People of various tribes and various countries adjust themselves in their native areas. They are very much used to the circumstances, atmosphere and the weather of their places of origin. But if a stranger from a different area comes to stay with them, surely he or she would take some time and effort to adjust to the atmosphere of the particular place…
In the beginning however a visitor will take care to ensure that he won’t suffer any of the ailments from a change in water, weather, or food etc. He may suffer from stomach problems or headaches. He may have vomiting, suffer from diarrhoea or even skin diseases. The change of climate, place or atmosphere can all affect the visitor.
Similarly if a person goes to some far distant place for a particular job or mission, he or she would face the same problem. It is always not easy to be adapted to a changed climate or atmosphere.
When we talk about people going to stay in tropical countries; we often find adverse psychological effects such as a state of general debility or mental depression.
The changed atmosphere and climate conditions provoke nervous irritability which can be worse if the particular person has moved countries for a job or mission they perceive to be dull. If he works in an isolated place with no social contacts and no proper place or time for suitable recreation or entertainment, his nervous system may be the cause of various ailments, including headaches, acidity, stomach problems, unstable BP, diarrhoea etc. Fever is a very common condition and often it is malaria or chronic dysentery which makes a person very weak and dull. He can hardly fulfill his requirements of the work given to him.
Such people go for various types of medicines to control the ailments disturbing them. They keep on taking tablets and never think of the adverse affects those drugs may be having on their minds and their bowels. The individual’s bowels are busy dealing with the tablets and they are unable to digest the food taken by the person.
This type of solution is foolish, and an individual should never act in this way in the tropical country. He should carefully examine the sort of life he will be expected to live in the particular country of his mission and weigh up whether he can forgo the conveniences to which he has been used to. He should study the circumstances and the way of living of the local people. He should find out the effects of the weather. He should try to adjust himself to the local culture in life style and in food. He should be extremely adaptable to his situation and should be ready to try and understand why the local people live as comfortably as they do.
He should eat the appropriate food. He should put on clothes as per the weather of the place or country. He should get up and sleep as per the climate conditions of the country. At all events he should drink distilled or boiled water.
His way of life, his movements, his behaviour and his character should suit the atmosphere and the circumstances. He should never try to act exactly the same as he did when living in his native country.
The NGOS from Europe who go to African countries to fulfill their mission should be very cautious and careful; otherwise they would find themselves busy treating themselves for ailments instead of serving the cause they arrived in Africa to fulfill. They are very ably briefed about the effects and changes they are going to face on the African continent and at most events they are fully prepared for that. They even arrange the supply of some types of food they can’t replace, from their places.
Ends
No Comment