Archive for the ‘Vignettes’ Category
The grammar of being abroad
When abroad, there are some things you say, in your native tongue, that you’d never say in your native land. Today, a mzunugu friend of mine bumped her head against something. “Oh, sorry!” I called. This is what Rwandans say when a person trips or falls or smacks her knee into a table. I know, [...]
A note not technically from, but in light of, Central Africa
New York City Ever a woman of geographical ADHD, I’ve been in three cities since returning to the U.S. about 10 days ago. A few days in New York, a few days in DC, a few days in Chicago, a few weddings… but now we’re settling back into the City that, at some point in [...]
Sweat equity
Near Kinshasa’s biggest airport, I happened to catch sight of what might be its only train. It makes the blue metal boxes clanking through India look advanced. These could’ve been rusting shipping containers with windows cut in the sides. I have no idea how the “cars” were strung together, let alone with so many people [...]
Things you don’t want to overhear
I am too infrequently nursing a little burn I got hopping off a moto last week–it was my own fault, lacking as I do both balance and grace and forgetting momentarily to compensate with attention and will power. I’ve been careful since then, but lately I find myself taking up drivers not nearly so careful [...]
Don’t say he didn’t warn you
I’ve been holding this little tidbit for the right moment… The day Clinton wins in West Virginia seems apropos. When I was in Burundi, I met this Congolese guy who wanted to talk about the American election. He was the third Congolese guy I’d had a conversation about the campaigns with, and the first two [...]
I am a freelance journalist and multimedia producer who covers human rights, Africa and foreign affairs. [