Cultural Adjustment

In our World Missions training back in July, we attended an excellent seminar presented by Ben and Bev Becksvoot on adjusting culturally.

They came up with 4 easy-to-remember stages in the adjustment to a new culture:

1.  Initial euphoria:  It's just swell!
2.  Irritability/Hostility:  It's just hell!
3.  Gradual adjustment:  It's beginning to gel.
4.  Adaptation to the situation:  Now it is well.

A lot of literature mentions that entry into this second stage may happen at about the 3 month mark. They were right; these days I'm solidly into feeling like things here are more hell than swell.  I'm just sick of the traffic, the heat, the complete indifference to time and the fact that nothing works the first time (or the second time).  I'm tired of standing out in a crowd and being called "mzungu" (foreigner).

While this is a normal stage to go through, the danger is when one starts to find the culture wrong, not merely different or difficult.  I find myself wishing to apply my American efficiency to many situations to "fix" Tanzania.  However, Tanzania isn't necessarily broken...it's just different.

Thankfully, the seminar provided a lot of ways to start adjusting culturally:
* Steer clear of an over-focus on your own perspective and way of thinking.
* Be committed to joy.
* Work to increase your tolerance of shades of gray.
* Pay more attention to managing yourself rather than to managing the situation or other people.
* Cultivate 3 skills that make a difference:  the ability to fail, the ability to laugh; flexibility/adaptability

This one is hard for me:  "...you will always be a 'newcomer.'  Learn to accept this fact and appreciate it.  Don't deny your background and cultural heritage; it makes you who you are.  You should neither suppress nor enshrine those memories of home."

The end goal in adjusting cross-culturally is to love and appreciate both cultures and to experience things from others' point of view without judgment.  I Corinthians 9:22-23 expresses this beautifully in a translation from The Message:

"Even though I am free of the demands and expectations of everyone, I have voluntarily become a servant to any and all in order to reach a wide range of people...I didn't take on their way of life.  I kept my bearings in Christ-- but I entered their world and tried to experience things from their point of view." 

Please pray with me as I work through this cultural adjustment!

 

Searching for my Christmas spirit

It's December 5 today.  Less than 3 weeks until the Big Day and I have yet to feel even a flicker of the Christmas spirit.  It could be because it's over 90 degrees here (and with the humidity, it feels like over 100 degrees).   I'm not doing any of my "usual" Christmas events:  going to the Messiah, seeing the Nutcracker, attending cookie exchanges and Christmas teas, using up ridiculous amounts of butter in baking, or even shopping (either online or in a mall).  I'm not going to make a fire in the fireplace this year.  There are no poinsettias or Christmas wreaths. There is no smell of pine.  There isn't even an Advent wreath at church.

So what generates the Christmas spirit?  And how can I get it in the tropics?

Due to our suitcase restrictions, we brought only one paltry, though well-loved Christmas decoration: our Advent calendar.  Each day one of the kids (in pre-determined order) hangs an ornament on the tree.  My mom made this for us a number of years ago and the kids always enjoy it.  It's one of the first things they do every morning, even before breakfast!

I did purchase a hand-made African nativity at the market this weekend (and got some practice bartering in Swahili!)  I love the differences between the Western, traditional barn scene and this one.  There are camels and goats at this manger!

Friends are letting us use their artificial Christmas tree, which is about 3 feet tall and a bit on the scraggly side.  Nonetheless, we're grateful to the Sanchezes for letting us use it:  normal sized fake trees are ridiculously expensive, and frankly, ridiculous looking.  Picture Charlie Brown's tree.  We've got to work on the whole ornament thing.

We are looking forward to a visit from my mom in just over a week and there will be some community events such as a carol service, school Christmas program, and Christmas party.  Those things should certainly help.  And there is a gorgeous tree here in Tanzania that blooms in December and is like a natural version of a Christmas tree/poinsettia hybrid.

I'll keep trying to capture that elusive spirit.  However, feelings or no, the fact remains that Jesus, Son of God, came to earth as a tiny, helpless baby born into poverty....for ME (and you)!  O come let us adore Him - in many different ways and in many different places.