Comments on: Things they don’t say in Kenya

By: Mr Chip

Mr Chip — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 03:00:48 +0000

Cool. I work with a Kenyan and he told us the same thing. We want to get to the origin of when and why they started saying Jambo to tourists? He thinks it started becoming popular in the 70s or 80s.

By: Alexandra

Alexandra — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 19:05:06 +0000

hahahah. Same here. They are always shocked when they hear a white person speak Swahili. I guess it must be sort of the same as our country, the way it used to be years ago when it was still mostly white. People would see a foreign looking person and start speaking English really loudly and slowly, and then the person would say, “Um, I was born here.” I know there are white people born in Kenya and Tanzania, and they no doubt still get “Jambo mzungu.” Maybe they are used to it, dealing with it every day their whole lives. It just really bugged me, but I felt bad too because it seems like such a stupid thing to get annoyed about. hahaaha.

Anyways I really enjoy reading your blog btw. Very relatable, and very funny. :D

By: Alan

Alan — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 11:01:24 +0000

I agree that it’s irritating… but I feel bad that it irritates me. Four years on and it still bugs me. On the plus side, people expect that I don’t understand Swahili… I shock and amaze people on a daily basis. HAHAH.

By: Alexandra

Alexandra — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 05:47:27 +0000

Its so true. I lived in Kenya for a year, but spent a total of 16 months there. I couldn’t STAND Jambo, and Jambo mzungu was even worse. I wanted to say…”Don’t talk to me like I just stepped off the plane. I’ve been here a year. I know Swahili!” I answered in Swahili, saying Mambo, poa, kilakitu freshi, etc., but of course, it doesn’t stop the next person from saying Jambo. Why do they have to have a different way to say “Hello” to white people? We don’t have a different way to say hello to Japanese tourists in our country. Something seems so separatist about it. Its hard to explain. Like they want to keep us apart, separated. Even though we are from a different place, but why can’t we assimilate? Like people can assimilate in our country? Its hard to explain exactly why its so annoying, but it is. Its weird. It probably sounds like such a petty, small problem, but it more or less ruined my experience there. If people would have just spoken to me in normal Swahili, even though I’m white, I can’t describe how happy that would have made me. A note to any Kenyans reading this: Please…don’t say Jambo to white people. Just say “Mambo vipi.” If they don’t understand, translate. No special tourist talk, please. We hate it.

By: sureel

sureel — Wed, 26 May 2010 11:43:43 +0000

when wud u upload fresh snapshot of 2010………..off course your new office snaps and your new colleagues at office….. kwahari

By: Matthew Winans

Matthew Winans — Thu, 06 May 2010 14:43:53 +0000

“My friends always tell me I’m not Kenyan so I should get used to it, but it still gets to me.”

That would be annoying if someone kept actively pointing out that you’re an outsider, especially if they’re your friends. It seems separatist, dismissive, and belittling. I’d say get some new friends who would at least attempt to treat you as an equal. LOL

By: Alan

Alan — Wed, 05 May 2010 05:56:35 +0000

Hahaha that is SO right on. I love them all. Thanks :)

By: glo

glo — Tue, 04 May 2010 12:43:10 +0000

mambo vipi? check this link out http://howdidigethere-kenyanchick.blogspot.com/2006/07/kenyans-guide-to-kenya-vol-i.html