Chelsea Waithera Munderu

Kenya

Visiting Wajir County

Beyond the dusty road, lay a beautiful homestead in Wajir county, Kenya, about 100 meters away from the main road. We were graciously welcomed by Ishmael’s mother, who was wearing a beautiful smile adorned in her Somali attire. She had already prepared a scrumptious meal of rice and mutton, accompanied by camel milk. During the meal, we all sat on a mat and shared the food from one plate. It was quite shocking, since I was accustomed to everyone in our family eating separately. After the meal, Ishmael’s father explained that the tradition helped in fostering family relations and promoted the sharing culture. Needless to say, Muslims are generally generous people. Ishmael’s mother and sisters were all dressed modestly, and they had covered their hair. I was, however, not criticized for not dressing like them. It was touching to see that despite our differences, Ishmael’s family was accommodating and did not resent me for being different from them. I learned firsthand the need to respect other people’s cultural differences, and decided I would make a point of learning other people’s cultures in Kenya to bridge our cultural differences.