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From the motherland to the 'free' lana African students c By SERENA HOLMES Staff Writer Imagine people believing that you live in trees and eat insects when the truth is that you are a middle-class citizen of an established nation. Funeka Mbulawa, Roger Mouafo, Muctaru Kabba and Felix Fojrlemu have heard generalizations like this often. eral Americans have doubted her origin simply because her complexion is not a dark brown. Forlemu, a humanities graduate student from Cameroon, said the pictures of the rural poor in some African nations are often believed to represent the entire continent. "You never see the cities. There are cities in Africa ... that are much, much, much more beautiful than the cities here in the United States," he said. - - :J| ; "We have big families, and not everybody has the privilege to be educated. So when you're starting out, the family tends to depend on you a lot." Muctaru Kabba, student from Sierra Leone, Africa When he visited Washington, D.C. this past year, Forlemu said he v/as shocked by the level of poverty that the homeless there live in. Fie said he understood they were only a segment of the nation. "If somebody comes here and takes their picture (and says) 'Jhat is the image of the United States. People live like this,' it's not fair," he said. ' Many African students said if African families were like some Amerinone tKinlr tVi/%?> J ? ? A C-!? 1 jt t * - * - * vai.o umiiv. uity aic, cvciy uiaiiicu man in /virica wouiu nave a muiuiuac of wives. In the past, polygamy was widespread in Africa. It still has a place in African society today, Forlemu said. In Cameroon, polygamy is legal, but many Cameroonians are satisfied with one mate, he said. "Our parents sort of broke that link. We, the younger generation, haven't grown (up) in such a polygamous atmosphere. We don't see why we should marry more than one wife," he said. Marriage is highly respected in Africa, Forlemu said, and gender roles are distinct. Mouafo, an economics graduate student from Cameroon, said men in his country appear to have more authority in the home than they do in America. He said the woman is always consulted before decisions are made that concern the family. ' ? ,?!?!?I?i?I f r r r r r rrrrrrj-rrrrr-rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrri rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrfrrrrrrr rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrri r-rrrrrrrrrf-rrrrrrrrrrr-rrrrrr-rrrf-r-i-i-r-r-r-f-i-f-f-r 1 ' Student Media is Currently Accepting Applications For The Following Positions: f\n Resume Waiting 11:00 AM, Room 202, Russell Hoi 2:00 PM, Room 208, Russell Hor Resume design, marketing your leadership skills, hands Ppreft For Success wHfr RaHo 12:00 Noon, Room 203, Russell He Informal presentation of interviewing ensembles, "do's a: frrterviewi'tig Technique*? 1:00 PM, Room 202, Russell Hon 3:00 PM, Room 202, Russell Hou Ten toughest interviewing questions and how to answer them, questions y/Womenss^ < STUDENT / ^i^ERVICE^ Student Life, Division of Student Aflkh rrA^ The Gamecock j) ^ \y\ 1Editor-in-chief, Summer 1991 & 4 'hPrfin/2 1717 Editor-in-chief, Fall 1991 %fCl Hyff PORTFOLIO j 1 fi!T S h magazine kJ // Editor-in-chief, 1991-92 Garnet & Black V,Editor-in-chief, 1991-92 |?f WGSC-FM leSB Station Manager, 1991-92 Applications are available in the Student Media W Office, Russell House 313. DEADLINE: 5PM FRIDAY, MARCH 22nd, 1991 For More Information, Call 777-3888 LOCAL presents "How Positive are You Tl Dr. Ruth Ann Fox-h In a Seminar On Positive ' /?Everyone Invited 1 Russell House Rm. 332 J jpjffiFPf/ March 6, 1991 OFF CAMPUS STUDENT S I ? Women... Careers... Succt in honor of Women's History Mom Wednesday, March 6,1001 The Career Center presents a Workshop to Prepar that Special Job All Students. Join us for one or more of the 1 f lispel U.S. cliches In South Africa, not even the traditional family unit has escaped the influence of Apartheid. Women whose husbands are either imprisoned or constantly active in the struggle now have more responsibilities, Mbulawa said. Although these women must discipline and provide for their familie: now, they do not see themselves as equal substitutes for the men, sh< said. Before marriage, many Africans are free to date the person of thei choice, just as in America. However, some American rules of the dating game aon t apply m Airica, Mbulawa said. "At home, when you like each other, it's not a very complicated issue It's not as complex as it is here," she said. South Africans don't waste much time being subtle about their feel ings, she said, and a dating relationship can begin within a month. Also there is no mystery about possible skeletons in a person's closet. "All I have to do is contact the family. The family's background i< easy to find out," she said. Unlike Americans, Cameroonians in their early teens don't hit the dating scene, Forlemu said. "In fa^t, at that age, they know almost nothing About half (of the Cameroonians) date for the first time when they get tc the university," he said. Coming to America to study can also require a social life adjustment Forlemu said some of his American friends tease him about being sc serious about school. He said the education most African students get in America is fundet solely by their families. To fail and return home empty-handed would b< a disgrace. Kabba, who is from Sierra Leone, is waiting to begin his graduate program. He said most African students don't have the privilege of fo cusmg on ineir own neeas wnen tney graduate. "We have big families, and not everybody has the privilege to be edu cated. So when you're starting out, the family tends to depend on ycu i lot. You have to probably end up helping others get educated," he said. African society is not the only thing that some non-Africans are clueless about Many African students said they are surprised by the numbei of times they have given informal geography lessons to American students. By some dbcounts, the continent was thought to be smaller thar California, Florida and even New York. ^ Despite the negative perceptions she has heard, Mbulawa said she has seen positive changes. "It's getting better. There's more interest in Africa. With Mandela coming here, people are more aware; they can see that we have good leaders. It's getting there; slowly but surely," she said. - r r r r rr rr r r r r rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr r r r r rrrrrrrrr rrrrrr rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr LLONUf LOSETOUR LICENSE. : .rrrrrrrrrrr rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr r|_r|_r|_r|_r|_rt_r^r^r^r<_r>_r_r _ r_ r^r_r r_r^r_r_r_r_r^r^r^r^r^r_r_r rrrrrrrrrrr ^ shampoo/cut/style color (frosting or 0 * perms highlighting foil or cap) 0 spiral perm waxing 0 pedicures manicures (tips) j$Q A A off complete $r A A off all chemical 0 t-Javrvr cut & style (men & women) OavFvr services !?>> WALK-INS WELCOME RML .|[00 631 Harden St. j W 799-0234 'Upstairs" The Gamecock l-""?? ??? Student Newspaper is TPTJIT I7T7t\ printed, in part, on * JlH r rLU recycled paper. Remember to 'The P< RECYCLE USC Recycling Dumpster Located on Sumter Street near the corner of Blossom ^ For More Information Call 5:00pm Dinesh D'S< Research Fellow at the Americar Former Reagan White House Se ERVICES Former Editor, Dartmo Spom >ss PLEASE a* HELP KAPPA / e You for Getting D ELTA /4 l ^ bllowing sessions: ise \ tse \ K)n resume writing \ & >use -Wr ad don'ts" for dress 1 3e se C how to respond to sexist DONATIOt COMITTE rs Professor ) NBC taped in Columbia from Feb. 27 to Sunday. According to Love, the new crew interviewed fellow professors, students, friends and family while shooting film at the university, her home and church. rney wanted to see what I do s full-time rather than part-time and ; capture the work that I've been involved in all those years," Love r said. > "They've shot all kinds of film," Rhett Jackson, owner of the Happy Bookseller, said. Jackson was also a Methodist delegate to the Seventh Assembly. "I think it will be great for the United Methodist Church and for the World Coun; cil," he said. NBC began taping Love in Canberra, Australia in late January as she prepared for the Seventh As? romKl., W?1J jviuuij UI lilt VVU11U V^UUIIUII Oil Churches. She has been an active member of the council since 1975. , NBC has also been taping various aspects of the council since 1975. Yet NBC only recently chose 1 Love as a featured person in the 5 documentary. "NBC has archives of tape since 1975, and they kept ? noticing me cropping up in their tape," Love said. "They asked me if I would be willing to be their 'human face.'" 1 As an affiliate member of the Wesley United Methodist Church, Love was invited to the Fifth As' sembly in Nairobi as a youth delegate in 1975. She has been a memi ber of the council's executive and central committees and chairperson ? of the council's Unit of Justice and Service program since 1983, Un' ited Methodist Communications Coordinator Victoria Shearin said. This was her third assembly. j Spring Showers. | SPRING HOUS I Three events you won't \ I iSff::. J? , Note: Three halls have had r publications and will be assess $749; UT $657/$717 ; ps- -;. : ' ' : ERALIST SOCIETY clitics of Race on Campus" iVednesday, March 6,1991 7:00 i U.S.C. Law School Auditorium Public Invited Learn the A *What is behi: / i I *Why are some < Mf i hom< *What is the New S What are the co V ! Culture courses i A question an ouza i Enterprise Institute, nior Policy Analyst, uth Review iored in Association with Young America's Fc ^ AH y '^2 Ei h f- m \S V / 5A Skate-a-t tommorrow, March 7 in Greene Street in fn of the Russell House sis will go to the :e for the prevei child abuse. Continued from page 4 The Work Council on Churches involves more than just members of the United Methodist Church. According to the United Methodist publication the Interpreter, the council brings together the historic Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches and Protestant groups such as the Baptists, Lutherans and Methodists as well as younger Pentecostal bodies and independent churches around the world. "The council has been in existence since 1948 and has been working to bring about Christian unity since then," Love said. The council is the most representative body of Christians that exists, she said. The council has a large assembly every six to eight years with delegates from more than 300 member churches, Love said. The Duroose of the assembly is to set priorities for the council while celebrating Chistian unity. This year the justice and service unit "worked to make statements on current issues of the day" during the assembly, Love said. In Australia, the unit passed eight statements for educational purposes. "A statement is a representation of all these member churches speaking concert voices," Love said. Though the Persian Gulf War and the plight of the Australian Aboriginal people were predominant issues, the unit also discussed such topics as racism, the theology of creation and women's rights. "The fact that there was a war of global proportions made a big difference at our meeting. The war helped illustrate in very graphic terms the importance for Christians to place an emphasis on peace with justice," Love said. V' : ' v.vX;:v':::: ivx-" c d u . Dprmy Dfeavv. INC SIGN-UP. vant to miss this spring! rtisprinted rates in previous >d as follows: Wade Hampton ; NADA $657/$760. PRESENTS : and Sex ).m. Answers to the Following: nd the so-called "Resurgence of Racism"? college students forced to accept osexual roommates? iegrcgation on American Campuses? nsequences of dropping Western n favor of "Diversity" courses? id answer period will follow. mndation \ / our Skate-a-thon. hon 7 1 ont * / ! NATIONAL MTION OF kd-106