James, welcome to the forum. As Ann said, you'll receive a lot of valuable information here. Your post reminds me a lot of myself when I was your age a long, long time ago.

Now comes a reality check. Unfortunately, your chances of being taken on by a Safari company in Africa are quite slim. You see, the unemployment rate in every country in Africa is very high, and with their governments affirmative action programs in place your chances of being hired are virtually nil, unless you bring to them some skills or talents that aren't available locally. Don't, however, give up your dream. There are several Americans who have been successful in finding their dreams fulfilled in Africa. Some who come to mind are Tink Nathan, Mark Sullivan, and of course, the late Peter Hathaway Capstick. Good luck, and never lose sight of the prize. Perhaps you could contact some booking agents and make an inquiery with them.