Most Africans have no idea what a chiropractor is, they hear that Doctor agrees free and they hurry. My first experience as a chiropractor in Africa was in Luanda, Angola, a great city torn by war for 30 years with bullet holes and bombed buildings. So that was a bit of a shock to say the least. My visit coincided with the Pope or Dad as they call him, of course it is not a coincidence that I arrived with the most important man in Angola, in keeping with our shared promise to the people. Then I moved to Zanzibar, for the long white beaches and the coconuts and then to Zimbabwe for the animals and the lifestyle.

My next Zanzibar experience in Tanzania, this is possibly the most beautiful place in the world, long white sand beaches, coral reefs, coconuts and shellfish. Did you know that there are 100 ways to use a coconut? Well, there are for a Zanzibari. I spent my mornings in my thatched coconut leaf office that had 2 long seats outside. He worked until they were empty and then he was free to enjoy the sun and sand. This time I had a translator, so my word count increased from just 1. People here suffered terribly from manual labor diseases, degeneration of the knees and hips, and without money or resources for care. There were no facilities on the island, so they would have to travel to mainland Tanzania, which was already out of budget. Traveling into town in a crowded minibus was quite difficult for the average household.

I volunteered with a Canadian couple who have dedicated their lives to offering more to the people of Zanzibar. The husband is a chiropractor whose clinic is located next to his wife’s school for free tourist education, offering a real resource for people. Another industry is the export of cloves and seaweed, not the seaweed you eat, but the ones that go in fillings like toothpaste, so you can imagine the price. There was a lot of hard work with little performance, including long hours of bending, picking up, and lifting heavy objects. It was amazing to see children, grandmothers and mothers with babies strapped to their backs standing in knee-deep low tide waters, twice a day, every day, rain or shine. However, above all they shine, this is Zanzibar.

I really loved being there, being able to communicate with the patients gave me much more information about their lives and their stresses, which opened me to the country and the people. There was another volunteer working at the school and together we became friends with the students who invited us to celebrations and even dinner, which was an incredible experience. After ritually washing our hands with water, we continued to eat with them, sat in the covered eating area of ​​the house, which was made of crushed coral and water, then after dinner we moved to the uncovered part of the house. home and we take a lot of photos, they love the camera and the digital phenomenon.

The school included English education, making friends with the volunteers was a good way to practice and we were mutually interested in each other’s way of life. Our friends were mostly students and they were men and women. I mention this because it is not very common for women to pursue additional education or befriend Westerners, especially in Zanzibar, which is a strongly Muslim community.

My third destination was Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. Now Zanzibar may be the most beautiful, but this was my favorite. Zimbabwe has a bad reputation for everything that has happened politically and while you may be right, Zimbabwe is still a safe, happy, and wonderful place to visit. You will be amazed at the courage and integrity of the people. My father was Zimbabwean, so I felt very much at home here, and although the opportunities are less, life is great. I had many friends and I caught up with old family ties. Victoria Falls, as you know, is a tourist city, on the edge of the most beautiful waterfalls in the world and one of the seven wonders.

I worked in schools and hospitals where I saw chiropractic patients. Surprisingly, Zimbabwe has the best English literacy rate in Africa, higher than South Africa, schools and hospitals were once a standout in Africa and now sadly totally maintenance-free. So I had full communication with everyone I worked with and a lot of work to do.

I had the opportunity to see the famous Victoria Falls many times with my group of volunteers, but I also took a special trip at night on a full moon, they stay open once a month for the show, which was amazing. The company I was volunteering for also ran a lion education and conservation program that involved walking with lions. I was working with the community, but when I felt like I needed to get back to nature, the lions were always there. Lions walked on private lands that were free for wild animals, so every now and then on an innocent lion walk the cubs would come across wild boars, impalas, or buffalo, making for a thrilling stalking and then chasing after them. . We lost the lions one morning after they awkwardly but decisively chased the buffalo. We desperately called on our bodyguards because, ironically, the lion became our friend, not our enemy.

So after a much loved trip and adventure, I finally returned to Australia to settle down in life and share my story from Africa. Now I am a Chiropractor in Goondiwindi and I love my new home at Life Chiropractic Goondiwindi