Everybody is always talking about foreign countries, whether it is about politics, travel, economy, etc. They want to visit European countries for the strong history and tasteful foods;  they want to visit Canada for winter sports, or places like Aruba so they can spend long days in the sun. But what about countries in Africa?

Africa is stereotyped as poor, narrow-minded and conservative, and the residents there are known as “those people,” who transmit “those diseases.” U.S citizens fear for friends and family when they find out someone is traveling to African countries. Yes, Africa has third world countries and many diseases, wars, and people to be feared, but what country isn’t involved in a war? What country doesn’t have diseases and poverty?

The first thing most people think of when considering Africa are stereotypical images of starving children and Ebola.  News flash:  that’s not what Africa is all about.  Everybody forgets about the rich culture and thriving cities with advanced technologies and other amazing accomplishments.

Africa has a rich culture, and by rich culture I am not just talking about the price tags the people put on their cloths, but the history behind the tribes like the ones in Kenya. There are about 42 known tribes there according to shadowafrica.com, all who speak languages that people like me never knew existed in the first place. In fact, some of them are languages where people communicate through clicking sounds otherwise known as the Khoisan languages. To some, this sounds unintelligent because their language is not written or does not contain specific rules like other modern languages. As a result, many people degrade them and classify them as poor because their social standards are not like ours. We are quick to judge those who live in Africa for reasons like they can’t walk to a grocery store to get food or they cannot afford a pair to buy pants from a retail store.

I would truly like to see somebody of my age who lives a privileged life where they can sleep in a bed, buy their own food, and have the ability to write English try to live the life of a tribal teenager. It is a role where they put their lives in danger hunting for their own food and make clothes out of any material they happen to stumble upon. Some people can barely toast bread without burning it let alone have to hunt, skin, and cook their own dinner with their bare hands; plus, they have no advanced firearms. Personally I think it would be more interesting and a more life changing experience then taking a picture with the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

Despite the common known, lesser advanced Africa, people forget about cities like Lagos, Nigeria. Lagos is the regions commercial powerhouse and working towards the fastest growing cities in the world! Not to mention the cities population grows by almost 600,000 people every year according to fortune.com. Also ever since they gained independence they have gradually become less and less dependent on foreign aid. I have yet to hear anybody say they want to visit Lagos, all I hear is “I want to visit Paris and New York City!” News flash there are other cities to discover and more cultures to open yourself up to then just the American and European ones.

While the major cities across the world may be luxurious and life changing, don’t be so quick to forget about Africa and all it has to offer. Maybe it’s time we all took a ride on the wild side.