So, there’s this woman who made the great leap across the ocean, thinking she’d find paradise in Africa. But now she’s pining for America, where she’d rather brave the quirks of neighbors who cheer on the “confederate flag” than deal with the perceived chaos of what she found abroad. Because, apparently, it’s easier to manage a barbecue with distant relatives who might just tip the scale into questionable territory than to share the space with giant spiders and colorful lizards, which sounds like the world’s worst petting zoo.
Now, let’s be real for a minute. It takes a special kind of person to pack up their belongings, hop on a plane, and declare a new continent their home. Kudos to them! But sometimes the grass really isn’t greener on the other side—especially if it’s crawling with scorpions. It sounds like this gal was expecting safaris and sunshine, but ended up with a roommate situation that’s part Jurassic Park, part nightmare.
She goes on to lament the “bribery” and “scams” she encounters. Funny thing is, you could probably just as easily find a scam in any city in America, just masked behind an infomercial promising weight loss while you indulge in cheese fries. Maybe that’s just the charm of the entrepreneurial spirit, right? But here’s the kicker: not only does she miss the familiarity of racism in America—yes, you read that right—but she’s also nostalgic for the grocery aisles stocked with snacks that she can indulge in without a side of fraud.
While she’s bemoaning Africa’s inventiveness (or lack thereof, according to her), it’s worth a headshake. Africa is a huge continent, teeming with history, culture, and creativity. Sure, maybe she missed the memo on the various life-altering inventions that have found their roots on this continent, from mathematics to medicine and beyond. It’s kind of like claiming the state fair doesn’t count just because you’ve never been on the Ferris wheel.
At the end of the day, there’s a lesson in her unexpected dilemma. It’s all too easy to romanticize or criticize a place without understanding the wealth of experience that comes with living there. Maybe it’s memories of simpler American divides that seem easier to navigate. But before anyone ships their dreams overseas, it’s essential to check what’s lurking under that palm tree. Because sometimes the adventure has more hairy legs than you bargained for, and those colorful lizards don’t make great pets—or roommates, for that matter.
