Title: My Life Journey from Darfur, Sudan to Boston, USA
Author: Dr. Victor Zaki
Publisher: XlibrisUS
ISBN: 978-1-6641-4652-7
Genre: Memoir
Pages: 353
Reviewed by: Carol Davala
Pacific Book Review
In a heartfelt and insightful blend of history, memoir, and travel guide, Dr. Victor Zaki chronicles his life’s journey from the small villages of Sudan, to the hustle and bustle of Cairo, advanced studies in the UK, and his ultimate relocation to the USA.
While much of My Life Journey from Darfur, Sudan to Boston, USA revolves around Zaki’s medical interests and his pursuit of a career in ophthalmology to include memories of his internships and residencies in his homeland, establishing his own home clinics, working in London hospitals, and advancing surgical treatments for glaucoma patients, in a broader sense he proves an all-encompassing life portrait. In one sorrowful recollection where Zaki was required to sign a death certificate as witness to an execution by hanging, we glimpse the true heart of this man reflecting on the sentiment that participation in capital punishment was incompatible with a physician’s role as healer.
Zaki weaves a modicum of historic facts about Sudan and Egypt throughout the chapters, including an exploration of religious conflict. His own memories are of a beautiful, peaceful, united country until hate and ethnic cleansing led to the 2011
separation of south Sudan from the north. Some segments can seem weighted by names, dates, and political figures, but ultimately topics fluctuate to more human- interest concerns. From military coups to civil war, when Zaki’s homeland began taking a new fanatic Islamic direction, he applied for immigration to the United States.
Clearly a Godly individual, Zaki acknowledges feeling truly blessed throughout his 75 years. Whether highlighting God’s intervention in his finding the perfect wife; always seeming able to secure ideal housing when needed; or feeling God’s guiding hand when his family got lost in the desert, Zaki firmly believes “Nothing happens by chance. God changes everything around us for our benefit.” Devoting the book’s final chapter to the peace God has brought to his life, positive advice is offered via relatable Bible quotes. Chapters are interspersed with black & white photos depicting memorable moments including the likes of childhood and family portraits, wedding/anniversary celebrations, and travels throughout the US and abroad. Whether images of the sand-stormed nomad villages of Sudan, or the novelty of Victor shoveling snow in Boston, the varied collection compliments the explorative narrative and highlights the significance of family, friends, hard work, and accomplishment throughout a lifetime.
From neighboring goats wandering into the house, to a colleague’s wife mimicking laying eggs when trying to order the dish during a visit to France, many of these personal memories are lightened with bits of humor. Here knowledge and entertainment are offered up via detailed sights and sounds in remembrances of childhood soccer games played with a ball made of socks; overcrowded train rides to Cairo; and the tastes of open market delicacies like “Kunafa” where strings of baked dough are layered with sugar, coconut, nuts, and butter. In a nod to the many people Zaki encountered throughout his life, he easily recognizes both human diversity and relatable foibles, no matter one’s cultural origins.
Memoir and travel buffs should come away from this work seeing Victor Zaki as a hard- working, ambitious, and well-intentioned individual dedicated to God, his wife, family and career. His honest and open reflections embody a lifetime of both personal and professional experiences that ultimately point him to the land of the American Dream. My Life Journey from Darfur, Sudan to Boston, USA is a moving cross continental journey that Zaki seems eager to share.
