Meet Isabelle Noack, the Africa traveller who is exploring the overlooked realities of the continent

Face2Face Africa (F2FA) caught up with YouTuber, traveller and broadcast journalist Isabelle Noack (IN) who is attempting to visit all the countries in Africa with her smartphone on the record button capturing the beauty, people, food and everything in sight to make Africans and black people proud of their heritage.

Africa’s 54 countries are each unique and diverse in their own way surpassing what is seen and heard in the media, said Isabelle Noack. The intricacies of each region and boundary cut across cultures, languages, politics and customs.

The quest of unearthing and highlighting these cultural diversities is unending as several literature, documentaries and the media in general have spotlighted just a fraction of the known and unknown varieties of the African story. Isabelle Noack

F2FA: Why did you decide to tour the continent?

IN: Unfortunately, there are so many misconceptions and prejudices about Africa. People will travel to Florida where it’s much more dangerous than in many African places but are “scared” to visit Senegal for example, which is one of the safest and most stable nations in Africa. There are so many beautiful, exciting reasons to visit this amazing continent and I want to inspire us all to do so while getting to know the real side of Africa – one that is often overlooked by mainstream media. I also want to help make Africans and black people feel proud of their heritage and realize there are no good reasons they should ever feel bad or ashamed of where they’re from – Mama Africa. The richest continent in the world.

F2FA: Which countries have you visited so far?

IN: I have been to Senegal, Guinea, Congo, South Africa, Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia and can’t wait to see even more.

F2FA: What are some of your shocking and exciting experiences in each country you visited.

IN: I truly loved the kindness, openness and hospitality in all African places I have been to – they’re all different but amazing in their own way. Senegal is a great example of it, the nation truly honors its nickname “land of the teranga” which means “land of hospitality”. I was shocked and truly hurt by the continuous racism and apartheid in South Africa and also the way white people are still viewed as superior not just in SA but many African countries. That’s so sad and frustrating and I really want to help change that. The damage that the West has done to this continent and continues to do is unimaginable and unacceptable. It needs to change, so Africa can finally reach its very highest potential (again) and get the credit it deserves.

F2FA: Which is your best/favourite country so far.

IN: Such a hard question. I loved them all for different reasons. I think first and foremost, it’s the people that make a place beautiful and since Africans are super beautiful inside and out, every country is amazing 🙂 it really also depends on what you like though. Like if you want to see the desert, I’d suggest Algeria, Morocco, Namibia etc., if you want to experience city life in a safe setting I’d say Dakar, Accra, Cape Town, Nairobi etc… whatever you do, visiting Mama Africa will always leave you feeling beautiful, empowered and changed for the better for she loves and cares for all her children 🙂

F2FA: Any tips for our readers outside the continent on how to get around Africa easier?

IN: Sure, passport is a given 🙂 English will get you far but if you speak another language like French, Arabic or Portuguese or some of the local African languages (there are many, Cameroon alone has 240) then you may do even better :). I’d definitely also suggest getting familiar with the region before, so you know what to watch out for and what to make sure to include in your list of things to see/experience. You may have to get some vaccinations before leaving – yellow fever is the most common one. And if you have any questions, you can also always reach out to me – the Africa expert 😉

Below are videos of her travels.

Algeria:

Algeria Part 2:

Guinea:

Senegal:

Congo:

South Africa: