Africa

I've always felt something special for Africa. Always wanted to go, see, smell, taste, learn, live, listen...Africa. Just the word "Africa" makes me feel something, does that happen to you?

Of course it is inevitable to feel a sort of compassion and resentment towards Africa's situation today (and ok, for at least the past couple centuries...). Behind that, much deeper, there's a definite feeling of respect and love for the complex and incredible reality Africa is. I talk about Guatemala being a place of contrast...but Africa really blows your mind: each African country and Africa as a whole reality. You can't find more contrast than that I think, in so many ways!

I've only ever been to Morocco. There is much much much more for me to see, and I will. I have a very dear friend whose name is Gaia; she's an Italian, beautiful, smart, clever, noble, incredible young woman. And she adores Africa. She's been there many times and even learnt Swahili. She carries around her neck a silver-made map of Africa her mom had made for her -and is bothered by the fact that Madagascar isn't on it-. She will dedicate her life to that continent (a continent that is so much more than a place in the world). I am sure she will achieve great things, but I am also certain that there's enough work for a million Gaias to do in trying to improve Africa's current situation.

I don't know why I got the urge to talk about Africa today, I just did. There's so much to say, so much I don't know, so much I can't even begin to understand...

Africa, Africa...