Thank You, Joseph Mbele

I see this blog as my private space, where I can express what I want: thoughts, sentiments, recollections, hopes, joys, anxieties, and so on. This blog post is somewhat personal.

As an author and cultural consultant, I always want to know how or whether I am connecting with my audiences. It is therefore gratifying to receive any feedback.

Several days ago, I came across a blog post titled "Thank You, Joseph Mbele," written by someone who had heard me speak at the College of St Benedict/St. John's University. I had been invited there to give several presentations, one of them to Peace Studies students and faculty preparing to travel to Eastern and Southern Africa.

I was happy to read the blog post, and was pleased that the author benefited from what I said about the differences between African and American culture. I thank the writer for this feedback, offered freely. I recall the meeting that evening: a full auditorium, with a table of my books at the back. I spoke for about thirty minutes, based on my Africans and Americans book, and then we had a stimulating question-and-answer session.

I wish to thank all my readers and audiences. I always learn something when I write or make presentations, but readers and audiences help me in that process. Some readers contact me privately, but others go public with their message, like the blogger I have mentioned and the Professional Strong Man, who ends his message with the Swahili phrase, "Asante sana," which means "thank you very much." I wish to return all these thanks, ten times over.