1. My African Journey
By: Charlotte Bythewood

2. Look Out Africa Here I
Come
I ripped this out of a textbook I found
When the plane landed in
Egypt, I could tell it was a lot
different from the U.S. Most
of the Egyptians are Muslim
(about 90%) and only 10%
Christian!
Cairo is the capital city of
Egypt and is located on the
eastern bank of the river
Nile. It is also the largest city
in Africa! In Arabic, it is
known as Al-Qahirah, or the
victorious. Farther up north,
I am staying with Sucaryiqu, a
friend.

3. Day 1
This is one of the tombs!
When morning came, I was
ready to see the “tombs”.
Egyptians are known to
believe in after life, that is the
reason why they beautifully
arrange the tombs, puts
ornamentals( beautiful
things), and other things that
they need in the after life. For
rich Egyptians and Pharaohs,
their bodies are wrapped in
linen and are placed in their
tombs.
Tombs are placed inside caves
or pyramids where the walls
are fully decorated with
frescos (paintings).

4. Day 1- continued
Deserts are nearby, and the
climate is naturally affected -
dry, hot days, with cooler nights
and scant rainfall.
Egypt doesn’t always look so
pretty. While I have been here I
can see the desert swallow
Egypt, since it is in the Sahara
desert. Desertification is
growing rapidly and rain is
decreasing.
On the top picture, the
people I am staying with are
working on there field. This
year, like many, they will not
make enough money to
support themselves for the
year.

5. Day 2 Abuja, Nigeria
• The capital of Nigeria
Now, I am getting on a plane
heading to Abuja, the capital of
Nigeria in Western Africa. Abuja
was built in the 1980’s and the
official language is English. This
should make my stay easier!
I was so eager to shop for
souvenirs I just had to stop at the
market. There were so many
things for sale – wooden carvings,
leather bags, jewelry, and so
much more. But where were the
prices? There aren’t any like in
the US, you have to negotiate the
prices with the seller. A true
market economy! I picked up an
animal carving and paid with
Nigerian Naira.

6. Day 2- continued in
Nigeria
• Akinlana working on a
carving for tourists.
After I got my carving, I talked to the
man named Akinlana who made me
the carving. I found out that this
was his way of making a living. Did
you know that 45% of Africans live
in extreme poverty?
“ The government is corrupt and
doesn’t care about us” he said. “But
there is some hope. The
government started a program
called NEEDS that has helped
Nigerians get a basic education and
that helps protect the environment.
But infants and mothers are still
dying during child birth, people are
hunger and we have problems with
disease like HIV/AIDS and malaria.”
Akinlana said sadly.
As I left the market, I felt bad for
the sad souls staring at me. I headed
back to my motel with a heavy
heart.

7. Day 3
Another thing I learned
during my stay in Nigeria was
how much their mixed-
economy depends on the
export of fossil fuels like
natural gas and oil. It is
strange how a country can
have so much wealth in
natural resources but so much
poverty at the same time.
Economists refer to this as the
“resource curse".
Nigeria is trying hard to
manufacture more things to
export to Western African
countries as well as produce
more of its own food to help
feed the people.

8. Day 4
The Anthropology Museum
It has been great in Nigeria, but
now I’m flying to Democratic Republic
Of Congo. Up, up, and away.
I am in the Democratic republic of
Congo. When I was walking up the
streets my eye caught the sight of the
Anthropology Museum. It was so big
and beautiful I had to go in. When I
got inside a tour guide named Amba
greeted me. She told me about the
history of Congo. “ There was an
estimated 10 million people who are
had died from forced labor, starvation,
and outright extermination during
Leopold's colonial rule.” She told me
about how Belgium had been a part of
this system as well. Plus, the
independence that didn’t come far
after.

9. Day 4- continued
4:00- I am now on a tour
“boat” heading down the fifth
longest river in the world.
None other than the Congo
River.
As we headed steadily down
the river, I learned that there
were bantu speaking people
that had lived along the coast
of Congo for more than 2,000
years!
Wow, the water was getting
so fast and bumpy I decided
to name it “Gates of Hell”.
Turns out I wasn’t the only
one thinking so. The rivers go
very fast for 75-miles straight.

10. Day 5
Africa is very different
in many different
countries. From
economics, to culture, to
government and more.
I am going back to the
airport to leave my
exiting journey and head
back to the United States.
“ Air flit to Georgia now
boarding”. That’s my
fight.
Up, up, and away!