ABSTRACT
The dialectic of expatriate-Somali interactions was triple-stranded. Three streams conditioned English-speaking expatriates. First was the colonial legacy. Second was socialization of expatriates by expatriates. And third was daily practice—working in bureaucracy. It was, where expatriates and Somalis actually met, that- expatriate views not only crystallized but hardened. Brokeraged information was all but inescapable. It was what greeted new arrivals to Somalia as soon as they landed at the airport and were met by longer-term residents. Even before the first day of work opportunity for independent judgment may have been lacking for new arrivals, although this was bound to be so for other reasons as well. First, many expatriates were professional expatriates. As professionals they knew that the easiest way to save themselves time and unnecessary effort on arrival in a new post was to learn the ropes from other expatriates. The logical expatriates to turn to were those they were replacing.
