In the morning I got a mail from Bridget which said, "Today, don't forget my chitenge."
A chitenge is an African wrap skirt. I can't understand what she's saying.
She is my friend's sister. She has a husband and a baby. Today I have an appointment with her for lunch at her place. Why does she demand me to bring her chitenge? I don't have her chitenge. Does she want me to buy a chitenge for her? Her husband is a government officer, they're not poor.
In Japan, if you're invited to someone's place for lunch or supper, you're expected to bring something for them. For example, flowers, sweets, or a bottle of wine. It's an expression of "Thank you for inviting me." There's the same custom in Zambia, so is she demanding something from me?
Another possibility.
In Zambia you can find people on the street who beg you for some money. They think you can afford to do that because you look rich. She's doing the same thing as them?
In Japanese culture, begging for something from other people without a special reason is a shameless attitude. And if someone asks you to do something, doing everything possible is considered a faithful attitude.
So I'm wondering if she's saying that for a special reason, Zambian custom or is it just a joke? Should I find a chitenge for her?
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