Code-switching

Code-switching- (n) modification of behaviour to adjust to cultural norms


Benefits of village life:
You can always hear children laughing (and okay, sometimes crying)
No electricity, water, gas, or cable bills
You never have to scrub your toilet, bathtub, or kitchen counters
You never have to vacuum (but sweeping is a necessity, especially outside)
You never have to worry about a dishwasher, refrigerator, washing machine, dryer, oven, or television needing repair
You don't have to have misplaced paranoia about microwaves giving you radiation poisoning
Because there's no WiFi, you can text/call/facebook from anywhere
You never have to call a plumber
You are never stuck in traffic
You don't have to worry about buying gas, car insurance, registration fees, or oil changes
Sleeping under your mosquito feels like camping out in a fort every night
You get to bathe under the stars or while watching the sunrise
You can control the temperature of your bath water absolutely perfectly
There's always time to rest, to read, to play, to just be

This list is partly in jest but is meant to show some of the pleasures of living in a different way than we're used to in the U.S.

I wanted to take the opportunity to list some of the major differences between Zambian and American life that I have noticed so far, from a perspective of being here only a month or so (time is speeding along!)

Zambian definition of nakedness is from the belly button to the knees, for women. Women wear long skirts made from fabric called chitenge (or chikwembi in Lunda). While chitenge come in many colours and are a way to express fashion, they are also conservative and multi-purposed, as baby carriers, pot holders, head wraps (chitambala), picnic blankets, etc. Wearing close-fitting pants that show the shape of the thighs is inappropriate, which has been a struggle for me who loves wearing leggings to run or do yoga in. That being said, I love wearing chitenge. The folds at your waist make perfect little pockets for your phone, money, or emergency t.p.

Children are given a high degree of independence, allowed to self-soothe when they cry and roam freely to play with each other. Compared to Zambians, modern American parenting patterns look like intense coddling.

That being said, family is integral to the culture and is broadly extended, so cousins are more like brothers and sisters. My little host sister calls all her aunts 'Mommy' or sometimes 'Momiwe,' an adorable portmanteau of mommy and the Bemba word for 'you' (iwe), often shouted at misbehaving children. She even calls me Momiwe (or Jacqueliney), usually when I'm tickling her.

Picking your nose in public is totally okay.

Talking about the bathroom, however, is socially unacceptable. One does not announce they are going to the bathroom, just politely excuses themselves. There are a number of endearing euphemisms, including "I think I need to pick some mushrooms." One does not show they are carrying toilet paper, nor ever expose their underwear. The clothing that touches one's personal areas is considered to be also highly personal. After underpants are washed, they must be hung to dry inside the house, where no one will see them.

Direct eye contact is seen as aggressive; it is most polite to look a little away from someone's eyes when greeting them. I keep forgetting, however, and have been spared social censure so far.

Personal space is not a thing- relating to the family, people are extensions of one another, part of a collectivist whole. If we are all one, bubbles of personal space doesn't compute.

Relatedly, greetings are very important. One wants to know where you are coming from, what is happening behind you to create your motivation for the day. Greeting also acknowledges and cherishes each other's existence, as well as shows respect. Lunda uses situational greetings, so instead of just saying 'Hello' or 'Good morning' you might say the equivalent of 'Good visiting,' 'Good sitting,' 'Good returning,' or even 'Good church-going.'

There is a whole phenomenon about time in Zambian culture, but I'll save that for another blog post.

I hope to continue building this list as I integrate into Zambian society, especially in my village in Ikelenge! Code-switching has been interesting so far- there is a huge pull to revert to American culture when around the other trainees, then return to greeting my host family appropriately when I'm returning home. What a pleasure, to be simultaneously a member of two different cultures!