This is for us to get to know each other better.  Please use this page to ask me anything.  I haven't included people's names and where they're for legal and privacy purposes; however, if you have no problem with your name being added at the end of the question, please let me know.  

Here are a few questions that have been thrown my way:

Q.    How long have you lived in this country, Bella? 

A.    Since 1991.

Q.    What brought to this country

A.    I came to pursue a doctorate degree in Chemistry.

Q.    With four children, 10 and under, when do you get the time to write?

A.    I have an understanding husband, so I do most of my writing at night, after nine in the      evening when everyone is asleep.  At times, I don't get a chance to write and go for days with a conversation or an idea in my head.  My wonderful sisters-in-law fixed that when they bought me a tape recorder which has become very handy.  Before my last born was born, I would carry my lap top with me whenever I took my children to the playground, to their swim classes or gymnastics.  Of course living here helps too because I don't chitchat with other parents when I take my children to these activities.  I just keep to myself and do my thing.

Q.    What  tribe are you from? 

A.    I come from the tribe LUO.  My tribe is not as well-known as our cousins the Masaai, but we're both Nilotes, which means we've always lived along the Nile River.

Q.   Are you from a traditional family or a westernized one?

A.    That's a tricky one.  I guess it depends on one's definition of westernized.  My family, like most Luos, honor traditions that have been practiced my our ancestors for eons.  Case in point, when I got married, my husband who is African-American had to go home and pay dowry, otherwise my dad wasn't going to accept or recognize our marriage.  The wonderful man that he is (my hubby), he made sure he saved enough for both our trip there and the bride price, synchronized things with my older brothers who live in Nairobi, and did the right thing.  Unfortunately, I didn't go to the village with him because I was heavily pregnant at the time and couldn't chance getting malaria (we live around Lake Victoria and malaria-carrying mosquitoes are a menace there), but he was welcomed by my dad and uncles, aunties and my immediate family.  He enjoyed himself.  Luckily for him, we have a very modern house with modern amenities, including indoor plumbing, so he didn't feel like he was roughing it.  But the one thing he complained about were the size of bugs.  According to him, they were huge, and no one seemed to be bothered about them except him.

            Every member of my family is educated. Some have studied in England, Canada, or America.  I grew up watching JJ in Good Times, The Jeffersons, Sanford and Son, Different Strokes, Pink Panther cartoons, and American Soap Operas.  I even watched Roots after it caused such a wave here in America, cried over the suffering of Kunta and yahooed when his descendants triumphed.  I listened and loved African music but also enjoyed Jackson Five, Diane Ross and the Supremes, Cool and the Gang, to name a few artists.  I read Right-On and Jet magazine and had pictures of singers on my wall (I thought Jermaine Jackson was the bomb).  I grew up eating traditional dishes and western ones like pasta and  pizza.  I didn't wear pants or jeans until I was in college, went through greasy curls, relaxed hair, and weaves in my later years.  I guess you could say I'm both traditionalist and westernized African woman.

            No matter how bad things are back at home, I'm never ashamed of where I'm from or my people.  I've met too many Africans who put down their countries and countrymen.  I'm proud to be a Luo, but I don't define myself by my tribe only.  I think of myself as black person, a member of the Black Nation.  I teach my children things about Luo, Kenya without putting down other tribes (very juvenile), ancient civilizations in Egypt, Nubia, Ethiopia, Swahili coast, Songhai, Mali, and the Great Zimbabwe.  I embrace every black person I've met and every civilization a brown skinned person ever created.

Q.    Where do you find the men you describe in your books?

A.    Everywhere.  Some I've met and known personally, others have traits borrowed from different men.   

Q.     What's life like in Utah?

A.      Quiet.  People leave us alone now that they know we will never convert to a different religion.  We face discrimination quite a bit but nothing makes a family stronger or closer than going through trials together.  My family likes it here.  We're outdoor people, you know camping, skiing, long walks up the canyon.  My husband loves to ski.  He takes our first three kids with him every weekend.  I tried it a few times and my butt took too much beating.  I'm forty yeas old for God's sake. Why would I want to break my poor bones?  I prefer ice-skating, tried it and liked it.  Love the idea that I can see the exit and the walls are right there in case lack of friction and gravity gang up on me.  Imagine being stuck on top of some stupid hill and the only out is doing downhill.  Nuh, not my thing. 

MORE TO COME

Bella McFarland
bellamcfarland@netscape.net