FEAST OR FAMINE

Psychology Today has documented a recent study on chronotypes – whether people are a morning person or a late night person and who they attract as partners. Many studies have been previously conducted on personality traits, but there has been limited studies on chronotypes. Chronotypical behaviour is a preference for rising early or going to bed late. Morning people are called larks (and they reach peak performance early in the day) and late night people are called owls (who perform well in the afternoon or evening).  However, there is a continuum, and most people cluster around the middle – a neutral chronotype. Sometimes work dictates whether people are early risers or late sleepers, according to shift-work or profession.  The study by Polish psychologist Paulina Jocz and her colleagues at the University of Warsaw recruited 91 heterosexual couples (182 people) who had been together and sexually active for at least 6 months.   The study show...

https://similarbutdifferentanimals.com/2018/05/09/red-winged-starling/ MARTINA NICOLLS   is an international aid and development consultant, and the  author   of:-  Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom   (2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).

The Camel Bookmobile (2007) is set in northeastern Kenya. American Fiona (Fi) Sweeney is a librarian, working in Garissa, North-Eastern Province of Kenya. Three hours by camel is the remote community of Mididima. Fi travels to Mididima with her three to four camel convoy twice a month to bring her mobile library to the villagers. In Mididima is thirteen-year-old Kanika who devours the books and longs for the Bookmobile. So does her grandmother Neema, eagerly awaiting the next book. So too for Taban – nicknamed Scar Boy. But not everyone is in favour of the Bookmobile. Teacher Matani welcomes the books, in English and Swahili, for his students, but his wife Jwahir does not. Many members of the village view the books as ‘touched by evil spirits’ destroying their traditional culture. Why does the community need a vegetarian cookbook and stories of medieval castles?  The books are donated and limited. Hence, there are rules – only two books can be borrowed at a t...

MARTINA NICOLLS   is an international aid and development consultant, and the  author   of:-  Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom   (2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).

MARTINA NICOLLS   is an international aid and development consultant, and the  author   of:-  Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom   (2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).

MARTINA NICOLLS   is an international aid and development consultant, and the  author   of:-  Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom   (2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).

MARTINA NICOLLS   is an international aid and development consultant, and the  author   of:-  Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom   (2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).

Rare Gem Talent School is a special school in Kitengala Township, Kajiado County, Kenya. It began as the Dyslexia Organisation Kenya in 2012 to support children with dylexia and other learning difficulties. It is a mixed day and boarding school. In 2018, there are currently 121 children – 15 with mild autism, 4 with Down Syndrome, 2 with cerebal palsy, 28 with regular ability, and 72 with differing levels of dyslexia.  At the school, the children have extra-curricular activities, such as art, music, dance, sports, gardening, home science, beading, tapestry, scouting, rabbit-rearing, and community work.  The Rare Gem Talent School was exhibiting children’s work at the Nairobi Museum.  MARTINA NICOLLS   is an international aid and development consultant, and the  author   of:-  Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom   (2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deades...

Don’t Tell Me You’re Afraid (2014, English version 2016) is based on the true story of Samia Omar, a Somali athlete. The narrator is Samia, as she tells her story of her life and ambitions.  Samia Omar is 8 years old, growing up in war-time Mogadishu, Somalia, in 1999, when she won her first race. She can run like the wind, beating children older than her.  Her inspiration was fellow Somalian Mo Farah. Mo Farah was living in England, and that’s where Ali, her coach, wanted to be. It was all he could think about, as well as coaching Samia. But the journey to Europe, from Somalia to the Mediterranean, and across the sea to Italy or Greece, was dangerous – as a refugee. But Ali’s journey is unknown – Samia hopes he made it.  For Samia, at 14 years of age, she has to decide – to stay and train alone without Ali or to leave with thousands of other Somalis and risk the danger. The words of her father ring in her ear: ‘You’re a little warrior running for freed...

Kilean Nicholson, nicknamed Bula, has a love of aircraft. From Kenya, Kilean was born in 2000 with autism. Autistic Spectrum Disorder is a condition that includes impaired social interaction and communication skills, restricted interests and repetitive behaviours.  Bula is now 18 years old, and cannot read, write, or hold a conversation. But he is passionately interested in aircraft. He paints aeroplanes. He paints in poster paints, acrylics, and oil pastels, as well as stencil prints. He expresses his joy of aeroplanes in each painting. And he is exhibiting his paintings at the Nairobi Museum.  MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the  author of:-  Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom (2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).