2 reflections, 1 week in

1. Culture shock is a weird term. I associate shock with surprise. There have been things I’ve been surprised by but not upset by and things I expected that I have still been upset by. When I have a negative feeling, I have this conversation with myself: ‘I don’t like this … but I knew this would happen … shouldn’t expecting it mitigate my feelings about it? … apparently not! … cultivate flexibility Tam! … also, it’s OK to feel this way.’

2. I feel more adventurous here than I did when we moved to Melbourne. I had expected I’d need a bit of time to hibernate but instead I’m impatient to get out. I’m enjoying exploring town. It’s fun popping over to the market to meet people. Perhaps it’s because of all the preparation we did, perhaps because it’s so foreign that the newness is exciting, perhaps Dodoma’s size (1/3 of Adelaide) makes it feel more manageable.