Ke Teng
In Setswana, there is a phrase: Ke teng. Literally, these two words simply mean "I am here". When I first arrived to Botswana almost four years ago, this was one of the first things I learned not only because it was relatively easy to remember, but because it was used multiple times throughout the day. Bush Fire, Gobojango, Botswana 2014 If someone asked "how are you?" you could answer "ke teng". If they asked what you were up to, where you were, etc. the answer was always the same. Now, seemingly worlds apart and a plethora of experiences later, I have had the opportunity to meditate a bit on this phrase and its actual pertinence to everyday life. Sunset over the Chobe River, Zambia 2014 I have learned that "I am here" isn't as much of a physical state of being as it is a mental one. To be present, one has to believe every aspect of their surrounding is their reality. In this process, presence