The Tragikal Tales of a Sometimes Princess: Stories of Love Across Two Cultures

By Christine Sylla

An intriguing tale of love and adventure. One woman, one man, two different cultures and several different countries. Due to a Visa Difficulty, our heroine has two lives; one in her own country, where she is an ordinary person, and another in his. Here, because of the colour of her skin, contrasting cultural ideas and relative wealth, plus the stories told about 'the money that falls from the sky' she is a princess, but a very disappointing princess indeed. Follow our heroine, and her 'prince' through their struggles to build a life together and the seemingly impossible things they need to do in order to achieve this. A look at West African life, with its unique joys and hazards, through the eyes of the sometimes princess. Entertaining, informative, hilarious and tragikal. Love and life, across two cultures, in all it's many aspects.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Jul 26, 2019
• ISBN: 9780244498351

Book preview

The Tragikal Tales of a Sometimes Princess: Stories of Love Across Two Cultures

The Tragikal Tales of a Sometimes Princess: Stories of Love Across Two Cultures.

Book One: Cockroach Country.

Copyright © 2019 by Chris Sylla.  All rights reserved. This book is sold on the conditions that it, or any portion thereof, may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review or scholarly journal. ISBN #: 978-0-244-49835-1. Published by Lulu 2019. The people in this story, including the princess herself, are based on real people but are fictional constructions and several actual people have sometimes been ‘collated’ into one character, so if you think you recognise a character trait it may not, in fact come from the person you think it does. https://thesometimesprincess.home.blog/

Chapter one: A Very disappointing and Smelly Princess Indeed.

Or: The Problem of the Cockroaches.

Chapter Two: How the Princess had Become Flat.

Or: The Weight of Circumstance.

Chapter Three:  In which there is an Outing.

Or: Up the Red Hill to the Big Road.

Chapter Four: The Family and Some of it’s Problems.

Or: The Difficulties of Vegetarianism in the Other Place.

Chapter Five: Nothing is Comfortable.

Or: the Problem of the African rock Pillow.

Chapter Six: Leaving.

Or: The Transformation of a Princess.

This story began, in Guinea, for Kirsty, who has been the recipient of many of my travellers’ tales. Then it grew and grew and its telling involved many enthusiastic readers, all of whom have my love and gratitude. Many people are needed for the birth of a story it’s not possible to name them all or the list would be nearly as long as the story, so I hope no-one feels left out. I am blessed with wonderful friends who have supported me on this journey, and The Princess has created even stronger bonds with those who’ve shared some of her trials and tribulations in the Hot Countries and with the Home Office. Special thanks to Frances, as ever, and to Vicky, Dan, Karen, Saskia, Ali, Helen, Sally, Jane, Jo, Lucy, Catherine, Kathryn and Dianne for their particular joy in the narrative, Victoria for her passionate engagement, Vivianne for her love and encouragement, Marrissa for all of her helping, and the rest of you for listening. Also to Ralph and Russell from the Derbyshire ‘timeswap’ scheme, without their invaluable assistance the final version would be neither complete or uploaded to any publishing platform!  Especially, of course, for Moussa, my tall thin prince, the whole reason this story began. For all those who dare to love across cultures, especially those who have had their lives messed around with, subject to scrutiny, and generally made miserable and impoverished by bureaucratic nonsense, this is for you.

Chapter One: A Very Disappointing and Smelly Princess Indeed.

Or: The Problem of the Cockroaches.

Once upon a time, and only yesterday, there lived a woman who loved a man from a different place. Because of this she had two lives.  One, in her own country, where she was an ordinary person, and another in his, the Other Place, the Hot Country. This was, in fact, several different countries, one in which he was born, several in which he worked as a musician and one in which he was currently living. Here, because of the colour of her skin, cultural difference and relative wealth, plus the stories told about the easy life where she came from and the money that falls from the sky there, she was a princess.

But a very disappointing princess indeed. No treasury funds at her command, no servants, no social standing, few resources