7 misconception some Sierra Leoneans have about foreign nationals.

These are 7 misconceptions some Sierra Leoneans have about foreign nationals (White People) living in Sierra leones. Everyone is a unique version of it’s own regardless of their similar race, region or country of origin.

1: All foreign nationals are brilliant and can answer any question.

People are not intelligent because of their race or their country of origin. But by their love and dedication for knowledge. There are some foreign nationals that are not brilliant. I know many Sierra Leoneans that are brilliant than some “Whitman” foreign nationals.

2: All foreign national are rich.

That’s not true. They might be comming from rich countries but does not mean they are rich. You might be living in kono but that does not mean you have or may have see a diamond. Some are missionaries volunteers and freshmen and received little or no salary. Although there other that have huge salary but that’s only a small percentage, not all.

3: “White woman, I love you, I want you, I want to marry, would you take me to America?.

That’s crazy huh, but they almost always have guys saying that do them everyday.

All white girl (foreign lady) is looking for a relationship.

Not all white lady you meet in the street, on the beach or at the club is looking for an African guy. Some are in marriage or relationship. Others missionaries while there are many that want a break.

4: All foreign nationals (Whitman) have light or bad stomach.

I have met some white People that can eat almost anything they see someone eating. Some na Custerment dem na cookery bafa. Although its very good for us to be selective of what we are giving them to eat. There are many people living in developed countries that have aligic. As compired to us in developing countries. But not everyone of them.

5: All foreign nationals (whitman) are lazy.

They might be kind, humble and playful that doesn’t mean they are lazy because they are white. I have met a guy in his 50’s that was stronger than some of my friends ( that doesn’t mean all my friends are lazy). There are some that are very skillfull and are good fighters. You don’t need respect only the stronger, respect everyone of them.

6: All foreign nationals have religion.

You na Christian or you na Muslim? Aaaaa you na natin.

Its very embarrassing whenever we ask them such questions. Because of our society we believed that someone is either a Muslimv or a Christian. And we tend to apply it to everyone in the world. Some people (not only white people) don’t believe in God and others don’t have a religion.

Yet not having a religion or faith in a God doesn’t means the person is devil or wicked. I have met some white people that are atheist and and very kind, hospitable than some Christians.

7: (A) All foreign national are polite.

(B) All foreign national are arrogant.

Neither of the above statement are true about foreign nationals. if they always say “Please” ,”thank you ” and “Sorry” doesn’t means they are polite. And if they sometimes use the “f” word doesn’t mean they are all arrogant. It’s the person you meet that might be polite or arrogant and not everyone of them. As humans our cultures, norms and the entire society have a great influence on us and our diction. Some are in a society where the “f” word is not a bad word. And others are in a society where they say “Please” “Sorry” and “thank you “for everything.

All I wanted to establish is thats it’s always wrong to generalised humankind. Even if we do it’s among our people grouping ( enthic groups). We must not have any stereotype about any particular people.We most learn to take every individual as a piece of it’s own. Never use “all” when talking about any group of people even if you think it’s the fact. You might know,

Human are different and very dynamic. Not everyone in Britain speak English, only 98% do. So you see

Adop say wande den go tell wi udat wi bi nrto bikus of wi kolar but wetin de inside wi”

Matin Luta king

I have a dream that one day…..not to be judge by the color of their skin but by the content of their character”

Martin Luther king

If you have all these and need more.You need to take a kushe Krio trans session.

Sierra Leone: 8 Amazing facts every foreign national that wants to live and work in Sierra Leone must know about Sierra Leone Krio.

Eight things every foreign national that want to live or work in Freetown most know about Sierra Leone Krio.


1. Languages breaks barriers.

As a foreign national talking Krio will help you to break language barriers and open many doors in  for you Sierra Leone. Even if you only know five Krio words,  use it in every of your conversation. Eg; “Ar de do fayn” ,”wok fayn”, “food fayn” , “Altin fayn fayn”.

2: Krio language it’s a unique

Krio language is a unique Language on its own. As a foreign national you will hear some very bad English sentence but are prefect Krio sentence. You just need to accept and learn it’s structure like anyone other foreign language eg; “Ar go call you back”, “When ar cross check”, “You need for reverse backward”.

3: Krio have lot of English word but that’s doesn’t mean you know the language.

English words comming to Krio sometimes changes it’s meaning and it’s pronounciation Eg; Alex get kol at ( Alex have cold heart) it’s like a translation but still two opposite sentences .”Cold heart” in Krio means “Peace” while in English its means “heartless”

4: Krio language have 7 vowels instead of the English 5 vowels.

You might think it’s not important for you because you just want to learn to talk the language. But knowing it’s structure help you to pronounce word well and remember sentence . If you went  to the market and said you want vegetable ( in a British or an American accent) they would say they don’t have it .We called it vegetable, same spelling huh but different pouncesion. Our Krio vowel are clearer and sharper than the English vowels.

5: Most Krio speaker hardly pronounce “H”and “S” in a start of a sentence.

Just ask someone to pronounce ” Harold ” they would say “arol” and in other words like house ( os), hannah(Ana) horse (us) and many more. This is the dynamic of our language and it’s beauty.

6: If your Krio speaker speaks slower , you can understand about 70 % of what he is saying.

So whenever someone speak krio  too fast just tell them ” talk slow slow “or “talk saful saful”. This is the same for any foreign language.

7: You don’t need to speaks 100% Krio words in a sentence.

Infact Krio is made up of about 50% English words. So you can talk few Krio words as you can. You only need to master your joining words like “na“, “de“, “en” and others.

8. Don’t be ashame

If you talk Krio small small and someone smile at you or even laugh. They are not laughing  at you at all,  they are just admiring you. Don’t be intimidated. It’s just like a black man talk a pure British English with a britsh accent.

If you have all these and need more. You need to take a Krio lessons with kushe Krio lessons.
Picture taken during a kushe Krio lessons in Freetown, Sierra Leone at the pleasure of the client.