The next step is to speak the lingo, often stealing from English. For instance, instead of saying you're "mzuri", you might say you're "fit". This kind of high-school level English sets you apart from your rural countrymen and marks you as a legitimate resident of Dar es Salaam.
I suppose English is one sign that you're worldly.
So I wonder: is the exclusively white-person sign in the above picture aiming for mbongo appeal?
At any given moment near that advertisement for thousand-dollar equipment, dozens of Tanzanians wait for sweaty, 25-cent seats in the public transit system. They may be mbongo, but I wouldn't think they're the type to spend on fancy electronics.
But when I finally took that picture, I noticed something in it that could change my perspective.
