each country smells different
To me, each country has their own specific smell. South Africa smells hot and dry, like the tribes that have lived there for thousands of years. It smells like the hunt and the hunted, prey, like a drought, like the majestic lion and the crazy zebra. At the same time, it smells like modern-day hope, of dreams, of a different way of life. You can throw anything at these people - famine, war, corruption - and they will take it all, and they will not complain. It smells like stubbornness, an unwillingness to give up. They will take a job and do it to the best of their ability, and they will do it until they get somewhere. In a world where dreams are crushed all the time, their natural resistance keeps them going past the point of exhaustion. They will be having a shitty day, but they will still smile at you and make small talk. They may be at the bottom of the ladder, but they won't admire or fawn over you. They have dignity, and they let you see it. They will not fall at your feet to apologize, they will not allow you to beat them down. They will rise up and above you. They are better people than the people you befriend, and they know it. They are South Africans.
tl;dr?
tl;dr?