日本人=>セネガルの中

In Senegal, there are only a few Japanese.
But there are many Chinese people. And for Senegalese, there is no difference between both.
So if you ask a Senegalese if there are many JAPANESE in Senegal, they will answer :
Biensur ! Il y a beaucoup de Chinois ! =__=' but don't be discouraged, someday soon, they will know there is a big difference between China and Japan. But for now they call all Asia China.
It's not to be mean but just because they don't know Chinese and Japanese.
They think that all Japanese and Chinese look alike. But I don't agree.
When I see a Japanese, I can feel that it's not a Chinese nor a Korean, just another country.
It's the same with us Africans. They think that Africa is one big country and we all look alike.
But it's not bad. I don't mind if you think I'm not Senegalese but Kenyan. I love all Africa and the whole world.
I love humanity.
There are more Chinese than Japanese in Senegal. That is a fact.
Why ? I have no idea.
There is a Japanese Embassy, I have been there to apply for the MEXT Scholarship. I didn't get it the first time but I intend on trying again. I met a few Japanese there that were very kind.
http://www.sn.emb-japan.go.jp/fr/culture.html
I think that the Embassy is a great building but to be honest, there is a lot that could be done.
They have a big number of books that could help us Japanese learners improve our level, but they are not accessible to us. Even though their cultural section is called A CULTURAL section, they don't do much. They organise an annual Haiku contest, a few Japanes movies, a language profeciency test and basta.
When I hear the word cultural, I see colours, movements, music and people. We clearly don't have the same concept.
What I mean is that I feel that they are not ambitious enough. They are not trying to show Senegalese what Japan is like to make them even go there. There are not showing the advantages of learning Japanese.
So Senegalese are afraid of going near them. A few Senegalese go to their embassy, but they always say the same things : c'est trop mort.
I know, embassy is a serious thing ... yeah, well a cultural section can be a bit more alive than what I saw.
Anyways, this is not a feedback XD it's just that from what I saw, I can only think that the Japanese government is not encouraging exchanges between Senegal and Japan.
It is sad because I thnk we have a lot in common and I'm sure that if Senegalese knew about Japan, they would be very interested.
My teacher at Cesag is a Japanese, she came through JICA. JICA is wonderfull initiative, but there should be student exchange programs. I'm sure that it would be a great experience on both sides.
But again, it's just words, no one cares what a 20 year old student thinks right ?
My fight is to change the conception Senegalese have of one big country called China that englobes all Asia. I love China a lot, but other countries there also deserve to be recognised. =)
I am really happy to meet Japanese people here because it is rare.