A long walk home

Late yesterday afternoon, I opted for a little cultural experience of my own. After hanging out at the Ark, I had a little grocery shopping to do in town, then I decided rather than catch a taxi I would just walk home. I figured people in Vyf Rand do it all the time and I wanted to see what it was like. It’s probably a good 7-10km or more from the Spar to the plot, but I had the time and the daylight (or so I thought) so I gave it a go. You definitely meet more people by walking, other people walking, or people you pass. Two times people asked me for money or some bread (that’s not unusual, it happens all the time). And I couldn’t help feeling the strange looks as if to say, “Why is a white guy walking?” Afterall, it’s not something they see everyday. I finally strolled up to the gate well after sunset, my grocery bags weighing far more than usual. As educational as it was, I think next time I may stick with the taxi.

I realized the other day how acclimated I’m becoming when a new volunteer walked through the sitting room at the Ark and my first questions after the intros were, “Where are you from, and how long are you here?” Seriously, those are the first questions everybody asks here. I always thought that was just a normal way to start conversation when people used to ask me those questions. Now I realize (at least for me) I want to know if this is a fellow American I may have something in common with, and how much should I bother investing in this relationship if they’re just going to leave. I know it sounds bad, but that’s the reality of it. So many people come and go that if they’re only here for 2 weeks or a month than you only invest enough to get by. Why bother becoming best friends if you know they’re just going to leave? But if someone’s here for 3 months, 6 months, a year, then you’re willing to invest a little more, because you know they’ll be around for a while. It’s really a curious phenomenon, not a conscious thing, just simply a reflection of the reality of the situation. I just didn’t really realize it until I heard the words coming out of my own mouth.