In 1975, an ordinary young woman embarked alone with a backpack on an extraordinary journey around the world. Her travels were interrupted when she reached Sudan and fell in love with a spirited Belgian pilot. Her love for this man grew into love for a country, its people, and the African continent. She mistook bullets for hummingbirds, smelled her first whiff of tear gas, and lived without the comforts of her American home. All her experiences-both personal and professional-reshaped her perspective of herself, the world, and humanity. After twelve years of happiness, tragedy, hardship, and joy, she left Sudan and continued her journey around the world with her five-year-old daughter-and a big suitcase. The ordinary young woman developed into a mature citizen of the world.