Have you been to the other side...?

Question

and witnessed what an absurd bashing we get from outsiders who ask and conclude amongst themselves... worst being " Do Africans have restaurants? If so, what do they serve...insects?".... Geepers!!!

PS: part of my response spoke of famine in some parts and maybe insects being a last resort for a meal since no food was available...

Sorry, another Q... "which part of Africa was king Kong From"...that cracked me, I didnt know we had Skull "Island" on this "continent"...

Answer 1

I once worked for an American Internet service provider that had a technical helpdesk in SA. When the caller, (American) found out I was IN South Africa, he asked:
'Do you have lions over there?'
My simple response was:
'Yes sir, right now I'm sitting on top of a tree with my laptop trying to get you connected to the internet, there's a lion growling at me, so I have to hurry!!'
Not surprised, he hurried with the whole call. We played the call over and over just for the laugh.

While I was in the US as a kid, people asked my mother if she didn't would mind if they donated some clothes to us, (we being from Africa and all).

But the Brits are just as bad. One man, who prides himself for being well informed on current issues in the world asked me if my family lives in a mud house and if the elephants in the Ngorongoro were anything like the Indian elephants. I asked him what Poland was like. He was surprised. Just wanted to show him that as he doesn't know the whole 'continent' of Europe, I also don't know the whole 'continent' of Africa, I am from South Africa not Kenya!!!

Funny sometimes. But ignorance does irritate me.

Answer 2

Hey Innocentia!

I've heard much worse !!!

I visited the States about 6 months ago - & they thought that Nelson Mandela is our "Tribal King".

They couldnt believe it when I actualy spoke english & they were completely shocked when I had a cellphone, beauty goodies, how to work a computer /laptop.

They still believe that we have the big 5 as our backyard pets!

These americans (well some of them) needs to be educated on a world outside the U S OF A!

ps: oh my word King Kong??????

CIAO
Mercaydees

Answer 3

I get the crime thing constantly, I work for T K Maxx the retail company an we have just done Comic relief- red nose day. Now that all of my colleagues have seen the video on "Africa" they pity me, and more silly questions. They treat me now more like a victim of poverty rather than the white oppressor, no racial comment intended. I just fined it strange that not only do we have the largest shopping mall in the southern hemisphere of the world, were the first country to paint lines on roads and supply half of Africa with elecktirsaty and fuel. But when you want to open an bank account in the 1st world England you have to wait two weeks to get your bank card, where we Sout Africans get it in ten minuts.

Answer 4

Well first of all Africa is a pretty big place. It include Johannesburg and Cairo. These are both great cities and they have many five star restaurants.

Darfur on the other hand has considerable violence and poverty at the present time.

King Kong is a fictional Ape and I believe he was found in the South Seas not in Africa...... This is he was fictionally found on a fictional island no where near Africa.

Answer 5

Hey girl...

I once worked for AOL (america on line), and the americans would be shocked that I'm from South Africa (Africa as they refer to it), anyway they'd be shocked that I'm a black South African and can speak english....they used to ask me are u sure u South African, u sound like u British or from New Zealand. I had one insult me, sayin " I can't understand a word u africans say" my response was "which part of - u owe $23.30 do u not understand? Used to tell them I may be african but sure do speak better English than half of the Americans put together.

Oh and they also gullible as well - I used to tell them Mandela was my grandfather and Charlize Theron lived next door to me when she was still a child - got to them everytime with that.

Answer 6

The question/statement I get aked here in Spain is:
"You´re from Africa, but, but you´re white?!"

And to avoid getting into a half hour lecture that there are and have been Europeans for many generations in Africa etc. etc.
I reply: "I´m an Albino", expecting them to laugh and then ask me to stop kidding around, but they usually look at me with blank confused faces!

Answer 7

My friend visited some friends in America last year, and when it got dark, the one kid switched on a light, turned around and said to her: SEE, THIS IS ELECTRICITY, IT MAKES LIGHT....

Ha ha, ja isn't it funny that most of these bazaar things come from Americans??? I was on holiday in Mphumalanga and I cracked myself to the stuff they said.... Everything they see I KANDA COOL!!! If there is a bookmark made from a piece of bone, IT'S KINDA COOL, if there's a guy staining a wooden bird with hot irons, IT'S KINDA COOL.... Everything IS KINDA COOL, even the lamps against the wall made out of grass IS KINDA COOL.... Come on.....!!! That is what we are, UNIQUE!!! I even heard the one girl said that they are scared they might get caught by a lion!!!

Just show you, it's not to say that if you're from a country with fast developing technology it makes you the sharpest pencil in the packet!!!! We are creative, we do not rely on "plastic" food and computers. We've still got PEOPLE living in this country, not ROBOTS!!!

VIVA SOUTH AFRICA!!!!

Answer 8

As late as last September on flight from San Antonio to Dulles I met a professor who when heard that I was from SA, asked whether we have universities in SA. This is not a joke, it's true as it comes.

While in 2000 when in Hungary an american couple asked questions like - "do you have cheese in South Africa". "Do you have schools" (this despite our reading restaurant menus in their presence).

One old lady (of the couple we were sharing a table with) indicated that she was craving for popcornes. My wife brought her some when we took an excursion in Vienna - the lady from the couple of many questions, asked "how did you know these are popcornes? Do you have them in South Africa?"

That's some Americans for you!!!!!

Answer 9

I know shows you how norrow minded the outside world are towards us here in SA.
They think that uerope and america is the only place in the world especialy the americans

Answer 10

hey Innocent

What about moparnie worms? those are insects? Well worms but that would fit - NO?

Come on now where is your sense of humor? - perhaps Don't you find it funny that they even think like that.

My favorite is still Lions on Table Mountain in CT and down Adderley Street, center of the city