I’ve spent FOUR MONTHS in Africa and I’ve had a BLAST! Thinking about leaving makes me tear up. Africa is not at all what I expected…The Lion King spoiled me in thinking it would mostly be savannah. Boy was I wrong. There are mountains, there is lush, green grass, there are cities, there are villages, there is poverty, there is wealth, there is dancing, there is JOY, there is generosity beyond belief, there is the presence of God, there is FAITH, there is the HOLY SPIRIT MOVING, there are friends for life, and so so much more!
The culture is different, but it didn’t seem to frustrate me like most people. Flexibility and simplicity are key.
- Time is “Africa time” meaning when you say “Let’s meet at 1pm” the people could show up at 12, or usually the latter…people show up at 2..2:30…3. And no one throws a fuss about it (Africans). It’s just life. It’s flexible. They aren’t in a rush. It’s beautiful.
- Communication. Sometimes roundabout speech is used so no one is offended. Also, just the barrier of broken English. You learn that over communication is essential and key to make sure everyone understands what is going on. Sometimes this means long conversations that can be daunting.
- Mzungu. Farangi. Foreigners. You get used to being called this by the children on the streets. The kids will often run up to you and call you these names and demand money. It’s a shame that we are associated with money all the time. Some of the kids will even come up and pinch you, throw water on you, slap your hand with mud… You just have to roll with the punches and keep on loving!
- Food. Ugali, posho, cornmeal porridge…you pick the name. This is a staple food. You often eat it with beans, gnut sauce, or greens. I honestly didn’t mind it that much. We also had a lot of rice dishes, and potatoes. I’ve probably ate more rice in the past 9 months than I’ve eaten my entire life. I’m not a huge fan of potatoes, but I ate them. Chapati was one of my favorite “foods”, especially after I learned how to make it! It goes well with beans and peanut butter 🙂 Bread was staple for breakfast, usually with butter, jam, and sometimes peanut butter. It was common to eat about 4 pieces with a glass of milk tea. The one thing I often missed was the spice! The food was flavored well (garlic, ginger, turmeric), but I miss the spicy Indian foods!
- Rolling electricity. Ethiopia really showed me this. In the other countries it sometimes went out, but it probably went out every day (hours at a time) in Ethiopia. It makes you appreciate it a lot!
- Squat toilets. Take your stance and make sure you always have toilet paper with you! At a lot of my locations I was lucky to have Western Toilets, but Kenya it was the squatty all month. It’s really not as bad as it seems. It just becomes a normal lifestyle.
- Running water/clean water. Just about every place we’ve been we have had to filter our water so we don’t get sick. The Africans are used to it so often don’t need to filter it, but our bodies are not used to it at all. Also, the privilege of running water…sometimes the tanks went dry…and you learn to wait and be patient. Laundry and showers are put on hold.
- Bucket showers, cold showers. Warm/hot water is a luxury on the race, and sometimes so are western showers. You get used to cold water and also the buckets. It’s really environmentally friendly and I’ve become a master at not using a ton of water. You would be so proud mom!
- Hand washing laundry. It’s a norm on the race now. Soak, rinse, rinse again, and hang! You learn to appreciate the time that washers save. We like to hang our laundry at home, but the thought of the convenience of having a dryer when it rains (especially during rainy season) is on the back of your mind too. Overall, hand washing laundry can be super therapeutic too!
- Church. Get your dancing shoes on and body limber. They love to sing praises and worship! And it’s beautiful! They move their bodies, shout, jump, clap, play drums, pray out loud, and aren’t afraid to be free for the glory of God. Services last for hours: 3-4 is often common.
- Wifi. It’s a luxury for sure. It comes and it goes. Sometimes the government is very strict in controlling it.
Africa, it’s been real, it’s been great. Thank you for the awesome friends I’ve made. For the experiences I’ve been able to have. The enjoyment of simplicity and learning to trust God more than ever! ATL’ing for just about 2 months has shown me how to live for Christ at home. We leave for Romania today which means I’ll have been to every continent except Antarctica! COOL! Until next time Africa!!
