GirlGI | Girl Gone International GirlGI Issue 2 | Page 95

Easiest part of living in Africa
Finding my job fascinating !
Hardest part of living in Africa
Always feeling like a foreigner . The obvious difference in skin colour makes it difficult to blend in . Also , realising the world is divided into ‘ haves ’ and ‘ have nots ’, something brutally evident in Africa .
What I loved
Learning new things every time I left the house and learning there are many paths to the same destination .
What I loathed
Power cuts ! Nairobi falls apart in the rainy season . And driving in Nairobi .
What made me smile
Remembering the day I was asked if I had my husband ’ s permission to work .
My fondest memory
Seeing a family of gorillas in the jungle in Uganda .
What I wish I had known before
I wish I had known journalists are not always welcome .
What I have taken from my experience that I carry with me every day
There is always someone who needs help . I remind myself daily that my family and I are very lucky .
How to survive in Africa
Your senses need to be awake all the time ! Never take no for an answer , stand up for your rights and speak up when you see injustice .
How to thrive in Africa
Be fearless . Africa is full of opportunities , but you have to look for them . Africa needs better coverage in Western media , so there ’ s a need for journalists to go there !
About my book
In the Pulpit of Misery tells the story of Father Christopher Hartley , who founded a mission in a remote part of the Dominican Republic in 1997 . When he arrived in this supposed Caribbean paradise , he found people living as if slavery had not been abolished . Father Hartley started fighting against the terrible conditions of the workers but soon realised his enemy was more powerful than he imagined . He paid a high price for his actions , and his battle still goes on today .
Why a GGI should read it
This book is about a half-Spanish , half-English man who lived and worked in Rome , India , New York , and the Dominican Republic and ended up in the desert in Ethiopia . It is in Spanish and the English version will be available soon .
How can GGI ’ s help ?
Think twice before putting sugar in your morning coffee ; buy fair trade sugar only . At the very least , think twice before purchasing something that has come from far away . We must consume responsibly . Father Christopher Hartley has a Foundation called Fundación Misión de la Misericordia to help people in the Dominican Republic and Ethiopia .
Anything else you want to share ?
Anyone interested in Africa should go on a road trip . It ’ s challenging but a great way to discover the continent .