Cross Cultural Discussions with an American Student

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Cross Cultural Conversation With an American Student

Sophia is a student of mine here at St. Olaf College. She follows my writings and YouTube broadcasts on cross-cultural issues. Several days ago, she told me she had received a copy of my latest book, Chickens in the Bus: More Thoughts on Cultural Differences. She asked that we hold a conversation. Today, December 17, we met in my office and had a wide-ranging conversation

Money in African and American Culture

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Does No Mean No?: Communication in African and American Culture

My Cross Cultural Conversations program started again on October 29. I had started this series of Saturday conversations by Zoom in the spring but you put it on hold in the summer. The topic on October 29 was "Does No Mean No?: Communication in African and American Culture."

I introduced the topic drawing from my Africans and Americans: Embracing Cultural Differences, with additional ideas from my video, Culture and Business Between Africans and Americans. As expected, the participants brought up thoughtful questions and observations.

Resuming My Cross-Cultural Conversations

Neelam Babul's Review of "Africans and Americans: Embracing Cultural Differences"

Today, October 21, 2022, Neelan Babul wrote a review of my book in Tanzania's The Citizen newspaper. Click on the image.

"Zamda's Kilimanjaro Journal" (Nahida Esmail)

This summer, in Tanzania, I met Nahida Esmail, an award winning writer of books for children and young adults. I had heard her name, but meeting her and talking with her revealed a writer with a passion for writing for children and young adults. I decided to acquire and read her works, starting with Zamda's Kilimanjaro Journal, which is available online, for free.

Zamda's Kilimanjaro Journal is, indeed, a journal, written by Zamda, a fictional sixteen year old girl from the Mikocheni area of Dar es Salaam. She records her experiences and observations about different places, situations, and people, especially her parents, teachers, and schoolmates. Born and raised in a Muslim family, she is proud of her faith and makes pertinent references to prayers and Islamic teachings.

Zamda's journal takes an abrupt turn when a teacher declares that the students will be going on a field trip, climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. Zamda completely dislikes the idea of climbing mountains. However, as the days pass, the school's preparations for the trip intensify. Zamda gets more and more anxious, hoping, for example, that her parents would refuse to grant permission for her to go on the trip.

To Zamda's disappointment, her parents not only consent to the idea of the trip, but urge her to undertake it. They manage to persuade her, especially after telling her that the Qur'an has verses extolling mountains as pegs that keep the earth stable and firm. Zamda becomes eager to go on the trip. 

The trip goes ahead and Zamda manages to overcome all its obstacles, reaching the peak as the only student to do so, out of 24 students. She is thrilled, grateful that her parents saw the potential in her. Returning from the trip, she is celebrated by all in her school as a "shero." She has learned useful lessons from the adventure, a major one being that no matter who you are, you can always aim for the skies or the summit.

Zamda's Kilimanjaro Journal is an engaging story on various levels. One highlight, for me, is how Zamda changes her mind about mountain climbing. Nahida makes this transformation a convincing one, testimony of her storytelling skill. The happy, triumphant ending of the story is another highlight.

While reading this book, and afterwards, I looked around and discovered that Nahida is a mountain climber. She has been to many parts of the world, following mountains: Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Machu Picchu in Peru, Mount Toubkal in Morocco, Mount Fuji in Japan, Mount Damavand in Iran, and Everest Base Camp in Nepal. I discovered also that she has a special interest in writing about mountain climbing and climbers. That discovery gave me a fresh perspective on her Zamda's Kilimanjaro Journal.

It might seem unusual that a teenager would keep a diary, but it was one of Zamda's teachers who had asked the students to do so, as a class project. Zamda rises to the challenge, creating a fascinating and varied account of memories and observations. Nahida writes very well, and I have no doubt that young adults will enjoy and learn from her story.

A Meeting With My Readers

On October 1, 2022, in Burnsville, Minnesota, I met with two of my readers: Sarah B. Kamsin from Sudan, and Brighid McCarthy from the USA. Sarah had organized the meeting. She and I had known each other since July, 2019, when she met me at a book festival in Blaine, Minnesota and acquired my book Africans and Americans: Embracing Cultural Differences. 

Later, Sarah published a book of her poems, Vita, Babel, Cauliflower," which I read and reviewed. You can see a section of my review on Amazon. Sarah has a talent as a composer of poems in English.

From our conversation two days ago, I learned that after reading my book, Sarah had started telling her long time friend Brighid about me and my book. As a result, Brighid was very happy to meet me.  She had a copy of the book, bearing much underlining on many pages, proof that she has been reading it with much reflection. I was impressed by her recollection of specific details.

We talked for about three hours, mostly about cultural differences mentioned in the book. We also talked about the need for us to collaborate in dealing with needs of certain areas of East Africa, such as water and education. We were pleased to realize that we have already been doing such work. Brighid, for example, has been doing things in Arusha. We are inspired to do more.

Cross Cultural Dialogue in Tanga, Tanzania

On June 11, 2022, I was the featured guest speaker at the first meeting of Cross Cultural Dialogue, a group based in Tanga, Tanzania. Here is what group coordinator Georgina Harris Hill wrote on her Facebook page about the event:

Tanga’s first official cross cultural conversations meet up with special guest speaker. Professor Joseph Mbele was our guest, several months ago I connected with him online after reading his book; Africans and Americans embracing cultural differences. Teaching and living in Minessota at a university there but from Tanzania originally his book is a unique perspective on cross-cultural interactions. 

Having lived cross culturally my whole life this topic has always been a deep interest of mine, so discovering his work was exciting and I began sharing it widely with others. 

I had started already informal gatherings with a few friends who had a shared interest but when I heard Joseph was coming to Tanzania and we had a chance to hear from him and buy his books, I got into motion organizing a group meet up and extended the invite to him to come to Tanga. Thankfully he accepted. 

The attendants were from different parts of Tanzania, Germany, Russia, Barbados and Latvia but between us all had lived all over the world. But all currently call Tanga home. 

Talking culture can be stressful or at least awkward and maybe a bit taboo but this great group all had so much to share. 

Listening to professor Mbele talk about the importance of embracing cross cultural differences allowed us all to freely discuss our own unique experiences we faced living, working and communicating cross culturally. 

We got a chance to see and frame them in a new light and validate our experiences. 
We laughed at how we misjudge and label one another and ways to talk, see and understand cultural differences in a way that unites and builds bridges. We shared stories and insights and I think we all left with excitement to meet up again and continue this important conversation! 

Thankful to Professor Mbele for taking the time to come and meet us! And so excited for our next group meet up. One thing I love about living in Tanzania is it has taught me so much about stepping outside my comfort zone and introduced me to some incredible people and cultures!

I really recommend reading the books available on Amazon--Mbele's books

Or at Novel idea in Dar Es Salaam or Arusha for Tanzania based folks

Mbele Reading “The Second Coming,” Again

Listen to the recording here
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My Cross-Cultural Conversations

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I MIGHT WRITE ANOTHER CULTURE BOOK

On August 25, 2021, I published a book, Chickens in the Bus: More Thoughts on Cultural Differences, a sequel to my Africans and Americans: Embracing Cultural Differences. After publishing these two books, I felt that I didn't need to write another culture book.

Then, several weeks ago, I launched an online program I call "Cross Cultural Conversations," which I have been conducting every Saturday. I give talks by Zoom and engage participants in reflecting on various topics relating to differences between African and American culture.

In the process, I find myself going deeper into issues I addressed in my books, and even introducing new insights and perspectives on those issues. I now feel that if I continue this way, I will eventually publish another book, probably titled "Cross Cultural Conversations." This will take time, certainly some years.

My Books: An Extension of My Self

My culture books are not entities existing apart from me. I write them so that people can know me, not some fancy arguments and abstract theories. These books are an extension of my self. My spirit exists in them and my blood flows in them. I breath and speak through them. 

Long after I have departed from this world, my books will continue to be my voice. Through their works, writers seek or attain immortality. It has been this way since ancient times, and Gilgamesh, the Sumerian hero, is a perfect example. Thus, Shakespeare and Shaaban Robert live on, as do Tolstoy, Muyaka, Achebe and thousands of others. 
 

Feedback From my Cross-Cultural Conversations

On April 16, 2022, I launched an online program I call Cross Cultural Conversions, an extension of my work as a cultural consultant. I conduct these talks every Saturday, from 10:00 to 11:30am US Central Time, on various issues raised my books and beyond.

The network of participants is growing, the feedback from them is positive and enthusiastic. Apart from writing comments, participants keep coming again and again to these conversations, and they spread the word.

For example, on May 7, Kelly, one of the participants, posted on her Facebook page a nice photo of my books, together with the following message:

Beautiful afternoon to sit in Miss Samantha's yard! I'm reading work from Joseph Mbele, suggested by my friend Anita. Joseph is leading a recurring Zoom call on Saturday mornings (10 to 11:30) with intriguing conversations, focusing on different topics. My inbox is always open, I'd be happy to share the next Eventbrite link. 

Invitations to these conversations are posted on my facebook page in advance of each session. 

My Dream: Cross-Cultural Conversations

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Tour Guides at my Arusha Talk

On January 8, 2022, I gave a talk in Arusha on "challenges of cultural differences," a topic I have dealt with for years under the umbrella of Africonexion: Cultural Consultants.

The organizer and hostess of the event was Ama, an African American woman residing in Arusha. People from different nationalities attended, but mostly Americans and Tanzanians.

Among the Tanzanians who attended were toyr guides from a company called Rift Valley Cultural Tourism, based in Karatu. The director had obtained copies of my Africans and Americans: Embracing Cultural Differences and shared them with the tour guides.

When they hear that I was scheduled to give a talk, they decided to attend. We were happy to meet.After the talk, we took a photo, and some of them are seen holding my book. Tour guides are among the people who find my book indispensable. In 2007, for example, the owner of Arusha-based J.M. Tours, a Finnish woman, got copies of the book for her tour guides, and they liked it very much, as I reported here.

I salute Rift Valley Cultural Tourism for discovering and utilizing this resource, and I am ready to continue collaborating with them. Besides my books, which are vailable online, tour guides and other people can follow my YouTube channel.

Books Available in Kenya

These books are available in Kenya. Contact Wairimu, tel. 0742 765 588
 

A Tanzanian Writer's Comments on "Matengo Folktales"

A few weeks ago, I got to know Corona Cormak, a Tanzanian writer of children's books based in the Czech Republic. We have never met, but have been reading each other's woks.  This week, on her Instagram page, Corona wrote the following comments about my Matengo Folktales.

I will start with a big smile. This book Matengo Folktales by John Mbele @africonexion. Took me way back into those days of story telling. Three stories in this book were so vividly. The Monster in the Rice, The Tale of two women and the Tale of Katigija. The sound of the songs in these stories is what I am still trying to remember. These songs were always sang with everyone when the stories were narrated. This is what is missing in story telling these days. We let our children just listen to the story without them taking part.

However, I am quite shocked with the amount of killing in every story. At least I don't remember the killing part. For example the Tale of two women, I remember this part when the woman was told to lick the wounds. And in Katigija Tale I remember the grandma singing when she brought the food to the child and the Monster in the Rice field, I remember how the children kept on disappearing.

My son was shocked when I told him The tale of Monster in the Rice. He was like, what a story, what a family 🙈🤣
Beautiful written and I like the comment section. This helps one to understand why these stories were what they were.
Now I need someone to sing those songs for me 🥳🤗

 

My Visit to the Catholic University College of Mbeya

From January 27 to 29, 2022, I was at the Catholic University College of Mbeya (CUCoM), a constituent college of the Saint Augustine University of Tanzania (SAUT). I had been invited to give a talk titled "Africans and Americans: Embracing Cultural Differences."

As it turned out, my two day visit was filled with engagements. I had extensive conversations with individual professors, such as Dr. Ernest Kitindi and Dr. Joshua Madumula, and a special meeting with the College principal, Dr. Romuald Haule, which focused on establishing links between the CUCoM and U.S. colleges and universities.

During my talk, I commended the Catholic University College of Mbeya for inviting me to talk about cultural differences, a topic that is vital in our world which is increasingly becoming a global village. CUCoM's dream of establishing links with foreign institutions will involve thinking about, and dealing with, cultural differences at many levels. With this in mind, I gave the CUCoM library copies of my two books: "Africans and Americans: Embracing Cultural Differences" and "Chickens in the Bus: More Thoughts on Cultural Differences."

I will write more about what I learned and what transpired during my visit. For now, I just wish to say that I was inspired and gratified by the whole experience.

On Martin Luther King Jr.

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