In my digging around yesterday I came across this great site – AfriGadget. You have gotta check out this site. It is incredible the ingenuity and creativeness going on in Africa. Dual Sim Chip cell phones, cell phones built out of recycled parts, bamboo bicycles.
I am really on a reverse marketing ploy here. I believe that Africa gets terrible press – so much so that the people of Africa are even convinced by it. While America and Europe present themselves as the “paradise” existence. I have lived overseas for many years – 15 in total – in lovely Oakland, CA and in Santa Cruz, CA. I have travelled and spent many months in other parts of the USA. It is a great place, seriously, I love America. It is my second home – I carry an American passport, I am married to an American and my daughter was born in America.
But, there is one piece of misinformation – it is not paradise, it is not perfect – nowhere is perfect. The same is true for Africa, it is not a perfect continent. In fact it is far from it on many levels. But, it is an exciting place, it is creative, passionate and at times raw.
Africa is a continent, the second biggest in the world, with the second largest population of close to 800 million people. It is a diverse place, filled with many cultures and peoples. It is a place worth exploring.
I have to say – that most people do not think of Africa as a continent. They see it as one big country. No distinctions between countries, people or places. I know this is especially true because after waiting 5 years for my US green card when it did finally arrive guess what they had put down as my country of origin?
Africa!!!
Yep, Africa. People, Africa is a continent not a country. Come and explore this continent of 53 countries, 800 million people and hundreds of languages. You may just be surprised to find there is something else that they haven’t been telling you.
Then go back and help change the perceptions of this place. We need some reverse marketing.
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