A teenaged girl from Tanzania, Africa, is staying with a family in America for the school year. She writes about American culture, clothing, foods, and the upcoming Christmas holiday.
Jambo! Habari---
Excuse me..I mean, Hello! How are you? Sorry about that! (I don't know why, but I keep forgetting I am not in Tanzania~)
This is Kibiki Ntanta. I live in Tanzania, in Eastern Africa, and I am staying with a family in America, as part of a "cultural exchange" program. I go to secondary school in Tanzania, and here in Tennessee, in America, I am in Grade 12. This is my last year in secondary school; when I return to Tanzania in the summer of next year, I will start university, where I plan on majoring in either Journalism or teaching. I would like to teach Maasai children how to speak English.
In my family here in America, I have an American mother, an American father, and American brothers and sisters. My American sisters are named Polly, Stevie, Melynda, Lu-Anne, Robyn, and Kimmy, and my American brothers are named Mike, Jr. (he is named after his father), Adam, and Jimmy. I also have an African brother who now lives with this American family; his name is Juka, and he is very cute. He and I have gotten to be very close. He is from Kenya, which is the country north of mine, and he is five years old. He is very cute, and he is also very determined. He is handicapped, but he still can do things for himself (although he sometimes does need help). He was adopted by my American family before I got there, and I really do love him! I also love my other American brothers and sisters!
Back in Africa, where I am from, I have a mother and father (I call them "Baba" and "Mama"), and two brothers (Salehe--11, and Mosi--5), and three sisters (Chaisiku--5, Bahati--3, and one-and-a-half year-old Adia), all, of which are younger. Mosi and Siku are twins. They are the same ages as my American brother, Juka. I miss them, my family; I wonder if they even think of me here in America because I sure do think a lot about them back in Africa!
Life here in America is very strange. In Africa, daylight comes very fast, like a cheetah; here in America, it just sort of lopes along, like a lazy lion. There are also very busy streets, with many automobiles; in the city, it reminds me somewhat of Addis Ababa, the capitol city of my country of Tanzania; and everything is just so busy! There are many shopping centers and stores, but they are nothing like the stores back in Africa. They are always very crowded with people, and everyone is just too busy; nobody says hello!
They also have many different eating places: McDonald's, Burger King, TacoBell, Golden Corral (what's a Corral? Is that where they keep horses? When I go by this Golden Corral, I see no horses; all I see is an eating place!), and others, too many to name; I can't possibly remember them all! Like the stores, they are also very busy and crowded with people.
Especially now. Christmas is coming, but they don't celebrate Christmas like they do in Africa. Here in America, Christmas means buying presents, and some of the presents people buy are very big and cost much money; some may cost as much as a house; or maybe even a trip back to Africa, perhaps! They have trees with lights and shiny balls on them, and kids go and see this red guy with a beard whose name sounds very strange on my tongue. Santa Claus. Weird. I guess this guy is supposed to fly through the air like magic, and he is supposed to bring them presents, but how is he going to get these presents to the kids?? Is he going to run or walk or WHAT?? They also sing of flying reindeer (what is a reindeer? Are they animals that say it is going to rain??), jingling bells, snow (what is snow??), and Jesus. Now, I DO know who Jesus is: He is the Baby who came to Earth to save man from sins, and He is up in Heaven. But as for the other Christmas stuff--the jingling bells, SNOW, reindeer, and Santa Claus--I am very confused.
And the way people dress here in America: it is so strange; some dress like kings, and others dress like they are very poor. They wear ripped up clothes with holes in them, or big, clunky shoes that make lots of noise, and funny hats that make them look like clowns in a circus, but others may wear fancy shiny necklaces and earrings and wear shiny, fancy dresses or pants that makes them look like they should be kings or queens! You can't possibly tell who has money or not! And their hair: some wear very spiky hair that makes them look like chickens, and other people's hair are dyed very funny colors. I have seen hair that is pink, purple, orange, even green or BLUE!
And people here in America must love Coke Classic, Nike (what is a Nike??), or Tommy Hilfiger (who is Tommy Hilfiger? Is he a sports person or a rock and roll singer??); I see so many people with clothes that have these names on them. They also drive funny looking cars: cars of all shapes and sizes, and cars with names like Volkswagen, Lexus, Chevrolet, Cadillac, and now a new one called HUMMER. (I have seen one of those HUMMERS: in fact, my American family has a car called HUMMER, but I still don't like it. It still bounces me around too much when I ride in it, and it reminds me of a very big and very angry elephant! I am so afraid it is going to eat me!)
I have gotten used to things here in America, but some things are still very strange, and it makes me homesick for my little family back in Africa. I also miss the wildlife, especially the lions and cheetahs, and also the antelope. They don't have lions, cheetah, or antelope here in America except in places called zoos, and then I get sad when I go to the zoo because they should be running free, not be on display where people can look at them!
Well, I will write more later. I have to get ready; we are going shopping for Christmas. So I guess maybe I'll get to figure out JUST what a "reindeer" is or what "SNOW" is!
~Kibiki Afiya Ntanta.
(To be continued.)
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Reviewed by Robert Blackwell
12/7/2003
Beautifully done, my friend. {{{{{{{{{hugs}}}}}}}}}}
Wonderful story Karen! You are really getting them
out tonight! Keep on keeping on! I hope
she figures it out but keeps her memory of Africa alive
to go back home to Africa with!
Love ya!
Becca
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