Not an American but witnessed how US Peace Corps Volunteers were 'trained' here in Kenya (I was a Brit VSO embedded in a local government). Stereotyping and profiling on group lines - come on now, you think the person buying the house puts up the money without checking out the neighbourhood? Seems they did not check out where you, the writer, kicked off this piece from - thewy may have thought again.

PS - my neighbourhood in Kenya back in those days was so good I learned how to make chapatis, njera, make sure I didn't get too wet walking to work and have neighbours who looked after me when I was attacked by feral dogs.