GrowingUpInNigeria

(QuestionandAnswerformat)

SoontobeSenior,KikiSawyerfromFlowerMoundHighSchool,hasastorythatnotmany
peopleyouknowhave.ShegrewupinNigeria,Africaandsheisheretotellushowshecopes
withthedifferencesandthekindofquestionsthatshesaskedinhereverydaylife.

Sources:

1. TokiUchechi
2. UrennaEgbujor
3. JamesCopeland

Okay,IaskedKikisomequestionsandhereishowitwent:

QI:Canyoupleasesayyournameandspellitplease?

A:WellmyfirstnameisactuallyKikespelledKIKE,butImadeitKikiherebecauseit
waseasierforthemtopronounce.

Q:Okay,thankyou.YourecurrentlyaJuniouryes?

A:Iam

Q:Whenyoucameherewhereyoualreadyajunior?Orsomethingelse?

A:Actually,Imsupposedtobeaseniorthisyearbutbecauseofmyage,whichis15,by
theway,Iwaspulledbacktorepeatsophomoreyear.

Q:Interesting.Whenyourepeatedsophomoreyear,wasitharderhereorinNigeria?

A:Itwasboth.Isthatstrangeorconfusingtosay?Somestuffwasharderbutother
thingswereeasierforme.

Q:Whataresomeofthequestionsyougetaskedinyoureverydaylifeplease?

A:Ohwow,Igetaskedalotofweird,funny,strangeandstraightupracistthings.For
example,Igetasked,CanyouspeakEnglishwell?Doyouhavealion?Haveyou

metSimba?Doyouhaveebola?Dolionsrunupanddownyourhouseeveryday?
Itsjustwow.

Q:Dontworry,Icanrelate.Whatarethedifferencesinschoolsforyou?
A:Well,onethingis,thefreshmendonthavetheirowncampus,wedontcallthem
freshmeneither.InNigeria,wedonthavepassingperiods.Ifyourelate,yourelate.
Theresalot.Notallowedphones,extensionsormakeup.Wehadtotakenotesandwear
uniforms.

Q:Hm,andAmericaingeneral?

A:Werespectpeopleawholelotmorethere.Itsreallystrangetoseekidsdisrespecting
theirparents.BackwhereImfrom,youbestnottrythatifyouvalueyourlife.Thefoodis
nottraditionalatall.UmItisalotmoredevelopedbutthatsastoryforlater.The
vocabulary!Getsinthewayofmyeverydaylife.Imsureyougetthestruggletoo.

Q:Doyoumindsharing?

A:Wellyousee,atimefarback,NigeriawasactuallyricherthanAmerica.Strangeright?
Americansactuallyusedtodreamofgoingoverthere.ButthenNigeriadidnthaveany
refineriesfortheoil,sowesenttheoilAmericatoberefined.ButAmericasoldourown
oilbacktousforalargeamountofmoney.AndthatwasNigeriasdownfall.

Q:Iknow!Iheardaboutittoo.Suchasadthing.Whatlanguagedoyouspeak?

A:IspeakIgboandYorubabutmostlyIgbo.

Q:Metoo.Kedu?

A:Odinmadalu

Q:Sorrybacktotheinterview.Hasyourexperienceherehelpedyougainanabilityto
communicateeffectivelywithinandamongdiverseculturalgroups?Ifso,canyoucite
specificexamples?

A:Yes,becausewealmosthavethesamesituation.

Q:.Canyoudescribeasituationinwhichyoufeltitnecessarytostandupforyour
country?Forexample,hastherebeenasituationinwhichyouneededtoclarifythe
stereotypesorassumptionsaboutyourhomeculture?Howdidyouhandlethat
situation?

A:Forsure.ThemediaportrayswhereIcomefromaspoor,ugly,stressfuland
underdeveloped.SoIvehadtodefendNigeriaonnumerousoccasions.Imusuallycalm
aboutitbecauseitsnottheirfaultbutsometimesIgetfrustrated.

Q:Howcomeyouchosetocomehere?

A:Iactuallydidnt.IwouldhavemuchpreferredCaliforniaorsomethingbutmyfamily
movedtoTexassoIhadto.

Q:Howlonghaveyoubeenhere?

A:Ummm,ayearandafewmonths.

Q:Andfinally,whatareyoumostandleastfavouritethingsabouttheU.S?

A:MymostfavouritethingaboutthingabouttheU.Sisdefinitelythemalland
technology.MyleasthastobethenostalgiaIfeeleverytimeIthinkabouthome,you
know?

End:Idoknow,andthankyouforyourtimeKiki.Haveaniceday.