"We work jobs we hate, to buy things we don't need, to impress people we don't like." You don't need to have watched the movie Fight Club to have heard this phrase before. It's become synonymous with the quest for minimalism, or the yearning for a simpler life.
More and more people are waking up to the fact that they aren't happy with the traditional way of life - and some are even brave enough to turn things upside down and make a drastic change. Like one American, who quit their jobs (yes, plural), took all their savings, and moved across the world to North Africa.
Sick of hyper-consumerism and being in debt, this person went in search of a better life. One based on "slow, intentional living" and being "more connected to the earth." But they say after the honeymoon phase wore off, a very rude awakening was waiting on the other side...
They quit their job, took all their savings, and moved to Africa to live a "simple life”
Image credits: PlatooFotography / Envato (not the actual photo)
Little did they know that things would actually get much harder than before...
Image credits: Light-and-Vision / Envato (not the actual photo)
Image credits: petero31 / Envato (not the actual photo)
Image credits: anon
Africa is much richer than you might think, and here's why...
Image credits: Ninno JackJr / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
Africa is not a country. Let's start there... In fact, the 2nd-largest continent on the planet is made up of 52 different countries, and many of them are nothing like the next.
It was once seen as the "dark continent," a land of primitive civilization and nothing much worth studying or visiting. But thankfully, thinking has changed. People have caught up to the fact that Africa is, in fact, a land of plenty. Much of it was just plundered and colonized in the past, setting its people back by centuries.
According to the United Nations, Africa is home to around 30% of the world’s mineral reserves, 8% of the world’s natural Gas, and 12% of the world’s oil reserves. But wait, there's more... The continent has 40% of the world’s gold and up to 90% of its chromium and platinum.
"The largest reserves of cobalt, diamonds, platinum, and uranium in the world are in Africa," notes the U.N. Environment Programme site, adding that it also holds 65% of the world’s arable land and 10 % of the planet’s internal renewable fresh water source.
Like anywhere in the world, each of Africa's countries faces its own set of challenges. And each has a unique set of positives when it comes to living there.
Here's how African countries compare to some others around the world, according to global research
Image credits: Xavier Coiffic / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
Looking for a semi-laidback island life? You might want to head over to Mauritius or Seychelles. But beautiful beaches aren't all that await you.
There's something known as the Human Development Index (HDI). It's how the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) measures a country's average achievements, or its citizens' quality of life. The HDI is based on three factors: health (life expectancy at birth), education (mean years of schooling and expected years of schooling), and standard of living (gross national income per capita).
Both the Seychelles and Mauritius scored big in the 2025 HDI rankings. This was mainly due to a combination of strategic investments and policies.
"These nations have prioritized education, resulting in higher literacy rates and wider access to quality schooling. At the same time, improvements in healthcare systems have contributed to longer life expectancies and better overall health outcomes," reports Business Insider.
The media outlet adds that economic stability has also played a key role. A higher gross national income per capita means a better standard of living for both islands' populations.
Africa is often stereotyped as a place of high conflict, corruption, crime and poverty. But global stats show that Ghana has a lower crime rate than Canada or the United States, Mauritius outperforms China in the Human Development Index, and Tanzania boasts a more peaceful population than France.
According to the Global Peace Index, the island nation of Mauritius is one of the safest countries on the continent. In fact, "it surpasses the vast majority of countries worldwide, including Spain, Norway, Italy, the UK, Sweden, the USA, and many others," reported the Altezza Travel site, after analyzing a range of global studies.
And for those who think African countries are a dump, think again. One particular city on the continent consistently gets voted the best in the world by global travelers...
We're talking about the Mother City. Aka Cape Town, South Africa. Once again, it shone in 2025. It won The Telegraph Travel Awards based on votes from more than 20,000 UK travelers, and also received Time Out’s “Best City in the World” award. Voters cited the city's "stunning natural beauty, vibrant culture, and excellent food scene."
It's the 7th time Cape Town has won the Telegraph Travel Awards title in 11 years, proving that life might not always be simpler on the African continent, but that doesn't mean it isn't beautiful!
"It was a hard life": Many people could relate, and some shared similar stories
"Africa is not a country": the American faced criticism from some quarters
