#black expat
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4 Pillars of Health+Leaving the USA (Conversation with ChatGPT)
Sometimes you do need to change your environment! Why stay when the soil is stripped of all nutrients?
What are the four pillars of health? Explain to me as if iām a stubborn anti-science person. As a language model, I do not hold personal beliefs, so I will approach this question neutrally and provide you with a simple explanation of the four pillars of health, regardless of any preconceived notions you may have. The four pillars of health are the four key components that are essential forā¦
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The Soft Life or Slightly Cushioned?
I find myself contemplating what the āsoft lifeā really means? During a conversation with one of my good friends from back home she said āgirl, just embrace the soft lifeā. I was stunned for a minute, because nothing about my life at the moment felt soft.Ā Is this the soft life!?!?Because it didnāt feel very soft. It hadnāt even occurred to me that it could be labeled that way.Ā I was a full-time housewife whoās free time was spent cleaning. I started looking into what exactly constituted a āsoft lifeā. Quickly I realized, that label was being used very generally for vastly different ways of life. For example, there are stay at home moms (SAHM), and there are stay at home moms with nannies and/or housekeepers, and those two moms are living very different lives. At the time I was living the former.
When we first moved into our apartment, I was the main caregiver of Sunbeam, with help from my husband who is a very active dad. I was also solely responsible for all of the house upkeep, luckily my husband likes to cook and grocery shop so I had help with that part. This was the most grueling work Iāve ever done, and I worked in PR in NYC, and at a non-profit with what felt like 60% turnover. There were no breaks, no downtime, and you are plugged in 24 hours a day. The only time to myself was in the bathroom, which had to be quick because the Sunbeam is very active, and eventually that became similar to an open floor plan. I was exhausted and would crash immediately after Sunbeam went down. Nothing about that felt soft to me. There are people out in the world who would love this life, but being a housewife was never my dream. As a former professional woman, I found it much more challenging than any office job Iāve ever had.
After a few months of living in a haze, we finally sought help. A friend advised us to tear numbers off flyers on the grocery store bulletin board to find a nanny/help, which sounded crazy to me. Turns out itās a legitimate way to find help here, so we did. We also joined facebook groups and put up help wanted posts. Eventually we found our nanny/housekeeper who changed my life. She works part-time so Iām still with Sunbeam most of the time, but now I have someone to help with the upkeep of the house, and allows me to go to appts, run errands, etc without having to pack a bag and drag my stroller onto trains and busses.
I will admit this is definitely a āsofterā life, and affords me the flexibility in my life to do more self-care and things such as blogging, and working out, which is nice and necessary. However, my life does not look like what Tik Tok demonstrates as the soft life. There are no trips to chanel, or champagne brunches. My cupboard is not neatly laid out with monochromatic jars, and no matter how much we clean the apartment is always covered in toys, crushed cheerios, and whatever Sunbeam gets into. Iām still not convinced that I am living the soft life, certainly not as shown on social media. So maybe Iām living a slightly cushioned life??
I am grateful for the life that I have now, and I realize that flexibility is very privileged and that I live a life that some may desire. I love being home with Sunbeam and I wouldnāt change that for the world, but there are always challenges. Being a SAHM doesnāt feel like less work or soft work, but different work. And itās very easy to lose your identity and feel bored and lonely, especially when living abroad. Daily meal planning (three healthy meals and two snacks) and creating an educational environment for a toddler all day with no attention span is not easy. The closet that I passionately curated over the course of several years now sits still, and is quickly being replaced by shirts with built-in bras, birkenstocks, and jogging pants. You dress for comfort and stains, which leads to fewer excuses to indulge in shopping like I would have previously. I can only speak for my experience, which might be different since I live abroad and my nanny only works part-time. But when I check-in with the fellow expat housewives in my little cohort, they all express similar sentiments so itās not just me.
I understand the desire and the benefits to living this way, so my words arenāt meant to dissuade, but to just give perspective. From what I can see, unless you have unlimited amounts of money and a partner who doesnāt mind how you spend it, then if I am living what is considered a soft life, then it doesnāt look the way itās shown on social media. At least if you have kids.
#soft life#black family#black woman#blogging#expat#expatwives#housewife#living abroad#sahm#sahmomlife#stay at home mothers#nara smith
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Paul Binam
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The best joke must be italian boomers judging and condemning economical emigration when it is done by africans but praising their own children and grandchildren when they emigrate to the Netherlands to escape the shit economical situation the same boomers created
#italy#grrrr#i also hate the term ''expat''#Signora Marisa your son is NOT an expat if he had to flee the italian job market in order to make a decent living#your son is an immigrant just like the ones you despise so much if they are black/asian/eastern european#and if your son is brave and admirable for trying to make a better future for himself the same is true for all the other immigrants
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american "expats" who move to meso/south america and REFUSE to say Spanish words with the proper accent drive me up the wall.
idk if I'm in the minority here but I feel like when you say a word from another language in a sentence that is otherwise in your language- and that language is english, contextually speaking- you need to say it how the native speakers say it bc that's what the word is.
always saying spanish words without a spanish accent sounds so lazy and I feel like these are the same people who when they learn spanish speak with a heavy american accent even after years bc they just don't think it matters at all.
ppl do the same t hing w japanese and it's so...clunky. Like I really feel like it's less about ability and more about a psychological refusal to give up a linguistic identity. There's a kind of like, "I'm allowing this other language to change the way I use my mouth" that you have to go through when taking on another language properly and I feel like Americans are chronically averse to it.
#and I only really interact w black expat content so it's literally m y own ppl#yall really need to stop
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Zugdidi Guide
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#Black Sea#city guide#expatlife#expats#expats in Georgia#life abroad#Megrelian#mestia#Mingrellian#Samegrelo#svaneti#toursim#travel#zugdidi
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Iām Taking a Break from Life in the US...At Least for A Little While
The post I made about wanting to leave the US in 2020 gathered a lot of attention, so I want to give you all a life update in regards to that post. Right now, Iām choosing to take a break from life in the US, at least for a little while. Many people have asked me why, and instead of answering that question my response is simple: why not? The beginning of the end of my relationship with life inā¦
#American politics#Aminata Toure#black women travel#blackwomen#DEI#Diversity#expats#germany#living abroad#mali#politics#travel#womenshistorymonth
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Why Can't Passport Bros Get Women In Their Own Country?
The reasons why some Western men may travel to developing nations for women can vary and are not necessarily uniform for all individuals. This behavior can raise ethical concerns, including issues related to power imbalances, exploitation, and objectification, so it should be approached with caution and critical analysis.
#bglw#blacktwitter#travel#passport#passportbros#expat#trending#viral#trendingvideo#viralvideo#black girls living well#passport bros#passport bros thailand#passport bros columbia#passport bros philippines#passport bros explained#passport bros brazil#passport bros dominican republic#passport bros colombia#what are passport bros#what is a passport bro#why men become passport bros#passport bro went to colombia#passport bro went to brazil#Youtube
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FREE Ebooks for the holidays
Hey there! Times have been a bit tight lately, and I bet many of you can relate. With Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the holidays around the corner, the pressure to splurge is real, but my wallet says otherwise this year. But hereās some good newsāIām offering several of my books for FREE this weekend! Consider it your āvirtual shopping experienceā without spending a single penny. Grab them atā¦
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Its a Vibe (Free of Ghosts)
Over the last several years my birthday has been a week-long celebration. My 30th was spent relaxing on a beach and partying in Aruba with my best friend, which ushered in the trend to always do something lavish for my birthday. I maintained this tradition with vacations and spa treatments over the years. However, things started to change when I turned 40. One, I was pregnant, and two, it was during the covid years, thus severely altering how I could celebrate.Ā Last year we took a trip to the Philippines as a 40th redux, and to give me much needed R&R since our move abroad earlier that year was pretty rough. It was an amazing trip, but it wasnāt the āall about meā birthday vacation I had gotten used to. Sunbeam had just started to ween off breastfeeding, so I was pumping for relief and doing my best to maintain her schedule while we were away. On our return home Sunbeam got sick in the airport leaving us quarantined in a tiny hospital room for 2 days with all our luggage, no wifi, cell phone service, or drinking water, and a toilet leaking all over the floor. But thatās a story for another time.Ā
This past birthday the realization set in that the old days of sipping champagne all day arenāt returning; but itās okay because my life is evolving, and change is a natural part of growth. At first I felt the need to cling to my old bday tradition to hold on to my ābad b*tchā aesthetic. Being able to splurge on myself and luxuriate for several days made me confident and independent. However, now Iām in a place where trying to uphold those traditions along with my new responsibilities is much harder. Itās not impossible, but definitely requires a lot more effort and planning, which can feel like a lot.
So what does a good birthday look like now? Earlier this year we took a family vacation to the Maldives, and were planning a visit back west around the holidays, so traveling was not an option. I thought about what brings me joy now, as a woman with a family. Hearing the happy squeals of my child brings me life, so I opted to bring Sunbeam to an indoor play gym in the morning, since sheās still a little too young to really enjoy Disney.Ā We had the place to ourselves. Later that evening, my husband arranged for our nanny to come so we could enjoy the evening out. He planned a beautiful evening. We ate a 6 course meal in a private room at the top of a building with a breathtaking view of the city. I was all dressed up and felt beautiful. I thoroughly enjoyed spending the day with my family.
As my life continues to evolve, my birthday celebration has to take other factors into account. This encouraged me to reexamine my perspective on what makes my birthday meaningful, and embrace what comes with evolution. Iām grateful for the way my life is progressing and all the new experiences it brings, which makes these changes all the more welcome.
Now on another noteā¦.this birthday also indicated that an ex situationship has FINALLY moved on. I met my husband back in 2016, and with any new relationship it may take some time for ex lingerers to officially cut ties. But when I was done or over a person, I would totally disappear, theyād never hear from me again.Ā So when Hubby and I met, I may have gotten a rogue text here or there, but for the most part we just moved forward uninterrupted.
But there was one. An ex? Not sure you could call him that, it really never got that serious, so Iāll just say someone I dated briefly. This person would send happy birthday texts every year to no response. This shockingly went on for 6 YEARS. There were no other messages exchanged in between, because we werenāt in contact. But every year without fail Iād get a random text filled with bitmoji. One year the text came with 6 different Bitmojisā¦. I thought about responding a few times just to say Iām married, or Iām married and pregnant, or Iām married with a kid and donāt even live in the country anymore. But I couldnāt figure out how to bring that up with a happy birthday text, and also didnāt feel conversing, so opted for cold silence instead.
These messages were especially surprising because he was the āiām so busyā type. He made it very clear he was suuuper busy with all of his goals, so he needed to be focused. He was the type that presented as if he had it all figured out, while he questioned my ambition. The reality was, we just had different goals. But somewhere between my mid twenties and early thirties I fully accepted that I wasnāt going to be everyoneās cup of tea, which allowed me to stay grounded and not take negative things men said to me seriously. It was usually them, and not me. Iām not claiming to be perfect, but I stand by that assessment. I also didnāt try to change anyoneās mind, so when our communication gradually faded, it was all good.Ā
At first, the birthday messages made sense, right?Ā We were cool, there were no hard feelings. So the first time I got a text after all communication completely stopped I responded āwow, I canāt believe you remembered, thank youā. The following year, āthank you!!!ā But in 2018 I decided, I wasnāt going to respond anymore messages, to send the message, MOVE ON. But he continued, he sent birthday texts year after year, to no response. I was slightly amused, but more so confused. Like, what was the reason!?!Ā We werenāt friends. Iāll never know what his motivations were, but for the first time in seven years the birthday texts finally stopped. I think heās finally got the hint and moved on, good for him.
#black woman#living abroad#expat#black family#stay at home mothers#blackgirlbloggers#birthday post#birthday#girls trip#ghosting#ex situationship#birthday dinner#birthday trip#move on
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#blackexpatexperience#blackexpat#blackineurope#expatlife#american expats#expat#expatliving#black motherhood
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Naming International POC Characters: Do Your Research.
This post is part of a double feature for the same ask. First check out Mod Colette's answer to OP's original question at: A Careful Balance: Portraying a Black Character's Relationship with their Hair. Below are notes on character naming from Mod Rina.
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@writingraccoon said:
My character is black in a dungeons and dragons-like fantasy world. His name is Kazuki Haile (pronounced hay-lee), and his mother is this world's equivalent of Japanese, which is where his first name is from, while his father is this world's equivalent of Ethiopian, which is where his last name is from. He looks much more like his father, and has hair type 4a. [...]
Hold on a sec.
Haile (pronounced hay-lee), [...] [H]is father is this worldās equivalent of Ethiopian, which is where his last name is from.Ā
OP, where did you get this name? Behindthename.com, perhaps?
Note how it says, āSubmitted names are contributed by users of this website. Check marks indicate the level to which a name has been verified.ā Do you see any check marks, OP?Ā
What language is this, by the way? If we only count official languages, Ethiopia has 5: Afar, Amharic, Oromo, Somali, & Tigrinya. If we count everything native to that region? Over 90 languages. And I haven't even mentioned the dormant/extinct ones. Do you know which language this name comes from? Have you determined Kazukiās fatherās ethnic group, religion, and language(s)? Do you know just how ethnically diverse Ethiopia is?Ā
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To All Looking for Character Names on the Internet:
Skip the name aggregators and baby name lists. They often do not cite their sources, even if theyāre pulling from credible ones, and often copy each other.Ā
If you still wish to use a name website, find a second source that isnāt a name website.Ā
Find at least one real life individual, living or dead, who has this given name or surname. Try Wikipediaās lists of notable individuals under "List of [ethnicity] people." You can even try searching Facebook! Pay attention to when these people were born for chronological accuracy/believability.Ā
Make sure you know the language the name comes from, and the ethnicity/culture/religion itās associated with.Ā
Make sure you understand the naming practices of that cultureāhow many names, where they come from, name order, and other conventions.Ā
Make sure you have the correct pronunciation of the name. Donāt always trust Wikipedia or American pronunciation guides on Youtube. Try to find a native speaker or language lesson source, or review the phonology & orthography and parse out the string one phoneme at a time.Ā
Suggestions for web sources:
Wikipedia! Look for: āList of [language] [masculine/feminine] given names,ā āList of most common [language] family names,ā āList of most common surnames in [continent],ā and "List of [ethnicity] people." Ā
Census data! Harder to find due to language barriers & what governments make public, but these can really nail period accuracy. This may sound obvious, but look at the year of the character's birth, not the year your story takes place.Ā
Forums and Reddit. No really. Multicultural couples and expats will often ask around for what to name their children. Thereās also r/namenerds, where so many folks have shared names in their language that they now have āInternational Name Threads.ā These are all great first-hand sources for name connotationsāwhatās trendy vs. old-fashioned, preppy vs. nerdy, or classic vs. overused vs. obscure.Ā
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Luckily for OP, I got very curious and did some research. More on Ethiopian & Eritrean naming, plus mixed/intercultural naming and my recommendations for this character, under the cut. It's really interesting, I promise!
Ethiopian and Eritrean Naming Practices
Haile (IPA: /hÉjlÉ/ roughly āhy-luh.ā Both a & e are /É/, a central āuhā sound) is a phrase meaning āpower ofā in Geāez, sometimes known as Classical Ethiopic, which is an extinct/dormant Semitic language that is now used as a liturgical language in Ethiopian churches (think of how Latin & Sanskrit are used today). So it's a religious name, and was likely popularized by the regnal name of the last emperor of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie (āPower of the Trinityā). Ironically, for these reasons it is about as nationalistically āEthiopianā as a name can get.
Haile is one of the most common āsurnamesā ever in Ethiopia and Eritrea. Why was that in quotes? Because Ethiopians and Eritreans donāt have surnames. Historically, when they needed to distinguish themselves from others with the same given name, they affixed their fatherās given name, and then sometimes their grandfatherās. In modern Ethiopia and Eritrea, their given name is followed by a parentās (usually fatherās) name. First-generation diaspora abroad may solidify this name into a legal āsurnameā which is then consistently passed down to subsequent generations.
Intercultural Marriages and Naming
This means that Kazukiās parents will have to figure out if there will be a āsurnameā going forward, and who it applies to. Your easiest and most likely option is that Kazukiās dad would have chosen to make his second name (Kazukiās grandpaās name) the legal āsurname.ā The mom would have taken this name upon marriage, and Kazuki would inherit it also. Either moving abroad or the circumstances of the intercultural marriage would have motivated this. Thus āHaileā would be grandpaās name, and Kazuki wouldnāt be taking his āsurnameā from his dad. This prevents the mom & Kazuki from having different āsurnames.ā But you will have to understand and explain where the names came from and the decisions dad made to get there. Otherwise, this will ring culturally hollow and indicate a lack of research.
Typically intercultural parents try to
come up with a first name that is pronounceable in both languages,
go with a name that is the dominant language of where they live, or
compromise and pick one parentās language, depending on the circumstances.
Option 1 and possibly 3 requires figuring out which language is the fatherās first language. Unfortunately, because of the aforementioned national ubiquity of Haile, you will have to start from scratch here and figure out his ethnic group, religion (most are Ethiopian Orthodox and some Sunni Muslim), and language(s).Ā
But then again, writing these characters knowledgeably and respectfully also requires figuring out that information anyway.
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Names and naming practices are so, so diverse. Do research into the culture and language before picking a name, and never go with only one source.
~ Mod Rina
#asks#language#languages#linguistics#east africa#african#immigration#ethiopian#names#naming#research#resources#writeblr#character names#character name ideas#rina says read under the cut. read it
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Dispatches from my journeying often end up here.Ā Looking forward to sharing more:Ā
https://thefutureexpat.tumblr.com
https://www.instagram.com/future_expat/
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Elevator selfie
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