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Reviewed by Jamie Michele for Readers' Favorite
Maria Fajardo de T.'s memoir, Hakuna Shida: Memories of a Guatemalan Family in Africa, traces how her family came to live in Africa. She recounts the 2007 move to Kenya after her husband accepted work with an international agricultural firm. The family settles in Thika for several years, then relocates closer to Nairobi so the children can attend school nearby. She describes becoming a teacher at the Christian international school and continuing her training as the household stabilizes. When her husband’s contract ends in 2019, the family members relocate to other countries while she remains in Kenya to continue teaching. She records what she learned about Swahili and East African history through life in Nairobi and extensive travels in Europe, connecting those lessons to biblical study and ongoing family communication.
Hakuna Shida is a sweeping, well-written memoir that intricately details Maria Fajardo de T.'s experience across continents. The book is a combination of her memoir, with a heavy lean into the history of parts of Africa, and a travelogue. I most enjoyed the smaller moments she shares, such as daily Kenyan tea rituals with mandazis, and a family life molded by school ceremonies and embassy gatherings. Maria is relatable as a mother, and, as an expat myself, I nodded in understanding when she talks about adapting familiar foods, like ugali, into tortillas, to get as close to the flavors of home as possible. Maria breathes life into landscapes that are often cinematic, and I was wholly immersed in the Cameroonian streets marked by French commerce and coastal trips to Kribi, where waterfalls meet the Atlantic. Overall, this is a unique memoir that will be appreciated by those who enjoy reading about cross-cultural living. That said, the greatest boon will be for Maria's friends and family, who will no doubt treasure her book for generations to come.
