Books

A few months into my time in Africa, I became obsessed with books that had a similar setting. After going through so many situations that took me out of my comfort zone it felt relieving to read a published story of somebody else going through the exact same thing. I was also advised to be indoors by dark which was usually around 7pm. That left lots of time each night for reading.

I have an app called Scribd that allows me to download unlimited books for a monthly fee. If you’re an avid reader, I’d recommend that. It’s better than lugging around a lot of heavy books or risking it with the seldom book exchange you might come across. Here are some books that take place in Africa that I would recommend.

The Shadow of the Sun ​by Ryszard Kapuściński – Comprised of short stories across the continent, this book gives an authentic representation of local life. I thought the explanation of the trance that Africans go into when waiting hours for a bus to fill up and leave was particularly insightful.

The Poisonwood Bible​ by ​Barbara Kingsolver- This book gives a frightening glance into a missionary family in the Congo. The narration from the perspectives of the children as they take in their new home had moments I recognized in my own observations of Africa. This story will leave you very aware of the chances of coming across a green mamba snake in the bush!

Dark Star Safari​ by Paul Theroux- You either love this book or hate it. I met a person copying the trip Paul undergoes in this book; one year to get from Cairo to Cape Town. Hard core Africa travelers find his year in Africa, quickly moving from one place to another, not enough time to make him the authority on the subject. In that case, don’t read my blog. I, however, enjoyed this book!

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by ​William Kamkwamba- ​This is a touching tale, a true story, written by a Malawian. You learn the village dynamics of a young boy. When the rain comes late and the entire country loses their crops you read the heart wrenching account of a starving nation. I loved the part where he explains the way Africans say, “you sure?” after you answer a question. Prior to reading this I had been annoyed that they always doubted my answers, even when telling them my name!

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe- Set in Nigeria this novel showcases African superstitions and the polygamous family dynamic pre-colonialism.

Love, Life & Elephants: An African Love Story​ by Daphne Sheldrick- Also a true story, it dives into the life of a girl born in Kenya, though her parents emigrated from the UK and South Africa. She gets involved rescuing animals and this story goes into detail of all of the wildlife you may encounter in Africa. I personally did not love this story, but I don’t regret reading it.

The next two books are bonuses. They don’t particularly take place in Africa, though both reference the continent. They taught me a lot about the hunter gatherers of the Namibia/ Botswana area that I later volunteered for. These are just amazing books in general and you certainly don’t have to be going to Africa to enjoy them.

Sapiens​ by Yuval Noah Harari

Sex at Dawn​ by ​Cacilda Jethá and Christopher Ryan

Food

Each country has food it is known for. Many of these countries are known for the same food but by different names. Here are some of the things I enjoyed the most or noticed widely available in each country I traveled to.

Kenya 

Samosa– veggie filling inside a triangularly wrapped tortilla.

Ugali– ground maize cooked into the shape of a white cake. It is flavorless, usually eaten with fish or a tomato and onion sauce.
Chapati– A tortilla
Mandazi– fried bread bites

 

Uganda

Sim Sims– delicious sesame seed sugary balls.

G Nut Butter– made from groundnuts, it has a similar taste to peanut butter but it is smoother. You can buy dark or light depending on if the shell was left on it. Ugandans add G Nut butter to everything, even veggies and beans.

Posha– Same thing as Ugali, it just has a different name here.

Sambusa– Same thing as Samosa.

Rolex– A Uganda specialty. The president told the country that they were going to start serving eggs inside a chapati and roll it up and call it Rolex. It has been a national food ever since.
Chapati & Mandazi.

 

Tanzania

Tiny rice pancakes– I never found out the name of these, thus the descriptive title I have given it. Quite greasy but delicious!

Fries with egg– also topped with cabbage and pili pili!

Grilled maize

Cassava– A root that tastes like a dense potato.
Popcorn– I’m sure you’re familiar with popcorn but the frequency in which I was eating popcorn greatly increased while in Africa.

Sambusa, Ugali, Mandazi, and​ ​Chapati.

Malawi

 

Nsima– same as ugali and posha

Mandazi, Chapati, Cassava and​ ​Fried maize​

Zambia

Nsima, mandazi and​ ​chapati

Namibia

Meat– immediately upon crossing the Namibia/Zambia border we stopped at a gas station and I was surprised to find no vegetarian options. They made food like pasta and rice that could have been vegetarian but the chicken was already added!

Depending on the season, you are going to find fresh fruits and vegetables for a bargain. In Uganda I was buying huge avocados for about $0.09. In Malawi, Mangos were free, you just picked them ripe off the tree. Pineapples were about $0.75 in Tanzania.