Lessons from Abroad (Cultural and Otherwise)

The thing about being abroad is that there are moments of intense excitement; like that time that I visited the world's wealthiest diamond mine and tride to steal mining equipment, or that time that we were "casually interogated" at the border by what I am pretty sure was an undercover government agent fishing for reporters and international investigators, or even that time I got into a knife-fight with a polar bear (Have you ever played that game "two truths and a lie?". But there are also periods of intense boredom where you are sitting in your room, missing your friends and family while trying to feel close to them by updating your blog. This may surprise my acquaintances but I am not very good at doing nothing when I have no paints, books, kitchen, etc. Unfortunately, people stare at me enough without me digging through public rubbish in order to find materials for a grand sculpture that I will ditch in a public place (what I did in SLC the last time I was this bored, come to think of it in hopkins too). In any case I suppose it is good because at least I will come back, which is what I think was my mom's real intention when she mailed me "part of my paintset" with only one color (If anyone has seen the stalin piece you know how I feel about that)

In less complaining news I had what I assume was a cultural moment the other day when I was buying milk at the student convenience store and the cashier said to me "but you are getting fat!" I stared at her and thought, "a) I disagree b)Why does me buying milk elicit this opinion when the only other things you sell are pop and french fries? c) I don't really want that opinion from you either way and d)Who are you?." I related the story to my friends who, apparently convinced that I was insecure, insisted that I was quite skinny. My Motswana friend then jumped in, outraged, and said "No she is not! Sarah, you have a good body!" It was at that point that we all figured out that "skinny" in southern africa does not mean nearly the same thing as it does in the US. Either way, after some older women in my politics class also discussed how I look, while I stood there and could hear them, I decided that people here are inexplicably concerned with my figure.

As promised, I managed to finally load the picture of the traditional healer. Pretty cool guy although he keeps "dangerous medicines" in a coca cola can (I wonder if there is any connection with the spiritual healing church?)

Also, this is a combi (public transport around the city) with a bumper sticker on its side that, yes, says titanic. Needless to say, I chose to wait for the next one.