Life in East Africa

'Africa'- the world's second most populous continent is an awe inspiring continent of diversity and beauty. The raw, simplistic nature of life is magical. The 'Lonely planet' describes the continent eloquently: "Africa's natural history alone would make a dozen visits worthwhile - where else on earth can you fall asleep to the sound of lions roaring, or watch a million flamingos take off from the waters of a remote soda lake? Parts of Africa boast scenery so spectacular they'll damn near blow your mind, but the essence of this incredible continent isn't in any desert, mountain or lake. It's the spirit of the people - pushing, shoving, sweating, dancing, singing and laughing - that infects so many visitors with a travel bug so powerful they'll never stop coming back, sometimes against all sense or reason" (Lonely Planet, 2009) East Africa is a stunning region, straddling the equator, displaying stunning beauty
- a plethora of geographical zones and climates. Historically, the region is central in the development of humankind. Mainstream scientific belief is that humans originate from East Africa. The earliest fossilised hominid remains have been found in East Africa - Ethiopia ( Awash Valley ) and Tanzania ( Olduvai Gorge .)

Furthermore, Ethiopia is considered as the 'birthplace of coffee'. It was believed to have been discovered by a goat herder who noticed lively behaviour amongst his goats. For the people, life can be extremely challenging. A large percentage of the population live on less than a dollar a day, the UN benchmark for extreme poverty. Widespread poverty and hunger causes a range of issues, restricting the countries progress and development. Nevertheless, the acquisition of education is one way to reduce such issues. Ethiopia is a country with the lowest primary school enrolment rate in the world, thus attaining universal primary education in the country requires great efforts. If you are still considering whether East Africa is for you, I urge you to ponder over the following quote: "The only man I envy is the man who has not yet been to Africa - for he has so much to look forward to." This anonymous 19th century quote summarises perfectly the power and beauty of the people and environment of East Africa .Patience is crucial is you are to succeed in Africa, it is important you alter your concept of time. In Africa, time is not the most important part of a person's life. It is often considered strange to be 'on time.' You must be able to get used to 'African time', you must be patient and not expect things to happen when you expect!