Profesa Amekifurahia Kitabu

Ni kawaida yangu, kuchapisha maoni ya wasomaji wa vitabu vyangu. Leo nimepata ujumbe kutoka kwa profesa moja ambaye alihudhuria mkutano wa Africa Network nilioshiriki kuuandaa hapa chuoni St. Olaf.

Profesa huyu Mmarekani anawapeleka wanafunzi wa ki-Marekani Kenya na Rwanda. Katika mkutano wetu, aliongelea programu hiyo, akielezea jinsi tofauti za tamaduni zinavyojitokeza.

Nilivutiwa na mhadhara wake, kwa kuwa nami ni mzoefu wa programu hizi za kupeleka wanafunzi Afrika, ikiwemo Tanzania. Nilimpelekea kitabu changu cha Africans and Americans: Embracing Cultural Differences, naye ameniandika ujumbe huu:

Dear Joseph,

There were several wonderful things that came from my attending the Africa Network conference. Meeting you and learning more is one. I just finished your book and enjoyed it so much. It made me laugh out loud and understand my Kenyan teaching colleague even more. I have been both to Rwanda and Kenya many times and am aware of many of the situations and misunderstandings you describe. I’ve shared my thoughts with Kitito and we hope to use your book in some way for our spring Cultural Identity course. 

Thanks again.

Ninashukuru kwamba kitabu hiki kinatoa mchango ambao nilipangia nilipokiandika, ikiwemo kuwaelimisha wanaohusika na programu za kupeleka wanafunzi Afrika. Msukumo wa kukiandika ulitoka katika mikutano ya jumuia ya vyuo iitwayo Associated Colleges of the Midwest (ACM), na baada ya kukichapisha, wahusika wa programu zingine nao wanakitumia. Mifano ni programu ya  chuo kikuu cha Wisconsin-Oshkosh na pia program ya chuo cha Gustavus Adolphus, ambayo nimeitaja mara kwa mara katika blogu hii.