After spending time in three different African countries, South Africa, Zambia, and The Kingdom of Eswatini, I came to recognize that there are more similarities between the southern region of Africa and the United States than I originally thought relating to business. After spending time in Kenya five years ago, I expected a different perception of time in Southern Africa than we have in the US which was not the case. Every person we interacted with was prompt and organized.
It was evident that tourism was one of the largest sources of income for the local communities in many ways. The tourism companies we worked with were extremely attentive to creating an unforgettable experience for us, their client. This same attitude was reflected at restaurants and even among local shop owners and village markets. The service industry as a whole seemed to have a more consistent emphasis on client service across countries than in the United States. Every organization was grateful for our business and excited to know Texas A&M students chose to visit their country among others. Compared to the United States, there was very little sense of entitlement present when interacting with individuals. In fact, the emphasis on relationships transcended every interaction I had making me feel welcome to fully immerse in a culture that was not my own.
Agriculture is also a core economic activity. Africans have an extreme respect for the environment and their relationship with it which was clear when visiting public and private parks. The success of conservation is extremely dependent on secrecy in most places. Similar to the United States, what is most valued is highly protected at any cost. Most park rangers are willing to sacrifice themselves for what they deem most important, in this case, wildlife.
Overall, the similarities experienced far outweighed any differences. These experiences while in Africa helped confirm the global connection of people, and how values and motivating factors are similar across cultures.
