Culture Stress

curtsey of Dr. Park and Cultural Communication I learn about culture stress last semester. There are four stages and i have forgotten their actual names but here is the idea. #1 infatuation everything is wonderful, #2 frustration everything is awful, #3 recognition everything is ok, #4 resilience bi-cultural. for most people living in other culture stage 1 and 2 are encountered over the first year or two. That is why most "short termers" have a skewed view of missionary life because they never get out of the infatuation stage. 

for me culture stress comes into play a lot when it comes to language. I like to fit in to be a part of the jokes and laughter. Here in Kampala most people can speak English, however you rarely hear Ugandans speaking it to each other. Tribal languages are used most frequently with a few English words mixed in. We as a team have been learning the most common tribal language in Kampala known as Luganda. It has been helpful to learn greeting and simple questions and responses in the language, but to learn a language fully would take much more time then we have. 

So I am left out often in conversation, or I become the subject and not a participant. This is somewhat of a challenge for me as I am here. I am still deeply infatuated with the food, culture, friends, and lifestyle of the people I have met here. However as is usually the case God is teaching me some lessons i was not ready or expecting to learn. 

I need to be better at laughing at myself.

I will never go native anywhere except where I am from.

If i learn the language, make the funniest jokes, and become the white guy who breaks all the stereotypes, but i have not love; then i am nothing, and God cannot use me.

on another note. i am speaking tonight to a group of high schoolers please pray for me.