As a left-handed person, I found this difficult to get used to. Hispanic Ethnocultural Population: Immersion Project. When being introduced to someone for the first time, the handshake is short, while handshakes among people with a personal relationship are longer. Thereafter, in my various interactions I realized that America has different standards of measurement from most of the world. The ceremony will involve the slaughtering of a goat or a sheep has to please the gods. In the social aspects of life, a difference can be noted among Kenyans, Malaysians, Chinese, and Americans. Dining patterns vary tremendously according to ethnicity, location and socio-economic position of the host. Due to our affinity of being early adopters, we are well known to adopt other peoples dressing styles. It's a free, question-and-answer based forum to discuss On the other hand those whose professions require dressing do really clean up well and in quality. The most common greeting is Jambo? (How are you?), which is generally said immediately prior to the handshake. I never met anyone who had actually been to Kenya or even Africa until I was 17. And by the way, what exactly did you want to convey in this piece? 2.2 Roles of prominent researchers in Europe and North America. I know in Kenya, you say "Eat your food, there are children starving in Turkana" or something like that. Like most Africans, Kenyans place a large emphasis on the respect and reverence of their deceased ancestors. As someone who likes to take their time leaving a hotel, I found this was a hard cultural shift to get used to. In Lagos, it can take over four hours to drive several miles from outer neighborhoods of the city to the business districts. Because of the larger population, which causes a higher demand for food, agriculturalists have been pushed into finding faster ways of food production. Guests are expected to wash their hands before and after the meal. Revenue Authority, The World Factbook, Internal Revenue Service. Demonstrating respect towards ancestors is believed to maintain harmonious relationships within the family, extended family, and clan or tribe. Let me be clear. Are you not comfortable with coming out of your shell? (2021) 'Cultural Differences: Kenyans, Malaysians, Chinese and Americans'. Finally, what does Mzee Moja mean? Sophomore Daniel Pyskaty, former SA Senator and Chair of the Academic Affairs Committee, will be next years SA President, succeeding. WebKenya and Canada living comparison. Other times, it's a polite cover for something someone doesn't want to tell you, like when a guesthouse had given up my room because of a double booking. Commisceo Global Consulting Ltd. (2020). Course Hero is not sponsored or endorsed by any college or university. Generally, people are expected to keep their shoulders and knees covered, and swimsuits are worn only on the beach. We are too busy to do our hair. Though with recent developments, such as lowering of tariffs and the installation of the optic fiber cable, things seem to be looking up for the telecommunications industry. In Kenya, there are 26.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2022. be 18.0 times more likely to die during childbirth. They may ask questions until they feel comfortable and are able to proceed satisfactorily. , Sunday was church day (I had never met a non-Christian until I left for university. He has not judged them as bad or good. And most other African countries are also the same. The continent is larger than North America and comprises over 3,000 ethnic groups, speaking over 1,500 languages, residing in 54 countries. StudyCorgi. Please bear with us as some older content may be temporarilily unavailable. Any restaurant in those countries will provide you silverware but as someone who routinely gets down and dirty with barbecue, I didn't mind. The author needs to do more research if he tryly wants to display the American culture as it is. During that time, I experienced countless culture clashes, culture shocks, miscommunications, and misunderstandings. Harambee took on a more political resonance when used at the time of independence by Jomo Kenyatta as a way to bring people together. According to the Kenyan culture, after marriage and payment of dowry, a wife becomes one property of the husband; she is not supposed to visit her parents without the approval of the husband. An hour? A land of vast distances and rich natural resources, Canada became a self-governing dominion in 1867 while retaining ties to the British crown. If in a family of say 4, 6 or 8 only one person is productive; then you expect deficits in the needs of such families. So now, I always have to request politely to the people concerned, so that only one spoon be served before I get a mountain of food on my plate. Children have sports, musical instrument, after school school EVERY NIGHT OF THE WEEK. Finally, am just curious where the well dressed kenyans learnt their dressing from. Loud voices are generally only used during disagreements in business situations, although in rural areas, louder speaking tones are the norm. Cultural Differences: Kenyans, Malaysians, Chinese and Americans. WebHospitality. The honoured guest is usually served first, followed by the men, children, and women. Children are not supposed to shake hands with adults but they are expected to bow and give adults a chance to touch their heads as a sign of blessing and respect (Kam, 2010). In Kenya, there are only four telephone service providers. In this respect, Kenyans have a better quality of life, Americans have quantity. The next morning, all the neighborhood dust bins will be full to the brim with wasted, and good food. In United States, there are approximately 12.3 babies per 1,000 people as of 2022. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. You are truly ridiculous..exactly what is wrong with that? That was not the case in Tanzania. And I am talking about men and women leaving their homes to come and see for themselves and for posterity. Serving the University of Rochester community since 1873. Give it to Mzee Moja, or whoever he is. See an in-depth size comparison. Who sets the standards? If invited to dinner at a Kenyans home, bring pastries, flowers, or sweets for the hostess. Countries in Africa have a reputation for widespread corruption. Kenyans are group-orientated rather than individualistic. More if you take dialects into account. Back in Kenya, every morsel of the huge Ugali and Sukuma wiki must be accounted for. Both tend to yield similar results; several baby mamas/daddys, split attentionsnone better or worse than the other. We typically shop for the entire week on Saturday, so lettuce and fruits, such as bananas can easily go bad in 6 days. I see you are doing your best to become an intellectual but you may need to be more substantive and original in your thinking. Most businesses and major complexes like hotels, company campuses, or schools have their own diesel generators that kick on when the power goes out, but sometimes generators break. The United States of America is a metropolitan country with an influx of people from different parts of the world; the different nationalities have different experiences in life and thus their culture differs from the American style. Do not let the spirit of hate (tribalism) possess you. Also: a group of people that share the same Around half the population are Christians, 10% Muslim and there are small Hindu and Sikh minorities. Kenyans love carbohydrates! (Where does he want us to go this early?) The belief is that the person only really dies completely when their relatives no longer remember them. If it's a mother or father speaking to their kids, it could mean "nope, we are never going to the amusement park.". What are differences you notice between our Neo-Nazi movement and the NSDAP? Read more: After spending months in the Middle East, I'm convinced a single phrase with more than a dozen meanings is key to understanding Arab culture. As time is money, those who waste time on trivialities, daily rituals and ceremonial greetings are bound to lack in good things of life. May 5, 2021. https://studycorgi.com/cultural-differences-kenyans-malaysians-chinese-and-americans/. @iphone4g. After the handshake it is the norm to ask questions about the health, their family, business and anything else you know about the person. Moroccan staples like tagine and couscous are designed to be eaten with your hands. When greeting someone with whom you have a personal relationship, the handshake is more prolonged than the one given to a casual acquaintance. Americans have no time to waste with greetings. By logging in or registering, you agree to our. Keep writing Mzee Moja without a care about the spelling of your pen name! Muslims believe that Prophet Muhammad was a prophet of God and should be respected in all aspects. 2 depicts Kenyans. No wonder simple ceremonies take forever in the village. In some comments, it seemed to discredit some tradations especially the Kenyan, like the sitting down to enjoy a meal rather than to eat on the go. Ati it is an indicator of self- confidence. However, there may be a special place for the most honoured guest. What was the point of this haphazard article, if it was to portray the differences, it failed, if to educate, it failed. In general, Kenyans give gifts for events of significance in a persons life or days of religious significance. Poor Moody Awori tried to introduce the National Dress, we told him, why fix something thats not broken. ha ha. I once saw a driver shaving as he drove to work. Compare that to our people who get married to one wife and one or two mpango wa kando for life. Beyond your first assertion about food wastage, which is generally true relative to Kenya and perhaps the rest of the world, the rest of your observations are entirely wrong. Vacations were more often a trip to a cottage on a lake or ocean by car. OMG, the dressing here is ridiculously bad. At the age of eighteen especially for men, culture dictates that a man should innovate his or her way of doing things. NO ONE should ever just drop in without a phone call to allow us to tidy up the house. Other major ethnic groups include the Luhya (14%), Luo (13%), Kalenjin (12%), Kamba (11%), Kisii (6%) and Meru (6%). I once had a visit couple from Germany and the lady insisted we must sit dow for meals, now for the American I have become my dinning table had been replaced by a desk with a computer on it. Culture and attitude almost deceptively underpin most of our actions, thoughts and aspirations. For newly established and more formal relationships, diplomacy will be of utmost importance. Kenya is a multilingual country. Yet, despite having these many languages, a foreigner can get around Kenya with relative ease by speaking English, or Kiswahili. Or developed world problems as we call them. UNIVERISTY OF CALIFORNIA DAVIS ARE 119 GROUP ASSIGNMENT PART II Please form groups of 4 to 6 people (not to exceed 7) for this assignment. Small dukas (roadside stores with a permanent structure) sell things like toilet paper, phone cards, eggs, and soda. Nyama choma - (roasted meat in Swahili) Kenyan staple; heavily roasted goat and beef are most common choices, usually eaten with hands and every bite dipped in a bit of salt. According to the population census of 2009, the population of the administrative region stands at 7.4 million with 95% being of Chinese origin and the remaining 5% being other nationalities and tribes. We sit down in a restaurant, order for tea and mandazi. About Thanksgiving. It is similar in Morocco, Egypt, and other Middle Eastern countries. For a married woman being fat means that the husband is able financially and can provide abundantly for his family. Showing anger is considered a sign of mental instability. In reply to Your discussion evidences the by Mwakilishi. People are always in a hurry from one job to another, from one appointment to the next. Kenya is an African state with a population of slightly over 40 million; the country has forty-two tribes with the Kikuyu as the dominant tribe. In case he is not likely to come fast, then he is served food in his absence as a show of collectivism. Gifts should be nicely wrapped, although there are no prohibitions concerning the colour of paper. If a person is deviant to the culture, before he is prosecuted in a court of law, culture demands that elders of a certain village should sit and try to handle the matter in so-called Kangaroo courts. Are you part of that "acceptable/proper dressing global committee" under the U.N that decides what is proper dressing and what is not? An American might find visiting a Muslim nation a shock for a simple reason: Alcohol is often either forbidden or very taboo. While many Westerners tend not to associate Africa with Islam, it is the most common religion on the continent. Zillennial Life. Ranked 37th. When is doubt, watch what others are doing and follow their lead. In rural areas, gifts of sugar or tea are quite common. Unless they are eating South Asian food not many other spices are used. [online] Available at: https://commisceo-global.com/resources/country-guides/afghanistan-guide [Accessed ENTER DATE]. The Campus Times staff has worked hard on a responsive web redesign. Electricity is notoriously hard to come by in Nigeria. Who are their designers again? They are nothing but a bunch of savages, dark like all, jigger-infested, and with brown teeth and lice infested hair." In fact, practical gifts are preferred. 1.93K subscribers. They are composed of two children (Anthropology, 2021). Kenyans waste time greeting and eating A Kenyan will greet you It is also up to you to read between the lines and decipher what may really being said. Much of the country lacks a power grid, and even in Lagos, the business hub, power can go off for hours at a time without notice. In United States, 36.2% of adults are obese as of 2016. A more peculiar phenomenon accompanying the extreme traffic is the prevalence of street hawkers walking up and down city streets and highways and selling just about anything you can think of. Back home, food is served in moderate portions so that if one needed more, they could always ask for more. Back home, having a phone has always been a privilege and very few people have iPods. You are better than that & you can rise higher than that. While I'm used to greeting and shaking hands with my right, it was very strange to try eating with my right hand. Beverages are not generally served with meals since Kenyans think it is impolite to eat and drink at the same time. In the United States, families are relatively, smaller in size. You are best served asking for clarification rather than making assumption. 2022 MyLifeElsewhere.com All rights reserved. Lakini go to Nairobi, and all colors of the rainbow are in exhibition. European style coffee shops in Nairobi. Ati Mzee Moja - I think it should be Mzee Mmoja, Kiswahili sanifu.acha zako bana! In Kenya, that number is 7.1% of people as of 2016. Masala chips - French fries coated with a tomato base and plenty of spices. In United States, approximately 91.0% of the population has internet access as of 2020. Americans provide a small tip on top of the total cost of their bill. 8. 34 New House, 67-68 Hatton Garden, London EC1N 8JY, UK. You need to read wider as your American education may not have prepared you fully as an intellectual. What about our love affair with hats? When you make an acquaintance with a Kenyan, and exchange phone numbers, you will likely be asked to 'flash' them, meaning, call their phone to confirm you have the correct number. It is the largest Arab country in the world. On my first trip to Africa (we arrived on a Sunday) we were impressed with the beautiful dresses and full make up on the woman. Afghanistan - Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette. NO ONE THROWS THE TURKEY AWAY. Mzee Moja, take a walk into the black community and interact more with them if you can and you can see no. Cultural Differences: Kenyans, Malaysians, Chinese and Americans. I moved to the US almost a year ago from Kenya and these my biggest culture shocks and main differences I noticed Socialization tools are responsible for the passing of culture from one generation to another; culture is not static, undergoes various adjustments and changes. To skip or rush this element in the greeting process is the height of poor manners.People are generally addressed by their academic, professional or honorific title followed by their surname. 2.2 Roles of prominent researchers in Europe and North America. People even have Sunday bests! How big is Kenya compared to United States? As a child, travel by air was a very special and rare experience. If you know that you are going to visit someone's house for lunch, it is advisable to warn them beforehand so they do not go to the expense of purchasing meat. Explore similarities and differences. Population: 51+ million (estimated - 2019.). A short intense period of honest love and then part ways with your spouse in divorce (American love). If this was Ngugi wa Thiogo Or Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie I think such critism would be fair. Regions and countries are sometimes as different from one another as America is from them. StudyCorgi, 5 May 2021, studycorgi.com/cultural-differences-kenyans-malaysians-chinese-and-americans/. Beyond the turkey, they will make mountains of pies, corn on the cob, mashed potatoes and the whole gamut of mishmash added to a variety of drinks. If you are from a culture that prizes directness, you may wish to moderate your delivery style. Considering the issues with terrorism that both Nigeria and Kenya regularly experience, the tight security is understandable. Comparatively, those in Kenya have better quality of life. As my partner reminded me, she had experienced plenty of catcalls on the streets of New York and harassment related to her gender and race growing up in a suburb of Washington, DC. Retrieved from https://commisceo-global.com/resources/country-guides/afghanistan-guide. They are generally served at the completion of the meal. It is no wonder to see a girl nurse changing inside her car at the hospital parking lot; because she did not have time to do so between her two jobs. This led to lots of early-morning scrambling to pack my bags. Kenyans pride themselves on their emotional control and expect the same in others. Most in kenya not only "waste time in greetings", but we waste valuable time in daily life, man-hours, money, resources and so we cannot afford to "waste" food, because in the first place there is no food to waste. Many other African countries, like Kenya, Tanzania, and Ethiopia, have cuisines designed to be eaten with your hands. The article tels the truth, is not researche and the truth is simply told that only a fool like iphone4g and his comrades look at the "shorter" picture. Americans also question and contradict their superiors openly, within reason, while in India, this would be seen as disrespectful and rude. What about in Americ? Just relax people. While traveling in Egypt and Morocco in December and January, my partner experienced harassment and verbal abuse related to both her gender and her race and was even followed particularly when I was not with her on the street. While it varies greatly from country to country, it is fair to say that in most African and Middle Eastern countries, you should avoid leading with your left hand. I know that because half of the Taarifa ya Habari in the evening was dedicated to the Presidents diary. Even deep in the village where fridges only exist in peoples dreams, githeri that was cooked on Saturday will be food for the family for almost a week. Although the official languages are Swahili and English, there are actually a total of 62 languages spoken in the country (according to Ethnologue). Or not. We do not dress well. 7 times more than Kenya. (2021, May 5). Culture and customs of Saudi Arabia. This makes it difficult for Americans to the Kenyan culture or Kenyans, to adapt to the American culture. The practice is different from the American style where after a man or woman establishes his or her date, they openly show it in the public. This results in wide-ranging cultural differences even for closely neighbouring countries. I once worked in a certain place where greetings would take a whole five minutes! It includes relatives on both sides of the family as well as close friends. In the process of socialization, human beings adopt a certain culture; culture is defined as commonly experienced attributes and traits that can be seen in a homogenous group of people mostly living within the same locality. A 2013 United Nations study found that over 99% of Egyptian women said they had been harassed. Family is a key difference between the American and Kenyan cultures. Capital: Nairobi. Americans waste a lot of food Make no mistake, the sheer amount of food wasted in one county in the USA per day is 2. United States spends 16.8% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2019. In America Spanish is one of the only other languages spoken. WebThe data for each country can be found here: Kenya and United States Native languages Religions Data inventory and updates A country comparison like this can be based on