Africa, the Underrated Continent

[ashisimo]

The old continent doesn't have the best reputation in the world. Known for it's poverty and used as a common reference of the 'Third World', Africa doesn't warrant positive thoughts for most. I realized the need to write this MyTake when I was asked why Somalis look so normal when they come from a poverished country. This coming from a young, sheltered French girl so I didn't take offence. I'm sorry to say I believed it too.

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The term "feed the starving children in Africa" constantly used around me warped my idea of my homeland when I lived in rural Minnesota. When my parents prepared us to vacation to Kenya when I was 8, I fully expected huts. I was shocked to discover a balanced, diverse country with wildlife reservations along with snooty private school students. I was surprised by how well dressed Nairobi was and how my school was more diverse than my American school. It was filled with Indians, Pakistanis, Arabs, as well as some white people. More than I can say for my majority white Minnesota school...

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Nairobi opened my young mind to Africa and the idea that not everything is as it seems. That I shouldn't assume anything about anywhere before I visit and see for myself. The world is beautiful and everyone should go out and experience it. I'm lucky my parents freed my mind from stereotyping a continent of 1 billion at a young age.

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Which African country appeals to you?

[Scrambledagain]

I'm South African and think that Africa is akin to the beautiful poison arrow frogs of South America. Very pretty and awesome, but it will kill you if you don't know what you doing. I love that saying from that movie: tears of the sun: "God left Africa long time ago"

[chintita]

lol at the giraffe pic, yeah people have a dumb perception of africa, 'feed the starving children' where's these hypothetical kids' parents? starvation happens everywhere, even advanced countries like the US

[Phoenix98]

It really depends on the area you go to but so places are just down right horrible there is this one city for example were there are no clocks and everyone just runs on a time where they show up whenever they feel like it you could tell them to come in at 3pm and they could come in at 1pm or 6pm. And there are quite literally food carts everywhere but they don't sell food they sell drugs, and it's legal, the goverment actually would rather finance their drug trade then feed their people it's quite sad I also know this is true because my father was deployed there.

But as I said not all areas of Africa are like this, some are actually quite nice but most of the nation isn't like that unfortunately it's a beautiful but dangerous place.

[ashisimo]

you can say this about quite literally every continent in the world, I believe the good outweighs the bad in most places.

[Phoenix98]

You could but with Africa it is actually the truth I've known people who has done missionary work there and gone to the bad parts of it and it is... really bad down there.

[Zorax]

Africa is a beautiful continent, with lots of nice countries, Congo is my favorite :)

[FilthyPervert]

I like Kenya best because they are the most liberal about stuff.

They don't allow gay marriage though but no African nation allows this.

[ashisimo]

you have to have stability before tackling social issues

[FilthyPervert]

Implying that any African nation has stability... LMAO!

[ashisimo]

i'm implying that African nations don't have stability which is why they can't attack social issues :/

[BusinessBasketball]

Some places have hope for the future. There are a lot of diamonds in Africa. Nairobi look like a upscale city.