Comments on: Opinions on Melbourne from Children

By: Relationship Expert Julia Sanna Discusses What Every African Immigrant Ought to Know About Relationships (Part Three) - The Displaced African

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 16:06:08 +0000

[...] My sisters who I mentioned in the interview (My most popular podcast to date BYYYYY FAAAARRRR) Posted by Mwangi Filed in Beyond Mandingo: [...]

By: What Everybody Ought to Know About Immigration and Njeri’s Guest Post » The Displaced African

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 16:02:35 +0000

[...] 2) For those of you immigrating to Melbourne Australia., listen to some opinions on Melbourne from: a) A student who arrived in early 2008. b) Myself c) My younger sisters who are 14 and 11. [...]

By: Mwangi

Mwangi — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 11:30:32 +0000

@whome: I heard this quote most recently from Timothy Ferriss when he was quoting both Bob Hope and Bill Cosby:

I don’t know the sure way to success, but I know a sure road to failure: trying to make everyone happy.

The very idea that we need to be abroad in the first place is an ugly, painful one….there have to be sacrifices and growing pains that we have to go through as we try to make best sense of it.

My 0.02

By: whome

whome — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 11:12:02 +0000

Just to touch on that integration thing and the vibe about being in a foreign land, being ashamed how you’re portrayed there.
It seems to be the consensus-by locals- that when you immigrate somewhere you should unload your previous self and mimic the local norms. Integration they call it.
This is very limiting and bias. Every society has aspects that are abhorrent and other that appealing. The ideal would be to take in the new societies good aspects, keep the pleasantries of your earlier society and abscond form the ills of both.
For some reason this doesn’t appeal to either sets of your collective being.
Your old friends will say your turning away from your roots.
Your new friends will say that you’re not integrating.
Woe!

By: Mwangi

Mwangi — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 10:52:49 +0000

@whome: Glad you enjoyed it. So far this has been my most popular podcast by far and so I think I might bring them in future to do a little something something. Aussies are doing pretty good, I can’t knock them, they’re handling the race thing pretty well.
Again, where have you been, haven’t gotten a message from you in ages, though I sent one to you.

By: whome

whome — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 10:49:16 +0000

Just listening to the podcasts… they’re hilarious getting the point of view of young kids is just priceless. the innocence. Ati “curries” and “chingchongs”.It shows aussies as being very tolerant to racial discrimination.
Lol. They cry more…

By: Mwangi

Mwangi — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 13:43:01 +0000

@Mzeiya: My opinion on our image in the West doesn't tend to be the most popular one. I actually wrote a post about it a while back and left a comment on meek meek's blog, but in short, I really don't mind when folks are ignorant about my culture and my people and where I'm from, I was equally as ignorant if not more so when I came not only about Oz, but about Asia (like how many of us have been here for years but still can't tell the difference between a Greek Person, an Italian and an Arab or between a Chinese and Vietnamese). First rule of morality for me is do unto others as you would have them do unto you: if I am ignorant and learning, you can be ignorant and learning too. In addition to that, this tendency that we Afropolitan ( I guess it's officially a technical term now, Yay) people have to be embarrassed or ashamed of our tribal roots really saddens and angers me......my great grandfather lived in a hut, had many wives and used cows to pay for his wives, if the Brits never came that's what I'd be doing now. I feel no shame about it whatsoever, you want to show my country as a tribal society, then fine, it's my roots, no shame in that. Let me link to the two articles where I give the different perspectives: Comments from Meek Meek's blog Post on Western ignorance

By: Mzeiya

Mzeiya — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 13:32:24 +0000

But wait till you meet someone who believes people in Africa live on trees. Ok thats just wrong in this day and age for someone to think that way. But again how do you handle the notion that a lot of people seem to think we (Afropolitans and those straight from African cities) still ascribe to African traditions? If you asked me most Africans would rather see themselves as metro guys rather than some drum beating guy. Honestly I have never played a drum in my life. Also dont expect me to dress in any particular way. Food i ll eat ugali once in a while but my diet will be pretty much what everyone else eats. In other words meat, rice, eggs, bread, greens- its just the same stuff we have back in Africa albeit with different taste.

My point is that at times people have really different expectations of who we are as a people. If not careful these misplaced expectations can result in the subjugation of our role in the society whereby we are seen as people whose only forte is in the traditional arts.

By: Mwangi

Mwangi — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 13:01:12 +0000

@Mzeiya: Yeah, when you grow up in a city anywhere on Earth, 95% of the job understanding other people from other cities is pretty much done in this day and age, kinda sad, but very true.

By: Mzeiya

Mzeiya — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 12:49:44 +0000

Mwangi,
actually I second your small sisters about there being not much cultural differences. Because unless someone is a shaggzmondo(a Kenyan euphemism for someone from the rural areas) I dont really think you would be in for a rude cultural shock. If its display of affection well that is also not uncommon nowadays in African cities; binge drinking; flossing cars- actually u dont even get much of that here; snobby attitudes etc are things urban Africa is accustomed to. Once in a while I come across some weird behaviours like the zombies march today in Melbourne city- and well instead of being shocked I was like- I can expect white people to pull that.

My thoughts though.