The Out of Eden walk follows a man searching to find himself by means of our ancestors’ walk from Africa to South America. This walk is what the first humans did and what made the Earth ours, and he was inspired to follow that path to understand what it was like. The experiences he has had are life-changing, and it is amazing to me that he could commit to such an immense project. His writing allows readers to follow the journey, yet I was surprised to find no complaining amongst his entries. He simply enjoyed the experiences and shared them with the world, with no discussion of aching feet or a hungry stomach. 

One story that I found particularly interesting from chapter one was the one about shoes in Ethiopia. Everyone wears the same plastic sandals that come in only a few colors, as a necessity, not a fashion statement. There is no room for creativity in fashion as people must wear what is cheapest, or face the pain of burnt and rough soles. The shoes are not imported and a staple of Ethiopian culture.

In another story, the walking guide suffers dehydration and they must use the support car. I was inspired by Paul’s constant light-heartedness; he focused on the qualities of Banounah that made him human, such as always making jokes, as opposed to fear or stress. His positivity is a beam of light amongst the journey. 

One man he learned about near Turkey was Âşık Veysel. This old, almost-blind man was arranged to marry a young girl. She ran away from home to seek a new life and discovered that the rock in her shoe was a wad of money from the man, wishing her a good life. This story showed that even in a seemingly bad situation, the young girl was respected and he harbored no hard feelings for her. It is a lesson about life, love, and forgiveness, all learned while walking through the desert.

The final story I would like to comment on is one in which Paul was found drastically changing the life of an orphan girl, Catherine. She lives in India and had always felt cursed or like she did not belong. However, Paul took it upon himself to coach her writing and help her to share her story, and she is forever grateful for having the opportunity to meet him. His walk allowed him to cross paths with her and make her feel important, something that can change a young, insecure girl’s entire life for the better.

Paul’s once in a lifetime experience is awe-inspiring, and I would like to continue following his journey to its completion. It is possible to follow the Out of Eden walk on Twitter, as I have linked below. I believe that this journey ties in perfectly with the concept of global learning. This man chose to walk around the world in order to learn about his ancestors, but it is possible for students to make their own valuable connections to the world around them using the internet. While it is not as prominent as a physical journey, technology gives students the tools to learn about cultures around the world that are important to them. Students are interested in what is relevant to them, and such interest is what encouraged a man to walk around the world. If Paul can complete this mission, students can discover anything from the comfort of their own homes, as long as it is relevant to them. Throughout the journey, they can learn about themselves.