wtorek, 25 stycznia 2011

A boring mzungu in a bookshop

Novel Idea bookshop in Mikocheni, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

- Excuse me, I have been trying to find something but in vain.
Will I get any book on civil society in East Africa?
(puzzled look of the bookseller)
- Ehmmm... human rights? Where would you have books on human rights?
- Follow me, please - the lady shows me the way among dozens of bookshelves.
When we stop she points one with a badge "Humour".
- We have here, many books on humour.
- I don't think you quite got what I meant. I didn't want "humour", I wanted "human rights" - H-U-M-A-N-R-I-G-H-T-S
- On human rights we don't have, but we have many books on humour.

I must be very boring.