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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/aug/26/ifafricawasaschool-the-continent-in-playground-memes
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| #IfAfricaWasaSchool: the continent described in playground memes #IfAfricaWasaSchool: the continent described in playground memes | |
| (4 months later) | |
| There’s nothing like a few schoolyard memories to bring people together. | There’s nothing like a few schoolyard memories to bring people together. |
| Yesterday, thousands of Africans took to Twitter to gently mock their countries via the hashtag #IfAfricaWasASchool, and in doing so found both scathing and irreverent ways to describe what it’s like to live on the continent today. | Yesterday, thousands of Africans took to Twitter to gently mock their countries via the hashtag #IfAfricaWasASchool, and in doing so found both scathing and irreverent ways to describe what it’s like to live on the continent today. |
| It’s not the first time a hashtag has prompted a viral storm of jokes and stereotypes about African countries. Last year, users rallied around #IfAfricaWasABar, #WhatWouldMagafuliDo (in reference to Tanzania’s austere new president), and #SomeoneTellCNN, as the American news organisation mischaracterised Kenya as a “hotbed of terror”. | It’s not the first time a hashtag has prompted a viral storm of jokes and stereotypes about African countries. Last year, users rallied around #IfAfricaWasABar, #WhatWouldMagafuliDo (in reference to Tanzania’s austere new president), and #SomeoneTellCNN, as the American news organisation mischaracterised Kenya as a “hotbed of terror”. |
| So what would happen #IfAfricaWasaSchool? This is what we learned: | So what would happen #IfAfricaWasaSchool? This is what we learned: |
| #IfAfricaWasASchool school will commence at 3am so everyone is there by 8am because AFRICAN TIME pic.twitter.com/ykMGfl4pDT | #IfAfricaWasASchool school will commence at 3am so everyone is there by 8am because AFRICAN TIME pic.twitter.com/ykMGfl4pDT |
| For most students, 20th century African history would focus heavily on colonialism, except in one country: | For most students, 20th century African history would focus heavily on colonialism, except in one country: |
| .@_Almaqah every time Ethiopia reminds the other kids for the 1000th time it was never colonized #ifafricawasaschool pic.twitter.com/iM4nFl6NOO | .@_Almaqah every time Ethiopia reminds the other kids for the 1000th time it was never colonized #ifafricawasaschool pic.twitter.com/iM4nFl6NOO |
| Zimbabweans would always get the hardest deal in maths: | Zimbabweans would always get the hardest deal in maths: |
| #IfAfricaWasAschool Teacher: For our last exercise today, Convert $83,500 to your home currency, Zimbabwean: pic.twitter.com/7F2cBnECum | #IfAfricaWasAschool Teacher: For our last exercise today, Convert $83,500 to your home currency, Zimbabwean: pic.twitter.com/7F2cBnECum |
| Geography would be easier for some than others: | Geography would be easier for some than others: |
| #IfAfricaWasASchool*teacher calls Cape Verde at roll* Everyone else: pic.twitter.com/Fh8uAu7iEA | #IfAfricaWasASchool*teacher calls Cape Verde at roll* Everyone else: pic.twitter.com/Fh8uAu7iEA |
| And as in every school, some kids would get noticed more than others: | And as in every school, some kids would get noticed more than others: |
| Niger's that kid nobody knows that just sits in the back cause Nigeria steals all their light #IfAfricaWasASchool pic.twitter.com/hYAWFy46zg | Niger's that kid nobody knows that just sits in the back cause Nigeria steals all their light #IfAfricaWasASchool pic.twitter.com/hYAWFy46zg |
| We also learned a bit about about how the school would run. The leadership is apparently well established and hard to topple: | We also learned a bit about about how the school would run. The leadership is apparently well established and hard to topple: |
| #IfAfricaWasASchool the prefects would retain their positions for a minimum of 25 years. | #IfAfricaWasASchool the prefects would retain their positions for a minimum of 25 years. |
| #IfAfricaWasASchool Ladies And Gentlemen Meet Your Principal, Your Kid's Principal & You GrandKid's Principal 😂😂😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/4iRwDnce1k | #IfAfricaWasASchool Ladies And Gentlemen Meet Your Principal, Your Kid's Principal & You GrandKid's Principal 😂😂😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/4iRwDnce1k |
| No one would ever bring a packed lunch: | No one would ever bring a packed lunch: |
| #IfAfricaWasASchool the cafeteria would be so lit 🔥 pic.twitter.com/75IWau5Jxt | #IfAfricaWasASchool the cafeteria would be so lit 🔥 pic.twitter.com/75IWau5Jxt |
| And particular dishes could cause lunchtime riots: | And particular dishes could cause lunchtime riots: |
| Ghanaians: GHANAIAN JOLLOF IS THE BESTNigerians: NIGERIAN JOLLOF IS THE BESTEveryone else:#ifafricawasaschool pic.twitter.com/hWbwxIWxV3 | Ghanaians: GHANAIAN JOLLOF IS THE BESTNigerians: NIGERIAN JOLLOF IS THE BESTEveryone else:#ifafricawasaschool pic.twitter.com/hWbwxIWxV3 |
| Deciding what to wear everyday would be nothing short of a nightmare: | Deciding what to wear everyday would be nothing short of a nightmare: |
| #IfAfricaWasAschool prom would be lit🔥 pic.twitter.com/o5zm4rRYyP | #IfAfricaWasAschool prom would be lit🔥 pic.twitter.com/o5zm4rRYyP |
| #ifafricawasaschool Congo showing up for picture day pic.twitter.com/kIjd7boXPO | #ifafricawasaschool Congo showing up for picture day pic.twitter.com/kIjd7boXPO |