Saying Yes

“During your first month at a new post, say yes to everything.”

I don’t remember where I first heard this, but it is the best advice I’ve been given for life in the Foreign Service.  It means that even though you are jet lagged or might be a bit shy you should try new experiences right off the bat when you move somewhere new.  There are lots of good reasons for this.  Firstly, it is worthwhile to let potential friends know that you like to get out and do things.  Secondly, keeping busy really seems to help culture shock and homesickness.  Thirdly, each post offers so many different opportunities it is good to figure out what you want to do during your time there.

I embraced this method for our move to Lusaka and am so glad I did.  For example, during my first week in Lusaka someone asked me if I would volunteer as a Brownie troop leader.  Sure!  It was a great decision.  The girls are funny, smart, and compassionate and the weekly meetings give me a chance to practice some of my teaching skills.  We sing songs, read stories, play games, and do activities to earn those ever-important badges!

Just this last week Matt and I said yes to giving a little boy a ride from the front gate of the lodge a mile down the road to the main building.  We were visiting an elephant orphanage and lodge on a game reserve just outside of Lusaka.  When we were heading up to the lodge for lunch after an hour watching adorable baby elephants play in the mud, the guard at the gate explained that there was a little boy who went to school on the reserve needed a lift.  Now, usually we are very strict about not giving anyone a ride who we do not know, but we saw the timid little boy and said “climb in”.  We introduced ourselves and I asked the boy to help me look for animals as we drove along.  I am so glad I did!  Having grown up in the area he had a great eye!  He pointed out warthogs, eland, and giraffes.  I must admit that I had a much harder time seeing them even when he showed me exactly where they were.  In my defense, the giraffes looked just like the trees they were munching on until they moved.  He seemed surprised that I had such difficulty finding something he saw so clearly.  If we hadn’t agreed to give the eight year old a lift, we would not have spotted the animals on our own. 

My final example of saying yes that I will share hasn’t actually happened yet.  I have been substitute teaching at the American school and was originally hired as a middle and high school sub.  So far, so good.  I am  getting to know the students and am pleased about how many of them I already recognize.  However, yesterday I received a phone call from the primary school.  They need someone to sub for the preschool class full of four year olds.  Would I do it?  Yes!  I first made sure there would be a teaching assistant, but I immediately said that I would do the job.  Have I ever spent an entire morning with a group of four year olds?  No.  I decided that I might as well give it a shot!  Sure, I am trained as a secondary school teacher, but a few days with little ones sounds like fun.

While I am past the first month in Lusaka, I am going to keep saying yes.  It’s a winning strategy so far!