The book is set in Antigua (AN-TEE-GA), a small island in the Caribbean. The author commentates on life in her home country from the eyes of a tourist, noting how tropical and wonderful the island appears to the outsider.
"Bright blue waters"
"Perfect warm breezes"
"White sand as far as the eye can see"
...but uses the essay to point out how one could easily stop seeing there. She goes into detail about the harsher realities of the lives of the people who are residents of the country. Influenced by a history of slavery, colonial rule by the British, a weak currency and a corrupt government an alternative reality challenges the tourist perception.
I really liked the book. Easy to read and very powerful message. It is the required reading for the Fall voyage of Semester At Sea. I think this is an excellent choice as all of the students will be challenged to see without tourist goggles.
I have stayed in Antigua before. Once you get away from the shore its a rather harsh landscape. Dry, arid and poor. What a difference from being a traveler and a tourist. A traveler takes interest in the locals and the land; a tourist just wants proof that they were there....
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