Kenyan Surprise

Yesterday morning, I was pleased to meet a young Kenyan man where I work out. He is in town for a conference on micro-finance, an activity whereby loans are made to very small businesses/individuals in developing countries, like Kenya. I have known many Africans, but this man’s features stood out cleanly and most candidly. I said to myself, now this is an African!

Anyway, after pleasantries, I jump right into asking how he has ‘found’ the US, on his initial visit. His observations got right to it. To start, his sight-seeing consisted of one place, the University of California, Berkeley. No Golden Gate Bridge. No Chinatown. No Fisherman’s Warf, just Berkeley. The man had education on the brain, and reinforced why African immigrants are such high academic achievers on US soil.

Second, he was amazed at the infrastructure of the US. The roads; traffic lights; light/electric poles; sewers; sidewalks; everything! He thought it was glorious to have so much. I could relate to his jubilation, as I remember my first visit to Jamaica, where you are jolted by the lack of everything, especially the weekly trash pick-up.

More seriously, he said that in his mind African-Americans lacked an ‘uplifting cultural identification’. He felt that, no matter where he went in the world, being a Kenyan would support him. Anything that he assimilated from the world would only be a welcomed addition, and could never change who he really was deep down.

Lastly, he said that African-Americans do not see the opportunity around them. “It’s everywhere!” He lamented that Kenya cannot make cell phones, but can only use them. In the US, he said anything is possible, if you are willing to work for it. He also said the bad US economy was forcing many Kenyans to return home, but they were returning with capital they had accumulated.

He gave me his email address and I said I would keep in touch. What a lift to speak to this young man.

James C. Collier

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