I know most of you would find this posting very strange. I
know that, when you think of Africa it’s either, diseases, illegal migrants,
people fleeing from war, famine, corruption etc., yes I know. I also know that
Africa is not on your list of must visit continents but, what if I told you
that a simple two week vacation somewhere in a Sub-Saharan Africa could give you your best positive outlook on life.
I say this not because I am from West Africa but I speak on authority as
someone who once worked as a hostel manager and tour guide once upon a time in
my life. Through this, I was able to form a network of returning visitors with
very positive responses on how their visits helped them boost the self-esteem
and gave an eternally positive outlook on life. Here are some of the reasons
why most of them believe their lives changed for the positive. Note that, some of the reasons may be stronger in some countries but weaker in others though it runs through generally.
1. Friendliest People in the world
Forget what you have heard and seen
on television about Sub-Saharan Africa. It has probably one of the friendliest
and welcoming people on earth. As a first time visitor, you would find it very
remarkable that you can easily approach strangers in the street and ask for
directions to a place if you lost your way. This friendly interaction makes you
feel safe and welcome hence boosting self-esteem. Take Katie (not her real name)
for example who told me once, “in Europe, we walk straight and fast, hardly
making any eye contact in the streets and you can’t simply approach a stranger
in the street to ask questions, you can only approach the police”!
2. Preferential Treatment
As a first time visitor to the
continent, you’re likely to enjoy preferential treatment over citizens
everywhere you go, from the airport through to your destination. This is not out
of inferiority complex but rather an extension of a cultural practice to ensure
that a visitor must always be made to feel comfortable and welcome first before
all others. Sarah (not her real) from Germany told me once, “at the airport
there was a queue for inspecting our documents but I was made to move ahead of
the citizens”. “There was some grumbling and though the immigration sort of
expected something in return, I still thought it was a nice gesture”. Felix
said: “At the roadside food vender, I am always given preferential treatment
and allowed to jump the queue, though I sometimes felt very uncomfortable”.
“This will never happen in Europe, you would have to wait for your turn”.
3. TRANSPORTATION
There are bus stations, yes, but in
most of Sub-Saharan Africa, bus stations are far from the comfortable types
that exist in Europe and elsewhere. Bus stations range from just a small
portion of land infront of your accomodation or could be about 2km away and there are
no set times for buses to arrive. At the bus station, you would have to fight
your way to get a seat in one of these over-aged mini buses with improvised
seats. If you want to avoid all these and feel comfortable, you would have to
use a Taxi but with three other passengers. If you still insist on going alone,
you would have to be ready to pay a lot of money. You may wonder why this could
be a good thing. As inconvenient as this may seem, I have had some tourists
confirm to me how it has shaped their lifestyles. Take Jim for instance who
claims that he no longer has to schedule his time according to a strict bus
arrival time. That, the probability of hitching a ride early or late is very
open. Besides, the added adventure of having to fight your way to get in means
you don’t have to take anything for granted in life; a good lesson in
toughening up and taking opportunities.
4. Bargaining
In most market places in Sub-Saharan
Africa, you can bargain for everything you buy and beat down the price. It is
not so much about the bargaining but rather the friendly banter that takes
place. It tends to encourage rapport which effectively erases all forms
paranoia about Africans for a first time visitor. Take Steve (not his real
name) from Germany for instance, who was so excited about his first time visit
to a clothing Market in Ghana that he bought so many clothes. He told me he would rather come to Ghana to
get his fashion rather than buy in Europe. He has been doing exactly that for
the past 5 years and he feels very good because people admire his fashion sense
and even think that his clothes are expensive when they are actually not at all and he says this gives him a sense of pride and good feelings.
5. Volunteering
If you’re up for it, there are lots
of areas in which a first time visitor can do some quick volunteer work within
the two week stay that could impact positively on their life. One can volunteer
to teach in the many orphanages for homeless kids. If you’re adventurous enough
as a first time visitor you can take a trip to a deprived rural area and
attempt to live the ‘simple life’ through volunteer education or if you’re a
medical expect, offer your services for free. Many volunteers have talked about
how this gesture has shaped their lives positively by realising that, as
deprived as these people are, they remain some of the happiest people in the
world. Many volunteers have talked about how they have learnt to appreciate
what they have back home and making the best out of it instead of complaining
all the time and becoming depressed. Trust me this is probably the best therapy
you can have as a first time visitor to any place in Sub-Saharan Africa.
6. Communal Lifestyle
A visit to Sub-Saharan Africa could
teach you a lot about a unique communal lifestyle and how experiencing the
extended family structure could help shape your own life. Instead of staying in
the comfort of an expensive hotel, request to live with a family. Here are a
few lessons you could take back home:
a) How to cook some delicious African
dishes
b) How to speak an African language
c) That, uncles, aunties, cousins and
all support and help each other to survive
d) That, grandparents are cared for by
all instead of being sent to an old people’s home. This extended family support
keeps them in great mental health.
Effectively, the point here is that,
you will always be surrounded by people who love and appreciate you so there
will never be a dull moment. Recently, I got a pleasant online surprise from a
European, someone I don’t know at all, who after reading one of my
blogs, decided to send me a private message in my native language. Apparently,
she recognized my tribe by my last name and instead of writing in English, wrote
in my language, telling me how awesome it was experiencing Africa and learning
a language.
7. Tourism
Of course, Africa’s massive tourism
attractions are common knowledge. The, lots of Sunshine which provides vitamin
D naturally, wildlife and safaris, beautiful beaches, dance, culture, slavery
fortes and castles offers immediate satisfaction through being in touch with
nature; a natural boost for the mood. However, there are other attractions that
are rarely spoken of. Many tourists would confirm that save a few, most of
Sub-Saharan has probably the safest night life you can find in the world,
never-mind what you hear or see on television. On our way from the airport,
Kirsten for example, was shocked to find how many people were strolling about when
we passed by a community; it was 8:00pm. She was to be even more pleasantly surprised
to find that, it’s the same all over so she refused to sleep early that night
and decided to instead, take a stroll on the beach till midnight when she
retired to bed. She confessed that, she can never do that in her country. For
this reason alone, she at least visits once every two years.
8. Happiness in Poverty
If there is something that every
first time tourist takes away from Sub-Saharan Africa, it’s how happy and
positive people remain amidst all the poverty that surrounds them. I have
personally heard this claim many times from tourists I have guided in the past.
They confess it’s probably the best lesson they usually learn on their first
visit that ultimately tend to shape their own lives in a positive way. They are
amazed at how people with very little could have the mental toughness to still
remain positive. Back home, this experience helps them adopt a positive outlook
on life, complain less, persevere and avoid depression, eventually leading to
personal success in all aspects of their lives.
9. ECONOMIC (Bonus)
It’s a well known fact that Economic
growth in Sub-Saharan Africa is one of the highest and resilient in the world.
Read this IMF survey report for April 2015 (http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/survey/so/2015/car042815a.htm). If you’re someone interested in
the investment or entrepreneurship, opportunities abound in areas like I.C.T.,
solar energy, Volunteerism, Agriculture, Education, Manufacturing, Mining and
many more. This may not be directly be related to how a two week stay will impact
on your life per se but I thought I would sneak it in as a bonus. I remember
how Dr. Stoiber (not his real name) after his short stay fancied investing
solar energy and plastic recycling. Honestly, I lost touch with him so I can’t
confirm if he ever came back but I can say that when he spoke, he spoke with a
glint of excitement in his eyes.
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