Non-Fiction Pick of the Week: My Maasai Life

My Maasai life: from suburbia to savannah by Robin Wiszowaty 2009

Robin Wiszowaty spent a year living with a Maasai family in a remote village in Kenya. She was taking a course in International Development from the University of Illinois. Robin was the rebellious middle child of an affluent Polish-American family living in a suburb near Chicago. Robin wanted to challenge herself and set out on an adventure. This inspirational memoir chronicles how she embraced the Maasai culture and fell in love with her African family. This young woman introduces the reader to the realities of the harsh and difficult conditions that the Maasi must endure: poverty, high incidence of AIDS/HIV, female/male circumcision, youth crime , violence and early marriage rates for female teens.

Robin develops a special relationship with a young man. Samuel is struggling to support his mother and younger siblings due to the lack of family support from his alcoholic father.

After returning to Chicago after one year in Kenya Robin is trying to find a direction for

her life. She finally gets a job with Free the Children and is eventually promoted to Kenya Projects Director. This job allows Robin to visit her Maasai family and Samuel.

This memoir is a fresh look at the aspirations of today’s youth to become actively involved in helping the youth in Third World countries.