adminI will borrow some of legendary prophet & musician Lovemore Majaivanaa��s words and say a�?Sengivela emazweni mina, lapho okulesinkwa setiki, lomsobho wamahara madodaa�? loosely translated as, a�?I am back from the land of milk and honey where there is cheap bread and free soup.a�?
Holland has been an amazing experience. I asked myself this question, is the grass still greener on the other side?
Is Europe still the land of realising onea��s dreams and enrichment? During Majeea��s time, tea with bread was a status thing especially in the rural areas, we used to eat the finger printed bun (iqebelengwana) and being in Europe meant your family would live pretty.
It was the ultimate. . . I remember when I first got to the United Kingdom in the late 2000a��s seeing all those white people on the streets, I saw money. I saw people with enough money to spend on anything, fill up shows, have fancy cars, phones and houses. I especially saw us artistes getting rich from them. But then after your first performance or interaction with the real world, you realise things.
Please note I am not trying to burst the bubble of anyone with dreams of living in these lands.
There are still some lucky ones who make it in Europe in as much as many make it here in Zimbabwe.
So in a few words I would say Europe has functional economies and governance structures, but they have their own problems.Problems which sometimes affect us.
One of them is recession. It has been felt here. Many people are unemployed.The rates are not as alarming as in Zimbabwe but they are there. Things are expensive here by Zimbabwean standards.
Rentals are up to a thousand euro, fast foods from 4 euro to about 20 euro. A pint of beer is 4 euro at a pub, more expensive than Zimbabwea��s top hotels.
I had chats with two girls Betty from Italy who moved to Holland two years ago and Annamaria from Slovakia who has been in Holland for 6 months. They both left their countries with a hope for better lands, having been referred by others. Annamaria is still not working and Betty only got a Job mid 2016, thanks to the EU agreements that allow for people to work across Schengen Countries. So enter you Baba Ncube, without paperwork or after seeking your asylum. You will wait for decades for your case to be heard, living at the benevolence of the government.You may eat bread and soup but how green is your green?
There are still opportunities for the extra ordinarily skilled though and the arts amongst other industries. You just need to find your way in or have a strategy.
I will leave this here so that I can talk about time. I think one reason the West is better than us is their respect for time. Everything here is on time. Bus says 10:03 it will be there 10:03 or :04 if ita��s late.
If a show is supposed to start at 7pm. The show starts 7 sharp. I was amazed when I saw people complain because a train going to Amsterdam delayed by 10mins because a drunk had jumped in the rails the station before.The delay was just 10 mins, people were cursing, most in Dutch. I asked why, was told because everything is reliant on time.The connections to their Cities , the job interviews, the dates and meetings. Things are planned to the last detail. A childrena��s theatre show starts at 2pm sharp, those that come a minute after have to wait for the interval.
Shows do not wait for people, people wait for shows. At least I learnt that for my arts industry. Respect your audience. Cultures are cultivated from a young age here. Plastic money is normal.The weather is horrible.But ita��s a beautiful place none the less. Ita��s good to be home.
@NkueNkala
Online Reporter