I’ve been in Africa for two months. Two months in a third world country. Wow. I feel myself forgetting the “normality” of America, and the oddness of this new life is fading into normal. It’s becoming comfortable to not feel comfortable.
I have spent a good amount of time in third world countries, so a lot of these challenges are not new to me. But for those of you who haven’t followed me in my previous experiences abroad, I wanted to share some of how things are different here. Of course life will change from country to country, but here’s a look into life in west Africa.
- Red meat is almost impossible to get here. I crave meat all the time, protien is hard to come by And I literally dream of cheeseburgers on a nightly bases.
- It’s no longer a surprise to not have running water. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. We have gotten smart though and started saving up “emergency water in bottles” to do dishes and wash our faces.
- We drink water from plastic baggies. As well as other drinks. For about 10 cents you can buy just about any drink in small baggies. Bottles are a luxury here.
- You walk outside and are a celebrity. There’s literally people taking pictures of you, gawking at you, or running up wanting to talk to you ALL THE TIME.
- There’s cows, chickens, donkeys, sheep goats Wandering about the streets.
- You will come across Dead birds, pots and pans in the middle of the road and paths. These are offerings from animists.
- Time is nonexistent here. “Africa time” is real and will make you flexible!
People use the bathroom on the side of the road. During long bus rides we just pull over and people go on the side of the road. (That’s still a bit hard for me to get used to!) - Air conditioning in pretty much non existent. And when I do go somewhere that has it, I become completely giddy.
- It’s normal to be served rooster heads and feet for dinner. Or simply to not have any idea what meat you are eating.
- Coffee shops??? Nope.
- If you show your knees you are considered a prostitute.
- Stores here are little shacks that have coke, instant coffee, bread and eggs.
- electricity is never consisistant. Some days it works, some days it doesn’t. its becoming a luxury.
- Avocados are the size of watermelons here.
- Rice and bread are meal staples.
- Cold bucket baths are the ways of this world. Hot water showers??! I have forgotten what what that even is.
Seatbelts and traffic lights are nonexistent. - Meals are made over an open fire most times
- If you go into the “city” and go to a restaurant,90% of the menu items they won’t have.
- If you don’t pay for an item with exact change, you will receive candy as your “change back.”
- Strangers will invite you into there homes and offer you a meal. No matter how little they have, they freely give what they do have to you.
It’s crazy how you adapt to “being uncomfortable.” It’s crazy how much we can live without, or simply with less. Some things here are so different it’s hard to even describe. You simply have to come and experience this different world for yourself. I pray everyone has the opportunity to see how life is like elsewhere. You won’t go back home the same person.
