Double-Sided Perspective

An essay the reveals the single story of Africa

Perspective is everything. Narrow perspective leads to wide generalizations while wide perspective leads to narrow generalizations. When looking at the vast amount of stereotypes that are said about America and Africa, it is obvious how perspective changes everything.

Africa is and will always be my home. It is a sprawling land with beautiful, natural sights, excotic, diverse sounds, rich, exquisite smells and experiences to be had. It is where I've made my best memories playing soccer with my cousins, stealing milk from the fridge and sipping ice cream from a pouch. Africa is what shapes my ideals and values. From the 54 countries each beautiful and unique it is one where I owe my being to. Africa might be my home, but Ghana is where I'm from. It is a happy place that brings memories of family and sunday soccer games kicking sand everywhere and having to wash it out by hand afterwards. The values of respecting anyone older than you, and expecting the same from those younger than you. Stories of all the the land across the ocean, where everything is great and everything you need is there for you. My uncles would joke saying that if they ever moved there, all they would do is sleep, eat and sleep some more. My aunts would fawn over the ridiculous amounts of clothes they would buy and of course me and my friends always thought of the many toys that would be available to us. As much as I dreamed to go to the United States, I never saw it as a possibility.

When I realized that my family was going to be moved to the United States it came as such a shock. My family all came up to you saying how lucky I was and how much they wish they were me. Jealousy floods their hearts and flows up into their eyes. Everything has changed. In their eyes it was that day that I turned into an American and therefore had everything. My life would be great forever and everything I needed would be brought to me at the mere thought. It was amazing how so many people, even people you had seen maybe once or twice are now asking if you will send some aspect of your inevitable good life back. Living in America made me realize that most people living in Africa had a narrow perspective of America, myself included. Looking back now it's interesting to think how oblivious it must seem. Many are immersed in the stereotype that just being in the United States entitles that person to certain success. It was as if there was something in the ground, the water, or even the air they breathed in that we do not have available to us in Africa. By living there it exposes the falseness of the stereotypes and made me realize how wrong my family was. I realized that no matter where you go, to be able to get the things you want you have to work, even in America. I witnessed it first hand when our first house was not the mansion I imagined it to be, or when I didn’t get the food that i expected of an American lifestyle. It is not just in Ghana that thinks this about America, this stereotype is a very widespread belief across Africa.

It was also interesting to hear what the Americans thought of Africa as well. It started when I went I started going to school and noticed that not only was I one of the few only people of color in the class, but got more noticeable I was asked where I was from. “Ghana, Sir” or “Ghana, Miss”, and since they would know where Ghana was, they would always ask in the most friendly voice they could impart, “Where’s that?” I would simply say it was in West Africa and that was when I realized that the people here were doing the same things my family was. As soon as I mentioned Africa, a look of pity immediately envelopes their faces. Its as if I was one of the “Starving Children of Africa”, and that by coming to their country, life got infinitely better in every way. The part that amazes me is that it's obvious to tell they know nothing of Africa especially by types of questions about Africa that I received. Questions like “Did you have to ride a Zebra to school?” or “Did see lions in your backyard?” just to name a few. Just like in Africa and how people believe America is the best and easiest country to live in, in America they believe Africa is the worst and hardest country to live in. I didn’t understand why the people always looked at me with pity until I was able to read and understand the news. With all the stories about Africa “failing again” being released its clear to see where they draw their thoughts from. It made me realize that the stereotypes, as false as they are, will always be the same no matter where I go because of what the people there are told of Africa.

By living in both places I get the opportunity to have a wider perspective. It gives me the chance to see both places for what they are, and understand that in both places there is good and bad. America is not a work free paradise land, and Africa is not a poor war destroyed place. Perspective changes everything.