People always have conceptions on various people groups—generally
these conceptions are misconceptions.
I have been living in Malawi for nearly three years, and I
have been able to observe the views some people have of others. I always find
it interesting to listen to these perceptions, because, honestly, they usually
humor me—if you don't laugh, you'll cry. This is my first misconception that I
would like to address.
American's view of Africa:
Africa's Not a
Country?
I went home over this past summer
(2014) and on numerous occasions faced with the vague question, "what's
Africa like?" This is such a difficult question to answer because I live
in one African country, Malawi. (And for those still ignorant to this, Africa
is in fact a continent composed of 53 independent countries.) So, since I only
live in one of the countries located on the colossal continent, I can't give a
general consensus on what the whole of Africa is like.
 |
| (geology.com) |
Yes, I did give answers like,
"it's hot," "there's a lot of poverty," "it's a great
experience," none of those truly captured the daily life in Malawi. If people truly want to know the reality of my time in Malawi, "how's Africa?" isn't the best questions to go with.
Additionally, African is not a
language, Swahili is not the only language, and people do not greet each other
with Hakuna Matata. Even in Malawi, we do not speak Malawian. There are several
languages in the wee country; the most frequently spoken is Chichewa.
Lions, and Tigers,
and Bears… Without the Tigers and Bears and Only a Couple Lions
Many people posed questions of wildlife. Obviously there are
animals here but not to the same degree that National Geographic displays.
Because I am a terrible person, and find amusement in ignorance, I would often
tell people that I had guard lions on the campus that I live on. This is a ridiculous
claim if you take more than three seconds to consider it, but since the only
thing many Americans know of Africa is The
Lion King, they believed me. I then had to go through the frustrating truth
that no, we don't have pet lions, no I don't ride elephants to school, and no
I've never even been on a safari. The disappointment flashed across faces as I
tore down their misconception.
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| Monkeys are about the only wildlife I see on a regular basis. |
Really the only place to see wildlife now is on a safari in
a reserve park. About twenty years ago elephants lived where part of Lilongwe
is now. Most wildlife that was actually wild has been pushed into specific patches
of land awaiting the awestricken eyes of tourists.
"Finish your dinner,
there are starving kids in Africa."
This phrase always boggled my mind, even before I moved to
Malawi. How my uneaten plate of food is
remotely related to some other kid in Africa? I suppose the first person
who came up with the phrase intended it to guilt kids into eating, or to be
grateful for what they had been given, but I don't think it works. The fact of
the matter is, the kid in America will go to bed with or without their dinner
based on a choice. The child in Africa, however, usually does not have a choice
of going to bed hungry.
 |
| A girl eating her breakfast (bread) before school. |
Starvation is a problem in Africa, there is no doubt about
that. But, that is all that is ever talked about in the States. It seems that
when we hear about Africa, it’s always out of pity. We feel sorry for the
entirety of Africa and only focus on the negative. I went home hearing
"You live in Africa? It must be so hard there." "Those poor
people" Now I'm not saying that the sympathy should be rid of. I just
think you should act on that sympathy—if these people are in such distress, try
and help them. If you want to learn more about culture and the reality of life,
then research.
Yes, I Still Love America
Honestly, I am very proud to be an American, and I love my
home country. But, sometimes it's frustrating to see how sheltered we are. We
have such ability to research and gain more knowledge, yet we choose to sit by
idly and mindlessly wishing we knew more. My views of international affairs are
unrelated in this, and I'm speaking purely in the sense of individuals. I think
Americans can truly do more to be better educated about the world around us.
At this point, some people would put some advertisement to
donate to a project, but I'm not going to. I don't think knowledge of the world
is solely to help the people you're learning about—in fact I think it’s more
for a personal gain. When you realize the differences in cultures, in people,
in privileges, it makes for a better life. This insight is something that can
help you grow as an individual. So I suggest you do more research on things
that you've been curious about. Want to know more about Malawi? Just ask.
