Veronicas’ life is described in the eyes of a friend Okeke. He felt sorry for veronica when they were both children and talks of the difficulties in her life, her family was particularly poor and talks of her suspicious and brutal father, he would lie awake listening to her beatings. Okeke won a scholarship to university; he felt a large amount of guilt leaving veronica trapped in the village, which offered no opportunity and a long life of drudgery. Veronica seemed to have a strong sense of family and was totally accepting her fate.
Many years past and Okeke had been successful in his studies and returned with work to his home village, he was shocked by he squalor and disease. He returned to Veronicas house and was shocked by her appearance, “My immediate impression was that the ten years had told on her more than they should of”. It seemed that the family she worked so hard for had disappeared, her parent’s dead and her sisters and brothers had moved away. She was now married and had a child; her husband had got involved in the troubles. Her life was still difficult but again she seemed devoted to her husband and child.
Okeke gave her some money and left. A few months later fighting broke out and the village was a no go area. When Okeke returned Veronica was near to death her husband and child killed, she was resigned to death. “My husband is dead my child is dead. There is nothing left for me in this world.” Veronica died a frail woman a terrible waste, a devoted women who struggled all her life. The differences from life here in Britain: Obtaining food is different, you cannot just go to the local supermarket, and food has to be from the environment it needs to be grown or reared and killed. The weather plays an important part in everyday life. Floods and draughts affect the availability of food.
There are no modern appliances; everything is done by hand, which is much, more time consuming. You are much more likely to become ill, because water can be contaminated by disease. Doctors are not always available, so you could die of something in a remote village that would be dealt with easily in modern countries. Transport is usually a horse and cart if you are lucky, but most have to walk many miles just for water.
The culture demands a strong sense of family and children are expected to work and contribute to the family from a very young age. Men are usually the leaders within the family and women would not usually question their authority. Men have to travel long distances for work or to sell fruit, so families can be left alone for long periods of time. Only few children have the opportunity for education or to learn new skills, the demands of everyday life take up to much time.
Conclusions:
The country, culture whether your male female, whether you are rich or poor effects you and effects your life greatly. Veronica was in an unfortunate situation with no opportunities, in a poor village, with a deep sense of duty. Perhaps if I were living in the same place I would be a totally different person. Veronica’s friend Okeke had an opportunity to improve himself and used it to improve his life style. I think they work harder than people in the west, as they want it so badly. We get many opportunities all the time, however we don’t always use them or perhaps there are so many ways to turn that it’s confusing?
