This is an incredible book by Canadian journalist, Stephanie Nolen about the effect of AIDS in Africa. At the time she was writing, 28 millions Africans were infected with HIV/AIDS- she wrote one story for every million. The stories are inspiring, heartbreaking, honest and thought provoking. Nolen is the kind of journalist I aspire to be and the stories found in the book are the ones I dream of telling. Definitely worth a read.
Travel keeps you young. Just one of the many reasons I love it so much!
Those who know me know I have a thing for Africa, something I can’t really explain. I love learning more about the continent by reading books and watching documentaries about the people who live there.
God Grew Tired of Us is an amazing book about the Lost Boys of Sudan and an incredible award-winning documentary about the nearly 20,000 boys (and some girls) who were forced to flee their homes in Southern Sudan as the civil war in that country intensified. The book is a biography of John Bul Dau, who was one of the Lost Boys who was forced to flee his home after a raid in the middle of the night. He made his way to a refugee camp in Ethiopia, being shot at and watching many of the boys die of starvation along the way. The lucky ones who made it to Ethiopia didn’t get to stay long, as rebels soon chased them from the refugee camp and the boys were faced with the choice of crossing crocodile-infested rivers or staying and being shot.
From here, they began walking again, this time to Kenya. By this time the line of boys was so long that the last of the line crossed into Kenya three days after the first boys made it to the refugee camp. This camp became their home and these boys formed a new family and spent the rest of their teenage years here, until some of the lucky ones who studied hard and passed their high school exams were granted entry to the USA.
For young men who had spent their entire lives in rural Africa, on the run and living in refugee camps, things like electricity, running water and grocery stores were an overwhelming concept. Those who made the move to America worked several jobs in order to pay their bills and sent every extra penny they made back to their family and friends scattered across Eastern Africa. No matter how tough things got, John never quit moving forward. After getting himself settled, he worked several jobs and even attended night classes at community college and then went on to Syracuse University. He also started a foundation to help other Lost Boys get a post-secondary education and had a clinic built in his hometown in Sudan. He considered himself lucky to be alive and wanted to try to make the lives of others better. His generous, hard-working spirit was infectious and he inspired a lot of people.
I thought I was having a bad day the other day until I sat down and finished reading this book. I hadn’t been forced from my home, shot at or forced to walk for days. I hadn’t lost my family and didn’t face the constant possibility of starvation. I didn’t have to make the choice of crossing crocodile-infested waters or being shot. I wasn’t living in a refugee camp with thousands of others, waiting for the UN to drop off food so I could have my one meal for that day. I was simply tired and thinking too much about things that weren’t really a big deal. Reading this kind of helped me put things back in perspective.
One of my favourite quotes is “The world is a book and those who don’t travel only read a page” – St Augustine. I feel the same can be said about reading books about the world and people whose lives are vastly different from our own.
To end, this is a really long post, basically just saying that God Grew Tired of Us is a fantastic book and if you are looking for something different to read, I would highly recommend picking up this one and then watching the documentary!
Alaska’s capital is the third largest city in the state and is located on the North American mainland, making it unreachable by road. Good thing we arrived by cruise ship! Continue reading
I just finished reading My Maasai Life by Robin Wiszowaty, feeling completely inspired. This book touched me and not only because I had been to the places she was talking about and could talk for hours of the incredible love and generosity of the people I lived with and met during my time volunteering there, but also because her story reminds me of why I went to Kenya in the first place – to experience a culture vastly different from my own, to learn as much as I could from the locals and to inspire change in myself and others. Like Robin, I felt restless and was searching for something new as I finished school, trying to figure out what to do next in my life.
On January 12th, 2008 (my 24th birthday), I boarded a plane to Kenya in search of something new – a change, inspiration, a chance to break free from the busy North American academic life I’d had up until this point. Not everyone was excited about this idea and many thought I was crazy, especially since in December the results of the recent election in Kenya had led to widespread violence in the country I dreamed of going to. That was all everyone at home saw on the news and as the date of my departure grew closer those around me became more anxious about whether or not I should be going. In the end, I caught that plane and it was one of the best decisions I ever made.
My time in Kenya was spent mainly in an orphanage outside Nairobi where I played “Mzungu mama” to over 30 of the most amazing children I have ever known.
In My Massai Life, Wiszowaty says, “Everybody has a unique role to play in making our world a better place, and there are many places where you can make a difference. My story shows that one can visit as more than just a tourist, observing from the outside.”
Did I make the world a better place by volunteering in a Kenyan orphanage for several months? Maybe not. But spending time with those kids, giving them all the love and hugs I could definitely changed me, and I hope it let them know that they are special and that someone does care.
We all have pictures in our minds of what Africa looks like. I know I did, but what I saw when I got off the plane at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and drove into Nairobi wasn’t exactly what I had expected. I also wasn’t expecting the warmth and generosity I received from everyone I met. People who had so little themselves still invited us into their homes and cooked huge meals to honour us. Back home, most of us wouldn’t dream of inviting a complete stranger into our home, and yet this was a constant occurrence while I was there. By experiencing a culture completely different from my own, I learned a lot about the kind of person I want to be and the one I’m still working towards becoming.
In life, some people seek stability and routine, while others crave change and fight to break away from our everyday lives and experience something new and be inspired along the path of life.
“I hope my story shows that finding the direction your life might take isn’t necessarily about falling in love with any particular place. It’s about seeking those opportunities to find what truly defines, enlightens and inspires you. I invite you to seek your own path, wherever it might take you.” ~ Robin Wiszowaty, My Maasai Life.
Uncommon Journeys is located in the Ibex Valley, just outside Whitehorse, and is surrounded by beautiful Northern-Canadian wilderness. The company was founded and continues to be run by Rod and Martha Taylor. The couple are well-respected members in the Yukon tourism industry and are both experienced wilderness guides. Their love of the Yukon outdoors and their beautiful sled dogs led them to opening Uncommon Journeys, which allows them to share this love with those seeking adventure in the Canadian North.Walking into a dog kennel, you expect a lot of noise, especially with over 50 dogs living here. But the kennel was virtually silent as the dogs quietly watched us as we learned all about their lives at Uncommon Journeys. The dogs here are considered part of the family and around 80 per cent of the dogs found at Uncommon Journeys were born and raised here. The remaining 20 per cent were brought to the kennel from world-class sled dog racers who wanted their dogs to go to a nice “retirement” home after finishing their racing careers!
These dogs are quite a friendly bunch and love meeting the thousands of guests that visit Uncommon Journeys each year to learn about dog sledding and the Alaskan Huskies who live here. After hearing stories about how the dogs are trained, socialized and cared for, we got to head into the main dog yard to meet the energetic beasts. Though they are all tied to their doghouses, this doesn’t stop them from running over to lick your hand and rub up against you as you pass by. They are very affectionate dogs who love to be petted and to give you some kisses or even a high five!
The main reason these dogs are so calm and affectionate is the way they are socialized. Here, the mother gives birth in the Taylor’s house and the puppies are around people from the moment they’re born. When it’s time for the pups to open their eyes, the mother is taken away momentarily so that the first thing the puppies see are Rod and Martha, who become their “parents.” The pups love to follow “Mom” and “Dad” around the house as they begin to explore. Then, Rod and Martha’s six-year-old daughter and her friends take over the puppy socializing by spending hours playing with the pups. By the time the puppies begin their sled dog training, they are so used to human interaction, loud noises and rowdy play that nothing shocks or spooks them and they genuinely love being around people. Even as adults, there is a “dog of the day” at Uncommon Journeys, and that lucky dog gets to roam free, eat with the family, and sometimes even curl up at the foot of the Taylor’s bed!
It doesn’t take long to realize that these dogs are truly loved and the care they receive here is incredible. Uncommon Journeys is the first kennel in Canada to be certified at P.R.I.D.E’s highest level. P.R.I.D.E, Providing Responsible Information on a Dog’s Environment, was started by a group of top dog mushers in Alaska to support the humane treatment and care of sled dogs and has since grown to represent mushing interests across North America and the world.
Walking into that dog yard, it’s hard not to fall in love with these friendly Alaskan Huskies. However, they didn’t look like I expected them too. Alaskan Huskies, unlike the beautiful Siberian Husky, don’t have a unified look. I learned that this is because there was a huge shortage of dogs in the North during the Gold Rush, so people began to steal any dog they could find that was bigger than a Schnauzer from Seattle to ship up North! Over time, a new breed of dog developed that could withstand cold Arctic temperatures and that loved to run and pull a sled. While there was quite a range of appearances found in the dogs in the kennel, there was no mistaking that these were Alaskan Huskies as soon as the harnesses came out!
Before we left, the staff hitched up a team of dogs so we could see them in action. Since there wasn’t any snow, they were hitched up to a modified ATV with the brakes on. Brakes or no brakes, as soon as the peg was lifted, they were gone, whizzing past us in a matter of seconds.
It was definitely an impressive sight and after spending a few hours here learning about the dogs, I began to think that maybe dog sledding through the Yukon wilderness might be a great future adventure….I’ll just need to bring A LOT of warm clothes!
Clips from the Beaver Creek Rendezvous at the Westmark Inn in Beaver Creek, Yukon
While out on the water in Florida, most people are looking to avoid an encounter with the wetlands 8-foot alligators. However, as we board our airboat with Captain Bob and head out into the Indian River County Marshlands in Vero Beach, gators are exactly what we are hoping to find.
Tales of a Travel Addict 
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