Out of Africa: A Photographer’s Journey

by Bill Dusty



archer-small Sometimes personal journeys can take you not so very far from home while at the same time giving you whole new perspectives on life. Other times, it’s the experience of the expedition itself that becomes a part of the new-found perspective.

So it was for a group of 20 American teachers who trekked to the African country of Tanzania this past year on a three-week visit to climb Mount Kilimanjaro and interact with the locals in several different villages. The trip was part of the filming of a documentary entitled, Inspire Me! Africa, the second installment of the “Inspire Me” series after the first film, Inspire Me!, which debuted earlier this year and chronicled the experience of six science teachers exploring new heights in zero-g living.

In the Inspire Me! Africa film, camera crews follow a small group of teachers as they experience African culture first-hand. The film follows the teachers prior to their leaving the United States, documents their journeys on the African continent, and finally records them back in their classrooms as they talk with students about their experiences. It’s hoped that the 20 teachers who took part in the trip will be able to inspire both their student charges and their fellow educators into having a better understanding of the environment and their fellow man.

Folks here in the Pioneer Valley can experience a bit of that journey themselves by visiting the GoNomad Cafe, in South Deerfield, MA, where full-color photos chronicling the trip are currently on display through the month of November. The photos were taken by local photographer Mark Archer, who accompanied the teachers on their trek to Africa. Archer is also vice president of Del Padre Digital, based in East Longmeadow, MA. GoNomad Cafe is a sister company of the online travel site, GoNomad.com, which provides stories and information for travelers going anywhere in the world.

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For more information on the Inspire Me! series, visit their Web site. For more on the Inspire Me! Africa documentary, visit their Web site here.

The GoNomad Cafe is located on Sugarloaf Street, in South Deerfield, MA, and is open Monday through Friday from 6:30am to 5:00pm, and 8:00am to 4:00pm on Saturdays and Sundays. For information, call (413) 665-5005.

(Photos in this story courtesy Mark Archer.)

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Posted by Bill Dusty on Nov 5th, 2009 and filed under Entertainment, Feature Stories, Latest Posts. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

2 Responses for “Out of Africa: A Photographer’s Journey”

  1. Mark Archer says:
    November 5, 2009 at 9:30 pm

    Bill,

    Thanks for the great article! You can check out some video updates on our site also. http://www.delpadre.com

    Thanks again, and Jambo!

  2. Bill Dusty says:
    November 5, 2009 at 10:53 pm

    You’re welcome, Mark.

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