Interesting Encounters

I’ve had some interesting encounters with people here in Belize but this one I must share it. I was having a conversation with a Belizean then as usual right away he asked where I’m from and this is the conversation;

Anony: Are you from Nigeria? You have an accent

Dirishani: No, are there so many Nigerians here?

Anony: Yes

Dirishani: Did you know that Nigeria has a very high population; it stands at around 140 million.

Anony: What? Really!? Such a small Island with so many People?
Dirishani: Island? No. Nigeria is not just an Island; it’s a big country in West Africa, man.

Anony: Do you have tall buildings in Africa? Africa is the most undeveloped continent in the world

Dirishani: Yes, that is what you see in the media

First and foremost Kenyans English is completely different from Nigeria, I think we are one of the few African countries that speak clear English. Despite there being so many Nigerians here, people don’t know anything about Nigeria, I don’t even know if they know how the map of Africa looks like. We cannot blame them, same applies to us Kenyans or Africans. A few years ago I had no idea where exactly Mexico was on the American continent, I assumed it was in South America and so many Kenyans still do. To make matters worse I even thought that Hawaii and Miami was part of South America.

I think the difference between countries in Africa like Kenya and other continents is that we have few people who are super rich and the majority are super poor. The rich-poor gap is so wide that those who are poor have completely nothing. Someone who owns a home in Kenya and I mean stone house which is mortgage free still considers himself as poor. In the US, someone who owns a home that he is financing through a mortgage considers himself middle class and anytime he is fired from his job or has no income the house is taken away by the banks and he becomes not only poor but homeless with a blink of an eye.

Are most people oblivious of what is happening outside their continent?