AFRICAN TALES

I had always dreamed of going to Africa, I just didn't know in what capacity. An opportunity had arisen whereby I had 3 weeks off work and I decided I would volunteer for a HIV/AIDS organisation in Africa. That seemed both a righteous and noble thing to do. Not for one moment did I think it could possibly change the way I viewed the world forever.

I went to Africa expecting to volunteer and make a documentary about HIV/AIDS, I should have known better than to control what was in store for me, I should have known better to control my destiny.

I had imagined providing education on HIV awareness, training nurses and being busy with the NGO Hope For Living. Expectation is always based on our own values, judgments and hopes. It is no wonder we feel surprised when our expectation is not met as it is fuelled with so much personal gain.

I felt very ready to give myself to Ghana however was Ghana ready to receive me? In Ghanaian custom, 'time' has a very different meaning to what I was use to. 'Time' is governed by the sun and the moon, by the light and by the tide. Hence, I did not expect to spend my first week doing very little. Well, that's what I thought. I was in fact doing quite a bit. I was adjusting to a new way of life, a foreign culture, built on ancient custom and tradition.

The following is a collection of poems called 'African Tales' and is a personal account of my experiences as a white industrialised woman, traveling to a foreign land, holding firm ideas and thoughts about how I could save the world. I had also met a new lover just before I left for Africa. This, combined with my outlook for my trip, was always going to be a recipe for some wonderful poetry, if nothing else!