#004 - Experience: One important aspect of happiness - less is sometimes more.

Note: This is an experience article. It contains information on personal experiences that I was lucky to accumulate over the years.

Lately I had my first journey to Africa. The continent of our origins and yet the continent many people, besides Africans, know the least of in this world.

It turned out to be one of the most controversial short-trips I would have since I went abroad. Destinations for me so far were in the Middle East, Asia, Australia, Russia and some other countries.

Of course those countries as well as most others have their controversial side but let's face it: Think of Africa and amongst the first things that come to your / our minds are war & poverty. And of course flies ;) But other than flies, which can be easily defeated with anti mosquito repellent, preoccupied views are hard to fight.

How many of us do really know about the culture, the the history and whats going on in the typical African home, or the typical African business?

Sure, there are all the fascinating treats around the magnificent nature or the different species of animals roaming hundreds of square miles of nearly untouched nature. In this sense Africa gave me the feeling of being a small creature amongst other creatures in a vast universe.

That left alone is a good insight for a healthy non-business related world view but more importantly in another sense, Africa gave me an even bigger, fundamental insight on where happiness originates.

Getting to know especially the culture of Tanzania by visiting local villages, families and business owners meant in another way also learning about the precious thing that you don't need many valuable artifical things and big achievements to be satisfied or happy.

The typical tanzanian citizen has often not much more than a bed in shared little clay housing, a few clothings and enough ressources to live day by day. I'd like to share with your three of my favourites of that extraordinary way to value every day as a new chance and find personal fulfilment within the same breath:

Lani

Lani was the original African name (he preferred to be called Adam) of an unofficial tour guide building a new existence out of nothing in Dar Es Salaam. He approached us on the streets on our first day and like some Westerners that have never been to Africa we expected the worst. Stupid preoccupied views. But despite the expectations Lani showed us the city for free and then offered us to be our tour guide for 3 days in order to get the most out of the local culture. Lani was the main reason we had the chance to get to know local people first hand.

He and some of his friends decided to open a honest business by accumulating their combined knowledge of the country and offer in-depth cultural tours. All of them came from nothing and through their combined efforts created something real. We paid Lani and his company for 3 days 200 Dollars. That was nothing from a Western POV but for them it meant to be able to make a living. Through him we met many local families, Massai and encountered the next two stories.

Hussein

Hussein is the owner of Mikumi Resorts (Link). A small hotel near the town Mikumi which, don't fade out now please, has no Website, no Trip Advisor and no W-Lan but turned out to be one of the best (and cheap) accomodations on our trip. We heard from it through Lani and through word of mouth. Hussein is a self-made man who traveled the world and led some endeavours only to come back to Tanzania with almost 50 years with the determination to build the best touristic accomodation in Mikumi, a town that serves as waypoint to many of the great nature parks in the country.

Hussein has the vision, that by providing the best accomodation in town and build a stable financial situation he could also raise the general prosperity of the community and in the best case establish a chain of resorts that eventually will employ many local people. By the time we were there he already had employed 8 local citizens and offered them a perspective, they never had before.

Hussein told us, that most of the people in Tanzania are not looking beyond tomorrow and focus on living today. That is one of main factors for the relaxed and happy mood many of Tanzania's citizens but on the other hand he's working for a community that builds for the future and at the same time remains as relaxed and calmed down as of today. A bright goal which can take centuries to accomplish but it's people like Hussein with strong roots and a ambitious vision to bring positive change.

Local kids

And last but not least I'd like to give a short impression of local kids we met who were always in awe when they saw us. "Mzungu" means white man/woman for people in Tanzania and literally it means "wanderer", someone who is only passing by. That's the word, that we heard likely a 1000 times in only 14 days and 99% it was from kids who saw us. With kids I mean everything between 5 and 14 in this case. At some point we took "Mzungu" as an impulse to stop and just get to know some of those kids and their families. And now let me tell you, that I have rarely seen a kid in a western country that was not spoiled by superficial (mostly technical) belongings, being happy only through the caring environment of the family. It seems to me sometimes like we have lost a large part of happiness because all the superficial stuff is making us partially blind for family and social values. Tanzanian Kids, in this case at least, are a living example of unbiased growing up, far from tons of chocolate and video games.

And now?

To sum it up: Western development brought us a lot of positive things. Prosperity, improved health through technology / science and many other great achievements. Things we should appreciate and things which could and should also make a huge positive impact in communities like Hussein's. But on the other side it lead us into a thinking of pure efficiency and where efficiency rules, from my experience empathy has often no place.

Therefore this only short trip to Africa reminded my of the importance of a good balance between business and private, growth and stability, efficiency and empathy. By actively creating this balance in our lives and businesses I think we can create an environment that supports happiness for individuals and ultimately for the group.

I'd like to share that opinion with you and if you find yourself stuck in a efficiency loop lately try to get some new perspective by exploring something new and unusual out of your comfort zone - like Africa. I will surely be back in the future!

Johannes