Reunion in Barsaloi

Reunion in Barsaloi – Corinne Hofmann

In her bestselling memoir The White Masai, Corinne Hofmann told the story of how she left Switzerland for Kenya after falling in love with a Samburu warrior, married him and lived for several years in the remote village of Barsaloi, before leaving with their young daughter.

Reunion in Barsaloi tells what happened when, many years later, she returned. Encouraged by the success of her first book and by her own longing to reconnect with her past, Hofmann travels back to northern Kenya to visit her former husband, his family and the community she once called home. She is anxious about how she will be received, but the reunion turns out to be emotional, warm and full of surprises.

She describes the changes that have come to the region, the people she meets again, including her former mother-in-law and the missionary who helped her, and the ways in which village life has stayed the same. She also reflects on her own life since leaving Kenya, her relationship with her daughter and the experience of having her story turned into a book and a film.

Honest and heartfelt, the book offers a fascinating insight into Samburu culture and the challenges and rewards of bridging two very different worlds.

Reunion in Barsaloi is a compelling read for fans of The White Masai, travel memoirs and stories about cross-cultural love, family and belonging.