on my way somewhere... I dream of places where nobody knows my name

I set foot on African soil. The heat is unbearable, forcing its way down my nostrils, as I breathe Africa into my body. Inharmonious sounds are like a million bees mistaking my ears for a hive. Everything I ate over the last few days is threatening to leave my body involuntarily. My years of seasoned travelling, reduced to nothingness. Human taxis push me forward like loose sand on a construction site. Trying frantically to remember my notes on blending in, I realised this is now too late. I melt. My feet threaten to turn back. How did I end up here? Must be my curiosity and downright love for the unknown. Human taxis push me forward to arrivals. In what seems to be a speed reading contest, I scanned for my name on too many nameplates being eagerly flashed in my face. Behind them, an ocean of white eyeballs. The tear that started forming since I stepped off the plane, is now tucking at my heart, working its way up to my cryers. Where is my name? I freak out inside! Forcing a smile, I push that tear to a reserve, for later use, whilst I cast my eyes franctically left to right. Amidst all the chaos, I spot my name bouncing up and down – aah my vertically challenged driver! I have never been so happy seeing my horribly misspelled name on a cardboard. I walked into his outstretched hand. His smile is a cold shower washing over me on the hottest day of the year. I have never felt so welcome, nor have I ever seen such white teeth. The next few days saw me immersing myself in sidewalk gourmet, lots of karibu's, stares; and the end of a lifetime of constipation. Sleepless nights, playing hide and seek with possibly malaria mosquitoes. At a cultural village, I was met by a dead stare, her X-Ray vision pierces my soul. For a moment I am entirely bare. Her hand reach for mine, my heart stops. She pulls me aside. I want to run, but I cannot feel my feet. I am up in the air, doing some strange jumpy dance whilst clutching her cold bony fingers. A smile lights up her weary face. I teared up behind my oversized sunglasses because Africa is where I learn most valuable lessons: fall in love with the smell of African soil, instead of complaining about the weather, strive for a bigger heart, not a bigger car, count blessings, not materials, smile for no reason, instead of looking for a reason to smile, open doors, rather than building fences, even without shoes, continue to walk. It's not about the colour of your skin, but the heart beating inside your chest. Embrace life.