Past Thoughts On Africa example essay topic
484 words
As I stepped onto the platform and walked down the terminal, my imagination began to stir. Images of wild beasts roaming the land, and savage men armed with spears filled my mind. I had landed in Africa, land of the untamed; or so I thought. For weeks people had been filling my mind with vivid descriptions of a country they had never seen, and I swallowed it all up. Walking toward the exit, I imagined seeing a luscious forest ahead of me, filled with exotic animals, and wild beasts. To my surprise, I walked out to a commercial road. Towering buildings, heavy traffic, and choking smog were all I could see. I thought to myself", Is this Africa?" If so "where are the elephants, the lions, and savage tribe man?" What I encountered was a civilized city. As the days progressed, and I traveled throughout the city, I came to the conclusions that someone had lied to me. This place was definitely not Boston; however, it was not the place I had imagined. Why was this place so different from the descriptions given to me by several people? Did they intentionally lie to me, or did they just want to stir up my imagination?
It took me a while, but I was able to figure it out. These people didn't mean to misinform me about Africa. They were just relating to me the same stereotypical information they too had heard from someone else. As with many other places, Africa was put into a category. It was categorized as an uncivilized, hostile region. Visiting Africa, I formed the true picture.
I saw it for what it is, an extravagant country. The busy city, filled with modern day equipment was just the beginning. Seeing past this enabled me to see the true beauty of Africa. A three day visit to Sun City, a resort in Africa was enough to erase all past thoughts on Africa. The resort showed both the past and present history of Africa. The center held the modernized casino, surrounded by theaters, shops, and game centers.
However it was the sites on the outskirts that opened my eyes. The one thing in particular was the 5 story high temple. The first Africans who traveled from Holand built this temple. The first Africans from Holand to Africa carved the walls inside the building into portraits, which explained the journey. Each wall depicts a key part in their journey.
Some were simple encounters with friendly tribes, while others explained the full-scale war they raged with the hostile tribes. The thing that most amazed me was that this temple was built back during their time. So how could an uncivilized group accomplish such a erection?
