Retaliation

2003-12-12

I knew that my last entry would cause some controversy.

That’s fine.

But the only response I got was a personal attack on myself- and I don’t think that’s fair. What’s also not fair is that I got an anonymous guestbook entry so I have no way to argue my point.

I was not grouping Canada and the United States into one country- I was grouping all First World Countries together. If you’ve been reading me at all (and it sounds like you have), you should know my feelings towards the mighty U.S of A.

1. It’s NOT impossible for me to contribute changing The Gambia into a country with similar attributes to a First World Country. VSO’s slogan is “Sharing Skills. Changing Lives.” I’m here to CHANGE people’s lives, “improve” them. If that’s not helping contribute to this, I’m not sure what is.

2. No, not all of you back home are McDonald’s eating, Vogue magazine reading, Martha Stewart wanna-bes. But SOME of you are. And I would LOVE to make sure that these Africans stay away from becoming like that.

There is so much pure, natural beauty here… and it’s also in Canada too- I never said it wasn’t (I love Canada, I wouldn’t want to permanently live anywhere else). But I don’t want The Gambia to have all of these ugly qualities that it very well could. Is that wrong??

3. The USA isn’t as different from Canada as we’d like to believe. Sorry. I wish it wasn’t true, but in my opinion, it is.

4. Power to you for staying home and living your life the way you want to. If you don’t want to travel, that’s more than okay with me. I have NEVER, EVER bashed ANYONE for not travelling. It’s just not something I feel compelled to do. The world is out there, why wouldn’t I travel it? I don’t think you’re ANY less of a person if you have different goals than I have. I’m afraid you’ve got me all wrong.

5. I’m not conceited, self righteous nor boastful. If you do believe any of those things, please then, stop reading my entries- I don’t force you to come here. I don’t post this journal for you.

Yes, I’ve travelled a bit. I am proud of that fact. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that- but I do not brag about it. It’s not the places I’ve been, but the lessons I’ve learned from being there. I don’t care that I’ve done “The Europe Thing,” nor that I’ve done “The Africa Thing.” Plenty of people have done it before me and will do it after me- I agree- but for me, it’s that I’VE done it. But I never mean to brag.

6. Thanks for the cheap shot on being in love. What’s up with that?

7. Yes, I’m in Africa. I’m living my life EXACTLY how I want to. And if you’re living yours exactly the way that you want to- I honestly couldn’t be more thrilled for you. But please, keep it out of my guestbook.

One Reply to “Retaliation”

  1. Just poking around and came across your writings. Read your retaliation and find it unbelievable that someone would want to bash you. I’m sure it’s nothing short of jealousy. At least you can say you did something significant during your lifetime. Not many can say that.

    2ndly, wanted to respond to your chapter on racism. It’s funny but I can relate. I am black but born in England early 1960’s. At that time we were still not accepted as human beings in that country. I totally felt your pain of being stared at/noticed everywhere you went. I experienced the same thing my whole life growing up in a country that I was born in. Even our teachers would refer to us as monkeys. And this in a so called 1st world country. Thankfully for you, this was a temporary situation. For myself, the moment I had the opportunity to leave England I jumped on it. Much has changed since then and I beleive things are much better now (or so they tell me). Like you, I still love my country warts and all. It’s where I’m from and I can’t change that. However, I choose not to live there or raise my children there. Thanks for writing and thanks for listening.

    S

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