Africa
The last untouched continent is Africa. In some regards, it’s the new SouthEast Asia for travelers. Now is a great time to venture to Africa before the tourists come in droves. In 2017, I’ve traveled to 20 countries in Africa. Learn about my experiences here.
Africa
Finding Soul, Non-Profit and Startup Accelerator in Africa Links
Finding Soul, Non-Profit and Startup Accelerator in Africa Links Here is a list of the links of the non-profits and startup accelerators in Africa in the book, Finding Soul: From Silicon Valley to Africa. Editors: Contact Pip here. pipstrickland23@gmail.com Catherine Ann Jones: www.wayofstory.com Africa Non-Profit Links: www.team4tech.org www.kakumaventures.com https://jetprogramusa.org/ leapschools.co.za https://www.soweto.co.za/html/i_overview.htm www.afridive.com www.meltwater.org www.kindleafrica.org www.britannica.com/place/history/benin https://www.statista.com/chart/19068/trans-atlantic-slave-trade-by-country-region/…
Read MoreMy Experience in Kakuma Refugee Camp
My Experience in a Refugee Camp in Kakuma Kakuma is a small city of 200k people where displaced people want to create opportunities through entrepreneurship by building companies Most Meaningful Experience: Understanding that refugee camps are like cities within themselves, filled with people who want to create a better life through business opportunities. Situated in…
Read MoreWhat Is it Like to Climb Mt. Kilimanjaro
What Is it Like to Climb Mt. Kilimanjaro The last leg was brutal and mountain sickness is real Most Meaningful Experience: Jeremy’s helping hand to make sure I didn’t fall down the mountain After a few days on my own in Nairobi, my buddy Jeremy flew into the Kenyan capital and we spent time exploring…
Read MoreTop 10 Travel Tip / Things To Do In Nairobi
Top 10 Favorite Travel Tips in Nairobi. There are many things to do in Nairobi, even a safari by the airport Nairobi is one of the most beautiful cities in Africa to visit. While for many tourists Nairobi acts as a transit point for visitors embarking on Kenyan and Tanzanian safaris there is so much to…
Read MoreGhana: Exploring Around Ghana, Cape Coast, and Volta Region
Exploring Beyond Accra Ghana has an ecotourism scene, highlands of Volta, fun tourist areas like Kakum, and the must see Cape Coast Most Meaningful Experience: What was deeply meaningful was connecting my roots in the Carolinas with slave trade castles of Cape Coast. Understanding where the African Americans in South Carolina came from helps me…
Read MoreGhana: Accra and Teaching at Meltwater
Exploring around Accra and Teaching Accra has a great scene of music, bars, and food Most Meaningful Experience: The entrepreneurs I worked with were driven by creating jobs, solving local problems, and making a better Africa. That left a lasting imprint on me. The first thing that struck me when crossing into Ghana at its…
Read MoreKakuma Ventures: Building Companies in a Refugee Camp
Starting Kakuma Ventures to Empower Refugees Kakuma is a small city of 200k people where displaced people want to create opportunities through entrepreneurship by building companies Most Meaningful Experience: Discovering some of the challenges people had in the refugee camp and being able to lend a hand to people who really want to learn. To…
Read MorePoem: Never to Look in a Mirror
Never to Look in the Mirror What if there were no mirrors? I met some kids yesterday who never looked in a mirror and when i showed them one they were amazed. I realized something and wrote a poem: If you never looked in the mirror There would be nothing to fear Nor Feelings that…
Read MoreMy First Humanitarian Footsteps with Innovation Africa in Uganda
My First Humanitarian Footsteps with Innovation Africa. Building water wells and solar energy in the desert to help others Most Meaningful Experience: Adapting to the environment and learning about the region I was wracked with uncertainty going into my first humanitarian project in Uganda’s Karamoja region. I’d just read about the horrors of Idi Amin’s…
Read MoreSeeing the Face of Hard Work and determination of the Batwa People in Rural Uganda
Volunteering in the Rift Valley of Uganda See Lake Bunyonyi and Mount Muhabara Most Meaningful Experience: Working with Reaplifedig.org and learning about the Batwa Community Top tips: – Volunteer with ReapLifeDig.org in southwestern Uganda – Explore the spectacular landscapes of Lake Bunyonyi – Trek to the volcanic peak of Mount Muhabura Meeting Lauren in Rwanda…
Read MoreTop 10 Africa Travel Tips
My Top 10 Africa Travel Tips. Prepare before you go to be physically ready and have a peace of mind Africa is safe for travelers if you take precautions. If you’re traveling to Africa for the first time, there are probably a lot of unknowns and maybe even concerns that you have. From getting vaccinations…
Read MoreA Zimbabwean Student’s Journey to Silicon Valley
A Zimbabwean Student’s Journey to Silicon Valley An amazing story of how a young driven entrepreneur, Mthabais Ndlovu, made his way to Silicon Valley Sometime last year I (Mthabais) was watching videos from the SingularityU South Africa Summit 2018. One of the speakers said, “A mind once stretched by a new idea never returns to…
Read MoreDiscovering more Questions than Answers in the Congo
Discovering the Mysteries of the Congo The Congo is a mysterious place deep in history and filled with color Most Meaningful Experience: Travel to see the live Volcano Travel Tips: – Trek to see the mountain gorillas of the Virunga National Park – Hike to the volcanic peak of Mount Nyiragongo – Cruise the Congo…
Read MoreA Soul-Liberating Experience in Malawi
A Soul-Liberating Experience in Malawi Malawi is called the Warm Heart of Africa due to the Compassionate People Top tips: – Scuba dive, hike and kick back on the shores of Lake Malawi. – Tackle the challenging trek to the summit of Mount Mulanje. – Splurge on Korean food in the capital, Lilongwe Arriving in…
Read MoreLearning to live again in Rwanda
Learning to Live Again in Rwanda Learning how people moved on after the genocide is mind-blowing Most Meaningful Experience: Meeting Norbert and having him show the ropes in Rwanda Top Tips: – Pay your respects at the somber Ntarama Genocide Memorial – Get a three-country East Africa Tourist Visa so you can easily visit Uganda…
Read MoreDelving Deeper Into Capetown
Delving Deeper Into Capetown Take a Walk Through the Streets of Capetown Most Meaningful Experience: Understanding that water crises are just starting to emerge around the world and income inequality is a major cause of unrest. Travel tips: There is a lot more to do in Capetown than I described. Go to Robben Island and…
Read More10 Things I Realized On Re-Entry Back Home From Traveling Africa
10 Things I Realized On Re-Entry Back from Africa. Travel changes you and Africa Makes You do a 180 Most Meaningful Experience: Understanding How Little One Really Needs In Life Travel always changes you. You never return home the same person you were when you left. This was particularly striking for me when I returned…
Read MoreOverland from Livingstone to Cape Town
Traveling Overland from Livingstone to Capetown for 30 days with a Dozen Strangers Traveling in Africa solo is difficult so Overland Bus is convenient Most Meaningful Experience: Learning patience and tolerance with my crew! Most meaningful experience: – Take a scenic flight over the Okavango Delta to wildlife spot from the air – Learn about…
Read MoreUgandan Encounters: Exploring outside of Kampala
Exploring Outside of Kampala, Uganda Make sure to go to Jinja to raft the Nile Most meaningful experience: – Read “A State of Blood” by Henry Kyemba to understand the misery and massacres of Uganda under Idi Amin. – Go white-water rafting at the source of the Nile in Jinja – Eat “rolex” – a…
Read MoreRun With and Like The Kenyans
Running With the Kenyans Learn How to run, train, and eat like the marathoners Most Meaningful Experience: Understanding the regiment of the best runners Most Meaningful: Visiting the home of a Kenyan runner at 6 am before a run to see that he slept on a wooden mattress and had only had two pairs of…
Read MoreDiscovering Mugabe’s legacy in Zimbabwe
Discover Mugabe’s Legacy in Zimbabwe Working with very inspiring and innovative entrepreneurs Most Meaningful Experience: Traveling across Zimbabwe with friends and then, by bus and learning about what happened during the Mugabe Regime. Top tips: – Go trekking through the mystical Nyanga National Park (just not after dark!) – Explore the western-styled city of Bulawayo…
Read MoreA Journey of Discovery on South Africa’s East Coast, the Wild Coast
Travel the wild coast of South Africa for a journey of animals, unique safaris, and a different view. The best areas are just west of Durban on the Wild Coast Most Meaningful Experience: Learning how to Nitrox dive, fast currents, and seeing hammerhead sharks! Travel Tips: Explore the surf and dive spots along Durban’s coastline…
Read More10 things I learned by observing Ramadan as a non-Muslim
The 10 Things I Learned by Observing Ramadan As a non-Muslim, I learned a lot by obsevering Ramadan. Anyone else can too. Every year in the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, Muslims around the world celebrate the holy month of Ramadan. While it’s commonly known as a month of fasting, with devotees abstaining from…
Read MoreForeign Investment and Entrepreneurs in Zambia’s Startup Ecosystem
Foreign Investment and Entrepreneurs in Zambia’s Startup Ecosystem. Zambia’s open-investment policy is causing a boom in economic activity Most Meaningful Experience: Making friends at Bongohive.co.zm and working with Entrepreneurs Flying into Zambia, I was still hustling to get my presentation together. This would be the first time I’d be teaching again since my stint in…
Read MoreOverland Trip: Zambia to South Africa Trip Dossier
Overland Trip Dossier: Zambia to South Africa This is our overland trip itinerary.Victoria Falls to Cape Town 21st February – 20th March 2017 NOMAD CONVOY is a tailored networking adventure safari for entrepreneurs & digital nomads, put together for you by NomadXplore, and operated in cooperation with Nomad Adventure Tours (www.nomadtours.co.za) and Greenpop (www.greenpop.org) Partaking…
Read MoreSolo Adventure Hiking Mount Kenya
Solo Adventure Hiking Mount Kenya I’m Vineet – I met Kurt in Ghana and we’ve been trekking buddies since. He didn’t join me on this trip but I I am writing a guest post for him! I love solo travel. I think it’s the best form of travel. To go out there by yourself…
Read MoreVolunteering in Kenya
Kenya Offers Many Volunteering Opportunities. The West Side of the Country is beautiful, relaxed, and his more laid back. Most Meaningful Experience: Visiting all of these non-profits was meaningful. Kenya West Side/Volunteer Having finished my Nairobi adventure, it was now time to meet Toto and move on to my second agenda – volunteering. During my…
Read MoreNairobi: The epicenter for East African Growth and Investment.
Nairobi is the Epicenter for East African Growth and Investment Nairobi is an exciting city with a juxtaposition of growth and abject poverty but it is getting better quickly. Most Meaningful Experience: Making friends, working at iHub, and visiting Kibera On arrival in Nairobi, I let out a sigh, as the airport was much more…
Read MoreA Glimpse into the History of Johannesburg and Legacy of Mandela
A Glimpse Into the History of Johannesburg and Legacy of Nelson Mandela and Gandhi Learning about the history of South African Apartheid and somewhat experiencing it. Travel Tips: Roaming around Johannesburg while gaining an insight into its racist issues and divide. Being approached for “selfies” with my Kaiser Chiefs jersey and confronting racism as…
Read MoreTogo – Border to Border Beach Country
Togo is a Beach Country, Laid Back, and Pleasant The beach starts and ends at the borders as well as goes inland Most Meaningful Experience: Hanging out, relaxing, and just catching up on energy. Travel Tips: Soak up the nighttime atmosphere around the beach, which greets you as soon as you arrive in Togo. Try…
Read MoreMozambique: The Pearl of the Indian Ocean
Mozambique: The Pearl of the Indian Ocean Traveling up the coast to Xia-Xia and Tofo Scuba Diving and of course the Fish Market in Maputo. Most Meaningful Experience: Dinner at the fish market with new friends Mozambique Travel Tips: • Explore the Fish Market and the seafood restaurants that cluster on Avenida Marginal in Maputo •…
Read MoreVolunTourism: In Africa
Voluntourism in Africa It was the great anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela that said: “There can be no greater gift than that of giving one’s time & energy to help others without expecting anything in return.” When I was planning my trip to Africa, I kept thinking “what can I do?” I couldn’t just spend months…
Read MoreSouth Africa Scuba Diving: Big Game Diving, Pelagics, and Ocean Safaris
Dive with The Pelagics – sharks, whales, dolphins – in South Africa. The best areas are just west of Durban on the Wild Coast Most Meaningful Experience: Getting out of my comfort zone and diving in fast currents Tackling the strong currents on deep dives at Protea Banks (only for experienced divers) while getting up…
Read MoreSwaziland: Rich Culture and Friendly, Talkative People
Swaziland: A Country of Rich Culture and Friendly People Meeting locals and learning about the real Swaziland. Most Meaningful Experience Experiencing the “other side” of Swaziland with the Ezulwini Valley locals Top Tips: • Make some local friends – the Swazis are super friendly people and warm to visitors; they don’t like small talk –…
Read MoreThe Future of Virtual Reality as seen by Students in South Africa
The Future that is Virtual Reality Using Google Cardboard, South African kids discovered to the possibilities the world has to offer. I hope this translates into more opportunity for others. After a few days working with my team at Team4tech in South Africa, Clarence convinced of the future of VR. The applications for education and…
Read MoreBenin – Togo’s Big Brother with a Bad Attitude
Benin: Togo’s Big Brother with a Bad Attitude Benin has rich cultural history around slave trade and voodoo Most Meaningful Experience: Visiting the slave route at Abomey and Ouidah • Hang out with the locals at the Cotonou Stadium, which is the place to be for good food, buses and taxis …
Read MoreNigeria: Hustling from Yaba to Makoko
Nigeria: A Country of Hustle, Rich Culture, and Genuine People Exploring all of Lagos from Makoko to Victoria Islands Most Meaningful Experience: Going through the slums of Makoko with Funmi who is trying to enrich the poorest lives in the world. Travel Tips • Lagos is infused with energy. Wake before sunrise…
Read MoreLesotho: Blood Diamond Profits for Cheap Labor
Lesotho is home to many ‘blood’ diamond mines These mines from Letseng and De Beers extract resources and the lives of the locals for immense profits. This is a short post for the diamond lovers out there. Here is a factory owned by Gem Diamonds and supplies much of the diamonds to major distributors like…
Read MoreLesotho – The Adventure and Magical Kingdom in the Sky
Lesotho – The Adventure and Magical Kingdom in the Sky. Lesotho is a country that sits on a plateau completely surrounded by South Africa. It has a growing adventure scene. Most Meaningful Experience: Making a local friend and exploring a new country. Meeting the friendly Basotho people and discovering their tight-knit community culture Top Tips: –…
Read MoreVolunteering in a Township Outside Johannesburg, South Africa
This is what I learned volunteering in a township outside of Johannesburg, South Africa. As part of Team4Tech, we taught technology and entrepreneurship in the township of Ga-Rankuwa in Pretoria. Most Meaningful Experience: How to inspire those in poverty who think money will solve all of life’s problems. This is a good example of voluntourism…
Read MoreReligion, Business, and History in Egypt
The Religion, History, and Business of Egypt Being in Egypt at the time of Ramadan taught me to respect a lot of the Mulsim religion. I spent 5 days in Egypt, on an impromptu vacation, during Ramadan. I even attempted to participate in Ramadan. I also explored the Pyramids of Giza, the Great Sphinx, the…
Read More