Ngwana wa Obama (Child of Obama)

In many foreign countries Americans are not always well received, but in Botswana it’s different. People here generally have a very positive view of Americans, which is great news for us! One little detail that’s helped us out has been good ol’ Barack being President. Since he has roots in Africa, many Africans claim him as their own, or at least display a great deal of fondness towards him. I saw this in Kenya (intensely so, as this was his father’s country of origin) and have experienced this several times in Botswana. Just today I was given a lift in my village by a man who asked where I was from. When I replied, “The U.S.”, he said to me “Ohhh. Ngwana wa Obama" with an approving nod and smile. Then we carried on with small talk and I answered a few questions he had about the U.S.

Many people in Botswana know a ton about America, especially in urban areas. It’s common to hear about people having studied at a university (for instance, many high ranking government officials) and lived or traveled there. But even in smaller places, bits of American culture permeate the everyday lives of people: American shows will show up on late night television; American news is often on the radio; and American music artists are constantly being played (I can hear American R&B and rap music every day on the radio…and the family I live on the compound with LOVE to blast Dolly Parton from their cars). 

It’s in the smaller areas, however, where misconceptions of the U.S. can thrive (many are quite hilarious). There is little known or understood about its’ diversity and complexity, or the fact that not everyone has as much money as Jay-Z, etc. Sometimes I find myself frustrated, falling into thinking, “Why don’t they GET me?”  But really, how could they? They cannot possibly understand where I come from - they are processing the information they are given. And while most people in America think Africa is a country and not a continent and/or can't name 1 country in the continent, at least people in a tiny village called Letlhakeng will name our President. So it’s our opportunity as Peace Corps volunteers to fill in the gaps in knowledge about our country as best we can… and I guess what I’m saying is… thanks Obama for the conversation starter!

ALSO, I tried to find some information on US-Botswana relations... all I could easily find was a tiny bit on Wikipedia:  US-Botswana information

And there is this piece about our Ambassador to Botswana, written by a Peace Corps Volunteer who had the opportunity to shadow one of her trips in-country:  Huffington Post - Michelle Gavin

Lastly, some Peace Corps-Botswana info:  US Embassy- Peace Corps