Out of Africa

After a long hard day of removal, nothing is better for me than sitting in my own empty room and writing my last tribute to my second home of Nuestra Señora de Africa...

Without the ear piercing rock music my stupid spanish neighbour is playing right now, I would surely have more imagination and concentration to summon the nostalgic sad feeling that may inspire memorable heart-breaking phrases like "I can't bear the thought of parting from my beloved Africa".

On the (extreme) contrary, I am so desperate to get out of this greenish student's residence.

Not that I don't bring any good memory during my stay with me, but the present is so unbearable that I just can't wait to try living a real life out there where people and things are different.

By the word "different" I mean...

- No more stupid spanish brats (oh yeah, I'm being a racist here, but mind you, it's not my fault!) who played music so loud as if their parents had never educated them before.

- No more itchy feeling while entering the Comedor. Lately when most of my friends have gone, I feel quite uneasy while walking through the canteen's door and most people turn their head to observe me (actually, they are observing whoever making the entrance, dramatic or not). I won't waste a paragraph to analyse the cause of my uneasiness here since it is obviously about unexplicable emotional thing.

- No more dealing with people that I don't get along well (at least for my part). Well, to tell you the truth, this problem never has a permanent solution. Everywhere you go, you are destined to bump into someone who has a different tune. But for me, the problem in Africa has at last come to an end. Phew!

- No more bloody rules that sometimes make things more complicated and turn the residence into a prison.

- No more dealing with the brain-dead Residence's Management Team. Bye bye Fabien!!! Hope you get lots of praises from future students!

You may think that I'm being so damn negative here (as always). To counterbalance all the cons above, I have squeezed my brain (till the last drop, of course) for some good things about Africa as well!!!

Here are what I have found out...

- I have had chances to meet interesting (and not so interesting) people who gave me their friendship and the opportunity to widen my perspective and taught me about tolerance. Thanks guys! You really teach me a lot, though unconsciously. If you spent time with me here in Africa and are reading this, there's no doubt that the message is for you :)

- Africa has become a crucial turing point in the road of learning for me. Thanks to everybody who was, has been and is part of it and has accompanied me along the way.

- My spanish has improved dramatically since I arrived because of the conversations in the Comedor and the cafes. Living here did help me master my language in various topics and fields.

- I can now say that I have eaten (almost) all the possible traditional spanish food. It's like a one-stop eatting experience; stay here for one year and you will taste it all! (ahem, I'm not talking about the food quality though, just want to keep things nice).

- The staff such as cleaning ladies, Carmen and Luisa in the laundry, Felipe and Juani (and Jimbo the dog) at the reception and José the tecnician are all very nice. Hate to say goodbye to them.

- Swimming time in summer! Ooooh, I really LOVE that. And it's free! (Beware! The water is so damn cold that you may get cramp easily within minutes).

- My ears have never had a rest here due to the constant gossips that fly here and there through out the building (but I has always been the last one to know about the most interesting gossips! I don't understand why!)

- If you are a dude, you have quite a chance to enjoy pretty pleasurable sights ( which I didn't) provided that there are so many girls here. Beautiful, cute, model-style, fashion conscious, conservative, liberal, humourous, talkative, showy, bitchy, sensual...You've got it all for you.

- But since I'm not in for girl watching (or hunting), I have to talk about guys instead, heheh. The point is that there are (and were) quite a few attractive guys here, so I can't say much about that; Not that they are unattractive, but the type I like can not be found here... until recently :) when new (and young!) spanish students came. That's really a pity for me to leave Africa. I can even see that some of 'em are gay and can be good prospects for a "my partner" position. Heheheh. Anyone interested?

Well, I think that's all I can think of. Too bad that I can't make it more sensational so that it can jerk some tear out of you.

After this incredible two full years which have passed so fast, it is finally a time to say goodbye to Africa which is and will be one of the most impressive memories in my life.

As everyone says "Life goes on", mine also does the same, although I don't even know exactly where I am heading. But surely at some point and some time in the future, along the road, I will look back and think of you and the good time we all spent in Africa. And in this way, I will be able to smile and keep going on again until I reach my destination.

Bye bye Africa.

Telón.