Coming to Africa for the right reasons

If you hold a cat by the tail you learn things you cannot learn any other way.

--Mark Twain

Earlier this week, I was contacted by a person in my College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (CASNR) back at UNL. She wanted to write a story about our trip and how it will influence my teaching back in Nebraska. She started with this question, "For what purpose did you go to Namibia?"

Funny, that's what our parents asked us last year. "Um, why are you going?"

I'm sure I wrote something back to my CASNR contact that was somewhat meaningful, but I've been thinking about it recently. Just why did we come? I'm not going to create a figure (!), but I'm guessing that as homesickness starts to increase, the need to justify your existence on the opposite side of the globe increases exponentially.

If you can't answer the question for yourself, sometimes it helps to look at other people. Why did they come to Namibia? To Africa? Namibia has lots of tourists, so an inquisitive person can build up quite a sample size while doing some people-watching.

I made a list of the people from outside Namibia that I enjoy meeting. Most student backpackers. Seedy characters who look like they live out of their LandRover. Ranchers from the States. Ladies from Sweden who stop every 5 km on the road to take photos.

Then, I made a list of the people who, uh, rub me the wrong way. Tourists outfitted with the latest LL Bean safari wear. Tourists who won't talk to Namibians on the street. Hunters who come only to put more mounts on their wall. Tourists who come to add one more country to their "Africa List". Some of the tourists who are here on mission trips. Mostly people who you would label as "Tourist" with a capital "T". People who come to Africa to change other people.

So, what is the difference between the two lists. Tourism isn't bad. Hunting isn't bad. And, mission trips don't have to be bad (although I think you have to work very hard to come on a mission trip that really helps people). But, I think it is the attitude with which one goes about those activities.

I think the right reason to come to Africa is not to learn about people and their cultures here. The right reason is not to come to Africa to learn about the animals over here. The right reason is not to come to Africa to help people. You can do all of these things along the way, but it is not the reason to come. Coming to change people is definitely not the reason to come.

The best reason to come, I think, is to learn about yourself.

My advice if you are coming to Africa: plan time for introspection or self-evaluation, or self-awareness. If you don't, you will have dogs looking at you, telling you to "Go Home."

Spend some time sitting on the beach. Spend some time sitting on top of a koppie as you are hunting. Spend some time talking to a farmer. Spend some time being uncomfortable on a city street. Spend some time looking at yourself in the mirror.

Think about your reactions to Africa. Because you will have reactions.

Africa is a great mirror for a person's soul. Maybe it is because humans evolved in Africa. Maybe it is because Africa has a way of making a person very uncomfortable and very comfortable very quickly and very simultaneously. Maybe it is because there are wide open spaces. Maybe it is because of crowded cities.

I guess if I really have to be honest, I came to Namibia to hold the cat by the tail.
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