I'm a first timer on the exchanges, I had long pondered and this year I thought I would participate given that I am spending the Xmas period alone. I thought it would be a good experience and I would be able to give someone I have never met a gift that, hopefully, they would enjoy.

But, my gift, was beyond what I had expected. I never thought a simple profile bio could give out so much. I, honestly, never expected to get this, not even from my friends and family and every time I look at what I got I feel a sense of joy.

The gift I got was a photography book entitled "Africa" by, world-famous Brazilian photographer, Sebastiao Salgado. I have loved Mr Salgado's work for year now, as an amateur photographer his work appeals to me on a technical level; however, as an African this particular book touched me.

This is a short description about the book, taken from the publisher's website:

"From the Dinka tribes in Sudan and the Himba in Namibia to gorillas and volcanoes in the lakes region to displaced peoples throughout the continent, Salgado shows us all facets of African life today. Whether he’s documenting refugees or vast landscapes, Salgado knows exactly how to grab the essence of a moment so that when one sees his images one is involuntarily drawn into them. His images artfully teach us the disastrous effects of war, poverty, disease, and hostile climatic conditions.

This book brings together Salgado’s photos of Africa in three parts. The first concentrates on the southern part of the continent (Mozambique, Malawi, Angola, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Namibia), the second on the Great Lakes region (Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya), and the third on the Sub-Saharan region (Burkina Faso, Mali, Sudan, Somalia, Chad, Mauritania, Senegal, Ethiopia). Texts are provided by renowned Mozambique novelist Mia Couto, who describes how today’s Africa reflects the effects of colonization as well as the consequences of economic, social, and environmental crises."

Being Mozambican, seeing the captions written by Mia Couto, Mozambican writer, and seeing images of what some of my fellow Mozambican went through during the independence war and period after makes me shed a tear, it makes us feel human to see that what we have in the form of things is nothing but futile consumerism - makes us put our life into perspective. And for this I am extremely thankful to my Secret Santa. A better gift I do not think I could receive.

I only hope your Secret Santa gave you something that makes you feel the same way I feel whenever I open this book and see it images.

I am forever grateful!

Merry Christmas,

Rodrigo Carrilho