Transient Anchors: From Refugee Tents to Research Towers by Libère Jensen Ndacayisaba

Transient Anchors: From Refugee Tents to Research Towers

Libère Jensen Ndacayisaba

Tetradenia, LLC (2025)

979-8993146225

Reviewed by Jordan Waterwash for Reader Views (12/2025)

https://readerviews.com/reviews/transient-anchors-ndacayisaba/

5/5

Reading Libère Jensen Ndacayisaba’s memoir, Transient Anchors: From Refugee Tents to Research Towers, proved a stark reminder of what life can throw at you at any given moment, and how human ingenuity and resilience can propel oneself out of hardship. The book begins with Ndacayisaba’s first plane ride. As he travels from his home in Burundi to California, he finds himself in new places with little connection to his home. Every person he meets acts differently from what he expects; instead of genuine smiles inviting further interaction like in Burundi, people gave mechanical smiles to indicate polite acknowledgment. Rather than greeting everyone, people in the States hardly greeted anyone—an offense that would lead to a stern talking to in Burundi. Funnily enough, as an American reading Ndacayisaba’s experience, I found myself confused at how you would greet everyone. You’d be standing at the airport terminal all day!

From there, we learn about Ndacayisaba’s upbringing in Burundi, how he found himself in the States, and how he learned to excel in the biomedical industry. Surviving war-torn Burundi as a child, he sought to succeed in education as a means to provide himself and his family a better life. With the help of his brother, Isidore, he was able to move to California to attend Ohone College. He scraped by tutoring French language students, and was able to find his place in his new home over time.

Throughout the book, I found myself struck by Ndacayisaba’s vulnerability. Speaking about a childhood rife with war, poverty, and constant movement can’t have been an easy endeavor, but Ndacayisaba does so with grace and compassion for his younger self and those who took care of him. Additionally, the way Ndacayisaba tells the story of his youth felt measured in a way that allowed the reader to take in his memories and process them in an empathetic way.

Overall, the storytelling throughout was clear and engaging, which made for an enjoyable reading experience. For those who enjoy reading about real experiences from interesting people who seem to have lived a thousand lives in a single lifetime, Transient Anchors by Libère Jensen Ndacayisaba will prove a rewarding read.