When you don’t know what hit you

December 2, 2011

I don’t think of myself as somewhere who gets hit by culture shock.

Maybe I have been though and just wasn’t aware that it was culture that hit me.

Maybe my time has come now.

Or maybe it’s just a general annoyance/adjustment challenge and not really culture shock at all.

What is both fascinating and frustrating is sticking out everywhere we go. Being someone who doesn’t really like attention and prefers the anonymity of blending in on the street, being a white girl in a black population is a bit of a challenge. There’s nowhere to hide. People stare at you everywhere you go. It’s not like I didn’t expect to stick out(I have always been white after all, and I’m not a complete idiot), but I think I’m a little surprised that one is given that much attention – especially in Nanyuki where there are a lot of white people.

I’ve always been really good at English and harbor a rather thick American accent, and I never thought I’d find it a disadvantage to the degree I’m feeling it now. Most people we meet here speak a little bit of English, but I find that I tend to be better understood if I tone down the American and add on the Danish. With the Danish accent, I guess the words are pronounced a little clearer where they are more rounded in the American and thereby drown the words. In addition, I find it a little frustrating that it’s so hard to have a conversation with people and I feel like it may limit my interactions because it is so hard to get a point or a question across. When even the simplest question is misunderstood, it does not exactly encourage you to keep asking.

Of course I’ll manage. It takes some getting used to, but I’m sure the frustration will wear off and acceptance will follow.

I could also just learn Swahili in record time and thereby solve the problem. Samahani, I have to go study.