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People often and write and have questions. Below are some of them
with answers. If you have a question -
feel free to submit it here.
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Out of Africa Too: Frequently Asked
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Life and traveling in Africa |
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Q. What is life like in Africa?
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A. Life in Africa, is something to be experienced. In spite of the
struggles Africans face, there is a celebrant attitude, a tasting of the moment
that defies all the things a person may face. Most of all life is
relational rather than task orientated.
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Life in East Africa: For more
information on African life visit the Life in East Africa Portion of this
website. |
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Q. How do families build a house, send a child to school, have a wedding,
funeral?
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A. The answer is one word "Harambee" the ancient African concept of coming
together, of working together, pooling resources in order to help one member of
the family or clan. It comes out of the relational aspect of African life.
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Children of Africa |
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Q. What is the greatest problem African Children face?
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A. Children in Africa have to deal with disease and sickness from the simple to
the complexity of AIDS. Many of them face becoming orphans in your young lives
due to the AIDS epidemic making millions of children in Africa orphans. There is
no state system like health care, welfare for children or any other organized
program, so many children face the sentence of an early death.
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Q. Do children go to school and is it free?
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A. School in Kenya and Uganda is supposed to be free. That is elementary
school until the 7th and 8th grade. However in reality there is a lot more
needed such as uniforms, transportation, books, school supplies and then there
are the fees from Parent Teacher fees, building funds and anything else that
comes up. In Uganda only the first 4 children are assured a free
education. There is the realization that education is the only way out of
poverty.
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Q. I want to support a child in Africa. Where do I start?
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A. All of us have seen the pictures of starving children in third world
countries designed to evoke a sense of compassion and giving within us.
Unfortunately often such things are part of a ploy to get us to give but the
money does not reach the child we saw. One of the thing I always worked hard at,
was to pass on as much as possible to a child or person for whom I raised the
money. This often brought me into conflict with the president of my organization
who did not feel the way I did. Money is life energy and we want to invest it
into the place it makes the most difference. You can write me and I can
put you in touch with some people who have a proven track record in helping
children in Africa. |
| Travel in Africa |
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Q. Is it safe to travel in Africa?
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A. This question covers a variety of topics, from not wearing jewelry, not
showing off a bunch of money and the ability to make friends with people from
different cultures. I found that humility, grace, and plain friendliness went a
long way. I always had a smile, did not drive a new car, (why tempt someone to
hijack you) and lived like the people around me. I often drove alone, even from
country to country, never acted lost even when I was, took the initiative to say
hello and always acted in a gracious manner. Well, sometimes when one drives in
Africa, all those hidden hostilities can come out and everyone laughs at the end
of the day
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Q. If I travel to Africa - what about malaria?
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A. Malaria, is still the number one killer in Sub-Sahara Africa. Most Africans
do not have the resources or at times the willingness to use things like treated
mosquito netting, or much less the anti-malarial drugs. The main problem of
course is lack of money. People take malaria like we treat a cold or flu. In
rare cases do people see a doctor, in most they might go to a road-side pharmacy
stand and pick up Fanzidar, which works but often makes you body feel even
worse. I had malaria four times, and one time I went to see a doctor, had a
blood test and received a prescription of the same stuff you can buy on the
streets. The problem has also been that some shady businesses will sell fake
drugs that makes the situation only more dire. Malaria is transmitted by a
mosquito that has bitten someone with malaria and now comes to visit you and
shares the disease. It takes about 10 to 14 days to manifest itself and it means
cold like symptoms, shaking, cold and hot, stomach upset, weary bones and more.
Some Africans develop immunity in their 40's, but then life expectancy in Uganda
has been 40 for men, and 42 for women and you do not see many gray haired older
folks. If are a tourist visiting Africa, Malaria does not exist in the Kenyan
Highlands and places like Nairobi, however go to lower places and there it is.
Most tourists take Larium, but it does have side effects like bad dreams, temper
in some, and more. There is paladrin and chloroquine, but it is losing its
effect against new strains. Tetracycline is also used.
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Q. What about Bargaining when one buys things? How does one go
about it?
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A. Bargaining in Africa became one of my favorite things. Once you enter
that ancient dance, you will never be the same again. Once you return to
where everything is pre-priced you might wonder if they would be open to some
bargaining...surprisingly I have found that the answer is yes.
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Bargaining in Africa;
Here you will learn how it is done and once you get to Africa you will feel at
home in this ancient ritual. |
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it here.
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Last updated:
13 February 2008
Copyright © 1996-2008 by Nutshell
Creations. All material on this site is the exclusive property of Nutshell
Creations . E-mail me for permission
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