FAQ’S

Why Africa?

I became intrigued with Africa when I was young, learning about Koko the gorilla and Jane Goodall living amongst chimpanzees. In 2005, I volunteered in a women’s shelter outside of Cape town, South Africa and fell in love with the country and it’s people. I’ve been eager to explore more of the African continent ever since. Africa has a way of seeping into your skin.

I want to see Africa with my own eyes without filters or negative commentary. The news thrives on telling us BAD news and, that’s when Africa enters our consciousness. Africa isn’t a country, it’s a continent. I know there’s more to witness and experience than what makes headlines: famine, war, refugees, AIDS, orphans, genocide, poverty etc.

I want to see where humanity originated. I want to see Africa for all that it’s worth. I want to see the impacts of colonialism I want to imagine what Africa may have been before/without being broken and colonized. I want to go because Africa gets a bad rap in the press. I want to see thousands of years of tradition, music, food, culture. I want to see Africa without a blindfold but with my own two eyes and create my own perspective!

Isn’t Africa dangerous?

Sure. I won’t deny it. It has it’s dangers. San Francisco has it’s dangers too. It doesn’t mean I avoid the city entirely, I simply find out where it’s safe to go and where its not, so I don’t get myself into trouble. You have to know the territory, know what areas are ok to walk around- both night and day. That’s not hard to find out. You have to have common sense, follow your intuition, and act like you know where you’re going and what you’re doing even when you don’t.

Clearly, if you lived your life based on where it’s dangerous, you’d be living underground year round. Every move we make, is potentially hazardous to our health, it’s all about how you view life. I could get hit by a car crossing the street, hurt driving home at 2 am, be in an earthquake, fall down the stairs

 

You’re going to Africa alone? Are your out of your mind?
Yes. Maybe.

Traveling alone offers me the freedom to do what I want, when I want without having to worry about anyone else. I can leave a city earlier than planned or stay longer if I want to. I love sharing travel experiences with friends and reflecting our memories together but this time around, I want to set out on my own. I’m ready to journey on my own, reflect and simply be with me. I find it enlightening to be on my own. Sure, I may get lonely but I doubt loneliness would trouble me for long. Hostels and guest houses are conducive to meeting travelers. I’m quite certain, I won’t be traveling alone for long and I’ll likely wish for alone time.

How long will you be gone?

Excellent question! I’m not really sure as I’m in a place in my life without obligations or commitments and I want to seize the opportunity to maximize my travel experiences. I’ll travel until it’s no longer enjoyable…until the money has run out or until the soles wear out on my feet.Time is plentiful. Maybe I’ll be gone 6 months, a year? Longer? Maybe you have an idea. I don’t. I’m just ready to go with the flow and let the wind guide me.

Where will you stay?

I plan to stay in hostels most of the time and will plan accordingly. No, I won’t always book ahead unless, there’s a special event or holiday or high tourist season that makes it mandatory that I book in advance. Planning on the go and making last minute decisions is part of the thrill of being on the road and living in the moment.

I’ll make my decision based on guidebooks, websites and other travelers experiences on where are decent places to stay. I also expect to stay in guest houses, the occasional motel and couchsurfing. Couchsurfing is exactly what the name implies- crashing on someone’s couch. Yes, I’ll be cautious, safe and use good judgement. I’ll always have a back-up plan! How did you save money?

I got an awesome job when I returned from South Africa in 2005 and started saving, saving and saving. Saving isn’t easy but I made a conscious effort to figure out where I was spending my money. If you don’t pay any attention, it’s amazing how fast you can spend and not have much to show for it. I set out a budget on how much I wanted to save every month and put it in a separate online savings account with www.emigrantdirect.com. I earned 5% on my money every month.  I promised myself that once I put it in the bank, I could not touch it until I traveled.

 

I also made personal choices to help me save faster. I chose to go to a local university to avoid taking out student loans, I lived at home because I get on well with my folks (I have the rest of my life to live on my own), budgeted for clothes/shoes every month and was careful how much I spent when I went out to eat, or went out to a bar/club. Life is about priorities. I love travel so I’ve figured out how to make it possible. If there’s any desire in you, simply make it a priority in your life and make it happen. Remember, there will never be a PERFECT time to take off and travel. There will always be a commitment, money, job, bills, rent etc. that needs taking care of but TIME is on your side and there’s plenty of resources and books out there on how to do it.

How can you afford to vacation for so long?

Well, I‘m not going on a vacation. I‘m traveling. There’s a big difference Not many people travel, most vacation. A vacation entails packing a big suitcase, staying in a nice hotel, dining at lovely restaurants, doing the tourist scene, relaxing, and not leaving your comfort zones while trying to forget about life at home. That’s ok. That’s what a vacation is for.

Traveling involves a lot of effort, unknowns, uncomfortable situations and is tiring. I’ll be living out of a backpack, staying in hostels, washing my clothes in the sink or the occasional laundry mat, cooking, taking public transportation, walking everywhere, planning on the go, dealing with language barriers, eating food from street vendors, experiencing occasional unsanitary conditions, realizing how blessed I am to be born in a land filled with opportunites and so on.

Of course, I live for travel- the excitement of the unknown, encounters with locals and travelers, trying exotic and mundane food and not having a clue as to what I’ll be doing the following day.

Are you scared?

Definitely. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t. I’m leaving all my comforts and venturing out into the unknown. I’m also elated, happy, joyous, curious, nervous, afraid, excited, worried, confused, sad, giddy, free, emotional, trusting, questioning. I’ll be feeling about 100 different emotions at given times and that’s all part of the experience.

I bet you had to get a lot of vaccinations?

 Hepatitis A & B, Typhoid, Yellow fever, Menginitis, Booster for Measles and Polio, 

Are you taking anti-malaria pills?

Probably. I’m not the type who’ll gladly take medication… so I’m sadly learning that it’s almost a must to be taking anti-malarials for Eastern Africa.  Oh well. Do what’s best for the moment.

What will you do when you return home?

Are you really asking? That’s so far away, I have no idea. I’m not worried about when I return. For all I know, I’ll stay in Africa.

Just kidding, mom. : )

There are always jobs and I never started a career so I don’t really have anything to worry about. I believe everything happens for a reason and everything is meant to be, like my last job. I’d be surprised if things don’t fall into place.