How Americans Can Overcome Culture Shock In Africa
For your journey to Africa, our family recommends the books and courses of Dr. Jospeh Mbele, a Tanzanian professor and Cultural Consultant.
Recently, we read his amazing book, Africans and Americans: Embracing Cultural Differences, and he has an incredible course that we took called, A Course for African Americans Moving to Africa.
Enrollment for this self-paced video curriculum is available now.
You can find his book Africans and Americans: Embracing Cultural Differences on Amazon (we make a small commission when you use our link).
Dr. Mbele’s work has blown us away and enlightened us in many areas surrounding African culture, and Tanzanian culture specifically.
Below are just a few of our key takeaways.
- Africans don’t keep track of every dollar
- Africans like to build and maintain relationship
- In the market, they like to haggle and negotiate. They expect to get to know you and become their friend
- You should get together with Africans who have lived in the U.S. They can give you great nuggets of how to interact and understand cultural nuances
- Africans don’t see life through a racial lens, Americans do
Like we always say: research, research, RESEARCH.
The best part about the book and the course is how Dr. Mbele presents the best parts of African/Tanzania and American culture (he has lived and worked in the United States for over 20 years).
He doesn’t demonize anyone’s culture. As he likes to say, “My culture is weird, and yours is too.”
We have walked away emboldened to see more of the continent and its people and share in organic cultural exchange. It’s okay that we are different and there’s plenty to learn from one another.
We already believed this, but having experienced some of the doctor’s work, we feel even more refreshed having gained much more understanding.
The professor is more than happy to talk with curious people in his YouTube comments, on social media, and via email. We’ve exchanged messages recently, and he has a very warm spirit about him.
You can find more of his writing on his website.
So whether you’re just visiting an African country, or moving there for good, you have got to get these materials, they’ll only enrich your experience in the Mother Land, more!
And as always, you’re invited to check out our expat resources, too.
We based all of our materials on our own experiences traveling abroad, and the stories of trusted fellow travelers to help you move overseas with as little fuss as possible – and live abroad permanently.
Peace and blessings in your travels!
~ The Bradleys