Q&A

Q: What aspect of the country was most surprising to you?

A: The gender inequality was incredibly surprising to me. I knew I would stand out because I was white, but I didn't realize how being a woman would affect my experience. My skin color caught people's eyes, but it was being a woman that solicited comments. For instance, outside of work, a group of men started shouting, "Sex... sex... sex..." at Lauren and myself. On multiple occasions, men asked if they could take me home--and one even proposed to Dan Klein a trade: me for a South Africa soccer jersey. (Thankfully, Dan declined the offer.) When Karabo and I were walking somewhat separate from the group after the Botswana vs. Iran soccer match, a man asked him (in Setswana) what it was like having sex with a white woman. I also realized that, as a woman, it was okay to step in front of me in lines and make comments about my looks that one would never make to a man.

Dr. Pillay explained something very important to me. He told me that for many poorer and rural-dwelling men in Africa, the first time they really see a white woman may be in the ubiquitous pornography (Dr. Sherrow later confirmed this.) Therefore, their image of a white woman is always tied to pornographic images.

Certainly, not all men were like this, and many seemed to be working very hard to combat the patriarchal attitudes of other men. Karabo, Gape, and Koketso, the three Batswana men I knew well, all held women in high regard, respecting their opinions as equal with men's. Thus, I believe that women's inequality may be a generational issue that will slowly die out.

Q: What did you miss most about the U.S.?

A: Other than family and friends, I missed the desserts! As Dr. Odirile warned us, Batswana love salts and savory foods. Americans love sweets more than we notice! I really missed doughnuts and cookies, which are much sweeter than their Botswana equivalents: fat cakes and biscuits.

Q: How were your expectations different from reality?

A: I went into the trip with very few expectations, so I wasn't really shocked by any major differences from my initial impressions. However, the weather was pretty crazy. There seemed to be no way to predict what the weather would be like. The morning weather didn't indicate what the afternoon would feel like, and it was anyone's guess how warm or cool it was in the evening. It never got really frigid, but it did get pretty cold at times.

Q: Did you get any sense of how the people feel about their government and politics?

A: In some ways, people agree with Ian Khama's politics. I heard some people praise him for being stricter about drinking (drunk and reckless driving is a leading killer in Botswana) and about international affairs (he has taken a very strong stance against other African leaders like Robert Mugabe and Omar al-Bashir). At the same time, however, I think his moralistic approaches to social issues and his take on HIV/AIDS is disheartening to some. He is a relatively new president, and it will take a bit more time before anyone can make a really definitive statement about his popularity.

Q: What was most disappointing?

A: The gender inequality that was most surprising was also most disappointing. Working at the Women's Shelter, it was hard not to be frustrated with the lack of economic, social, and sexual empowerment for women in Botswana. However, as I said, steps are being taken in the right direction.

Q: Did you get any sense of university education there? What about other school levels?

A: University education is rigorous, but free for anyone who can get in. The quality of education at the University of Botswana (the only university) is certainly comparable to any other major university. Primary and secondary schools are divided into standards and forms, which are just about the same as US schools. There is a very big divide between public and private schools. One of our coworkers, a college student at UB and former private schooler, even told us that she can tell the difference between someone who went to a private school and someone who went to a government school by how they talk.

Q: How have you changed because of this trip?

A: This trip has made me more appreciative of what I have, but not for the reasons I expected. I expected to appreciate my privilege because of the relative poverty that I would witness in Botswana. Instead, I appreciate what I have because the people of Botswana have taught me that wanting what you have, as opposed to having what you want, is a path to a happier life.

Q: Any info about church life? Did you see anything of the Presbyterian Church there?

A: I didn't see any Presbyterian churches in Botswana, but I did have the chance to go to a Charismatic church. The service was over two hours long! By our standards, this is ridiculous. However, with all the singing and dancing, the time flew by!

Generally, people in Botswana are very religious. The church has played an influential role in dealing with HIV/AIDS. I say influential, because it's hard to tell whether it has been positive or negative. On the one hand, the church has greatly supported being faithful in marriage--a key element in preventing HIV transmission in Botswana. On the other hand, the church has pushed abstinence outside of marriage over condoms, which is perhaps an unrealistic expectation.

Q: What do Batswana think of America and Americans?

A: As is the case in many foreign countries, Batswana love Americans and are iffy--at best--about America. Whether they genuinely wanted to talk to us or just thought we had money, we were never treated poorly for being Americans and were usually welcomed. However, it was clear that some of America's politics in the past have been disconcerting to Batswana. Botswana is a peaceful country, and it was obvious that the invasion and occupation of Iraq did not sit well with them.

Q: What would surprise them about life at the Hoffman house? (Of course, people we know here may be surprised about our life!)

A: Our house alone would surprise them. With central heating and cooling, we are living a life of luxury. Also, our relationship with our dog would be very weird to a Motswana. They think it's really strange that we treat pets as if they're part of the family.

Q: Were there any behaviors/cultural traits of yours that the Batswana found completely strange?

A: Americans, especially within their peer groups, are very open about many aspects of our lives. Even outside of our peer groups, we are more candid with our elders than Batswana are. Karabo and Thato were often surprised by how informally we addressed our professors.

Q: Did anyone talk about Obama?

A: Absolutely, as I said earlier, Batswana are generally not fans of US foreign policy decisions from the past administration. They are big fans of Obama. However, they made it clear to me and others that they were offended by the fact that some people seem to think they like Obama because he is black and of African descent. They want people to know that they genuinely agree with his politics.

Q: What is the popular culture/media like there? Do they have their own artists/movies/television stations and news, or do they primarily get U.S/foreign stuff?

A: They do have some of their own media, but most mainstream media is imported from the US, UK, continental Europe, or South Africa. Nigeria is a big producer of low-quality films that make their way around Africa. There few media productions that are in Setswana are held near and dear, like the song Matshidiso.

Q: Do you see the problems that Botswana and Africa have as issues that are unique to that area or are they international problems that just don't receive as much attention in other countries? (ie. AIDS, poverty, domestic violence, water, etc.)

A: The problems of Africa are absolutely universal problems. HIV/AIDS, poverty, gender-based violence, resource conservation, etc. are issues throughout the world. However, Botswana's openess in dealing with its problems, especially public health, has caused us to focus on the bad. Many people outside of Africa know very little about Botswana's politics or the Khama, because we very rarely study the success stories; Botswana is politically stable.

Q: What changes are needed, and what changes do you realistically foresee in their future?

A: Women's empowerment is hugely important in the success of other programs. While, on the surface, women are portrayed as equal (they hold many public offices, have power in many organizations,) the average woman simply does not have the power to protect her health or financial assets. It's no small issue. Women who are not empowered are less likely to get an education, less likely to join the workforce, and more likely to contract HIV. The government desperately needs to focus on women and I think it will become a priority. However, the financial strain of the free ARVs will need to be resolved first. This is something that Khama's administration is just now addressing (and very fatalistically, might I add) so it will take time before there is money and energy for programs that advance women's issues.