It’s been a while since I last wrote a journal and that is because this past week has been very busy for us here in Khartoum. We covered a number of interesting stories, where I learnt a lot about different topics and about the work that I’m doing. Some of these stories include the cell phone industry in Sudan, both rural and urban areas, as well as visiting a shanty town in the outskirts of Khartoum. Being in Khartoum reminded me of some of Africa’s problems; it really hit home for me. So many people from the south, east and west of Sudan have fled their home towns/villages, moving into shanty towns in large cities to look for ‘better’ opportunities. This was a wake up call for me personally; it just made me realize how much needs to be done to help people that are displaced as a result of conflicts and wars. I don’t know how governments here can address this issue but the longer it is not prioritized, the worse it will become as more and more people make their way into shanty towns, especially if conflicts are not permanently resolved in these areas. I know that it is a matter of resources; I just wish that we, Africa and its governments, had all the resources and money in the world to alleviate such problems. This situation really does need critical attention but the reality is that in the midst of our economical problems that surround us in Africa, it is proving to be difficult to deal with this housing issue that is present in many parts of urban Africa. It was really hard for me to see how the people live in these shanty towns only because I believe that adequate shelter is the right of every human being.
I’m constantly learning on this expedition; everything about the people, the cultures and languages as well as the historical, social and political situations of the countries we are visiting. It has only been six weeks that we have been here but when I look at the amount of information I have learned, I am amazed. I can’t even imagine what the next 14 weeks will be like. One thing is for sure, they are going to be very busy, very insightful and very educational. I’m trying to make the most of my time here; I’m really enjoying every single day, no matter what challenge comes my way because honestly, I do not know when I will ever get this golden opportunity to travel through my continent this way.
We left Khartoum early today morning, making our way to Ethiopia. After about seven hours of driving we arrived in a small border town called Matema, which lies on the border of Sudan and Ethiopia. The drive itself was not bad because the road was good this time around. While Mike and Ish sat in the front, I sat in the back admiring the beautiful countryside in between my occasional naps. Upon arrival, we found a small area where we set up our tents, made some pasta and sauce and ate. Everyone was tired and made their way to bed but I decided to spend some time with some of the people we were staying with, along with our government official, Mr. Sisay Getachew, who told me a lot about this beautiful country. I met some young women my age, who showed me some of their traditional dances but let me tell you, it was so hard to learn in such a short period of time. Hopefully, one day I will be good at it. I really liked the hair style of one of the girls and I asked her if she could do my hair the same way and she actually agreed. This was late at night too. While she braided my hair, we talked about all kinds of things; from jewelry to life in the small village. My Amharic (Ethiopia’s national language) is still very minimal but somehow we managed to have a conversation. Once she braided my hair, I couldn’t resist but give her the earrings I was wearing, especially after she told me she liked them. It’s these little things that happen to me every time we travel from village to village; I feel like I have a connection with all the places we pass through and the people I meet along the way – from the Bedouin boy in the Sinai to the school children I met in Hejaza, Egypt, to these young girls in Matema – I’m loving every moment of it because I’m meeting more and more people; people that will always stay in my memories because of their kind gestures, smiles and moving stories. I just wish I could stay in contact with all of them but it is hard.
Now let me be honest about the one thing that I’ve been thinking about a lot since we left Khartoum; the reality of HIV/AIDS in this part of the world. Eastern Africa, along with other African regions, continues to suffer tremendously from the problem of HIV/AIDS and being here will actually force me to come face to face with this issue, an issue that really breaks my heart. It really hurts to see how this ongoing plight of Africa is getting worse and worse by the day; people continue to die by the minute from HIV/AIDS because they can’t afford medication. They are leaving millions of orphans behind…it is so disgraceful to know that hundreds of millions of people are this abandoned. We can all do more to help people that are suffering as a result of this pandemic. Let me tell you what triggered these thoughts about Aids; it is actually seeing young children on the streets. Although the young children I’ve seen lately are all cheerful and smiling, I can’t help but think about the children who do not have parents, children who have been orphaned by of HIV/AIDS, children who may find it hard to smile, children who need love, care and support, children who are not robbed of their childhood. Sometimes I’m even scared to ask a little child about his or her family because if they tell me they are orphans, it just hurts me to see them grow up in harsh conditions and to grow up without parents to take care of them. I know this is the reality of Africa and I can’t avoid it…but it does take a lot of strength to face this issue face to face.
I want a day to come where we, the world and Africa, will have a grasp of this deadly pandemic and I know the day will come…I just find it hard to see and hear about lives beings lost and parentless children in the meantime. There are just so many facets to HIV/AIDS and ways to alleviate this problem but the question is where does one begin tackling such a vast problem on a large scale? I want to do so much and help people and ease their pain but I’m just one person, not an organization, but just one person…where do I begin? How do I begin? Who do I turn to for guidance? Maybe I’ll have some sort of plan as we travel along. I know I’ll get more passionate about this as I meet more people that are affected by this disease. So much needs to be done and so much is in our hands; the future leaders of Africa and the friends of Africa – we really have a huge task on our shoulders.
Visiting Ethiopia is particularly special to me for two reasons. I lived here five years ago, with my mother and coming back here reminds me of our beautiful months that we spent here. I can now finally use the few Amharic words that I know, and work hard at learning some more of this lovely yet difficult language, for me at least. But most importantly, being here actually allows me to think about what Ethiopia represents to me as an African. It represents survival and strength because it is the only African country not to be conquered or colonized by a foreign power. As you all know, all of Africa, excluding Ethiopia, was divided up between European powers not too long ago. Ethiopia was once occupied by the Italians for a few years but this period does not compare to what other African countries endured; full-blown colonization. In the midst of the partition of Africa, Ethiopia stood strong and united and this may have everything to do with the strong leadership Ethiopia had under its numerous emperors. Although Ethiopia, along with many other African countries, continues to face social, political and economical quagmires, the strength it represents to me is undying. When I think about the history of Africa and the gaining of African independence, I’ve come to realize that Africa has come a long way and it still has a long way to go. It makes me happy to see my African brothers and sisters understand the value of their education because it shows me that they know it is this education that will help them be the best leaders of tomorrow. I’m very optimistic when it comes to Africa and being here and seeing the strength that exists here is the main reason for my optimism. We are a strong people, optimistic and hopeful in the midst of all our problems. I know we can’t achieve overnight development and be the same as Europe or America but we are making progress, at least trying to. And I know, I am confident that the future leaders of Africa, i.e. my generation, are determined to move Africa forward. They say you need to know where you are coming from to know where you are going. I really think the world needs to understand Africa politically, economically and socially and its history to understand its present and the current issues we face here.
I must say, my pride in being African is revitalized every single day. If only I could give you my eyes for you to see what I see and to feel what I feel…I promise you, you will want to stay here longer to learn about Africa and to appreciate it for what it is. I cannot wait to travel through Ethiopia and its highlands – I know it’s going to be a big change from being in very hot climates in the past six weeks. I can already see that we have so many stories to tell – from castles to island monasteries to life in Ethiopia…this will be an exciting two weeks and not to worry, I will share as much as I can. But before I go to bed in my comfortable tent, I wanted to thank you all for following the expedition and keeping up with our journals; a personal thank you from me, that you are experiencing this expedition through my eyes. …. Thank you all …
It’s been a while since I last wrote a journal and that is because this past week has been very busy for us here in Khartoum. We covered a number of interesting stories, where I learnt a lot about different topics and about the work that I’m doing. Some of these stories include the cell phone industry in Sudan, both rural and urban areas, as well as visiting a shanty town in the outskirts of Khartoum. Being in Khartoum reminded me of some of Africa’s problems; it really hit home for me. So many people from the south, east and west of Sudan have fled their home towns/villages, moving into shanty towns in large cities to look for ‘better’ opportunities. This was a wake up call for me personally; it just made me realize how much needs to be done to help people that are displaced as a result of conflicts and wars. I don’t know how governments here can address this issue but the longer it is not prioritized, the worse it will become as more and more people make their way into shanty towns, especially if conflicts are not permanently resolved in these areas. I know that it is a matter of resources; I just wish that we, Africa and its governments, had all the resources and money in the world to alleviate such problems. This situation really does need critical attention but the reality is that in the midst of our economical problems that surround us in Africa, it is proving to be difficult to deal with this housing issue that is present in many parts of urban Africa. It was really hard for me to see how the people live in these shanty towns only because I believe that adequate shelter is the right of every human being. 
We left Khartoum early today morning, making our way to Ethiopia. After about seven hours of driving we arrived in a small border town called Matema, which lies on the border of Sudan and Ethiopia. The drive itself was not bad because the road was good this time around. While Mike and Ish sat in the front, I sat in the back admiring the beautiful countryside in between my occasional naps. Upon arrival, we found a small area where we set up our tents, made some pasta and sauce and ate. Everyone was tired and made their way to bed but I decided to spend some time with some of the people we were staying with, along with our government official, Mr. Sisay Getachew, who told me a lot about this beautiful country. I met some young women my age, who showed me some of their traditional dances but let me tell you, it was so hard to learn in such a short period of time. Hopefully, one day I will be good at it. I really liked the hair style of one of the girls and I asked her if she could do my hair the same way and she actually agreed. This was late at night too. While she braided my hair, we talked about all kinds of things; from jewelry to life in the small village. My Amharic (Ethiopia’s national language) is still very minimal but somehow we managed to have a conversation. Once she braided my hair, I couldn’t resist but give her the earrings I was wearing, especially after she told me she liked them. It’s these little things that happen to me every time we travel from village to village; I feel like I have a connection with all the places we pass through and the people I meet along the way – from the Bedouin boy in the Sinai to the school children I met in Hejaza, Egypt, to these young girls in Matema – I’m loving every moment of it because I’m meeting more and more people; people that will always stay in my memories because of their kind gestures, smiles and moving stories. I just wish I could stay in contact with all of them but it is hard. 
Visiting Ethiopia is particularly special to me for two reasons. I lived here five years ago, with my mother and coming back here reminds me of our beautiful months that we spent here. I can now finally use the few Amharic words that I know, and work hard at learning some more of this lovely yet difficult language, for me at least. But most importantly, being here actually allows me to think about what Ethiopia represents to me as an African. It represents survival and strength because it is the only African country not to be conquered or colonized by a foreign power. As you all know, all of Africa, excluding Ethiopia, was divided up between European powers not too long ago. Ethiopia was once occupied by the Italians for a few years but this period does not compare to what other African countries endured; full-blown colonization. In the midst of the partition of Africa, Ethiopia stood strong and united and this may have everything to do with the strong leadership Ethiopia had under its numerous emperors. Although Ethiopia, along with many other African countries, continues to face social, political and economical quagmires, the strength it represents to me is undying. When I think about the history of Africa and the gaining of African independence, I’ve come to realize that Africa has come a long way and it still has a long way to go. It makes me happy to see my African brothers and sisters understand the value of their education because it shows me that they know it is this education that will help them be the best leaders of tomorrow. I’m very optimistic when it comes to Africa and being here and seeing the strength that exists here is the main reason for my optimism. We are a strong people, optimistic and hopeful in the midst of all our problems. I know we can’t achieve overnight development and be the same as Europe or America but we are making progress, at least trying to. And I know, I am confident that the future leaders of Africa, i.e. my generation, are determined to move Africa forward. They say you need to know where you are coming from to know where you are going. I really think the world needs to understand Africa politically, economically and socially and its history to understand its present and the current issues we face here.