Saturday 31 March 2012

AGE DISRESPECT IN WAZUNGU CULTURE REFLECTED BY WAY WAZEE ARE MISTREATED IN HOSPITALS

 When I first came to Europe I visited a friend in a remote village - somewhere.
 I was shocked by the manner the guy talked to his parents. They argued and spoke in a way that I would never dare communicate with my parents back in Africa. Months later the same friend told me he was borrowing money from his father. This stunned me. Borrow money? I wouldn’t “borrow” money from parents. There was one specific instance where he and the parents were arguing. He would use very direct language that made me cringe.
“Come on stop it, dad!” or “Mum you are such a liar!”
I was equally jolted by how his siblings treated us. Everyone gaped at me when I asked his young nieces and nephews to call me Uncle since I was older than them. Of course I was undergoing what is known as “cultural shock”- the stress of being in a different environment other than what you are used to – ultimate divide among societies. 
  
The primary cultural shock was (for me) in Wazungu culture is a disregard of age difference, except for legal matters. Young people speak whichever way they wish to older people- the use of word “Uncle” and “Auntie” which is a kind of substitute to “Shikamoo” common in Swahili and African custom has a different connotation. 
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Saturday 17 March 2012

THE GENIUS AND HUMILITY OF LIONEL ANDRÉS MESSI


As a thirteen year old his family was given opportunity to move to Europe so that he could receive hormone growth treatment. This was in 2000. Lionel Messi has since surpassed the troubles he had as a tiny kid, too short, too frail; a genius in disguise. For those who do not follow football; it is fair to sum up a few things about Lionel Messi. He plays soccer for European League champions, Barcelona. In his last 100 games he has scored 97 goals- which means on average he nets one in every contest.
 Last week he scored five goals in a match against German’s Leverkusen. This is a record. I am slightly opposed to those who say he is better than Diego Maradona or the great Pele. They are all good and basically are heroes of their circumstances and periods.
 Pele won the World Cup three times...(sometimes the criticism that he isn't the best has racist under currents)
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