I am a passport holding European. I live in Africa .
I love Africa .
I see myself as a pale African. I belong here. In a
continent of conflict - in a continent of love - in a continent of life
But once in a while I go back to my 'mother'land. I visit
the poor bastards who believe vitamin D starvation is natural, who believe that
three days sun in a row is a great summer, who believe white people can
dance...
I have never been so angry. I fumed for days. I needed to be
calmed down. I wanted to punch some lovely people in the head. - I didn't
I met European entitlement.
Entitlement is a word I have always associated with Africa . Mainly in a context of middle class people telling
me how unreasonable the poor are for wanting running water, housing, free
schooling, education, hospitals...
I often choose to agree. I have become more capitalist than
socialist by living in Africa . It keeps me
sane. It justifies my life in a context of massive poverty. - I worked for it,
so should they.
In Europe , I met unemployed
people who have yearly holiday from looking for work.
You hear this right. People who are doing nothing take
holiday from doing nothing to do ---- NOTHING!!!
And this is ok - I guess
But the people in the system expect this.
The expectations are sky high. And with this people can only
be disappointed.
In Africa we celebrate the
small 'normalities'. In Europe we lament the
small 'defects'.
