Hello to whoever reading this blog!
Let me introduce myself and explain why I decided to come out with this blog first since it is the very first post of the blog.
So.. Hi (again), my name is Nadia and I am just a 20 years old girl majoring in International Studies.
I am originally from South Korea, yet stayed in Malaysia for 4 years. I am now currently staying in South Africa.
I made my decision to come to South Africa for an exchange program early this year.
The main reason I chose South Africa among many countries is that I wanted to find and experience Africa with my own eyes.
I was pretty much told how dangerous Africa is all the time.
People who have not been to Africa advised me not to go to South Africa and rather go to Australia instead with giving me reasons - crimes, wars, AIDS, etc etc.
But then the thing is even they have not been to Africa right?
and how would they be so sure about that while they themselves have not experienced?
I blame the media on this matter. The media have been showing only the negative part - AIDS, poverty, crimes, wars and so on of Africa as if that is all about Africa.
For me, to be honest, the idea of Africa was a continent which is full of blacks, poverty, war, crime and AIDS. I thought Africa is just a plain black continent as if it shared all the same culture.
Is it what you think of Africa as well?
However, my idea of Africa was completely changed when I made some friends who are from African countries like Botswana, Zimbabwe, Nigeria and Kenya. Africa is in fact full of all different cultures - race, religion, culture, history and many more. That was really fascinating! and I felt really stupid. I knew nothing of this great continent. I have been rather living in perceptions of Africa, created by the media pretty much. So that was the main reason I went to South Africa.
After finally landing on South Africa, I found South Africa indeed a great country in terms of culture, nature and also people. South Africa was full of shocks although I came without any expectations.
There are more numbers of Whites than I thought. Also, I did not expect that Indian community in Africa would be this huge. Thus, it is not as dangerous as people think.
What I can say is I have learned alot of things from this country, South Africa. I still have plenty of great things to discover in Africa yet what I can tell you is what you see about Africa is just a part of it, not all of it.
My friends still check on me if I am safe here at times. Some people still ask me not to be so friendly to Blacks, because they are naturally bad people.
Then, I have realised that many people in the other side of the world actually still live in these perceptions of Africa, and I guess they deserve to know other many great parts of Africa rather than just a part of it - negative things. Also, people in Africa eager to tell others in the other side of world how beautiful their continent is.
That is the reason I came out with this blog.
I am going to post a picture of Africa, particularly South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Angola, Kenya and Sudan every day.
A group of my friends will be also participating to other parts of Africa.
All the pictures will be taken in Africa, and they could meet your image of Africa or shoot your perceptions.
I can not promise you to show you the true Africa. It is because I would not be able to cover all the parts of Africa first of all since I am only focusing on those countries mentioned earlier. Thus, my friends and I would not be able to take pictures of every single thing of those countries as well. Also, I believe even a picture somehow involves discourses. Hence even a picture could be biased. However, it is also a part of Africa, isn't it?
Springbok shots.
