Ke bidiwa Kamogelo

At our homestay matching ceremony, we were each given a Setswana name. The names were carefully picked for us by our individual host families and, if we choose, will be what we are called throughout our service. My family named me "Kamogelo" (pronounced: Ka-mo-hay-lo, but with the deep throat sound on the front end of "hay", think the ch sound in Hebrew). My name means "You are welcome (here)". All names in Botswana mean something and are usually given to be a reflection of the addition to the family or as a message to the community. I am especially pleased with the meaning of my name, especially since coming to a new country can feel daunting at times. My name is reassurance that I am welcome in Botswana by my host family and, hopefully, the country. I am proud to don the name "Kamogelo" for the next two years.