Let's have a thread about Africa

IrishAm

Nodin wrote: »

So it's f,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

You brought up the free houses. Not I.

As I said. Glad we cleared it up.

token101

TIA bru.....TIA.

skoomi

IrishAm wrote: »

Its pretty sick, I wouldnt recommend watching it.



[MOD SNIP: A bit too much, even for After Hours.]

That's not Uganda.

First of all, the rear licence plates in Uganda are yellow. In the video they are white.

Second, I didn't hear any Luganda.

That being said, mob justice does happen in Uganda. Which is why you really should think twice about shouting thief! if somebody grabs your phone on the street.

kincsem

I worked in Zambia for two years in the 1970s and spent a bit of time in Malawi and Mozambique, and visited Angola, Zaire, Kenya. It gave me an idea of what the southern part of Africa is like.
Thanks to this thread I was guilt-tripped into buying my fourth $134 bicycle for World Bicycle Relief. They have provided over 100,000 bicycles in Zambia, Zimbabwe and other countries largely to school students.

skoomi

kincsem wrote: »

I worked in Zambia for two years in the 1970s and spent a bit of time in Malawi and Mozambique, and visited Angola, Zaire, Kenya. It gave me an idea of what the southern part of Africa is like.
Thanks to this thread I was guilt-tripped into buying my fourth $134 bicycle for World Bicycle Relief. They have provided over 100,000 bicycles in Zambia, Zimbabwe and other countries largely to school students.

You were ripped off. There's no way a bicycle costs $134 in Africa.

Catari Jaguar

I spent 7 weeks in Kenya, teaching in an orphanage in the Kiberan slums. Was tough going because you get the feeling that life will never change for them, but you still try. It's easy to point the finger and claim outrage at scams but it's means of survival over there. It's a world you'll never, ever know. But at times it was amazing and eye opening. Such happiness though they had nothing, whatever they did have they would share with you, huge gratitude for anything you did, and such strong faith it was overwhelming to see.

After that we travelled to this luxury resort in Mombasa. Just tropical paradise. That was crazy to see how much opulence and wealth there is and no one there cares about the slum children. They don't even exist, legally... It doesn't sit right to be dusty and filthy, thirsty but holding your pee all day, in a tin shack with 60 kids one week, on a slum that's basically built on a rubbish dump... then be snorkelling and eating tropical fruit on a secluded white sand cove the next.

Went on safaris, drove all over the country, visited the Masai Mara tribe and all the kids coming to the van looking for sweets, saw Kilamanjaro & Great Rift Valley. Stunning. Lush. Amazing. Then over to Zanzibar. Avoid Zanzibar, dodge and not much to do.

kincsem

skoomi wrote: »

You were ripped off. There's no way a bicycle costs $134 in Africa.

http://www.worldbicyclerelief.org/
It is a sturdy bicycle designed for African conditions. The major bicycle company SRAM is the organiser. They also train mechanics locally to build and service the bicycles.
How much does a bicycle cost in Zambia?

Paparazzo

skoomi wrote: »

I've been to Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Malawi, Tanzania... and Zanzibar. (yes I count Zanzibar as a distinct country since it's semi-autonomous and there's a separate visa for it!)

I spent over a year backpacking / sessioning / arsing around those countries.

I didn't get shot, mugged or stabbed either. In fact, there is a very small chance of you getting murdered, and the safest place I've ever been is Uganda. The only place I can think of where I've felt safer is my own home by the fire with a cup of tea.

If you are unlucky enough to get mugged, they'll take everything, which includes bringing you to an ATM and emptying your account. But if you are going to die in East Africa, it will probably be in a road accident.

My biggest surprise was arriving in Nairobi and seeing nice big skyscrapers and fancy bars.

http://mutuamatheka.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/another-night-in-the-city.jpg?w=950&h=731

There are some seriously hot byores over there too.

I spent almost a month in Accra in Ghana, it was the same, really safe. Walking down dark streets at night with groups of people hanging around, thinking it's probably not a good idea, but they're all just really friendly and chatty.
Even an irish bar there
http://74.54.19.227/GHP/img/world66/550.27.jpg

KINGVictor

IrishAm wrote: »

Over 3,500 Nigerian families have been housed by the Irish state.

Hi there Irish Am,

Good to see you here again, I noticed you didnt answer my question in the cited post below and I am waiting for any evidence to support your assertions.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=78207375&postcount=501

No hassle, its just as a way to test for validity and reliability.

Many thanks

wilkie2006

Afro-Irish Garda Exchange Ethiopia

wilkie2006

mikemac1 wrote: »

The softly spoken South African accent is hawt :cool:

Worked with quite a few of them in Irish hotels during my student day, just love the accent

Sexy deeplomitic immuneetee...

skoomi

Paparazzo wrote: »

I spent almost a month in Accra in Ghana, it was the same, really safe. Walking down dark streets at night with groups of people hanging around, thinking it's probably not a good idea, but they're all just really friendly and chatty.
Even an irish bar there
http://74.54.19.227/GHP/img/world66/550.27.jpg

One in Uganda too!

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_18XY6JLC7Hk/TNvcLnvxdhI/AAAAAAAAACg/ptHYEyJzn5I/s1600/P7300095-1.JPG

Actually owned by two Irish lads, so it is quite authentic.

Catari Jaguar wrote: »

I spent 7 weeks in Kenya, teaching in an orphanage in the Kiberan slums. Was tough going because you get the feeling that life will never change for them, but you still try.

Yes, you still try because it makes you feel good. Right? Looks nice on the aul C.V. too.

I feckin' hate voluntourism. I met an Irish girl over there who was teaching the aul' Gaeilge to the local village kids as part of her €3000 voluntourism package. Made me sick! I probably did more for locals by propping up the local economy with booze money. There's not much benefit to be had from an 18 year old lass who teaches Irish and juggling. The thing that's been bugging me for the last year though... she should have thought Irish dancing too. That was the missing link in the fight towards eradication of poverty. If only I thought of it...

There was a group of voluntourists I met in Kenya that literally weren't allowed walk outside the hostel gate after 6pm to buy a packet of fags because of the security T&C of their voluntourism company. The local shop was practically attached to the front gate. How thick is that?

If anyone here is thinking of volunteering, think again. Of course it would look fantastic on the C.V., and would make you feel great having your photo taken in the middle of 30 little African children (then straight to facebook profile photo). I would advise you to actually save up a good bit of money, and just do plain and simple back packing. They want business! Not to play football with a white man or to have their child fed porridge by a sunburnt Mayo cnut!

By all means, if you're a qualified teacher, maybe get an actual job there. But if you're a wannabe volunteer who has dreams of teaching African kids but has no experience... don't fcuking bother.

I'M SAVING AFRICA YEAH!

Paparazzo

I know a few lads that did that in Accra. Got sponsored for 5k to spend 2 weeks painting and wiring a school. I thought the 5k would have been way better spend on local tradesmen to do it. And It cost me under 1k for flights and a room for almost a month!

skoomi

Paparazzo wrote: »

I know a few lads that did that in Accra. Got sponsored for 5k to spend 2 weeks painting and wiring a school. I thought the 5k would have been way better spend on local tradesmen to do it. And It cost me under 1k for flights and a room for almost a month!

Of course! The money would have been much better spent on local tradesmen, but did the school really need a paint job in the first place? It's feel-good bull****.

That being said, It's great that we can see where some of that 5k goes. Of course 100 euros of that is spent on paint. The rest... well I'm regularly chugged on my way to Tesco, and they're paid pretty well. How about the prime time slots where we are bombarded with footage of disease-ridden children? They must cost a bit. Fat paychecks surely take a chunk of that. The remaining 20cent, I'm not sure.

By the way, the first time I went ice skating was in Kenya.

tomasdoyle

Spent 5 months in Khartoum, it was easier than you would think. people were amazing, I've never seen such an entrepreneurial bunch. A guy setting up a bike repair shop in the corner of two walls by draping some plastic over it. Mobile hair dressers, pop up coffee and tea stands. So much poverty, so much religious beat downs and government gits, people on the street still great. Eye opener I'd recommend to anyone.... Yes alcohol is illegal... but there's a great Korean restaurant on Africa road ;-) dunno about the food!

I want to see more.. Maybe a trip to Lagos is on the cards next. I have my doubts about that place though.

Itwasntme.

wilkie2006 wrote: »

Afro-Irish Garda Exchange Ethiopia

:pac::pac: Brilliant. :pac::pac:

Nothingbetter2d

Born to Die wrote: »

Adam and Eve were believed to have lived in Africa so we are all from Africa.

actually the garden of eden is believed to be in iraq

Itwasntme.

skoomi wrote: »

One in Uganda too!

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_18XY6JLC7Hk/TNvcLnvxdhI/AAAAAAAAACg/ptHYEyJzn5I/s1600/P7300095-1.JPG

Actually owned by two Irish lads, so it is quite authentic.



Yes, you still try because it makes you feel good. Right? Looks nice on the aul C.V. too.

I feckin' hate voluntourism. I met an Irish girl over there who was teaching the aul' Gaeilge to the local village kids as part of her €3000 voluntourism package. Made me sick! I probably did more for locals by propping up the local economy with booze money. There's not much benefit to be had from an 18 year old lass who teaches Irish and juggling. The thing that's been bugging me for the last year though... she should have thought Irish dancing too. That was the missing link in the fight towards eradication of poverty. If only I thought of it...

There was a group of voluntourists I met in Kenya that literally weren't allowed walk outside the hostel gate after 6pm to buy a packet of fags because of the security T&C of their voluntourism company. The local shop was practically attached to the front gate. How thick is that?

If anyone here is thinking of volunteering, think again. Of course it would look fantastic on the C.V., and would make you feel great having your photo taken in the middle of 30 little African children (then straight to facebook profile photo). I would advise you to actually save up a good bit of money, and just do plain and simple back packing. They want business! Not to play football with a white man or to have their child fed porridge by a sunburnt Mayo cnut!

By all means, if you're a qualified teacher, maybe get an actual job there. But if you're a wannabe volunteer who has dreams of teaching African kids but has no experience... don't fcuking bother.

I'M SAVING AFRICA YEAH!

+ a million.