Braai

Cultural Lesson #1:

“Dumela” is the word for ‘hello’ in Setswana, which is the unofficial language of Botswana. In America we joke about ‘please’ being the magic word, but in Botswana ‘dumela’ actually works magic. When you meet someone, or need to ask a question, if you don’t greet him or her with ‘dumela’ you likely won’t get a friendly response. Being an international student, there is always a little bit of awkwardness when first meeting local people, but with a simple ‘dumela’ you see their faces light up and the ice is mostly broken.

Today was our first day free of obligations, and the gang and I used the opportunity to relax. We met at 11 (which means 11:30, if you haven’t caught onto Botswana time yet) to head to lunch. We went to the cafeteria and we all tried the chicken pie. The Aussies in the audience know them well, but for others a chicken pie is like a potpie that you can hold in your hand. There is a flaky, pastry-like outer layer and inside is the chicken and creamy filling. The Botswana version is a bit spicier, as they like to incorporate chili powder whenever possible. They were a hit with the gang and we washed them down with a soda that was all-too reminiscent of cough syrup.

After an afternoon siesta (I don’t know the Setswana term for it yet) we got ready for a big barbecue hosted by one of the international students who has been here since last semester. The Setswana word for a barbecue or cookout is ‘braai’ (pronounced brye) and they get quite the turnout. There were two huge grills with crowds around them, one group of students playing soccer, another playing Frisbee, while the majority mingled in the middle. Some of the local students added to the atmosphere by playing music out of their cars and a group of boys were dancing along. As the sun set on the braai, it was hard not to appreciate the beauty of people, local and international, coming together over food in a celebration that would have required a much bigger occasion to have been pulled off back home.

In true Botswana style there was heaps and heaps of beef, but in a refreshing twist some of the international students made pasta salads and I got some of my first vegetables on the trip. I don’t know if it was the cooking or simply the atmosphere of the place, but everything was delicious and everyone went back for seconds and thirds. People slowly started making their way back home as the food ran low, and the braai came to a close, but it was a night that won’t be soon forgotten.

Beef, pasta, vegetables, but most importantly good company for dinner…