[ASU] Progressive Islam- Africa You Should Know

[Kazi Magadla]

hello again,

Before being accused of plagiarism the 10 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE COMING 
TO AFRICA piece was copied and pasted from: 
http://bodyinmotion.wordpress.com/2008/03/18/10-things-you-should-know-before-
coming-to-africa/ 

I'm glad to see that people read the whole email. 

Cheers. 
Kazi. 



Quoting Kazi Magadla <sm103708 at ohio.edu>:

> Hello guys,
> 
> As Bose mentioned in the minutes of the GB meeting. This Saturday we
> begin our 
> series the "Africa You Should Know" at the Progressive Islam
> Conference hosted 
> by African Studies. We will be having a table display of materials
> that we 
> will give to the participants of the conference to take away that
> best 
> represent our view of Africa.  In order to do this we need from you
> guys 
> articles, books, brochures and interesting facts about YOUR countries
> (and 
> other African countries if you have).  Our themes are politics,
> economics, and 
> social/cultural progress about YOUR countries. 
> 
> Joan will be at Yamada House everyday from Monday till Friday from 1-
> 4pm to 
> receive your donations and  I will be in the library from 1- 4pm at
> Alden 
> second floor.  Zak as well will be at his Clippenger office, you can
> drop your 
> materials there. 
> 
> I trust that you guys will make the time to find the matarials that
> you fill 
> best represents your countries, so that the participants of the
> Progressive 
> Islam conference leave Athens with a better view of Africa. Let’s do
> this so 
> that these stereotypes stop: 
> 
> 10 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE COMING TO AFRICA 
> 
> 10. There are children everywhere: in the village playing, in the
> city 
> begging, in the river washing (a few of them are in school, too).
> 9. There are people everywhere. People live life outside from cooking
> and 
> washing to socializing and working. And if you’re over 18 and still
> alone in 
> the world, they want to know why you’re not married/reproducing yet.
> 8. Not matter how far in the bush you are, you can always find a cold
> beer. 
> And 5 guys waiting for you to buy them one too.
> 7. The following items are considered legitimate supplies for vehicle
> repair: 
> twigs, cardboard, tree sap.
> 6. Toilet paper in public restrooms is about as scarce as Democrats
> in the 
> current administration.
> 5. The phrase ‘time is money‘ has no meaning. Be prepared to spend
> most of 
> your time waiting for a bus/your lunch/your bill/a meeting/change.
> Note: 
> change will never come. If you overpay for something, that’s your
> problem. The 
> overage will be consumed by the business.
> 4. Never assume anything. This includes but is not limited to ‘yes’ 
> meaning ‘yes’, ‘no’ meaning ‘no’, ‘I understand’ meaning ‘I have
> processed 
> what you said and will act upon it’, a right indicator meaning a
> right turn, a 
> business being open during regular hours, or a confirmed reservation
> meaning 
> your hotel room/restaurant table/plane seat will still be there when
> you 
> arrive.
> 3. Traffic laws are optional. (What’s the difference between a drunk
> driver 
> and a sober one? Only the drunk driver goes straight, the sober one
> goes 
> around the potholes.)
> 2. Electricity is optional. It generally goes out when you’re about
> to cook 
> dinner. It will take between 10 minutes and 3 days to come back on
> and will 
> blow out your speakers with a power surge when it does. (What did
> Africans do 
> for light before candles? They had electricity!)
> and…
> 1. Just when you think you finally have her figured out, Africa turns
> around 
> and bites you in the ass. But hell, I still wouldn’t live anywhere
> else — for 
> now.
> 
> kind regards,
> Kazi.
> 
> "I'm so disturbed when my women students behave as though they can
> only read 
> women, or black students behave as though they can only read blacks,
> or white 
> students behave as though they can only identify with a white
> writer." - bell 
> hooks
>