Greetings everyone! This post is about my entry to the third neoxian city prompt. The prompt is very interesting to me so after pondering about it I decided to take part in it.
I made the post in a sort of question and answer format where I break down the prompt into three sections and provided my answer for each with a sufficient reasoning behind each answer.
What are some of the things you are proud of about your country?
The Gambia is my country. It's the country I've known all my life. I've visited our neighbors Senegal almost a decade ago. But beyond that, I've not explored the wider world yet.
The main thing I'm proud of about my country is its hospitality. People here are so welcoming and will go at lengths to help you enjoy your stay and feel so much ease like you were at your own home. Sometimes, they even put the visitor above their own selves!
One of the reasons why I'm proud of the hospitality is that it pays dividends in the future. There are numerous stories about Gambians traveling abroad and receiving good treatment thanks to the country they're from and the hospitality it is known for. Besides that, hospitality also fosters peace and stability and a deep connection between cultures. This country has a relative stability.
Speaking of cultures, it is another thing I'm proud of because of the diversity of it. I for example I'm only a Gambian by birth. By decent, I'm a mix of Nigerian (through my mother's side) and a Senegalese (through my father's side). Many cultures across Africa and beyond all converge in Gambia and it is reflected in the food, clothing and even the way we speak. Every culture has a tint of other cultures in it and I find it a pleasurable sport to investigate what that tint is and its origin.
Do you think your country has all it takes to help you develop as a person?
Frankly, I don't think so. For me, a certain aspect of developing as a person means exploring the experiences beyond the borders of my country. To me, Gambia is like a bird's nest or a comfort zone and at some point you can only continue to develop if you fly away from the nest.
However, I can't say I have fully explored the nest yet. I've traveled to almost every part of this small country and bathed both on the river that travels in the middle of the country and the Atlantic Ocean. I'm grateful for all the experiences and I'm sure there's still something to learn especially in terms of depth.
If you could leave to another country, would you? If yes or no, explain why?
Yes, I would. The main reason being to speed up my evolution. To experience new and different lifestyles, cultures and viewpoints. I feel like my growth in the country has become almost stagnant. Maybe I'm bored of seeing and repeating the same things over and over again.
If I had it my way, I'll live in every continent for ten years starting with Australia. Ever since I heard that it is the Earth in miniature, I've taken an interest in visiting that place. But more importantly, it is the country where a school that's so dear to me was founded.
Thanks for reading!
Edit: You can find more details about the prompt here.