Bafa Bafa, Anyone?

At my last Rotary event in the States, we played a game called Bafa Bafa. Bafa Bafa is a cultural simulation game where the group is split into 2 subgroups. Each subgroup is given a culture to take on, and the two cultures are VERY different. Each group is taught every last detail about their culture: language, movements, values, what is considered culturally unacceptable, etc. The two cultures are separated into two different rooms. Once each group learns the details of their culture, members of each culture are chosen one by one to enter the room of the other group and attempt to fit in and understand the other culture.

This game was fun, but at the same time, it was frustrating. It was hard to communicate and hard to understand. Sometimes you would do something that to you was no big deal, but in their culture it was completely unacceptable and rude, and you would be shut out. Sometimes they would do something that offended you, or at least took you by surprise. It was easy to get annoyed or frustrated at these cultural differences, especially the ones that you just couldn't understand.

I didn't understand at the time how accurate that simulation was. All of the feelings I described above I have felt since I've been here. It's hard to understand and it's frustrating! Different parts of the world have different cultures, and when you travel you have to learn how to fit into the new cultures you visit. It can be frustrating sometimes, and there will always be things you don't quite understand, but that's just a part of the adventure!