In all three of the countries we have visited in the East African Community, our friends have been curious to know more about America. These are some of the questions they have asked us. Some of them are just funny, but others reveal some key things about African culture that I wouldn’t have picked up on. Think about how you’d answer:
“Does matoke in America taste the same as our matoke?”
We don’t really cook bananas… ever.
“What is your mother tongue?”
English.
“No, not in school, I mean what do you speak in your home? What do the uneducated people speak?”
(after we explained that American supermarkets have food from all over the world):
“Yes, but you don’t go every day to the supermarket. What do your NORMAL markets have?”
“How many tribes does America have?”
You mean the ones we killed off in the 1500s?
“What is your staple food? The thing Americans eat every day for every meal, with everything?”
Um… salt? Ketchup? Ranch dressing?
“You know, we call you visitors mzungu. When I go to America, what will you call me?”
Probably your name.
“Yes, but what word do you use for a foreigner? Will people call me ‘black man’?”
I cannot even explain how offensive that would be.
“Why are only black Americans famous?”
This one confused us until we saw Kenyan TV. Obama, Beyonce, Tyra Banks, Rhianna, Jay Z, Lil’ Wayne… and that’s about it.
“Is L’il Wayne still in prison?”
See note above on celebrities.
“Will you marry me?”
A few of us have hilarious stories about this one.
The cool thing about these questions is that they don’t just shed light on things in African culture, they point out things about us that we never would have thought about. Like… why don’t we have more “normal markets”? I’d sure like to know.
-Katie
