Welcome to new members!!... and introduction... if you want

[Sasha]

That's a hella cool job, LDB. And a very interesting point re. travel with a purpose.

[Eve]

Peace and Greetings all! I am so psyched to find this group as well as GoodReads. My husband and I have been reading just about everything we can find about Africa or by Africans for a few years now. We will be moving to Uganda in July where he will volunteering full-time and Ill be studying for my MA in Conflict Studies at Makerere University. I've been out school for about four years now and miss the dialogue and exchange of ideas/opinions so much!!! So, I am relieved to find a group of people here who share the same reading interest and with whom I can share my thoughts and hear yours!
Eve

[Marieke]

wow, Eve! that sounds like an amazing adventure you are about to embark on! I'm looking forward--and perhaps i can speak for the whole group!--to hearing your dispatches from Uganda! Not to mention your reading suggestions!
Welcome, and tell your husband to join the group, too! :D

[Muphyn]

Marieke wrote: "wow, Eve! that sounds like an amazing adventure you are about to embark on! I'm looking forward--and perhaps i can speak for the whole group!--to hearing your dispatches from Uganda! Not to mention..."

I second that!! Wow, what an amazing opportunity to study Africa in Africa, I'm thrilled for you! Welcome to the group, Eve!

[Eve]

Thanks you two! We are both super-excited. I have lived in the Caribbean, Central and South America, but have yet to make it to Africa. I tried for a few different fellowships for a couple years but never made it. Finally, last year, I was awarded a Rotary Club Scholarship and so off we go!!! I would love to hear from everyone else in this group about why they are interested in reads from and about Africa. I think I'll start that thread now!

[Sasha]

Eve wrote: "I would love to hear from everyone else in this group about why they are interested in reads from and about Africa."

Heh, Eve. When I joined this group a couple weeks ago, I said the same thing.

Welcome! I have a friend who just got back from Uganda. He loved it.

[Laura]

Welcome Eve! I look forward to not only hearing about your Ugandan adventures but also learning of any Ugandan authors you two discover while you are out there. I have been to Uganda once (only to Kampala/ Entebbe) and really enjoyed it. What will your husband be doing as a volunteer?

[Andrea]

Welcome, Eve! Your trip sounds so exciting, and I agree that we will look forward to hearing from you. You might be interested in a book reviewed here a while backFirst Comes Love, Then Comes Malaria: How a Peace Corps Poster Boy Won My Heart and a Third World Adventure Changed My Life, also by a woman named Eve, and about her sojourn in Uganda.

[Eve]

LDB- I am so happy that I no longer have to be envious of people who say they've been to the continent!!!! LOL- anyways, my husband doesn't know what he'll be doing as of yet. He would like to find some sort of paid work but doesn't expect to and has done some research on organizations like Habitat for Humanity by indigenous to Uganda.

Andrea- It is Exciting! I actually posted Eve's book on my to-read list and will be getting it soon.

[Laura]

Eve - Haha. Now you get to go on a prolonged adventure to the continent and make the rest of us jealous!

[Eve]

hehehe.... YES!!!

[Eve]

LDB- What do you do exactly, I think I saw elsewhere that you work in ID is that right? If so, which organization?

[Laura]

Yes - I work in ID at ACDI/VOCA. I am sure you will run into them at some point in Uganda.

[Mahriana]

Hello. I am new to this group and looking forward to joining in on the book club reads. I just completed a big project on Senegalese literature to earn my Ph.D. And I'm looking to expand my exposure to African literature far and wide - catching up on stuff I never got around to reading and also I'm looking for an idea for my next major project. I love to see other people's lists and recommendations on here for ideas of what to read.

[Muphyn]

Hello Margaine, welcome to the group! Fantastic job with your PhD - how amazing to do it on Senegalese literature.

I'm looking forward to lots of interesting suggestions and insights when we get to Senegal with our book club (even though it won't be for a while, given that we're still reading about 'C' countries - we're doing Africa A-Z).

Hope you enjoy the group!! :D

[Sasha]

Randomly, this site has a pretty cool quiz on African geography. I try to take it every month or so to keep myself more or less in touch, although I will apparently never be able to place Benin vs. Togo.

[Muphyn]

Alex wrote: "Randomly, this site has a pretty cool quiz on African geography. I try to take it every month or so to keep myself more or less in touch, although I will apparently never be able to place Benin vs..."

That is so cool - thanks heaps for posting this, Alex! Makes for a fun lunch break. :) (And my geography knowledge of western Africa is so wonky...)

[Andrea]

Welcome, Margaine! Congratulations on your PhD. When I was in grad school there was some debate over the true meaning, whether it meant "poor hungry dog" or "post hole digger." But I'm sure in your case, it will lead to lots of great literary projects.

[Andrea]

Muphyn wrote: "Alex wrote: "Randomly, this site has a pretty cool quiz on African geography. I try to take it every month or so to keep myself more or less in touch, although I will apparently never be able to p..."
Confession here, I have trouble with the "Congos" in terms of geography. Esp. in determining whether a book took place in the region we are reading about currently or in one of the nearby countries.

[Marieke]

Andrea wrote: "Welcome, Margaine! Congratulations on your PhD. When I was in grad school there was some debate over the true meaning, whether it meant "poor hungry dog" or "post hole digger." But I'm sure in y..."

I also extend my congratulations! And also welcome to the group! I'd love to hear more about your program and what you about, if you don't mind. :D
like...is your phd in literature or history or conservation biology?

When I was growing up my grandfather (who was a medical doctor in rural Vermont, starting out his career making home visits on horseback) said that degrees advanced like such:
BS=bullshit
MS=more of the same
PhD=piled higher and deeper
lol.

[Mahriana]

Andrea wrote: "Welcome, Margaine! Congratulations on your PhD. When I was in grad school there was some debate over the true meaning, whether it meant "poor hungry dog" or "post hole digger." But I'm sure in y..."

Oh, given this economy, it more than ever means both of those things! ;)

Marieke wrote: I also extend my congratulations! And also welcome to the group! I'd love to hear more about your program and what you about, if you don't mind. :D
like...is your phd in literature or history or conservation biology?

I was in a comparative literature program, but my university had a lot of great people that specialize in Africa both in literature and other fields (history, anthropology, etc). It was excellent, really.

I wrote about contemporary Senegalese literature that portrays emigration and immigration. I also have a chapter on Senegalese hip-hop that examines the same topics.

[Mahriana]

Alex wrote: "Randomly, this site has a pretty cool quiz on African geography. I try to take it every month or so to keep myself more or less in touch, although I will apparently never be able to place Benin vs..."

Oh wow, those quizzes are really addictive. I couldn't stop playing. I had to memorize all the countries and capitals in an undergraduate political science class I took more than several years ago, but I've sadly forgotten more than I should have. Thanks!

[Marieke]

margaine wrote: "Andrea wrote: "Welcome, Margaine! Congratulations on your PhD. When I was in grad school there was some debate over the true meaning, whether it meant "poor hungry dog" or "post hole digger." Bu..."

excellent! i hope you enjoy our group.
maybe you could post some videos of senegalese hiphop to our music thread! i'd love that.

on a depressing note, i'm currently reading this and i'm ashamed to say i had not heard about this problem before in senegal and i was actually wondering if anyone has written stories or novels or even memoirs about this situation:
http://www.hrw.org/en/reports/2010/04...

[Eve]

I try to check out hrw almost every week, a good friend of my family was a major player in HRW Africa before she died in the Buffalo Plane Crash. I did see this article and have been meaning to find a printer to print it out so I can rad it more closely.

[Mahriana]

marieke wrote: on a depressing note, i'm currently reading this and i'm ashamed to say i had not heard about this problem before in senegal and i was actually wondering if anyone has written stories or novels or even memoirs about this situation:
http://www.hrw.org/en/reports/2010/04/15...

The position of Talibes in Senegalese society is very complex, and I do not know of any contemporary literary representations of this as a human rights concern. On the other hand, the beginning of Cheikh Hamidou Kane's well-known novel Ambiguous Adventure (L'aventure ambigue, if you read French) provides a contextualized representation of life as a Talibe during the mid-20th century, in which the Master of the students is not abusive and the school is the place that all of the boys of high standing in the village are sent. Provides a useful perspective on how this practice traditionally works.

And there is also the somewhat more recent (1980s) novel by Aminata Sow Fall The Beggars Strike (La greve des battu), which provides a humorous but insightful portrayal of the role that begging has in Senegalese society. Doesn't deal with talibes specifically but with begging as part of Senegalese society more generally.

[Sasha]

Reminds me, of course, of Slumdog Millionaire. And even here in Boston it happens; there are children all over the city, often in unsafe neighborhoods, panhandling for a more-or-less fictional track team called the Boston Chargers. Not to say that whatever's happening to the Chargers kids is as bad as the Talibes; just depressing that kids are exploited worldwide.

[Marieke]

Yes, we have small children carrying heavy plastic milk crates full of candy. Supposedly they are learning how to be entrepreneurs. Mostly they look really dejected. Honestly I don't see how such operations can be legal. Member-lawyers: any idea? And what can we do to stop that sort of activity?? Maybe a question for a different forum. :(

[Sasha]

Yeah, entrepreneurs in the Jack Dawkins vein. :P

There was a grass-roots effort in Boston to get someone to do something about the Chargers kids; it met with a staggering lack of success. No one - local politicians, papers, cops, nobody - was even faintly interested in looking into it.

[Marieke]

The frustrating thing here also is that we have a lot of really great groups that work with kids, like peaceaholics, for instance. Then you see the kid candy vendors and it makes no sense. After reading the Senegal report I had this horrible fear about candy kid quotas and what happens when they return to the office. I once worked for PIRG going door to door and often didn't meet quota. I didn't get abused but I did get sick and no one cared. I did get fired. I won't give them money and I tell the poor idealists who are pulling in money for lobbyists' fat paychecks that there are better ways to attain clean water or whatever. I wonder if Ralph Nader really understands how PIRG operates and if he really thinks it's a good way for young people to try to change the world. Okay. I get off the bitter soapbox now.

[Ruthmarie]

Marieke wrote: "margaine wrote: "Andrea wrote: "Welcome, Margaine! Congratulations on your PhD. When I was in grad school there was some debate over the true meaning, whether it meant "poor hungry dog" or "post ..."

There is an old, hard-to-come-by short film called Picc Mi, with music from Youssou N'Dour, that presents the life of little talibés and other street children. Heart-wrenching, beautifully constructed film with a touch of magic. California Newsreel used to have the collection of films called Three Tales from Senegal.

[Eve]

Alex wrote: "Randomly, this site has a pretty cool quiz on African geography. I try to take it every month or so to keep myself more or less in touch, although I will apparently never be able to place Benin vs..."


hehehe! Me and my husband have been doing these quizzes for almost a year and those are the two countries (in addition to the islands) that I mix up the most too!

[Sasha]

I give up on the islands, other than Cape Verde 'cause I know a dude from there and he constantly harasses me when the Red Sox lose. Freakin' Yankee fans. Do you use the same site?

[Marieke]

Ruthmarie wrote: "Marieke wrote: "margaine wrote: "Andrea wrote: "Welcome, Margaine! Congratulations on your PhD. When I was in grad school there was some debate over the true meaning, whether it meant "poor hungr..."

I'm going to try to see if I can get my hands on these. I'll keep you posted...

[Marieke]

margaine wrote: "marieke wrote: on a depressing note, i'm currently reading this and i'm ashamed to say i had not heard about this problem before in senegal and i was actually wondering if anyone has written storie..."

thanks for these suggestions...I've just tried to get them from the collection at work; let's see how much luck i have. hopefully i won't get a "not on shelf" email.

[Laura]

I am hopping in rather late here but also want to welcome Margaine! I have spent about week in Dakar and will get back someday to explore further. That is a great PhD topic! So, who is/are your favorite Senegalese author(s)?

[Mahriana]

LDB wrote: "I am hopping in rather late here but also want to welcome Margaine! I have spent about week in Dakar and will get back someday to explore further. That is a great PhD topic! So, who is/are your fav..."

Hey LDB, it's funny because I don't always "like" the writers I study. Or at least, that's not always why I choose what I'm working on (sometimes I wish I did, but I usually go for "intellectually exciting" before "wonderful writing," and only sometimes do they overlap). So, I have trouble with that question! :) But I guess I'd have to say my favorite authors from Senegal are Fatou Diome and Ousmane Sembene.

[Rafiki]

I have not be active in the group for several months, but hope to resume in July. I will be going to Kenya 6/13 for 15 days of volunteering. I will be doing home care visits to people with HIV/AIDS in the slums of Nairobi or Nyeri( I'll find out which location in the next few days).I will have the opportunity for a couple
of day trips to either Nairobi or Aberdares National Parks. I am 51 and have never done anything like this. It will be the trip of a lifetime.

[Andrea]

Rafiki, I am so excited for you! Hope to hear all about your trip in July!

[Sasha]

That's awesome Rafiki!

[Muphyn]

Wow, Rafiki, what a trip you've got ahead of you!! Sounds really exciting, I'm sure it'll be fascinating! All the best! :)

[Myne]

Myne Whitman is a pen name. I am a Nigerian writer and blogger whose debut novel A Heart to Mend has just been published through AuthorHouse. Myne Whitman is a name I coined myself while still in secondary school and is a play on the transliterated words of my maiden name. Personality-wise, I am quiet and laid-back but do like a good loud debate sometimes. In three words, I will describe myself as friendly, caring and fun-loving. I have been a teacher, NGO consultant, banker, skate-hire attendant, researcher and government worker. After a postgrad degree and a few years in Edinburgh, Scotland, I now live in the United States with my husband.Myne WhitmanA Heart to Mend

[Muphyn]

Myne wrote: "Myne Whitman is a pen name. I am a Nigerian writer and blogger whose debut novel A Heart to Mend has just been published through AuthorHouse. Myne Whitman is a name I coined myself while still in s..."

Hello Myne,
lovely to have you in the group - welcome!

Hope you enjoy it - check out the bookclub if you're interested in reading a book on Africa every two months. :)

Muphyn

[Myne]

Thanks Muphyn, will do. I usually read them more often too. Have a lovely week.

[Melanie]

Just catching up on threads and wanted to say welcome to all the new members! Hoping to be more active in the group again soon. :)

[Muphyn]

Yes, it'll be great to have you around more again!! :D Welcome back, Melanie! ;)

[Melanie]

Thanks, Muphyn! Actually have some news, I'm pregnant :), which is why I haven't been around much - so sleepy that reading puts me right to sleep most of the time.

[Muphyn]

WOW!! That's fantastic, congratulations, Melanie!! How very exciting :) Now that explains everything. :) I've been wondering where you've been because it's so unusual for you not to get through a book a week! ;)

When's the baby due?

[Melanie]

Thanks! He's due September 20th. Yeah, other than the sleepy thing it's been a pretty easy pregnancy.

[[deleted user]]

Congratulations!

[Andrea]

Congratulations, Melanie. Glad to hear you are feeling well. Don't count on much sleep for the next 10 years or so.