How does the text relate to the theme of a journey?
Waris Dirie recounts her incredible journey from the depths of poverty to the catwalks around the world. Waris was born into a traditional Somali family, desert nomads who engaged in such ancient and antiquated customs like genital mutilation and arranged marriage. At twelve, she ran away from an arranged marriage to an old man. She travelled alone across the dangerous Somali desert, facing dangers like predators, hunger and dehydration in order to reach Mogadishu and her true story began.
What is the main issue in the text?
The main topic in the text is mostly about the rights of women. At an early age, she was circumcised barbarously by the gypsy women so that she could get married and distinguish the view of ‘dirty, oversexed and unmarriageable’ woman. She was surprised that she survived the brutal circumcision but as the price for her living, she had to suffer immense difficulty of urinating and having periods. She was also one of the victims of rape. No matter when she was at the desert or at the town of Mogadishu (and even in London), she found herself almost being raped by the person called men. But now as a Special Ambassador for the U.N., she travels the world speaking out against the barbaric practice of female genital mutilation, promoting women's reproductive rights, and educating people about the Africa she fled so that no women will experience the same thing she had.
What quality do you admire or dislike in a character?
I like the character of Waris Dirie as a determined and courageous woman. Determined not to allow custom traditions to rule her destiny, she picked herself up and ran to her sister’s house where she was shuttled between her house and those of various aunts and uncles. One of her uncles moved to London and she went there to work for him. While in London, she stayed with an aunt who was a good friend of Iman’s mother which later Terence Donovan discovered her and placed her face on a 1987 Pirelli Calendar, launching her into a highly successful modeling career.
How does the text develop your understanding of the world?
Women of Africa are the backbone of the family and the country but they have no rights to voice out their opinion as they are overshadowed by the pride of men. Their discontentments are never to be heard by men because to them women are just people who responsible to take care of their husbands and children and manage the household chores. They never have the place equal to men in making decisions, especially about female genital mutilation which has killed thousands of women in Africa. They have to suffer almost for the period of their lives because there are only a tiny 'matchstick-sized' opening through the genital which to urinate and menstruate .Other than that, they are also can be easily become the victim of rape since there are no proper education in Somalia. As the results, Nomad families become poorer and more isolated to the modern society.
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