by phil | Nov 28, 2011 | Ghana
Mosque minarets of Newtown, Accra at dusk The air of Accra clots around the door. Part salted sea breeze, part sweetened tropical smokiness, part diesel exhaust, burning refuse and dry palm leaves. The dead air of an airplane cabin is gone. I told myself I would study...
by phil | Nov 16, 2011 | thoughts
I’m flying to Ghana today. More regular posting will resume next week. In the meantime, I want to share a few worthwhile projects from others. The Wise Routes Project My friend Claire and her boyfriend, Brandon, just rode their bikes from Vancouver to San...
by phil | Nov 4, 2011 | thoughts
This post is not a rejection of aid or charity or volunteering. It’s a rejection of an attitude about Africa. Last summer, at a chop house in Takoradi, Ghana, an American girl struck up a conversation with me. She was a 3rd year university student volunteering...
by phil | Oct 20, 2011 | Stories
Taxi interior design in Bamako. Minimalist taxi interior design T-shirts in English in Francophone countries. “PMS – Putting up with Men’s Shit.” He’s not trying to be ironic. He just doesn’t know what the shirt says. I’m...
by phil | Oct 11, 2011 | W. Africa
Dance never meant anything to me. I spent most of my life doing the drunken two step, with stiff hips and arrhythmic gyrations. In other words, looking like an idiot. But a few steps of coupé-décalé rewired my brain and now dance is important to me. Dance is important...
