uTWsm575g]