Comparing apples and bananas–Living in Paris (uncut version)

My heart is laced with sadness due to the untimely passing of Amy Whinehouse, like I said on facebook ; if only she had gone to rehab (it worked for Britney spears). If only she could come back and we sacrifice Rebecca Black in her place, wishful thinking; I know! Even more sadness filled my heart when I read about the accident between Otjiwarongo and Okahandja that claimed the life of a young promising lawyer; these car accidents are becoming catastrophic because the talent that is lost due a moment of negligence can’t be replaced.

But even that can’t compare to the sadness that absolutely engulfed me when I read Monsieur Alfredo Hengari’s article in the Namibian newspaper (Click here to read it). What make’s it sting even more is that Mr Hengari is a self confessed Windhoeker, which only make’s his conclusions even more bizarre. Let me go and record and state that I have no problem with Mr Hengari expressing his views and opinions because he is entitled to it, but I take offence with the way he did it on this occasion. Mr Robin Tyson (Click here to read his reply), bless his soul, really could not take it and came to the defence of Windhoek and its attractions. My argument is not a reply to Mr Hengari; it is a simple support of how to present a good Argument as done by Mr Tyson.

In Mr Hengari’s article the consensus is that Paris is better than Windhoek and Paris has no blemishes, basically it’s heaven on earth and Windhoek is far from that. Windhoek is like a woman, it has its issues but like a woman it has inner beauty which is evident from the warmth, love and togetherness between the inhabitants, Mr Hengari does not touch upon that or the fact that it is one of the cleanest cities in Africa. In Windhoek dog’s are not allowed in town to do their business in alleyways and corners as is the norm in most French town’s and cities, you literally have to watch your step.

I live in the 5^th Arrondisement of Paris, very close to the Notre Dam cathedral, three minutes walk from Saint Germain des pres, to describe my neighbourhood as nice would be an understatement, only “awesomely out of this world” can do it justice, the architecture looks like a scene from inception. It is a social hub where espresso sipping and shopping are the Norm. Hence it seems to me that Mr Hengari painted his picture of Paris based solely on Saint Germain des pres, which would be like describing Windhoek and leaving out Katutura or describing Johannesburg and pretending Soweto is invisible. But if you take the Metro to Chateau d’eau or any of the not so clean parts of Paris, you will understand that Paris is like any other city in the world, it aint all that! Because every city has a blemish and I have not even touched upon District 13. China shops are everywhere, my colleague Helena drags me with her when she does her shopping and I can tell you I have seen them with my own eyes comfortably located in the midst of Paris’s posh boutiques around Hotel de Ville.

When you go to Katutura you are hit by reality and truth, that’s why Windhoek has Character, it is real, we don’t hide the blemishes we embrace them, that’s why Kapana needs no marketing, if you attempt to compare a stake from Saint Germain des pres to Kapana then your comparing apples to bananas, which is what Mr Hengari did. Mr Tyson however made a more accurate description. Mine concerns the Metro (underground trains) and our taxis in Namibia. The Metro is like being squished into a box, being in the metro made me realise how spacious a full back seat of a taxi is, trust me the Metro is not for the fainthearted, as Mr Tyson says it is not advised to talk to anyone at burger king (unless you like blank stares), that same rule is applied on the Metro, not that you would try (angry looks on their faces say it all). In a taxi you will get your daily fix of the latest news and what I love about the drivers is that they always listen to your problems and encourage you not to give up, like one of them said to me when structural geology was giving me nightmares “Just because fuel is going up; it does not mean I will not get up in the morning and drive my taxi. Not only will I not get any bread to eat but you will have to walk to Unam, you do not let challenges stop you from living life”.

Mr Tyson says “Beware of Afro-pessimism – it is not only wrong but it can be contagious”, what that basically means is that you spend so much time in the strict and ordered European way of doing things that you start forgetting who you are and develop a negative image of Africa in general and where you are from (you get uptight and become no fun), it’s what you can refer to as being frenchwashed. The reason why so many students and professionals from Namibia and other African countries write about home sickness on facebook is not because they miss the shopping malls and china shops like Mr Hengari says but because we miss the people, the warmth, the joy and maybe Windhoek lager at its normal price. Sure they are problems but problems when you’re surrounded by the African spirit of ubuntu are just normal challenges.

Paris is hailed for the Architecture like I mentioned the Notre Dam Cathedral and the monuments (the Eiffel tower, The Arc de triumph, the posh boutiques of Champs Ellysee and its utopian relaxation methods). Don’t come to Windhoek looking for that because the Corner is unique in its own way (not forgetting the German architecture still preserved in parts of Windhoek). The fundamental fact is that the two are different and comparing the two is afro pessimism at it’s best, and the one thing about customer service is its like dealing with a computer if you’re stuck up and give it bullshit then bullshit is what you get out.

Recently at a Summer get together organised to bring Namibians together, I was relaxing with my generation when while braaing some boerewors at 02h00 A.M., Zeus (who is Zambian, we don’t discriminate) took a break from calling Helena a Cougar to chip in with a silly remark, he said “Do you guys know that had this been organised by the French, we would have gone to a restaurant all dressed up, sat down, talked in hushed tones and been sent off to bed by 24h00”, of course no one gave it that much thought with a hot piece of boerewors in their mouth and the night still young (see the unfairness of comparing two things that cant be compared?). But I am sure you get the point, don’t go comparing apples and banana’s; it’s dangerous.