Nearly four weeks ago I returned from Cluj Napoca, Romania. As I’ve since indicated to you, my return flight really was easy and uneventful. Oh to be certain, Thursday, the day of my return, from my rising at 3am to my turning the light out at 10pm, was a long day: 26 hours; but I awoke the next morning, Friday, having experienced little jetlag. Perhaps overly repetitive, I note again, my travel to and from Romania was relatively easy, but this ease of travel moved me to give comparative thought: Has that not been the cultural and historic relationship of the West vis-à-vis Africa?
Let me explain: last November 7th, my return from Lilongwe, Malawi was 33 hours in transit, which did not include awaking 7 hours prior to departure, and lights out 7 hours after arrival. That is, my return from Malawi was a 47-hour “day,” or 21 hours, nearly a full day longer than my “Romanian day.” Admittedly, to be able to travel from Lilongwe to Indianapolis in 33 hours, irrespective pillow-to-pillow, is remarkable; nonetheless, it highlights my point: from an earlier European and a later American perspective, Africa has always been at a great remove. Added to this reality of distance is a greater factor: cultural heritage. Africa is Africa, the West is the West; Malawi is African, Romania is Western.
Given that English is spoken in both Malawi and Romania, as evidenced by signs and billboards, nonetheless, while in Romania I was far more aware of a language barrier. Even so, as I compare my two experiences, culturally I have been more “at home” in Romania than in Malawi, not because Malawians are less friendly – not at all: they are the “warm heart of Africa” – but because I can more readily tap into Romanian, Western ways than I can Malawian, African ways. Thus as I have compared my two, cultural experiences, I have recognized within me that historic response: Africa is so far away, and it is so much easier to attend to matters closer to home. Perhaps my reflections here are a profound grasp of the obvious; but then, often it is well to live in the light of the obvious.
Please do not misunderstand me: it has been my heart's delight to be in both countries, and it will be my privilege to return to each, to shepherd among shepherds. It simply has been timely for me to grapple with the obvious.
Thoughtfully,
Stan