PALMOIL & WATER

Water and oil don’t mix…The rigid relationship between water and oil mimics the disunity that envelopes various countries that lie along the continent of Africa. I have embarked on a journey outside of the US to explore the continent that withholds the blueprint of mans existence, and I have been confronted by the blunt reality that the shared identity of being African is not one that is received with open arms in every African country. I held the delusional and naive assumption that by being African somehow granted me the pleasure of easy assimilation and acceptance into any new African culture that I may casually stumble into….and then I landed in Egypt.… so I entitled this blog PALM OIL & WATER.

Palm oil is my symbolism for Nigeria, a country I heavily identify myself with. Palm oil is a key ingredient in various Nigerian dishes and palm oil was once a staple product of West Africa prior to the 1870’s (cited below). The water is my symbolism for the Nile river which flows through Egypt and has been the heart of its civilization throughout the countries ancient existence.

I am a Nigerian-American female in Egypt attempting to defy science (pardon my dramatics lol)… I’m naively attempting to make water and oil mix… to embrace the Egyptian culture and simultaneously be accepted as well (accepted as not only an Ameircan but most importantley as an African )... Wish me luck
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/picture_gallery/08/africa_nigerian_palm_oil/html/1.stm