Worth 1,000 Words: Hope
For me, when i think about the concept of hope the first thoughts that come to mind are the people that I met while i was in Benin. These pictures represent hope. When you look into the eyes of children,…
Worth 1,000 Words: Entebbe, Uganda
These pictures were taken in 2005 at the Entebbe Zoo in Uganda. This pregnant monkey stole the apple she is eating from a small boy who also had plans to snack.
On American Travel to Africa
"There is also limited interest in Africa among US citizens and the business community. Of the 30.3 million American tourists who traveled abroad in 2009, only 4% went to Africa." According to the US Department of Commerce, as quoted in…
Life in Kinshasa
"If today we eat, tomorrow we’ll drink tea,” said Dieudonné Nsala, a father of five who earns $60 a month as an administrator at the Education Ministry. Rent is $120 a month; the numbers, Mr. Nsala pointed out, simply do…
The World’s Newest Country: South Sudan
On the 9th of July, 2011, South Sudan became the world's newest country. They officially seceded from Sudan after the passing of an internationally supported referendum in January. On the 11 of July, they officially became the newest member of…
Horn of Africa Crisis
In recent weeks, there has been a growing buzz about the crisis in the Horn of Africa. Many of you may be unaware and granted I am more plugged in, as the organization that I work for is directly involved…
Observations: Benin
The Beninese people have no concept of personal space or personal comfort, as demonstrated by squeezing into taxi buses and cars with no complaint.
Things I won’t miss about living in rural Benin
Risking my life daily by riding on the back of motorcycles, sans helmet. Bugs. Bugs that bite. Bugs that just crawl. And bugs that interrupt my meals. Boredom. 90F (32C)+ days without air conditioning. Laying in the bed, 6 hours…
Have you ever…
...rode on the back of a motorcycle at 60km/h (37mph) down an unpaved road with no helmet? It feels like death coming at you at 100mph (160km/h).
Things that I am longing for
A few of the things that I have been missing since I have been in Benin. Manicures and pedicures. In London, I painted my nails fun colors every week and once spring and summer (read: eternal fall in London) I…