When in Rome...

My first few months in Beni in 2008, I had people helping me a lot. They helped me get motorcycle taxis, translated from French or Swahili for me, explained some of the things that are culturally different from the States... And were there to answer a lot of my questions.

"This is Kambale." Or "this is the mother of Julie." ... "The bathroom is there." ... "Oh, Bethany can't drink that, she needs to have filtered water." ... "Make sure you kiss the cheeks of women and tap heads with men when greeting them..." Ok that last one nobody ever said, but I observed that one right away!

Now, people totally do support me and help me and are available to me. But... As I'm about to close this second year in Beni, either I don't look like I need as much help, or I don't ask as much. Either way, I'm still learning a lot!

The guidance and direction I received at the beginning has really helped me to know how to be interact with people, to best respect them and to adapt to the culture here. And as I mentioned before, I watch people. By doing so, I've also picked up on some of the "dos and don'ts" of the culture. Often by trial and error!  Some of the things I've learned so far by observation:

When entering a room which already has people in it (in a house particularly), it is common courtesy to walk around it greeting everyone. EVERYONE.Regardless if you've never seen them before, or if you saw them 14 minutes earlier. It also doesn't really matter if you speak French or Swahili well. Not greeting people can be seen as extremely offensive. Therefore, each person's hand should be shaken. 

Of course there is modesty's imposition on living life comfortably. Modesty says that a woman's knees are not supposed to be exposed in public. However even wearing skirts that stop at mid-calf (or crop pants), I've felt scandalous - or at least maybe childish. 

Along with that, by watching the women, I've developed the habit of always carrying a wrap skirt (panya, kikwembe or sarong - as we'd call it in the States). Especially if I'm taking a motorcycle taxi. It's an extra precaution to maintain modesty, just in case my skirt gets close to showing my knees, or too much of my shins. It's come in handy at school also, when it gets cold (it's a nice make-shift blanket!). And sometimes when women (visiting teachers or volunteers) come to visit UCBC, it's also been helpful if their skirts aren't as long as... What's expected of professions here. 

To be continued...