Look at the map of Africa. Its boundaries reflect millennia of human and environmental events culminating in 47 mainland countries and 6 nearby island nations, each with its own character, cultures, and customs. While exploring them all would certainly be the mother of all extraordinary journeys, most of us have to be satisfied with expanding our acquaintance gradually. We have deep connections to people and places in a number of the map’s countries and it will be our pleasure to introduce you to them, beginning with brief, informal sketches.