Receive greetings from Kenya guys. The life I have experienced in Kenya has diversified my point of view about different cultures. In Kenya, life has proved to be fun and thrilling to my family and me since the traditions there are different compared to the customs that I am used to in the United States. I will highlight the differences between the Kenyan culture and the United States culture, pointing out cases where the two cultures merge. My objective of writing this letter to you is to assist you and other people to recognize the basics of the two cultures from my point of view.
Freedom is an essential legal aspect in any modern society. In Kenya, freedom is a constitutional right that is enforceable by law when violated. The people in the country are allowed to do various things such as freedom of worship and freedom of speech among others. In the United States, the case is similar since the citizens can raise their opinions on various political, economic, and social issues affecting them through forums such as social media (Haustein). However, the degree of the freedom of individuals in Kenya in limited compared to the United States.
During my vacation in Kenya with my family, I had instances where I experienced how the police handle cases such as demonstrations in the country. There was one instance when my daughter Laura was in Nairobi City and students from a local university who were rioting, and they were attacked by violent General Service Unit law enforcers. In such situations, some of the residents and students in the city get ambushed with teargas and some even get caned by the police. In fact, she got tear gassed while she was attempting to escape the scenario but there was no one I could report the case to since that’s how rigid the system is, and the police I was supposed to report to were the ones manhandling the citizens. In the US, the case is different since the legal rights of individuals are not only stipulated in the constitution but also followed to the word.
The police department in Kenya is corrupt which makes lawbreakers to easily purchase their way out of legal suits, which is unlike the US where the law enforcers play their role actively and honestly exhibiting professionalism. There is instance where my wife Precious and I had gone for dinner at a restaurant in Nairobi and were heading to our rented house only to come across cops. In fact we had broken the law by being out that late but the only thing they asked for was a thousand Kenyan shilling note, which we gave them and walked away freely.
In any society, friendliness is a key aspect of growth. Kenyan people are amazing as proved by hospitality I received during my family vacation in the region. My son Curtis has a party organized for him by a few friends he has made in Mombasa during our stay. Normally, one would expect the locals to manhandle foreigners financially. The act cements the social integration of the Kenyan society, which unfortunately is not the case in the United States. In the US, people are so embedded in their personal affairs such that they forget the well-being of their neighbors. Statistically, the number of cases of stress-induced diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure is greater in the US compared to Kenya, which depicts the need for social interaction.
When it comes to meals, the residents of the United States tend to consume industry manufactured foodstuffs while in Kenya people prefer traditional foods. The situation can be attributed to the fact that in Kenya, there are various communities with their respective staple diets. During my visit, I got a chance to eat local foods such as Githeri and Ugali, which my family and I enjoyed a lot.
Cultural interaction results to social diversification which has the effect of opening up the individual to a variety of life forms. In the long run, such people tend to be flexible and can adapt to any environment as it presents itself, which is beneficial for individual growth and development. From my article, it is evident that not all aspects of two cultures in consideration are ethical; hence, through the interaction, the favorable traits can be exchanged.
I look forward to seeing you soon so that I can tell you more of these fantastic stories about the Kenyan culture. I have a lot to share with you when I arrive including the awesome Kenyan tourism sector which is flourishing due to its wide variety of features, wildlife, and beautiful coastal beaches.
It’s your friend Ben Curtis and his family writing from Kenya.
Thank you and see you soon.
Work cited
Haustein, Jörg. "Christianity, Politics And Public Life In Kenya". Pneuma 33.1 (2011): 134-135. Web.
