Visit Africa.

It is coming up to almost two years for me permanently living in Ghana. [See pictures by my friends Jonathan and Louisa in their HiddenPicturesProductions Home page  ] And when I say Ghana, I do also mean Africa. It is similar if I were to live in Latvia, it also means I live in Europe. For those living in Europe, we tend to expand our information bubble within the whole EU and know what is happening in neighboring countries more than in Asia or Africa. And similarly, my attention on the BBC web page is always drown to Africa, as it is my home now and it is important to know what is happening in the near by countries.

I admit that it is politically incorrect to say "In Africa this or that..." when I have only lived in Ghana, but I believe that my encounters with people from other African nations, local media and the fact that my every working day is lead by the time zone in East Africa, gives we some credibility to be able to say "..but in Africa!!!"

Currently I am in my hotel room in Malawi, drinking delicious Zimbabwean local grown coffee, packaged in simple plastic bags and hand written label. I am spoiling myself with chocolate made by a Belgian chocolate maker, who found his home in Zimbabwe more than a few decades back and using some local products is making chocolate that can easily compare with the Swiss brands. And am drinking it from a beautiful hand-painted cup by Rose Rigden bought at Doon Estate in Harare, Zimbabwe.


Just in 2000 (which to me, seems like just a few months ago) the world's media was obsess with showing only the negative image of Africa [or maybe that is all I noticed in the wide range of news coming my way]: the hunger, the dirt, the illnesses, the wars... It was portraited as "Hopeless Africa" by the Economist. And till today, I believe, one must look really hard to find the other side of the coin in media, when reading/hearing about African continent.

Me being me, I did not believe it is that bad. I dived. I came over and all I saw was - colors, happiness, people enjoying life. Dancing on streets, cooking together, sharing meals, rising children collectively... And yes, there are poor people. And verrrrrrry poor people. And many of  them are not blessed by with the place where they were born at - no clean water to drink, no water to water the plants and get something growing... and yes, there are diseases and wars. But there are also wonderfully creative and innovative solutions to all these problems. Have read in this Guardian article published this week :  http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/aug/26/africa-innovations-transform-continent  and visit the home page of the company I work at : http://www.esoko.com/ and you will see that, people do not just choose to die - they search for a way to make their lives better.

I constantly see happiness, joy and celebration in this continent (perhaps too much, as, I believe, Ghana has a public holiday almost for every month of the year). The amazing growth and creativity of African people - from Azonto Dance in Ghana, that was recently introduced to the world through a BBC report, to the very skilled African designers and African Fashion Week in SAfrica... To the same The Economist writing about the HOPEFUL African Economics a decade latter.

And yes there are a few idiots lets on this continent, skillfully using their people as marrionets and milking aid money into their big pockets... but, I believe, it also was the case of Europe a few centuries back, when people were less educated and had less rights...

Give Africa a chance and come and see the beauty of Zimbabwe's wildlife, visit Victoria Falls and stay at the a beautiful lodge... Taste Ethiopian honey, that the SLOW FOOD association has announced as one of the biodiversity sources and  honey collection trade in Ethiopia, as something than needs to be well treasured. Get Kente tailor made dress for you in Ghana... Try the benefits of Baobab seeds for your health or Shea butter products... Read the book of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and many other wonderful African Authors listed in the following link : http://blogs.african-writing.com/ivor/2011/03/29/a-must-read-african-authors-books-list/

Africa has so much to offer, that it should not be excluded out of your travel list, just because you heard that there is cholera outbreak in Sierra Leon right now or just because Kony in Uganda is EVIL, who does not see the bad behind his actions...

Africa has so much more to offer and there is also a lot you can give to it, if you once decide to take the leap of faith and en-devour on an adventure in Africa.

I would like to finish my blog with a quote from Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie who once said: "If I had not grown up in Nigeria, if all I knew about Africa were from popular images, I, too, would think Africa was a place of beautiful landscape, beautiful animals and incomprehensible people fighting senseless wars, dying of poverty and Aids, unable to speak for themselves and waiting to be saved by a kind white foreigner."