5 months in...
on Alex MacMillan (Namibia), 13/Dec/2011 14:57, 34 days ago
Things I love about Namibia:The vast, amazing, various, gorgeous landscapesHiking and camping in the amazing open spaces of the African bushThe animals: elephants, oryx, rhinos, lions, cheetahs, springbok, hippos...The fact you can get really good coffee hereMy work - at the shelter, the research project, in the schools and youth groups, giving trainingMeeting amazing people every day who are achieving incredible thingsThe total disregard for health and safetyThe weather: big, blue skies every dayThe emphasis on family and family-timeThe emphasis on communityA healthier body image: women aren't women without boobs and hipsAfrican-time. Doing the same things without the stress.Things that drive me crazy about Namibia:The continued segregation between white and blackThe chasm between foreigner and localBureaucracy: enough to rival FranceHomophobia and the position of womenPeople's driving - especially taxi drivers. DEATH WISHLitteringPeople's directness: "Give me tea" "Go and open the door, now now"The spiders and the snakesThe politicsIt's actually expensive as everything's imported (no domestic industry)African-time: Leaving everything to the last minute and then saying someone else should have done itThings I really miss from Europe (and elsewhere):Family and friendsSunday lunches with family sat around the table with masses of food, afternoon walks and good conversationWomen's liberation: thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to all who fought, and fight, for women's equality. Women of younger generations really don't appreciate you enough.Good theatre and independent art-house filmsGood newspapersArchitectureProper teaA reading and literary cultureThe food: French cuisine, proper curry with poppadoms, naan bread and chapatis...Clothes shops with clothes small enough for me (here, things are usually too big)ParisThings I definitely don't miss from Europe (and elsewhere):David Cameron and the Con-DemsFootball cultureThe cold and the mistMaterialismThe pressure to be super-thinPeople who don't appreciate what they have, or have so much that they throw half awayThe lack of spaceThe pricesLondonThe London Commute: squeezed into a train with 50,000000000000 other people and standing under a sweaty man's armpit for half an hour while another one feels you up