Assignment 3 - To Change or Not To Change

Adaptation to life in Africa!

Well it is a special part of Africa as this is South Africa. The most developed country on the continent. Having reference points from back home like having a mall next to where I live does help a lot.

I also have to add the fact that I am not originally from Canada - I'm not even a citizen yet! - I come from a region in the "south" of our planet.

The culture in South Africa is new to me but every single component of it I can find in past experiences, the whole experience here being very similar to my home country in the Caribbean.It is simply bigger and for some reason has a bit of Mexican feel to it!!!

This is strange but true. And this is how I would describe Johannesburg to any Caribbean people: Exactly like home but bigger and if you ever been in Mexico city just add this bustling and busy feeling from there and that is IT.

Coming back to having to change to adapt the simple answer is not much. Not much at all actually.

There are some little practical things that require changes like staying alive when walking in the city or having to greet everybody coming into the workplace. The former is new to me and the latter I just forgot living in the North for so long.

Johannesburg is dangerous in at least 2 ways. First it is actually unsafe to be there at night even in a group so my nightlife do not include going downtown for a drink or some shopping like in Toronto. Here going out at night requires to stay in the suburb or to the bar very close to where you live (if you are lucky enough to have one nearby). this has been a big change in my way of life. the second thing is traffic. Cars have the right of way in South Africa. It is absolutely not legal and a real mess but everybody tries to push him/herself through here. When you are the wheel of a car you are a lot bigger and pedestrians don't matter to you. I find myself having to get out of the way of cars even when it is my turn to cross the road.

Needless to say I am a lot more aware of my surrendings in Johannesburg.

Having to greet everyone in the office is something that is also going on in my country. I just have to get back in touch with my education.

Other than that I didn't found the need to do adjustments to the way I think or see the world. It is so similar to what I know that I am considering South Africa as a possible next destination after I finish studying in Canada. I love the fact that it has the general feel of my own country but with a lot more opportunities for an engineer especially of my skin colour. I am Black and in post-apartheid era we are suddenly very welcome everywhere!

The people have the same general respect for the northern way of life that we have in the Caribbean. It takes a toll on who you are growing in such culture tormented environment but once this is settled with your own character (I settled that a long time ago) it is quite easy to known where to go : just "follow the north". Sad but at the same time so true. We went to a South African play the other day and the main character mother's reminded me subtly this urge that we have perfectly embodied in black women habit to straighten their hair and try to get paler. Very funny when white woman try more and more to get darker and have bigger lips!!! hahaahah (I love when african or caribbean women keep their short natural hair)

Anyway I find the world to be very similar all over nowadays. There are differences of course but if you already have a bit of experience in different major cultures you can find your way almost everywhere while respecting most of people beliefs and cultures. Travelling requires less and less change and adaptation. I must say that I love it and look forward to the time where everyone will be able to have unrestricted access to everywhere in the world and feel at home as I do here!

Thanks for reading!