After reading the question of the title, the first country that comes to mind is Somalia and a slew of African countries. Somalia always seems to be at the top of the list and always seems to fit the necessary criteria of a failed state no matter what happens. On returning from Ghana I was talking with my uncle about Africa and was very surprised about his views and ideas especially when came to the subject of conflict. He wondered whether it would have made a difference if there had been no colonizers? Wouldn't Africans still be fighting each other regardless of the colonial 'divide and conquer' strategy? Could it have been worse if the colonizers never 'intervened?'

From the When not in Africa. . . blog.

I have been away from writing for a while and this is my attempt to convince myself that is it still important to share what I think. I have been doing a load of thinking since my summer travels. Upon returning from Ghana I started work back at my blue collar job full of racist, sexist, mostly ignorant co-workers, using the term 'rednecks' would be too clique, but I just did. At any rate they started off the extreme of the comments that I knew I would receive. Why would I go to Africa? Did I get a number of different diseases? Did I get AIDS? Many co-workers noted that they wouldn't have even stepped foot off of the plane onto the African soil and I must be either very brave or stupid.

If you think Darfur refugees deserve a hand simply for their experiences, then you would be even more amazed at what these people have chosen to do. In Eastern Chad, Darfur refugees were provided with solar cookers by a Dutch aid group called SVAAKO. These are the ones that the refugees use to cook their lunch everyday. Moreover, the residents, also take part in making the said stoves which cost about $20.00 per unit.

Personally, this is a great accomplishment in my eyes because they really are making the most of what they have. They know that resources are scarce so they are cooperating with other organizations that are also invested in making their lives a bit easier. If only people would take the time to think of solutions like this, the world would be a much better place in my opinion.

For more information, go to

http://www.darfurpeaceanddevelopment.org/projects.php?project=womencenters

From the When not in Africa. . . blog.

Crunch, Mmm, the peanut chunks trapped in delicious caramel tastes oh so good. You bite and are rewarded with a mouthful of inticing caramel and nut flavors - all of a sudden that deliciousness is tainted by an odd sourish, crunchy, mushy apple flavor. What? Where did this apple come from, I like the outside best. This is the caramel apple of globalization - the outside is so delicious and appealing, but once you hit the apple and core, the fun has ended. Granted this all matters if you run with the majority and toss aside the age-old wives tale of eating an apple a day to keep the doctor away. Too many of us see this doctor everyday - there is no escaping this doctor because all too often globalization is used for ill, just to get the caramel and nuts, not the healthy fruit of the free market, fair trade, and multi-lateral agreements.

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"We were at a picnic table outside of The Timberland Company talking about how to change the world. High energy.  Lots of ideas thrown around.  That kinda' convo.

What stuck was the thought that music is a powerful force in people's lives - just as much as our desire to live on a cleaner, more humane planet.  So why not combine them?  

Certainly we aren't the only music lovers who want to make the world a better place.  Why not start an organization dedicated to mobilizing the desire of fans to make a positive difference?  So we did.

Good things start from simple conversations.  Great things happen when thoughtful, committed citizens decide that they're going to change the world.  We're lucky to be surrounded by fans, artists, and organizations committed to changing the world.  We are honored to serve alongside them and we invite YOU to join us!"

That's the story of the Concert Corps.  Founded by AmeriCorps members serving with City Year New Hampshire, the Concert Corps unites good music and good people to produce great change.  

Consider yourself invited to the Big Apple Day of Service on July 14 (THIS SATURDAY). Serve at one of nine different projects all over the city, as part of a sold out three-show event at Madison Square Garden to benefit the Dispatch Foundation for Zimbabwe with the college jam-band turned legend: DISPATCH.

From the When not in Africa. . . blog.

Culture is not very easily defined. Anthropologists give us a few attempts at definition and the real meaning must lie somewhere in there. In 1871, Tylor called culture, "That complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by a man as a member of society." Keesing and Stathern stress the idea of culture in their definition, "systems of shared ideas, systems of concepts and rules and meanings that underlie and are expressed in the ways that human beings live." We can at least gather that culture is a set of guidelines, whether written or unwritten, which are meant to direct a society. We think less about our cultures as being guidelines and can see culture as more of a means or way of seeing things from a perspective. In Culture, Health, and Illness, we can learn that there are different levels of culture: culture as a 'facade to the world at large,' culture as the assumptions known to a group, and culture where the rules are taken for granted and implicit, impossible for the average person to be aware.

From the When not in Africa. . . blog.

Independence Day, the 4th of July, let freedom ring - but are we 'free at last?' Today is a day that means a lot to Americans, or at least it should. In many other countries, especially African countries, independence days receive more than just one day and have celebrations that take over weeks. Here we celebrate with fireworks, family get togethers, remembering the troops, community events, and other random events set for just one day. Independence Day is something we have come to take for granted. We know that we are independent and 'free,' but we do not really understand what that means. We shoot off fireworks, blasting explosions in the sky, shaking our bodies - but what we do not realize is that 'bombs bursting in air' means something completely different to the rest of the world. Explosions, bursts of light do not represent independence in many places - these are signs of danger and create fear. A rocket's red glare has a frightening consequence and that does not end often in freedom. I began really thinking about how people from other parts of the world would view our independence day when I attended the Seeds of Peace International Camp in Maine the summer of 2003.

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From the When not in Africa. . . blog.

There is so much reflection and thought to write under this title, and the last. I will apologize now for the incohesive and random nature of my thought process and my failure of ability to express in words what you can only understand from experience.

From the When not in Africa. . . blog.

When writing about Africa many times it is difficult to bring the proper perspective or 'view'. So often people write about Africa with the view, that many of us have come to know, from the myths of Africa. The old myths of a 'dark' continent, Heart of Darkness, uncivilized, and savage to the new myths of a continent wrought with poverty, disease, and conflict, these are all too often emphasized in writings about Africa. That, I would say, is a poor representation of Africa, its many countries, and its many peoples. In her blog, Acumen Fund Fellow Jocelyn Wyatt, writes about her training in writing about Africa before being stationed in Kenya for eight months. She tells us of three views often evident in writings about Africa. I will allow her writing to continue this message. And I hope, that I can write about Africa with a critical eye and not with a jaded or an overly simplistic mindset. I hope to understand the intricacies of Africa and not look too far past the idea that all people are more alike than they are different.

From the When not in Africa. . . blog.

It crowds my thoughts; it accompanies my dreams; it wrenches my heart; I am so close to arriving on its glorious soil: Africa.  In less than three days I am going to travel back to the continent that stole my heart. Six years ago I was captivated and moved by my travels in Uganda and now I will be headed to Ghana to continue my journey. This summer I am going as part of an official study abroad through my university, Michigan State University's study abroad program in Ghana: A Multidisciplinary Perspective. And so this blog's title is about to become a bit oxymoronic, however regardless of title this blog will cover my experiences in Africa this summer and will continue to chroncile my work in and for Africa.