Dakar with a population of over a million people is the…
““Dakar with a population of over a million people is the capital and largest city of Senegal. Counting the surrounding area the population would go well over 2,000,000. This would be our last landing for fuel, before our arrival in Liberia. We took a long turn over the Atlantic and made a slow decent to the runway of the “Aéroport international de Dakar” just north of Dakar. The Portuguese founded Dakar in 1444, as a base for the export of slaves. Dakar came under French rule in 1872 and was the capital of the Mali Federation for a year after 1959. On August 20, 1960, it became the capital of Senegal. It is here that the sand dunes of the North African desert, gives way to the dense tropical rain forests of Equatorial Africa. On a map of Africa, Liberia is on the western bulge, just 5 degrees north of the equator. This is where, during the blisteringly hot summer months it constantly rains, and just south of where the tropical depressions become the fierce hurricanes that threaten the Caribbean Islands and North America. The impenetrable jungle of Liberia is euphemistically called “The Bush.” This hell hot, humid, Garden of Eden, was to become my home for the next eighteen months.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The narrator describes landing in Dakar, its history, geography, and the harsh yet beautiful environment of Liberia where he will live for eighteen months.
In simple terms: A vivid account of arriving in Dakar and moving to Liberia’s challenging but lush setting.
Embrace new environments despite difficulty.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- piloting
- military logistics
- long‑term deployment
- adaptation
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How does the setting shape the narrator’s perception?
- What responsibilities come with describing foreign lands?
The narrative may romanticize hardship, overlooking local hardships.