Misconceptions Part I

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.

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.