First Comes Love, then Comes Malaria

March 15, 2009
A laugh-out-loud debut about humanitarian work in Ecuador and Uganda during the 1980s and'90s.

Eager to be"surrounded by happy, grateful villagers," Brown-Waite decided to join the Peace Corps after graduating from college. During her interview, she fell in love with her recruiter, John. Suddenly more interested in snaring him than in spending two years saving the world, Browne-Waite reluctantly embarked for Ecuador to prove to John, an Irish Catholic, that she, a New York Jew, was both Peace Corps and marriage material. At a shelter in"the Armpit of Ecuador," she helped homeless boys reunite with their families. The rape of another volunteer stirred memories of the sexual abuse in her past, and she had to be evacuated because of panic attacks. Since her therapy required more than the 40 days allotted for a Peace Corps"medevac," she abandoned her post and spent the next two years getting an advanced degree in public health and trying to convince John to marry her. He finally did, and they moved to Uganda so he could manage a microlending project for the humanitarian organization CARE. Browne-Waite hoped to continue her work in AIDS education. Her hardships in Uganda included catching malaria when she was pregnant, defending the house from flying white termites and braving minor rebel bombings. She relates these stories with the cheery nonchalance of a seasoned expat willing to find the humor in everything, and her refusal to approach her experiences with self-congratulatory solemnity makes for a refreshing voice. The book's hilarity is grounded by the author's serious commitment to aid work, her reflections on raising her daughter in a third-world country and her informed, balanced portrayal of the Ugandan people.

As revealing as it is entertaining.

(COPYRIGHT (2009) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

March 2, 2009
Verdict: This is ultimately rather thin stuff, with the author's churlish moments unfortunately more memorable than the times she is genuinely touched by her surroundings. Optional at best. Background: Brown-Waite's story begins as she joins the Peace Corps, falls in love with her recruiter, and goes to live in Ecuador. She didn't complete the full tour of service for personal reasons and felt that she owed it to herself to try overseas living again. She got her chance when her husband (the erstwhile recruiter) took a job in Uganda; the three years they spent there make up most of the book. To her credit, the author is candid about her frustrations and whiny moments, seemingly aware that she might come across as annoying. In the end, however, her purportedly life-changing experiences read more like a catalog of personal hassles. The writing is amusing in parts, but the narrative rarely rises above the superficial: Ugandans talk funny, they smell, some of their customs are irritating-and there are bugs!-Megan Hahn Fraser, Univ. of California Lib., Los Angeles

Copyright 2009 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 2009
College graduate Eve is looking for a meaningful endeavor and settles on the Peace Corps. Though shes not sure a life withoutcreature comforts is for her, she is certain of one thing: John, the Peace Corps recruiter, is the guy for her. The couple faces a two-year separation when Eve receives a placement in Ecuador. Reluctantly, Eve leaves Johnand heads to South America where, after a time, she finds her niche reuniting lost children with their familiesuntil a coworkers rape brings up traumatic memories for her and shes sent back home. Though her stint in the Peace Corps is over, a future with John means a life less ordinary, and soon after their marriage he accepts a job with CARE in Uganda. Once there, Eve finds the people welcoming but the lack of amenitiesthe power is turned on for only three hours at nightand the persistent insect population daunting. With an appealing, down-to-earth voice, Brown-Waite chronicles her adventures abroad in an accessible, humorous tone sure to appeal to armchair travelers.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)