Reflection

I've been here for a little over 2months and the time fleeewwwww by! Certainly much faster than my last two months in Granada.

However, around the 2 month mark I realized that I actually MISS Grana'...the people there (not the americans)...the beautiful city, the language, the LIFE!

I learned a lot about myself in Spain. I learned how little tolerance I have for LAMENESS...and how I'm not really willing to pretend to like someone...for any reason.

I also learned that I'm realllyyyy thankful for all of my life experiences. So many of the students had never been outside of the country or even outside of their same like-minded areas...so they were essentially star struck (the star being europe).

Some people lived in very liberal areas but had never been exposed to conservative ideology...but because they LIKED where they came from they didn't understand that there was a problem with the lack of diversity that they'd been exposed to. Some people were okay with the lack of physical diversity because they lacked it in their homes. Many had never seen a variety of socioeconomic neighborhoods (with the exception of their day trip community service "projects"). Tooo many had never been exposed to CULTURE. True culture. I'm not talking about wine...or books...or a class assignment. I mean different languages and lifestyles.

SAD for them.

I also realized that your company/surroundings make ALL the difference in the world!

If you don't have people who you can relate to or have similar interests among all the differing experiences...it can suck. The converse is true as well...you can be around like-interested people and have a ball!

I wasn't one of the people that didn't want to leave Granada...because...i LOVE the communities that I am a part of in America. I think alot of kids realized that they weren't content with their lives at home so they came with lower expectations and hopes of escaping. I on the other hand had high expectations and ZERO intentions of escaping...why leave something i love?? Although my time there was great...I had a great place to come back to.

I realized that no matter where you are....

Anyhoo overall it was a growing experience and I'm definitely glad I went. I needed a break from this world here and I came back with a clear mind and calm spirit.

Would I go back to Spain again? SURE... [Only conditions...going with my friends OR going where physical diversity exists]

Did I accomplish my goals? SURE...i can speak spanish at a level that I'm comfortable with...and i broadened my horizons..

Would I recommend others to go? Suu...Maybe...if you want diversity, NO. If you want to party, YES. If you want culture, YES. If you want a good experience, YES

Michael Jackson is Dead

I'm completely heartbroken. [there's a spain reference in here]

Everyone is saying its just a man...blah blah blah...but Michael Jackson had an impact on my life and touched sooooo many others...

My first CD was the History album...it was the only CD i listened to for 2 years. haha.

If you know me...you know i'm a LITTLE bit of a music head...so listening to that album for 2 years straight means 6 hours a day listening to it...while i do my homework...while i reflect on life...while i walk around...while i read...during commercial breaks...lol all of that and more.

If it wasn't for that CD ... i dont know. OF COURSE i'd still reallllyyyy be into music...but it'd be different.

It's funny...every single place I've been in this world...Michael Jackson has come up...be it in Ghana, on a radio station that only plays the corny michael, costa rica in a random taxi ride, or even in Spain...

HAHA in the song Billie Jean, where he says "and the kid is not my son" the spanairds always say " y quieres un manzana" which translates to and you want an apple. HAHAHA not at all logical...but just shows that music touches us all...you don't have to understand it or be able to speak the language you just have to feel it and we alllllll felt the music of Michael.

I'm rocking to my favorites now "They don't really care about us" and my absolute favorite "earth song" There was such TRUTH in his music...the beats the lyrics the music all of it...i just felt his soul....not in a donny hathaway belting out kind of way but a way where you can hear his passion and michael jackson losing himself in the music...

At least we know he can finally take a sigh and for once be 100% comfortable. You create your own heaven...and we all know he tried on earth but found time after time you can't create whats not possible in this world. I hope he's in a world full of animals, cartoons, and all the things that for 50 years existed only as dreams...may he truly Rest in Peace.

Social Networking Websites

Social Networking Websites:

So you might be wondering what this has to do with Granada: welllllllll...everyone who felt the need to give their [unasked for] critique of me...basically...thought that I was on facebook too much. Kamms also posted a link of a very articulate woman in her blog [http://kammsidlemind.blogspot.com/2009/06/shannon-matesky-my-space.html] and I kind of wanted to respond: 

I felt that it was none of their business how I felt the need to spend my time...PERO BUENO...maybe thats just me.

In my time abroad, I did spend a significant amount of time on facebook but that was because it was my contact with the world that I am a part of and love in my various communities. I know some people were ...

1) looking for an escape 

2) don't have relationships with people past...proximity relationships --> friends because they live by each other or whatever and they have nothing else to do but pass time with one another, fine but far from real or long lasting

3) Technologically challenged

Given that I don't fit into any of the above groups...I was on fb.

I've dedicated this post to the PROs of Social Networking websites...

Facebook [and similar websites] gives you semi-immediate contact to tons and tons of people, friends, coworkers, etc.

You can post pictures of babies growing up and send it to your cousin across the nation or the globe for that matter...and it's ALMOST like he or she is there to witness it on her own.

Facebook can create contact with people you MAY not reallyyyyy know but perhaps would like to know. We all know that you're not Best friends with alll of your facebook friends. Instead, maybe you had a class with them but didn't have a chance to really get to know them...strike up a facebook chat or wish them happy birthday...things are inevitably less awkward when you see them later on. It can even prevent someone from wearing the same outfit that someone wore the night before ; ]

Thats NOT to say:

Facebook SHOULD be your only contact with people. No one likes the overactive fb user that always messages, post, or chats you and then runs when they see you in person.

Facebook should also NOT be your eharmony.com its not your hook up website. Go to black planet or match.com for that.

Facebook can even RUIN an outfit...how?? Well everyone knows that little photoshoot before going out...is going to be on fb and everryyyyone can see those tagged pics...even if the party was a bust and no one saw ya...its on facebook...so don't play yourself.

 And we allll know the facebook stalkers (im not saying that i'm not one) it can be kind of awkward if you know someone only because theyre in all of your friends pics and you havent friended them. When you see them...all you can think of..are multiple goofy silly pics that you saw...you THINK you know them...but you don't.

Additionally...

Facebook can serve as a news source (not necessarily credible)...i did not have to watch the playoffs...whyyy? FB statuses. I often learn about the death of friends, leaders of the community, or celebrity via statuses and fb groups. 

 We can utilize the 1000s of applications...spreading awareness for cause, applying for jobs, looking for scholarships, the list goes on...

 We can become "fans" of our favorite artists and politicians and receive constant updates. 

and HEY lets Not forget...the news of ole boy or ole girl..."relationship status updates" tagged pics titled my boo...don't lie...it got you in trouble OR you did the fb snoop/investigation before...

In conclusion...

When I came back from Spain...twitter was EVERYWHERE!!! I had an account but it wasn't that big of deal...now its promoted on everything from the O! channel to CNN to Wale to The Ellen Show...it even served to "confuse" the Iranian government!

Facebook [and all of these other sites] can be whatever you want it to be. Should you rely on it, share every detail of your life, and let the virtual world REPLACE the real world? NO! But you certainly Should take advantage of it and stop fighting it just to say that you don't do what everyone else does...because guess what...its FUN and you're probably not doing anything else anyway.

London-town part 2/3

THE TRIP

I loved loved loved London. For many reasons:

1) Family
2) Diversity
3) The sights
4) WiFi
5)[maybe the most important] West End/Oxford Circus =)

London was an interesting experience for me...because for the most part (minus a day or two) I kind of navigated the city solo. It was pretty cool experiencing the city on my own and doing for the most part 100% what I wanted to do. My cousin and aunt basically mapped out which buses and everything to take for me which was helpful because I'm HORRIBLE with directions. I loved the mix of the sights and history with it being very much a modern city...its something that not that many cities can honestly claim.

My best stories are from my Tube [subway in london ] experience.

1) This middle aged thin man...with a crusty/dry mouth, slightly frumpy clothing attire...thought it was a GREAT idea to fall asleep at the door for the tube...as in he was sleeping SO HARD that he was literally FALLING into the door....goes down as an Embarrassing Moment...Waking up to the door opening and almost falling out...

HAHAHAHAHA...and I just sat there KNOWING i shouldn't laugh as hard as I was...but KNOWING that he also asked for a big laugh, especially when there were open seats...smh...but after that he made the right choice and sat his limp self down.

2) I've decided that MOST british white people are awkward. There was a couple on the bus just acting WEIRD they had the kind of awkward interaction...like they didn't know what to do with one another. They sat so uncomfortably...that i started to feel like maybe I should like place the girls hand in the man's or something...they were just sooo Bridget Jones...and I have consequently decided that B.J. wasn't an exaggeration but rather a true representation of white English people. I saw another, young couple, who were equally as awkward but this girl had an awkwardly horrible...nappy weave.

It looked like the hair the dollar tree barbies have...after the child has played with it for about a month and tried to add hair products...only to realize that its the Dollar Tree's version...you can't do that much to it...

Poor Girl.

3) I sat across from a REAL LIFE CELEBRITY!! Okay...well kind of. I sat across from London's version of Blondie from flavor of love. She was a little darker than me, with Bright red lipstick, clothes with tons of stretch, 3 inch nails, oh lawdy....then the HAIR... it went to....oh about....4 inches above her butt. It looked like the weave from the girl above...but as though it had been Dyed/bleached blond.

NO, not like she bought the cheap weave in blond...but rather she bought the black dollar tree weave and in an attempt to distract from the matted nappy and tangled weave, she would make the tracks Versatile and add some equally cheap blond hair dye that she picked up at the dollar tree with the weave.

Andddd theeen the woman had the Nerve to talk for 10 MINUTES about this first date she went on, and how she wasn't sure if the guy would ask her out again...although she felt that he was REALLLYYYY into her.

Yeah. FreakinG. Right.

BUT it made for an entertaining tube ride...so do whatchyou do...

4) Whoever designed subways was Brilliant. I never really took the time to appreciate it until this trip. One day when I was on the tube I saw a woman, JUST making the morbidly obese category, scratching her armpits, with a not so pleasant odor, get on the tube and place her butt-cheeks on opposite sides of a pole on the subway. NOW i wasn't tryin to be in ole girls business...BUT...she put it ALLL out there...so whether anyone wanted to or not...EVERYONE was in her business.

As I thought of How disgusting it all was and thankful that I'd remembered my hand sanitizer...ANOTHER man probably a little over the morbidly obese classification entirely too red, with slightly unintentionally browned jeans, a "tropical" shirt, and a bit toooo stale with sweat came and stood RIGHT NEXT to wear I was sitting. It was like slow motion as he exhaled loudly and began to lean back...and ALL of a sudden this big boom sounded as his butt hit the surface next to me. I watched as the glass smogged up a little and his body expanded against the the surface with his shirt slightly lifting in comfort.

It was THEN that I realized the design of the subway was excellent. Just thinking of how awful my life would've been for that moment if there wasn't the plastic/glass protecting me. If it were a perch without the glass or just a bar...I just don't want to think about it.

soo THANK YOU to whoever came up with that glass...you've saved us all.

Anyhoo the tube and buses were great for getting me to where I needed to go. I'm not gonna lie...i feel like a big deal now that I've conquered the public transportation system in London.

London-town part 3/3

THE TRIP BACK

So I didn't want to leave London...much less go back to Granada.
BUT I made my way back anyway...

I got to the train station a little after 3am to go to Gatwick. My plane was scheduled to leave at 6:05am. I knew that this was ample time and I wasn't going to have a repeat of my trip coming. Sooooo I get there at 4something and go to check in. I see a small line so I'm not worried...THEN I hear this annoyingly chipper British woman say that everyone was sent a text, so there shouldn't have been confusion blah blah blah.

Then I realize she's talking about my flight. Appppparently Aer Lingus cancelled the morning flight and put everyone on the 11:30 flight....and notified everyone through text message...reallll professional. Somehow, Some way...NO ONE got the text message although the lady Lied and said she saw someone's last night. Whyyy, someone would be there last night to show her, I dunno...but either way she was lying so it's insignificant. Anyhoo, with my 30 minutes of sleep I got my voucher for the free stuff on the plane and went to go find a quite place to sit where MAYBE I could doze off a little.

Soooo What does one do to kill time?

1) Realize there is no clock and that your phone has close to no charge. Sweet.

2) Be honest with yourself...you don't trust these people...you are NOT going to sleep.

3) Try and stop sounding like Bridget Jones in your head, which you have done your ENTIRE time in London...[Its better than faking the accent]

4) Set an alarm on your phone in case you give in to the nodding head sleep (the most embarrassing kind) and go ahead and organize your calendar....10 minutes down....reorganize your ridic carry on bag that you brought ALL of your clothes in for the week...15 more minutes down....AHHH...Tighten the screws on your sunglasses, wouldn't want anything to happen in the airport...10 min down....Realize its going to be a looonnnnnnnnnggggggg Night.

5) One many going to his departure gate gave me a really warm smile...the kind of smile that helps depressed people get through their days...i just thought to myself, well aren't you just a Jolly, chipper young man, your smile could change someone's life. It was pleasant.

I decided to make a feewwww observations in my free time:

Starburst in England are pretty fatty....and tasty...like an airy delight in my mouth

French people LOVE their skinnies....I have yet to see one not wearing skinny jeans

Scarves, stripes, and black white are definitely stereotypically True of the Frenchies

Whyyyy are Canadians sooo PROUD?? MUST you have the Canadian flag sewed to every outdoor backpack, fanny pack, and purse you OWN?? I mean WE GET IT...Drake is from Canada...does it make it cool....NO.

The wet hair look...is just Never whats up. Say NOOOO to the Gel!

Tooo many guys look like they're imitating Justin Timberlake's look in the I just wanna love you video. London's KFeds trump all of the KFeds in the world. period.

ooooooo....BUMMER....the Sunglasses tan on a balding middle aged man...embarrassing moment sir? Why Yes, I do believe so.

HOMBRE! We're in London....stop FAKING like its hot outside this early in the morning...with the cargo shorts and flip flops! Get it together before you get hypothermia!

I saw a man in a kilt...i guess I'm in the UK...so do what you do good lad...

Mrs. Trenchable's twin...with a british accent

In British english...you pronounce Surryquays, the same way Americans pronounce Syracuse

Flight attendant's must have been the ISH back in the day...because toooo many of these women a little past their prime in their 40s and 50s...walk around like they are the flyest thing to hit the air...

TOE WALKERs....lol.

I get that some people are going for a look and image, if you will, but 3 piercing in your nose, 2 in your neck, 1 in your nose, 5 in different parts on each ear, 2 chains hold your walet, a studed belt, and a studded cuff...is just a LITTLE tooo much for the airport...you still have to make it thru security...

Cowboy hats?? Girls, lets let it go...say goodbye to the trend and leave it in the Ray of Sunshine video for Madonna

Soooo I went to LONDON TOWN part 1/3

So i went to London a week ago for mas o menos...a week. I had sooo much fun...i thoroughly enjoyed my time with my family in London. My aunt is HILARIOUS and my cousins are precious too. I learned a lot, among many other things...SKANKIN... from my super genius little cousin Natalie.

So the journey to London...was a little bit rushed/stressful. I almost didn't make the flight.
I had to go to Malaga, a nearby city about 2hours (by bus away) to catch the plane. I knew that the first bus there was at 7am...which put me in Malaga at 9:00ish...and then I'd have to take another bus to the airport...give or take 45 minutes...putting me in the airport to go thru security at 9:45...and my flight left at 10:40. My other option was to go the night before and just sleep in the airport...

A rational person would sleep in the airport overnight...sooo I decided to take the 7am bus. I left the house at 6:15, hoping to take a bus to the bus station, so I wouldn't have to pay for a cab. at about 6:25, I started to get a little nervous because I still hadn't bought my ticket for the bus that was leaving at 7am. At 6:35...the bus FINALLY rolled around (after I asked a woman on the street what time buses started running...and she lied said she didn't know...but somehow ended up on the same bus as me...triflin heffer).

I got on the bus and at 6:50am I got to the bus station...I got my ticket and ran to the bus...and made it just in time for boarding. Once I got to Malaga, I found the bus that i had to take to the airport and I got there at about 9:50am. I was thinking that I was right on time because I'd already printed my boarding ticket. NOW WHY DIDN'T ANYONE TELL ME THAT MALAGA'S AIRPORT IS H U G E!!?!? After about 10 minutes I found the gates...but there was a monton...as in ridic amount ...of people in the line.

At this point I was definitely worried because although my flight left at 10:40, the gate closed at 10:20. I lucked out for a second and found a short line. As I went thru the metal detector...I remember my hair was pinned curled and her the gate make some kinda noise. So in full UUUGGGHHHHH mentality I waited to be checked by a security guard. By the time I was done it was 10:14, and I thought i wasn't going to have any more problems...

WRONG.

I walked up to the international gates ONLY to see a 100+ person line to go thru ANOTHER passport check. I just KNEW i wasn't going to make the flight but I heard some lady say something about how she had a last call. Although I wasn't POSITIVE about my own flights last call...I went with it and cut the ENTIRE line...when I say I literally FELT the hate seeping through my beret'ed hat, blazer AND peacot,....boy...they were hating me...but as usual...I DIDNT CARE. So as I went through the passport control I mas o menos ran (if you know me...you know i dont run...so it was more of Menos) and got to the gate where they let me know I was the last person on board.

Lovely.

But HEY! i made it so, I'm not mad at the situation at all...i just know that only by the Grace of God did I make that flight....next time I might just go with sleeping in the airport.

Reflections of the semester: I'm DIVERSI-centric

As this semester comes to a close...I find myself reflecting alot...what i've learned, how i've grown, what I want to do when I go back...etc.

I was talking to a friend in London, and we talking about life when we get back blah blah blah and she made a comment that was just TOO real to not note. Being far from home and the comfort that is there you learn alot about yourself and capabilities. How to survive personally and socially. Now we're both "book" addicts...for many reasons...its a good way to spread info, find out info, and remain in contact with people...

When you're away you also learn alot about OTHER people...i.e. your friends. You learn about how their lives are without you...AND you learn who takes the time to keep in contact with you...who puts forth the effort to maintain relationships...and who deems you important enough in their lives to do all of these things. **17 snaps for that**

That being said, I would like to thank all the people who've: written on my wall, messaged me, chatted me, texted me, CALLED me, who responded to MY facebook posts, commented on my notes, and ANSWERED my calls. Its a little bit hard being so far from everyone, especially when you're like me and super nosy.

Sooo knowing that I'm not forgotten and cared about certainly helped me when I felt a little bit eentsy weentsy homesick.

As I reflected on my favorite places that I've been thus far...I found that my two favorite cities were Lisbon and London. What do these places have in common: 1) they start with L's

2) Theyre in Europe

3) They have a lot of history

4) Theyre distinctly gorgeous...

and MOST IMPORTANTLY

5) THEY'RE D I V E R S E

THE ONE THING that I realized is priceless to me...other than friends and family...is DIVERSITY!

As we know, diversity exists in more than ethnicity OR race...however I believe that much of diversity begins (lo menos) with physical distinctions. From different races and ethnicities, we get food, music, culture, among many other things. We adopt customs and adapt our own lifestyles to fit them or incorporate into our daily lives. Diversity is a beautiful thing. However, it definitely comes with ups and downs. In the presence of diversity we are able to learn about different customs but we also create our own judgements of groups...often based in ignorance...resulting in stereotypes. Good and Bad a stereotype is just plain ignorant.

This semester, I had an incident with some girls in my program...in regards to their own stereotypes and/or ignorant statements. Most of you reading this saw it on my facebook page...so there's no point in readdressing it. (if you haven't seen it and want to its still there under my notes) From this I learned about the way I want to address people whenever conflict arises regarding ignorance of this nature. BUT I also learned more about my appreciation for diversity (physical diversity). There was only one person who could truly relate to me and my feelings...although some could sympathize they were unable to Empathize.

**now [regular] diversity>> although we are the same race the other person did not feel the urgency to address the girls in the manner that I did...our approaches are COMPLETELY different**

At the same time, I would have equally not been content if we were ALL black and there was one person who was of another race. I really and truly appreciate diversity and always have. My friend, told me that my friend are like a model UN, everyone representing something different (i even listed this in my 25 things...lol) and it is certainly intentional. I just think that we have something to learn from everyone...and the more we learn the more we discover that we ARENT so different after all...maybe in name or color but at the root we have tons of similarities. Although we have similarities we also have our differences...and there's nothing wrong with that...its a good thing. Instead of fighting it and forcing assimilation or whatever you want to call it....we should embrace the people we are and were made to be.

Anywayyyyy...here in Spain its more than common for people to stare at me. YES because I'm black. Not because they don't trust me or fear me or any nonsense like that...but just because theyre curious. They havent seen different shades of black...they don't fully understand the concept of black vs. african/nationality...and thats fine...its not their fault. HOWEVER, I sometimes just want to live my life, without the burden of representation and with the option of just being NORMAL.

[if you REALLY want me to get in it...its basically living unequally...not for socioeconomic reason but because i have to deal with this burden at all times...but i'm not looking to get into that]

In Lisbon there was diversity...a few stared but they kind of just let me be. It was GREAT. Then there's London, where I'm not sure yet about their concept of "black" but I liked that when I sat on the bus I heard 5 different languages that I didn't understand. There may be a bit of seperationism going on in London...BUT...everyone embraces their culture and often are open to learning about other cultures...its not a BAD thing to be from another culture and WANT to continue with the customs of that country. It's a beautiful thing when we can just BE without judgement. ( don't get me wrong everywhere there is division there are stereotypes...but thats unavoidable) In a way, I think London is better off with immigrant, ethnicities, etc than america...just because I didn't see an overwhelming push to drop their tradition...I'm SURE its there, but either way either people are just pretty durn resistant or its not as abundant.

Anyhoo...in sum...i am DIVERSI-CENTRIC...my world revolves around diversity.

**Thats all for now...I'll finish my reflection en el fin** TWO WEEKS MORE ahhhhhhhh...no lo puedo creer!