Letters from abroad...
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| ME AND BFF A DAY BEFORE GRAD DAY |
One of my closest friends, also known as my BFF (Best friend forever) left for the USA on a cultural exchange program, he has been gone since August and will only be back end of July. I miss him a lot for so many reasons but mainly because of the stimulating conversations we have. He forces me to think out of the box. Lately our communication has been limited to email and recently he sent me the one below although I have had to delete all the personal nitty gritties of our lives.
Here it is…..
I am glad to hear you are doing ok, at this present moment I too am doing well... You have a lovely to do list of 2012 (I had sent him my 2012 to do list, for his opinion, encouragement and input) and the main challenge will be for you to adhere to it and I know you can do it... oh and by the way you forgot to mention time management as one of the things you should work on... (Only because I replied his mail late)
Well now about me...
Well I think I have changed somewhat from the guy who came here initially, actually I am certain of the change... It’s not a change of who I am fundamentally but really big change in how I see the world and how I process things that are going on around me...
I am more proud to be African/Zimbabwean than I was when I came... not that I wasn't proud but just simply less proud than I am today. I guess it’s inevitable since I’m in the midst of a different culture; it just seems to magnify how my culture is my identity... (This line really got me thinking about how in more ways than one, whether we acknowledge it or not, our culture is a very integral part of who we are)
I also have been reading more, it started off with Novels then thankfully it moved on to serious books and I have now challenged myself to read at least 2 books per week, just to open my mind. I am feeling a huge appetite within me to learn more and more and most of the books that I am reading so far have a lot to do with economics... (I am waiting for him to recommend some books to me, he made me read “The richest man in Babylon” and it was very enlightening on how to manage your finances better)
Christianity this side is different from the one we have back home... this side the theme is less about us being sinners but about how we are all inherently good inside and seems to downplay the role of sin in our lives... it took a bit of a while to see but I don't like it. I don't think it’s a true reflection of what Christianity is all about, I am not perfect but I feel that our church networks help us to live better in a sense... coz this side it’s not uncommon for Christians to smoke, drink and engage in all sorts of funny behavior all in the name of expressing their individuality... It’s easy to criticize so I will stop here!.... but I miss the fellowship support with people who actually believe what I do too, some things we take them for granted and can only see their importance when they are no longer there... (In my reply I encouraged BFF to continue going to Church and learn as much as he can with an open mind. Since this is a cultural exchange program he needs to understand how Christianity is taught there).
Emotionally it’s been one heck of a roller coaster ride... generally you get treated like you know nothing once in a while because you come from Africa, and this is coming from the people that i interact with daily so its so frustrating and taxing emotionally coz i try to stay calm and not blow up in their face! I don’t want to sound mean but when these foreigners come to our home we are far too nice too them, you won’t get the same treatment when you come this side... of course it’s not everyone, some people will be nice but we black Africans just go the short end of the stick... Oh and the funny thing about it all is that you would probably relate better with a white person than with the average black American, I will say more about this when we can talk face to face otherwise this email would be too long! (My reply- I reckon some of those black Americans treat you that way because they themselves feel inferior and when the opportunity to seem superior presents itself they take it, even if its uncalled for or incorrect. That is just my thinking. You read “dreams from my father”, I am sure half those people battle with the same issues Obama battled with, but they don’t know how to deal with them)
anyway there is only so much I can out in writing when I come back we will have to sit down over lunch or something and have a nice long chat about everything. (I can’t wait till he gets back, but I will have to wait...July…*sigh*)
anyway i dont know if you will reply this message before i come back, if you do well that will be great!! (The time management issue again, this was a totally unfair comment)
lots of love from me
God bless (God bless you too my dear)
Well now about me...
Well I think I have changed somewhat from the guy who came here initially, actually I am certain of the change... It’s not a change of who I am fundamentally but really big change in how I see the world and how I process things that are going on around me...
I am more proud to be African/Zimbabwean than I was when I came... not that I wasn't proud but just simply less proud than I am today. I guess it’s inevitable since I’m in the midst of a different culture; it just seems to magnify how my culture is my identity... (This line really got me thinking about how in more ways than one, whether we acknowledge it or not, our culture is a very integral part of who we are)
I also have been reading more, it started off with Novels then thankfully it moved on to serious books and I have now challenged myself to read at least 2 books per week, just to open my mind. I am feeling a huge appetite within me to learn more and more and most of the books that I am reading so far have a lot to do with economics... (I am waiting for him to recommend some books to me, he made me read “The richest man in Babylon” and it was very enlightening on how to manage your finances better)
Christianity this side is different from the one we have back home... this side the theme is less about us being sinners but about how we are all inherently good inside and seems to downplay the role of sin in our lives... it took a bit of a while to see but I don't like it. I don't think it’s a true reflection of what Christianity is all about, I am not perfect but I feel that our church networks help us to live better in a sense... coz this side it’s not uncommon for Christians to smoke, drink and engage in all sorts of funny behavior all in the name of expressing their individuality... It’s easy to criticize so I will stop here!.... but I miss the fellowship support with people who actually believe what I do too, some things we take them for granted and can only see their importance when they are no longer there... (In my reply I encouraged BFF to continue going to Church and learn as much as he can with an open mind. Since this is a cultural exchange program he needs to understand how Christianity is taught there).
Emotionally it’s been one heck of a roller coaster ride... generally you get treated like you know nothing once in a while because you come from Africa, and this is coming from the people that i interact with daily so its so frustrating and taxing emotionally coz i try to stay calm and not blow up in their face! I don’t want to sound mean but when these foreigners come to our home we are far too nice too them, you won’t get the same treatment when you come this side... of course it’s not everyone, some people will be nice but we black Africans just go the short end of the stick... Oh and the funny thing about it all is that you would probably relate better with a white person than with the average black American, I will say more about this when we can talk face to face otherwise this email would be too long! (My reply- I reckon some of those black Americans treat you that way because they themselves feel inferior and when the opportunity to seem superior presents itself they take it, even if its uncalled for or incorrect. That is just my thinking. You read “dreams from my father”, I am sure half those people battle with the same issues Obama battled with, but they don’t know how to deal with them)
anyway there is only so much I can out in writing when I come back we will have to sit down over lunch or something and have a nice long chat about everything. (I can’t wait till he gets back, but I will have to wait...July…*sigh*)
anyway i dont know if you will reply this message before i come back, if you do well that will be great!! (The time management issue again, this was a totally unfair comment)
lots of love from me
God bless (God bless you too my dear)
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| THE PRESIDENT HAD INVITED HIM OVER FOR LUNCH |
I can relate with your friend. The people who feel inferior are happy when they see us "black" people cause now they have someone else to pick on. Here in Asia; its the Indians.I guess their inferiority complex gets the best of them. The locals are really polite and I have made it a point to never take a cab with an Indian driver, they will degrade your country and say crap yet they have never been to Africa. Locals are the exact opposite. The part which really tickles my funny bone is; these are the really dark indians. Im talking dark as in tjo! U think this is a fellow african (just from the dark complexion nations) with really curly hair. LOL; as in Blue black complexion
ReplyDeleteThe question i am asking now is, is there reason for people to assume that we are inferior by virtue of being black and African??? i wonder. Anyway, i guess being the minority is always challenging. But i am beginning to think that Zimbabweans are generally very friendly people.
Deletep.s dont make fun of the dark Indians, lol :)
As soon as bff send you his books to read list please pass it on :) I think we should start a book club!
ReplyDeleteYay, me likey!!! the books i have right now that i think you would enjoy or learn from are "The richest man in Babylon" and " Dreams from my Father". I am hoping to buy a copy of "The audacity of Hope" in the very near future.
DeleteWhat do you have to offer??