In 2001 I spent about two months in Africa. That time kicked off an obsession with Africa that had me reading both fiction and memoirs set in the African Continent long after my trip was over. Here are a few of my favorites.
Novels about Africa
Cry, the Beloved Country
As Paton's main character makes his way to the city to find lost community members, he uncovers some the harsh realities about life in 1940's South Africa (just prior to the implementation of the apartheid system. This
beautifully written classic novel gives great insight into the rise of Africa's urban slums, the impact of segregation in South Africa, and the destruction of Africa's traditional culture through modernization. It's one of the few books that had me in tears by the end of the novel, and even if you've read it before, it's worth rereading before a trip to Africa.
Buy on Amazon: Cry, the Beloved Country
The Poisonwood Bible: A Novel
In this beautifully written novel by Barbara Kingsolver, Nathan Price, his wife, and his four daughters move to a remote part of the Belgian Congo to spread their fierce evangelical Baptist beliefs. Somehow, in the soil of the Congo, everything they bring along is ruined beyond repair. This book provides a wonderful insight into local customs and beliefs, and a reminder that in order to provide aid, you need to understand what help is wanted and needed first.
Buy on Amazon: The Poisonwood Bible: A Novel
Memoirs set in Africa
West with the Night
West with the Night is one of my very favorite books of all time. The writing is almost poetic, and as a women, I can't help but be struck by the author's independence and adventurousness in an age when women were confined to rigid roles. Beryl Markham was an aviator, a racehorse trainer, and and adventurer in in the Kenya of the 1920s and '30s
Buy on Amazon: West with the Night
Out of Africa and Shadows on the Grass
Out of Africa has a place on any list of classic books, and this poetic memoir is a wonderful way to wrap your head around what it would have been like to be white in British East Africa. Blixen's love for the landscape and the life she built in Africa shines through in every sentence in this beautifully written book.
Buy on Amazon: Out of Africa and Shadows on the Grass
Facing the Lion: Growing Up Maasai on the African Savanna
Technically Facing the Lion is a children's book (suitable for grades 5-12) but it's a strong enough read that it's appropriate for adults too. A wonderful and rare insight into the traditional Maasai culture, and into what it would be like to journey from that childhood into the modern western world.
Buy on Amazon: Facing the Lion: Growing Up Maasai on the African Savanna
Whatever You Do, Don't Run: True Tales of a Botswana Safari Guide
This light and exciting set of stories from a safari guide who worked in some of Botswana's top safari camps is a great way to ready yourself for your own safari adventure.
Buy on Amazon: Whatever You Do, Don't Run: True Tales of a Botswana Safari Guide
Books about African History
Michelle Duffy of the blog Wandermom is a huge history buff, and I greatly appreciated having the benefit of that knowledge on our trip to Zambia. She recommended this book, and I'll be adding it to my own wishlist so that I can get a better understanding of Africa's history.
The Scramble for Africa: White Man's Conquest of the Dark Continent from 1876-1912
After seeing the poverty and lack of options for the average African, most people find themselves asking "how did it get this screwed up for this long." Unwinding the series of events that led us to where we are today takes some time (over 700 pages, in this book) - a great reminder that there are no simple answers when it comes to helping Africa build a stronger and more equitable economy.
Buy on Amazon: The Scramble for Africa: White Man's Conquest of the Dark Continent from 1876-1912
Do you have a favorite book that's set in Africa? Share it in comments!
Filed Under:
book-review
book-reviews
1 comment |
Posted on May 19, 2012 |
Save to del.icio.us
I can't resist posting just one more picture of Zambia's landscape - this time from above.
Related Links
Ribbon Cutting at Chilileka Basic School's New Library
A Tour Through Lusaka's Slums
Books and Online Resources about Zambia
What is Photo Friday?
- Post a travel photo on your site. It can be about any topic, as long as it is G-rated.
- The focus of the post should be on your photo.
- You don't need to be a professional photographer (I'm not), but do showcase your best work, and make it big enough to see well!
- It's nice to include a few sentences about the photo, but it is not required.
- Link back here so that your readers can see all the other great Photo Friday posts.
I just got a question from a reader about how to cover an in-flight bassinet to shield it from flickering lights and video screens. I'll admit, I'm stumped. Does anybody have a clever idea about the best way to do this?
Let me know in comments
2 comments |
Posted on May 17, 2012 |
Save to del.icio.us
I'm not able to properly describe the beauty and calmness of Zambian's landscape, so I wanted to share this picture and a quote that I think describes it perfectly.
"The Zambian landscape is one note endlessly repeated. At the Tunduma frontier, the character of the land suddenly changes. The rolling hills of south-central Tanzania fade away and the table-flat upland of the Zambian plateau begins. Open grassy country gives way to unending woodland, a featureless wilderness of spindly trees twenty to thirty feet in height. Mile after mile, hour after hour it remains the same. Occasionally, a low range of hills is glimpsed in the far distance, but their promise of release from the hypnotic monotony is deceptive."
---from "North of South" by Shiva Naipaul
Related Links
Books and Online Resources about Zambia
Ribbon Cutting at Chilileka Basic School's New Library
A Tour Through Lusaka's Slums
Filed Under:
zambia
3 comments |
Posted on May 15, 2012 |
Save to del.icio.us
Fiction and Novels about Zambia
Before I leave for any trip, I like to immerse myself in books about the country. Sometimes that means reading about the local history, but more often I use fiction or personal stories to help me get deeper insight into the culture. Here are a few of the books that help me set the stage for my trip to Zambia.
North of South: An African Journey
Shiva Naipaul, brother of the famous author V.S. Naipaul, writes his humorous and sometimes unsettling observations after a trip to Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia in the 1970s. It's a great insight into attitudes among Blacks, Whites, and Indians in Africa that still persist today
Buy on Amazon: North of South: An African Journey
Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight: An African Childhood
Alexandra Fuller's New York Times best selling memoir about her childhood in Rhodesia, Zambia and Malawi during the Rhodesian civil war. It's an insight into the brutality and segregation of that society at the time from the eyes of a child trying to piece it all together.
Buy on Amazon: Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight: An African Childhood
The Eye of the Elephant: An Epic Adventure in the African Wilderness
The Eye of the Elephant is the riveting tale of the Owen fight against elephant poachers in Zambia's Luangwa Valley. This book, together with the Owen's advocacy work with local villagers is credited with reversing a trend that was destroying these magical animals and their habitats.
Buy on Amazon: The Eye of the Elephant: An Epic Adventure in the African Wilderness
Recommended Guidebooks for Zambia
Bradt Travel Guide Zambia
If you're traveling to Zambia, this is the most complete and up-to-date guidebook for the country. A history and culture section does a good job of outlining the most important information for you to know about the country, and the guidbook lists resources for visiting both the major national parks and more off-the-beaten-path destinations. The author's love for Zambia really shows through in this book.
Buy on Amazon: Bradt Travel Guide Zambia
Zambia and Victoria Falls Travel Map
If you'll be traveling around Zambia on your own, a good map is essential - and harder to buy on arrival than you'd expect. Here's a good one.
Buy on Amazon: Zambia and Victoria Falls Travel Map
Internet Resources about Zambia
Here are a few of the resources I found helpful in learning more about modern Zambia before my trip.
The New York Times gives a great overview of resources about Zambia and recent news while The Post Zambia Online, The Lusaka Times, the Times of Zambia and the Lonely Planet's Thorn Tree for Zambia is a great place to ask questions or to read about the experiences travelers are having in the country right now.
For a high level overview of entry requirements, visa issues, and safety concerns I like to review the US State Department Information Sheet on Zambia and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade recommendations on Zambia
Bill Gates talk after his visit to Zambia and Ethiopia gives a view on some of the struggles Zambia is facing, and some of the tactics being used to address them.
Unicef's Zambia Page gives insight into some of the issues impacting children in Zambia, as well as aid work being done in the country
For Zambian music, check out National Geographic's World Music Recommendations
I never did find a great Zambian cultural reference, but I was fascinated by this story about Nshima, the Zambian staple food and this one about Zambian Greetings
Got a great resource about Zambia? Share it in comments
Filed Under:
book-review
book-reviews
0 comments |
Posted on May 15, 2012 |
Save to del.icio.us
Missing a little context? Jump to the bottom to learn more about why I'm in Zambia this week.
I may have helped organize the Passports with Purpose fundraiser, but it was the work of about two thousand people (between bloggers, donors and corporate sponsors) who really built this project. So to load myself into a car, ride about 90 minutes outside Lusaka, and be greeted with such overwhelming enthusiasm felt a little bit like stealing someone else's glory. Here's my best effort to capture the feeling of that day so that you can enjoy your fair share.
----
Our early morning rush to pack into the car an leave town felt reflected in the crush of the urban Lusaka roadside.
But as we left the city, our energy started to mellow, and there was a chance to reflect on what it meant to build a library in Zambia. Our township tour the day before had deeply touched me. The kids we met in Lusaka's slums really had nothing. Even fewer services reach kids in the country. Access to clean water, shelter, food and medical care are much needed fundamentals. Still, for the kids who survive childhood, an education is the only way to rise out of the hand-to-mouth cycle lived out by their parents - and for that, they need books. It's impossible to become truly literate when you learn to read from a blackboard.
Michelle, Beth and I really didn't know what to expect from this visit. It's hard to get a handle on a country like Zambia in advance. Even in the age of the Internet, there are few pictures outside of the tourist areas and guidebooks don't paint a clear picture of what a rural school might look like.
And what about the students and teachers, would they see our visit as an intrusion? a welcome distraction?something else? As the city dropped away, I wondered about that too, but as we drew closer to the school, there were cell phone calls between the school and our Room to Read escorts. Clearly something was afoot. The buzz that had faded as we left the city picked up again, and we readied ourselves to greet the students.
In what felt like a thoroughly African welcome, we were greeted with drums as community members and students danced the traditional "War Welcome Dance" for this area. We poured out of the car, eager to be in the center of it all, and eager to see the library that you helped build.
Frankly it was overwhelming. In a good way. We shook hands with the teachers and community members who had lined up to greet us and were escorted into the headmaster's office where we learned a little about the history of the school and the community effort that had gone into the library (Community members contributed 25% of the building cost in the form of labor and locally sourced materials like sand or rocks.)
And then we streamed into the library itself. As we approached the door, the kids burst into a welcome song. I wish I could do this moment justice. The sunlight streaming in through the windows behind them, the voices that completely filled the room, and the warmth of yellow library walls and the hand-drawn pictures that decorated them. Beth, Michelle and I hovered in the doorway taking it all in, eyes brimming over with tears. The effort to raise the money, to arrange this trip, and to travel so far from home all worth it for this one moment.
I could have lived in that song forever, but eventually it ended and we found our seats. A nervous energy took over as one of the teachers announced that the students would be showing off some the skills practice the library is used for.
We just loved watching the kids push themselves through the program. It's true that they were nervous, but they were excited too. And as I sat there wondering how much of this was rehearsed, I realized it didn't matter. With my own kids, one of the most important tools I have is to show them how much I value their education. The fact that the community leaders, including the village headman, had come out for this event. The fact that we had flown in all the way from Seattle to witness their reading. The fact that we brought along postcards from so many donors. And the fact that you had contributed so much money to give these kids a place to learn sends a strong signal about how much value we all place on their education - and that's a message that I hope will stick with the kids in the Chilileka Basic School long after we've flown home.
And here's the message I hope will stick with you. YOU did this. Your contribution made an immeasurable difference in the livest of the 300+ students who attend the Chilileka Basic School and the countless children who will follow them.
I'm a co-founder of an annual travel bloggers fundraiser called Passports with Purpose that raised $90,000 last winter to build two libraries in Zambia. The libraries, built by Room to Read are now complete. Co-founders Beth Whitman, Michelle Duffy and I flew all the way to Zambia from our homes in Seattle to learn more about the kids being helped. Pam Mandel and Meg Paynor couldn't quite make the trip work with their schedules, and we missed their warmth and humor on this trip.
We owe a huge "Thank You" to Expedia who not only sponsored our airfare and hotel stays, but also helped us work through scheduling and local arrangements that proved to be more tricky than we'd originally envisioned.
Got Questions about the library, Zambia or Room to Read? Ask them in comments and I'll do my best to answer.
Filed Under:
blogging
passports-with-purpose
zambia
6 comments |
Posted on May 14, 2012 |
Save to del.icio.us
I don't believe that it's ever possible to wrap your head around another person's experience. Not even your neighbors or close friends. And life in another country with its own culture and traditions is even harder to comprehend. Things might look similar, human needs are the same, but everything works just a little bit differently. Frankly, it boggles my mind, but it's worth an attempt, because the more we understand about one another, the more we can support each other.
Beth, Michelle and I spent our morning in Zambia touring the Garden Compound, one of Lusaka's slums. I've never seen poverty at such close range before. Certainly not at this scale. Over 50% of Lusaka's population lives in shantytowns like the Garden District.
Very few homes in this neighborhood have running water, but you can pay to fill your bucket from a tap.
Think about that for a minute. It means no flush toilets, for one thing. It also means that if you're out of money, you're dependent on others to drink or wash yourself. And in general, when money is tight, the water would be used more for drinking or cooking, and not so much for keeping clean and healthy.
Families with a bit more money have a pit latrine outside.
Food is sold in small amounts. Even cooking oil is meeted out into old water bottles for people who cannot afford a whole can.
Most people cook using charcoal (and breathe those fumes), but for those who can afford it, electricity is available on a pre-paid basis, similar to cell phone air time
There are tons of kids. TONS of them. Zambia has some of the largest families in the world, and one of the highest AIDS rates. Often that means both parents have died and an older sibling is trying to care for younger sisters and brothers. There aren't many services (in fact, the Street Kids program that was working in this area closed due to funding issues) so those kids really are on their own.
School is free, and families must provide a uniform, books and any needed classroom materials. The total cost is about $400 per year - that's a lot a country where the per-capita GDP is $1600. And still, there's such a strong desire to give kids an education, that the Garden district's public school is full - meaning that some kids walk long distances or families find even more money to pay for a private education.
But there is happiness here too, we never felt the tension that I've felt visiting other African countries. Everyone has been incredibly welcoming and kind. They've helped us find our way around, and it is safe to walk together at night to a neighborhood restaurant. Despite all the poverty, there seems to be a strong sense of community and a real hope for the future.
And even in the slums, where things seem so desperate, in many ways people have the same cares and worries that we do at home. The women are stunningly beautiful, with their hair perfectly plated and beautiful wraps, while I walk around looking dusty and tired.
The kids make balls out of plastic bags (and find other odds and ends to play with
A stripped car can serve as a playspace
Women find time to sing or talk together
Wired phone service never made it to this neighborhood, but everyone seems to have a cell phone.
Toddlers are as relentlessly adorable here as they are anywhere
There's a big effort underway to add more roads - which would help bring more services into poor areas.
With tourists, comes the opportunity to make products that could be sold
There are local, and internationally funded, efforts to provide safe activities for kids
But most of all, there's spirit, and fun, and great energy in the most unexpected places.
After a day "digging in deep" my head is full. The best I can do, I think, is to share - because the more we know about one another, the better we can support each other. I hope that my pictures and words will inspire you to help too, in whatever way makes sense for you. And I if you contributed to Passports with Purpose I want you to know, that that the library you helped is absolutely fundamental to these kids growing up with a better future.
Our excellent and eye-opening tour was conducted by Lusaka Experience who runs several cultural tours in this area. I paid for the tour at my own expense, and I can't recommend them enough. If you are headed to Zambia, feel free to email me for more info about the tour.
We wouldn't have made it here at all without the very generous support of Expedia who paid for our airfare and hotel accommodation so that we could better understand and tell about the impact of our 2011 Passports with Purpose fundraiser. Planning a trip to Africa for three people on separate schedules is not easy, and there were even more moving parts on this trip than usual. Expedia really stuck with us through it all and I deeply appreciate everything they've done to make this trip a success.
Filed Under:
blogging
passports-with-purpose
zambia
6 comments |
Posted on May 12, 2012 |
Save to del.icio.us
I'm on an emotional high after visiting the Chilileka Basic School in rural Zambia yesterday. I'll write and post more pictures soon, but I thought I'd start by sharing this photo of spelling practice.
Related Links
Welcome to Zambia
Visiting the Passports with Purpose Libraries in Zambia
Passports with Purpose
What is Photo Friday?
- Post a travel photo on your site. It can be about any topic, as long as it is G-rated.
- The focus of the post should be on your photo.
- You don't need to be a professional photographer (I'm not), but do showcase your best work, and make it big enough to see well!
- It's nice to include a few sentences about the photo, but it is not required.
- Link back here so that your readers can see all the other great Photo Friday posts.
Even though my kids aren't with me on this trip to Africa, I've been trying to find ways to bring them along virtually. Reading books and looking at pictures is one way to do that, and has been a fabulous leaping off point for discussions about traditions and folklore, how people live around the world, some of the things we take for granted, and some things (like being in a family) that are the same no matter where you live.
I thought I'd share some of the books we've been reading. Even if Africa is only a distant dream for your family, it's fun and rewarding to learn about a new place.
Why the Sun and the Moon Live in the Sky
This Caldecott winning book is based on a Nigerian story about how a visit from Ocean caused Sun and Moon to move to the sky.
Buy on Amazon: Why the Sun and the Moon Live in the Sky
Eyewitness: Africa (Eyewitness Books)
The picture-packed Eyewitness Books series is especially great for learning about places that look very different than where we are. This one does a nice job of covering a lot of ground, both in terms of the number of cultures represented, and in terms of the topics covered.
Buy on Amazon: Eyewitness: Africa (Eyewitness Books)
Mama Panya's Pancakes
In this story, a mother and son walk from their village to the market to buy flour for pancakes. On the way, the son excitedly invites each of his many friends to join them for dinner. His poor mom, worried about how far she can stretch their limited flour clucks and worries about each new guest. At the end of the story, each guest arrives with a gift of food, and their feast is doubled many times over by their generosity. This book is a great leaping off point for many different discussions depending on what your child is interested in. One way you might go is with a concrete discussion about how lives look different in many parts of the world, but that values around family and sharing are the often the same. Another aspect of the story is the fact that we don't all have the same resources, but we can find ways to help each other out.
Buy on Amazon: Mama Panya's Pancakes
Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain
The soothing pictures and rhyming story in Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain make this a great choice for younger kids, especially if they love animals.
Buy on Amazon: Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain
Some books were given to me by the publishers for review and I have donated them to my childrens' school library. If you buy the book using the Amazon link, I earn a small commission, and that income helps me keep the site going.
Filed Under:
book-review
book-reviews
zambia
3 comments |
Posted on May 9, 2012 |
Save to del.icio.us
I hope it doesn't seem to jarring to post about Disneyland in the middle of a series about Africa - I've been working on this post on the plane, and wanted to share these photos from the new Cars Land sooner rather than later.
Disneyland's California Adventure is getting ready to open in just over a month ( on June 15, 2012) but I was able to get a sneak peak at the rides and attractions that are planned for this 12-acre addition to the park.
Going behind the scenes was really super fun for me. The small details that you'd expect in the park continue even in the spaces that only employees will see. I felt like I was peering into a secret world where fireworks are common and goofy's jalopy might pull around the corner carrying a few needed items.
Do you ever see a staff door open at a hotel or amusement park and peek inside to see what's behind it? That's what it felt like when, together with my host, a member of Disneyland's Public Relations team, I hopped in a golf cart and drove onto Disneyland's back lot.
I can't show you pictures of the closed back-lot area, but I will say that stepping from the backlot, which feels much like any light-industrial lot, through a hidden passage and right into Disney California Adventure was one of the most surreal experiences I've ever had. More than anything else I've seen, it gave me an appreciation for how much attention Disney pays to making sure that the scenery in every one of Disney's "lands" is complete, without any hint of its real backdrop peeking through.
I was born in Pebble Beach, California and spent lots of time in the Northern California Coast towns as I was growing up. This landscape felt so familiar and comforting to me, and yet I couldn't place it exactly - it's not one place. Instead it feels like a blending of my childhood memories - like walking down a familiar street in a dream..
And speaking of dream worlds, Cars Land was just around the corner. It was still a hard-hat area during my visit, but we could peek over the signboards and get a view of radiator springs. The rockworks has that warm embracing feeling that I remember from my visit to Santa Fe and our drive through New Mexico, and yet it's surreal too - the rocks jutting out of the rockworks are inspired by the tailfins of 1950's automobiles. On closer inspection, hidden elements decorate the rockwork just like they do at Disney's Aulani Resort's Rockworks. I'm looking forward to getting a closer look and uncovering some of those hidden figures.
New Cars Land Rides
The new Cars Land will host three new rides, plus restaurants and themed shops. Here's a peek at some of the sketches and models used to conceptualize the new rides. If you visit Disney California Adventure, you can see these images too - they're in the Blue Sky Cellar.
Mater's Junkyard Jamboree
Can trucks square dance? Apparently they can in Cars Land. On this ride, trucks square dance around a "dance floor" pulling you around and whipping you as you race past other trucks.
Luigi's Flying Tires
The inspiration from this ride was taking from the original flying saucers ride in 1960's Tomorrowland. The idea has been modernized, and the idea is that the tires glide just above the ground. Each rider gets his or her own tire and can steer and tilt them around the ride.
Radiator Springs Racers
The Radiator Springs Racers ride will give visitors a chance to trade through the landscape of the CARS movie. The cars actually race one another, and you don't know in advance who might win. A fun touch to note here: each imagineer got to design a license plate for one of the cars.
More Pictures
Here are more pictures of the sketches and models I saw of Disney California Adventure's new Cars Land
Filed Under:
disneyland
0 comments |
Posted on May 9, 2012 |
Save to del.icio.us
