Journal of a Foreign Descendant

The thesis in the declare suggests the mood that either hoi polloi of African descent in distributed in the Americas as well the stop of the world should -in the face of the inaccurate misrepresentation and portrayal of the real, and the cynical breakup beingness practiced in the west -try to go to Africa and get the prosperous experiences that the continent has to offer. The retain is mainly directed to two audiences The academicians and the general public.The book deals with two main basal views of Africa. The Eurocentric view of Africa portrays it as being mostly Jungle, uncivilized and inhabited by sub humans. The other extremist view is that of those that think that Africa is the answer to whole the problems afflicting the community of African descent. video recording programs generally go to the very rural areas -indeed there are several(prenominal) very rural areas -in the different parts of the continent, they videotape these peoples way of life, and wherefore show alone that on television. The ordinary TV watcher is only exposed to what is televised hence the development of the Eurocentric view of Africa.The precedent supports him infrastructure in a variety of ways. He believes that people of African relationship reach a batch to learn from the continent of Africa. One much(prenominal) lesson is the virtue of honesty. The designer supports this by giving us an example of Geoffrey Black. patch Mr. Black got into an argument with the taxi driver and declined to give him some tautologic money, The taxi driver returned his expensive camera, which he had forgotten in the cab.The author also Emphasized on the distinctive African work ethics, preservation and communal sense of responsibility. The Africans believe that resources -like water are non to be wasted. Furthermore, everyone has a role to play in the society as a whole. Consequently, each person performs his or her duties without having to be pushed around. If there is wor k to b done, someone does it. Fathers also take their responsibilities as parents seriously. Miss Vida Dzobo, a brothel keeper who sold out her personal belongings to start up a school demonstrated citizen responsibility in contributing towards the development of the rather than waiting for the government to do so. In addition, the author did not buy the farm to recognize the kindness and hospitality of the African people both by Rev Ghalas family and also through the Egyptian lady in Asmara who disseminate a blanket for them and gave them food.One very enriching experienced and lesson acquired is in the book is the secret of life as put by the author. The author in his life as a Christian and historian was impressed, overwhelmed and touched all at the same time by his experience in gold coast at the Leprosium and Podue. The author due to the lack of handicapped accessible buildings witnessed a physically challenged man struggle up the stairs to attend the church service. Moreo ver, The church was filled with lepers who were joyfully praising God despite their suffering. This particular possibility showed that life is mush more than material things.On the flip view of the authors theme of corporation between Africans and Africans in Diaspora, the Africans have a lot to gain from the People of African descent. As Dan Hoffman said, Africa had contributed greatly to the development of the Americas and have much more to contribute now both in ingrained resources and others ways. The author went ahead to give us examples how and where Africans could use some help. He noted that it is in Africa that the greatest human drama had occurred in the new twentieth century. People were dying due to the widespread civil wars among the Africans. As The author put it Just as Eastern Europe is demanding elective reforms, the same dynamic is being played out upon the African continentThe people of Africa are also perishing because from hunger yet the land is high endow ed with natural resources. As the author went through Egypt, he realise that though they were called deserts, Arizona, California, and Nevada have nothing equal to the piles of pure ovalbumin sand that seems to have had all the signs of vitality bleached out by the rays o the sun. The African farmers need help in such(prenominal) areas as farming tools and equipment as well as the technology and discern how that is so richly prevalent in the west in hunting lodge to adequately feed the people.In addition, the continent of Africa has its hare of political problems. In Nigeria for example, as witnessed by the author, was not politically stable because of the military rulers had labored the public with their policies. The Bureaucracy in Ghana had engulfed the system made a simple process a whole stressful situation all in the name of creating jobs for people. Generally many African nations have not had good leaders. The past leaders have only dwelled on enriching themselves and put -upon the citizens while in their positions rather than improving the countys systems. Examples include Mobutu Sese Seco of former congou tea now the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the well-known tyrant Idi Amin Dada of Uganda.With the censure of a few countries such as South Africa and Egypt, the infrastructure in most African countries is not developed. The Africans could use help in his area. educated and skilled people of African descent should come together and see in the improvement of the roads, the sewage systems, and provision of clean water. Unfortunately, as the author traveled to and from Ho and Ogun, he experienced first hand what seriously maintained roads could lead to.There is a potential for the African people as well as African American people to gain if they cooperate. The author does well in his recommendation that more African Americans travel to the continent Africa. I concur with the author in his idea that all people of African descent should be conce rned close to Africa upright like Jewish Americans are concerned close the philia east and just as the polish Americans are concerned about Poland.As the Africans benefit from the new technology from the Africans in the west, the people of African descent pull up stakes also gain valuable virtues that were extorted from them during the institution of slavery. They should hence at least give traveling to Africa a try than just fully agreeing with the distorted view of Africa in the west. Consequently, rather than try to disaffect themselves from anything to do with Africa as they have for a long time been conditioned, they will instead be able to appreciate their land of origin. This will establish out the best in them that has been hidden for an incredibly long time.