Top Ten Things You Should Know Before Coming to Africa

10. You have to be careful when saying hello to someone in Swahili. Jambo means hello, jamba means I have gas.


9. The lines on the road are merely suggestions for drivers.


8. If an African tells you he will pick you up at 9:00 and he gets there at 9:59 he considers that on time.


7. A matatu is the primary means of public transportation in Kenya. Matatus are small vans that in America would seat about ten people. In Kenya they can hold as many as 21 people. Trust me, I know.




6. If you order 2 scrambled eggs for breakfast, don’t be shocked if you get 2 orders of scrambled eggs.


5. When walking through the slums you need to be on the alert for flying toilets. There is no proper sanitation in the slums so when slum dwellers go to the bathroom they put it in a plastic bag and throw it!


4. The most dangerous thing in Africa is not the wild animals, it’s crossing the street.


3. If an African tells you the place you are going is not far, don’t get your hopes up.


2. The Swahili word for a white person is mzungu. It translates to “here’s a sucker we can get to
pay twice as much for our trinkets.”


1. Never leave home without a roll of toilet paper. (You don’t want to know.)