Conversation with an Amusement Park Ride Operator

If you've ever spent time in Africa, the following conversation may sound familiar.

Cast:       Pete, a visitor to Gaborone's premier amusement park
               Mr. Ride Operator
               Three or four enthusiastic children
Setting:    An otherwise deserted ride


Pete:           Hello there! May we ride for a long time, seeing as how no one else is waiting in line?
Operator:    Yes.
Pete:           Great. Here we go. . .wheee!
after thirty seconds, the ride comes to a stop
Pete:           Wow, that was fun! Um, may we please go for another ride?
Operator:    Yes.
Pete:           Great, and this time if you wouldn't mind we'd like to go for a long time. Here we go. . . wheee!
after thirty seconds, the ride comes to a stop
Pete:           Ummmm. . .
Operator:    Now you must get off of the ride.
Kids:           But we want to keep riding! There is no one in line!
Operator:    No, you must leave the ride. Come back in ten minutes.

I looked back at our friendly operator as we walked to the pool, and he was just sitting at the controls, waiting for his next customers.  I wouldn't paint with such a broad brush as to say it's universal, but after a bit of time here you do start to notice a certain tendency toward rigidity in the minds of some people here. I chalk much of it up to the education system: rote memorization is the overwhelming standard, with little emphasis upon creativity or innovation.

Holiday Ramblings

Ah, the cognitive and emotional dissonance of celebrating the holidays overseas! What is one to think whilst, nearly antipodal to one's kin, he is assaulted by the juxtaposition of summer hallmarks and winter celebrations? I needed a towel this year to mop off the sweat generated while decorating the Christmas tree. . . if that's what one can call the spray painted branches adorned with ornaments that currently stands sentinel in our family room. A thunderstorm and the neighbor's techno music interrupted our singing of "Silent Night." We cut out paper snowflakes with the air conditioner set to max.

Amidst all the features of another caddywompus overseas Thanksgiving and Christmas, there is a real joy here that is difficult to relate to those who haven't yet experienced this life. Friends become family-like in the common absence of real family. Old traditions bend, but don't break. And once in awhile there is profundity in discovering that people half a world away, while completely different, are really just the same. I'm really looking forward to celebrating Jesus' birth with our Batswana brothers and sisters.