The very first time I boarded a plane was on November 30th, 2005. It was when I left Cameroon for America via Paris, France. This was not when my love for aviation and travel began.

As a kid growing up in Bamenda, Cameroon, seeing planes fly across the sky was a treat and this was because of the rarity of it. Every single kid had their own logic on how planes were made, what kept them in the sky, and naturally, a lot of us also aspired to be a pilot. That was my dream job then. The irony here is that none of us ever thought we would see a plane up close, let alone get on one.

Getting on that Air France flight in 2005 did more to me than I could ever imagine. Being up in the sky opened a world of imagination and I knew then that I wanted to see more of what the world had to offer. Now as we all know, traveling is not cheap, but with good planning, you can spend less than the average traveler.

I have been on quite a few trips over the years, but I’ll start with returning to Cameroon in 2015. This was my first time traveling alone and I really did not know what to expect. The whole visa process was crazy, but that is a story for another day. I spent roughly forty days in Cameroon visiting many of the places I did while growing up, enjoying a lot of food, and catching up with some old friends. Good thing about me is I still remembered every single place. It’s like I never left.

One thing I noticed few months after leaving home was a newfound love for it. The reason is actually very simple. I had all the access to learn not only about Cameroon, but also Africa, and the World. That was the spark. The internet is a thing of beauty when used right. Being able to see the beauty every country has to offer was all I needed to book flights and go see for myself. It is always better to go see places than to hear about it from someone else.

I found myself back in Africa in 2019. This time I was in Conakry, Guinea. It wasn’t another forty-day trip as the one in Cameroon, but it really felt like it based on everything that we did. I traveled with one of my American friends and it was his first-time being Africa. I was originally going to travel solo, but he insisted he really wanted to visit Africa, so I agreed to take him. My friend, Mory (Le Guinéen (The Guinean)) who was in Guinea was going to meet us at the airport in Conakry and be our tour guide the entire ten days.

Despite the beautiful landscapes and architectural brilliance of all the places I’ve been over the years, the rewarding thing has always been the people. I remember asking my friend, Priscilla what she loved most about traveling and her response was, “…to see how other people live and putting myself in their shoes and understand their day-to-day so I can learn, connect, and create a connection with them.” My sister, Winky, travels so many times in a year and I cannot even keep count. Best thing about it, which is very admirable is she takes her three kids with her on these trips. The oldest is ten and the youngest is just now having to pay for her own seat. These are priceless opportunities for them to see what world has to offer. Something I plan on doing if I am blessed with kids.

Many times, when people travel and encounter the locals, it usually and quick transaction and that’s the end of it. I remember last summer; I was on a snorkeling trip with my siblings and some of my cousins. We got on the boat and the captain welcomed us, introduced himself and then his assistant took over. The tide was low as it was still early in the day, and this caused an opening in the ocean. We docked and literally walked on water. While everyone was heading into the water, I stopped and chatted with Captain Diblo and he said he was stressed. Reason being the influx of tourist has reduced due to the pandemic causing business to be slow. I said well, I’m here and he laughed. I took his picture, shook his hand, told him it’ll be okay, and went after my traveling party.

This was similar story shared by many people who came to the hotel to sell their craft. They all talked about their struggles and how it became worse when travelers stopped coming in their masses.

Most of the humanitarian projects I take on is because of how I grew up and the simple fact that, “…when I was young, I always received. Now that I am old, I want to work so that I can give.” – Emmanuel Jal

I cannot change the world on my own, but the small that I can do goes a long way. I remember when Mory and myself gave out candy to some of the kids in the neighborhood that he lived in. it brought so much joy on their faces, and I never wanted to leave.

Just like Youssou N’Dour says, “Rokku Mi Rokka” which translates to “Give and Take,” everywhere I go, I like to leave a piece of me there, as I am taking something. A subtle balance.

It is not the world that changes you, it’s the people.

Talk soon,

Boy D’jine Click here for more!

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Moor Ndaje (Mr. Everywhere)