Oh, so your're from the colonies?
About 10 years ago my family was in Italy for the duration of the summer. We were traveling in the south and taking a fairy to the isle of Capri when my mom and i struck up a conversation with two elderly british ladies. After a while they looked at us and said to my mother "my , you speak english very well". clearly the thought us to be italian. my mother laughed and said " well yes, after all we are from the united states". looking slightly confused one of the women responded "oh, so you're from the colonies?"
true story.
Being here one cant help but wonder what Kenya would be like had those cheeky brits never thought to come here and declare it for the queen (or king as the case may have been). Vestiges of colonialism remain ever present in daily life. Everyone drives on the left and the roads are structured with the idiotic trafic circles to be found in london a nd its surrounds. Absurd amounts of milk in tea, which is often served with the kenyan version of a tasteless scone like pastry, truky bland and uninspired food. Even those who can afford spices or things that create flavor seem to shun them though rumor has it that food on the coast is more indian inspired and slightly more palatable.
People are outstandingly polite as well- you shake everyone's hand, no matter whether or not you are concerned with them or they with you. THe first thing school children learn is to say "hi how are you?" They are trained to expect "fine thank you. how are you?" as a reponse and will ask you the question incessantly until provided with the appropriate response. Every adult, no matter how educated, is also proficient in this phrase however they have also learned to adapt to responses such as "good" or "great".
Even Masai from the deep interior have adopted these customs to some degree. I would like to know how it was before, and how it would be now were it not for colonialism.
true story.
Being here one cant help but wonder what Kenya would be like had those cheeky brits never thought to come here and declare it for the queen (or king as the case may have been). Vestiges of colonialism remain ever present in daily life. Everyone drives on the left and the roads are structured with the idiotic trafic circles to be found in london a nd its surrounds. Absurd amounts of milk in tea, which is often served with the kenyan version of a tasteless scone like pastry, truky bland and uninspired food. Even those who can afford spices or things that create flavor seem to shun them though rumor has it that food on the coast is more indian inspired and slightly more palatable.
People are outstandingly polite as well- you shake everyone's hand, no matter whether or not you are concerned with them or they with you. THe first thing school children learn is to say "hi how are you?" They are trained to expect "fine thank you. how are you?" as a reponse and will ask you the question incessantly until provided with the appropriate response. Every adult, no matter how educated, is also proficient in this phrase however they have also learned to adapt to responses such as "good" or "great".
Even Masai from the deep interior have adopted these customs to some degree. I would like to know how it was before, and how it would be now were it not for colonialism.
posted by -cn at 9:33 AM
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