TIA - This is Africa

There is so much to tell about the orphanages I visited and helped out during my nine months of African adventures. I could also tell you about all the great people I met who truly contributed to different communities by helping out in building schools, boring waterholes and so much more. All very commendable! But, did we really give back on the road in Africa?

I learned about the African meaning of 'giving' in Namibia. Me being this blond, tall, white Dutch girl, on the road all by herself in a 4x4. Everybody at home thought I went crazy. Everybody I met thought I was brave. What would I do if my car broke down? Easy! I would fix it or wait for help. You simply use common sense and your ability to connect with people.

One day I visited the Himba people in Opuwo. As expected of every tourist I was supposed to bring food in order to obtain approval for my visit by the village chief. It turned my visit from a traditional lifestyle encounter into a commercially driven encounter and made me feel obligated to participate in this well known Western European give-and-take event. It didn't feel right at all. The one thing that did feel right was my encounter with a young Himba lady and her little girl in the super market, while I was waiting in line to pay for my groceries. At a given moment I felt two hands stroking my (to them) golden hair. They had never seen anything like it. I took out my brush and showed them how to use it on my hair. They both giggled and people in the supermarket started looking at us strangely, but the happiness it brought to their faces while brushing my hair was overwhelming.

In Africa the meaning of the word 'giving' is about the ability to open your heart and share. Taking the time to observe, try to understand the African cultures and accept the fact that people can be happy in a world that is so completely different from yours. If you are able to do so, you are actually able to give and make a difference in people's lives.