XENOPHOBIA? LOVE WITHOUT BORDERS IS THE BEST PASSPORT

by ANTONETTE NCUBE (Botswana)

A leap into the unknown South Africa

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Xenophobia attacks in the city of Johannesburg and other parts of the country was making headlines across the world in the year 2017. At the same time, I had a work trip scheduled in Sasolburg, down south of South Africa and before vacating my home country fear and trembling took a hold on me as I got various kinds of advice from colleagues, friends and family. "Keep your head down, do not speak to any strangers and avoid random stops along the road", "Avoid using a branded car with your home country plate numbers lest you be hijacked" they said. Little did I know that everything would play out on the contrary to their advice, I crossed the border with the most branded car, easily spotted from a mile away and made random stops to Vlog my experience and bask in the fresh air that the landscapes of South Africa had to offer. During my long drive I pondered on making love for the people the core of my experience despite the news headlines and warnings. As soon as I arrived at my workstation, I made sure to knock off early so that I can drive off to 'Maboneng Precinct', right at the heart of Johannesburg. Maboneng which means 'Lights or Place of Lights', is every traveller’s dream destination when in Johannesburg, the street is full of cafes, restaurants with an eclectic sense of architecture and design, handmade crafts and it is the meeting point of diverse cultures. Being that I arrived late with no accommodation reservations, I decided to take a stroll in the street, to which I sought rest by a Vegan Cafe where I was served by a Malawian young man, who had come to South Africa to seek employment. "What is your experience like here? What is the real story behind these Xenophobic attacks?" I asked, He said, "To be honest in the three years I have stayed here, I have not witnessed nor experienced any. I have been met with warmth by the locals, took me in and have been working peacefully ever since." As I continued street hopping, I heard a quirky whistle blow behind me, as I turned a young lad was following me, he slang hollered at me "Eitah!" meaning 'Excuse me! or Hello!'. A part of me freaked out, but before I knew it, he had already caught up with me and said, "I dig your Kimono Dress, where are you from?" I said, "Thank you, I am from Botswana." And he responded with a cheerful smile, "Really? I actually thought you are from Pretoria. Where are you crashing for the night?" I let my guard down and told him I am still searching and to be frank not sure if I will find a place. He put my worries to ease and asked me to come up with him for a cuppa at his lofty office space up the street. We began to talk about life beyond borders, and he explained to me that he has never travelled beyond the borders of his home country but believes if people travelled as much, we would view life and humanity from a point of love and peace. An hour later he escorted me to a backpackers' spot known as Curiocity and introduced me to the hosts. The most intriguing thing about the spot was the diverse backpackers hosted from different parts of the world; USA, Russia, Germany, Swaziland to mention a few. Here we were under one roof enjoying a hearty local meal around the fireplace sharing our experiences and love for travel, culture, spaces and food. It was in that moment that I began to travel the world through the stories told by each one, of their home countries. Some shared their first-hand experience of the Xenophobic attacks yet that still has not stopped them from exploring the world. Being that this too was my first travel experience out of Botswana, being at the heart of Maboneng truly shed 'Light' as the name suggests, to me that wherever we travel to, Love is the most transcending thing beyond any negative perception surrounding any destination! Love without Borders.