I first met Xavier back in 1995 when he was studying towards his PhD at ISCTE in Lisbon. He spent most of the intervening years between his native France and Lisbon teaching and researching, before deciding to joint Medecins du Monde three years ago. He is now involved in an HIV/AIDS programme in Guinea-Bissau. Before going back to France for some holidays he stopped off in Lisbon for a few days and we had a chance to catch up over a meal. He says the sound he associates most with Africa is not that of the wildlife, but rather it is that of all the diesel generators powering the houses. Whodathunkit?