Misconception And Illusion

It has been over a year since my trip to Uganda and there hasn't been a day since my return that I haven't communicated with friends from there.  A piece of my heart is wandering the streets and countryside of Uganda. I long to return as soon as I am able, but this time on my own terms, to go where I want to go and really see Uganda as it is.  

In the meantime I have been reading many news articles and blogs about the state of affairs in Uganda and other African nations. It has been an education, to say the least. In the US, our educational system and news is very American-centric. If you want world news, it is something you must actively seek.  Just as Africa is not always accurately portrayed in American news, the same goes for America in foreign news.  This is a trend I am becoming more familiar with.

A recent blog post I read, Why Africa Is Not Poor- Of Scavengers and Looters, is primarily about how the affluent community in Africa doesn't always remember their roots and strive to invest in their communities but instead exploits them. The blog post begins by contrasting a young African professional and his family obligations to that of a young English professional and his lack of familial obligations.  The young African has a successful career but gives financial support to not only his immediate family, but extended family as well.  The young Englishman has only himself to care for due to his parents benefiting from an inheritance dating back to colonial times. In the end, the young Englishman himself will find his income increased by the trust fund he will receive from his mommy and daddy.

I am not English, however, there are enough similarities between American and English culture that I can confidently say that the example given represents an incredibly small segment of the population. An average, university educated American graduates with a mountain of debt from student loans. Most parents can not afford to put their children through university (for the record, in America we use the word college vs university, but I digress...). Parents help their children to apply for scholarships and student loans, they may or may not take out a second mortgage (a debt incurred against the value of their home) to help with the cost. The average cost for university in the state of Maine is $6000/Shs17,820,000 (tuition plus book only). That is ONE YEAR of tuition, multiply that by a 2, 4, or 8 year degree. The interest rate on such loans is anywhere from 4.6 to 7.2%. Most students do not work to put themselves through college, they simply finance their tuition and begin paying off their debt once they graduate. Tragically, many never succeed in paying off their debt before they marry and begin a family. I have many friends and relatives that not only have young children to provide for but are buried under the debt of: student loans, car loan(s), mortgages, and credit card debt. This is the American dream, my friends.



There is more that I would like to share, more to American life and the illusion of peace and prosperity that is shown to the world. America does not advertise the great divide between the rich and the poor. The middle class used to stand in that gap, but it is slowly being eroded. There is poverty in the USA, many different degrees of poverty. Sadly, in America, relatives are not seen as the solution, caring for the poor has been delegated to the government (welfare) and/or charitable institutions. This is not to say that families don't help one another, but the scope of it is incredibly limited, and in our culture it is considered incredibly rude to ask for or even offer help to those outside of your immediate family, it is a matter of pride.  You will mostly find parents who help their adult children and grand children, not the other way around.