Ladies and gentleman, the African Scene on Global Grind is baaaaaaaaaaaaack!
For the past few months, I have had a great time penning this column drawing on my personal experiences as an African. I have received a tremendous amount of support and for that I am forever indebted to you all. That being said, there has been one prevailing issue that has had me chomping at the bit while doing the African Scene posts. How can I write honestly about the continent and my experiences there if I don’t visit regularly and talk to people on the ground?
It’s so important that even though I am based in New York City, I stay connected to my roots. So imagine how ecstatic I was when a serendipitous opportunity came for me to travel to my native country of Zimbabwe and South Africa for a fun mix of business and pleasure. I was more than eager to escape winter and brighten my gray days with the cheerful warm weather in Africa. Talk about making my mood sunnier, I was beside myself!
So after a few weeks of silence, the column is back and packed with tales from from my time in the continent. While I was there, I kept thinking about how I wished everyone could experience the beauty and majesty of Africa at least once in their lifetime. Don’t get me wrong, there were a few moments when things weren’t so grand (no running water for days) but overall I had a fantastic time.
The first part of my trip was spent in Zimbabwe in a small and irresistible town called Bulawayo. It’s an understated city that is content to sit back and let Harare (the capital) take the spotlight. There I spent time with my grandparents, assorted relatives and even managed to squeeze in time to make new friends. Though I craved the not-so-readily wireless services (gosh I missed twitter), it was wonderful to disconnect and enjoy meaningful conversations. So after a week in Zimbabwe I hightailed to South Africa in high style!
Now friends, before I continue I have a confession to make. Pssst, lean in… I have a huge phobia of flying. As a matter of fact, I see nothing friendly about the skies, my eyes always reveal the true terror I have about being 38,0000 feet in the sky.
That was until I had the opportunity to ride in a glamorous private jet in Africa with my Uncle Ethan Dube. He is a Zimbabwean born-South African based businessman who was done extremely well in finance. As a matter of fact, he has achieved the historic feat of creating the first black owned financial services institution to be listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. So dope! My Mom’s brother invited me to ride with him and his family from Bulawayo to Cape Town in a five star style. It was EPIC!
I will readily admit to being part of the lucky few that has gotten the chance to experience living the life of luxury in Zimbabwe. But for me, that life changing experience was bigger than the private jet. Having see first hand how hard my Uncle has worked to make himself a success in the shark infested world of business was a larger than life affirmation that through hard work and determination ANYTHING is possible.
During my stay in Cape Town I visited the super natural thriller that is Chapman’s Peak. I went for a hike up the glorious and unbelievably green mountain and I promise you I have never enjoyed a run/walk as much as I did that day. WOW! It was stunning. I spent a weekend in Cape Town and some of my highlights included eating the fresh and delectable seafood, visiting the exquisite beaches and the one on one invaluable chats with my Uncle.
It’s no secret that I love Africa so I could wax poetically about my trip to Africa for hours on end. I will say that throughout these wonderful moments I experienced a few hiccups that reminded me that even though Africa has come so far- there is still a long way to go. The sometimes male chauvinistic attitudes, mind numbing tribalism, and frustrating infrastructure issues gave me plenty of headaches during my visit. Even with the issues I experienced, I can safely attest to that fact I have traveled mostly all over the world and there is no place that compares to the motherland.
There are many things that make Africa special but I what I love above the food, the natural beauty and the opportunities are – the people. The people in Africa are some of the most warm and kind people you will ever counter. In a previous post I talked about (UBUNTU- the spirit of togetherness ) and Africans have that sense embedded in their DNA. It is the quintessential place that I call home. I can’t wait to go back again this year!
Have you visited or do you live in Africa? What are some of your most memorable experiences there? Both good and bad?
Makho Ndlovu is a Zimbabwean born celebrity reporter and blogger based in New York City. You can follow her @MakhoNdlovu. To learn more about her, check out her personal blog Makho-Ndlovu.blogspot.com
