The third and final short story from the "Gift of Travel" collection, this one was written by American David Yeadon who was traveling around Europe, specifically Spain, in a camper van. He decides that he is going to pay the fare to take the ferry to the Canary Islands, a Spanish territory just of the coast of Africa. There, he finds his dream village, full of friendly, lively, welcoming people. They allow him to move into a temporarily unoccupied house and stay there for a number of months, even bringing his wife over to stay with him for a while.
The driving force in this story comes from the people, who all work on a nearby banana farm, and whose kindness and openness Yeadon makes it his point to convey in the story. One of the other important parts of this story is food, particularly the incredible number of ways that bananas are served in this village. I tried to emulate this in my piece, as I included a section on one of our favourite restaurants in Florence.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
ISP Blog #6 - Murderer's Eggs
Here is another story from the "Gifts of Travel" collection, and another piece that gives us a recipe as the finale. An important part of this piece is the use of phrases from a foreign language, in this case Spanish. Towards the beginning of the piece, there is a character that emerges from a fog bank at night. He first appears as a silhouette carrying a gun with a dog beside him, and when he calls out to the author, using the original Spanish adds to the mystic this character already has and makes him appear slightly more threatening. As well as, it also contributes to the authenticity of the story.
I wanted to use foreign phrases like this in my original piece, and so included some Italian in the train section, when the conductor asks for "bigliettos," or "tickets." I think I used the phrase effectively, as I tried to juxtapose the lovely sound of the Romance languages with the sometimes less than pleasant noise of Asian/Chinese languages.
I wanted to use foreign phrases like this in my original piece, and so included some Italian in the train section, when the conductor asks for "bigliettos," or "tickets." I think I used the phrase effectively, as I tried to juxtapose the lovely sound of the Romance languages with the sometimes less than pleasant noise of Asian/Chinese languages.
ISP Blog #5 - Just Desert
This is the first of three short stories I read from the "Gift of Travel" collection, a compilation of short stories about travel, and is probably the best written piece in the collection. It keeps the reader in suspense by strategically placing breaks in the plot line. The author, Andrew Bill, tells the story of his eventful and somewhat dangerous trip through the Sinai Peninsula just after the Camp David Accord was signed transferring power in the region from the Israelis to the Egyptians. We meet Bill as he searches for food in empty towns and emptier five star resorts. He eventually finds a Bedouin who is willing to give him food, and when the nomad tries to offer Bill money to help in his travels, Bill, due to linguistic and cultural differences, misreads the sign language as a demand for payment for the food.
Bill nicely constructs the piece so that the reader comes to a realization about the story, and also about Western society, at the very end of the piece. I didn't want my piece to lead to some greater meaning like this, I just wanted my piece to be an entertaining story about a fantastic trip to Italy.
Bill nicely constructs the piece so that the reader comes to a realization about the story, and also about Western society, at the very end of the piece. I didn't want my piece to lead to some greater meaning like this, I just wanted my piece to be an entertaining story about a fantastic trip to Italy.
ISP Blog #4 - An Embarrassment of Mangoes
Ann Vanderhoof's book, "An Embarrassment of Mangoes," reminded me quite a lot of Scott Griffin's "My Heart is Africa," which I read earlier in the year. Interesting to note that the dates of their respective trips overlapped somewhat, both happening between 1996 and 1999. One of the more distinctive features of Vanderhoof's book is the inclusion of both a seafaring related quotation at the beginning of each chapter, and a local recipe from one of the places mentioned in the chapter at the end of the section. The work could be renamed "An Embarrassment of Mangoes, or, a Caribbean Cook Book, Almanac of General Sailing knowledge, and Excellent Read" without any reworking of the contents.
The book follows Vanderhoof and her husband, Steve, as they sail down from Toronto Harbour to Trinidad and Tobago, and then back again. Her delightful descriptions of local life, food, customs, and people are thoroughly enjoyable to read. From Bahamian women attempting to steal Steve from her, to pounding raw conch in the tiny kitchen of their boat, Vanderhoof's writing is as easy to read as it is to breath. Before you know it, your at the end.
I attempted to make my piece and overall style as much like that of "An Embarrassment of Mangoes" as possible: easy to read, enjoyable, and informative.
The book follows Vanderhoof and her husband, Steve, as they sail down from Toronto Harbour to Trinidad and Tobago, and then back again. Her delightful descriptions of local life, food, customs, and people are thoroughly enjoyable to read. From Bahamian women attempting to steal Steve from her, to pounding raw conch in the tiny kitchen of their boat, Vanderhoof's writing is as easy to read as it is to breath. Before you know it, your at the end.
I attempted to make my piece and overall style as much like that of "An Embarrassment of Mangoes" as possible: easy to read, enjoyable, and informative.
Isp Blog #3 - Journey to the Edge of the World
For those who are familiar with Billy Connolly, they will find this book to be quintessentially "Billy." In a simple yet meaningful style, where each paragraph, sentence, and word adds something to the work, Connolly details his journey through the Canadian Arctic. Lacking his usual barrage of expletives (likely so that his work would be published), the reader gets the sense that Connolly couldn't care less what you think of him or of his book, that he's telling a story he wants to tell, one he thinks should be told. He includes many pictures from throughout the book, as well as little text boxes/bubbles that relate shorter vignettes, add background detail, or just generally give Connolly space to tell a side story he couldn't cover in the main body of his work without detracting from it.
There are two things that I tried to include in my original piece that I took from Connolly: humour, and the detail that Connolly provides in his text bubbles, but in my works main body. I made attempts in some of the sections of my story to give as much historical/cultural detail as possible within the piece, but there's so much to say about Italy that it's impossible to work everything in without turning the work into a history.
There are two things that I tried to include in my original piece that I took from Connolly: humour, and the detail that Connolly provides in his text bubbles, but in my works main body. I made attempts in some of the sections of my story to give as much historical/cultural detail as possible within the piece, but there's so much to say about Italy that it's impossible to work everything in without turning the work into a history.
ISP Blog #2 - Shadows on the Grass
This is a collection of four lengthier "short stories" about Blixen's time in Africa. I read more of Blixen's work because I wanted to know more about her story, respected and enjoyed her writing style, and wanted to see if there were any other aspects of her writing that I could either use or steer away from in my original piece. In the end, there was nothing all that different between the styles of the two works that I read by her, but, as I mentioned before, one can't help but learn something when you read Blixen's works, so it was not a lost experience.
She does take the time here, however, to develop and give background on some of the characters that appear in "Out of Africa." For example, the first episode is about the Somali butler, Farah Aden, who watched over her Kenyan estate. She also describes the Somali section of Nairobi, which she visited with Farah on special occasions, as a guest of honour in his house during Somali weddings or festivals. The content here is perhaps more interesting for our purposes than the writing style.
She does take the time here, however, to develop and give background on some of the characters that appear in "Out of Africa." For example, the first episode is about the Somali butler, Farah Aden, who watched over her Kenyan estate. She also describes the Somali section of Nairobi, which she visited with Farah on special occasions, as a guest of honour in his house during Somali weddings or festivals. The content here is perhaps more interesting for our purposes than the writing style.
ISP Blog #1 - Out of Africa
"Out of Africa" is a collection of four short stories written by Karen Blixen/Isak Dinesen about her life running a Kenyan coffee plantation between 1914 and 1931. Turned into the 1985 Academy Award winning film of the same name, this book is a literary classic in my opinion. Although somewhat didactic, which, admittedly, I find enjoyable, Blixen writes in the beautiful style of her era, making many illusions to Greek myths and other religious or mythical figures. She utilizes an enormous and entertaining vocabulary, which always contains the right word for her purpose, although occasionally, especially for modern readers, calls for a trip to the OED. This is definitely not a book for everyone, but if you do read it, you can't help but learn something from this woman's fantastic experiences.
Often, rather than tell you her opinion of a person, she will relate a number of anecdotes about them to you, letting you come to your own conclusions. You get the sense, though, that the conclusion you have reached is the one she wants you to form.
Despite enjoying her writing, I did want to take my style in a different direction from that of Blixen's. This is the reason for the "snapshot" effect in my original piece. It is my attempt to get away from the longer, more intricate, and connected style of writing.
Often, rather than tell you her opinion of a person, she will relate a number of anecdotes about them to you, letting you come to your own conclusions. You get the sense, though, that the conclusion you have reached is the one she wants you to form.
Despite enjoying her writing, I did want to take my style in a different direction from that of Blixen's. This is the reason for the "snapshot" effect in my original piece. It is my attempt to get away from the longer, more intricate, and connected style of writing.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Travel Writing Blog #10 - Conclusion
As I mentioned in my overview, "My Heart is Africa" is one of the best books I've read this year. Griffin's easily understood yet tastefully descriptive writing style, the fascinating characters, and the refreshingly unique story speed the reader through this book like a cheetah on the hunt. Although he did occasionally discuss the plight of the African people, he did not get fixated on the theme of extremely terrible things happening to incredibly nice people, which seems to be the only thing one hears about Africa now. Gone are the days when it was a land of beauty and power. It has now become a feel-good money pit for the purpose of feeding the West's guilty conscience. "My Heart is Africa," however, follows in the spirit of movies such as "Zulu" and "Out of Africa" in portraying the continents immense natural and cultural beauty.
Excerpts from other books providing details and background, historical, technical, or otherwise, contributed immensely to the novel. The words and phrases in local African languages, most often Swahili, also satisfies that feeling of "authenticity" that readers sometimes look for, as well as exposes you to a form of communication unlike anything we are familiar with.
Griffin's book does a splendid job of conveying to the reader his experiences in Africa, and what living there can actually be like. Top marks all around.
Excerpts from other books providing details and background, historical, technical, or otherwise, contributed immensely to the novel. The words and phrases in local African languages, most often Swahili, also satisfies that feeling of "authenticity" that readers sometimes look for, as well as exposes you to a form of communication unlike anything we are familiar with.
Griffin's book does a splendid job of conveying to the reader his experiences in Africa, and what living there can actually be like. Top marks all around.
Travel Writing Blog #9 - Chapter 15 & Epilogue
Weighing in at a grand total of four pages, chapter fifteen is the shortest chapter in the book, but perhaps the most meaningful. In it, we follow Griffin from Dakar, to Tangiers, and a happy reunion with Krystyne. After perusing the cafés of the former "international zone" for a few days, and enjoying one last deep breath of Africa, they part once more as Scott for his second solo transatlantic flight. Throughout the book, you gain an understanding of the deep bonds of friendship that this couple has for each other. The fact that they could spend two enjoyable years in Africa together just proves how close they are, and the trip must also have strengthened theirs bonds.
Stopping over in Greenland after a thirteen hour flight from Iceland, Scott attends a Pentecostal Mass in the local Parish church. Although he has contemplated philosophical questions, perhaps with the occasional metaphysical tinge, this is the first time we see him partake in organized religion.
Arriving back in Toronto, he taxis his plane to the hangar, and walks over to the mechanics area. Sure enough, there's his old mechanic, Dave McDevitt, working on a plane - just Griffin way he left him two years earlier. This is perhaps the signal that Griffin must return to his old life now. Not necessarily pick up where he left off, or change his style of life again, but he must adapt back to something that has become a memory for him.
Scott Griffin's perspective on life was undoubtedly changed by his experiences with the Flying Doctors Service. But that refreshed and renewed him so he could continue his life in a more meaningful way in Toronto.
Stopping over in Greenland after a thirteen hour flight from Iceland, Scott attends a Pentecostal Mass in the local Parish church. Although he has contemplated philosophical questions, perhaps with the occasional metaphysical tinge, this is the first time we see him partake in organized religion.
Arriving back in Toronto, he taxis his plane to the hangar, and walks over to the mechanics area. Sure enough, there's his old mechanic, Dave McDevitt, working on a plane - just Griffin way he left him two years earlier. This is perhaps the signal that Griffin must return to his old life now. Not necessarily pick up where he left off, or change his style of life again, but he must adapt back to something that has become a memory for him.
Scott Griffin's perspective on life was undoubtedly changed by his experiences with the Flying Doctors Service. But that refreshed and renewed him so he could continue his life in a more meaningful way in Toronto.
Travel Writing Blog #8 - Chapters 13 & 14
After Scott and Krystyne Griffin happily dump their two flirty, narcissistic Norwegian passengers in Cape Town, South Africa, they continue on their flight up the Western side of the Continent. In chapter thirteen, entitled Blood and Diamonds, you are exposed to an Africa familiar to anyone paying attention to current events - the African diamond mine. Alexander Bay, a crucial De Beers location, is one port of call, where even the air-traffic authorities are employees of the diamond conglomerate.
In Windhoek, Namibia, they meet up with Serge Petillon once again, the French photographer with whom they acquainted themselves while stuck in Loiengalani after their South Island plane crash. Together, they travel North into the Namib Desert, Serge feverishly snapping photos all the way.
Throughout the first three quarters of these chapters, Griffin thinks more and more about going home, a thought that has continually been nagging him for two years, but is now coming closer to being a reality. Unfortunately, this also reminds the reader that the story must end at some point. He doesn't necessarily long to move back to their old life in Toronto, but he knows that he and Krystyne need to make a choice: stay in Nairobi permanently, or go home. One gets the sense that, had they been twenty years younger, and not had as much waiting for them at home, they would have stayed in Kenya. However, in the last part of chapter fourteen, Krystyne departs for Tangiers by commercial flight, where she will meet Scott in a number of days. Scott prepares to fly Charlie Foxtrot Whiskey Mike Juliet across the dangerous Central and Western regions of Africa, in order to complete his goal of circumnavigating the Dark Continent.
In Windhoek, Namibia, they meet up with Serge Petillon once again, the French photographer with whom they acquainted themselves while stuck in Loiengalani after their South Island plane crash. Together, they travel North into the Namib Desert, Serge feverishly snapping photos all the way.
Throughout the first three quarters of these chapters, Griffin thinks more and more about going home, a thought that has continually been nagging him for two years, but is now coming closer to being a reality. Unfortunately, this also reminds the reader that the story must end at some point. He doesn't necessarily long to move back to their old life in Toronto, but he knows that he and Krystyne need to make a choice: stay in Nairobi permanently, or go home. One gets the sense that, had they been twenty years younger, and not had as much waiting for them at home, they would have stayed in Kenya. However, in the last part of chapter fourteen, Krystyne departs for Tangiers by commercial flight, where she will meet Scott in a number of days. Scott prepares to fly Charlie Foxtrot Whiskey Mike Juliet across the dangerous Central and Western regions of Africa, in order to complete his goal of circumnavigating the Dark Continent.
Travel Writing Blog #7 - Chapters 11 & 12
As we work our way through the second half of the book, Griffin and Krystyne decide to fly CF-WMJ to South Africa, making another out-trip out of their journey to inspect newly erected AMREF buildings in S.A. Here, Griffin provides ample historical details on the locations they stop at along the coasts of Tanzania and Mozambique. He often refers to a book entitled "Africa" by one John Reader, and excerpts from that text provide context and details for the reader, perhaps in a more effective way than Griffin felt he could do it himself.
He also introduces two new characters, who serve as a counter-point to his new African lifestyle. The two Norwegian girls, Katrina and Elizabeth, who are daughters of a friend of a friend, still live that old "Toronto" lifestyle that the Griffins have abandoned. After making it through this much of the book, the reader has almost adopted that African lifestyle for themselves, and feels the same exasperation and annoyance at the girls sexy, provocative, "fashionable" behaviour. This is an incredibly effective tool as a writer, because it shows the reader just how much their mentality has changed after reading this far into the book.
We also meet a number of white South Africans, including some seventh-generation Scottish ones, who give us a view into a side of Africa entirely ignored by the rest of the world: that of the white African, descended from Europeans, but having no ties there, and living amongst the vicious in-fighting and racism of the blacks. Bill Brown is genuinely scared for the future of his family farm, and his relatives, as their future in Africa is uncertain.
He also introduces two new characters, who serve as a counter-point to his new African lifestyle. The two Norwegian girls, Katrina and Elizabeth, who are daughters of a friend of a friend, still live that old "Toronto" lifestyle that the Griffins have abandoned. After making it through this much of the book, the reader has almost adopted that African lifestyle for themselves, and feels the same exasperation and annoyance at the girls sexy, provocative, "fashionable" behaviour. This is an incredibly effective tool as a writer, because it shows the reader just how much their mentality has changed after reading this far into the book.
We also meet a number of white South Africans, including some seventh-generation Scottish ones, who give us a view into a side of Africa entirely ignored by the rest of the world: that of the white African, descended from Europeans, but having no ties there, and living amongst the vicious in-fighting and racism of the blacks. Bill Brown is genuinely scared for the future of his family farm, and his relatives, as their future in Africa is uncertain.
Travel Writing Blog #6 - Chapters 9 & 10
Chapter nine opens by introducing us to the most important character in the book. Or, perhaps more acurately, by developing the most important character in the book. He reveals to us the name he has given his plane, which is his main method of transport around the continent. Charlie Foxtrot Whiskey Mike Juliet, or CF-WMJ, was his name for his plane as well as the aircraft's code. Giving his plane a name personalizes it a little more for the reader, and makes another connection to the story for us.
Griffin also talks about his experience with some of the safaris he went on in Africa, and portrays for us the natural beauty of the African continent. "The desert after the rains was beautiful. A profusion of flowers of every conceivable colour and type - glorioso surperba, the desert lily, tribulus, and cleome in sherbet yellows, mauves, and whites - arose in splendid array from the desert sand overnight." This is one of the most profound experiences Griffin says he has during his stay in Africa, and his thoughts turn to his wife, Krystyne, his lifelong partner, who he compares to the polar stars.
The next chapter, however, relates the tale of Scott and Krystyne's stay in Tanzanian custody after landing illegally on the Tanzanian side of the Mara River, the border between Kenya and Tanzania. Once in the Serengeti Game Park, they are arrested and spend nearly two days in the custody of local police and game officials. This episode in their travels illuminates the readers to the extent of the corruption and inefficiences that exist in most African authorities. After landing a few hundred feet within the border, they are arrested and taken miles from their plane, to two different towns, in search of an official that is both present and able/willing to do his job. When that search fails, they are able to bribe their exasperated guard into letting them go free. Yet another escape under their belts.
Griffin also talks about his experience with some of the safaris he went on in Africa, and portrays for us the natural beauty of the African continent. "The desert after the rains was beautiful. A profusion of flowers of every conceivable colour and type - glorioso surperba, the desert lily, tribulus, and cleome in sherbet yellows, mauves, and whites - arose in splendid array from the desert sand overnight." This is one of the most profound experiences Griffin says he has during his stay in Africa, and his thoughts turn to his wife, Krystyne, his lifelong partner, who he compares to the polar stars.
The next chapter, however, relates the tale of Scott and Krystyne's stay in Tanzanian custody after landing illegally on the Tanzanian side of the Mara River, the border between Kenya and Tanzania. Once in the Serengeti Game Park, they are arrested and spend nearly two days in the custody of local police and game officials. This episode in their travels illuminates the readers to the extent of the corruption and inefficiences that exist in most African authorities. After landing a few hundred feet within the border, they are arrested and taken miles from their plane, to two different towns, in search of an official that is both present and able/willing to do his job. When that search fails, they are able to bribe their exasperated guard into letting them go free. Yet another escape under their belts.
Travel Writing Blog #5 - Chapters 7 & 8
Throughout his stay in Africa, Griffin displays an incredible knack for getting out of "African situations," or situations you could only get yourself into in Africa. Witness the presence of tribal tension in the last blog. But Griffin's incredible luck is no better illustrated than in the passage about his flight back from Lake Turkana to Nairobi. After extensive and far from perfect field repairs to his Cessna, Griffin makes the two hour flight back, only to discover afterwards that, among other things, his left wing was held together only by the plane's shell, and would have disintegrated with a good bump. On top of that, his engine crankshaft had a hairline fracture, which could have resulted in engine failure mid-flight.
The author says it best however, "these sobering facts were best not dwelt upon." To make light of the incident, Kipsoi's spear is hung over the pilot's common room door.
It's at this point that you start to realize how well you feel you know Scott and Krystyne Griffin. The character development all starts to come together, and you bond with Scott during his ordeal trying to rescue his plane. You really want to see him succeed in his effort to rescue his plane.
At the end of chapter eight, another lesson in the fragility of life is taught to Griffin. David Huntington, one of his few close friends in Africa, and a UN worker there is killed in a car crash on the N'gong Road. Life must now go on for Scott with one less person to confide his troubles in.
The author says it best however, "these sobering facts were best not dwelt upon." To make light of the incident, Kipsoi's spear is hung over the pilot's common room door.
It's at this point that you start to realize how well you feel you know Scott and Krystyne Griffin. The character development all starts to come together, and you bond with Scott during his ordeal trying to rescue his plane. You really want to see him succeed in his effort to rescue his plane.
At the end of chapter eight, another lesson in the fragility of life is taught to Griffin. David Huntington, one of his few close friends in Africa, and a UN worker there is killed in a car crash on the N'gong Road. Life must now go on for Scott with one less person to confide his troubles in.
Travel Writing Blog #4 - Chapters 5 & 6
Griffin displays another example in chapter five of the kindness and selflessness of many African people. The story he relates deals with a young French pilot named Michel, and his decision to fly a mission at night, against Service policy, to rescue a girl hemorrhaging after birth. Flying to Sabarei, on Kenya's Northern border with Ethiopa, would take two hours, and that put their arrival time well after sunset. Michel is undeterred, however, and his thirst for approval from the other pilots lands him in a middle-of-nowhere mud-pit, at night, with a dying girl to be loaded, and a potentially disastrous take-off over water to look forward to. After Rose, the nurse, loads the girl, Michel makes an incredibly close take-off, risking more lives than his own to get them of the groud.
The patient ends up dying, as does Rose's son, but that vignette shows the devotion of some Africans to helping others and contributing to their country.
Chapter six, however, details Griffin's own experience with a crash, this time on South Island in Lake Turkana. His writing here very effectively conveys the intense embarrassment he felt after marooning himself, Krystyne, and Kipsoi, a Samburu warrior who sold his spear for a plane ride, on the deserted island. His fear for his plane and the lives of those he's brought with him is evident as he recalls the event, and their situation is little improved when Turkana fisherman arrive on the scene. Kipsoi freaks out (Turkana and Samburu tribesman don't play well together), while the Turkana end up sniffing gas from Griffin's plane and charging the castaways for food and assistance.
Putting on another display of his apparent luck/skill at making miraculous escapes from stressing situations, the group are rescued by a Kenyan Army helicopter. The Major in command and his men are killed shortly after leaving Griffin and Krystyne at Loiengalani, adding more emphasis to the already clear message this chapter sends about the fragility of life, especially in the African desert.
The patient ends up dying, as does Rose's son, but that vignette shows the devotion of some Africans to helping others and contributing to their country.
Chapter six, however, details Griffin's own experience with a crash, this time on South Island in Lake Turkana. His writing here very effectively conveys the intense embarrassment he felt after marooning himself, Krystyne, and Kipsoi, a Samburu warrior who sold his spear for a plane ride, on the deserted island. His fear for his plane and the lives of those he's brought with him is evident as he recalls the event, and their situation is little improved when Turkana fisherman arrive on the scene. Kipsoi freaks out (Turkana and Samburu tribesman don't play well together), while the Turkana end up sniffing gas from Griffin's plane and charging the castaways for food and assistance.
Putting on another display of his apparent luck/skill at making miraculous escapes from stressing situations, the group are rescued by a Kenyan Army helicopter. The Major in command and his men are killed shortly after leaving Griffin and Krystyne at Loiengalani, adding more emphasis to the already clear message this chapter sends about the fragility of life, especially in the African desert.
Travel Writing Blog #3 - Chapters 3 & 4
"I remember the jacaranda trees," Griffin says at the beginning of chapter three, vaguely echoing Meryl Streep's "I had a farm in Africa" opening to her Academy Award winner "Out of Africa." Griffin, however, goes on to describe a very different Nairobi from that of Baroness von Blixen/Isak Dinesen's stories.
Chapters three and four take us from Griffin's arrival at the Nairobi Club, where he ends up living during his two year stay, through his first meeting with Mike Gerber, the director of AMREF/The Flying Doctors Service, the arrival of his wife Krystyne, and a flight with an aging French member of the Service's staff, nicknamed "Mama Daktari." He also introduces the cast of characters who make up the hangar crew of The Flying Doctors Service.
During one of his first out-trips, he accompanies eighty-eight year-old Dr. Anne Spoerry, or "Mama Daktari," as she's known to her African patients, to Marsabit, a small town in the Northern region of Kenya, East of Lake Turkana. There, he is introduced to the age-old interaction between Africans and whites, and the way Africans view medical assistance. Dr. Spoerry sets up shop at the airstrip, while the villagers, walking the one mile from their homes, pour in throughout the day for attention. They treat each other with respect, and Mama Daktari does what she can for as many as she can, but at the end of the day, the line is still long, and many go without help. Still, however, as Griffin and Spoerry pack up their gear, the locals break out into song, celebrating the Daktari's visit.
Griffin starts to introduce Swahili into his writing in this chapter. "Mugumu" (fig tree), "jambo" (hello), and "asante sana" (thank you) are some of the words he takes from Swahili, the language spoken by Kenya's largest tribe, the Kikuyu. He exposes us to the linguistic diversity of Africa, giving us as complete a cultural experience as is possible.
Chapters three and four take us from Griffin's arrival at the Nairobi Club, where he ends up living during his two year stay, through his first meeting with Mike Gerber, the director of AMREF/The Flying Doctors Service, the arrival of his wife Krystyne, and a flight with an aging French member of the Service's staff, nicknamed "Mama Daktari." He also introduces the cast of characters who make up the hangar crew of The Flying Doctors Service.
During one of his first out-trips, he accompanies eighty-eight year-old Dr. Anne Spoerry, or "Mama Daktari," as she's known to her African patients, to Marsabit, a small town in the Northern region of Kenya, East of Lake Turkana. There, he is introduced to the age-old interaction between Africans and whites, and the way Africans view medical assistance. Dr. Spoerry sets up shop at the airstrip, while the villagers, walking the one mile from their homes, pour in throughout the day for attention. They treat each other with respect, and Mama Daktari does what she can for as many as she can, but at the end of the day, the line is still long, and many go without help. Still, however, as Griffin and Spoerry pack up their gear, the locals break out into song, celebrating the Daktari's visit.
Griffin starts to introduce Swahili into his writing in this chapter. "Mugumu" (fig tree), "jambo" (hello), and "asante sana" (thank you) are some of the words he takes from Swahili, the language spoken by Kenya's largest tribe, the Kikuyu. He exposes us to the linguistic diversity of Africa, giving us as complete a cultural experience as is possible.
Travel Writing Blog #2 - Chapters 1 & 2
We join Scott Griffin near the beginning of his flight, as he guides his plane out of Canadian airspace, and into the danger zone that is the Atlantic Ocean. If something goes wrong on a ship in the Mid-Atlantic, it's not good, but on an airplane, especially a small Cessna, mistakes, miscalculations, and mechanical failures are unquestionably fatal. Fortunately, Griffin only experiences diabolical weather conditions, radio failure, and a bad case of exhaustion after multiple consecutive long-haul flights, which add to the story without taking his life. His arrival at his destination brings us to the end of the second chapter. Tired and hungry, he swoops over the N'gong Hills, makes an instrument approach and landing to Nairobi's Wilson Airport, and taxis up to the Flying Doctors Service hangar.
Griffin already sees a change in local lifestyles in these first chapters. While resting and refueling in the Azores before continuing on to Europe and Africa, he is invited for a drink by the captain on duty at Santa Maria airport. Surprised by the act of generosity, he agrees, and learns a little bit about the islands' aviation history and lore. "We don't see many planes coming through here any more," says the captain, Helder Fernando da Silva Borges Pimental. He clearly remembers a time when the islands were the crucifix of transatlantic air travel. But things have changed with the introduction of jet-engines and non-stop flights, and the islands are losing their importance. The people and their distinct Portuguese/international culture, however, still remain.
This first act of kindness is the beginning of Griffin's experience with a way of life vastly different and more fulfilling to him than his previous life in Toronto.
Griffin already sees a change in local lifestyles in these first chapters. While resting and refueling in the Azores before continuing on to Europe and Africa, he is invited for a drink by the captain on duty at Santa Maria airport. Surprised by the act of generosity, he agrees, and learns a little bit about the islands' aviation history and lore. "We don't see many planes coming through here any more," says the captain, Helder Fernando da Silva Borges Pimental. He clearly remembers a time when the islands were the crucifix of transatlantic air travel. But things have changed with the introduction of jet-engines and non-stop flights, and the islands are losing their importance. The people and their distinct Portuguese/international culture, however, still remain.
This first act of kindness is the beginning of Griffin's experience with a way of life vastly different and more fulfilling to him than his previous life in Toronto.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Travel Writing Blog #1 - Overview
Reading about the near disasters of a transatlantic flight in a single-engine Cessna while you yourself are making the same flight, albeit in the relative comfort and safety of a Boeing, is probably not recommended. But that speaks to the merits of a good book, one that grabs you by the propellor shaft and pulls you into the clouds, where you forget, ignore, or don't care about what is happening around you. All that matters is the book.
That's "My Heart is Africa" in a nutshell. Scott Griffin's tale of his two year African sojourn halted my life on page one, and didn't let it start again until the covers closed for the final time. Maybe it had something to do with the jet-lag or the excessive amounts of excellent wine one consumes in Italy, but one of the best books I've read this year has been by a mere businessman!
Griffin and his wife, Krystyne, spent two years based in Nairobi, Kenya, while he worked to reorganize The Flying Doctors Service, an organization that provides emergency medical and evacuation services to East Africa in its entirety. They also flew various missions and out-trips around Africa, Griffin's personal goal for his journey being to circumnavigate the African Continent.
Brilliantly written, superbly paced, and inescapably intringuing, "My Heart is Africa" paints an accurate and refreshing picture of life in every corner of the Dark Continent, from Arab North Africa to white dominated South Africa, black Nairobi to politically unstable . A clear-headed view of the people living on the world's most impoverished continent is also presented: foreign aid workers and organizations, black Africans, white Africans, various military personas, the UN, and a host of other tasty characters all appear in this magnificent cross section of Africa.
That's "My Heart is Africa" in a nutshell. Scott Griffin's tale of his two year African sojourn halted my life on page one, and didn't let it start again until the covers closed for the final time. Maybe it had something to do with the jet-lag or the excessive amounts of excellent wine one consumes in Italy, but one of the best books I've read this year has been by a mere businessman!
Griffin and his wife, Krystyne, spent two years based in Nairobi, Kenya, while he worked to reorganize The Flying Doctors Service, an organization that provides emergency medical and evacuation services to East Africa in its entirety. They also flew various missions and out-trips around Africa, Griffin's personal goal for his journey being to circumnavigate the African Continent.
Brilliantly written, superbly paced, and inescapably intringuing, "My Heart is Africa" paints an accurate and refreshing picture of life in every corner of the Dark Continent, from Arab North Africa to white dominated South Africa, black Nairobi to politically unstable . A clear-headed view of the people living on the world's most impoverished continent is also presented: foreign aid workers and organizations, black Africans, white Africans, various military personas, the UN, and a host of other tasty characters all appear in this magnificent cross section of Africa.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
David Bergen - Faith
Faith is a part of everybody's life, whether we admit it or not. Everybody has faith in something, be it God, people, the government, humanity - pick a topic. But our faith can be tested at certain points in our lives. For example, moving to a foreign country would certainly qualify as trying.
David Bergen's short story, "And You Arrive on the Other Side With Nothing," bears a strikingly similar pretext to Barbara Kingsolver's bestselling novel "The Poisonwood Bible": A family moves to a foreign country, and, shocked by what they discover, find it difficult to deal with a reality that is very different from what they had imagined.
Rather than a move to Africa, as in Kingsolver's book, Bergen's story takes place after having moved his young family to a small Vietnamese village - some might say "oops". They need a translator, have no or little idea of any local customs, and are not use to the geography, climate, food, travel methods, etc. And yet, despite being harassed or cast out as foreigners on innumerable occasions, they manage to hang on, pushed through their tribulations by their faith in each other, and encouraged by the helping hands extended by a very sparse group of locals.
David's son Levi demonstrates this faith when David has a moment of self-doubt, of weakness, of frustration with the circumstances his put his family, particularly his kids, in. As David holds his head, rocking back and forth in a corner, Levi just curls up with his father and touches his leg, letting him know that he's there. That, for me, was one of the most powerful scenes in the story, displaying a sons belief in his father.
Perhaps the Bergen family found their faith in each other because, in their new country, they knew nothing else outside of their family. They were unused to a world where little boys have their penises touched in public markets, or hookers work on most street corners.
David Bergen's short story, "And You Arrive on the Other Side With Nothing," bears a strikingly similar pretext to Barbara Kingsolver's bestselling novel "The Poisonwood Bible": A family moves to a foreign country, and, shocked by what they discover, find it difficult to deal with a reality that is very different from what they had imagined.
Rather than a move to Africa, as in Kingsolver's book, Bergen's story takes place after having moved his young family to a small Vietnamese village - some might say "oops". They need a translator, have no or little idea of any local customs, and are not use to the geography, climate, food, travel methods, etc. And yet, despite being harassed or cast out as foreigners on innumerable occasions, they manage to hang on, pushed through their tribulations by their faith in each other, and encouraged by the helping hands extended by a very sparse group of locals.
David's son Levi demonstrates this faith when David has a moment of self-doubt, of weakness, of frustration with the circumstances his put his family, particularly his kids, in. As David holds his head, rocking back and forth in a corner, Levi just curls up with his father and touches his leg, letting him know that he's there. That, for me, was one of the most powerful scenes in the story, displaying a sons belief in his father.
Perhaps the Bergen family found their faith in each other because, in their new country, they knew nothing else outside of their family. They were unused to a world where little boys have their penises touched in public markets, or hookers work on most street corners.
Monday, January 26, 2009
President Obama - Egg-nog-ural Address
The election of the 44th President of The United States in November of last year caused many people to break out the holiday cheer a little early in anticipation of a new era of change. Obama's Inauguration on January 20th caused much the same reaction, as hopeful people poured into the streets to show their support. Both days had that near-holiday atmosphere about them. Both days will likely go down in history. But President Obama's Inaugural Address was fundamentally different from President-Elect Obama's acceptance speech.
As his now famous acceptance speech was written to celebrate the moment, to take a collective step back and look at what had been accomplished, it rightfully took on an almost joyful tone. It could be described as a pep talk to get the world through it's last two months of Bush, giving us something to really look forward to in the New Year. He also had an "element of surprise" for his acceptance speech, in that everyone was anticipating the election result, not the speeches afterwards, which benefited him when he pulled a first-class speech out of his pocket.
His Inaugural Address, however, had no element of surprise, and had less celebrate. He couldn't draw out the "look at me! I'm a black President!" factor much further, so he had to cut a path between looking back, looking down, and looking forward. And he managed it brilliantly. Following Winston Churchill's example, he promised no easy way out, but stated to Americans that through their time-tested hard work and determination, they could pull their country out of a spiral into the economic abyss. He also renewed Americas perpetual promise to extend a helping hand to those who need it.
Obama also promised "an end to the petty grievances and false promises, recriminations and worn out dogmas" that have plagued American politics in recent years; a new way forward in conjunction with the Muslim world; and, perhaps most importantly, to Obama at least, a return to the old, true values that used to drive America.
As for the new President's oratorical skill, he's the only human being capable of captivating the world with the instructions to an IKEA furniture set. He is incapable, so far, of speaking poorly, and always presents as thoroughly convincing, and comfortable in front of an audience. He has passion and energy, but not in overwhelming or inappropriate proportions. He says what needs to be said, and isn't afraid of saying. All in all, he's just plain brilliant.
In the words of Robin Williams, he's just a tanned Kennedy.
As his now famous acceptance speech was written to celebrate the moment, to take a collective step back and look at what had been accomplished, it rightfully took on an almost joyful tone. It could be described as a pep talk to get the world through it's last two months of Bush, giving us something to really look forward to in the New Year. He also had an "element of surprise" for his acceptance speech, in that everyone was anticipating the election result, not the speeches afterwards, which benefited him when he pulled a first-class speech out of his pocket.
His Inaugural Address, however, had no element of surprise, and had less celebrate. He couldn't draw out the "look at me! I'm a black President!" factor much further, so he had to cut a path between looking back, looking down, and looking forward. And he managed it brilliantly. Following Winston Churchill's example, he promised no easy way out, but stated to Americans that through their time-tested hard work and determination, they could pull their country out of a spiral into the economic abyss. He also renewed Americas perpetual promise to extend a helping hand to those who need it.
Obama also promised "an end to the petty grievances and false promises, recriminations and worn out dogmas" that have plagued American politics in recent years; a new way forward in conjunction with the Muslim world; and, perhaps most importantly, to Obama at least, a return to the old, true values that used to drive America.
As for the new President's oratorical skill, he's the only human being capable of captivating the world with the instructions to an IKEA furniture set. He is incapable, so far, of speaking poorly, and always presents as thoroughly convincing, and comfortable in front of an audience. He has passion and energy, but not in overwhelming or inappropriate proportions. He says what needs to be said, and isn't afraid of saying. All in all, he's just plain brilliant.
In the words of Robin Williams, he's just a tanned Kennedy.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Mary Rogan on Josef Penninger
It's not often that we study the work of a classmates parent in class. In fact, I don't recall ever doing that before. It certainly does not detract from the article, however.
Ms. Rogan's sources are well chosen, and she makes the most of each of them. She appears to be tenacious in her pursuance of sources close to her subject, even travelling to Austria to speak with Mr. Josef Penninger's family, and some of his early teachers. She does not, however, appear to do this in an intrusive or rude way. That is critical when doing pieces like this. As demonstrated in the previous article of hers that we read, "Acts of Faith", she goes to great length to ensure that she is on good terms with the Dueck family, including buying Tyrel a t-shirt, and taking his mother and sister out to get their hair done. One could easily see her maintaining a friendship with those in her article for years after her work had been published. Although her article on Josef Penninger does not explicitly state that she used the same "tactics" with her sources for this article, it is probably safe to assume that she did.
For example, during her visit to Austria, she visits Penninger's mother, who lives in a hospital after being disabled by a stroke. She gained no information about Penninger's work from this episode, or really about Penninger himself, as his mother could not speak. But she was allowed a chance to look into Josef's life, and into the life of his family - a chance which she must have earned through kindness and trustworthyness. No one let's just any reporter visit their near vegetated mother/wife.
She also has the ability to look past what her sources are saying, see into them as people, look at their character. She does this with Penninger's mentor, Tak Mak, and also with both of Penninger's old teachers in Austria.
When Mr. Mak questions Ms. Rogan's reasons for doing the article on Penninger, at first she suspects jealousy, but she then discovers that Mr. Mak has had bad experiences with reporters in the past, and doesn't want Penninger to go through the same thing. When leaving her interview with Seitel, Ms. Rogan had the impression that speaking to her may only bring bad things for Penninger's old physics teacher. Probably true, seeing as the vice-principal was translating for them. And finally, she is able to tell that "Herr Teacher" is talking out his arse when he tells her that "he always saw something special in Josef." Her hunch was proved true when Josef laughed and told her that this was the same teacher who told his parents he'd never amount to anything more than a farmer.
Rogan's diction is the key part of her article, however. She is able to take extremely complex scientific ideas and processes and make them understandable to her readers. She uses the fantastic metaphor of a bicycle going downhill to describe Penninger's life, the rate at which he travels being relative to the impact his discoveries are making on science, and on human life. And he only gets faster and faster.
Interestingly, her language is a little more "uncouth" that one would expect in this type of article, but it doesn't detract from the article in my opinion. She just appears to be forcefully asserting her claim that Penninger is the greatest scientist of our time, and will save the world - again. Besides, swearing is a part of the English language, and I don't think anyone should be afraid of it.
All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable, well written article, on a fascinating topic.
Ms. Rogan's sources are well chosen, and she makes the most of each of them. She appears to be tenacious in her pursuance of sources close to her subject, even travelling to Austria to speak with Mr. Josef Penninger's family, and some of his early teachers. She does not, however, appear to do this in an intrusive or rude way. That is critical when doing pieces like this. As demonstrated in the previous article of hers that we read, "Acts of Faith", she goes to great length to ensure that she is on good terms with the Dueck family, including buying Tyrel a t-shirt, and taking his mother and sister out to get their hair done. One could easily see her maintaining a friendship with those in her article for years after her work had been published. Although her article on Josef Penninger does not explicitly state that she used the same "tactics" with her sources for this article, it is probably safe to assume that she did.
For example, during her visit to Austria, she visits Penninger's mother, who lives in a hospital after being disabled by a stroke. She gained no information about Penninger's work from this episode, or really about Penninger himself, as his mother could not speak. But she was allowed a chance to look into Josef's life, and into the life of his family - a chance which she must have earned through kindness and trustworthyness. No one let's just any reporter visit their near vegetated mother/wife.
She also has the ability to look past what her sources are saying, see into them as people, look at their character. She does this with Penninger's mentor, Tak Mak, and also with both of Penninger's old teachers in Austria.
When Mr. Mak questions Ms. Rogan's reasons for doing the article on Penninger, at first she suspects jealousy, but she then discovers that Mr. Mak has had bad experiences with reporters in the past, and doesn't want Penninger to go through the same thing. When leaving her interview with Seitel, Ms. Rogan had the impression that speaking to her may only bring bad things for Penninger's old physics teacher. Probably true, seeing as the vice-principal was translating for them. And finally, she is able to tell that "Herr Teacher" is talking out his arse when he tells her that "he always saw something special in Josef." Her hunch was proved true when Josef laughed and told her that this was the same teacher who told his parents he'd never amount to anything more than a farmer.
Rogan's diction is the key part of her article, however. She is able to take extremely complex scientific ideas and processes and make them understandable to her readers. She uses the fantastic metaphor of a bicycle going downhill to describe Penninger's life, the rate at which he travels being relative to the impact his discoveries are making on science, and on human life. And he only gets faster and faster.
Interestingly, her language is a little more "uncouth" that one would expect in this type of article, but it doesn't detract from the article in my opinion. She just appears to be forcefully asserting her claim that Penninger is the greatest scientist of our time, and will save the world - again. Besides, swearing is a part of the English language, and I don't think anyone should be afraid of it.
All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable, well written article, on a fascinating topic.
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