tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20827888439886687552024-02-02T01:15:55.091-08:00The BooktrekkerExploring the World through Books, Food, and GivingPamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192375534456260749noreply@blogger.comBlogger132125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2082788843988668755.post-54649502596426687782023-04-25T14:32:00.000-07:002023-04-25T14:32:16.220-07:00NICARAGUA<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1K7OcaLruAEmwtn7WPJqveGj497EsMT5rgDQGjDzvf9YhUTksmcfdh7N1KzMN6FKZihymY9RnX4vmbergUcyTBJY21Qev_Z6-3yIrEPkEIAYBN7pWM6RtShOIV1rQdbyW_nMzKdW1-1htFKS4iEi5d4f_AYzJlBGNB_Imhto3l9dqJANuHx7DbrJ6/s1107/73CCECB8-D113-498C-BA19-7D378E47129B.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1107" data-original-width="775" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1K7OcaLruAEmwtn7WPJqveGj497EsMT5rgDQGjDzvf9YhUTksmcfdh7N1KzMN6FKZihymY9RnX4vmbergUcyTBJY21Qev_Z6-3yIrEPkEIAYBN7pWM6RtShOIV1rQdbyW_nMzKdW1-1htFKS4iEi5d4f_AYzJlBGNB_Imhto3l9dqJANuHx7DbrJ6/s320/73CCECB8-D113-498C-BA19-7D378E47129B.jpeg" width="224" /></a></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">READ<o:p></o:p></span></span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh6BDWNRKoz2riW4V1e2EJB8LlWu-GXLEXPjUTwkdiW3Hkyemyo5QNtbwxTOlCr1PuFMa5h9VG2ljQAh6OwECtjA53NojQREGP4MoSet8ZzvlFAy45PFAJCk79BnxO4fxE0fZExMGItTuevcgUBM9mFBXmPMUD3FrAi2yxYxbzA0bRAwssj_PwIxpr/s4032/9574B990-ED60-45D5-B32A-74A4156800DA.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh6BDWNRKoz2riW4V1e2EJB8LlWu-GXLEXPjUTwkdiW3Hkyemyo5QNtbwxTOlCr1PuFMa5h9VG2ljQAh6OwECtjA53NojQREGP4MoSet8ZzvlFAy45PFAJCk79BnxO4fxE0fZExMGItTuevcgUBM9mFBXmPMUD3FrAi2yxYxbzA0bRAwssj_PwIxpr/s320/9574B990-ED60-45D5-B32A-74A4156800DA.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-inhabited-woman-gioconda-belli/6633966?ean=9780299206840">The
Inhabited Woman</a>, </span></i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">written
by Gioconda Belli and translated by Kathleen March, tells the story of Lavinia
Alarc</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">ó</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">n, a well-off, educated young woman
living in the fictional city of Faguas. She lives alone in the house left to
her by her beloved Aunt In</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">é</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">s, and in the opening chapter, she is
about to start work at the first job she’s ever had, working as an architect in
a local firm.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Lavinia’s family is near the top of the social hierarchy, a
group of aristocrats known as the “Greens.” While the Greens are envied and
deferred to, control of the country appears to rest in the hands of the “Blues,”
who are considered to be low-class, uneducated, and nouveau riche. The dictator
who rules the country, whom people refer to as the Great General, is a Blue.
And then there are the people who are just trying to live their lives – the workers.
They are not happy with the brutality and corruption of the Great General and
his followers, and a revolution is brewing.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Although Lavinia belongs to the upper class, she is not
without sympathy for those who don’t have her advantages. Her first assignment
at the architectural firm is to visit the site of a proposed shopping center
for which her firm has drafted the blueprints. She discovers that the shopping
center will require the demolition of a low-income barrio and that troubles her.
When she returns to the office, she confronts her co-worker, Felipe, about the
situation, but he says nothing can be done.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Before long, Lavinia finds herself in a relationship with
Felipe, but she can tell he’s hiding something. When he arrives at her house in
the middle of the night with a man who has been shot, she discovers that Felipe
is a member of a rebel group called the National Liberation Movement. Shortly thereafter,
Lavinia becomes a member of the group too.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Interwoven throughout the book are thoughts emanating from
the orange tree outside Lavinia’s window. The tree apparently possesses the
spirit of Itz</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">á</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">, a young woman warrior who helped battle the Spaniards
hundreds of years previously. She understands and empathizes with the inner
turmoil that Lavinia experiences as she transforms from a privileged,
relatively sheltered young woman into a soldier for justice.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It should be noted that the author herself came from a
wealthy background in Managua, Nicaragua. While working as an account executive
in an advertising agency, she got involved in the struggle to overthrow the
Somoza dictatorship. Belli became the press liaison for the Sandinista National
Liberation Front, and later she was named director of State Communications. She
is no longer a member of the Sandinistas, and has become critical of the
government that she helped put in power. As a result, she now lives in exile in
Spain.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">COOK</span></span><b><i><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;">Most of the food references in </span><i style="font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-inhabited-woman-gioconda-belli/6633966?ean=9780299206840">The
Inhabited Woman</a> </i><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;">aren’t very interesting. But after Lavinia joins the
movement, she goes for military training in the hills over the course of a
weekend with people whose backgrounds differ from hers.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“Their lunch consisted of a tortilla with rice and beans and
a cup of coffee. Lorenzo, Ren</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">é</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">, and even Felipe ate skillfully,
using their hands without being squeamish. Lavinia tried to hide her
discomfort, the difficulty she had in eating rice and beans neatly, without
silverware, with just the tortilla to help her, unable to help spilling the
purple and white grains.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I found a simple recipe on the Casablanca Cooks website for </span><a href="https://www.casablancacooks.com/gallo-pinto/" style="font-size: 12pt;">gallo pinto – Nicaraguan rice
and beans</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">. The ingredients were very basic: small red beans, white rice,
onion, vegetable oil, and salt. Served with corn tortillas, this was a very
satisfying meal. And no, I did not eat it with just the tortilla – I cheated and
used a fork.</span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK7CFyXQhj2UZPYGJwlpbQi4DsfL2MhE2ooavHjxzAwoqQsnTeoDof6fA_27XCtObxIgZMv5in9qKtvygHL-5B6Och495G1lzzyDkYbots85YHiApEh5okdM9lXLKDrteU6nkwLtDIGeagWfzeyql6-ZOhkbaDJ6IT4opa2UUYfXIiSTwPkuhbiKEo/s2877/6920DB98-8430-4C42-B6AF-094F8ED148D1.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2506" data-original-width="2877" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK7CFyXQhj2UZPYGJwlpbQi4DsfL2MhE2ooavHjxzAwoqQsnTeoDof6fA_27XCtObxIgZMv5in9qKtvygHL-5B6Och495G1lzzyDkYbots85YHiApEh5okdM9lXLKDrteU6nkwLtDIGeagWfzeyql6-ZOhkbaDJ6IT4opa2UUYfXIiSTwPkuhbiKEo/s320/6920DB98-8430-4C42-B6AF-094F8ED148D1.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">GIVE</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.globalgiving.org/">GlobalGiving</a> had
several projects on their website that I would have been happy to support, but
the one that caught my eye was the one teaching children how to be nature
stewards. According to the project description: “Climate change is already
impacting lives and livelihoods, especially in the tropics. Nicaragua’s climate
problems are exacerbated by widespread exploitation of ecosystems, land, and
wildlife. To restore its natural resilience, forest and local biodiversity need
protection and care. Nearly one-third of Nicaragua’s population is under the
age of 15. This rising generation is the key to change.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The plan is to created a junior ranger program for children
between the ages of 8 and 13. They will learn about the forests and beaches
near where they live, and they will be given opportunities to plant trees, do
beach cleanups, and take part in sea turtle releases. It is hoped that the
children will become nature stewards and will share their knowledge with
friends and family.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">More information about this project is available at </span><a href="https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/nicaraguas-nature-stewards-the-junior-rangers/" style="font-size: 12pt;">Nicaragua's
Nature Stewards: The Junior Rangers - GlobalGiving</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>NEXT STOP: NIGER</b></span></p><br /><p></p></div>Pamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192375534456260749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2082788843988668755.post-50574216972254560222023-04-08T11:51:00.000-07:002023-04-08T11:51:44.989-07:00NEW ZEALAND<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLnREJKFSL6A21KXy63h8uZaBVo30GRdqFz9ZJ7rnVTBnd4HgsXSAIULlwVGM8bMPPuoewMMSGMTJ9JIIebveM6-pxUqAfIicubaNhkbPbW3EcMOj2qdTNY-VUjwkLNvEix25zFmRmy-UP593vuRQroUXz2-soTpdDtHgm1715dSfAt0hmTgRwE4aq/s3529/8D0C60BA-7593-4901-9966-08C0EC60456C.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3529" data-original-width="2388" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLnREJKFSL6A21KXy63h8uZaBVo30GRdqFz9ZJ7rnVTBnd4HgsXSAIULlwVGM8bMPPuoewMMSGMTJ9JIIebveM6-pxUqAfIicubaNhkbPbW3EcMOj2qdTNY-VUjwkLNvEix25zFmRmy-UP593vuRQroUXz2-soTpdDtHgm1715dSfAt0hmTgRwE4aq/s320/8D0C60BA-7593-4901-9966-08C0EC60456C.jpeg" width="217" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">READ<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglB3KGWSp6AkecUzQ9zD4zXxBT9b-e4iU7rCl0AkdSkNTG8sIRRbjQrD6joqZDobtpD0O0QDYaOvQbir1aU0MN78s0f0ZzI6OQEPi-2j7rMnNuGcb3r9XBi1Y3smL9QaDxfE7Kleb9wBBlt-NIddnm_fdmcy1AB6nelhFl4s77xvzIQ56csn8sttWn/s3346/1F7B238A-4C34-45BB-90FF-AC36E7310787.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3346" data-original-width="2347" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglB3KGWSp6AkecUzQ9zD4zXxBT9b-e4iU7rCl0AkdSkNTG8sIRRbjQrD6joqZDobtpD0O0QDYaOvQbir1aU0MN78s0f0ZzI6OQEPi-2j7rMnNuGcb3r9XBi1Y3smL9QaDxfE7Kleb9wBBlt-NIddnm_fdmcy1AB6nelhFl4s77xvzIQ56csn8sttWn/s320/1F7B238A-4C34-45BB-90FF-AC36E7310787.jpeg" width="224" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Oh, my. I don’t even know where to begin with the book I read
for New Zealand. </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-bone-people-keri-hulme/9051123?ean=9780140089226">The
Bone People</a>, </i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">by Maori author Keri Hulme, took a lot out of me. It’s a
book about broken people and shattered families; heart-melting tenderness and
unspeakable brutality; hitting rock bottom and seeking redemption.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The book centers around three people: a woman named Kerewin Holmes,
who is mostly European but a little bit Maori; a man named Joe Gillayley, who
is mostly Maori but a little bit European; and a young boy named Simon Gillayley,
Joe’s foster son, who is all European. They form a bond so tight that each one
feels incomplete without the other two. At one point, Kerewin, an artist who
has been struggling with her ability to create, sculpts a tricephalos with the
back of each of their heads melded together, their faces turned outward. When
Joe sneaks a look at it, he thinks, “She saw us as a whole, as a set.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">There is so much darkness and pain within each of them,
though. Kerewin is wealthy, at least by local standards, and has built a tower
with a spiral staircase for her residence. But she is estranged from her
family, has no friends, and is struggling with her inability to make art the
way she used to do. She comes home one day and discovers Simon in her tower,
and her life takes a completely different turn.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Simon is very young – probably somewhere between six and
eight years old. He was aboard a ship that was wrecked, killing everyone onboard but tossing him toward the shore, where Joe found him. Joe brought him home,
and Joe and his wife Hana became his foster parents. Simon doesn’t speak,
although there doesn’t seem to be any physical reason why he can’t. Things go
well until Joe loses both Hana and their infant Timote to the flu.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Joe and Kerewin meet when he goes to her tower after she
finds Simon there. Simon is precocious and finds ways to communicate without speaking. He is not a docile child, and frequently does things he’s not supposed
to do – skipping out on school, stealing, lashing out, and going places he
shouldn’t. And this brings me to the biggest problem I had in reading the book:
child abuse that ranged from horrific to sickening.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">At one point, it was so bad that I almost gave up. I thought
I’d start over with a different book from New Zealand instead. But I stuck with
it. After all, the author won a Booker Prize for this novel, as well as the
Pegasus Prize for Literature. The cover of the book has a quote by
Pulitzer-prize-winning author Alice Walker that says, “This book is just
amazingly, wondrously great.” The </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">New York Times </i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">called it “unforgettably
rich and pungent,” and the </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">Washington Post </i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">said it was “an original,
overwhelming, near-great work of literature.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">So, what was great about it? For starters, the three main characters
are multidimensional and mostly sympathetic. There are things to love about each
of them, but they also have some truly deplorable traits. When one suffers, they all
suffer, even in the cases where one or two of them are responsible for the
suffering of another. The plot is rich with Maori language, culture, and
mythology. The last few chapters, especially, draw on Maori folklore to help
bring a hopeful resolution to what would otherwise be an untenable situation
for all concerned. I’m glad I didn’t stop reading at the worst part or I wouldn’t
have had the satisfaction of knowing how everything turned out.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">But am I glad I read the book at all? I don’t know. I’m sure </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-bone-people-keri-hulme/9051123?ean=9780140089226">The
Bone People</a> </i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">will haunt me for a long time.</span></p><p><br /></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">COOK</span></span><b><i><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">There were many food references in </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-bone-people-keri-hulme/9051123?ean=9780140089226">The
Bone People</a>, </i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">but none that were helpful for purposes of this blog. I did
a little web surfing and found a recipe for </span><a href="https://www.food.com/recipe/new-zealand-kiwi-bread-483625" style="font-size: 12pt;">New Zealand Kiwi
Bread</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> on the Food.com website. And yes, it’s called that because the main
ingredient is chopped kiwis, not because Kiwi is a nickname for people from New
Zealand. The only substitution I needed in order to make it vegan was to use </span><a href="https://www.ju.st/" style="font-size: 12pt;">JUST Egg</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> in place of the egg. It was very easy to
make, and it had a nice tang, both from the kiwis in the bread and the lemon
juice in the icing.</span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKhbdlYBd8ikqO8JpTS9QB2o5E1j_OrE1ZeGDdFe9Ifz20r0bk_X4H3PG_dBFSAxzfAWWLzbxlG5yr0aHJz8cFlTJzOlPNm4LMcGjgAPAkCZFNB-7nC8fBUBuUjNWe1XXYWXPsij17XjoDhTGmgV2yEge8sZlBr7P9sJhQ5zLho6hAVyRgROL4wE-k/s2792/B64CFA49-717B-45B5-B73A-79E664EEC4A8.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2761" data-original-width="2792" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKhbdlYBd8ikqO8JpTS9QB2o5E1j_OrE1ZeGDdFe9Ifz20r0bk_X4H3PG_dBFSAxzfAWWLzbxlG5yr0aHJz8cFlTJzOlPNm4LMcGjgAPAkCZFNB-7nC8fBUBuUjNWe1XXYWXPsij17XjoDhTGmgV2yEge8sZlBr7P9sJhQ5zLho6hAVyRgROL4wE-k/s320/B64CFA49-717B-45B5-B73A-79E664EEC4A8.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">GIVE</span></span><b><i><span style="color: #262626; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 217;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">A project from an organization called <a href="https://waiwanaka.nz/">WAI Wānaka</a> caught my eye on the <a href="https://www.globalgiving.org/">GlobalGiving</a> website. This
organization is focused on protecting local waterways to ensure that
the water stays healthy for both humans and the ecosystem. According to the project description, donations will be used to “increase our community’s capability
and capacity to deliver on the ground environmental action by </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">co-ordinating our
own volunteer activities with local environmental groups to expand the
effectiveness of volunteer efforts in our region.” More information about this
project is available at: </span><a href="https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/volunteer-management/" style="font-size: 12pt;">Help 50
volunteers take environmental action in NZ - GlobalGiving</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">NEXT STOP: NICARAGUA</span></span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><br /><p></p>Pamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192375534456260749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2082788843988668755.post-47699012669767504952023-03-26T16:36:00.000-07:002023-03-26T16:36:31.488-07:00THE NETHERLANDS<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG4TWYawMBoCsoymKGNhcW_zN-RMbuuPnsvRyXLOmzbZG5RvS3NeRjHOspHTEdax8DsurOeduY02wRdq7dHEgsV9AREo_E2P1N350Yq-R9njDOiMuDvUQ3J1wOasPMTtYuxMvHg3y2ROL1x304ujPIasqjJUFSsKwRdmx4n_cc77lvV25a5GVnaARd/s923/C63AC063-611D-4FFC-820D-7C6847E8B404.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="923" data-original-width="627" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG4TWYawMBoCsoymKGNhcW_zN-RMbuuPnsvRyXLOmzbZG5RvS3NeRjHOspHTEdax8DsurOeduY02wRdq7dHEgsV9AREo_E2P1N350Yq-R9njDOiMuDvUQ3J1wOasPMTtYuxMvHg3y2ROL1x304ujPIasqjJUFSsKwRdmx4n_cc77lvV25a5GVnaARd/s320/C63AC063-611D-4FFC-820D-7C6847E8B404.jpeg" width="217" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">READ<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihYxxfA2Jc1gzvkQnbu7hFNy6J04DIm-XV-rYPYDKGbpqJWgLJvYU8-15R9sONyfP3KGJqS-AhX6hR517K0GaJ4NaEzs4EjPmuopAVEs0sOwoM0Q7mhIs8QWH_U-VF7z9B9uZmI0g3qysOtadOq2amymEH-7Ae_sDkA2Nr1kZ7nkudWvWWkbCk59da/s3648/6CE711CC-81C2-4010-BEBF-8EEE6EE62A54.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="2412" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihYxxfA2Jc1gzvkQnbu7hFNy6J04DIm-XV-rYPYDKGbpqJWgLJvYU8-15R9sONyfP3KGJqS-AhX6hR517K0GaJ4NaEzs4EjPmuopAVEs0sOwoM0Q7mhIs8QWH_U-VF7z9B9uZmI0g3qysOtadOq2amymEH-7Ae_sDkA2Nr1kZ7nkudWvWWkbCk59da/s320/6CE711CC-81C2-4010-BEBF-8EEE6EE62A54.jpeg" width="212" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The book I selected for the Netherlands, <i><a href="https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/cees-nooteboom/the-following-story/">The
Following Story</a>, </i>written by Cees Nooteboom and translated by Ina Rilke,
was something of a departure from the types of books I usually read. It is the
story of a man who went to bed in Amsterdam, and woke up the next morning in a
hotel room in Lisbon, Portugal.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">How could that be? The man in question, Herman Mussert, doesn’t
understand how it happened either. “I had waked up with the ridiculous feeling
that I might be dead, but whether I was actually dead, or had been dead, or
vice versa, I could not ascertain.” As he takes in his surroundings, he
realizes that he has been in this room before. In fact, he has been in this
very bed before with the wife of another man.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Mussert is a bachelor living in Amsterdam, and a writer of travel
guides under the pseudonym Dr. Strabo. He is a classical scholar, working on a
translation of Ovid’s </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metamorphoses">Metamorphoses</a>
</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">in his spare time. But the book takes the reader back twenty years, to a
time when Mussert teaches Latin and Greek in a Lisbon school. He is a popular
teacher, nicknamed Socrates, and is happy in his work.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">There is a student in the school, Lisa d’India, who is
everyone’s favorite. Not only is she beautiful, but she is good in every
subject. According to Mussert, he is the only person in the entire school who
is not in love with Lisa, although he cherishes her as a student. Things begin
to unravel for Mussert when one of the teachers, Arend Herfst, who is married
to another teacher at the school, Maria Zeinstra, begins an affair with Lisa.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Mostly to spite her husband, Maria Zeinstra decides to have
an affair with Mussert. She is the only woman whom Mussert will ever love, but
things end badly for everyone.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">At one point, Mussert muses that maybe he’s back in Lisbon on
a sort of pilgrimage and must visit “all the stations where the past had a
face.” He finds himself aboard a ship with an interesting assortment of
passengers, including a priest who always hated hearing confession (“And they kept
coming back, and one kept being forced to forgive them.”)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Being of a more literal bent, I had a hard time figuring out
what was going on during this voyage, or, for that matter, in many parts of the
book. The plot occupies a sort of twilight zone between life and death, with Mussert
as the hapless soul trying to make sense of his metamorphosis.</span></p><p></p><p><br /></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">COOK</span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I didn’t get any help coming up with food ideas from <i><a href="https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/cees-nooteboom/the-following-story/">The
Following Story</a>. </i>Mussert’s style of eating is “opening a can of beans.”
So I went to the Internet and found a recipe for a vegan version of a
traditional Dutch dish called <a href="https://mygreenpassion.com/dutch-vegan-stamppot/">stamppot</a>, which
consists of mashed potatoes, cabbage, and sausage. The recipe I found on the My
Green Passion website called for seasoned tempeh instead of sausage. Since I’m
not a fan of tempeh, I decided to use <a href="https://www.beyondmeat.com/en-US/products/beyond-sausage?variant=hot-italian">Beyond
Sausage Brats</a>. It turned out well – I even had seconds! Good thing, since the
recipe made a huge batch, and I’ll be eating it for days.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj73HnUfrS0kskjBxJfzc3EEUry4ZFwz8eN4KXV_nT3ICKA_k9uUlcnr1J8XOONoVb5k6q3flt5FnlzkbtCBbM8DFOQdylZ6ORkPm1hf5ss0cPLzF3qQKE6MnSsLE2Dsf4q-DhwBbnTR4zIqogxyoUof7qz6akLnKZEwnBNlPeHDWViOFBMgq-xq0XA/s3498/E56E4061-673B-4518-B4FE-A8C13008D347.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2512" data-original-width="3498" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj73HnUfrS0kskjBxJfzc3EEUry4ZFwz8eN4KXV_nT3ICKA_k9uUlcnr1J8XOONoVb5k6q3flt5FnlzkbtCBbM8DFOQdylZ6ORkPm1hf5ss0cPLzF3qQKE6MnSsLE2Dsf4q-DhwBbnTR4zIqogxyoUof7qz6akLnKZEwnBNlPeHDWViOFBMgq-xq0XA/s320/E56E4061-673B-4518-B4FE-A8C13008D347.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">GIVE</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I didn’t find any climate-related projects that interested me
on the GlobalGiving website, so I turned to Google instead and found Milieudefensie,
a Friends of the Earth organization located in Amsterdam. According to their
website: “Our mission is a good life for all people on earth and for
generations to come. For this mission, a safe and healthy environment is
needed, a just distribution of and access to the natural wealth of the earth,
respect for nature and a voice for people on how to manage these. We choose
just solutions – solutions without adverse effects for the Global South or for
generations to come, and which can involve more people in our own country and
create jobs and opportunities for everyone.” They have been very active in
campaigns and lawsuits against Shell, and in creating pressure against other
large polluting companies.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">More information about Milieudefensie is available at </span><a href="https://en.milieudefensie.nl/" style="font-size: 12pt;">A good life for all people on earth and
for generations to come — Milieudefensie</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>NEXT STOP: NEW ZEALAND</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;"><br /></span></span></p></div>Pamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192375534456260749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2082788843988668755.post-49784509833825840792023-03-17T14:06:00.001-07:002023-03-17T14:06:43.432-07:00NEPAL<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinLVZbn0GvMqj8ftfqSsUh2J8M6v41VEN9gM7-LokhbXlY55Iipr73NMuMXKFzaPF4IPKwLUpZhc0M4gt3oNgLHB-rQc6gr5rLETdi_u-yVgbjiD35DdN1FA__RzDIuPnO3l0CsK7OGQVt2A5mkKQWTTchkUmOw96FydsydZ3_FWLrvDNq2W-QFD6V/s1591/A24FBEBF-3A39-4D56-8294-A17A57853BAC.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1591" data-original-width="1359" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinLVZbn0GvMqj8ftfqSsUh2J8M6v41VEN9gM7-LokhbXlY55Iipr73NMuMXKFzaPF4IPKwLUpZhc0M4gt3oNgLHB-rQc6gr5rLETdi_u-yVgbjiD35DdN1FA__RzDIuPnO3l0CsK7OGQVt2A5mkKQWTTchkUmOw96FydsydZ3_FWLrvDNq2W-QFD6V/s320/A24FBEBF-3A39-4D56-8294-A17A57853BAC.jpeg" width="273" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">READ<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdmW4BRdQSVEOOYXgGI2TFbtXVL5F9k_Gz6ELv4BZDJs5Zqiqwn4yuSxLhIEYdU2Fu8oXiGneOq9xjMmH3gyLr1id4b-fTZXsW9zWSpvqRwpBpz78GF9-_ddU98LIq9zOcjWdZoU5zUzpSzo6RYKxrAY3deuoz8yXbdbxw4n0UoOg7WAZ1j484ECXo/s1913/482CC8C2-405D-4722-B5A9-23C8CC0B6601.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1913" data-original-width="1284" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdmW4BRdQSVEOOYXgGI2TFbtXVL5F9k_Gz6ELv4BZDJs5Zqiqwn4yuSxLhIEYdU2Fu8oXiGneOq9xjMmH3gyLr1id4b-fTZXsW9zWSpvqRwpBpz78GF9-_ddU98LIq9zOcjWdZoU5zUzpSzo6RYKxrAY3deuoz8yXbdbxw4n0UoOg7WAZ1j484ECXo/s320/482CC8C2-405D-4722-B5A9-23C8CC0B6601.jpeg" width="215" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/buddha-s-orphans-samrat-upadhyay/12974951?ean=9780547469904">Buddha’s
Orphans</a>, </span></i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">by
Samrat Upadhyay, tells the story of a baby who is abandoned by his desperate
mother in a public area in Kathmandu. His mother then goes and drowns herself
in a nearby pond. The baby is found by an old homeless man, who takes him to a
poor corn seller he knows, a woman named Kaki. They name the baby Raja, and
Kaki takes it upon herself to raise him.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/buddha-s-orphans-samrat-upadhyay/12974951?ean=9780547469904">Buddha’s
Orphans</a> </span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">also tells
the story of Nilu, a girl about the same age as Raja, who lives nearby with her
widowed mother. Nilu grows up privileged and well-to-do, but her mother is a
heavy drinker who eventually moves her young lover into the house and takes up
other vices.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Raja and Nilu meet as young children when Kaki goes to work
in Nilu’s mother’s house. They form a bond that lasts even during the times
that circumstances keep them apart, such as when Raja is stolen away from Kaki
and raised by another couple. Eventually, Raja and Nilu marry, against the
wishes of both their families.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">A baby boy is born to Nilu and Raja, and they name him
Maitreya. Their marriage is happy, with Nilu working as a teacher and Raja
eventually finding a job as a writer for a travel magazine. Tragedy strikes,
however, causing them to separate. When they finally get back together, they
have another baby, a girl named Ranjana. She gives them great joy, but her life
takes an unexpected turn.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The book’s timeline spans decades, during which time the
political situation in Nepal is volatile. Raja becomes involved in protests
against the monarchy, and is jailed briefly during one of the protests. Over
the years, the demonstrations intensify, especially after the fall of the
Berlin Wall, which reminds the people in Nepal that change is possible.
Finally, the King gives up his power and becomes merely a ceremonial figure.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Throughout the book, Raja is never able to come to terms with
the fact that he was abandoned by his mother at birth. The narrator explains
the circumstances towards the end of the book, but that only satisfies the
curiosity of the book’s readers, not Raja himself, who never knows why his
mother left him.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I found </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/buddha-s-orphans-samrat-upadhyay/12974951?ean=9780547469904">Buddha’s
Orphans</a> </i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">to be interesting and easy to read. Both Raja and Nilu were
likeable characters making their way on their own, rather than asking for help
from the families who had often failed them. This was the type of book I had
hoped for when I first began this reading-the-world project, one that tells a
compelling story, while also providing a glimpse into the culture of the
country.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">COOK</span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Raja spends many of his childhood years in the home of Ganga
Da, a government worker, and his wife Jamuna, who is afflicted with a mental
illness. Jamuna becomes very attached to Raja, and at one point in the book,
Jamuna asks the servant to cook Raja some <a href="https://vegnews.com/vegan-recipes/vegan-nepalese-kheer-rice-pudding">kheer</a>.
I googled to find out what kheer is, and discovered that it’s a rice pudding. I
found a recipe for a vegan version on the VegNews website, and I’ve been eating
it for breakfast the past couple of mornings. It’s quite good, especially
served cold, and it's made with coconut milk, rice, brown sugar, coconut,
dates, almonds, cloves, and cardamom.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-zjFoCzMJVAUm6DlXMkKv6bXEzTt9z-oSEhabMe6yjzSdRjDyUao6qhoZwvhDQrbeqNnbD6BcDgew6fKiv8v3fdV4nhbJMXh05exmDcGFB7kRkWEq4ebGWI0o4aacfcjs674s9Rg858_PSdBb5ewkSpaMdgEobZLPRBzLK4CipxKRZ2rKQWjgT_jH/s2562/A3849C0F-B69D-4311-8681-D62C92640393.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2541" data-original-width="2562" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-zjFoCzMJVAUm6DlXMkKv6bXEzTt9z-oSEhabMe6yjzSdRjDyUao6qhoZwvhDQrbeqNnbD6BcDgew6fKiv8v3fdV4nhbJMXh05exmDcGFB7kRkWEq4ebGWI0o4aacfcjs674s9Rg858_PSdBb5ewkSpaMdgEobZLPRBzLK4CipxKRZ2rKQWjgT_jH/s320/A3849C0F-B69D-4311-8681-D62C92640393.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">GIVE</span></span><b><i><span style="color: #262626; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 217;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.globalgiving.org/">GlobalGiving</a>’s
website lists dozens of projects in Nepal, so I searched through the list
until I found one with a sustainability focus. Many areas of Nepal have no
electricity because of the difficulty of building an electric grid in such a mountainous
region. For this reason, people often rely on kerosene lamps for lighting. This
is a problem for many reasons: “Fumes from the kerosene lamps affect eyes and
lungs and contribute to global warming with the release of greenhouse gases.
The quality of light is inferior and there is a high risk of accidental fire.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This project would “provide solar powered lamps as a
sustainable substitute.” In addition, village youth and students would be given
an orientation on renewable energy, and would be trained in maintenance and
repair. Multiple charging stations would be installed in schools.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">More information on this project is available at: </span><a href="https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/alternative-energy-for-nepal/" style="font-size: 12pt;">A
Clean Solar Alternative to Kerosene Lamps, Nepal - GlobalGiving</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">NEXT STOP: THE NETHERLANDS</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p><br /></div>Pamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192375534456260749noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2082788843988668755.post-14167070972948136822023-02-14T17:00:00.001-08:002023-02-14T17:00:46.740-08:00NAURU<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVDaopXx11cBBWqCB-zwklUA_h_jwqUVeEVAn3x0th_txf8IMqaTRAcUUn2dDNF4PC32giSkn6oC_syxkvDmy-ZweTzl0P4GwrpQ4bq3uYAdbD63VYdPoLVQHq789TIp1p9kyZYweW28koCiCCO6tj0-y47z6iiUR95B8Xglt9OsW6fyzbDyym10va/s2172/EFD44C72-3A79-45C9-9320-FD7EA7326611.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2172" data-original-width="1856" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVDaopXx11cBBWqCB-zwklUA_h_jwqUVeEVAn3x0th_txf8IMqaTRAcUUn2dDNF4PC32giSkn6oC_syxkvDmy-ZweTzl0P4GwrpQ4bq3uYAdbD63VYdPoLVQHq789TIp1p9kyZYweW28koCiCCO6tj0-y47z6iiUR95B8Xglt9OsW6fyzbDyym10va/s320/EFD44C72-3A79-45C9-9320-FD7EA7326611.jpeg" width="273" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">READ<o:p></o:p></span></span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg38DCR_EztTpriL_p4krqtiO2rgzF-jgrf_JtHBe_z0hlFj-7bSJuUQu9lAgHxztFxcKrMHM5F3hgGgQAfHUSJZNDgCIYR7XxjH_MbBp70nEhiYnLRJwjKlHQuZM2e2GielNHXAZJXkG1c0_KAvYfJkVnXs82Bdp0QA3YLnK4RDjieRB3Fe9MYZ_xY/s3483/A1379C9E-B3C0-4DDA-93F1-AB4C022403A1.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3483" data-original-width="2495" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg38DCR_EztTpriL_p4krqtiO2rgzF-jgrf_JtHBe_z0hlFj-7bSJuUQu9lAgHxztFxcKrMHM5F3hgGgQAfHUSJZNDgCIYR7XxjH_MbBp70nEhiYnLRJwjKlHQuZM2e2GielNHXAZJXkG1c0_KAvYfJkVnXs82Bdp0QA3YLnK4RDjieRB3Fe9MYZ_xY/s320/A1379C9E-B3C0-4DDA-93F1-AB4C022403A1.jpeg" width="229" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Nauru is a tiny island in the South Pacific with a population
of fewer than 13,000 people. It’s no wonder, then, that finding a book to read
for this country was challenging. When I was fortunate enough to find a copy of
<i><a href="https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/5746477">Stories from Nauru</a>,
</i>by Ben Bam Solomon et al, in 2016, I bought it right away, and I’m glad I
did. I’m convinced it was the last copy of the book available for sale anywhere
on the planet.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/5746477">Stories
of Nauru</a></span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> was the
result of a workshop sponsored by the University of the South Pacific in
October of 1990. According to the book’s foreword: “It was organized so that a
conscious effort would be made to encourage Nauruans to write and to record
their folklore in the attempt to build a Nauruan literature.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The eight stories in this short collection cover a variety of
topics. There’s a creation story, accounts of personal challenges, and retellings
of old legends. And inevitably, there are the stories of what Nauru was like
before the arrival of the Europeans.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">“Egade” is about an old woman who used to teach the people of
the island about their culture – their traditions, laws, songs, and clothing.
Because of her, the “people knew their identity and were proud of their rich
cultural heritage.” But then the white people arrived, giving the people of
Nauru trinkets and potions in exchange for their natural resources. Before
long, the Nauruan people had forsaken their traditional way of life.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Another story, “Nauru: The Way It Used To Be,” says that “Nauru
means Utopia.” The author chronicles the changes in culture, laws, and religion
that came about when missionaries and foreign governments came to Nauru. Before
the arrival of the Europeans, there was no religion and no marriage. There was
no formal system of education either. Young people learned everything they
needed to know by watching their parents and other elders. After the Europeans
came, education became compulsory and children walked miles to school.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/5746477">Stories
of Nauru</a> </span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">offers
a quick glimpse into life on an island that is probably unknown to most people
in the United States. Kudos to the University of the South Pacific for encouraging
people to share their stories.</span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">COOK</span></span><b><i><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The story “Egade” tells of the wonderful things the Europeans
brought the people on the island of Nauru. One of those things was “tasty food,
in little tin cans, that would keep for days without going bad.” One tasty food
in a can, which would not have been available at the time the original
Europeans arrived but which has certainly become a staple since then, is Spam.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The last time I made a Spam recipe for this blog it was a
Spam casserole from the island of Kiribati. At that time, there was no vegan
Spam substitute commercially available, so I had to make one out of tofu. It
tasted nothing like Spam. Since then, however, OmniFoods has developed a vegan
Spam that is very much like the real thing. It doesn’t come in a can, though –
I buy it in the frozen food section at Sprouts. And it’s perfect for the dish I
made for Nauru – </span><a href="https://martymadeit.com/2018/03/31/121-nauru-coconut-crusted-fish-with-spam-fried-rice/" style="font-size: 12pt;">Spam-fried
rice</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">. I found the recipe on the Marty Made It website. It was very easy
to veganize by substituting </span><a href="https://omnifoods.co/us/product/17" style="font-size: 12pt;">OmniPork
Luncheon</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> and </span><a href="https://www.ju.st/eat/just-egg-folded" style="font-size: 12pt;">JUSTEgg folded
plant eggs</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> for the Spam and eggs, and leaving out the fish sauce. It turned
out great, and I’m sure I’ll make it again in the future. Vegan Spam – who’d have
thought?</span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoTKfaKF1voSadBOyjs6Iry1XJiQSjnb79PxgspvxekIG1VCzrCemkLPdagqHRNj69j8V9TqJsGPLXpGZSlstj2sJZylnM3J7B5KPEfBAYD76O_4eLwTKlDFcogS5KTmJ3g2XpfNAfTVc1wGOnPSFOTyH9ITlQgimZm7rqRbL1_vqmHYwe9GAGUlxG/s1793/88D9A7A3-2254-4904-8E84-7DB3BC57FA57.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1768" data-original-width="1793" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoTKfaKF1voSadBOyjs6Iry1XJiQSjnb79PxgspvxekIG1VCzrCemkLPdagqHRNj69j8V9TqJsGPLXpGZSlstj2sJZylnM3J7B5KPEfBAYD76O_4eLwTKlDFcogS5KTmJ3g2XpfNAfTVc1wGOnPSFOTyH9ITlQgimZm7rqRbL1_vqmHYwe9GAGUlxG/s320/88D9A7A3-2254-4904-8E84-7DB3BC57FA57.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div> </div><div><br /></div><div><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">GIVE</span></span><b><i><span style="color: #262626; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 217;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p></div><div><br /></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Nauru faces a daunting future due to climate change, but I
couldn’t find a single nonprofit organization working to address this issue in
Nauru. GlobalGiving didn’t have any projects in Nauru, and I couldn’t even find
a suitable GoFundMe campaign. Finally, I found an organization called Hope for
Nauru, which helps refugees. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The refugees helped by Hope for Nauru aren’t seeking asylum
in Nauru, however. They are seeking asylum in Australia. Rather than allowing
these refugees to stay in Australia while they pursue their asylum claims,
Australia has contracted to ship them to Nauru, where they are kept in
detention indefinitely, often in squalid conditions.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Hope for Nauru puts together care packages for refugees, consisting
of items such as clothes, hygiene products, vitamins, dried fruit, and nuts.
According to their website: “We believe that a care package can help give a
detainee comfort and hopefully some dignity. It also shows each refugee that
they are remembered and cared about, and that many Australians are against
immigration detention both on and offshore. For as long as there are innocent
people detained on Nauru (as well as Manus Island), we will continue our
mission.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Information about Hope for Nauru is available at </span><a href="https://www.hopefornauru.org/" style="font-size: 12pt;">HOPE FOR NAURU</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">NEXT STOP: NEPAL</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p></p>Pamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192375534456260749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2082788843988668755.post-20698903959676591932023-02-05T12:57:00.000-08:002023-02-05T12:57:08.557-08:00NAMIBIA<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-p5lM9X9b5T0u7LsHiY_R2ik6nkubpVXC1p1L0HaWK3zE_0yEZA4FjujmdNAtWzzSpo8sHmIoO-n_tyx3xGm_1T-dBGIUAMpWAq3IpZYDcdYfT3YrUOS7I1dNhxFqYAL2oP31eDKehZJY9rPUvdwu_hUHtSiaoi7Eh3lYgyCFxCK5vgwq6BxnPbK0/s1808/13C21E38-B9A9-40F2-B78B-373C02014E23.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1808" data-original-width="1324" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-p5lM9X9b5T0u7LsHiY_R2ik6nkubpVXC1p1L0HaWK3zE_0yEZA4FjujmdNAtWzzSpo8sHmIoO-n_tyx3xGm_1T-dBGIUAMpWAq3IpZYDcdYfT3YrUOS7I1dNhxFqYAL2oP31eDKehZJY9rPUvdwu_hUHtSiaoi7Eh3lYgyCFxCK5vgwq6BxnPbK0/s320/13C21E38-B9A9-40F2-B78B-373C02014E23.jpeg" width="234" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">READ<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSXMgUJULwGQgc1UwQHR62WJG5poN3JDk6N5e9vtt2tCgydMlgmA0nsVQfqT4Vx2IDtCQWQHKvrzbDUvRkIiEKeCo993YzmrTwOgDSFOgSyP_ZfhwTctDsRkoYQ0wPFm9ehLQnfvQyCUdNf__25fTKUf0cweyT_jYEJHApyz7SORNKh-rb6uYKD0es/s3123/2A3875CD-73C9-4232-8B77-9DA47E78086C.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3123" data-original-width="2082" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSXMgUJULwGQgc1UwQHR62WJG5poN3JDk6N5e9vtt2tCgydMlgmA0nsVQfqT4Vx2IDtCQWQHKvrzbDUvRkIiEKeCo993YzmrTwOgDSFOgSyP_ZfhwTctDsRkoYQ0wPFm9ehLQnfvQyCUdNf__25fTKUf0cweyT_jYEJHApyz7SORNKh-rb6uYKD0es/s320/2A3875CD-73C9-4232-8B77-9DA47E78086C.jpeg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">For Namibia, a country in southern Africa, I read <i><a href="https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Purple_Violet_of_Oshaantu.html?id=B_RcILh6Rp0C">The
Purple Violet of Oshaantu</a>, </i>by Neshani Andreas. The title character,
Meme Kauna, is a once-beautiful woman who lives with her husband, Tate Shange,
and children in the village of Oshaantu. When she first arrived in the village,
the townspeople “called her the purple violet of Oshaantu. She was so delicate
and she came when these flowers were in bloom.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The book is narrated by her best friend and neighbor, Mee
Ali, a happily married woman with children. The husbands of both women work
some distance away, which means they are rarely home and the women do all the
farming and other work around the house. Mee Ali’s husband, Tate Michael, is
good and kind, treating her as an equal, but Meme Kauna’s husband is a louse
who beats her and cheats on her.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Mee Ali hears screaming coming from Meme Kauna’s home and
runs over to see what the problem is. She finds Tate Shange dead, and Meme
Kauna telling everyone that he had only arrived home half an hour previously
and he had not eaten any of her food. She is afraid people will think she has
poisoned him.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Throughout the rest of the book, Tate Shange’s relatives
arrive and the funeral is planned. Much like in the book I read for Mozambique,
Paulina Chiziane’s </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-first-wife-a-tale-of-polygamy-paulina-chiziane/9430561?ean=9780914671480">The
First Wife</a>, </i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Tate Shange’s family immediately begins to quarrel over
which of his livestock and other possessions they’re going to take. It doesn’t
matter that Meme Kauna was the one who took care of the farm and the animals – her
husband’s family lays claim to everything that was his.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">There is also much gossip among the family and the villagers
because Meme Kauna has not shed a single tear over her husband’s death. She
even refuses to designate anyone to speak on her behalf at his funeral. Throughout
her ordeal, her friend Mee Ali is with her and does her best to help in any way
she can.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Purple_Violet_of_Oshaantu.html?id=B_RcILh6Rp0C">The
Purple Violet of Oshaantu</a> </span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">is a sad commentary on the treatment of women, and I can only
hope that things have started to change in Namibia since this book was
published in 2001. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">COOK</span></span><b><i><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I finished reading this book a couple of weeks ago, but I had
a terrible time finding a recipe I wanted to make. I could have veganized a
beef and carrot dish or buttered black-eyed peas, but those both sounded mundane.
I finally found a recipe for Guava Squares at <a href="http://www.healthy-life.narod.ru/wor_ek145.htm">Namibia (Namibian
Recipes) (narod.ru)</a>. The recipe looked straightforward enough, but I ended
up having to make several adjustments. For starters, I visited three grocery
stores, and there was not a guava to be found. Instead, I used guava jelly. I
made my usual veganizing substitutions – JUSTEgg and Miyoko’s cultured vegan
butter. Many of the measurements were in grams, so I converted those, but I
ended up with a crumbly mixture that clearly needed more liquid to hold it altogether.
So I poured in more JUSTEgg until I had a batter that stuck together and could
be scraped into the baking dish. Fortunately, the final product was pretty good,
although I couldn’t even taste the guava flavor.<o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJO1zQizjZU3z5lgo4gl28eEETA78w_V7d29i-lLAryz6a-RRPTy4xZXZdq_5kX1TGrTwgxq9zTpKyIZ1rUHNswzzLDNudcndW87eGqH9q2ZYRLeB66xq7cJXdd4OrMv9xK4FpTVfLtEhn3F9pBhpC3MHd323oWEM9NFKR-wMKFSETM22wHhK8X0sF/s2999/3278779F-F1D4-4FAA-AE36-E9443DF9A9DF.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2504" data-original-width="2999" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJO1zQizjZU3z5lgo4gl28eEETA78w_V7d29i-lLAryz6a-RRPTy4xZXZdq_5kX1TGrTwgxq9zTpKyIZ1rUHNswzzLDNudcndW87eGqH9q2ZYRLeB66xq7cJXdd4OrMv9xK4FpTVfLtEhn3F9pBhpC3MHd323oWEM9NFKR-wMKFSETM22wHhK8X0sF/s320/3278779F-F1D4-4FAA-AE36-E9443DF9A9DF.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><br /><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">GIVE</span></span><b><i><span style="color: #262626; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 217;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The <a href="https://www.globalgiving.org/">GlobalGiving</a>
website had several climate-related projects to choose from. I decided I wanted
to help protect lions. According to the project description: “Wild lion numbers
in Namibia are under threat due to factors such as loss of habitat, lack of
natural prey and revenge killings from human-wildlife conflict. When there is a
lack of available natural prey, the local farmers’ livestock are targeted as
they present an easy option – especially when they are not herded and protected
at night. Due to frustration from farmers, and a lack of alternative solutions,
these lion populations are hunted down in retaliation to prevent further
livestock loss.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This project will help to reduce this conflict by “collaring
lions and training locals to become lion guards.” Predator-proof shelters will
be built for the livestock, and deterrents will be set up to keep the lions
away. It is hoped that these measures will help stabilize the wild lion
population.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">More information about this project is available at </span><a href="https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/protect-lions-in-namibia-from-relaliatory-killing/?rf=email_pe_thankyou_51751&utm_content=Thank+you+for+donating+to+%27Protect+lions+in+Namibia+from+retaliatory+killings%27&utm_source=email2.globalgiving.org&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=donor-thank-you" style="font-size: 12pt;">Protect
lions in Namibia from retaliatory killings - GlobalGiving</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>NEXT STOP: NAURU</b></span></p><br /></div>Pamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192375534456260749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2082788843988668755.post-88676368894258939442022-11-07T21:49:00.001-08:002022-11-07T21:54:30.722-08:00MYANMAR<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqD4OVVmLIqT81rqYc0y4xMM_CpX2K0s_luTZ04qg6_TCMaRipAmOQpTWdZSDkRwaeo04xMT0OPo5F0_PesBIH90Oz8_-Gizg3Nal-sc4AVrY-kNERYNoAMB8LmJfR0ixKucjuqODu0sXZQLUxz2koPoWYLywCaQ7WLfpv4ZNUl_wno6rr6b43TsXb/s2409/818E0BCF-C9A2-4490-948C-7CD0FAA62FD3.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2409" data-original-width="1436" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqD4OVVmLIqT81rqYc0y4xMM_CpX2K0s_luTZ04qg6_TCMaRipAmOQpTWdZSDkRwaeo04xMT0OPo5F0_PesBIH90Oz8_-Gizg3Nal-sc4AVrY-kNERYNoAMB8LmJfR0ixKucjuqODu0sXZQLUxz2koPoWYLywCaQ7WLfpv4ZNUl_wno6rr6b43TsXb/s320/818E0BCF-C9A2-4490-948C-7CD0FAA62FD3.jpeg" width="191" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">READ<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQsxodAJ5U-kpP_mT7Fn1hV5wOq-dZ9KUTcHuzE2NdZ7aN-oW3-YtuvDiCEhquAAj1WueWxcCGafzE837y5-kgdM-2AcMf9fsio9dVIB20wUdcRoo9tP6q18jzibCkW9YZXYJt98EB3vQwgTTs0u3zdJZsZV1dfZyIkvQxH88A3eZGrpt_1V9pyo-h/s2347/2B871AAB-8051-4032-BC6A-ECE153B079B8.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2347" data-original-width="1588" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQsxodAJ5U-kpP_mT7Fn1hV5wOq-dZ9KUTcHuzE2NdZ7aN-oW3-YtuvDiCEhquAAj1WueWxcCGafzE837y5-kgdM-2AcMf9fsio9dVIB20wUdcRoo9tP6q18jzibCkW9YZXYJt98EB3vQwgTTs0u3zdJZsZV1dfZyIkvQxH88A3eZGrpt_1V9pyo-h/s320/2B871AAB-8051-4032-BC6A-ECE153B079B8.jpeg" width="217" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The book I chose for Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, was a
feast for the senses. <i><a href="https://www.hachettebooks.com/titles/nu-nu-yi/smile-as-they-bow/9781401395704/">Smile
as They Bow</a>, </i>written by Ni Ni Yu and translated by Alfred Birnbaum and
Thi Thi Aye, is filled with the sights, sounds, tastes, smells, and feelings of
Myanmar’s Taungbyon Festival, which is held for a week each year in a small
village near Mandalay. A raucous crowd of tourists and pilgrims from all over
the country pour into the village to honor two brothers who had been killed
during the reign of King Anawrahta in the eleventh century, and to seek favors
from the nats – god-like spirits who are represented on earth by natkadaws,
their spirit wives in human form.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Historically, natkadaws were women, and the position was
often passed from mother to daughter. Over the past several decades, however,
the position of natkadaw has been increasingly taken on by gay men, known as
meinmasha. </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://www.hachettebooks.com/titles/nu-nu-yi/smile-as-they-bow/9781401395704/">Smile
as They Bow</a> </i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">follows one such natkadaw, U Ba Si, who goes by the name of
Daisy Bond. Sixty years old, he has collected many faithful followers, who pay
him to appeal to the nats on their behalf. They ask for things like riches or success,
or punishment for a wayward spouse. For the right amount of cash, Daisy
promises that all their wishes will be fulfilled.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Daisy has a much younger lover, Min Min, whom he bought from
Min Min’s mother. Over the years, Min Min has also taken on the role of Daisy’s
manager, making sure that his extravagant costumes are ready for his
processions and consultations, handling his schedule, and trying to keep him in
check when he becomes too outrageous (the language in the book is R-rated, to
say the least).</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Daisy is a jealous lover, always convinced that Min Min is
going to leave him for a woman. And when it appears that Min Min is starting to
fall for a beggar girl who has been singing outside their house, Daisy fights
to hang onto him.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.hachettebooks.com/titles/nu-nu-yi/smile-as-they-bow/9781401395704/">Smile
as They Bow</a></span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> is a
fascinating portrayal of the Taungbyon Festival, which was banned during the
reign of King Mindon in the nineteenth century. It was brought back as a
distraction by the British shortly thereafter when they seized control of the
country. I don’t know the current status of the festival, or whether <i><a href="https://www.hachettebooks.com/titles/nu-nu-yi/smile-as-they-bow/9781401395704/">Smile
as They Bow</a></i> is available to read in Myanmar or not. According to the
book’s dust jacket, it “was suppressed for over a decade by the Burmese
military government.” It's definitely one of the more memorable books I’ve
read for this project!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">COOK</span></span><b><i><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Have
you ever heard of tofu made from anything other than soybeans? I certainly hadn’t
until I started searching for recipes for this post and discovered that <a href="https://veganonboard.com/burmese-tofu-with-garlic-ginger-chilli-sauce/#recipe">chickpea
tofu</a> is popular in Myanmar. The process for making it is much simpler than
making tofu from soybeans; chickpea flour and water are mixed together and
boiled, while stirring constantly, until it reaches the right consistency. I
followed a recipe from the Vegan on Board website to make the tofu, then fried
it and ate it with a garlic, ginger, and chili sauce. It wasn’t bad, but I
think I’ll stick with ready-made soybean tofu.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ysZJF76kNDzxWDHhHUaE4yapOCLxouA83gMJQs3u6qOGiaKgTPPLDAK9-qCI9YDVIQ2nVxV0h0n2NxjoGZoD7uRpwLzVv4hSjkVpaw0U9K0_3DEQK2vptXSqnpWqEK75lhbNkaAzzBK6R-_LTc54-NJ2txUPXG40DjeftC7VUr6c_Y6-OO-SetOv/s2475/61730B96-9CE0-4072-8D29-72D2F98DE677.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2475" data-original-width="2430" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ysZJF76kNDzxWDHhHUaE4yapOCLxouA83gMJQs3u6qOGiaKgTPPLDAK9-qCI9YDVIQ2nVxV0h0n2NxjoGZoD7uRpwLzVv4hSjkVpaw0U9K0_3DEQK2vptXSqnpWqEK75lhbNkaAzzBK6R-_LTc54-NJ2txUPXG40DjeftC7VUr6c_Y6-OO-SetOv/s320/61730B96-9CE0-4072-8D29-72D2F98DE677.jpeg" width="314" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: right;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">GIVE</span></span><b><i><span style="color: #262626; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 217;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Of all the projects for Myanmar listed on the <a href="https://www.globalgiving.org/">GlobalGiving</a> website, the one that
most appealed to me provides technical training in solar power and regenerative
agriculture. According to the project description: “Solar PV systems are now
widely used in Burma, but homeowners have no access to accurate information on
purchase, maintenance and repair of their systems. Rural electrification is set
to expand quickly, but there are few trained technicians available. Synthetic
fertilizers and pesticides are widely used by farmers, but they are unaware of the
negative consequences. Organic farming techniques need to be revived to improve
food quality and safety, and to address soil degradation and soil erosion.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The hope is that this project will bring renewable energy
into people’s homes, reducing their reliance on fossil fuels, and that
transitioning to organic agriculture will lead to more healthy soil, safer and
better quality food, and improved water quality due to decreased nitrogen
run-off. More information about this project is available at </span><a href="https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/http-solarroots-org/" style="font-size: 12pt;">Solar Power
and Regenerative Agriculture in Burma - GlobalGiving</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>NEXT STOP: NAMIBIA</b></span></p><br /></div>Pamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192375534456260749noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2082788843988668755.post-12367216818212426282022-10-31T17:43:00.001-07:002022-10-31T17:43:26.893-07:00MOZAMBIQUE<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0A_YbWLGg6KI0BPGvkH19gyCs9-GouTNT7mnDsfAPL6E3J44n55aR15FB361t4lv81djHUcG9IUaLAF3DsUQlJ4jIhk9-IP8DJ-zM8gy9JAvXLeLPphljLvYspC9Mvf983iFCTap18JJdVBB-kdLd7NHGgM6UarX3JbghnD3zd4bQzHcKNuTuSVB7/s2728/A2C46E32-8C14-4C7F-8513-0F1D641BEC90.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2728" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0A_YbWLGg6KI0BPGvkH19gyCs9-GouTNT7mnDsfAPL6E3J44n55aR15FB361t4lv81djHUcG9IUaLAF3DsUQlJ4jIhk9-IP8DJ-zM8gy9JAvXLeLPphljLvYspC9Mvf983iFCTap18JJdVBB-kdLd7NHGgM6UarX3JbghnD3zd4bQzHcKNuTuSVB7/s320/A2C46E32-8C14-4C7F-8513-0F1D641BEC90.jpeg" width="188" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">READ<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBr6EEfPonH6SdSQlD121_9rZiB2XtlwLVgX-dFsecg-NhvNemOPp7fT3cOKfIdcba40iHF373bvVk5dhSBokGimbaAMIa0FswoelMBCyrMsbkpej4WNsuUuy_N2aO-jJ1d_SJ_ipbSoDfPArdgxAj3eoAlwRCJ9jeo9uKpFBrrlCpSI2bX99VP5nj/s3285/B0531001-00C6-4527-8361-09F389EECDAB.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3285" data-original-width="2803" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBr6EEfPonH6SdSQlD121_9rZiB2XtlwLVgX-dFsecg-NhvNemOPp7fT3cOKfIdcba40iHF373bvVk5dhSBokGimbaAMIa0FswoelMBCyrMsbkpej4WNsuUuy_N2aO-jJ1d_SJ_ipbSoDfPArdgxAj3eoAlwRCJ9jeo9uKpFBrrlCpSI2bX99VP5nj/s320/B0531001-00C6-4527-8361-09F389EECDAB.jpeg" width="273" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It took me awhile to get through <i><a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-first-wife-a-tale-of-polygamy-paulina-chiziane/9430561?ean=9780914671480">The
First Wife: A Tale of Polygamy</a>, </i>written by Paulina Chiziane and
translated by David Brookshaw. The problem wasn’t lack of interest, but the
fact that the book was almost five hundred pages long. I guess the author
needed that many pages to tell the story of Tony, a police chief in Maputo, and
the women and children he accumulated without any thought for the damage caused
by his faithlessness.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Tony and his wife Rami have been married for twenty years and
have five children. Rami is unhappy that Tony is never home, and she has heard
that he has another woman. She goes to confront the other woman,
Julieta, and they end up having a brawl, which Julieta wins because she is
younger and fitter. Julieta tells Rami that Tony seduced her when she was a
young girl, and only after she first became pregnant did he tell her that he
was married. He swore he was going to get a divorce, but that never happened.
Now Julieta has five children by Tony, and another on the way. What’s worse is
that Tony is never around anymore, having moved on to another younger and more
beautiful woman.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Rami finds that woman – Luisa – who has two children with
Tony. They also get into a brawl, which temporarily lands them in jail. But then Luisa
tells Rami that Tony has already moved on to a fourth woman, Saly, and Saly
tells her that he has left her for a fifth woman, Mau</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">á</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">. Overwhelmed, Rami first turns to a wizard to help her win
back Tony’s love, but doesn’t want to use the witchcraft he prescribes. Then
she tries religion, but that doesn’t help either. She comes to a realization: “The
worst of it is that God doesn’t appear to have any wife. If he was married, the
goddess, his wife, would intercede on our behalf.” She laments the low esteem
in which women are held in the part of the country where she lives and tells
her herself: “But the goddess must exist, I keep thinking. She must be as
invisible as all of us. No doubt her space is limited to the celestial kitchen.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">A man that Rami meets through Luisa tells her, “I think all
women should unite with each other against the tyranny of men.” That leads to
Rami’s decision to call a meeting of all of Tony’s women to hatch a plan to
ensure that they are all protected under the law and that they all have a fair
share of Tony’s time. Rami throws a big 50</span><sup>th</sup><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> birthday party for Tony
and invites all the other women, who all dress alike, and all of Tony’s
children, who all dress alike as well, so that everyone at the party will know what
Tony has done. The upshot is that Tony is forced into polygamous marriage
contracts with the four women he’s not legally married to, and now they all
have rights that they didn’t have before.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This doesn’t stop Tony from womanizing, but Rami and the
other four wives form an alliance and help each other, so that they need Tony
less and less. They discover that, “Women should be better friends with each
other, show more solidarity. We are the majority, we’ve got strength on our
side. If we join hands, we can transform the world.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">There are so many great quotes and insights in this book that
I can’t possibly include them all in this post. </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-first-wife-a-tale-of-polygamy-paulina-chiziane/9430561?ean=9780914671480">The
First Wife</a> </i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">is not only Paulina Chiziane’s first novel, it’s the first
novel ever published by a Mozambican woman. I hope she’ll keep writing, as I would
love to read more of her work.</span></p><p></p><p><br /></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">COOK</span></span><b><i><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I was getting a little tired of making soups and stews, so I
decided to make <a href="https://www.196flavors.com/mozambique-bolo-polana-cashew-nuts-cake/">bolo
polana</a>, a Mozambican cake, for this post. This cake contains a couple of
unusual ingredients – mashed potatoes and ground cashews – and I had my work
cut out for me in trying to veganize this recipe, which I found on the 196 Flavors website.
I replaced the butter and eggs with Miyoko’s vegan butter and JUST Egg; used
aquafaba made from canned garbanzo bean liquid in place of egg whites; and
replaced the heavy cream with Silk Dairy Free Heavy Whipping Cream Alternative.
I was a little worried about how the recipe would work with all those
substitutions, but it tasted great.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHqXPoiGTTcuj8Mdl1dQjoG2-EN1QCLPcegsRNJtvKlgkO5irZ3ZZtAvRkYhNqUmcDUdETxwKlQcbxEud_xDVuMi3asDKQaZZUSynC_AZwvxUIEtYs-Xr5cac892Hzt9IwzhzTz8iydgUWNWtQsOL0XoObA0_BIGpY1d4brVGN6728oYW5yT9C474q/s3023/A676C6B8-4BFD-415D-ADED-5FAE4645565E.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2373" data-original-width="3023" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHqXPoiGTTcuj8Mdl1dQjoG2-EN1QCLPcegsRNJtvKlgkO5irZ3ZZtAvRkYhNqUmcDUdETxwKlQcbxEud_xDVuMi3asDKQaZZUSynC_AZwvxUIEtYs-Xr5cac892Hzt9IwzhzTz8iydgUWNWtQsOL0XoObA0_BIGpY1d4brVGN6728oYW5yT9C474q/s320/A676C6B8-4BFD-415D-ADED-5FAE4645565E.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">GIVE</span></span><b><i><span style="color: #262626; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 217;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">There were lots of projects listed for Mozambique on the <a href="https://www.globalgiving.org/">GlobalGiving</a> website. Since my main
focus now is climate change, I chose a fruit tree-planting project from <span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Associa</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">çã</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">o</span></span> Esmabama. According to the project description: “Extreme climate
events such as droughts, floods, and cyclones have been heavily affecting
Mozambique in recent years, putting food security at risk. Agriculture is the
main source of subsistence for the Mozambican families. However, in the past 3
years the production has been compromised causing famine, malnourishment and
low income. Moreover, the access of students and the communities to fruits is insufficient
or at unaffordable prices.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The goal for this project is to plant 1,000 fruit trees,
facilitated by the Medium Agrarian Schools. They will train 260 students to
plant and nurture the trees, with the hope that the communities that are involved will
then be inspired to plant fruit trees of their own, both for sustenance and for
income. More information about this project is available at </span><a href="https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/a-1000-trees-for-mozambique/" style="font-size: 12pt;">Plant
1,000 fruit trees in Mozambique - GlobalGiving</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>NEXT STOP: MYANMAR</b></span></p><br /></div>Pamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192375534456260749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2082788843988668755.post-5804665730986362282022-10-18T17:32:00.001-07:002022-10-18T17:32:45.843-07:00MOROCCO<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSdh93tvTadg8LhGhlqvp9mGFsGANXUFKYAm58jLPg_wUZhrQWp_ZRKqBW6fVhcODaWo1F8pRSMTZiTiPgFVPuKKhI0Ct9Nqi1aHyK7GOXOqwBCpKL44AC2vTOmP5wtGkAOS-xObu2kJAeBUkG0ha5OLH7q1-C9Smp85gO-ONBH5zUgQEqyxbxGhbo/s2261/78F4900E-826B-4523-8A9D-A0D2E294FD0B.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2261" data-original-width="1212" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSdh93tvTadg8LhGhlqvp9mGFsGANXUFKYAm58jLPg_wUZhrQWp_ZRKqBW6fVhcODaWo1F8pRSMTZiTiPgFVPuKKhI0Ct9Nqi1aHyK7GOXOqwBCpKL44AC2vTOmP5wtGkAOS-xObu2kJAeBUkG0ha5OLH7q1-C9Smp85gO-ONBH5zUgQEqyxbxGhbo/s320/78F4900E-826B-4523-8A9D-A0D2E294FD0B.jpeg" width="172" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">READ<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaoTCd6DU2VguSIqFs-rRSAg1fP9CW0hx9XZNiL0zFiITsW-CgnQ83EHkWUFg4PPiBEVZ6mRfesYFy_chNQwksO165ZPpD-UarlvnndfPAWkb0ygTpmGWu8Bv1k1yLFHW-AtPKqPihhF76h1mB-VpealitxO1S26mWbrJlaBbD1G4KriVqgFGuwdR1/s3074/A1775090-7DF6-4BA9-B52F-76FB12A11F85.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3074" data-original-width="2042" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaoTCd6DU2VguSIqFs-rRSAg1fP9CW0hx9XZNiL0zFiITsW-CgnQ83EHkWUFg4PPiBEVZ6mRfesYFy_chNQwksO165ZPpD-UarlvnndfPAWkb0ygTpmGWu8Bv1k1yLFHW-AtPKqPihhF76h1mB-VpealitxO1S26mWbrJlaBbD1G4KriVqgFGuwdR1/s320/A1775090-7DF6-4BA9-B52F-76FB12A11F85.jpeg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/in-the-country-of-others-leila-slimani/16236369?ean=9780143135982">In
the Country of Others</a>, </span></i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">written by Leila Slimani and translated by Sam Taylor, is the story of a
French woman and a Moroccan man who fall in love during World War II. Mathilde is
living with her father and sister in Alsace when she meets Amine, a soldier from
Meknes who is fighting on the side of the French, since Morocco is a French
colony at that time. They fall in love, and when the war is over, Mathilde goes
to live with Amine in Morocco.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">At first, they live with Amine’s mother in Meknes, but
eventually move to a house on a piece of land that had been left to Amine by
his father. He works hard, but he has little success at farming until he
finally settles on growing fruit trees. Even then, their family, which has
grown to include daughter A</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">ï</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">cha and son Selim, never has much
money. Mathilde also works hard, not only with all her domestic duties, but
helping to care for local people who have injuries and illnesses.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">But there are tensions between Amine and Mathilde. She finds
him dour and brutal, and he thinks she’s capricious and frivolous. Mathilde is
troubled by how differently women are treated in Morocco than in France. She
tells her sister “what it was like to live in a world where she had no place, a
world governed by unfair, repulsive rules, where men never had to justify
themselves, where she was not allowed to cry if her feelings were hurt.” But
somehow they muddle along, projecting a united front when they need to.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">To a large extent, the whole family is caught in a sort of
no-man’s-land. When a movement begins for Moroccan independence from France, there
is uncertainty as to how Amine and Mathilde will be perceived. Will their sympathies
lie with the French colonizers or with the Moroccan nationalists? One old
laborer tells Mathilde that she must never open the door if he knocks on it
because, “If I come, it will be to kill you. It will be because I’ve ended up
believing the words of those who say that if you want to go to heaven you must
kill French people.” But the true test will come the night that the
nationalists set fire to the farms owned by Europeans.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Many different themes are addressed in this book – colonialism,
miscegenation, the treatment of women, and racism, among others – which provide
much food for thought. I enjoyed Slimani’s storytelling, and hope to read more
of her books in the future.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">COOK</span></span><b><i><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">During the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, Ramadan is
celebrated, requiring fasting from sunrise to sunset. After the sun goes down,
there is a feast, called iftar, that breaks the fast. When Mathilde arrives in
Meknes, she decides to fast during Ramadan out of respect for her husband and
his family. Her mother-in-law spends every day cooking, and Mathilde wonders “how
anyone could deprive themselves of food while spending their days amid the
aromas of tajines and baking bread.” So I decided to try making a <a href="https://cuisinicity.com/moroccan-tagine-vegan/">vegan tajine</a> using a
recipe I found on the Cuisinicity website. The main ingredients were potatoes,
sweet potatoes, olives, and chickpeas, simmered with a variety of spices. The
recipe made a ton of food, so I’m glad I like it well enough to look forward
to eating the leftovers.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGewyUbURhwKdfHekVcRgLP_rbPbKndLVNoYZzXnYAI3lWcFQK7JSUILfPdGr5HjSckpnPNAiRxuQUERhk90l6_x9zav4G4qHVJvD-ufy1w9rkWXpv572e2QAovtLam3_cQ7qDCjxNtFQ0orSG5er-gkTcYSW4tp3XkR-eP5waEiRz-pBKOz3-baB3/s2683/0FE9F70F-FBA5-4690-8802-B5C943EA2831.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2641" data-original-width="2683" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGewyUbURhwKdfHekVcRgLP_rbPbKndLVNoYZzXnYAI3lWcFQK7JSUILfPdGr5HjSckpnPNAiRxuQUERhk90l6_x9zav4G4qHVJvD-ufy1w9rkWXpv572e2QAovtLam3_cQ7qDCjxNtFQ0orSG5er-gkTcYSW4tp3XkR-eP5waEiRz-pBKOz3-baB3/s320/0FE9F70F-FBA5-4690-8802-B5C943EA2831.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">GIVE</span></span><b><i><span style="color: #262626; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 217;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.globalgiving.org/">GlobalGiving</a> had
several listings for Morocco on their website, many of which are projects of
the <a href="https://highatlasfoundation.org/">High Atlas Foundation</a>. According
to their website, the High Atlas Foundation is “[c]ommitted to furthering
sustainable development & supporting Moroccan communities to take action in
implementing human development initiatives.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The project I chose to support would help to build and maintain
an argan tree nursery and forest in </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">the
city of Essaouira. If you’ve ever seen pictures of trees full of goats, it’s
likely that the trees the goats had climbed were argans. The project
description states that “[a]rgan trees are endemic to Morocco and are vital to
maximizing prosperity, food security and biodiversity in the nation’s region of
Essaouira. Its processing into oil and sale conducted by women’s cooperatives
empower them and their families, and provides markets a medicinal and delicious
food product in high demand.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">More information about this project is available at </span><a href="https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/argan-nursery-and-forest-essaouira/" style="font-size: 12pt;">Argan
Nursery and Forest in Essaouira, Morocco - GlobalGiving</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>NEXT STOP: MOZAMBIQUE</b></span></p><br /></div>Pamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192375534456260749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2082788843988668755.post-41888989342736643682022-10-09T19:05:00.000-07:002022-10-09T19:05:46.283-07:00MONTENEGRO<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHnB2VRW6eMpAG4o10lPslcx8UW-Jf-sgXfz9qyXv9KhtmEVxJp35D8rI9_nPU6lfCZoH5ImYFGYkF3sKnDqqA84DPXXl_ShuQB6Hjk9BgA_GxR_BbEDwAjICEsVOKNK5jFgCucrObn3kfSEU7tesq2ZyR0t3cjCOhe7woCLF7mXkhufNJqTplp9ZL/s653/F5BDCE90-C074-4FF0-8AC9-3CC13DB7863F.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="653" data-original-width="416" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHnB2VRW6eMpAG4o10lPslcx8UW-Jf-sgXfz9qyXv9KhtmEVxJp35D8rI9_nPU6lfCZoH5ImYFGYkF3sKnDqqA84DPXXl_ShuQB6Hjk9BgA_GxR_BbEDwAjICEsVOKNK5jFgCucrObn3kfSEU7tesq2ZyR0t3cjCOhe7woCLF7mXkhufNJqTplp9ZL/s320/F5BDCE90-C074-4FF0-8AC9-3CC13DB7863F.jpeg" width="204" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">READ<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgnQw-i3wVC54hoA0fg4PwiBbNVHUuPCSLMiuJz_xFV-3euDNfrS63361Bok_FxxQtb8ZezG90ReXbmTH8ZQT8F2m2FhurRhq2yslG_jUihvn2GZ3Y7Qm7XirEfOrfy8YmGQiGdg4v_p_jesl4vLBSDqSPE0jV3bcJIG2-PYBi6ZZv1xq0chiAqbU6/s3597/DEB4ECC5-56A7-4369-A8DB-7B73C711096A.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3597" data-original-width="2293" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgnQw-i3wVC54hoA0fg4PwiBbNVHUuPCSLMiuJz_xFV-3euDNfrS63361Bok_FxxQtb8ZezG90ReXbmTH8ZQT8F2m2FhurRhq2yslG_jUihvn2GZ3Y7Qm7XirEfOrfy8YmGQiGdg4v_p_jesl4vLBSDqSPE0jV3bcJIG2-PYBi6ZZv1xq0chiAqbU6/s320/DEB4ECC5-56A7-4369-A8DB-7B73C711096A.jpeg" width="204" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Montenegro was hard. Finding a book to read was a challenge,
as was finding a recipe I could veganize and an organization for my donation.
Fortunately, there are lots of other people who are doing a reading-the-world
project, so I checked to see what some of them had come up with. Lillian and
Henriette, who write the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/readingtheworld.whitingadventures.co.uk/about">Stories
of the World</a> blog, had discovered a book called <i><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/hansen-s-children/9781908236081">Hansen’s
Children</a>, </i>written by Ognjen Spahi</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ć</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> and translated by Will Firth, so I ordered a copy.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">The title, <i><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/hansen-s-children/9781908236081">Hansen’s Children</a></i>,
refers to people who suffer from leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease. The book’s
unnamed narrator lives in the last leprosarium in Europe, located in Tichile</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">şti, Romania, isolated along with several
other people afflicted with the disease. When he arrives at the leprosarium,
the narrator “realised that I was not being sent for treatment but being
prepared for a different journey to somewhere outside the rules of this world,
which could more appropriately be termed ‘illness in isolation’ than a medical
treatment.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The
narrator’s roommate is an American from Georgia by the name of Robert W.
Duncan. The narrator says of Robert, “He bore the cross of leprosy with
dignity, refusing to be a disease in human form, like so many others, and
insisting on being a human infected with Hansen’s bacillus.” They get along
well, and Robert spends a fair amount of time plotting ways for them to escape
from the leprosarium. He believes that the International Red Cross driver,
Martin Smooth, who brings them periodic care packages, will help them get away.
Of course, the real problem is figuring out where they will go and what they
will do once they get there. Leprosy is not a disease that can be hidden from
people, at least, not for very long.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">When
a small group of people is forced to live together in close proximity to one
another, with little or no interaction with people outside the group, there is
always a question as to how they will react. Will they take care of each other?
Prey on each other? Both? In the leprosarium at Tichileşti, the residents work
cooperatively at the chores that fall to them, and the narrator and Robert look
after some of the older people living in their midst. Many residents seem to
keep to themselves as much as possible. But there are also times when things
turn nasty, as happens when the narrator, who is the de facto leader of the
group, is challenged by another resident at a time when the narrator is ill.
They are essentially self-policing inside the leprosarium, which requires
acceptance by everyone concerned, and that acceptance is not always forthcoming.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">While
the residents have practically no interaction with the outside world, they can
see a factory nearby where the workers are starting to get caught up in a
rebellion that’s occurring throughout the country – dissatisfaction with the rule
of Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu. The eventual arrest, conviction, and
execution of Ceauşescu and his wife in December of 1989 bring about changes in
Romania and somehow trickle down to disrupt life at the leprosarium as well.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I
learned a lot from </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/hansen-s-children/9781908236081">Hansen’s
Children</a> </i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">about the impact a diagnosis of leprosy has on the person who
receives it. Between the effects of the disease on the human body and the
ostracization by society, leprosy has been responsible for taking away from
those who have it so much of what is important in life. Things appear to be
changing as doctors and scientists learn more about the disease. Treatments are
available now, and leprosy has been discovered to be not as highly contagious
as had been thought previously, which means that a diagnosis of leprosy doesn’t
necessarily lead to banishment from society. Even so, as of 2019, there were
still nine inhabitants of the leprosarium in Tichileşti.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">COOK</span></span><b><i><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Meat
and cheese seem to be staples of the Montenegrin diet, so I was happy when I found
a <a href="https://www.196flavors.com/montenegro-cream-of-mushroom-soup/">cream
of mushroom soup</a> recipe on the 196 Flavors website that didn’t involve
either of those ingredients. I veganized the recipe by substituting a
combination of soy milk and cornstarch for the heavy cream, and I finished it
off with a dollop of Trader Joe’s vegan sour cream alternative. I’ll definitely
want to make another batch of this when the weather gets a little cooler.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpcphFDxKvJLX88P6Ueg45Uim0mbU2l-X6EkwNJZFPfywRiq5jBbH6Z5AEhsINRwZahJOI19TjmjHH_fgRdKe7KlAkYO_aWxyKD8CW-U3Vqx1d3uumPjOfxPNnyxSgb6Fq7eYqmAseLYMhQFs-G8L_wN82It-fR4nYs26dbPv6aTBqaMwmLiqpi47u/s3407/87D08FA8-059D-4838-9A64-374F2EF808FC.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2583" data-original-width="3407" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpcphFDxKvJLX88P6Ueg45Uim0mbU2l-X6EkwNJZFPfywRiq5jBbH6Z5AEhsINRwZahJOI19TjmjHH_fgRdKe7KlAkYO_aWxyKD8CW-U3Vqx1d3uumPjOfxPNnyxSgb6Fq7eYqmAseLYMhQFs-G8L_wN82It-fR4nYs26dbPv6aTBqaMwmLiqpi47u/s320/87D08FA8-059D-4838-9A64-374F2EF808FC.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">GIVE</span></span><b><i><span style="color: #262626; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 217;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I
had a terrible time finding an organization or project in Montenegro that I
could contribute to. <a href="https://www.globalgiving.org/">GlobalGiving</a> didn’t have anything in
Montenegro, so I turned to the Internet. When a Google search of Montenegrin
charities didn’t turn up anything useful, I started looking for GoFundMe
projects. That’s where I found Pristaniste Foundation, which is helping
Ukrainian refugees who are coming to Montenegro to escape Russia’s assault on their country, as well as “people
from Belarus and Russia who are fleeing persecution because of their anti-war
beliefs.” The Pristaniste Foundation is using the money raised through GoFundMe
to provide temporary housing, food, medicine, SIM cards, and other financial
assistance. More information on this project is available at this <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/aeqbu-pristaniste?qid=efc7f78c53fb2e395c0a2e85059e6813">link</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>NEXT STOP: MOROCCO</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>Pamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192375534456260749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2082788843988668755.post-11561797731607405132022-10-01T18:13:00.001-07:002022-10-01T18:13:56.612-07:00MONGOLIA<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9GLZmUwoAfetf-nD9O6xI74-hsm2uFzakOpnENJ4ljohs7DeNnjj99r-_EhMzXSjRY_6LB9Dtvr26inUrC802bnpH--9Z_bcHY8sSC1luXnr51uuL6P26CTz9e9atolOISSBiJehLw-mUYWeHOzpjhjez0oc28Pxk3xr2tCOJADor5L--3dEcylQd/s3078/8EB4CDCB-9808-48FF-98D2-B754C209F998.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3078" data-original-width="2115" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9GLZmUwoAfetf-nD9O6xI74-hsm2uFzakOpnENJ4ljohs7DeNnjj99r-_EhMzXSjRY_6LB9Dtvr26inUrC802bnpH--9Z_bcHY8sSC1luXnr51uuL6P26CTz9e9atolOISSBiJehLw-mUYWeHOzpjhjez0oc28Pxk3xr2tCOJADor5L--3dEcylQd/s320/8EB4CDCB-9808-48FF-98D2-B754C209F998.jpeg" width="220" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">READ<o:p></o:p></span></span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgppIRSAv58kFMH1NwhsHV8PD5kGjQ1fE1PGwYwFRFYG9jeSGQdaJfZKwKRKtgEHCOZWIfaNLb83tOn9zfyhCQmv8hnfRnvm2lN51DhEfZhccWeKf6juBaMa_dpKgWeWYkZ38XuaX7QLPb-_XlowtegogGU_k8fmeZmgroMF0II-qRyvn4lnp9MuaWS/s2659/FEB9F4F1-7926-49F6-9643-BFF20BF19C47.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2659" data-original-width="1771" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgppIRSAv58kFMH1NwhsHV8PD5kGjQ1fE1PGwYwFRFYG9jeSGQdaJfZKwKRKtgEHCOZWIfaNLb83tOn9zfyhCQmv8hnfRnvm2lN51DhEfZhccWeKf6juBaMa_dpKgWeWYkZ38XuaX7QLPb-_XlowtegogGU_k8fmeZmgroMF0II-qRyvn4lnp9MuaWS/s320/FEB9F4F1-7926-49F6-9643-BFF20BF19C47.jpeg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/the-blue-sky/9781571310644">The Blue Sky</a>, </span></i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">written by Galsan Tschinag and
translated by Katharina Rout, is an autobiographical novel, the first in a
trilogy. The author, a shaman and a tribal chieftain, grew up among the Tuvan
people of northern Mongolia.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The book follows a young shepherd named Dshurukuwaa as he and
his nomadic family eke out a living in the unforgiving Altai Mountains. He
lives with his parents and his older sister and brother, but the beings he
cherishes most in the world are an old woman that was adopted into the family
to be their grandma, and his dog Arsylang. They live in a yurt in a small
community made up of other family members, moving their yurts “through the four
seasons and across the four rivers, from the mountains into the steppe, over to
the other mountains, to the lake, and back.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Dshurukuwaa’s job is to mind his family’s sheep, taking them
out in the morning to look for food, observing their behavior, watching out for
danger, and bring them home safely at night, always with Arsylang at his side.
This is particularly difficult during one especially harsh winter, when food
for the sheep is scarce and the freezing temperatures devastate the flock.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">When the older children leave for school, where they will
stay except for occasional school breaks, Dshurukuwaa’s existence becomes quite
solitary. He misses his sister and brother and can’t understand why his father
sent them away. “And so I cried, and in crying, I knew that I, too, would have
to go away one day.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">While Dshurukuwaa and his family worship Father Sky (G</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">ö</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">k-Deeri), their earthly dealings are guided by their socialist
government, which has strong ties to the Soviet Union. Mongolia had allied
itself with Russia after Russia helped Mongolia gain its independence from
China in the 1920s. The government introduces the people to the concept of money,
and tells them how they may get more of it – “by hunting wild animals and birds
and delivering the kill to the district. Or by cutting tall, straight trees and
rafting them down the river to the district center.” </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The attempt to kill wild animals – in this case, wolves and
foxes – results in a tragedy for young Dshurukuwaa and causes him to reject
Father Sky.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/the-blue-sky/9781571310644" style="font-style: italic;">The Blue Sky</a> i</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">s a fascinating look into a way of
life that’s so different from our own. There are many heartwarming moments,
especially with respect to Dshurukuwaa’s love for Grandma and his companionship
with his dog. There are also horrifying moments, particularly those involving the
suffering of animals. The book is an intimate, authentic account of life among the
nomadic Tuvan people, and Dshurukuwaa is a character who will stay with me for
some time.</span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">COOK</span></span><b><i><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">While bread, dumplings, and pancakes are mentioned in <i><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/the-blue-sky/9781571310644">The Blue Sky</a></i>,
it’s clear that the mainstay of the Tuvan diet is meat. I wasn’t sure what to expect
when I searched the Internet for a vegan or veganizable Mongolian dish, so I
was thrilled when I found a recipe at The Viet Vegan website for <a href="https://thevietvegan.com/vegan-mongolian-beef/">Vegan Mongolian Beef</a>.
The “beef” is made with soy curls, a product I’d never used before and didn’t even
know where to buy. I found <a href="https://www.butlerfoods.com/products.html">Butler
Foods Soy Curls</a> online and ordered several packages.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I have mixed feelings about the dish. On the one hand, it was
pretty terrific and I’m glad it made a big batch so I’ll have leftovers. On the
other hand, it was so much trouble to make, and clean-up afterwards was such a
chore, that I’ll probably never make it again. I’ll be looking for easier recipes
for my remaining packages of soy curls!</span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWhcqy-aef4YamodmHWNPP0PZgnJKJx-U8mXLx4sjDhmosjTGCWgQ_4JY-8q3gNH_i84GL2rXTU_toLjGwvWAmmYCcaXbUNXOrznEru7jJbuBzay6UxvjY2SujAeYzJj9THEg0u_YBvn68ZmE0419h6rB9k7P3t-0oLcgoZ0ZRg2bMCnN9BX-PdmVc/s3023/D270ED56-F1E5-459A-B3F0-59F3831B0A12.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3023" data-original-width="2999" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWhcqy-aef4YamodmHWNPP0PZgnJKJx-U8mXLx4sjDhmosjTGCWgQ_4JY-8q3gNH_i84GL2rXTU_toLjGwvWAmmYCcaXbUNXOrznEru7jJbuBzay6UxvjY2SujAeYzJj9THEg0u_YBvn68ZmE0419h6rB9k7P3t-0oLcgoZ0ZRg2bMCnN9BX-PdmVc/s320/D270ED56-F1E5-459A-B3F0-59F3831B0A12.jpeg" width="317" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">GIVE</span></span><b><i><span style="color: #262626; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 217;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p></div><div><br /></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In looking at the three projects <a href="https://www.globalgiving.org/">GlobalGiving</a> listed on their website
for Mongolia, I knew immediately which one I wanted to support – the one that
involves protecting snow leopards. I’ve viewed them with awe ever since reading
Peter Matthiessen’s masterpiece, <i>The Snow Leopard,</i> many years ago.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The project, which is being undertaken by the David Shepherd
Wildlife Foundation, seeks to end the killing of snow leopards by farmers protecting
their livestock, and the capture and killing of snow leopards for the illegal
wildlife trade. The project includes “community-based income-generation
initiatives designed to support both wildlife and local communities who share a
common habitat, education to raise conservation awareness, and rigorous
research towards gaining a better understanding of snow leopard ecology. More
information about this project is available at </span><a href="https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/protecting-snow-leopards/" style="font-size: 12pt;">Protecting
Snow Leopards - GlobalGiving</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>NEXT STOP: MONTENEGRO</b></span></p></div><div><br /></div><br /> <p></p>Pamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192375534456260749noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2082788843988668755.post-37856542395705283552022-09-20T16:53:00.000-07:002022-09-20T16:53:12.907-07:00MONACO<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJcdvGFsKcnw1WNAib12obGh7IN96w8TOB1_TAISCV-6xZw1OpY1nDgNgSXCalMAIUfDGtmDJ57bTa4ESnOMd0kJ8PdRYpsS3S-wQiZyUFvvVZpuJXUyzSQO6xBTBXWhTP5muV0-WqwBT712kv022oms6D4KjikjrgMWuU23xLUJdVO9t0kOEjOUY6/s1163/025D5675-CDDE-477A-A207-C1D32E142E93.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1163" data-original-width="612" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJcdvGFsKcnw1WNAib12obGh7IN96w8TOB1_TAISCV-6xZw1OpY1nDgNgSXCalMAIUfDGtmDJ57bTa4ESnOMd0kJ8PdRYpsS3S-wQiZyUFvvVZpuJXUyzSQO6xBTBXWhTP5muV0-WqwBT712kv022oms6D4KjikjrgMWuU23xLUJdVO9t0kOEjOUY6/s320/025D5675-CDDE-477A-A207-C1D32E142E93.jpeg" width="168" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">READ<o:p></o:p></span></span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkbCTyfhBJBmez7uYkUlIXAqzmz3qJeBJFwUSEXz4to9sj4OvqYnCMHxfa6mHWY7cIZpof9oDaQgECvIMl2f8YE5tpoWRALSSfUbaaMdqxOi2oTtKPajNGZpLPHHffc9VUkF0L1Jvw50B-BDl5blOqOklp8V5ui5uPTvVWphx0a5jeUPfjzZ4cu2pf/s2890/ADBB5291-14F7-4D09-BA1F-C9B1D3E05908.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2890" data-original-width="1989" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkbCTyfhBJBmez7uYkUlIXAqzmz3qJeBJFwUSEXz4to9sj4OvqYnCMHxfa6mHWY7cIZpof9oDaQgECvIMl2f8YE5tpoWRALSSfUbaaMdqxOi2oTtKPajNGZpLPHHffc9VUkF0L1Jvw50B-BDl5blOqOklp8V5ui5uPTvVWphx0a5jeUPfjzZ4cu2pf/s320/ADBB5291-14F7-4D09-BA1F-C9B1D3E05908.jpeg" width="220" /></a></div><br /> <div><br /></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Trying to find a book to read for Monaco was no easy feat. The
best that Ann Morgan, who was my inspiration for this blog, was able to come up
with was a biography of Princess Grace. So I was thrilled when I found out that
an author born in Monaco had written a thriller in English. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">My excitement didn’t even last through the first chapter. </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/the-datura-solution/9781494376512">The Datura
Solution</a>, </i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">by Patrick Faure, was pretty terrible. The protagonist is a
man named Max Foreman, who is part of some sort of black ops mission for the
United States, even though he is from Monaco. The first part of the book, which
has virtually no connection to the second part of the book, follows his exploits
during a mission that goes bad in Algeria, forcing Max to sneak into Morocco
and then later flee to Spain. As nearly as I can tell, the only purpose for the
first 155 pages is to place Max at the location where he will meet Elena
McMillan, the wife of the U.S. Ambassador to Spain.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Elena is a beautiful young Russian woman, a former model, who
was previously married to the extremely rich oligarch, Oleksandr Krasnaief.
When he dies suddenly, she marries her lover, a U.S. diplomat named George McMillan.
McMillan is a thoroughly despicable man, a womanizer whose reason for wanting
to marry Elena is to get his hands on the billions of dollars left to her by
her late husband. With the help of Elena’s money and connections, he becomes the
Ambassador to Spain.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">His own loathsomeness and Elena’s growing fondness for Max,
who rescues her from a life-threatening situation, help to prevent George from
getting his hands on Elena’s fortune. A battle ensues.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This book was riddled with errors – proofing, grammatical,
and translation – which made reading it a challenge. Add to that various plot
inconsistencies, lurid and disgusting sex and torture scenes, and confusing
action sequences and you end up with a book that is not worth the purchase
price. I was horrified to see it described online as “Book 1 in the Max Foreman
Series,” which means the author is working on a second book.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I learned nothing about Monaco from <i><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/the-datura-solution/9781494376512">The Datura
Solution</a>, </i>and I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone. For others who are
doing a reading-the-world challenge, I hope a better book by a Mon</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">é</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">gasque author is available by the time you’re ready to read a
book from Monaco.</span></p></div><div><br /><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">COOK</span></span><b><i><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In searching the Internet for a Mon</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">é</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">gasque dish to prepare, I discovered a popular street food
snack called <a href="http://globaltableadventure.com/recipe/chickpea-crepes-socca/">socca</a>.
Made with chickpea flour, socca is a type of savory crepe. The recipe I found
on the Global Table Adventure website could not have been any easier. Like the
creator of the recipe, I didn’t have any chickpea flour, but I did have garbanzo
fava flour. Unfortunately, I wasn’t a fan of the socca. If I found a vendor
selling it on the streets of Monte Carlo, I’d definitely buy some, though, if
only to find out what it’s really supposed to taste like.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg1W_RrR1TUwe3xDQ8h9HBImeyWQGFuOC9dAS4wywNAJ7S_reSx2TBxK8gH9Dsy9Bn0FXQWgw7JZPWvwAfCgIpZA1jUEptRr65A9Pd8kFIxhwdSa8KwKp5xD0Dg3COUBCw6EwhvrX4AERxNKXJpxq1jSxbTmnSE5Fzgkiv4e8kPFQR9-WYiHVip5nA/s2739/DA7B48C1-62FF-4E63-89F0-FAFC723797D4.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2739" data-original-width="2727" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg1W_RrR1TUwe3xDQ8h9HBImeyWQGFuOC9dAS4wywNAJ7S_reSx2TBxK8gH9Dsy9Bn0FXQWgw7JZPWvwAfCgIpZA1jUEptRr65A9Pd8kFIxhwdSa8KwKp5xD0Dg3COUBCw6EwhvrX4AERxNKXJpxq1jSxbTmnSE5Fzgkiv4e8kPFQR9-WYiHVip5nA/s320/DA7B48C1-62FF-4E63-89F0-FAFC723797D4.jpeg" width="319" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">GIVE</span></span><b><i><span style="color: #262626; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 217;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">My donation to the country of Monaco went to the Institut Oc</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">é</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">anographique, which seeks to educate people about the
importance of the oceans and the need to protect them. It was founded in 1906
by Prince Albert I, and continues to be supported by the current Prince Albert
and the government of Monaco. The Institut Oc</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">é</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">anographique includes a museum with
an aquarium and other natural history exhibits. More information about the
Institut Oc</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">é</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">anographique is available at: <a href="https://www.oceano.org/en/">L'Institut Océanographique de Monaco,
Fondation Albert 1er. (oceano.org)</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>NEXT STOP: MONGOLIA</b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><br /></div></div>Pamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192375534456260749noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2082788843988668755.post-29955958675611028092022-09-05T15:45:00.001-07:002022-09-05T15:45:31.375-07:00MOLDOVA<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTV0OtATwTFGgl6_X6Vs9HKvhl7424a4vaspEE-D_YM-yrSbaNkUzOZF5ljzt9k4mDVaC3gZJjaVBmPMyk1WCSJNqb0Tcu8zBjTmYSoUk3nGOUQGS3hy8GHMVYuKP9RNEyqPDQaSsSBEKAUqdcVS_rYLFhUO_DR3c0cfrcZSCAp41epPvgnRRx-NVY/s1004/8B83F044-F002-4416-A7A2-FD265328AF30.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1004" data-original-width="574" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTV0OtATwTFGgl6_X6Vs9HKvhl7424a4vaspEE-D_YM-yrSbaNkUzOZF5ljzt9k4mDVaC3gZJjaVBmPMyk1WCSJNqb0Tcu8zBjTmYSoUk3nGOUQGS3hy8GHMVYuKP9RNEyqPDQaSsSBEKAUqdcVS_rYLFhUO_DR3c0cfrcZSCAp41epPvgnRRx-NVY/s320/8B83F044-F002-4416-A7A2-FD265328AF30.jpeg" width="183" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">READ<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEs1AoevL_fpgpd9IrWn8Y6SwR1k1Ev1PcVFIbBm25rleUQjHz1NDMzMeP5oyGHy1sbEDx6EgoBhhQeO06JCNWzkOmc_G2SQ4JbnQPtVJAEmKxMXKmJ7DyePoORIVGOJd5Vx1tIZyrg5SK6o9MDlAj8cDyvVamTRNV8l-7xieKgf2WJgnMimtVAouK/s3215/E4A9965A-BD9D-4E36-B50F-1F8E461E7147.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3215" data-original-width="2093" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEs1AoevL_fpgpd9IrWn8Y6SwR1k1Ev1PcVFIbBm25rleUQjHz1NDMzMeP5oyGHy1sbEDx6EgoBhhQeO06JCNWzkOmc_G2SQ4JbnQPtVJAEmKxMXKmJ7DyePoORIVGOJd5Vx1tIZyrg5SK6o9MDlAj8cDyvVamTRNV8l-7xieKgf2WJgnMimtVAouK/s320/E4A9965A-BD9D-4E36-B50F-1F8E461E7147.jpeg" width="208" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The title of the book I chose for Moldova pretty well sums up the theme of the plot: <i><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/the-good-life-elsewhere/9781939931016">The
Good Life Elsewhere</a>,</i> written by Vladimir Lorchenkov and translated by
Ross Ufberg. The book is both funny and tragic, peopled with characters who
want to live almost anywhere except where they actually reside, the village of
Larga in Moldova.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Their ultimate wish is to move to Italy, thanks in large part
to a villager named Serafim, who has been reading about Italy and learning
Italian for twenty years. The people of Larga believe that a person can earn a
thousand euros a month working as a housekeeper, compared to the pittance they’re
able to earn in Larga.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">In the book’s opening chapter, a few dozen villagers who paid
four thousand euros each to human smugglers think that they have finally
reached the land of their dreams. “They’d left behind the poverty, the Moldovan
devastation, the repellent earth that, no matter which way you worked it, when
you planted corn you reaped just the husks.” The villagers’ elation is
short-lived, however, when they discover they have not been delivered to Rome
as they’d been promised.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The problem is that Italy doesn’t want them. Visa
applications from citizens of Moldova are routinely denied by the Italian
government. One Italian diplomat tells another as they work their way through a
pile of visa applications, “Not a single Moldovan citizen gets a visa these
days allowing him to stay in our country, let alone tourist or work visas.
Still, we’ve got two hundred thousand Moldovans.” They won’t even grant visas
to Moldovan Members of Parliament or the Moldovan President because they’re
convinced that, once they get a toe-hold in Italy, they won’t leave.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Regardless of whether they’re wanted in Italy or not, the villagers
of Larga continue dreaming up ways to go there, and subsequent plots become
increasingly brazen and bizarre. Soon, it’s not only people from Larga but
citizens throughout Moldova who are trying to flee their country for the good
life in Italy. One man tries to warn people that their vision of Italy is an
illusion, and that pining after it is keeping them from improving their lot in
Moldova. That speech doesn’t end well for him.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The absurd plots that are hatched by the villagers are what gives the book its humor. A tractor that’s turned
into an airplane, then later into a submarine, in order to infiltrate Italy by
air or by sea; a crusade by tens of thousands of Moldovans trying to claim
Italy for Eastern Orthodox Christians; and the effort by several people to learn
the sport of curling so they can travel to Italy for a curling competition are
just a few of the plans that are attempted.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">After reading </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/the-good-life-elsewhere/9781939931016">The
Good Life Elsewhere</a>, </i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I can only hope that real life in Moldova isn’t as
abysmal as the life portrayed in the book!</span></p><p><br /></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">COOK</span></span><b><i><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Food was barely mentioned in <i><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/the-good-life-elsewhere/9781939931016">The
Good Life Elsewhere</a>, </i>so I searched the Internet for a Moldovan dish. I found a recipe for <a href="https://www.peacecorps.gov/educators/resources/recipe-sarmale/">sarmale</a>, stuffed cabbage rolls, on the Peace Corps website. I substituted ground
vegan OmniPork for the ground pork in the recipe, and I used JUST Egg in place
of the egg. This recipe was very labor-intensive and took a lot of time to
make, so I wish I could say I really liked it. Alas, that would be a lie. You
win some, you lose some.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvwDUz4U4pPTnQc2eRrz3z2HN8rp-rTSfUTINtmHuwVtqArf2scD4vugCWduuA4XkT5bUzrMwTl8NgBtsDmrMy2G9gMhUSQS-bSaKvGnYGb1fDTxD1UEyFdVWcIuVdczAS-28aF8mlJqxH1yf3Jvyciq4wlTe9peobx_9TOoqRsVD7de0lgnXTBBkV/s2786/29D0A162-59D4-4ED0-96F5-49F4CA957966.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2066" data-original-width="2786" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvwDUz4U4pPTnQc2eRrz3z2HN8rp-rTSfUTINtmHuwVtqArf2scD4vugCWduuA4XkT5bUzrMwTl8NgBtsDmrMy2G9gMhUSQS-bSaKvGnYGb1fDTxD1UEyFdVWcIuVdczAS-28aF8mlJqxH1yf3Jvyciq4wlTe9peobx_9TOoqRsVD7de0lgnXTBBkV/s320/29D0A162-59D4-4ED0-96F5-49F4CA957966.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">GIVE</span></span><b><i><span style="color: #262626; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 217;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.globalgiving.org/">GlobalGiving</a>’s
website listed a project for Moldova that caught my attention: the construction
of an environmental training center in an emerging Eco-village. The project’s
description is like a real-life depiction of the problems facing the villagers
of Larga in <i><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/the-good-life-elsewhere/9781939931016">The
Good Life Elsewhere</a></i>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">“Lack of knowledge and industrial agriculture have degraded
Moldova’s previously fertile black soils. Inefficiently built houses make it
extremely hard for people to pay ever-rising energy bills. Trust and social
cohesion in communities is crumpling and youth see no opportunities. This
leaves people hopeless and drives migration, especially from rural areas. In 20
years about a quarter of [the] population moved abroad. Very few positive
examples of building vibrant resilient communities are visible.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The environmental training center proposed in this project “will
serve as a regional hub for practical education in the fields of organic agriculture,
energy efficiency, eco-construction and community development.” It is hoped
that the project “will support the local community through job creation and
educational opportunities.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">More information about this project is available at: </span><a href="https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/build-an-eco-training-center-in-rural-moldova/" style="font-size: 12pt;">Build
an environmental training center in Moldova - GlobalGiving</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">.</span></p><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>NEXT STOP: MONACO</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>Pamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192375534456260749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2082788843988668755.post-75915099452265419812022-08-27T14:56:00.000-07:002022-08-27T14:56:43.238-07:00MICRONESIA<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOutw3teTEtLL2aFYDDszzU-dYRThmeZ4qj7ku2InU4E9yqqhJGZq0vUER393LgDPCtMo0iVrJseHwjR7JNInt4aXs7nFqm91Tj-O33fuYtsbZ6wcIPk4G2vfyBp8LcM58U-KcxfZ5EbHxKcecBGvtbWLz9j3JqukXhv3cJCmm3yOvUPeeUjKX2g-K/s2875/718F7F73-BE38-4EDB-8B09-EBE32850CE40.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2875" data-original-width="2018" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOutw3teTEtLL2aFYDDszzU-dYRThmeZ4qj7ku2InU4E9yqqhJGZq0vUER393LgDPCtMo0iVrJseHwjR7JNInt4aXs7nFqm91Tj-O33fuYtsbZ6wcIPk4G2vfyBp8LcM58U-KcxfZ5EbHxKcecBGvtbWLz9j3JqukXhv3cJCmm3yOvUPeeUjKX2g-K/s320/718F7F73-BE38-4EDB-8B09-EBE32850CE40.jpeg" width="225" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">READ<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe4RDGwtL1dldgzjsAQwSRu2zvf2mvDVjqXeVMneLuCvRpPogW16IRQ7FQjLHrUwBNa56j8a1a8JG2w2YfJofSdULAR_mPPbtWMbiBS0HSfv7OjmJc5uCSJjoJu5od0OVYUHy2svS2R2D6SJB1cV2GQJYSTTVuQ6fT57CrZiK8IwRzMvJ72GVEQvtX/s3457/2D142968-5EE7-40ED-A175-C519897692B3.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3457" data-original-width="2250" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe4RDGwtL1dldgzjsAQwSRu2zvf2mvDVjqXeVMneLuCvRpPogW16IRQ7FQjLHrUwBNa56j8a1a8JG2w2YfJofSdULAR_mPPbtWMbiBS0HSfv7OjmJc5uCSJjoJu5od0OVYUHy2svS2R2D6SJB1cV2GQJYSTTVuQ6fT57CrZiK8IwRzMvJ72GVEQvtX/s320/2D142968-5EE7-40ED-A175-C519897692B3.jpeg" width="208" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I’m aware of only one book from the Federated States of Micronesia
that’s been translated into English, which is why I ended up paying an
exorbitant sum of money to an online bookseller for a used copy of <i><a href="https://openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au/handle/1885/114853">The Book
of Luelen</a>, </i>written or dictated by Luelen Bernart and translated and
edited by John L. Fischer, Saul H. Riesenberg, and Marjorie G. Whiting. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This book recounts folk stories and other facts about the
Micronesian state of Ponape, now known as Pohnpei. These stories were collected
and recorded between 1934 and 1946 by Bernart, who was “concerned that
Ponapeans of later times should know their own culture and the events of their
past.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">While the stories circle around a bit, and are often repetitive,
they essentially describe how people first came to Ponape and how their society
progressed. According to legend, a man named Japkini made a very large and very
deep canoe, with the help of two women – Lipalikini and Lijapikini. They and
several other people went on a voyage in the canoe, looking for land. They
eventually came to a coral reef, which they built upon to form a piece of land
they called Ponpei.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The stories are full of cannibals, giants, demons, and
spirits. In addition to these folk tales, however, there are entire chapters
listing the various types of flora on the island and the uses for the flora –
food, medicine, fiber, oil, and building material, to name a few. Bernart
includes information about what people wore and what they ate. He discusses how
the land was divided and who the rulers were; which spirits or gods were
worshipped and who were their priests.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">There are also chapters about the foreigners who came to
Ponape, both as rulers and as visitors. Apparently, more ships came to Ponape
from America than other lands. Foreigners brought tobacco, alcohol, and
firearms to the island, and according to Bernart, “[t]he inhabitants of Ponape
did not like foreign ways.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">H. E. Maude, a British Colonial Service administrator,
historian, and anthropologist, explains in the foreword “the paramount importance
of local oral tradition: as an offset to racist bias in European literature,
and as our main source for reconstructing the history of the immediately
pre-European contact period.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">As a layperson, I have to admit that I found </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au/handle/1885/114853">The Book
of Luelen</a></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> to be somewhat tedious, but for anthropologists and
historians, I’m sure it provides a wealth of information.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">COOK</span></span><b><i><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">According to <i><a href="https://openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au/handle/1885/114853">The Book
of Luelen</a>, </i>plants available to the Ponapean people for food included
breadfruit, Polynesian chestnuts, mangos, yams, taro, and bananas. In searching
for a Micronesian recipe, I found one that called for two of these items and
very little else.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The recipe for </span><a href="https://www.internationalcuisine.com/micronesian-sweet-potatoes-and-bananas/" style="font-size: 12pt;">Micronesian
Sweet Potatoes and Bananas</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> on the InternationalCuisine.com website could
not have been any easier. Peel, cut up, and boil a couple of sweet potatoes; peel,
slice, and fry in margarine three bananas; then mix the boiled sweet potatoes
in with the bananas. The recipe called this a side dish, but from my point of
view, it made a perfect breakfast. </span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivZ5YP91EmQ-29dD9kH3uXf4KWtQxFiGSnKbbg2Hd3LR-0ZFRP9NUWhlL3xGD-3OLmGFFc2BcZY3BlvUullu5vNP3gPizHPRlBZD951Kfv-Tke4ilDNq4FHiEBB4i-D5a18CXRXX3l-k8NnsMzF1EEMea1xvocRcfWupGX7EFOXidw6Li8ohYS5lQP/s2628/49D57985-4661-4742-A2AC-25AF706D7684.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2628" data-original-width="2599" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivZ5YP91EmQ-29dD9kH3uXf4KWtQxFiGSnKbbg2Hd3LR-0ZFRP9NUWhlL3xGD-3OLmGFFc2BcZY3BlvUullu5vNP3gPizHPRlBZD951Kfv-Tke4ilDNq4FHiEBB4i-D5a18CXRXX3l-k8NnsMzF1EEMea1xvocRcfWupGX7EFOXidw6Li8ohYS5lQP/s320/49D57985-4661-4742-A2AC-25AF706D7684.jpeg" width="316" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">GIVE</span></span><b><i><span style="color: #262626; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 217;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In the first chapter of <i><a href="https://openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au/handle/1885/114853">The Book
of Luelen</a>, </i>when trying to build the land that later became Ponape,
Japkini and his fellow voyagers had to contend with the waves from the sea
destroying their work. They called upon two forces to come and protect the land
from the waves. One was Katenenior, the barrier reef, and the other was
Katinanik, the mangrove. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Coral reefs are still vital to the people of Micronesia, and
I was happy to find on the </span><a href="https://www.globalgiving.org/" style="font-size: 12pt;">GlobalGiving</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
website a project to help monitor and protect the health of Micronesian coral
reefs. According to the project description, “50% of coral reefs have died in
the last 30 years and 90% are projected to die within the next century.” In
response, an organization called OneReef and local communities are working “to
enforce no-take areas, monitor reef health, and build social cohesion.” The
hope is that “island communities of Pohnpei will more effectively protect and
monitor coral reef ecosystems and reinforce traditional stewardship.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">More information about this project is available at: </span><a href="https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/equip-rangers-to-save-coral-reefs-in-micronesia/" style="font-size: 12pt;">Equip
rangers to save coral reefs in Micronesia - GlobalGiving</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>NEXT STOP: MOLDOVA</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><br /></div>Pamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192375534456260749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2082788843988668755.post-67220931188945223312022-08-22T16:57:00.000-07:002022-08-22T16:57:18.471-07:00MEXICO<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBwxCqRhHKTWYbyVj1zAY1MFlEnJNT-XOPDYXhyAam6uvpzaJ-PaARx93u4RVhD_NURIi_JgtSePvTDJYL6Ggv0_T4fHEOjaZuqalyeGxMgE4KR162VE6zyHLH9ID_0pZA6W_4FCYPtiUBbjYX4eLl6ImNty0QIGe9_a37F2a02cNTvkESttNB4RHO/s2733/7F10E8C3-402B-4948-812C-D84E602AA559.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2733" data-original-width="2621" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBwxCqRhHKTWYbyVj1zAY1MFlEnJNT-XOPDYXhyAam6uvpzaJ-PaARx93u4RVhD_NURIi_JgtSePvTDJYL6Ggv0_T4fHEOjaZuqalyeGxMgE4KR162VE6zyHLH9ID_0pZA6W_4FCYPtiUBbjYX4eLl6ImNty0QIGe9_a37F2a02cNTvkESttNB4RHO/s320/7F10E8C3-402B-4948-812C-D84E602AA559.jpeg" width="307" /></a></div><div><br /></div><br /><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">READ<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeMc3xZBgbOE56WubSPevXZ04YSWHAskLBQJEcL44J00M_mbhJTDIbUD-djFKe8BLE5cRpiuQiqn-Nif2-UGpC7uAD5lY3cW6jOx3-HUNod5f_MZAfsEiQFKkFi-_Pp690t_LWs5Z2Aju_z-SjllK9pboz_ke1DMrO58YeZLV8tkEUk5enyTXHJA_N/s2476/D16585B1-CA30-4D66-8AAD-87D71F8DFB1D.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2476" data-original-width="1707" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeMc3xZBgbOE56WubSPevXZ04YSWHAskLBQJEcL44J00M_mbhJTDIbUD-djFKe8BLE5cRpiuQiqn-Nif2-UGpC7uAD5lY3cW6jOx3-HUNod5f_MZAfsEiQFKkFi-_Pp690t_LWs5Z2Aju_z-SjllK9pboz_ke1DMrO58YeZLV8tkEUk5enyTXHJA_N/s320/D16585B1-CA30-4D66-8AAD-87D71F8DFB1D.jpeg" width="221" /></a></div><p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">There were so many books by Mexican authors to choose from
that I had a hard time picking just one. In the end, I decided on a bestseller
from years past that I had never read.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/like-water-for-chocolate-a-novel-in-monthly-installments-with-recipes-romances-and-home-remedies/9780385420174">Like
Water for Chocolate</a>, </span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">written by Laura Esquivel and translated by Carol Christensen and Thomas
Christensen, is the story of Tita De la Garza, as told by her great niece. Tita
was the daughter of Juan De la Garza and his wife, known to all as Mama Elena. Juan
died when Tita was two days old, leaving Mama Elena to raise Tita and her two
older sisters, Gertrudis and Rosaura, by herself. Early in her young life, Tita
discovers that she has great culinary skills, so she is consigned to the kitchen
with Nacha, an old servant beloved by Tita.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Mama Elena tells Tita, that as the youngest daughter in the
family, she will never be allowed to marry. Instead, it is an old family tradition
that the youngest daughter must take care of her mother until the day she dies.
Tita is heartbroken, then, when she meets and falls in love with Pedro Muzquiz.
He comes with his father to ask for Tita’s hand, but Mama Elena is a hard woman,
and the answer is no.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Mama Elena’s meanness is mentioned many times throughout the book,
often by way of culinary metaphors. Her skill at carving up a watermelon is
described this way: “Unquestionably, when it came to dividing, dismantling,
dismembering, desolating, detaching, dispossessing, destroying, or dominating,
Mama Elena was a pro.” Another passage in the book discusses her approach to
killing chickens or quail, followed by a particularly poignant comparison: “Mama
Elena was merciless, killing with a single blow. But then again not always. For
Tita she had made an exception; she had been killing her a little at a time
since she was a child, and she still hadn’t quite finished her off.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">None of this seems fair to Tita, and indeed, it is not. She
questions who will take care of her when she gets old, if she’s not allowed to
marry and have children. And who will take care of the married women who can’t
have children? Who decided that the youngest daughter rather than the eldest
was the best suited to take care of her mother? But she keeps these questions
to herself because no one argues with Mama Elena.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">While she may not express her emotions in words, Tita’s
feelings have a way of finding their way into the food she cooks for parties
and other special occasions. Many times throughout the book, the guests have a
surprising reaction to Tita’s food. Sometimes it acts as an emetic, and other
times as an aphrodisiac, without any willful action on Tita’s part. The plot of
</span><i style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/like-water-for-chocolate-a-novel-in-monthly-installments-with-recipes-romances-and-home-remedies/9780385420174">Like
Water for Chocolate</a></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> is laced with other instances of magical realism as
well, things that would never actually happen but seem entirely natural in the
story.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Tita’s life is so hard, through no fault of her own, and I
was on her side every step of the way. </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/like-water-for-chocolate-a-novel-in-monthly-installments-with-recipes-romances-and-home-remedies/9780385420174">Like
Water for Chocolate</a> </i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">is a cautionary tale about the folly of insisting
that traditions or customs be observed for no other reason than that it’s
always been that way.</span></p><p><br /></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">COOK</span></span><b><i><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Each chapter of <i><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/like-water-for-chocolate-a-novel-in-monthly-installments-with-recipes-romances-and-home-remedies/9780385420174">Like
Water for Chocolate</a></i> begins with a recipe for something Tita is going to
prepare. Most of the recipes aren’t easily veganizable, although I considered
trying to make a couple of them. In the end, I decided to make chilaquiles, a
dish that seems to be a type of comfort food for Tita, reminding her of the old
servant Nacha. At one point, Tita “prepared some chilaquiles and sat down at
the kitchen table to eat them. She didn’t like to eat alone, but when it came
right down to it, she had no choice…”. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I found an easy </span><a href="https://www.thekitchn.com/chilaquiles-recipe-268271" style="font-size: 12pt;">chilaquiles recipe</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
at thekitchn.com. The only part of the recipe that required any tweaking was
for the toppings. I couldn’t find vegan queso fresco at the store, so I made a </span><a href="https://brokebankvegan.com/vegan-mexican-crema/#recipe" style="font-size: 12pt;">vegan crema</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
instead from a recipe on the Broke Bank Vegan website. This was a very
enjoyable dish, and the reheated leftovers were tasty too.</span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaBlMDF4bnZ5EHW6LbjxGIGfChaQLEbsMPaP_5VLhoZtsxtE7ScmUsdzeDCLHB5zCdvj4a-M4HNx8DUPt4g_FCGpVfQPk__1beSazjc1w2fD9Zfh9nQoWbTPT5mTQHX7mzDTFwZ81mMAptlTzVKogJhTSmCSh23D4x3k92t7Pf0x5_3uGAAXXqUE02/s2821/4B9FB42C-31A7-4B51-BB42-D295F7A6E40E.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2770" data-original-width="2821" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaBlMDF4bnZ5EHW6LbjxGIGfChaQLEbsMPaP_5VLhoZtsxtE7ScmUsdzeDCLHB5zCdvj4a-M4HNx8DUPt4g_FCGpVfQPk__1beSazjc1w2fD9Zfh9nQoWbTPT5mTQHX7mzDTFwZ81mMAptlTzVKogJhTSmCSh23D4x3k92t7Pf0x5_3uGAAXXqUE02/s320/4B9FB42C-31A7-4B51-BB42-D295F7A6E40E.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">GIVE</span></span><b><i><span style="color: #262626; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 217;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In the fight against climate change, one important component
is the protection of mangrove forests. Mangroves are trees that grow in
tropical coastal swamps, and according to <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act/share-the-facts-about-mangroves#:~:text=Mangroves%20store%20more%20carbon%20per,the%20solution%20to%20climate%20change.">Conservation International</a>, they “store
more carbon per unit area than any other ecosystem on Earth."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">A project I found on the </span><a href="https://www.globalgiving.org/" style="font-size: 12pt;">GlobalGiving</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> website would train local
people to become guardians of the mangroves at Bahia Magdalena on Mexico’s Baja
Peninsula. According to the project description: “This project will help
empower the local community through individuals who will receive capacity and
training to become nature stewards. This capacity will enable them to take part
in monitoring and surveillance activities of the ecosystem. Their active
participation will contribute to the preservation of 1,700 hectares
[approximately 4,200 acres]</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">of mangrove
forests, their natural inhabitants, and the services they provide for the local
communities and its future generations.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">More information about this project is available at:</span> <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/create-50-guardians-for-bahia-magdalena-mangroves/">Create
50 guardians for Bahia Magdalena mangrove - GlobalGiving</a>.</span></p><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>NEXT STOP: MICRONESIA</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>Pamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192375534456260749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2082788843988668755.post-33411851179532821162022-08-12T19:17:00.000-07:002022-08-12T19:17:54.743-07:00MAURITIUS<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoUhiP5b7A_h1MY5rs41FTTTWERJfHHX07O2XiCgDe5rmpf-kOd9jLie5_VOTsWpVKruwPWDWxY-Nqy-AfIXGoEmFCFIUqrpVbisIqQPHWAGhAIujQRnRHxINlRazvOeo0WL29r_Negvh1T3rM4c4M9LHMvH7rMOLmSOrdMlsOzWrLdcpwk8a54lqm/s2105/C24D9597-1F5F-46B3-9B0A-8BDE3DFC2B72.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2105" data-original-width="1378" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoUhiP5b7A_h1MY5rs41FTTTWERJfHHX07O2XiCgDe5rmpf-kOd9jLie5_VOTsWpVKruwPWDWxY-Nqy-AfIXGoEmFCFIUqrpVbisIqQPHWAGhAIujQRnRHxINlRazvOeo0WL29r_Negvh1T3rM4c4M9LHMvH7rMOLmSOrdMlsOzWrLdcpwk8a54lqm/s320/C24D9597-1F5F-46B3-9B0A-8BDE3DFC2B72.jpeg" width="209" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">READ<o:p></o:p></span></span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9vLStBmlEKkPUMxnsDo7COukcxfmtzVc0YwceCTtiuXR0xAUOnSsWwnUY_bn20gptQTv3Ctkj8wtlYLCSLK0_VUwvXBAthjN9zYrESvKs2dnbalnCJHonh1XpCBHZBy-YDWnKCQu7AQ4-mEkl0WonSf_RlYT3NANTmbvfjjSvxMM7_VKyEgU6EQP6/s3508/4442151F-7176-4370-9FDC-73FD7374AD53.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3508" data-original-width="2334" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9vLStBmlEKkPUMxnsDo7COukcxfmtzVc0YwceCTtiuXR0xAUOnSsWwnUY_bn20gptQTv3Ctkj8wtlYLCSLK0_VUwvXBAthjN9zYrESvKs2dnbalnCJHonh1XpCBHZBy-YDWnKCQu7AQ4-mEkl0WonSf_RlYT3NANTmbvfjjSvxMM7_VKyEgU6EQP6/w213-h320/4442151F-7176-4370-9FDC-73FD7374AD53.jpeg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">If you’re like me, you probably know very little about the Republic of Mauritius, an island nation located in the Indian Ocean. During the past several centuries, it was controlled at various times by the Portuguese, the Dutch, the French, and the British before finally gaining its independence in 1968. </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/the-last-brother/9781555975753">The Last Brother</a>, </i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">written by Nathacha Appanah and translated by Geoffrey Strachan, describes a period during World War II, when Mauritius was under the rule of the British.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The book’s narrator is Raj, who is about seventy years old. He
is a widower with a grown son. Raj asks his son to drive him to a nearby village
so he can visit the cemetery. The grave he visits bears this inscription on the
headstone: “David Stein 1935 – 1945.” Raj cleans the headstone and leaves a
little red box containing a Star of David on the grave.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Raj recounts his childhood in the town of Mapou, where the
sugar cane factory is the dominant presence. His father, a drunken brute, works
in the sugar cane fields and his beloved mother works in the home of one of the
factory’s bosses. Raj has an older brother, Anil, and a younger brother, Vinod,
and the three boys are very close. A sudden and devastating storm brings great
tragedy to the family, resulting in a move to the town of Beau-Bassin. There,
Raj’s father takes a job as a prison guard.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Raj takes lunch to his father at the prison every day, and
then hides in the bushes to see what goes on there. He is shocked to see a line
of white people – men, women, and children – “…very thin, dragging their feet
in silence, slowly following the dirt footpath, then spreading out across the
compound.” A young boy about the same age as Raj moves away from the group and
begins walking in the direction where Raj is hiding. The boy sees Raj too, and
that is the beginning of their friendship.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Sometime later, Raj’s father beats him so badly that he must
be cared for in the prison hospital, and the friendship between Raj and the boy
– David – blossoms. David is in the hospital because he has malaria. The boys
manage to sneak out of the hospital at night and play on the prison grounds,
conversing as best they can in French, since neither speaks the language of the
other. Raj learns that David is from Prague, both of his parents are dead, and
he and the other people in the prison are Jews waiting for a ship to come and
take them to Eretz – Israel.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Raj knows nothing of World War II, and it isn’t until much later
in his life that he learns the sad story of the Jews who had managed to escape
from Europe and make their way to Palestine, only to be turned away by the British
and interned at the Beau-Bassin prison.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/the-last-brother/9781555975753">The Last
Brother</a></span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> is a
heartbreaking story, made even more poignant by the narrator’s regrets and
grief, still fresh sixty years after he first met David. I will not soon forget
these characters and their touching story.</span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">COOK</span></span><b><i><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">After the trouble I had finding a dish to make for my post
about Mauritania, Mauritius was a huge relief. According to Wikipedia, “Mauritian
cuisine is a blend of African, Chinese, European (mostly French) and Indian
influences in the history of Mauritius.” I found so many vegan or veganizable
Mauritian recipes that it was hard to decide which one to attempt. I finally
chose the <a href="https://mauritian-cuisine.com/vegeterian-food/mushroom-corn-cashew-curry/">Mushroom,
Corn, and Cashew Curry</a> recipe on the Mauritian Cuisine website. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This recipe was easy to make, and, aside from the fact that it was a little on the bland side, I was happy with the
way it turned out. There was one ingredient – asafetida – that I didn’t have in
my spice cupboard, but I was able to find it at an Indian market not too far
from my house.</span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSDWwKwbzbf6SAWYuY5rkhvL6cjV-q4JjY5jen5jLg40t5fUs8KuZCVj_7yeZjYOjl7YD95dDCCdLGWB4w-eCOuqXWpFA65VBBFnVfNXRw3OGFgjjy7PRT-IXl7RtHJYQWiHcqMsJIyrUop8TsBl-dklRUEzMeYQMjUKhiVJMNNYzmF6ArSZYgYZ8s/s2935/EDCD44F2-D809-4CA6-9EB3-F71E7ECDB445.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2899" data-original-width="2935" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSDWwKwbzbf6SAWYuY5rkhvL6cjV-q4JjY5jen5jLg40t5fUs8KuZCVj_7yeZjYOjl7YD95dDCCdLGWB4w-eCOuqXWpFA65VBBFnVfNXRw3OGFgjjy7PRT-IXl7RtHJYQWiHcqMsJIyrUop8TsBl-dklRUEzMeYQMjUKhiVJMNNYzmF6ArSZYgYZ8s/s320/EDCD44F2-D809-4CA6-9EB3-F71E7ECDB445.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">GIVE</span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">A little over two years ago, the Japanese carrier MV Wakashio
ran aground on a coral reef off the coast of Mauritius and began leaking oil. Ile
aux Aigrettes, a nature reserve managed by the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation,
was adversely impacted by the 800 tons of oil that spilled into its lagoon.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I found a project on the </span><a href="https://www.globalgiving.org/" style="font-size: 12pt;">GlobalGiving</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> website that allowed me
to donate to the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation to help them monitor “the populations
of plants, birds, reptiles and insects” that might have been affected by this
spill. According to the project description: “The project will restore the ecosystem
of Ile aux Aigrettes, an island nature reserve, home to endangered endemic
plants and animals. Every year the islet welcomes 4,000 school children on a
Learning with Nature tour, and another 15,000 tourists and visitors, making it
a well sought after, unique and true ecotour experience. Maintaining such plant
and animal populations also protects these species from extinction.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">More information about this project is available at </span><a href="https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/wakashio-recovery-action-plan/" style="font-size: 12pt;">Wakashio
Recovery Action Plan - GlobalGiving</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>NEXT STOP: MEXICO</b></span></p></div><p></p>Pamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192375534456260749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2082788843988668755.post-45031633831935365972022-08-07T19:59:00.000-07:002022-08-07T19:59:41.263-07:00MAURITANIA<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg05CdPpwudj4b-3yK1boaxZdf0M4UHDUqee4VBUopN2JNqCmBlyVbwzp0_YQ0-sT4SZ7IpsT0ZYigPzE6K1ZIVx066PoxZC9zstGxvJiQItQrFr4pp914lJfRC1cF9Xzgxkte3t6jDgc5hEHrw63dnzTnt2XetE5s1CijnHn1U4OKr7QxS2E32wRsY/s2603/82A4A940-DE65-4E06-B10F-05F80EFE64B1.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2603" data-original-width="1777" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg05CdPpwudj4b-3yK1boaxZdf0M4UHDUqee4VBUopN2JNqCmBlyVbwzp0_YQ0-sT4SZ7IpsT0ZYigPzE6K1ZIVx066PoxZC9zstGxvJiQItQrFr4pp914lJfRC1cF9Xzgxkte3t6jDgc5hEHrw63dnzTnt2XetE5s1CijnHn1U4OKr7QxS2E32wRsY/s320/82A4A940-DE65-4E06-B10F-05F80EFE64B1.jpeg" width="218" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">READ<o:p></o:p></span></span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJujEtDODORKTMQSEsrMQrA5TzY5toRMddNPqqUwAaeldwNq-bTtL70qWyHs1_jaHBk2APxLssBUMw_f0cigN7lUzovq7VQdRnWQV6XR-cN2U-dLt7gyx96mPkrD786JbFcO14XexxpeMzhtcfMTPPXr--j6tturYi3R-pcSpyoFPHtisMQn8C8POu/s3049/B6CE865B-68FB-4CB1-BE28-FABD3D98E68D.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3049" data-original-width="2097" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJujEtDODORKTMQSEsrMQrA5TzY5toRMddNPqqUwAaeldwNq-bTtL70qWyHs1_jaHBk2APxLssBUMw_f0cigN7lUzovq7VQdRnWQV6XR-cN2U-dLt7gyx96mPkrD786JbFcO14XexxpeMzhtcfMTPPXr--j6tturYi3R-pcSpyoFPHtisMQn8C8POu/s320/B6CE865B-68FB-4CB1-BE28-FABD3D98E68D.jpeg" width="220" /></a></div><br /> <div><br /></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/the-desert-and-the-drum/9781910213797">The
Desert and the Drum</a>, </span></i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">written by Mbarek Ould Beyrouk and translated by Rachael McGill, tells
the sad story of Rayhana, a Bedouin teenager who lives with her mother and
their tribe in a camp in the desert. Her father left the family when she was six
years old, angry because of his wife’s deference in all things to her brother,
the chief.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Rayhana’s life is happy enough, and she has a circle of
friends with whom she spends her free time. One day, an itinerant mining crew
sets up camp near Rayhana’s tribe. The Bedouins are uneasy about having them
nearby, and the chief tells them not to go near the miners. According to
Rayhana, “We closed our eyes to them because, deep down, we were ashamed we had
allowed their presence to be imposed on us, ashamed of our failure to
understand it, to confidently accept or reject it.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This seems very much like the way Rayhana would feel later,
when one of the miners, Yahya, starts spending time with Rayhana and her
friends and begins a flirtation with Rayhana. She enjoys the attention, but is
horrified when he sneaks into her tent at night while her mother sleeps nearby.
She is afraid to say anything, since she knows that she will be blamed, and
ends up quietly letting him do as he pleases. One day, the mining crew leaves
without a word, and Yahya disappears from Rayhana’s life.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">He has left her pregnant, a fact that enrages her mother when
she finds out. Her mother ensures that no one else in their tribe finds out by
sequestering Rayhana far away until after she has given birth. Rayhana bonds
with her baby boy, Marvoud, but then her mother gives him to someone else to
raise. She and Rayhana go back to their tribe, and when Rayhana tries to find
her baby later, she discovers that her mother has taken him somewhere else. In
her anger, Rayhana steals her tribe’s sacred drum and heads off into the desert
alone in search of her son.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Rayhana’s travels take her first to the town of Atar, and
later to the capital city, Nouakchott. In both places, life is very different
from her desert existence with her tribe. For most of the book, it feels as
though everything is taking place in the distant past, so it’s a shock when cars
and cellphones suddenly make an appearance. Rayhana adjusts the best she can,
but she also has to cope with the knowledge that members of her tribe are
looking for her and the tribal drum, and that they won’t stop until they find
her.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Throughout </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/the-desert-and-the-drum/9781910213797">The
Desert and the Drum</a></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">, I hoped for a happy ending for Rayhana, as her
journey took her from carefree young girl, to the plaything of an unscrupulous
man, to devoted mother, and finally to a fugitive from her tribe because of the
stolen drum. As she says toward the end of the book, “Their pain was nothing to
mine. They’d lost a drum; an object was no longer in its proper place. I had a
crater in my soul. Only reunion with my child would fill the void.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">COOK</span></span><b><i><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It was tough to find a recipe for a Mauritanian dish that I
could veganize. Beignets are mentioned in several places throughout <i><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/the-desert-and-the-drum/9781910213797">The Desert
and the Drum</a></i>, but not the Café Du Monde powdered sugar kind that we’re
used to. The Mauritanian beignets are served with a spicy sauce made with “onion,
garlic, tomato puree, pepper and salt,” but I couldn’t find a recipe for them
online. Apparently camel and goat are staples of the Mauritanian diet, but as
far as I know, no one is making vegan versions of those meats yet (although I
saw a vegan lamb burger on the menu at a local restaurant recently). Finally, I
found a recipe for <a href="http://whatscookinginyourworld.blogspot.com/2011/02/day-107-mauritania-coconut-pepper-steak.html">Coconut
Pepper Steak</a> on the “What’s Cooking in your World?” blog, and decided I
could veganize that.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I took a lot of liberties with this recipe. For the skirt
steak, I substituted Gardein b’ef tips, and I used vegetable bouillon instead
of beef bouillon. I couldn’t conceive of any way to deconstruct a coconut that
didn’t involve hurting myself, so I bought a carton of coconut water and a package
of Trader Joe’s dried, lightly-sweetened coconut strips, then rinsed off the
top layer of sugar. And I couldn’t find corn flour, so I used coconut flour to
thicken the sauce, since coconut was already part of the recipe anyhow. When I
was done, I had a tasty enough dish, albeit a little too spicy, but I’m sure it
bore no resemblance to anything that’s ever been eaten in Mauritania. Oh, well… </span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgU-L1UvE8NGxi4KDLT4xYwsN-zWEk0JmtU0U2WZTsDltQWhNUXieTw25G4wzIrxPeG7YxI25rQYqw7wdOqpdSfcOiZ0PYxRnM2uHHTNf_KeXeBKHY14XnuubFAsonDalgLuOtbHr5LSlxgQAsScQM-6bBVxb0r_kykofKpcptkLQK6kiJARrrgTfs/s2690/74A26A22-98A0-4D66-B861-0644E024CF82.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2675" data-original-width="2690" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgU-L1UvE8NGxi4KDLT4xYwsN-zWEk0JmtU0U2WZTsDltQWhNUXieTw25G4wzIrxPeG7YxI25rQYqw7wdOqpdSfcOiZ0PYxRnM2uHHTNf_KeXeBKHY14XnuubFAsonDalgLuOtbHr5LSlxgQAsScQM-6bBVxb0r_kykofKpcptkLQK6kiJARrrgTfs/s320/74A26A22-98A0-4D66-B861-0644E024CF82.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">GIVE</span></span><b><i><span style="color: #262626; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 217;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Although Mauritania faces severe consequences due to climate
change, I couldn’t find a way to donate to any organization addressing that
problem. <a href="https://www.globalgiving.org/">GlobalGiving</a> listed only one
Mauritanian project on their website, but it was a good one – helping to
educate 120 girls. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">According to the project description, only 42 percent of
females in Mauritania are literate. “Girls are restricted to chores inside the
home as ‘house servants.’ This prevents them from attending school and developing
the skills they need to succeed in life and understand their rights.” This
program will provide a “dance program, which develops 7 cognitive & life
skills – such as memorization, discipline, creativity – needed for success in school
and life. The girls will receive 3 additional services to change their lives:
sponsorship in formal education, psychosocial counseling, and nutritional
support, enabling the girls to develop confidence, academic readiness, &
the sustained ability to make positive life decisions”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">More information about this project is available at: </span><a href="https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/education-for-girls-in-mauritania/" style="font-size: 12pt;">Educate
120 Girls in Mauritania - GlobalGiving</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">NEXT STOP: MAURITIUS</span></span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><br /></div></div>Pamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192375534456260749noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2082788843988668755.post-4641404204562497162022-07-01T14:44:00.000-07:002022-07-01T14:44:09.001-07:00MARSHALL ISLANDS<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF8bAMJm8_txySjMM4lRPiNF89kJspwgzBua2-FE-Cj7oxh9u81higJ5Zp-v4VIjHlKimwvvp01PQl5w9BKia6s6Fjm3kn18OJP3d4Ck7GdgjxtNTvv-N841f9lkXgodNJqP8CCZbE5DevXdacVhHNHYVJV8ayq0dRekD-xurPA2SSANOoniZ4Wey6/s2259/67B34023-7D43-439F-A4C4-477833E1B02E.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2259" data-original-width="1301" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF8bAMJm8_txySjMM4lRPiNF89kJspwgzBua2-FE-Cj7oxh9u81higJ5Zp-v4VIjHlKimwvvp01PQl5w9BKia6s6Fjm3kn18OJP3d4Ck7GdgjxtNTvv-N841f9lkXgodNJqP8CCZbE5DevXdacVhHNHYVJV8ayq0dRekD-xurPA2SSANOoniZ4Wey6/s320/67B34023-7D43-439F-A4C4-477833E1B02E.jpeg" width="184" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">READ<o:p></o:p></span></span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJE3rxlcHoR8saoLCpNZ7LTFFyQEa-dIPl-3EM1prcdirAz7tbtXWeXJ4_sOEK1t4S55tITlLJaZ8121tl0z1b4818NMmAk3dwNGgjdtyMVm2K87LG19KCfyyqIRWmR-NsyYFMNemae6BFvcGiatepmTEcX9ZhlzeGKDmjZRWd-DHMP72_we-TEIr_/s2925/E6824B73-1ABF-48BC-8C52-C0B8F76E758A.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2925" data-original-width="2078" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJE3rxlcHoR8saoLCpNZ7LTFFyQEa-dIPl-3EM1prcdirAz7tbtXWeXJ4_sOEK1t4S55tITlLJaZ8121tl0z1b4818NMmAk3dwNGgjdtyMVm2K87LG19KCfyyqIRWmR-NsyYFMNemae6BFvcGiatepmTEcX9ZhlzeGKDmjZRWd-DHMP72_we-TEIr_/s320/E6824B73-1ABF-48BC-8C52-C0B8F76E758A.jpeg" width="227" /></a></div><br /> <div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I couldn’t find a book written by an author who was born in
the Marshall Islands, so I got the next best thing: a book of stories told by
Marshallese storytellers to a non-Marshallese writer. <i><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/marshall-islands-legend-and-stories/9781573061407">Marshall
Islands Legends and Stories</a> </i>was collected and adapted by Daniel A.
Kelin II, and illustrated by Marshallese artist Nashton T. Nashon.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">According to Kelin, “It is not customary for storytellers in
the Marshall Islands to share legends with just anyone. By custom the </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">iroji </i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">[chiefs]
own the legends, and the ones who are chosen to remember them can share them
only when the </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">iroji</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> says so.” Kelin traveled from island to island
meeting the local storytellers, and he shares short profiles of each of them in
the book. These pieces include information about the recent history of the
Marshall Islands, especially during the World War II years, when Japan was in
control of the islands.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Several themes recur often in the stories collected in this
book. There are many cautionary tales about not following the rules or customs,
frequently ending in the death of the rule breaker or someone close to them. For
example, there’s a story about an </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">iroji </i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">who married two demon sisters
and wanted to take them back to his island. Their parents told him that if he
took their daughters with him, he must keep them beside him at all times. One
day, he forgot and went fishing by himself. A storm blew him away and he was
never seen again.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The importance of sharing is another popular theme, along
with the need to stay on the good side of the <i>iroji</i> by bringing him
gifts. In one story, a woman is struggling to find food for herself and her
son. A man appears to her in a dream and tells her what she needs to do to find
enough food every day. She does as he suggests, and suddenly has more than
enough food. She tells her son that they must follow the custom of <i>ejt</i></span><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ō</span></i><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">bt</span></i><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ō</span></i><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">b. </span></i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">“If you eat good food and
don’t share with the others of the island, then you’ll always stay hungry. But
first, we give some to the </span><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">iroji.</span></i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">”</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Demons play a key role in many of
the stories. One legend that I found interesting was the belief that if “a man
went away before his pregnant wife gave birth, she’d become a </span><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">mejenkwaad</span></i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> [demon wife] ready to devour her husband when he
returned.” There are also several stories about Letao, the trickster, many of
which include this ending: “Letao is now in America. That’s why the people
there are so smart.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The book is illustrated throughout
by Nashton T. Nashon, who “consulted elders and researched traditional
Marshallese history and culture to create the drawings and tattoo design.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I enjoyed learning a little about
the Marshall Islands through these stories and drawings, especially since I’d known
nothing about the islands previously. </span></p></div><div><br /><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">COOK</span></span><b><i><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The Marshallese dish I prepared for
this blog post was so good that my husband Phil and I ate the whole thing
before I even finished reading the book. It was </span><a href="https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/12087/marshall-islands-macadamia-nut-pie/" style="font-size: 12pt;">Marshall
Islands Macadamia Nut Pie</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">, from a recipe I found on the allrecipes website.
I took a couple of shortcuts – buying a frozen pie crust shell instead of
making my own, and using So Delicious CocoWhip instead of trying to create a
vegan coconut-flavored whipped cream substitute myself. The only thing I did
to veganize the recipe was to replace the eggs with JUST Egg. The pie was
delicious – very similar to pecan pie. </span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwhoYQrATl874BuHK21o2eT0yE2fS2j24UzyDQrG0UUBFEUzXwaYa9qRv71kgQZpJ8zOXwOxEZU-Xnc78pKsalsnGqSRPon30hfuQulRNxSzPgiMJHArhIrIgeyQ9zqrgvD0xluY8fa28aX4vkjfLKVTe6XzeIkufjcPmDy3JYM7ekf2igX2-f8rwX/s2857/64484141-7C1F-47F5-A1FE-9619E9203555.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2850" data-original-width="2857" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwhoYQrATl874BuHK21o2eT0yE2fS2j24UzyDQrG0UUBFEUzXwaYa9qRv71kgQZpJ8zOXwOxEZU-Xnc78pKsalsnGqSRPon30hfuQulRNxSzPgiMJHArhIrIgeyQ9zqrgvD0xluY8fa28aX4vkjfLKVTe6XzeIkufjcPmDy3JYM7ekf2igX2-f8rwX/s320/64484141-7C1F-47F5-A1FE-9619E9203555.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">GIVE</span></span><b><i><span style="color: #262626; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 217;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">The Marshall Islands are expected
to be severely impacted by climate change. According to an article on <a href="https://theconversation.com/marshall-islands-could-be-wiped-out-by-climate-change-and-their-colonial-history-limits-their-ability-to-save-themselves-145994">The
Conversation</a> website: “By 2035, the U.S. Geological Survey projects that
some of the Marshall Islands will be submerged. Others will no longer have
drinking water because their aquifers will be contaminated with saltwater. As a
result, Marshallese would be forced to migrate away from their homelands.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">There was only one project for the
Marshall Islands on the </span><a href="https://www.globalgiving.org/" style="font-size: 12pt;">GlobalGiving</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
website, but I was happy to see that it related to climate change. According to
the project description: “The project will help disseminate information about the
climate crisis to disadvantaged communities, which often do not have a strong
infrastructure for climate change education, promote dialogue between climate
activists and indigenous frontline communities, and empower youth, especially
from indigenous communities and other marginalized communities, to take action.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">More information about this
project is available at: </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/activating-frontline-communities/">Activating
Frontline Communities - GlobalGiving</a>.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">NEXT STOP: MAURITANIA</span></span></b></p><br /></div></div>Pamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192375534456260749noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2082788843988668755.post-37508707267224185612022-06-20T17:27:00.001-07:002022-06-20T17:27:52.967-07:00MALTA<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWwdpLbhikSYqF-KGxZYYP4SfgIxKfWqAkhrA6glq-adJH64SZ80j86JXoocz-hOT4ST0pfaaYXH2vIIeTMrm8kEOAywI6C6UcCcr8kwIihnd-JMVawl95v8_GoE5_h9dh5w-hz8RwnwG4gV1hFCDixnNmh4QnL_MioPAaPtjolloJipWhnYLAtOTs/s1386/F555CCE0-75D4-4445-A50B-89993B7028C1.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1386" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWwdpLbhikSYqF-KGxZYYP4SfgIxKfWqAkhrA6glq-adJH64SZ80j86JXoocz-hOT4ST0pfaaYXH2vIIeTMrm8kEOAywI6C6UcCcr8kwIihnd-JMVawl95v8_GoE5_h9dh5w-hz8RwnwG4gV1hFCDixnNmh4QnL_MioPAaPtjolloJipWhnYLAtOTs/s320/F555CCE0-75D4-4445-A50B-89993B7028C1.jpeg" width="173" /></a></div><div><br /></div><br /><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">READ<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCa1FrAsIM-DDdr-qpGYYTf4noIenMZWdlS0znTJNK4hrjdd1xk2__awoR7aicLPjjmbhlCvV8p3yBwXkXVKmRN3C7-Xk82mVx3y0ccHAJAoPUiowNepxJScY3wAx4l5RNTNk1Q2lWzTYejqzgbC0zKf98jFw2Gco8dHjxLZRMWENbzwRmJl412Sse/s1926/52B67CC6-F74C-4328-BDF7-92D185ABE8BB.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1926" data-original-width="1284" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCa1FrAsIM-DDdr-qpGYYTf4noIenMZWdlS0znTJNK4hrjdd1xk2__awoR7aicLPjjmbhlCvV8p3yBwXkXVKmRN3C7-Xk82mVx3y0ccHAJAoPUiowNepxJScY3wAx4l5RNTNk1Q2lWzTYejqzgbC0zKf98jFw2Gco8dHjxLZRMWENbzwRmJl412Sse/s320/52B67CC6-F74C-4328-BDF7-92D185ABE8BB.jpeg" width="213" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The setting for <i><a href="https://books.google.com/books/about/Children_Come_by_Ship.html?id=XOWboAEACAAJ">Children
Come by Ship</a>, </i>written by Oliver Friggieri and translated by Marina
Lowell, is a small, unnamed village on an unnamed island. The book’s editor quotes
the author in an afternote saying that “[t]he general surroundings evolved from
my efforts to recreate, on a literary level, the small world of family life
during the Fifties in the Balzunetta neighbourhood of Floriana, where I grew up
and lived for many years.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The village in </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://books.google.com/books/about/Children_Come_by_Ship.html?id=XOWboAEACAAJ">Children
Come by Ship</a> </i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">is very traditional, a place where things are always done
a certain way and a person’s or family’s honor trumps all other considerations.
It is a place where the “powerful Northwest wind itself was not strong enough
to blow away even one old idea and replace it with a new one.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This rigidity is on display in the opening chapter as a young
woman named Susanna appears late at night on the doorstep of the kindly local
priest, Fr. Grebjel. Susanna’s parents have discovered that she is pregnant and
they have banished her from their home. Having nowhere else to go, Susanna begs
for help from Fr. Grejbel. He invites her in and hears her story – a love
affair with a young man who abandoned her as soon as he found out she was
pregnant. For her part, Susanna says she really didn’t expect to become
pregnant, as she didn’t know what was involved in conceiving a child. She
explains, “I had never learnt anything about these things. My mother used to
tell me that children come by ship…”.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Fr</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">. Grebjel is the most caring, least judgmental of priests,
and he helps Susanna in any way he can throughout the book. He allows her to
spend the night in his spare bedroom, attempts to reconcile Susanna and her
parents, and finds her a job in a neighboring village. He believes in the power
of love to overcome any obstacle, although Susanna frequently tells him that he
is naïve and too good for this world.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">There are times throughout this book when it seems that
everything will turn out well for Susanna, and times when it’s clear that they
will not. There are also times when it seems impossible that Fr. Grebjel will
be able to continue to minister to people who are scandalized by his inability
to be offended by the same things that offend them.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The book did not have the ending I wanted, but I was
interested to learn that the author wrote a sequel, </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://books.google.com/books/about/Let_the_Fair_Weather_Bring_Me_Home.html?id=trX6rQEACAAJ">Let
Fair Weather Bring Me Home</a>.</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> I don’t know whether I’ll read it or not –
I’m not sure I could take the disappointment of another sad ending.</span></p></div><br /><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">COOK</span></span><b><i><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Food was rarely mentioned in <i><a href="https://books.google.com/books/about/Children_Come_by_Ship.html?id=XOWboAEACAAJ">Children
Come by Ship</a>, </i>but that was just as well since I’d already decided what
Maltese dish I was going to make. I found a recipe online for <a href="https://www.internationalcuisine.com/maltese-pasta-omelette/">froga
tat-tarja</a>, which is basically a pasta omelet. I found a couple of recipes
for a vegan version, but they were complicated and had way too many
ingredients, so I found a non-vegan recipe on the International Cuisine website
and made the necessary substitutions: JUST Egg replaced the egg, and vegan
Parmesan replaced the dairy-based Parmesan.</span></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It took a little experimentation to get this recipe just
right. The original recipe called for two eggs, which would be six tablespoons
of JUST Egg. That wasn’t nearly enough, so I kept adding more until the mixture
had the desired consistency. By the time I was done, I had added the entire
bottle of JUST Egg, but it was totally worth it. I loved this dish, and will
definitely make it again.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdQg3wEBvhoiyzATHJbeM2mf2TAlZ042c4i4fmFJveH8zR8e1mNnsro1Oo4YEVL38p6QvWlVWGUtQwNNyNYLxTO3CFa4TT-jLX2Kj7MfV9lNh_1iQ9SIarVTho4SvIJtFK2iXQGeOAGtnX_OJdGGwaC9GCLH13A2ij9aQtyA-xf31YqwiHzERcKi1D/s2727/51278E93-66FB-4C7F-A2F3-7D13FC48004D.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2711" data-original-width="2727" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdQg3wEBvhoiyzATHJbeM2mf2TAlZ042c4i4fmFJveH8zR8e1mNnsro1Oo4YEVL38p6QvWlVWGUtQwNNyNYLxTO3CFa4TT-jLX2Kj7MfV9lNh_1iQ9SIarVTho4SvIJtFK2iXQGeOAGtnX_OJdGGwaC9GCLH13A2ij9aQtyA-xf31YqwiHzERcKi1D/s320/51278E93-66FB-4C7F-A2F3-7D13FC48004D.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">GIVE</span></span><b><i><span style="color: #262626; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 217;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In keeping with my desire to make donations to projects or
organizations focused on climate change, I was delighted to discover that Malta
has its own Friends of the Earth nonprofit organization. Among other things,
they have been active in opposing “development on Malta’s pristine beaches and
countryside.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">According to their <a href="https://foemalta.org/">website</a>,
Friends of the Earth Malta “creates and participates in vibrant campaigns,
raises awareness on a number of pertinent national and international issues,
and mobilises people to participate in decision making processes.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Their <a href="https://www.facebook.com/foemalta/about/?ref=page_internal">Facebook page</a>
states that Friends of the Earth Malta also “develops creative solutions based
on sound knowledge and information and promotes alternatives to environmentally
harmful behaviours. The organisation lobbies, mobilises and influences the
policy community towards a more just and sustainable society. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">NEXT STOP: MARSHALL ISLANDS</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p><br /></div>Pamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192375534456260749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2082788843988668755.post-90673517640364258092022-06-12T16:19:00.001-07:002022-06-12T16:19:43.651-07:00MALI<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSIgL8HsyY40OStECSpviY2aoV2JTjyhJQJjnVrykpZlxanyX3yt6py-e6uUD4fsh95uAd-BIf9vEKUf10j5S9m-0OdLT-OZKjnqnC8CpP9Evn4HiRGrQpFbMngeX7flKMEjLOniNwEn3JlMU3ooP7CXHlqEuDlcvUhxUdHx0oMnMdf9Umqw0FUFHm/s2675/96D58133-5B08-4276-BA35-F3AF856AD0DD.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2675" data-original-width="1712" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSIgL8HsyY40OStECSpviY2aoV2JTjyhJQJjnVrykpZlxanyX3yt6py-e6uUD4fsh95uAd-BIf9vEKUf10j5S9m-0OdLT-OZKjnqnC8CpP9Evn4HiRGrQpFbMngeX7flKMEjLOniNwEn3JlMU3ooP7CXHlqEuDlcvUhxUdHx0oMnMdf9Umqw0FUFHm/s320/96D58133-5B08-4276-BA35-F3AF856AD0DD.jpeg" width="205" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">READ<o:p></o:p></span></span></p></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5VTYb51SmxEqm4g5BaFc5icnj4z9EC5n-xAjH8Tq9wLqGXcNHaPfDUBYk4ALwUPL0DQKKPIe1EoBWO-m2MHHaN1_kOhc_Zyf4DFkRljPeRDY-LE0CrfDvDyUJDIamEK3sftWvT211apSJ-r9XY6p-HzAV-G_HdudYAMeoz7D29yyNR1lhi0d-mkvl/s2576/CECAAB2E-3227-4C9F-85D7-ADFB199CCDD9.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2576" data-original-width="1967" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5VTYb51SmxEqm4g5BaFc5icnj4z9EC5n-xAjH8Tq9wLqGXcNHaPfDUBYk4ALwUPL0DQKKPIe1EoBWO-m2MHHaN1_kOhc_Zyf4DFkRljPeRDY-LE0CrfDvDyUJDIamEK3sftWvT211apSJ-r9XY6p-HzAV-G_HdudYAMeoz7D29yyNR1lhi0d-mkvl/s320/CECAAB2E-3227-4C9F-85D7-ADFB199CCDD9.jpeg" width="244" /></a></p><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/the-fortunes-of-wangrin/9780253212269">The
Fortunes of Wangrin</a>, </span></i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">written by Amadou Hampat</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">é Bâ and translated
by Aina Pavolini Taylor, tells the story of a hustler and a swindler. As a
child in French-controlled Mali in the late nineteenth century, Wangrin attends the so-called school for hostages, a French learning establishment where the
goal was to wean African children away from their culture so they would identify instead
with the French colonizers. Wangrin uses his education to become an interpreter
to the local French Commandant.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Wangrin
is never content with his current circumstances, whatever they may be. He
begins his career as a teacher, but when he discovers that being the Commandant’s
interpreter is a better job, he schemes to take the job from the current
interpreter. He then builds a network of informers, and finds ways to enrich
himself and those closest to him. And so goes his career. He takes every
opportunity to move up the ladder, without regard for anyone who may be
harmed by his upward mobility. This tendency earns him some powerful enemies.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">His
conniving ways often result in legal difficulties for him, but he somehow
manages to come through relatively unscathed. He’s also very superstitious,
relying heavily on patron-gods, marabouts, geomancers, and other mystics and
holy men to look into his future and advise him on how to proceed. Sometimes
this works in his favor, and sometimes it doesn’t, especially if he doesn’t do
exactly as he’s told.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/the-fortunes-of-wangrin/9780253212269">The
Fortunes of Wangrin</a> </span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">is also a
book about colonialism, and the uneasy relationship between the colonizers and
the colonized. When Wangrin first begins working as a teacher, the French
Commandant tells him that “… it is our mission to bring happiness to the Black
peoples, if need be against their own wishes.” Apparently they mean to do that
by substituting the French way of doing things for the Malian way of doing
things. Being the trickster that he is, Wangrin is usually able to find a way
around the French administrators, although he is not always trusted.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The
author, who also attended the school for hostages, based the character of
Wangrin on a man he met when he was a child. He used many of the stories told
to him by that man to form the basis for this book. As a historian and a
folklorist, Bâ was uniquely qualified to turn these oral stories into written
literature.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/the-fortunes-of-wangrin/9780253212269">The
Fortunes of Wangrin</a> </span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">occupies an
important role in African literature, both for its portrayal of French
colonization and its respect for oral literature. As Bâ himself was fond of
saying, “Whenever an old man dies, it is as though a library were burning down.”
With <i><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/the-fortunes-of-wangrin/9780253212269">The
Fortunes of Wangrin</a>,</i> he managed to preserve one such library after an
old man’s death.</span></p></div><br /><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">COOK</span></span><b><i><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/the-fortunes-of-wangrin/9780253212269">The
Fortunes of Wangrin</a> </span></i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">didn’t
provide me with any inspiration for a Malian culinary creation, so I did an
Internet search to see what I could find. There were a few options, but I
decided to try the one that sounded most unusual and unlike anything else I’ve
cooked for this blog: <a href="https://togetherwomenrise.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Mali-recipes-Dec-2011.pdf">plantain
and coconut stew</a>. The recipe was on the Together Women Rise website, and it
was attributed to <i><a href="https://marcussamuelsson.com/books">The Soul of a
New Cuisine: A Discovery of the Foods and Flavors of Africa</a>, </i>by Marcus
Samuelson. The ingredient list didn’t mention chilies, but the instructions
did, so I included one chopped jalapeño pepper.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Gotta
say, this wasn’t one of my better culinary efforts. I’m not used to cooking
with plantains, for starters, and the vinegar in the stew made it a little too
sour. Maybe it will taste better tomorrow, after the flavors have melded, but I’m
not holding out much hope.</span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKRKEVoexM8DYa4Rq3f-NMyS6fM3eFM3pWdxMrOpfbxnJEEOnLbtZsUUAn_T_xpld7yrBkSytyqgVbJ2mhVZTvGote61WNeL2rqh0K-L4ydupNcaZ43jjJ9_4erRNnPeQtaP-sQbk3xbx7uLvBJddPtOPzGEVPu-Pj7XKH8G_HIGu1TC8hXkSTds7f/s2728/E23D75D6-E2E0-4420-BDFB-43A8937D3E7F.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2719" data-original-width="2728" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKRKEVoexM8DYa4Rq3f-NMyS6fM3eFM3pWdxMrOpfbxnJEEOnLbtZsUUAn_T_xpld7yrBkSytyqgVbJ2mhVZTvGote61WNeL2rqh0K-L4ydupNcaZ43jjJ9_4erRNnPeQtaP-sQbk3xbx7uLvBJddPtOPzGEVPu-Pj7XKH8G_HIGu1TC8hXkSTds7f/s320/E23D75D6-E2E0-4420-BDFB-43A8937D3E7F.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><br /><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">GIVE</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Mali
is approximately two-thirds desert, and climate change has resulted in both
extreme floods and devastating droughts. This makes it difficult for families
to grow food, since they are never sure what the weather will bring, and some
crops that grew well previously may not produce as much food now.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Climate
change is especially hard on Malian women. <a href="https://www.un.org/press/en/2022/wom2215.doc.htm">According to Foune Coulibaly Wadidie</a>,
Minister for Advancement of Women, Children and Family of Mali, women “make up
half of the country’s population of 20 million and contribute between 60 to 80
per cent of its food resources. However, climate change severely affects
agricultural and related sectors, and economic constraints stemming from
cultural norms mean that women’s livelihoods are dependent on the climate.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I
searched the projects at </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.globalgiving.org/">GlobalGiving</a></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> to see if I could find one that might address
this issue. I found a project organized by <a href="https://agile-international.org/">AGILE-International</a> that would
drill two wells for 186 women farmers in Mali. According to the description,
this project provides “income-generation opportunities through agriculture, allows
rural women to gain access to education, achieve economic autonomy, feed and
shelter their families. AGILE will train women to drill wells, maintain them,
and manage water resources.” More information about this project is available
at: </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/drill-a-well-for-186-women-farmers-in-mali/">Drill
2 wells for 186 women farmers in Mali - GlobalGiving</a></span>.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>NEXT STOP: MALTA</b></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;"><br /></span></span></p></div>Pamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192375534456260749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2082788843988668755.post-12978905915596260042022-05-01T17:14:00.000-07:002022-05-01T17:14:10.586-07:00MALDIVES<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzFVCJfgy1TnZaDBVyF-j9B3bFIaQOKAF1Y3ru6vh7fz58hJGRxxtfneFmu72ym24S4SVGSvJshD3ASP0fLRAarrQnZVyQUqHyAKUPNyyeCYVvCRk9rZ043FMOmqIgkbcJUGX3XG5uznuHlfm6QodwPrZhCXl4-SmWLj3qYaG8bMeD173-3Zuko9jB/s2271/9065260D-D600-4AA8-AC91-924EFDEA6617.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2271" data-original-width="1588" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzFVCJfgy1TnZaDBVyF-j9B3bFIaQOKAF1Y3ru6vh7fz58hJGRxxtfneFmu72ym24S4SVGSvJshD3ASP0fLRAarrQnZVyQUqHyAKUPNyyeCYVvCRk9rZ043FMOmqIgkbcJUGX3XG5uznuHlfm6QodwPrZhCXl4-SmWLj3qYaG8bMeD173-3Zuko9jB/s320/9065260D-D600-4AA8-AC91-924EFDEA6617.jpeg" width="224" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">READ<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp8PBuXW-V670w0GkpopYXlscWz91bkq6mRgFekzUU7CtFvlLrVJcnGcx8dl9A9R9McT-3pFdyQUJ-7AP_54EZmoMbgiISPYSdtOvCgiR-jVveAQbhVDxe4nacZ9zaHtxhbYrksWNop7nNDXnzzOh6247WgJuHZ4fjhoBmmX6Er0Jl-W-uxm9lcyx0/s2982/5A8FF6E6-22A8-4B0B-889D-6E2E9F57CFE2.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2982" data-original-width="2118" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp8PBuXW-V670w0GkpopYXlscWz91bkq6mRgFekzUU7CtFvlLrVJcnGcx8dl9A9R9McT-3pFdyQUJ-7AP_54EZmoMbgiISPYSdtOvCgiR-jVveAQbhVDxe4nacZ9zaHtxhbYrksWNop7nNDXnzzOh6247WgJuHZ4fjhoBmmX6Er0Jl-W-uxm9lcyx0/s320/5A8FF6E6-22A8-4B0B-889D-6E2E9F57CFE2.jpeg" width="227" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In December of 2004, an earthquake off the coast of Indonesia
caused a massive tsunami that devastated the coastal regions of several
countries and killed more than 200,000 people. Fifty-seven islands in the Republic
of Maldives experienced severe flooding, and 108 people on the islands were
killed. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This tragedy appears to have been the basis for the plot of <i><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/ocean-hues-volume-1/9781543925425">Ocean Hues</a>,
</i>by Maldivian author Amyna. The author offered to send me a copy of this
book when I wrote to her a few years ago to ask if she had been born in the Maldives. I had been planning to read her book, <i><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/foiled-9781490498133/9781490498133">Foiled</a>,
</i>but was delighted when she sent me <i><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/ocean-hues-volume-1/9781543925425">Ocean Hues</a></i>,
so I decided to read it instead. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The
book opens with an introduction to a young couple, Hawwa and Hussein, who are
living happily on an island in the Maldives with their five-year-old son
Shuaib.</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span>Hawwa has not seen her parents, who live on an island a twenty-minute
boat ride away, for more than a year because Hussein has been too busy with
work to go with her. She persuades him to let her and Shuaib go for a week-long
visit without him. They are very much in love and have never spent a night
apart during their marriage, so the idea of being separated for a week is hard
on both of them. Nevertheless, Hawwa and Shuaib embark on their short journey
to visit Hawwa’s parents.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The first couple of days go well, with friends and family
coming by to visit. But one morning, when Shuaib and his cousins are playing on
the beach, a huge wall of water comes toward them. They can hear Hawwa’s voice
pleading with the boys to come to her, but they are powerless to move.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The tsunami has also reached their home island.
Hussein clings to a pillar to avoid being swept away, and watches as the water
carries several items out the door. After the water subsides, he tries to call
Hawwa, but there is no phone service. He finds an acquaintance who is willing
to take him to the island where Hawwa and Shuaib are staying. When he reaches his
in-laws’ house, he’s overjoyed to see that Shuaib is safe. His joy quickly
turns to sorrow, however, when he learns that Hawwa is missing.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Meanwhile, a beautiful young woman has been found unconscious,
floating in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Sri Lanka, by a group of men on a
pleasure-fishing excursion. They rescue her and take her to a hospital, where
it becomes apparent that she has amnesia.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The plot drew me in and kept me interested from beginning to
end. Almost all of the characters were likeable and honorable, trying to do the
right thing for everyone involved. The suspense came from the circumstances
that kept the characters in the dark as they looked for answers following the
chaos that nature wrought.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">COOK</span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When Hawwa and Shuaib go to visit Hawwa’s parents, they have a
lunch of the curries that Hawwa’s mother had cooked in anticipation of their
arrival. I looked online for a Maldivian curry recipe and found one for <a href="https://www.internationalcuisine.com/maldivian-vegetable-curry/">tharukaaree
riha, a vegetable curry</a>, on the International Cuisine website. It’s
different from other curries I’ve made because it doesn’t contain curry powder
or any type of curry spice blend. Instead, the recipe calls for six curry
leaves, which I found at a local Indian market. It also calls for pandan leaf,
which I wasn’t able to find at all. I searched the Internet to see what I could
substitute for the pandan leaf, and found several suggestions, most of which
bore no similarities to the others. Since one of the suggestions was cilantro,
which I had on hand, I just used that. The dish featured sweet potato, pumpkin
(I used butternut squash instead), green beans, carrots, and coconut milk, and
I really enjoyed the rich taste. I would definitely make this again.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRx0sIkksgNd_XxW_da14iIp8lnBVy9TqVTDckThLVRrRIdBxVsW5jLcWpPa9ZEoEWzALv15zNKokZeeV6fJEiB8StxFpYVdKtiJeB9xoDNCEHUcPdRY45YcsOnpweGTCz_hUqjqHGvIGf6-rEDIcNAWqEWFM6RTAgGytsnFpgiQV70FVNvwJ2xOab/s2649/3F23E12C-731E-46F1-8B4D-21686A43D029.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2645" data-original-width="2649" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRx0sIkksgNd_XxW_da14iIp8lnBVy9TqVTDckThLVRrRIdBxVsW5jLcWpPa9ZEoEWzALv15zNKokZeeV6fJEiB8StxFpYVdKtiJeB9xoDNCEHUcPdRY45YcsOnpweGTCz_hUqjqHGvIGf6-rEDIcNAWqEWFM6RTAgGytsnFpgiQV70FVNvwJ2xOab/s320/3F23E12C-731E-46F1-8B4D-21686A43D029.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">GIVE</span></span><b><i><span style="color: #262626; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 217;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.globalgiving.org/">GlobalGiving</a>,
which is my go-to organization for international non-profit projects, didn’t
have anything listed for the Maldives. So I did a little Google search and found
the Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme, which “is a research-based
conservation charity dedicated to studying the whale shark and fostering
community-focused conservation initiatives in the Maldives and the greater
Indian Ocean.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">According to their website: “…we seek to advance the field of
whale shark knowledge and to advocate for sound conservation policy in the
Maldives. By encouraging and valuing community and industry stakeholder
participation, we are able to leverage the scientific research to safeguard the
rich biodiversity and fragile marine ecosystems that are the basis for not only
whale sharks, but also life, livelihood and culture in the Maldives.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">More information about this organization is available at </span><a href="https://maldiveswhalesharkresearch.org/" style="font-size: 12pt;">Maldives Whale Shark Research
Programme | Conservation through Research and Community Mobilisation</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">NEXT STOP: MALI</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p><br /><p></p></div>Pamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192375534456260749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2082788843988668755.post-79123783316238151542022-04-16T12:49:00.000-07:002022-04-16T12:49:29.591-07:00MALAYSIA<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY_SSoU22TzK9wzSHZ1vKaJXI4MPn_ObR3iKut0-o6edKS0iqJgkV_M3lstk9_deWWZSuXvnYJp8140I88JwSMNZ5hWLjgUcD98yyq0Fg8QhW7q09-s5s-rQHZ7dC6717EfXU3pcXsQcZ1DKdZCn9YOQ5lZ9UxOrExADCtjoKj_-iFERUAE0mFbta_/s1723/F0D756E5-F9EE-47ED-9948-7D8C98E82C49.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1543" data-original-width="1723" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY_SSoU22TzK9wzSHZ1vKaJXI4MPn_ObR3iKut0-o6edKS0iqJgkV_M3lstk9_deWWZSuXvnYJp8140I88JwSMNZ5hWLjgUcD98yyq0Fg8QhW7q09-s5s-rQHZ7dC6717EfXU3pcXsQcZ1DKdZCn9YOQ5lZ9UxOrExADCtjoKj_-iFERUAE0mFbta_/s320/F0D756E5-F9EE-47ED-9948-7D8C98E82C49.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">READ<o:p></o:p></span></span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl84kCaMXBYNRUDYsNUzMgjLUSvryVadK_c3HHJbxvAvIQoR1crnRbTpN_s6PfHGJbqrrDqWaNSC6m_skunJ5KlwHoZ21VEBndmjQKuOAXnD48jFGjKSipNqGhttVE6OSFsS6pb4F-a9tIgHZWiyLH2au_2DdNkvq_pC5vVhWliC6GqEqwhVX0GLvV/s3260/894F28F6-3A24-4F29-8938-5FC50C929E65.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3260" data-original-width="2155" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl84kCaMXBYNRUDYsNUzMgjLUSvryVadK_c3HHJbxvAvIQoR1crnRbTpN_s6PfHGJbqrrDqWaNSC6m_skunJ5KlwHoZ21VEBndmjQKuOAXnD48jFGjKSipNqGhttVE6OSFsS6pb4F-a9tIgHZWiyLH2au_2DdNkvq_pC5vVhWliC6GqEqwhVX0GLvV/s320/894F28F6-3A24-4F29-8938-5FC50C929E65.jpeg" width="212" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/the-rice-mother/9780142004548">The Rice Mother</a>,
</span></i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">by Rani Manicka, is
a sweeping family saga, beginning in the early twentieth century and continuing
into the twenty-first century. It’s the story of Lakshmi, who was born in
Ceylon in 1916, beloved daughter of a woman who had married badly and who tries
to do better by Lakshmi. She arranges fourteen-year-old Lakshmi’s marriage to a
thirty-seven-year-old Malayan widower with two children, whom she believes to
be a man of wealth and position. After the wedding, the groom, Ayah, takes Lakshmi
back to Malaysia with him and she never sees her mother again.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When Lakshmi arrives at Ayah’s home, she learns how badly her
mother had been deceived about Ayah’s circumstances. Nevertheless, she takes on
the challenge of setting up housekeeping and improving their situation. Over
the next several years, she is often pregnant, giving birth to six children by
the time she is nineteen. While the family is not rich, they manage well
enough, and the children have a fairly happy childhood.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">However, everything changes on December 13, 1941, when the
Japanese invade Malaysia. Murder, rape, and theft by the Japanese occupiers is
rampant, and Malaysian families go to great lengths to hide their daughters.
Some, like Lakshmi’s daughter Anna, have their hair cut short and are dressed
in boys' clothing to hide the fact that they are girls. Others, such as Lakshmi’s
uncommonly beautiful daughter Mohini, are hidden completely from the outside
world.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Japanese occupation lasts for more than three years, but
the psychological and physical damage caused by the occupation stays with
Lakshmi and her family forever. Their stories are collected on tape much later
by Lakshmi’s granddaughter Dimple, and the book’s chapters are narrated by
various family members at Dimple’s prompting.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Lakshmi is a strong woman, whom her son Sevenese refers to at
one point as the “Rice Mother.” He tells Dimple that she is “the keeper of
dreams. Look carefully, and you will see, she sits on her wooden throne,
holding all our hopes and dreams in her strong hands, big and small, yours and
mine. The years will not diminish her.” Yet even a matriarch as fierce as
Lakshmi is unable to prevent the fates that await her children and
grandchildren.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/the-rice-mother/9780142004548">The Rice Mother</a>
</span></i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">held my attention
from beginning to end, despite the tragedies faced by all the characters. What
a wild ride it was!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">COOK</span></span><b><i><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Many of the specific dishes mentioned in <i><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/the-rice-mother/9780142004548">The Rice Mother</a></i>
were from Ceylon, where Lakshmi had spent her childhood. A couple of Malaysian
desserts that made their way into the book – coconut cookies and Nyonya cake –
sounded delicious, but required ingredients I couldn’t get and appeared to be
more complex than my cooking skills would allow. So I searched the Internet and
found a recipe at VeggieDesserts.com for <a href="https://veggiedesserts.com/recipe-easy-vegan-laksa/">laksa</a>, a spicy
soup made with vegetable broth and coconut milk, to which rice noodles, snow
peas, mung bean sprouts, and baby corn are added. It sounded like it should
taste better than it actually did – it was a bit on the bland side. I used
low-sodium vegetable broth, but I think a little salt would have improved the
flavor immensely.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy8lkAWGLLURj_j-4Zsbbz8FIMKfKaVUosjo4vm4vm8UcMaVybNrsJMQsNeHf-RUSXoJUGwzwgLROv1ANm5O_OVaYDzqKAiWXl4ZDkEg_dbCJkxCu4rce8JHUqgtDRQdipur906TWgqAHHEcRr9_IN92A-ieKqViVAsjIswgVpLK3w6jzfpMp1-Jad/s2633/A978946E-EBEF-4D85-94BB-51F3C6CEBAF4.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2633" data-original-width="2605" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy8lkAWGLLURj_j-4Zsbbz8FIMKfKaVUosjo4vm4vm8UcMaVybNrsJMQsNeHf-RUSXoJUGwzwgLROv1ANm5O_OVaYDzqKAiWXl4ZDkEg_dbCJkxCu4rce8JHUqgtDRQdipur906TWgqAHHEcRr9_IN92A-ieKqViVAsjIswgVpLK3w6jzfpMp1-Jad/s320/A978946E-EBEF-4D85-94BB-51F3C6CEBAF4.jpeg" width="317" /></a></div><br /> <div><div style="text-align: center;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">GIVE</span></span><b><i><span style="color: #262626; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 217;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">One effect of climate change throughout the world has been
the decline in healthy coral reefs. These reefs are needed to provide food to
countless numbers of marine species, and their loss could threaten the entire
ocean food chain. On the <a href="https://www.globalgiving.org/">GlobalGiving</a>
website, I found a project that would help protect the coral reefs on the
Malaysian islands of Tioman, Mantanani, and the Mersing group.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">According to the project description: “Coral reefs provide
food source and employment for millions around the world, especially coastal
communities. They act as an important carbon sink, which helps in our fight
against climate change. Despite being ecologically and economically important,
coral reefs are under increasing threats from human pressures such as
overfishing, marine litter, sewage pollution, unsustainable tourist numbers,
and coastal development. They also face natural threats from climage change and
global warming.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This project will provide funding that Reef Check Malaysia
will use to “track and monitor the health of coral reefs at over 220 sites
around Malaysia. Equipped with reliable data, we will develop reef management
and conservation plans according to site specific needs. Recently damaged coral
reef sites can be rehabilitated. Coral reefs that are affected by pollution can
be addressed by promoting environment-friendly tourism practices. We will also
advocate for policy changes to reduce human impacts in marine park areas.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">More information about this project is available at <a href="https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/reefs-malaysia/">Protect Coral
Reefs in Malaysia - GlobalGiving</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>NEXT STOP: MALDIVES</b></span></span></p><br /></div>Pamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192375534456260749noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2082788843988668755.post-66649343221817507422022-03-23T17:20:00.000-07:002022-03-23T17:20:49.346-07:00MALAWI<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaZnjXWyKJrDMc5OtwcF3VbZ9YlCnHtWVT6_QBVO3HF7OcIR4F2L2J3B1WmnAhUwhOohIq2FaokJ6RJ2naW02N1pT9VfKtWALLCn_gDXLLvoGYE8_Oie7g_mHhJ66A_jb4OSLIT7J72WEqHJXynTDciM9NK6IppTeBlkulhfsLGdmu4eyAFRnzfmlJ/s2077/0D0C07FC-E762-4F34-975B-D3D5162D160C.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2077" data-original-width="1106" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaZnjXWyKJrDMc5OtwcF3VbZ9YlCnHtWVT6_QBVO3HF7OcIR4F2L2J3B1WmnAhUwhOohIq2FaokJ6RJ2naW02N1pT9VfKtWALLCn_gDXLLvoGYE8_Oie7g_mHhJ66A_jb4OSLIT7J72WEqHJXynTDciM9NK6IppTeBlkulhfsLGdmu4eyAFRnzfmlJ/s320/0D0C07FC-E762-4F34-975B-D3D5162D160C.jpeg" width="170" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">READ<o:p></o:p></span></span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWZd7rjbtT1oppVA8kUyqE56giHrg_DkEqmYy0sV_VI94ys292GYQZSez0dRQHGL6fOm7DMBa1eP-KSMLTRAMVMNaTy0Wf4A8EAui9lw-z50BZmt_gDc8FHFrlsgv-imctSkFn2B_JRLTE5wTbWBu66dQ5Stnkvd4hoin1fjkZ8BSuRquCjPUeDlE6/s3190/93016B5B-4396-463B-8B8F-2E68301DEE30.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3190" data-original-width="2127" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWZd7rjbtT1oppVA8kUyqE56giHrg_DkEqmYy0sV_VI94ys292GYQZSez0dRQHGL6fOm7DMBa1eP-KSMLTRAMVMNaTy0Wf4A8EAui9lw-z50BZmt_gDc8FHFrlsgv-imctSkFn2B_JRLTE5wTbWBu66dQ5Stnkvd4hoin1fjkZ8BSuRquCjPUeDlE6/s320/93016B5B-4396-463B-8B8F-2E68301DEE30.jpeg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.biblio.com/search.php?author=kachingwe&title=NO+EASY+TASK&keyisbn=&stage=1">No
Easy Task</a>, </span></i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">by
Malawian author Aubrey Kachingwe, follows the life of Jo Jozeni, a young man
living in an unnamed British colony in Central Africa. Jo would like to study
law, but cannot obtain a scholarship to study abroad. Instead, he goes to work
as a cub reporter for the <i>Kawacha News </i>in the city of Kawacha, not far
from the village where he grew up.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Living and working in the city awakens him to the politics of
being African in a country that is ruled by the British. Although there are a
few Africans on both the Legislative Council and the Executive Council, they are
appointed to those positions by the British, rather than nominated and elected
by the people of the country.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The <i>Kawacha News</i> is owned by white British men as
well, although shortly after Jo goes to work for the paper, the white editor
and his partner quit and sell the paper to new owners. They give the editor
position to an African man, but the new owner is still white and British.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It seems clear throughout the book that the country is trying
to move toward independence. On the British side, however, there is the belief
that the “country has reached its present progress and prosperity mainly
because we, the non-Africans, have provided the capital, the initiative and the
know-how.” Therefore, they are reluctant to give up their leadership role.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Naturally, the Africans whose country has been colonized have
a different view. Jo’s father, who describes the British as guests, has this to
say: “We are full of human love. In our hearts, we are full of generosity. We
give a place to sleep and food to eat to our guests in our houses. We treat
them like members of our own families. Good guests ask no more than we can
give. But a guest who wants the best that can be had in our house at the
expense of us – such a guest we will ask to leave our house. We cannot have
him. We don’t want him.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">While most of the plot of <i><a href="https://www.biblio.com/search.php?author=kachingwe&title=NO+EASY+TASK&keyisbn=&stage=1">No
Easy Task</a> </i>involves politics, Jo’s day-to-day life is chronicled as
well. Moving away from the village to the city is a big step for him, and he
has to learn whom to trust. At first, he lives with his sister Mary and
brother-in-law Felix, but after Felix gets into trouble for being involved in
an unlawful protest, he loses both his job and his employer-owned housing. It
seems that some kind of trouble or another is always in Jo’s path.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I found <i><a href="https://www.biblio.com/search.php?author=kachingwe&title=NO+EASY+TASK&keyisbn=&stage=1">No
Easy Task</a> </i>to be interesting and thought-provoking, showcasing
colonialism as it winds down, rather than when it’s at full strength.</span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">COOK</span></span><b><i><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Although eating certainly occurred in <i><a href="https://www.biblio.com/search.php?author=kachingwe&title=NO+EASY+TASK&keyisbn=&stage=1">No
Easy Task</a></i>, specific dishes weren’t mentioned. I searched the Internet
and found several recipes for <a href="https://www.curiouscuisiniere.com/mbatata-malawian-sweet-potato-cookies/">Mbatata</a>,
which are sweet potato cookies. I tried the one from the Curious Cuisiniere
website, using Earth Balance instead of butter to make the cookies vegan. All
the recipes seemed to indicate that these cookies should be made heart-shaped
to honor the people of Malawi, who are known for their hospitality and
friendliness. I don’t know if traditional Malawian sweet potato cookies are
really cut in heart shapes or not, but I did as the recipe suggested. The
cookies were good – not too sweet – and I was sorry the recipe made such a small
batch.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbRQclL8N-BAiQ0VZAdrvLdey9fLxwscws8xCDWZksNNgpBjmlLVV4ruPLWiszyx6gnAiCqHkuwXLg8iebuP-UDhVx7B64SlhaVcXYTWOUAdjFxuFngVKkypvAYnLYvG7n1iW-yWRPXFnZzBeBcAKAojXiFxgHiC6NdAemd_2wOyl5Ho06wcCXNm-a/s2963/CA0F5F36-E67D-4DA7-91B8-6D6C1F4E3C07.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2910" data-original-width="2963" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbRQclL8N-BAiQ0VZAdrvLdey9fLxwscws8xCDWZksNNgpBjmlLVV4ruPLWiszyx6gnAiCqHkuwXLg8iebuP-UDhVx7B64SlhaVcXYTWOUAdjFxuFngVKkypvAYnLYvG7n1iW-yWRPXFnZzBeBcAKAojXiFxgHiC6NdAemd_2wOyl5Ho06wcCXNm-a/s320/CA0F5F36-E67D-4DA7-91B8-6D6C1F4E3C07.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">GIVE</span></span><b><i><span style="color: #262626; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 217;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p></div> <p></p><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As is the case with other African countries, climate change
has hit Malawi hard. This was on my mind as I searched through the <a href="https://www.globalgiving.org/">GlobalGiving</a> website for a project to
support. The one that caught my eye was a project to construct a solar
irrigation system for thirty farming families. According to the project
description, food insecurity is a major issue in Malawi, and the “district of
Balaka is especially vulnerable and increasingly hit by natural disasters as a
result of climate change.”</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Building a solar-powered irrigation system “gives a reliable
water supply to farmers making two harvests per year possible and increasing
their long-term food security and income.” As part of this project, farmers
will also be trained in desirable crop selection and equipment maintenance.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">More information about this project is available at <a href="https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/empower-30-families-solar-irrigation/">Empower
30 Malawian Families with Solar Irrigation - GlobalGiving</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>NEXT STOP: MALAYSIA</b></span></span></p><br /></div>Pamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192375534456260749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2082788843988668755.post-73952196407765887902022-03-07T15:13:00.000-08:002022-03-07T15:13:49.617-08:00MADAGASCAR<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjnh9SE7WhBecC0GSxFNbxY8T06fBE9AksmOmox8iGLI7uwlR5YveG66JWMLIFrLmTpebXT0PpiTueeQ8eBol4N4MFWH5b1XErB39-ehK26EqRwdB5FrZcrA0I9_aGRZQ9XMlkgBowtTE36ehIQVlIG25uE05ifxpoqTL9PxsVVQLh6dh5cWC4Ilvqj=s2075" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2075" data-original-width="1769" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjnh9SE7WhBecC0GSxFNbxY8T06fBE9AksmOmox8iGLI7uwlR5YveG66JWMLIFrLmTpebXT0PpiTueeQ8eBol4N4MFWH5b1XErB39-ehK26EqRwdB5FrZcrA0I9_aGRZQ9XMlkgBowtTE36ehIQVlIG25uE05ifxpoqTL9PxsVVQLh6dh5cWC4Ilvqj=s320" width="273" /></a></div><br /><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">READ<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhT9CE-ImtcODcpv57b4MOi-ksKOMjr7lPYWqRvB5o456AZaJ8eAH1Mje-PN0jXrW4LppA0uH15fPqkPAA2BaherK1gMM9_mg2_uy25kX1YYs0wg2Gudgq-NM94JTPA1u3lvsqhw96LxmckS-aV4E6GOwCSDlzM--rlwbn73CpQeVQBJgAy-eXQ6n8n=s3639" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3639" data-original-width="2402" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhT9CE-ImtcODcpv57b4MOi-ksKOMjr7lPYWqRvB5o456AZaJ8eAH1Mje-PN0jXrW4LppA0uH15fPqkPAA2BaherK1gMM9_mg2_uy25kX1YYs0wg2Gudgq-NM94JTPA1u3lvsqhw96LxmckS-aV4E6GOwCSDlzM--rlwbn73CpQeVQBJgAy-eXQ6n8n=s320" width="211" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When I first started this project, no novels had been
translated into English by authors from Madagascar. Fortunately, by the time I
reached Madagascar on my list, translator Allison M. Charette had remedied that
situation. The book I read for this post is her translation of<a href="https://bookshop.org/books/beyond-the-rice-fields/9781632061317"> <i>Beyond
the Rice Fields</i></a><i>, </i>by Naivo.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The story takes place in the early to mid-1800s, during the
last years of the reign of King Radama I and the first twenty-one years of the
reign of Queen Ranavalona I. Tsito is nine years old when his village is
destroyed by soldiers and he is sold into slavery. He is purchased by Rado, a
trader who gives Tsito to his seven-year-old daughter Fara out of guilt because
he has essentially abandoned her and her mother Bao, visiting them only
occasionally. Tsito’s life with Fara, Bao, and Bao’s mother Bebe isn’t bad. He
works alongside the women in the family, and he plays with Fara and attends
school with her. He develops deep feelings for Fara, but knows a relationship is
out of the question, since he is a slave.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">From time to time, Rado takes Tsito on the road with him. On
one of these trips, Tsito meets Ibandro, a strong and powerful slave belonging
to the lord of the province. Ibandro takes Tsito under his wing, arranging for
him to learn trades and crafts that he hopes will eventually win him his
freedom. Eventually, Tsito leaves Fara’s family and goes to work for Ibandro’s
master, Andriantsitoha.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This is not just a personal story about Tsito and Fara,
however. The history of Madagascar during that era is chronicled in all its tragic
detail. Seers, sorcery, and superstition are commonplace, and the people of the
kingdom (referred to in the book as the People Under the Sky), are never safe from
accusations that could lead to their deaths. When someone is accused of sorcery
or any number of other things, they must face an ordeal called tangena, which
involves poison. If the person survives, they are generally considered to be
innocent of whatever charges had been brought against them. Tens of thousands
of people lose their lives in this manner under the reign of Queen Ranavalona
I.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Missionaries are active in Madagascar in the early part of
this book, and Fara and Tsito learn to read and write at a missionary school.
However, after Queen Ravanalona I takes the throne, she basically outlaws
Christianity, and anyone who had converted to that religion faces a perilous
existence.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/beyond-the-rice-fields/9781632061317">Beyond
the Rice Fields</a> </span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">is
told from both Tsito’s and Fara’s perspectives, tracing the arc as his fortunes
rise and hers begin to fall. They are both sympathetic characters trying to do
their best in life at a time when allegiances shift frequently, and when those
in the Queen’s good graces one day may be at risk the next. This book is an
unforgettable saga of a horrifying time in Madagascar’s history.</span></p></div><br /><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">COOK</span></span><b><i><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; text-align: left;">As is apparent from the title, rice is the main staple of the characters' diet in <i><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/beyond-the-rice-fields/9781632061317">Beyond
the Rice Fields</a>.</i> Other than that, however, the book didn’t supply much
in the way of culinary inspiration. So I searched the Internet and found a
recipe on the Yummly.com website for a dish called <a href="https://www.yummly.co.uk/recipe/Madagascar-Tofu-9163391">Madagascar Tofu</a>.
Essentially, this dish consists of cubed tofu coated with spices and cooked in
a light sauce of onion, tomato, and coconut milk. It wasn’t bad, but
considering how many spices were involved, I was surprised at how bland it was.
Adding a little Tapat</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; text-align: left;">í</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; text-align: left;">o sauce helped immensely!</span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiyy3NfEW7y1b2buh5pbqxx6kxtPGgNpgB3rj7wjqTTHoqOC-GAu51xDVYznP8NKwvWKb9Nnj4_EKTQ4GE51mY5y8cXcZpgBK0kgfkwOFiUx0MiAtsvR8dtS39UkvdXN8xWKg5VmAOoaDAbgi-DaKK6-YL5lHYi0BwF0agbZX4B9nxf0MUuczW8Cwl8=s2734" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2734" data-original-width="2723" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiyy3NfEW7y1b2buh5pbqxx6kxtPGgNpgB3rj7wjqTTHoqOC-GAu51xDVYznP8NKwvWKb9Nnj4_EKTQ4GE51mY5y8cXcZpgBK0kgfkwOFiUx0MiAtsvR8dtS39UkvdXN8xWKg5VmAOoaDAbgi-DaKK6-YL5lHYi0BwF0agbZX4B9nxf0MUuczW8Cwl8=s320" width="319" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">GIVE</span></span><b><i><span style="color: #262626; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 217;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Climate change has been much on my mind lately, to the extent
that I’ve even joined an online <a href="https://www.getrevue.co/profile/ClimateSolutionsBookClub">climate
solutions book club</a>. Knowing that Madagascar is suffering from dire
climate-caused problems, I decided that my donation would go to climate
change-related projects in that country. The <a href="https://www.globalgiving.org/">GlobalGiving</a> website listed several,
and I chose three to support: a reforestation project, a relief fund for a
climate-caused famine, and protection for threatened lemur habitat. Information
about these projects can be found at the following links:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/planting-ten-trees-per-person-in-madagascar/">Planting
15000 trees in Madagascar - GlobalGiving</a></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/madagascar-famine-relief-fund/">Madagascar
Famine Relief Fund - GlobalGiving</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/protecting-threatened-lemur-habitat-in-madagascar/">Protecting
Threatened Lemur Habitat in Madagascar - GlobalGiving</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">NEXT STOP: MALAWI</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p><br /></div>Pamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192375534456260749noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2082788843988668755.post-88421100217384899462022-02-28T20:43:00.001-08:002022-03-01T11:39:27.773-08:00MACEDONIA <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Note: In February of 2019, Macedonia changed its name to North Macedonia.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjmt1OmJDJ0nqG1TMlDXQuDpnWl66Sj-X84d6HOY8jfLT3HdLVwhDrr96MWwXAjWtkU1N_VnUMjY8pSy_kBO8z4Y6IY2mhxyMMnnf1HTINVI4Oz22MFkpKUgQkENvXPYXEYFYT_b0S12mJPWrWIbHbaRXXcFjeIvrmVh4PoPxUEqj6H2ONyJAtFnirJ=s976" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="976" data-original-width="556" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjmt1OmJDJ0nqG1TMlDXQuDpnWl66Sj-X84d6HOY8jfLT3HdLVwhDrr96MWwXAjWtkU1N_VnUMjY8pSy_kBO8z4Y6IY2mhxyMMnnf1HTINVI4Oz22MFkpKUgQkENvXPYXEYFYT_b0S12mJPWrWIbHbaRXXcFjeIvrmVh4PoPxUEqj6H2ONyJAtFnirJ=s320" width="182" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">READ<o:p></o:p></span></span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxw73RDTUf9hbDuA2JMtUWz7om4DOj4EOqwKnJVw5XAoGLxUdtXD25svVubTfb5jeqo74WIgc_A3IDmNlYluDMk4wXANeNn_LyZ8tbM0iBgcir0b9zrDa1gwBURsQJXO7XikoMJ8gjJlGoGg1wFO6CpLQrKhYcefziYOlvInH23XDFYSUT_1jJf7Ik=s2944" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2944" data-original-width="1946" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxw73RDTUf9hbDuA2JMtUWz7om4DOj4EOqwKnJVw5XAoGLxUdtXD25svVubTfb5jeqo74WIgc_A3IDmNlYluDMk4wXANeNn_LyZ8tbM0iBgcir0b9zrDa1gwBURsQJXO7XikoMJ8gjJlGoGg1wFO6CpLQrKhYcefziYOlvInH23XDFYSUT_1jJf7Ik=w212-h320" width="212" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">When I realized that the book I had purchased for Macedonia
was a 490-page novel about conjoined twins, I wasn’t thrilled. For starters,
that’s a lot of pages! And then there was the subject matter – it seemed to me
that a story about twins who were joined at their temples could only end badly.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/a-spare-life/9781931883559">A Spare Life</a>, </span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">written by Lidija Dimkovska and
translated by Christina E. Kramer, certainly had its tragic moments, but it
turned out to be much more readable than I had expected. The story follows the
lives of conjoined twin sisters -- Zlata, who is the narrator, and Srebra – who
were born in the Macedonian city of Skopje. The girls are twelve years old when
the novel begins, so they have had many years to become accustomed to their
situation. They live with their parents in a small house with few amenities and
very little love. The girls don’t even like each other very much, as they must
be with each other all the time and they never seem to want to do the same
thing.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Zlata and Srebra have two friends, but the other children at
school or in the neighborhood either tease them or ignore them. There is a lot
of extended family – in fact, there are too many grandparents, aunts, uncles,
cousins, and in-laws for me to keep track of – so the girls have some sense of
community around them. But nothing really helps to ease the reality that they
are stuck together and can never have any privacy.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">When the twins go to high school, they each want to study
different things, but that’s not possible, since they must attend the same classes.
They end up studying what Zlata wants – language arts. But when they begin
college, Srebra chooses their course of study, which is law. They become
friends with some of their fellow law students, and then life becomes very
complicated. Srebra and one of the students, Darko, fall in love. Zlata finds
herself just inches away from every kiss and every caress between Srebra and
Darko. Things become even more uncomfortable when Darko and Srebra get married,
and the three of them have to share a bed. Eventually, they decide that they
must come up with the money to go to London and see if they can find a surgeon
who can separate them.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Juxtaposed against the sisters’ desire to be separated from
one another is the struggle taking place in their region of the world. At the
beginning of the novel, Macedonia is a part of Yugoslavia, along with several
other constituent republics. However, these entities are pulling away and
trying to obtain their independence. When Zlata and Srebra turn eighteen years
old, they vote in favor of a referendum on Macedonian independence. The
parallel between this vote and the sisters’ wish to be separated is not lost on
Zlata: “When two whole republics could be separated from Yugoslavia, something
that had been, up to that moment, the equivalent of science fiction, why couldn’t
two heads be separated by a surgeon’s knife?”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">There is so much more I could say about </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/a-spare-life/9781931883559">A Spare Life</a>, </i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">but
I don’t want to give anything away. It was a novel worth reading, both for the story
and for the history lesson.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">COOK</span></span><b><i><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">There were lots of food references in <i><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/a-spare-life/9781931883559">A Spare Life</a></i>.
Beans were eaten regularly, and for a while, I thought I’d be making a bean
dish for this blog post. But then I read a passage about the foods that Zlata
and Srebra’s mother cooked throughout the week, and found that Sunday was
stuffed pepper day. That sounded a lot more interesting than beans, so I looked
online and found a recipe for <a href="https://www.theironstronghold.com.au/30823-2/">Macedonian Stuffed Peppers</a>
on the Iron Stronghold website. The only substitution I needed to make was to
replace the ground beef with Impossible meat. This turned out to be a very
tasty and very pretty dish.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjM-kXOyVmAMc65SOK8wy-QlzDVj1tpvMDbIHwgAwvqw0xcOw-8-UFVlobcdZKWU_pJJMfJEyWqlWqLjzATcZpVCgKs1rG3HAT_DW3eVKe3EI5NMbc_H-4hU9rpyBzt7WMVxwWNmDfqvI2ByPFiOCSS0t2DA90g6ym5VNTiWIt01e9_M3ozRg-ZgOL2=s2769" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2186" data-original-width="2769" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjM-kXOyVmAMc65SOK8wy-QlzDVj1tpvMDbIHwgAwvqw0xcOw-8-UFVlobcdZKWU_pJJMfJEyWqlWqLjzATcZpVCgKs1rG3HAT_DW3eVKe3EI5NMbc_H-4hU9rpyBzt7WMVxwWNmDfqvI2ByPFiOCSS0t2DA90g6ym5VNTiWIt01e9_M3ozRg-ZgOL2=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">GIVE</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">The <a href="https://www.globalgiving.org/">GlobalGiving</a>
website listed three projects in North Macedonia, which meant I had to figure
out how North Macedonia differed from Macedonia. Apparently, there was a
dispute between the Republic of Macedonia and the Macedonian region of Greece
as to the use of the name. So in 2019, the Republic of Macedonia changed its
name to the Republic of North Macedonia.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">At any rate, of the three projects listed at GlobalGiving,
the one I chose was one giving trauma-informed care to orphans. North Macedonia
has been working to move children out of orphanages and into foster care or
group homes. This project will assist in this effort by providing: “1) Seminars
in Trauma-informed Care for foster families and group home caregivers, and 2)
Daily care for special needs orphans through The JOY Home Day Center, which
will give 6 children support through therapies, attachment-centered play, and
trauma-informed care.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">More information about this project is available at </span><a href="https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/care-for-orphans-in-macedonia/" style="font-size: 12pt;">Give
Trauma-Informed Care to Orphans in Macedonia - GlobalGiving</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 36pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: bottomleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: #4472C4; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: accent5; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: white; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: background1; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .53pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">
</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">NEXT STOP: MADAGASCAR</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p></div> <p></p>Pamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192375534456260749noreply@blogger.com0