We live in a world, where people move from one corner, to the other; all the time. Sooner or later, there is that one sole figure, who decides, "I am going to move, to Africa." Many a time, they have no idea, what they are saying. I feel it's my duty, to warn, wannabe "Africanistas", that they might not know, what they are doing.
The first thing, you have to know, about Africa, is that, its a 'crazy' continent. By this, I don't mean, that it has bad traffic, or poor sanitation. What this means, is that, its a Land, that will drive you crazy. People don't know this, that you can actually go crazy, living in Africa. The land itself, will not make you do stupid things really, but it could drive you, to do something crazy, like commit suicide. People don't know, that Africa, has a high suicide rate, due to one not knowing, how to live in it. The fear of many, who get into Africa, is that, of never leaving.
What to do, to stay sane? To really know, what I am talking about, you really have to live in Africa, and be driven mad, by the Land itself, and not the people. Africa, has a crazy climate. Dealing with this, is simple. You have to take, lots of what the ancestors, called condiments. In some parts of Africa, like Kenya, they call them, "sumu". Sumu, or condiments, are stuff like honey, acid vinegar, coffee (not tea), soya drink and other stuff like this. Some people, might throw in, African traditional brews, but one would be adviced, not to go down that route. At the very least, you will wind up, with a black tongue. They don't brew them, like they did in the old days. Condiments, drinking them often, will prevent you, from going crazy. Many in Africa, turn to local churches, to stop from going crazy, but that, doesn't really work. Many, eventually flip over.
The other thing, you have to know about Africa, is that, it has always been, a continent, that never sleeps; for a good reason. Its not that Africans are busy people really, though they are known, to work at just about any venue. What one has to know about Africa and sleep, is that sleeping in Africa, is the fastest way, to get depressed. Most just don't know, how crazy, sleep in Africa is. Its like as if, one suffers, a total mental and memory blackout, when one does so. Its hard to wake from sleep, in Africa, and to proceed on, from there. If you sleep often in Africa, I can guarantee you, you will probably sleep your life away, as nothing in Africa, happens, on schedule. Things just happen, and if you are asleep, you will miss them. Africans, traditionally, did not use to sleep. They mostly rested, which is what you see, when you visit, most African cities; people lying on the grass, and even sidewalks, simply rest-sleeping. Thats how its done, in Africa. Don't sleep there, you will face the biggest problem, you have in Africa: exhaustion, and there is no exhaustion out there, like African exhaustion. Eventually, once depressed, you will start going crazy. Just lie down, close your eyes, listen to some light music, and rest. You might doze off, or 'fall asleep', and thats what you really want to do.
There are those, who also arrive in Africa, with one goal: to develop it. They don't understand Africa, to well. Many hear of modern Africa, and how its trudging on, through experts and the media. They have no idea, that modern Africa, ceased to exist, about two decades back. Recent African history, can be divided, into three parts: pre-modern (before 1960), modern (1960-1980) and post-modern (1980-present). In pre-modern Africa, people lived a life similar, to traditional Africa. I will explain that later below. Modern Africa, was a time that people sought to 'westernize', but it was a project, that did not work, for one simple reason: people were expected to sit in offices, from morning to evening. People don't know how hard, it is to make Africans, sit in one spot, for a long time. Eventually, there were many jobs, but no applicants and modern Africa, began to die away. It is then, we enter post-modern Africa. Post-modern Africa, was created, after many who were working, for modern Africa, noticed a certain number of Africans, making wealth, and living well. So it was back, to the old formation, which is simple to explain.
Traditional African life, was divided into three parts: childhood, adulthood and elderhood. Life was simple, but not directly simple. In childhood, one spent their time, simply laying around, doing nothing much. They had some chores to perform, and that was mostly it, but still, there was another important part, to it all. One lived their life, in their heads. Doing what really? one might ask. They imagined, and dreamt up things. Thats what, African childhoods, are supposed to be about. Dreaming, so that one day, when you become an Adult, you make these dreams real. African children, were often entertained by storytellers, and there are no storytellers out there, like African storytellers. Children and teens, were told the most amazing stories, that were mythic, in nature. When one reached adulthood, they lived out, a myth. Today though, the stories, are more about, becoming, a legend of some sort. Tales, of someone moving to SA, and making lots of money or moving to America, and living it out with P. Diddy or Michael Caine, are what inspires African youth today. Nobody wants a job anymore. As a result, modern Africa, has been breaking down. Once adulthood was over, and one had attempted to mythologize themselves, one entered elderhood. Elderhood, was not only associated, with keeping African societies stable, but more importantly, was associated, with becoming deeply religious. Africans then, contemplated God, life and the universe itself. Today though, once most Africans, give up on life, they sit down, and read the Bible, cover to cover, ten times.
Thats how you live it, in Africa. Don't go there, to create (factory) jobs. Nobody works them. You might have, to bring in Chinese workers. But if you are an organization, with lots of money to spare, you can help fund an African dream, and await remittances, via interest.
Thats Africa folks.
The first thing, you have to know, about Africa, is that, its a 'crazy' continent. By this, I don't mean, that it has bad traffic, or poor sanitation. What this means, is that, its a Land, that will drive you crazy. People don't know this, that you can actually go crazy, living in Africa. The land itself, will not make you do stupid things really, but it could drive you, to do something crazy, like commit suicide. People don't know, that Africa, has a high suicide rate, due to one not knowing, how to live in it. The fear of many, who get into Africa, is that, of never leaving.
What to do, to stay sane? To really know, what I am talking about, you really have to live in Africa, and be driven mad, by the Land itself, and not the people. Africa, has a crazy climate. Dealing with this, is simple. You have to take, lots of what the ancestors, called condiments. In some parts of Africa, like Kenya, they call them, "sumu". Sumu, or condiments, are stuff like honey, acid vinegar, coffee (not tea), soya drink and other stuff like this. Some people, might throw in, African traditional brews, but one would be adviced, not to go down that route. At the very least, you will wind up, with a black tongue. They don't brew them, like they did in the old days. Condiments, drinking them often, will prevent you, from going crazy. Many in Africa, turn to local churches, to stop from going crazy, but that, doesn't really work. Many, eventually flip over.
The other thing, you have to know about Africa, is that, it has always been, a continent, that never sleeps; for a good reason. Its not that Africans are busy people really, though they are known, to work at just about any venue. What one has to know about Africa and sleep, is that sleeping in Africa, is the fastest way, to get depressed. Most just don't know, how crazy, sleep in Africa is. Its like as if, one suffers, a total mental and memory blackout, when one does so. Its hard to wake from sleep, in Africa, and to proceed on, from there. If you sleep often in Africa, I can guarantee you, you will probably sleep your life away, as nothing in Africa, happens, on schedule. Things just happen, and if you are asleep, you will miss them. Africans, traditionally, did not use to sleep. They mostly rested, which is what you see, when you visit, most African cities; people lying on the grass, and even sidewalks, simply rest-sleeping. Thats how its done, in Africa. Don't sleep there, you will face the biggest problem, you have in Africa: exhaustion, and there is no exhaustion out there, like African exhaustion. Eventually, once depressed, you will start going crazy. Just lie down, close your eyes, listen to some light music, and rest. You might doze off, or 'fall asleep', and thats what you really want to do.
There are those, who also arrive in Africa, with one goal: to develop it. They don't understand Africa, to well. Many hear of modern Africa, and how its trudging on, through experts and the media. They have no idea, that modern Africa, ceased to exist, about two decades back. Recent African history, can be divided, into three parts: pre-modern (before 1960), modern (1960-1980) and post-modern (1980-present). In pre-modern Africa, people lived a life similar, to traditional Africa. I will explain that later below. Modern Africa, was a time that people sought to 'westernize', but it was a project, that did not work, for one simple reason: people were expected to sit in offices, from morning to evening. People don't know how hard, it is to make Africans, sit in one spot, for a long time. Eventually, there were many jobs, but no applicants and modern Africa, began to die away. It is then, we enter post-modern Africa. Post-modern Africa, was created, after many who were working, for modern Africa, noticed a certain number of Africans, making wealth, and living well. So it was back, to the old formation, which is simple to explain.
Traditional African life, was divided into three parts: childhood, adulthood and elderhood. Life was simple, but not directly simple. In childhood, one spent their time, simply laying around, doing nothing much. They had some chores to perform, and that was mostly it, but still, there was another important part, to it all. One lived their life, in their heads. Doing what really? one might ask. They imagined, and dreamt up things. Thats what, African childhoods, are supposed to be about. Dreaming, so that one day, when you become an Adult, you make these dreams real. African children, were often entertained by storytellers, and there are no storytellers out there, like African storytellers. Children and teens, were told the most amazing stories, that were mythic, in nature. When one reached adulthood, they lived out, a myth. Today though, the stories, are more about, becoming, a legend of some sort. Tales, of someone moving to SA, and making lots of money or moving to America, and living it out with P. Diddy or Michael Caine, are what inspires African youth today. Nobody wants a job anymore. As a result, modern Africa, has been breaking down. Once adulthood was over, and one had attempted to mythologize themselves, one entered elderhood. Elderhood, was not only associated, with keeping African societies stable, but more importantly, was associated, with becoming deeply religious. Africans then, contemplated God, life and the universe itself. Today though, once most Africans, give up on life, they sit down, and read the Bible, cover to cover, ten times.
Thats how you live it, in Africa. Don't go there, to create (factory) jobs. Nobody works them. You might have, to bring in Chinese workers. But if you are an organization, with lots of money to spare, you can help fund an African dream, and await remittances, via interest.
Thats Africa folks.
