Desert Flower

Part I of Essay
Waris Dirie was born into a family of nomads in a Somalian desert. Growing up, she was privileged to run free with nature’s most majestic animals, and learned a respect for nature that many of us as Americans could never fathom. However, these thrills are just on the surf ....

Part II of Essay
.... many major magazines, discovered her. In describing her remarkable journey through life, Waris demonstrates examples of a masculine culture with elements high uncertainty-avoidance, and her own individualism amongst such a collectivistic society. Waris’s description of life in Africa is a perfect definition for a masculine culture. She explains, “Women are the backbone of Africa; they do most of the work. Yet women are powerless to make decisions.” She recalls a story of how her loving mother permitted her to be butchered, because of ....