The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current, October 14, 1999, Page 4, Image 4
I j : 1 EDITOR Josh Funk OPINION EDITOR Mark Baldridge EDITORIAL BOARD Lindsay Young Jessica Fargen Samuel McKewon Cliff Hicks Kimberly Sweet Our VIEW Contribute a solution Help eliminate hunger on World Food Day This week the Earth’s population topped 6 billion. That means there are now 6 billion mouths to feed world - wide, many of which continue to go hungry. While billions of people in this coun try and abroad fight starvation, univer sity students complain that the line at Burger King is too long. Hunger and starvation have been problems since the origin of humanity. But as our num bers grow, the problem only gets worse. In the heart of the most opulent and omniscient country of the world, we should combat hunger, and today is the perfect day to start. Today is World Food Day. This is one problem where everyone can con tribute to a solution. Events on campus today and tomorrow highlight the uncertain future of farming and dangers to the world food supply through speak ers, displays and live music. The 16th annual event is designed to inform students about the challenges to the world food supply and what the United Nations is doing to protect it. But we can all work to combat hunger. There is no reason why American farmers should struggle to put food on only their plates. There is no reason why parents should go hungry to feed their children. There is simply no reason people should go hungry. Farmers struggle with low prices because there is too much grain already _ in storage while in other countries, peo ple must survive on a few handfuls of grain. But before taking on the world, you must deal with what is right before you. Get involved on campus, in the com munity or elsewhere. The benefits you reap will outpace your efforts tenfold. And it all starts simply. Join an organization dedicated to eliminating hunger, volunteer at a soup kitchen or simply extend an act of kind ness to someone less fortunate. It doesn’t take much, but it does mat ter. So quit complaining about the qual ity of your happy meal and contribute something to the solution. 66 There is no reason why parents should go hungry to feed their children Editorial Policy Unsigned editorials are the opinions of the Fall 1999 Daily Nebraskan. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, its employees, its student body or the University of Nebraska Board of Regents. A column is solely the opinion of its author. The Board of Regents serves as publisher of the Daily Nebraskan; policy is set by the Daily Nebraskan Editorial Board. The UNL Publications Board, established by the regents, supervises the production of the paper. According to policy set by the regents, responsibility for the editorial content of the newspaper lies solely in the hands of its student employees. letter Policy The Daily Nebraskan welcomes brief letters to the editor and guest columns, but does not guarantee their publication. The Daily Nebraskan retains the right to edit or reject any material submitted. Submitted material becomes property of the Daily Nebraskan and cannot be returned. Anonymous submissions will not be published. Those who submit letters must identify themselves by name, * year in school, major and/or group affiliation, if any. Submit material to: Daily Nebraskan, 20 Nebraska Union, 1400 R St. Lincoln, NE. 68588-0448. E-mail: letters@unlinfo.unl.edu. Oberme yer’s VIEW Find out who Paid For Tom Green? STARE AT THE PICTURE OR. HOLD VoUR M056- uPTD IT ANI> MOVE IT AWAY AMP TRY 1o DISCOVER WHO IS RESPONSIBLE'1 ^ -7-fir-7-7^~r-/-rr-7? Playing it by ear Traveling in Africa does not include rigid itinerary My three week trip across Africa, beginning on the Indian Ocean Coast and moving southwest, maintained its spontaneous, erratic flow until the day I returned to school in Dar es Salaam. Unlike the United States, Africa has not yet seen massive industrial ization and infrastructure develop ments (for better or for worse). Therefore, travel and transport on the continent do not always follow a pre determined. mechanized and pre dictable route. You have to adapt as you go. When we arrived in Lusaka after our adventurous train ride, we didn't know where we were going to go next, nor how we were going to do it. We did know, however, that in every country in the world, until you have adapted to the country’s linguis tic and cultural norms necessary to integrate, there is always an elite enclave of expatriates (people resid ing in a foreign country) from a cul ture not too different from your own. They range from masochistic shoestring backpackers living on $30 a week to old-farty millionaires exploiting an emerging market by day and the local prostitutes by nignt. They are a good safety net to fall back on for information on how to do what, at least until you feel com fortable in your new setting. After we got the relevant infor mation from the ex-pats that we needed, we quickly left their fortified encampment and headed out toward the Southern Atlantic. The first thing you have to do to be successful traveling in third-world countries is put away your watch. In fact, you’re better off selling it or giving it away in exchange for a favor at some point than showing off the wealth it represents. As a general rule, things happen when they happen, so don’t be let down when the schedule says the bus leaves at 8 a.m., and it’s 8:05 a.m. and the bus is still empty. What time does the bus leave? The bus leaves when it leaves. Things happen when they happen, but not because it is “time” for it to happen. Mostly, the bus or ferry or even a small airplane will leave when it is full, and not until then, in order to maximize profits. Never pay the bus fare until the bus is well on its way. If I had a dol lar for every time I paid for a phan tom bus that was never there, never left or never started, aye! Well, I’d have a lot of money We arrived at the bus station quite early and found our bus to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. By noon, we were on our way, bumpily rock ing down a gravel road at a modest 40 mph. The bus stopped at an occasional village along the road for a bathroom break or to pick up and drop off oth ers. Luckily for us, this bus only broke down one time on our six-hour ride. Victoria Falls was spectacular. The tourist industry that developed around the town, catering to that old farty millionaire crowd, was disgust ing and humiliating to everyone involved with it. In the middle of south central Africa, there was the “Big T-Texas Steak House,” with the Zimbabwean waiters and waitresses in full Roy Rogers 10-gallon hats, cowboy boots, spurs, chaps and Garth Brooks in the background. The place had a hickish appeal, competing with the movie Deliverance or a Texas State Fair, spoiled only by a thick African accent from the host. That wacky town, artificially spawned by some anachronistic investor, almost destroyed the mag nificence the falls generated. Hypocritically, we couldn’t resist a medium deep dish from the local Pizza Hut or a giant sundae from the British-imported “Wimpy’s.” It was a much anticipated treat after not hav ing any dairy products for five months. The next day, we visited the falls again and noticed some locals active on the banks of the river. As we intu itively joined them, we found a rocky path across the upper base of the falls. Foreseeing a remote and emanci pating view ahead of us if we could just bounce across the rushing river, we staggered through the water until we reached a natural pool perched on the face of the falls. Being as stupid and short-sighted as we were, we went for a swim on the edge of the waterfall in a natural pool that formed right before the water fell (and perhaps us as well) 112 meters to the green abyss below. When we were ready to leave Victoria Falls, instead of plotting a course and waiting for the right transport, we took the most conve nient bus to our next destination, which fate determined to be the Caprivi Strip in Namibia. The bus didn’t take us into the town, but we did meet some Peace Corps backpackers who we tem porarily teamed with to pay for a taxi. They told us that to continue traveling in Namibia, our best bet would be to hitchhike, as the buses were sporadic and relatively expen sive. Namibia was our first encounter with white Africans, the Afrikaners (Boers). We were told they were a safe bet to pick up a white tourist for a cheap ride. The next day, at 10 a.m., we planted ourselves in the official “pick-up” spot where we were told they would come by and give us a ride. After five hours of baking in the Kalahari sun, we were picked up by a Boer trucker. we roae wun nim lor i» nours, ate fresh gemsbok at a travel lodge and then slept in a tent that night out side under the sparkling desert stars,' dozing off to the sounds of a remote coyote and some chirping crickets. < The next day, we arrived in the \ capital, which would be the climax of our journey. & David Baker is a senior African studies, sociology and anthropology major and a Daily ~ Nebraskan columnist.