Different Worlds, Different Centuries, Similar Story!

I am in awe, reading the story of Gustave Flaubert and his love NOT for his mother country, France, but for another country completely different from his own.  Egypt was his love, as America was my love.  Since he was young, he hated his own country, its people, their manners and even their food and animals.  He found refuge in what he later came to name "the Orient" for happiness, even though my desire to leave my country was not as profound as Flaubert's, it is ironical that a man born in a different world, different century  could have a similar story of a girl born thousands of miles and centuries apart.

Growing up in a small village in Kenya, I found myself far removed from the needs and likes of my peer group.  While in middle school learning the world Geography, I was overly interested in the North American continent, I would read keenly about the cotton-belt, the large rivers, the five big lakes, and even though I was young, I had decided that one day, America would be my home.

Going back to Flaubert's story, he was disgusted by the weather in his country, he did not care for beautiful places like Normandy or La belle, France, he believed strongly that he had been "transplanted by winds" to his mother-country, having been born elsewhere, he did not think he was born in Egypt, or China, or wherever, all he knew and believed was that he was not a  "product" of France.

Whereas for me, I knew I was born and bred in Kenya, but I refused that I must grow and live in Kenya, I strongly knew I wanted to belong to another country, even though America was my chosen country, it really did not matter to me where I would eventually end, all I knew, just like Flaubert, wished and longed for "the Orient" I wished and longed for America.  He was young, had no money of his own, so all he could do was to simply wish and dream about the "orange trees, palm trees, lotus flowers and cool paved  pavilions in marble   with wood-panelled chambers that talk of love!"  He would ask himself questions like 'Will I never see necropolises, where toward evening, when the camels have come to rest by their wells, hyenas howl from beneath the mummies of kings?"  I, on the other hand had no money either, but would ask myself, "will I never see Hollywood, where great movies seen all over the world are made?"  Flaubert wishes came true at twenty-four when his father died unexpectedly, leaving him a fortune that allowed him to waste no more time dreaming, but to go to where his heart was.  Unfortunately, I never got any fortune like Flaubert, even though my opportunity to move to my country of desire, did not come as early as Flaubert's, it finally came sixteen years ago.

I know a lot of people reading this blog might not relate or even naively think that one can be born in one place, but the heart belongs to another place, and when one has that feeling, it does not matter how good their life is or how much love one has for their family, one must leave to fulfill their heart's desire, one might not even have enough money to do so, but like they say "where there is a will, there is a way!".  I am as much Red Indian as Kenyan, like Flaubert said, he was as " much Chinese as French."  Truly, it does not matter who you are today, than who you will be tomorrow! - Caroline