Picturing Africa...

So when you picture africa what do you see? Perhaps arid dry sands, a leaf-less shrub and a mud-hut? Maybe a kid with an inflated belly standing half naked? Or maybe wildlife of some sort...giraffes?

All I can say is if any of those rang true its because World Vision, National Geographic and all the other media giants that rule our impressionable north-american minds have done a good job!

The real truth is that Africa is like any other place....visually speaking that is. Right now its rainy season so I see fields of green, red roses too...oh ahh sorry (Ray Charles..ahh I am such a media affected kid). Seriously, some vistas look just like scotland as in the grass is really green the trees are lush with leaves and there are white lillys and other wildflowers scattered around. Z-boma is starting to look amazing, all the flowers are springing out and walking around is both aromatically and visually fantastic.

During dry season things are a lot more barren, leafless shrubs, bright red dry clay sands, and cracked mud huts can be seen. But (other than the mud huts) that is pretty much like Nevada I would imagine.

As for the wildlife, here in Malawi if you see them in the park you will be lucky! Most wild animals have ither run away (due to human inhabitation of thier territory) or have been hunted and eaten. There aren't any "big game" to be seen about; its not like I walk to the bank and slap a zebra a high-five. Its quite sad actually. They have to import some of thier park animals from other areas because they have brutally mismanaged thier native populations. Actually, I remember there was more wild life to be seen in Kenya...perhaps they have better laws about hunting and conservation (most probably for the purpose of tourism).

I did read in the paper today that there was a Lion Attack in the north, but that lion had escaped from a park and is old or wounded or something. Usually (said my co-worker) lions would prefer to stay away from humans but if they are incapable of hunting other wild animals they will prey on domestics...goats slow moving humans etc. BUT please dont get too änti-lions. Despite my co-workers theory I maintain that if there were more ungulates (zebra, gazelles etc) around then there would be less "ättacks" on domestics.

Okay thats my thougth of the day.