Sometime you got to admire how things work in some places to really appreciate the circumstances you have back home. It is never that straightforward, and as the saying goes, "The grass is always greener on the other side". I have had the chance of interacting with various groups of people in the greater Eastern Africa region and have basically marveled at the various elements of behaviours that mark our differences (hopefully these will be restricted to the non-violence type of differences).
The lifestyle of my brothers across the border in Tz has always had me curious. Kenyans are generally viewed as aggressive and impolite (...wankosa nidhamu hawa ndugu zetu!). I do agree with their sentiments to some extent, but get baffled by their behaviour as well. Truth be told, they are not the paragon of virtues they are presented to be. Like our society in the +254, they do have their bad apples and moments...it's only that they are more polite about how they handle or deal with it, and they have shorter memories than the Kenyans. The justice system there is slower than a slug, and the public officials are as corrupt, but more polite and non-confrontational as the brothaz in the +254.
Anyway for days I had been shuttling from my adopted place of work to the hotel and in meetings around Dar, and couldn't help noticing the beeline of kids from skool at around 2pm headed to what I figured was home. Now this brought my lower primary skool memories when skool ended at 1pm and the afternoon was left for extra-curricular activities in the hood. However with time I noticed that it wasn't just the young 8 and under who were going back home at 2pm..apparently across the border, skool is from 8/9am to 2pm, then everyone goes home at 2pm..this applies from kindergarten to form 6....I mean these guys should be major sportsmen and artists...what on earth do you do with all that time?....
The other thing I learnt is that they also start learning English in High skool (form 1... after class 7). And proceed to be instructed in English when learning all the other subjects (Bio, Chem, Physics, History, etc)..Imagine having to learn Spanish in form 1 and then all subjects thereon being taught in Spanish..I have mad respect for these guys, but it is not a pain worth inflicting on yourself.
This kinda explains their struggle with English even at advanced ages. Not being out to judge them, they would learn a thing or two in overhauling their system and getting children learning English at a younger age. Also not being out to judge and remind them of their apparent hesitance to join the EAC wholeheartedly, learning from the neighbour isn't such a bad thing. We can learn to be polite and they can learn a bit more industry and effort in their approach to everything.
I also happened to visit one of their treasures on the Indian Ocean, Mbudya Island. For $10 and a TZS 10k 30 minute boat ride, it is a place worth visiting.
The lifestyle of my brothers across the border in Tz has always had me curious. Kenyans are generally viewed as aggressive and impolite (...wankosa nidhamu hawa ndugu zetu!). I do agree with their sentiments to some extent, but get baffled by their behaviour as well. Truth be told, they are not the paragon of virtues they are presented to be. Like our society in the +254, they do have their bad apples and moments...it's only that they are more polite about how they handle or deal with it, and they have shorter memories than the Kenyans. The justice system there is slower than a slug, and the public officials are as corrupt, but more polite and non-confrontational as the brothaz in the +254.
Anyway for days I had been shuttling from my adopted place of work to the hotel and in meetings around Dar, and couldn't help noticing the beeline of kids from skool at around 2pm headed to what I figured was home. Now this brought my lower primary skool memories when skool ended at 1pm and the afternoon was left for extra-curricular activities in the hood. However with time I noticed that it wasn't just the young 8 and under who were going back home at 2pm..apparently across the border, skool is from 8/9am to 2pm, then everyone goes home at 2pm..this applies from kindergarten to form 6....I mean these guys should be major sportsmen and artists...what on earth do you do with all that time?....
The other thing I learnt is that they also start learning English in High skool (form 1... after class 7). And proceed to be instructed in English when learning all the other subjects (Bio, Chem, Physics, History, etc)..Imagine having to learn Spanish in form 1 and then all subjects thereon being taught in Spanish..I have mad respect for these guys, but it is not a pain worth inflicting on yourself.
This kinda explains their struggle with English even at advanced ages. Not being out to judge them, they would learn a thing or two in overhauling their system and getting children learning English at a younger age. Also not being out to judge and remind them of their apparent hesitance to join the EAC wholeheartedly, learning from the neighbour isn't such a bad thing. We can learn to be polite and they can learn a bit more industry and effort in their approach to everything.
The next instalment will be continued.....sina mutisha at the moment as they say!
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