A Case of My Two (2) Worlds

Through growing up and moving around, I learned a lot of things. But in the short period of time I have spent here, I have learned a lot. I have spend 19 years of my life in Zimbabwe and and 3 years of my life here in South Africa. One thing I have noticed here in South Africa of the things it has more than in Zimbabwe is Freedom. In South Africa, Freedom rules and there is democracy u like in Zimbabwe. Countries are different they have got they good things and also their bad things same compared to us human beings, we are all not perfect and we all need one another in life. You can not just rise on your own, you need people who motivate, discourage you, judge you, hate you, like you etc. this will always work in a way to push you either to keep following your dreams or to quit and become poor.

One thing of the many things I shall be discussing about is the issue of child pregnancies or teenage pregnancies. In South Africa, just because there is Freedom and their economy is good too, early pregnancies are not seen as a bad thing in most citizens and environment.

Here in South Africa, a girl who is young and still at school can freely go to clinic for family planning pills and injections while in Zimbabwe it is not that easy when you are young. Even the nurses are strict and will ask a lot of questions. Condoms are almost everywhere and in bulky, same applies to Zimbabwe I'm the car go condoms. But what if the guy refuses to wear a condom or what if it breaks? There should be a back-up as long as you are not ready for the consequences. So I can say I'm Zimbabwe, I have learned about life the hard way which I do not even regret because it has saved me from a lot of things that could have destroyed me and my future. Some might never be destroyed because it all depends on people, I am speaking for myself in as far as results and consequences are concerned. We can all do the same thing but will never get the same results or will never get the results at the same time. No matter how hard we practiced together. That is why we all different in this world we live in.

People here can fall pregnant and can easily go to school with the Government even giving them some sort of special treatment. When they are about to give birth, a guardian from home can always go with them to school and spend the day with them at school until they go back home in case the labor pains start while in class. In South Africa, it is not every one who sees early pregnancies as a curse but it seem like they all see it as a blessing. Some can even pray that none of their kids or family member falls pregnant early unless if they hate them.

In Zimbabwean societies, if you fall pregnant at a very early stage, there will be too much judgement and criticism. No one will even want to hear your side of story but you will be blamed. This does not happen to everyone but it will now depend on the kind of person or people. Once you fall pregnant, your parents may even send you off to stay with the man responsible and start a family with him, or punish you. They always feel that pregnancy should be after marriage or wedding or lobola or negotiations. They only want that which if formal. If you fall pregnant while at school or not working while staying with parents and so forth, they see and say you have made a very huge mistake.

If someone falls pregnant at the right time than is after marriage as they claim, they see it as a blessing but if they fall pregnant at the wrong time or while still at school, they see it as a curse and the pregnant girl and/or the boy who impregnated can be seen as irresponsible and naughty. Even in South Africa when they fall pregnant, once the baby is born and the father or mother work in the Government, they will not get the Child Grant (Mali ya SASSA). But those who parents do not work in the Government will get child social grant every month which helps in the upkeep of the child until maybe they finish school or are over 18 years of age.

In Zimbabwe, you can sometimes be punished and sent to Rural Areas to stay with Grandparents with poor conditions. You can even be taken off of all the advantages and privileges you used to have. They can be able to get back to Government school, get scholarships, hey bursaries and any other privileges without any complications.

One of my friends fell pregnant while I was in high school. People started gossiping and she was taken to a different place in a different province at her Uncle's place. She later came back after giving back. Because we were good friends, she sent someone to call me outside the school gate and I was glad I had a visitor. I was happy to see her happy and good and I was proud pregnancy never destroyed her or was not the end of the road as according to what many always think. I was happy to see her baby and was about to quickly go into the school yard and tell other class mates to see a wonderful gift she had but she stopped me and was hiding not wanting anyone to see her, she was still embarrassed and was not yet ready to face the public.

In Zimbabwe, once someone falls pregnant while at school, they can start to alienate themselves, become sad, act weird, look stressed, feel like their older than anyone else, get embarrassed etc. After some time, they will even disappear to other towns or schools or places just to avoid the consequences. Falling pregnant while someone has completed high school or is at University makes much sense in the case of Zimbabwe.

In Zimbabwe once someone falls pregnant while at school, they can even be ashamed of themselves and choose to hide, change residence, commit suicide or even abort. People end up live with stress because of being afraid of what people were going to say. In South Africa, there is more freedom and less judging.

Even in Zimbabwe when you have the baby, you might even keep it as a secret and never emotion it to anyone but in South Africa, it is a thing one can even be proud of. Even when the child falls pregnant at Avery early age, friends and family might even sacrifice to do a baby shower or a baby welcoming party. I remember learning with another girl who was rumored to could have had a baby. She had to come to our school which was a school far away from were she stayed not because they were no schools there but she was just trying to save her reputation. People talked behind their backs about it and no one tried to get closer and confront her or ask her about the rumor because she was intelligent and was influential in some kind of way.

People should be born and must have eyes that search for the good only and not the bad. Have a heart and eyes that see the good in others, create positive vibes and positive energy around you though your mind, your eyes, your heart etc. Always carry positive and good things with you and leave the bad for the failures.

Upcoming…

About alcohol and drug abuse