Going around, the gears of fate finally arranged for me to come to this magical country, you see, another fate began here.
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The beginning of the story
In 16 years, I embarked on a trip to Africa alone. It is estimated that this is the arrangement of the gears of fate, and the circle finally came to this magical and strange country. All kinds of yin and yang, coincidence, so there is a next non-drift journey.
16 years came to this vast land with ignorance and excitement. The flight of more than ten hours made me feel novel and "uncomfortable" like never before. From the moment the plane was preparing to land over Kinshasa Airport, when a desolate and sparse land began to appear in the line of sight, I felt a little sad that what kind of country could have such a "depressed" environment. At that moment, all the anticipation was stuck in the throat – not up and down.
After getting off the plane, looking at the "different" airport, I didn't know what words to use to describe it. It's not that I hate it or look down on it, but I feel some heartache, I feel sorry for the people who live on this land, I feel sorry for the environment here, and I feel sorry for everything here. You see, that's how the African story begins.
1. The Democratic Republic of the Congo
Come with a goal
The second day in Kinshasa, the Congo, officially began a new journey. Because I had just arrived here, there was too little contact, and everything was dazed. Even if the strangeness is greater than everything, the expectation and excitement in the heart are still so obvious. Thinking that I can finally show my fists and do a big job, my mood is even more irrepressible. At that moment, I was full of energy and passion, like a wild horse that had lost its reins.
At that time, the company's purpose was simple and clear: to build a Taobao network belonging to the Dr. Congo. There is still a long way to go. We had been training for more than a week before coming here, the plan of a few thousand words had been changed over and over again, and the workflow was running in our heads week after week. The moment of proficiency is happy and yearning, because it is one step closer to the plan, but the worry also begins, as a business manager, we have great responsibilities, and the next road is not good.
Fresh starts come with a little difficulty
Because it is a new company, renovation, procurement of office supplies, promotional activities, talent recruitment and personnel training are all huge projects for us. The little boss took me and another English translator to run around the markets every day. Time always passes quickly during busy times, but time seems to be joking with us, and the longer time passes, the more anxious we are. Batches of people were trained, but the thinking of the locals was too deviated, and the progress always failed to catch up with the plan.
It was hard to survive to a group of satisfied employees, and finally ushered in market promotion. However, the desired result is not at all the same as expected. All the anticipation seems to be able to describe "not working" in three words here. To be honest, disappointment and frustration will be more or less there will be. But we always believe that all difficulties will eventually pass, and the current difficulties are paving the way for future success.
One of the biggest problems faced at the time: the network was not smooth. The most basic condition for doing e-commerce is: have a good network. But this is not China, there is not so developed technology. In order to solve this problem, we had to go to the market for further research, but the results were always so disappointing. It is unimaginable how difficult and helpless it would be for so many difficult problems to finally come together, but in the end they were all solved one by one.
Dawn again in times of difficulty
Mountains and rivers are doubtful and there is no way, and the willows are dark and the flowers are bright and another village. Perhaps all the storms are the beginning of the verification results.
The first order came quickly. In less than three months, locals came to our office to place orders. When the $250 was really in his hand, the excitement trumped everything, and the bitter tears were liberated at that moment, which also proved that all the efforts made in the early stage were worth it, and the trust with the locals would be slowly established.
The order is placed, but the next face is the logistics and delivery problems. Air freight arrived in a week, but a week has passed before the goods have not been delivered to the customer. Not only are we anxious, but customers are also constantly asking questions. Maybe this is the difficulty of doing e-commerce in Africa. All the time is a problem, all the time is a problem, one after another.
When all the difficulties came to us, we were worried and anxious, but more than that, we were thinking about how to solve them. All difficulties will also become simple problems that become simpler and simpler.
In the early days, we were very slow, but one day there will be light, right?
The first answer sheet in Africa
During that time in Kinshasa, I learned a lot and gained a lot, and the people around me were always teaching me how to grow, and I was very grateful for the time I met and spent together. I think that is also a good answer sheet for myself who is under 21 years old.
You see, this was the first trip to Africa.
2. Côte d'Ivoire
2018, the beginning of the journey
This year, when I was 22 years old, I embarked on another trip to Africa with my original intention and expectations for distant places.
This year, I said to myself: the new journey that is about to start will be spent on the road, are you ready?
This year, I didn't ask much of myself: I was a little more advanced than I used to be, mature and stable.
Metamorphosis begins with experience
In a year in Côte d'Ivoire, I have changed a lot and matured a lot. Until then I thought everything would be easy. But only after experiencing it will you find that it is only expectation and imagination. So, one by one, new problems and difficulties that have not been encountered before have been encountered here. If it weren't for my strong ability to bear it, I think myself would be very broken at that time.
The progress of work will always be hindered, and the progress of various businesses will always waste that little and pitiful time. It is said that there is no shortage of time in Africa, but it is also case-by-case. There is always not enough time in an emergency, and every time you encounter something important, you will always be inexplicably pushed behind your back to stop it, making everyone helpless but unable to do anything. The most that can be done is to wait for something to subside like a child.
This year, the most changed are emotions and mentality. All the time was spent waiting and on the way to and from the company.
This year, I have been tired, angry, wronged, and cried, so I have a different self.
Throughout the year, all the experiences have made me more aware of my choices and definitions of society.
The experience of Côte d'Ivoire for a year is more about working for work, and when opinions are disagreeable, I always hear a quarrel coming from an office, and yes, that is when I disagree with the leader.
The awakening of Côte d'Ivoire
You see, that's me, I'm constantly changing and improving, I'm getting bolder and bolder.
This year, although Kurt was tired, he truly experienced the experience of working only for the sake of work. This year I was very my part.
You see, this is the second trip to Africa.
3. Mauritania: A Story to Be Continued
In fact, the first two destinations are not choices made by themselves, but only for some reasons that they will go to the country. It was Maota who had seriously considered the final decision.
After two years of being stationed abroad in Africa, in the past two years, I have been constantly changing, and I have also figured out what I really want in my heart, so this time it is the result of my own careful choice.
The countries I've been to in the past two years, there are wars, there are malaria, there are rural areas, there are cities, too bumpy and too flat, so this time I don't want to be so bumpy, I don't want to be so tossed, I just want to stay quiet somewhere.
Over the years, I have always traveled back and forth in Africa, and my journey has changed one after another, and I only know what I have experienced during this period.
In the years that Africa has been going around, there have been gains and losses, but it has not taken the complaints into account. Everything is your own choice, and all the consequences need to be borne by yourself.
While life in Africa can be tedious and boring, sometimes it's more of a night of confusion and loneliness, but so what. Boring life is always turned over, and not all busy and daily life is the same. Sometimes it's just that we define it as too boring.
People who have lived in Africa for a while will always feel this way. Idle, idle, and even more idle, as if there is nothing not to dislike. When you are busy, time passes in the blink of an eye, and sometimes you feel that you don't always have enough time. When I was idle, I felt bored again.
You see, all emotions seem to be given by yourself. I think it may be because it lacks the prosperity of the country and the noise of the late night. There is no place for people to vent, so life is boring.
For me, every place is unique. After enjoying a period of leisure and a long period of busy life, I am now experiencing another way of life. I think I'm lucky and content.
Life in Africa in the first two years has always been so aimless, too targeted, and sometimes the gains and losses cannot be directly proportional. But this time, it really came with some purpose.
This time, I don't want to be as confused as I was in the previous two times, and I want to go for a purpose. So I came to Mauta, a country near the Sahara Desert, bordering the Atlantic Ocean.
This time, I wanted to take a little longer and tell myself clearly: Africa is not a wrong choice.
4. Conclusion
Say thank you for everything that has happened; say sorry to yourself; say honor to all the encounters that have ever happened. No matter what I have experienced or what I have received, it has become a strong color in the memory record. The good keeps going, and the bad keep going. We don't know what the future holds, so let's be calm. Believe that everything that happens will become inevitable and will become what you want.