black and (A)broad
black and (A)broad: traveling beyond the limitations of identity author Carolyn Vines is an American expatriate living in the Netherlands. Her inspiration is her multicultural family. Her passion is language, and she speaks Spanish and Dutch fluently.
Carolyn is an author, editor and award-winning blogger. Her work has been published in local Dutch newspapers and in The Telegraph. She recently translated a novel by a critically-acclaimed Curaçaoan author that delves into the question of post-colonial identity.
Carolyn earned an MA in Latin American literature from the University of Maryland, College Park, where she was later admitted into doctoral candidacy. She has taught Spanish, English and literature in universities in the US and in the Netherlands.
black and (A)broad: traveling beyond the limitations of identity, Carolyn’s memoir, spans her twenty years’ living and traveling abroad and shares how she found the inspiration to transcend the limitations of her identity as a black woman. It will be released in August 2010.
Link to black and (A)broad
Dear Madam,
I am a Research Scholar in the Department of English & Foreign Languages, Tezpur Central University, Assam, India. I have recently submitted my thesis (research area: African American Travel Literature) and awaiting reports and the final viva.
My study covers a temporal frame of almost two centuries, which stops at your book, Black and Abroad.
Madam, off all the primary texts selected for my study (Olaudah Equiano, Richard Wright, Nancy Prince, WEB DuBois, Maya Angelou, Frederick Douglass) honestly, I enjoyed myself thoroughly reading yours, though every other book is a masterpiece in its own capacity.
Your book really inspires women across world (myself included) to create a unique identity and stronghold for themselves. That in today’s world color is hurdle which can be overcome with conviction. I am a female, and I am “brown” (from India), and I have simply fallen in love with the Dutch culture, people and place after reading your book.
Madam, reading Black and Abroad and deciphering it though my gaze, has made me come so close your character in the book that I thought of asking you this: Is it possible for me to come to Holland and seek for a University opening there? I want to work abroad, and for that I am sure, Holland has a culture where I will be at home as it is so like my own culture that places family, love and societal relations at its center. This would also make me know you first hand, for which I am so eager!
Looking forward to an early response from you!
Regards
Pronami Bhattacharyya
Tezpur Central University
India
Dear Pronami,
What an honour to be read alongside Olaudah Equiano, Richard Wright, Nancy Prince, WEB DuBois, Maya Angelou, Frederick Douglass. I’m actually speechless, which I can tell you hardly ever happens. Reading that my life story has inspired you (gratitude to Black Women in Europe for notifying me of this link) has made my day. As for working at at Dutch university, I would imagine there is an abundance of opportunity especially in Leiden, Utrecht, Groningen, Maastricht. You just need to connect yourself to what you want, keep feeling good, hold on and enjoy the ride. And start googling. I look forward to meeting you one day when you’re here in the Netherlands. Thank you!