Algeria Is Beautiful Like America

Olivia had always heard stories about Algeria from her maternal grandmother, a Black Foot (a “Pied-Noir,” the French term for Christian and Jewish settlers of French Algeria who emigrated to France after the Algerian War of Independence). After her grandmother’s death, Olivia found some of her grandmother’s journals and letters describing her homeland. Now, ten years later, she resolves to travel to Algeria and experience the country for herself; she arrives alone, with her grandmother’s postcards and letters in tow, and with but a single phone number in her pocket, of an Algerian Djaffar, who will act as her guide. Olivia’s quest to understand her origins will bring her to face questions about heritage, history, shame, friendship, memory, nostalgia, fantasy, the nature of exile, and our unending quest to understand who we are and where we come from.

Olivia auzise intotdeauna povesti despre Algeria de la bunica ei materna, un Black Foot (un „Pied-Noir”, termenul francez pentru colonistii crestini si evrei din Algeria franceza care au emigrat in Franta dupa Razboiul de Independenta din Algeria). Dupa moartea bunicii sale, Olivia a gasit cateva dintre jurnalele si scrisorile bunicii sale care descrie patria ei.