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...
by phil | Sep 27, 2011 | Stories, W. Africa
Anne-Marie and Blessing head up BCU (Banku Crushers United). I was a provisional member until word got out that I don’t actually eat Banku. In the world of dense heavy starches, I prefer fufu. Thankfully, I was not banished entirely from the girls’...
by phil | Sep 15, 2011 | Music, Stories, W. Africa
I travel with a canon s90 and a flip cam. I do most of my reflection with a notepad; some amount of that writing ends up on this site. I also travel with a digital field recorder, currently an Edirol R-09. I record a bit of everything with it. Music from car stereos...
