tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6190274.post108906082373211871..comments2023-10-15T08:19:02.024-04:00Comments on Garvey's Ghost: Black Talk: Of Bantus and Bill sondjatahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06770540934297277676noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6190274.post-1141172265910303592006-02-28T19:17:00.000-05:002006-02-28T19:17:00.000-05:00On : 7/7/2004 12:37:57 PM d sekou (www) said:Have ...On : 7/7/2004 12:37:57 PM d sekou (www) said:<BR/><BR/>Have to agree with that observation. The African refugee children i have met while volunteering in a local afterschool program are so sweet , mannerly , and POLITE that it is almost unreal .<BR/><BR/>They make a point of saying hello and goodbye to every adult upon arriving and leaving everyday and often emphasize their gratitude to us with a hug and say "Thankyou for helping me with my schoolwork" .<BR/><BR/>Unlike our kids , they know their basics in math and the only trouble they have is in Language arts because english is not their primary tongue .<BR/><BR/>It is so refreshing to work with kids who appreciate ANYTHING that you do for them , say "PLEASE" and "THANKYOU" regularly and actually WANT to learn ..They only fight to defend themselves from the constant taunts, attacks and insults from the MANY rotten-acting grammar-school-dropout bullies among our own kids .<BR/><BR/>A sister i know who visited Senegal reported seeing as many as twenty kids at night under a street light doing math problems with sticks in the dirt instead of paper and pencil , while the oldest kid held a ragged ,worn textbook and called out the numbers .<BR/><BR/>Over here we exalt the worst characteristics in us and ridicule and put down our qualities that are the best . We now reject and make fun of the things that once made us a great people .<BR/>...sad.sondjatahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06770540934297277676noreply@blogger.com