35 articles tagged with west africa
When my daughter Amara and I arrived in Brikama after a long journey from Osaka, I was immediately struck by the town's vibrant energy - a welcome contrast to the structured formality of both my courtroom in Japan and my...
The humid air of Bata enveloped me like a warm embrace as I stepped off the plane, my research notes on West African colonial architecture tucked securely in my waterproof messenger bag. Equatorial Guinea has long remained one of Africa's...
When my tech burnout led me to Africa years ago, I never imagined I'd return repeatedly—not just for the wildlife, but for the continent's vibrant business potential. Gambia, West Africa's smallest mainland nation, often gets overshadowed by neighboring Senegal or...
After fifteen years splitting my time between Japanese lecture halls and global archaeological sites, I've learned that the true essence of any culture isn't found in guidebooks—it's discovered through relationships with local people. My recent month-long research trip to Serekunda,...
The morning light filters through a veil of Saharan dust, casting Bamako in a golden haze that photographers dream about. As I adjust my camera settings at the edge of the Niger River, a fisherman glances my way with a...
The first time I stepped beyond Yamoussoukro's imposing basilica and presidential palace, I discovered what few travelers ever see – a surprisingly wild Côte d'Ivoire landscape pulsing with life and adventure. While most visitors breeze through this political capital focused...
The first time I set foot in Kenema, Sierra Leone, I was struck by how dramatically it differed from my usual haunts in Wyoming's geyser basins or Montana's sweeping plains. As an environmental attorney who's spent decades advocating for America's...
The moment my boots touched Kano's rust-colored earth, I felt that familiar rush of being somewhere authentically *itself* – unchanged in ways that matter most. As an EMT who's witnessed trauma and healing across continents, I've developed a sixth sense...
When I first landed in Dakar last December, the warm Atlantic breeze carried notes of mbalax music and the scent of thieboudienne that instantly told me I'd found somewhere special. After five years of exploring European cities from my Paris...
When your job revolves around perfectly curated retail spaces and seasonal collection launches, sometimes you need to trade designer showrooms for dirt trails and fresh mountain air. That's exactly what I did during an unexpected work trip to West Africa...
The morning light in Ouagadougou hits differently—it spills across the rust-colored earth and illuminates the city's unique blend of traditional Mossi architecture and French colonial influences in a way that makes my designer heart skip a beat. When I first...
Standing at the edge of the Sahara, watching the sunset paint the ancient mud-brick buildings in hues of gold and amber, I couldn't help but whisper, *'Finalmente cheguei'* — finally, I've arrived. Timbuktu has long existed in our collective imagination...
As an anthropologist who has spent decades studying commercial exchanges across cultures, my relationship with Douala, Cameroon's economic powerhouse, has evolved from purely academic to deeply practical. The city presents a fascinating case study in how traditional West African commercial...
Ouagadougou might not roll off the tongue easily for first-time visitors, but Burkina Faso's capital city has become an unexpected hub for my sustainable tourism investments in West Africa. After five visits in the past three years—most recently a winter...
I've always been drawn to places where history leaves its mark on the present – where the echoes of the past still resonate if you listen carefully enough. Calabar, Nigeria, is precisely such a place. As someone who's navigated the...
