to honor a legacy

Upon hearing about the death of 95 year old Nelson Mandela, I was overcome by sadness, as millions of others around the world were as well. A student of international studies, concentrating in Africa, and centralizing my career goals towards human rights advocacy, for me, Mandela stood as a prominent figure, if not the leading figure, in my learned global paradigm.

On December 9th, 2013, thousands of people, including 91 heads of state, gathered in Soccer City (the stadium where Mandela gave his last public speech in 2010) to honor his life and achievements for South Africa and the world. Mandela united political and racial adversaries, led his country out of decades of apartheid and inspired peace through conflict reconciliation and consultation. The international response to Nelson Mandela's death or his life rather, has been overwhelming. People near and far have shown their gratitude to a man, who most never met, but who directly or indirectly affected their lives.

As a nation with rich racial history, the United States has much to learn from the likes of Mandela. Especially, living in the conservative south, I have been surrounded by people who share a political ideology less liberal than that of my own. I chose that diversity when I chose to live in this state. I chose to adapt to a culture which leans towards conservatism, however, I won't deny that it is tiresome to constantly battle what I might call regressive creed for the sake of progression. That being said, since Mandela's death, I have seen many exhibitions of praise and exaltation for this incredible man, but I have also seen acts that solicit a condemnation of Mandela's "radical" (read: not American) ideology. The issue here is that people can't seem to wrap their mind around accepting different outlets to success. Mandela's life inspired the largest gathering of heads of state since Winston Churchill's funeral. He was impressive, inspiring and a symbol for the freedom and equality of all. Let his legacy remain as such.

"If there is a country that has committed unspeakable atrocities in the world, it is the United States of America. They don't care for human beings."

I'd really be interested to hear a logical and factually dense argument against this. Truly. Put down your American pride (arrogance), your M16 and try to see our global democratic campaign for what it actually is. What U.S. presence means in a country is less than positive. The way U.S. promotion breaks cultures, dismantles economies and acts only by self-interest, is unspeakable. And your response, "but we can't take care of the whole world! someone else should step in for once!" Nope, that is the role WE adopted when WE decided to assume that WE are the 'leaders of the free world', so to speak. It's in the job description. A problem that the U.S. is going to confront in coming years is a shift of power throughout other nations. Whether the conversation includes GDP, military, or politics, adjustments will have to be made that allow for a bigger world stage.

"Long live the Cuban Revolution. Long live comrade Fidel Castro."

Yes, Mandela governed with a pseudo-Communist ideology. Is that wrong? As far as his governance, he used Communist ideals to delineate a system operating on racial inequality in favor of a nation rebuilt on equality. Selflessly, Mandela didn't want to demobilize the white operating elites that had suppressed blacks for decades. He spoke out against social conditions, fighting for "no unemployment, no poverty and starvation, disease and ignorance, no colonies or wars."

I would wonder why or how he wouldn't support other revolutions, as he lived in a country and led a revolution based on his intellect. Jailed for 27 years, his time allowed him to reflect on progress rather than act on anger. President Obama is catching hell in the media for shaking hands with Raul Castro at Nelson Mandela's memorial service. May their handshake stand as a testament for Mandela's ability to unite adversaries rather than as a political err by President Obama. He should shake Castro's hand, for hopefully he knows he's on the right side of history. (All of this being said...I know that Fidel Castro and Nelson Mandela's grasp on freedom are polar.)

It's preachy and maybe pushy - I know. But I want Nelson Mandela's legacy to reign forever. For his symbol to never fade. For world leaders to emulate him. Most importantly, Mandela's motivations were driven with a sense of urgency, to change things for the better as soon as possible in order to ameliorate life for people. This we cannot forget as we respectively fight for equality in all of the countries we call home. Whether its women's rights, ending LGBT, religious or disability discrimination, or even fighting against racial discrimination that still occurs every day, do it with urgency. For the 90 year old homosexual who wants to be married before they pass. For the man or woman with a physical deformity or mental handicap who wants go to sleep every night feeling accepted. For the white, black or purple man who wants to be valued for his humanity, not his color. Imagine it's you up against the odds fighting for what everyone deserves - a free world like Nelson Mandela pictured.

thanks, prayer and love

I find myself again at the time of year that we share holidays with family and friends, bundle in sweaters and scarves to cut the bite of the cold, smell turkeys and cookies baking, and sit in front of a burning fireplace by night. Inevitably, it's also the time of year, that for 20 years of my life, I gave thanks to and celebrated the birth of Jesus without quesiton. However, for the past almost two years now, I haven't really been praying to anyone in particular. Through some self-discovery and life experience, I realized I had too many hesitations about the prescription of Christianity.

For 10 months of the year, I am at peace with this spiritual change in my life. I'm even proud to say that I took the time and energy to decide it necessary to abandon that which was prescibed to me (by the Western world, not my parents) in order to find a spiritual balance from which I could see more clearly. It wasn't easy by any means. You might read that as me saying, "I no longer respond to a moral guideline." That's not the case at all. The constants in this experiment are prayer, giving thanks, recognizing grace and acting by moral character, making the independent variable Jesus.

I went through a period where I felt extreme betrayal because of my realization. Jesus had been my friend for years; we knew each other better than anyone. He helped me through sleepless nights, knew my deepest insecurities and secrets. But trying to make yourself believe something that you don't isn't healthy, and though it meant redefining my spiritual life, I had to make changes that were align with my beliefs.

And so now here I am, welcoming the months that spiritual peace is off kilter. I miss singing hymns at church, I miss the sense of wholeness after a worshipping experience. But I realize, as well, I can still sing at church and I can still worship with people who believe in Christ. I'm thankful for having such a reliable friend so many years. For providing millions across the world with the hope to keep going everyday. For providing an ear to every broken soul who seeks him. For being there for those who have given their lives to him. He is the reason why some people keep on, just not me anymore.

This time of year, I give thanks to the beauty of the world, to the innate goodness of people, to snowflakes and wind gusts, to my family in friends, to health and travel, to good books and people's incredible individuality and unique qualities, that make our world so rich and diverse.

I pray for a better world where religion doesn't cause moral and just people to pick up arms against each other. Where the people of different ethnicities in the same place love each other. Where radical Christians and Muslims finally practice what they preach, love. Where people aren't judged by the color of their skin or their sexual orientation, but by their character. Where women and men are afforded equal rights under the law, all laws. Where democracy actually acts as an institution to help people, rather than further marginalize the poor and promote the wealthy.

Believe in who or what you want. Pray with conviction. Give thanks daily. Know who you are and what makes your spirit balanced. Love everyone, everything, everyday. There is no greater gift than being on this earth and we have an obligation to making the world seem like a gift to everyone.

Arundhati Roy

So many times I find myself dwarfed by my dreams, my hope for the future and where I see myself down the winding paths of life. Small is the word I would use. I am just one of millions of soon to be college graduates who are passionate about the world, human relations, cultural connections, and the list goes on. Constantly I seek reminders that inspire me to dream on, to imagine myself outside of this small bubble of a reality that has so temporarily "molded me" to be who I am. Words like these of Arundhati Roy, an Indian author and political activist remind me that the depths of what lies ahead are limitless.

To love. To be loved. To never forget your own insignificance. To never get used to the unspeakable violence and the vulgar disparity of life around you. To seek joy in the saddest places. To pursue beauty to its lair. To never simplify what is complicated or complicate what is simple. To respect strength, never power. Above all, to watch. To try and understand. To never look away. And never, never to forget.

 As an advocate for exposing the flaws of American-style capitalism as the culprit of many of the complex issues of modernity, Arundhati Roy is a model for the kind of global, active and human rights oriented woman I aspire to be.

words to ponder

No shred of hope is too near or too far to contemplate, no ounce of optimism overlooked. No person, no country is beyond redemption, especially their own, where hope is like a transient treasure that must be discovered again and again. - Edwidge Danticat

españa

I left you after my wonderful visits to Lisbon, Barcelona and Madrid. I had every intention of giving you ideas of what my time spent in each city was like...and I guess now that I am enjoying a rather smooth-sailing summer, I have the time, and some more, to continue my blog.

The Gothic Cathedral

Parc Guell

Barcelona was everything and nothing that I expected. A roommate, Melissa, spent the semester there while I was in Rabat and raved the entire time. Her pictures were spectacular and it appeared that she was having the opposite experience that I was having (in the best of ways). We easily navigated the metro system and arrived at our booked-last-minute hostel in the Gothic Quarter of the city. I don't suggest staying there unless you are interested in keeping to yourself, being hushed at night, and eating breakfast before 8AM. Despite our living arrangements, we spent our first day exploring the huge city by ourselves. We walked down to the water, back up some streets, and amazingly found ourselves back at our hostel. We then arranged to meet up with our friend Kamal, who we met over spring break in Agadir, Morocco. He was working with a group called Stoke Travel that has surf and other party locations and stays set up across Europe. He took us to Parc Guell, a phenomenal "garden complex with architectural elements situated on the hill of El Carmel" designed by renowned architect Antoni Gaudi.

La Sagrada Familia

I'll make this quicker for you -- can't be too interesting. Our next days in Barcelona were spent visiting la Sagrada Familia, a large Roman Catholic Church also designed by Gaudi. We visited other monuments and buildings unique to Barcelona but were greatly excited to spend a day at the "playa". We enjoyed the sun and the Spanish beauty and even joined the women in toplessness for a bit. Later that night, we went on a booze cruise through Stoke Travel through the Barcelona harbor. It was so fun, I will remember that cruise forever. There were a few different bachelor parties, and other groups of friends and us. There was fun music, an open bar and three hours at our exposure to do with as we pleased.

la Marsella 

Another fun story about Barcelona, my friend Lex and I met a photographer for Rolling Stone. He was quick to be our friend and take us out for an interesting evening. We went to a cool place for tapas, a bar that Ernest Hemingway would frequent for its absinthe, and finally...he encouraged me to get my nose pierced. He said it would compliment my face well and he would like to photograph me if I did and in my whimsical traveler ways, I agreed. Before I knew it, there was a gold hoop through my left nostril and no money out of my pocket. I really loved the look and kept the hoop in for a few days. Out of fear that my mother would disown me, however, I removed the piercing before returning home.

outside the Museo del Prado

Finally we moved on to Madrid, which was my final destination. It was originally Lex's as well but she decided to visit her grandmother in Switzerland. Brennan and Camille had many more plans, including London, Oxford, Wales, Bruges and Amsterdam. At this point, with just four days left in my five months away from the States, I was feeling anxious and uncomfortable. I was by no means ready to go home and put an end to my wonderful experiences abroad. If it had to end a certain way, Madrid was good though because it was lots of fun. We mapped out all the free and student priced hours and got started quickly with seeing the huge city. We visited a botanical garden, the Museo del Prado and the Museo Reina Sofia. We stayed in a great hostel and made friends with some other Americans there, and we also met up with our friend Dylani, who we met at our hostel in Lisbon.

On our last full day we visited an outdoor market where we ate lunch and tasted various tapas and wines. We met four older Spanish men who told us they were business partners in the restaurant industry in Toledo, and they invited us out for lunch. We went to the nicest restaurant in Madrid, and I don't think they were lying. It was so beautiful and the food was incredible. We then went to the most famous bar for drinks and on a drive for other sight-seeing. The whole time we were wondering what their interest in us was, three said they had wives and the other was still looking. We were just having a good time and they were about 20 years our elder. It was a really fun way to spend our last day in Spain, uninhibited by euros and being taken to places by Spanish men who know Madrid.

friends since fes in February

And now, my friends and I are all in our cities, Lex in Philadelphia, Brennan, Camille and myself are actually all in Charleston, although, seeing each other can be much more difficult than it would seem. I miss the excitement of day-to-day travel, of new experiences and unfamiliar cultures, of meeting people who teach me new things and who make my world a little bit bigger. I miss living out of my backpack and showering in hostels, of finding our way back in new cities at night. I miss traveling with three amazing girls who are so different on paper but together we have an incredible time. I had five months of a lifetime and I feel so blessed. What I would do to go back...

Lex, Brennan and myself

lisboa - i will be back

i love lisbon

I can't even express the attachment I have to Lisbon. After 4 nights there, I know I will be back - for longer than just a stay.
We stayed at Oasis Backpacker's Hostel, where we had a great staff, great visitors and a great time. Everything was charming and enchanting.

Fado street art

The streets were small and quaint, we could get by with English, and almost every story of travelers we encountered went like this: "Yeah well I was traveling and I stopped in Lisbon and stayed for a few days. Then I extended my trip and now I'm living here!" Heads up, that's going to be my story after I graduate. I hoped I could go back after finishing up in Madrid, but it's just not working out.


The city is a mixture of urban and rural, contemporary and traditional, old and young. The melange of it all makes it feel like glue, something that I will be stuck on for a while. We spent a few nights out and a few nights in, but each were equally fun. We went on a free walking tour with a cool Australian guy named Aaron who worked at the hostel and we explored on our own as well. I don't know how to explain Lisbon besides that it has an incredible aura and I suggest that everyone visit for a few days, that will undoubtedly turn into a longer stay.

some of the people we met

bsalama (with peace)

Salma's first birthday party

Wrapping everything up in Morocco was difficult to say the least. From last-minute gifts, to errands, to saying goodbye to vendors who turned into friends, I had so much to do. Time slipped through my fingers and the day of my departure crept up quickly. I left a lot behind; partially because I bought so many gifts that my suitcase was overflowing and also because as I started the selection process, Naima began giving her two-cents on what she wouldn't mind having. So I didn't mind parting with some of the clothes that I brought. Speaking of those clothes, they were absolutely falling apart. I don't know if it was because the hard minerals in the water, the new detergent or the fact that they were hung dry and super crunchy every time I got them back, but my clothes and Morocco were not meant to be.

I had a very tearful goodbye. Naima and I hugged for a long time, minutes it seemed, as we cried into each others shoulders (more like her into my chest). We had gotten so close over four months, despite our different languages and misunderstandings. Salma knew something was different. I think she could sense it from my bags being downstairs or how everyone's pace was a little rapid. I held her for a long time as well, and she didn't squirm or want to play. She just rested on me and talked to my face closely. I miss her like crazy right now. I cried from before I left the house, as Abdellah was walking me through the medina to get a taxi, as I said goodbye to Abdellah and as I rode in the taxi. Morocco did so much for me.

Rob, Brennan, Chris, Connor and me

We spent one last night at Mawazine, watching Lenny Kravitz sing "American Woman" and "Fly Away". I met such amazing people in Rabat, Americans and Moroccans. It was amazing how close we all became throughout the semester; we all really needed each other at times. Saying goodbye at the train station the morning of the 26th was hard. For me it was the kind of bubble in my throat, tears in my eyes, quiet goodbye because otherwise I would have been a puddle on the floor. I will really miss my close friends, they know who they are and I have faith that we will see each other again.

But now, I am off to Lisbon with my friends Lex, Brennan and her little sister Camille, for the start of our European travels! More posts to come about my travels there.

Brennan, myself and Lex