Mama Africa - Sweet Sierra Leone

The beautiful continent of Africa goes by many names. In keeping with my hip hop roots I had to pick the title of an Akon song made about his roots to West Africa. Akon is from "Senegal" to be specific, and if you haven't heard Mama Africa you should check it out. I have a very special connection with Mama Africa, West Africa, and Sierra Leone in particular. This connection led me to complete a personal dream of mine and that was to travel to Africa. I was able to make my trip to Africa earlier this year. The most common statements that I heard before/during/after my trip was people telling me that they have never met anyone that has actually gone to Africa. So obviously, everyone wanted me to give them an account of everything I did.


My one plea here on Urbanomics is that people take time to open a book and learn about different cultures. I heard so many strange comments about Africa before I left for my trip that often I found it hard to even respond to some of the those comments. Note to readers, everything you see on television...especially the Discovery Channel doesn't reflect life in every city or country in S. America, Africa, Asia, or even Europe for that matter. So here is my quick version of Urbanomics mythbusters:
1. People in Africa wear clothes
2. Not every person in Africa lives in a hut
3. Animals are not running loose everywhere
4. I am more afraid walking in Chicago, NY, or LA than I was in Sierra Leone
5. You won't go hungry from lack of food and water

My experience in Africa was so fulfilling that literally all you could do was soak up the entire experience. All my senses were on alert, and the heat I encountered coming off the plane was the first thing I noticed. My eyes immediately followed the Coca-Cola sign that welcomed all visitors to Sierra Leone. Then the sounds of people soon followed. People were speaking Krio, and for first time a sense of familiarity swept over me. A language that I had grown up listening to as a child was being spoken rapidly throughout the airport (yes, they have an airport!). Then the wave of emotions as strangers rush up to me, hugging me and repeatedly calling my name. Yes, strangers to me, but people that could pick me out of a lineup because they have followed my growth from a baby to a boy to a man through pictures and letters. Those persons where no strangers they were family and then it all made sense. All those heightened emotions soon relaxed and everything was calm. Calm, you're thinking yeah right in the midst of all that chaos. But seriously, I felt very calm throughout my entire trip because I had this overwhelming feeling finally being home...comfortable, surrounded by family, and by the love from my family, from strangers, and from Sierra Leone.

I could go on for days about how I ate mango, pineapple, fresh fish, and rice. I drank the local beer Star beer and rekindled my love soda out of the bottle especially orange (don't you want to Fanta). Then there was the beach, and the market where you buys cultural gifts, and I can't forget the trip to the countryside. A trip that took me away from the hustle and bustle of the city and reminded me of the simple necessities one needs from life.
If you've had any interesting trips abroad, I would love to know if you had a similar experience. Here are a few pics from my trip: