Ever wanted to visit Africa? Here’s how. LA Youth Staff member Molly Schranz wants to visit Africa after researching and writing about the life of photographer Dan Eldon who lived and worked there. Here is some advice from an LA Youth alum who spent a

“I was taken aback when I was told to take a bath in a small tin portable bathtub filled with three inches of warm. After nine months of living mainly in the urban centers and townships of the “New South Africa,” I had no experience of rural life in the rural areas. The tub was so small, I had to stand up — the water level hovering beneath my ankles — to rinse myself off. And what was the glass mug full of water beside the tub for? Brushing my teeth.
I hadn’t expected to experience culture shock more than once in the same country. In this village in the Northern Province, home to an ethnic group called the Pedi, I discovered what life was like without electricity, running water and decent roads.
Nothing was familiar. My gracious host William translated for me as we sat with his father-in-law on his porch shooting the breeze. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a water-filled gin bottle tied with a piece of rope to the front gate. I asked William to ask him why it was there. His father-in-law said simply: “It’s to keep bad elements away. You know, witches.”
These are some of the lighter moments, but I’ve had a variety of intense and provocative ones as well. When people say they want to visit or live in Africa, I wonder if they really know what they’re in for? If you’re planning on visiting or living in Africa, here are some things to think about:
1) Culture shock: Many people will find this a challenging aspect of travel, especially if they have never traveled outside the United States before.
You may find that your ideas clash with those of the people you meet. Often you will need to show respect for certain cultural norms despite your first instinct to challenge them. If you’re African American and don’t speak an African language, other Africans may not consider you to be really “black.” You may encounter different spiritual beliefs and concepts of time. Travel with a spirit of humility.
2) Language: Find out which languages are spoken in the country you wish to visit and try to learn them if you can. People may know English, but that doesn’t mean they prefer speaking it and may not be fluent enough to feel comfortable using it to communicate. Much of this depends on if you’re in a rural or urban environment.
Much of Northern Africa was colonized by France, so French is widely spoken. In some countries it’s Portuguese. In Kenya, Swahili is widely spoken; in South Africa, people mainly speak Zulu, Sotho and Afrikaans. You may not have time before going to learn the language, but at least learn how to greet people and say thank you. It shows that you respect their language and culture.
3) Background: Start by reading a brief history of the country you wish to visit. Learn about its culture and traditions. As a tourist, you may be viewed as someone with access to money and therefore become a target because you are a “foreigner” traveling in a country of overwhelming poverty.
As a volunteer, you may be well-received because you are helping the community, but there may be those who resent what you represent. They may see you as yet another “do-gooder” or “colonizer” who wants to ease the guilt she/he has due to First World status or a need to “enlighten the savages.” This perception may not be fair, but you might have to deal with it.
4) Roots: Many African-Americans travel to Africa to get a sense of their own cultural heritage. The best countries to visit are those in West Africa (i.e., Senegal, Ghana). It is in West Africa where you can find the forts built to hold Africans captured as part of the slave trade before they were shipped to the Americas. Black Americans may also see certain customs and social practices which are prevalent in the African-American community (i.e., notions of extended family, foods which resemble “soul food”).
5) Where to visit: As can be seen by the 1994 Rwandan genocide, the war-caused famine in Sudan, the Angolan conflict, the Democratic Republic of the Congo fiasco and the Lesotho election crisis which led to yet another African war, Africa is often in a state of what seems to be never-ending conflict, misery and destruction.
Sometimes choosing a country to visit is a question of which is the most politically stable.
Deciding what country to visit may be a question of what you hope to do or discover. For example, those who want to work with food distribution to famine survivors would probably consider Sudan.
6) Getting there: I came to South Africa through a Washington, D.C.-based program called Visions in Action, but there are other programs such as the Peace Corps and World Teach which provide opportunities. Search the Internet or go to your local library to find programs which encourage youth to travel to Africa.
7) Basics: Get the basics on health, transportation, visa and currency issues of the country you visit. Although less prevalent in South Africa, malaria precautions are needed for most countries in Africa. Transportation (both public and rental) visa and currency exchange issues vary by country.
I’d recommend the Lonely Planet series of books on Africa. “Africa on a Shoestring” is concise and informative and tells you how to travel in Africa cheaply. If you are going to a specific country, you can buy the Lonely Planet for that specific country or region (i.e., South Africa, Egypt, Southern Africa). The publishers have a website with links to other sites on Africa at: www.lonelyplanet.com
I hope what you will learn as you access the culture of the country you visit, is that so much of Africa’s problems are the result of colonialism, tribalism, Western post-colonial influence and power hungry dictators. I hope you will be able to put the continent’s problems in perspective walking away from the experience having grown and with a fuller world view, one that does not put America at the center of the world’s universe of countries.

Johnathon E. Briggs, 24, is a LA Youth alum and graduate of Chatsworth HS and Stanford University. He spent a year in South Africa as a volunteer journalist. If you would like to read more about his experiences, you’ll find some of his articles at www.timbooktu.com in the essay section.”

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