Africa Quotes

“Few go there. Africa has a reputation: poverty, disease, war. But when outsiders do go they are often surprised by Africa’s welcome, entranced rather than frightened. Visitors are welcomed and cared for in Africa. If you go you will find most Africans friendly, gentle and infinitely polite. You will frequently be humbled by African generosity. Africans have in abundance what we call social skills. These are not skills that are formally taught or learned. There is no click-on have-a-nice-day smile in Africa. Africans meet, greet and talk, look you in the eye and empathize, hold hands and embrace, share and accept from others without twitchy self-consciousness. All these things are as natural as music in Africa.”
― Richard Dowden, Africa: Altered States, Ordinary Miracles

“Our tip for the waiter for bringing us that coffee pot will be more than a week’s income for the family in Africa who grew the coffee.”
― Richard Dowden, Africa: Altered States, Ordinary Miracles