Christian's Travel Blog

During spring 1974, I was studying for my final exams at a commercial school in Austria, with the prospects becoming a bank merchant. To be honest, I knew little to nothing about the happenings in Lisbon at that time: the carnation revolution , leading ultimately also to the independence of its "oversea colonies" in Africa. For my part, Portugal was simply linked to history: the time of the (socalled) discoveries and great navigators . I assumed, the occidental nation was somewhat isolated at the Iberian peninsula and oriented first and foremost towards the Atlantic Ocean - living on its past glory and myth, relived in the fabulous expression of Fado . My knowledge about Africa was not much different. It took me a journey around the world and - what enlightment - a decision to swap my banking career for an African experience in development cooperation. And so it be - an unknown "lusophone " world opened to me its pages over the past two decades: Guinea-Bissau, C