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misssolitudesmusicblog · 1 year ago

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My Music for May 2023

Dear Tumblr,

Who is this girl writing about her music in May when were 9 days in June already… It’s been chaotic Tumblr, and I’m not even sure if anyone takes the time to read this but nevertheless I’m here to share about my life, and about the music that resonates with me. I typically send out my monthly blog at the end of the month but I’ve been “distracted" and I recently got sick as well. May music was filled with great tunes. The main song may even hint at the latest in my life. (LoL) Anyways thank you to my readers for your time. Here is the link for May music on Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4a3vulnCxZOu00gHVKslev?si=90dac819eaa74998

Without further adieu coming in at …

67. Lead Pipe by Movements

66. Rotten Bun by mui zyu

65. My Flowers Grow- Extended by Sara King

64. Close your eyes by tomcbumpz, Ivri

63. Dear Summer by memphis Bleek, JAY-Z

62. Story Mode by BOYO

61. Depression Naps- Alternate Version by BOYO

60. CHARLES JEFFREY by Ray Laurel

59. Stupid by Deb Never

58. Heroes by Gang of Youths

57. Hybrid Moments by Misfits

56. It Doesn’t Have To Change by benches

55. GEEKALEEK by OHGEESY, BIA 54. Bend Ya by Mann, Frank Ocean, Kendrick Lamar

53. AMERICA HAS A PROBLEM by Beyonce, Kendrick Lamar

52. Sumbody to love by cr1tter, SliccMic, Okthxbb

51. More than a homie> by Monica Riskey

50. Foreplay by Toro y Moi

49. Nicole by Dinamarca

48. Think Deep, Don’t Sink by Willy P, Peter Kuli, My Favorite Color

47. Spit Up by IiIo

46. Hotline (edit) by Billie Eillish

45. Vacations-4-Track Version by BOYO

44. Awful Thing by The McCharmlys

43. All At Once by Andrew Kamen

42. But You-Acoustic by Alexandra Savior

41. Amor by Alta Elegancia, DannyLux

40. After Dark by L.S.D

39. The Style Is Death by Forever Grey

38. Come Over And Love Me by Love Spells

37. Just Can’t Get Enough by Black Eyed Peas

36. Touch My Body by Mariah Carey

35. Red Red Wine by UB40

34. Love Goddess by Maijah

33. The Greatest Smile by SAULT

32. Ms. Moon by Ambar Lucid

31. Morning Song by Jewel

30. Prelude by Andria Rose

29. Feeling ugly by Nova ONE

28. Roll My Stone by Arcy Drive

27. The Girl Outside by Donkey Kid

26. Accept Me as I Am by Klein Zage

25. Say Yes To Heaven by Lana Del Rey

24. Weekday/Anything by Bedroom

23. Gold! by Bedroom

22. When That Head Splits-Remixed by Woodpecker Wooliams by Esben and the Witch, Woodpecker Wooliams

21. Surrounded By Spies by Placebo

20. Perfectionist by Russ

19. WAISTBIN by John-Robert

18. Protocol by El Michels Affair, Black Thought, Son Little

17. Holding My Breath by Atmosphere

16. Bon Voyage by Deep Thought, Rome Fortune

15. Right My Wrongs by Khamari

14. American wedding by ocean sixteen

13. TEENAGE FEVER by Isaia Huron

12. Summer slowdown by Flowervillain

11. American jesus by Nessa Barrett

10. Nothing Matters by The Last Dinner Party

9. Holiday House by Beach House

8. All Good by Bedroom

7. IF THERE’S NO SEAT IN THE SKY (WILL YOU FORGIVE ME???) by Saya Gray

6. Move by Dreamer Isioma, Sonny

5. Candy Necklace by Lana Del Rey, Jon Batiste

4. ROC3 by TRISTAN!

3. Hasta la Muerte by Eva Noxious

2. REAL LIFE by NugLife, FrankieOG, Chuuwee, Vel Nine

1. La Curiosidad by Ivan Cornejo, Eslabon Armado

As I close out with my readers with the following quote "Curiosity is not a sin but we should exercise caution with our curiosity" - Albus Dumbledore, Miss Solitudes May 2023

Sincerely,

Miss Solitude

#may2023 #music #musicplaylist #Spotify #music appreciation

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elseinbetween · 5 years ago

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January 12-13, 2020 | Fresno Agro Forestry & Eco Tourism Campsite Tanay, Rizal

Over ramen and coffee, Ijo, Hanah and I looked for a place to go and when we found one, we packed our bags six days later and left. Just like that. And after more than an hour on a familiar road, we alighted at Sitio Maysawa--the same jump off of Treasure Mountain that we camped at almost three years ago. We even drove past its gates en-route to Fresno which sits atop Mt. Kulis (620 MASL).

We reached the campsite around sunset. And even when the sky's already turning purple, Fresno offered us one of the best 360-degree view of Tanay mountain ranges without much effort. Jinjja yeppeuda. We then eased up in our little kubo before racing out for dinner, moon-gazing and some serious conversation. Hanah bared some of her heart tonight--sharing how she hurt and how life is too long, there’s too many unwanted scenes. I nodded off hoping her next chapter would be better and kinder than the previous ones.

Our three-person unit woke up to a cold ash-fall-covered morning. Yes, naabutan na naman kami ng kalamidad sa galaan. But as always, Paps kept us through the night. And around 5:30, we started trekking down to Noah’s Arc. We waited for sunrise while anchored on top of the mountain over the sea of clouds. How can we not sing hallelujah to the God who makes beauty out of the ashes we’re in?

We soaked up the majestic start of day and then hiked up its neighbor peak, Mt. Sambong (629 MASL), right after. And maybe I love the scenery better here. Coming back to this side of Tanay after years, I realized that some things never change (despite the many things that did), the serenity that this kind of view gave me and the way I’m holding on tight with these two beside me.

As I behold Your beauty with unworthy eyes The only song my soul can find to sing Is hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah my King (Transfiguration, Hillsong United)

#God #Jesus #expgoals #TFs #H #♫

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royalalbertamuseumblog · 6 years ago

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International Day of Women and Girls in Science - 2019

The Royal Alberta Museum is fortunate to have many amazing women doing scientific work on our staff. As February 11 is International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we are highlighting a few members of our conservation team, who utilize scientific methods of preserving and conserving our precious objects.

We’d love for you to meet Carmen, Katherine, Genevieve and Brenna!

(Conservation team - Top: Katherine Potapova. Middle L to R: Lisa May, Carmen Li. Front L to R: Brenna Cook, Alison Fleming and Genevieve Kulis)

What do you do here at RAM?

Carmen Li

I am head of the conservation program here at RAM. The goal of the conservation program is to ensure the long term preservation of the specimens and artifacts in our collection through treatment or preventive conservation.

Katherine Potapova

I'm a paper conservator. For the most part, I repair damaged documents, maps, photographs, and other artifacts that are made of paper. Sometimes, I also help out with other conservation-related task, like preparing objects for exhibition in the galleries, and operating the equipment that we use to run tests to better understand what our artifacts are made of.

Genevieve Kulis

I am a Natural History Conservator here at the RAM. I am one of the people responsible for ensuring the ongoing care and preservation of museum’s Natural History collections. As part of this work, I get to carry out various treatments that help to repair and stabilize damaged or deteriorating specimens and objects.

Brenna Cook

I am a textile conservator. I work with textile-based objects to treat and preserve them while also preparing them for display.

What first made you interested in conservation as a career?

Carmen Li

I first heard about conservation as a career at a high school career fair, but never thought I could pursue it because of the chemistry requirements. I began studying architecture and art history, but really started reconsidering during the third year of university. I decided to follow my passion and started intensively taking first, second and third year chemistry courses in preparation for a graduate degree in art conservation. Conservation allows me to exercise both the artistic and creative side of my brain as well as the materials science part. It allows me to engage in meaningful work, and since every project is different and since we work on such a diverse collection, conservation work really is endlessly fascinating and a source for lifelong learning.

Katherine Potapova

I've always had diverse interests, and had a hard time deciding on the one thing that I wanted to pursue. In university, I was torn between fine art, history, and science. When I found out about conservation, it seemed like the perfect solution: conservators need to have skills and knowledge from all these areas. Conservators need to think systematically, like scientists. Conservators also need to understand the materials they work with on a molecular level. At the same time, they also need the creativity and craftsmanship of artists, as well as an understanding of the history of materials.

Genevieve Kulis

I have always loved museums and have found them wonderful places to learn and discover new things. Growing up, I always felt that working at a museum would be a dream come true, but didn’t know in what capacity I wanted to do that. After some research into various museum careers, I came across conservation. It had a great balance of all of the things I was interested in. It allows you to use both science and art-based skills, there is a great deal of diversity in the projects you get to work on, and it allows you to work with incredible objects and help preserve them for other people to enjoy and learn from. To me, nothing seemed to match my interests better than that.

Brenna Cook

I always had an affinity for working with textiles and a strong interest in history and material culture. I enjoyed the combination of craft and science as well as the deliberate, measured pace of work.

What was your education and career path that lead you to your current job?

Carmen Li

I pursued a bachelor’s degree in Architectural Studies and Art History, followed by a certificate in Collections Conservation and Management and then a Masters in Art Conservation. I completed internships and fellowships at the Canadian Conservation Institute, the National Museum of the American Indian, Fitzwilliam Museum, Royal Ontario Museum, and others. I coordinated a major collections move at the Museum of Northern Arizona, and then was hired as the Preventive Conservation Manager at the University of Alberta Museums which brought me to Edmonton. I joined the RAM team in 2014.

Katherine Potapova

I was halfway through a bachelor's degree in art history when I decided to try my hand at conservation. After receiving my art history degree, I went on to pursue a Master of Art Conservation degree at Queen's University. To meet the admission criteria for the conservation program, I also had to take general and organic chemistry courses, and also fine art courses, while I was finishing my art history degree.

All the conservation programs in North America are postgraduate, meaning that you need to have a degree in some other discipline to be eligible. People come to conservation from a great variety of backgrounds: fine art, history, and chemistry are some of the more common ones. Conservation is such a crossroads that skills from many different disciplines can be applicable. Everyone who wants to be successful in conservation also needs to have some knowledge outside their own discipline: a scientist needs to have some experience with art or crafts, and someone from a humanities background needs to have at least a basic knowledge of chemistry. And of course, everyone needs to be comfortable working with their hands.

Genevieve Kulis

I first attended McGill University, where I majored in Anthropology and minored in Earth and Planetary Sciences. I was fortunate enough to have a number of my classes at the University’s Redpath Museum. Having classes at the Museum allowed me to work with the collections for various lab sessions and research projects, and really solidified my interest in working at a museum. I also began volunteering there, when I could. After I graduated, I attend Fleming College for their post-graduate program in Cultural Heritage Conservation and Management. The program was really immersive and hands-on, and included a full-time internship in the final semester, which I completed at the Textile Museum of Canada. After completing my internship there, I continued to volunteer and eventually was hired on a project contract. After my contract was over, I began working as a conservator for private collectors and short-term contracts. Soon after, I found my way to the Royal Alberta Museum, where I’ve been working for the past two and a half years.

Brenna Cook

I started my post-secondary education interested in archaeology but over the course of a bachelor’s degree in the subject I discovered it wasn’t a career I wanted to pursue. I rearranged my coursework and volunteer experience to support an application to a graduate degree program in textile conservation. Following that I completed several years of internships until I secured this position at the RAM.

Tell me about some of the ways you use science in your work.

Carmen Li

The most obvious way that I use science at work is through analysis of objects or specimens. For example, we can do X-Ray Fluorescence to identify what elements are present in or on the surface objects, or we can do Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy to try to determine what an object is made of. But more generally, through an understanding of materials science, we can try predict how materials will degrade over time, how our conservation treatments would interact with original materials, and they would age over time.

Katherine Potapova

Science is really just a systematic way of figuring out what things are made of and how they work. This kind of systematic understanding is at the heart of many fields, including conservation. When working with museum artifacts, it can be very important to understand what each artifact is made of, and how these materials will behave over time. For example, some materials, like some papers and many plastics, are inherently unstable: over time, these materials often turn yellow and become very brittle. Sometimes they become so brittle that they crumble if you so much as touch them. To preserve these materials in the best conditions possible, special accommodations are needed. We wouldn’t know this without a scientific understanding of the artifacts.

When I do conservation treatments on damaged artifacts, it is also important to understand on a molecular level how the materials that I use will interact with the materials of the artifact, and how they will change over time. For example, many people who are not conservators might use sticky tape to repair tears in documents and book pages. What these people don't realize is that over time, the adhesive in most tapes undergoes a chemical reaction that causes it to turn yellow. This can happen in just a few years, although sometimes it takes 20 or 30 years. The yellowed adhesive creates an indelible yellow stain in the paper. When conservators repair tears in paper documents, they do not use tape, but rather adhesives like wheat starch paste, which have been thoroughly tested by scientists to make sure that they remain stable over time.

I have also had the opportunity to use some fairly sophisticated instruments to run tests that help to better understand the behaviour of the materials in our artifacts. For example, it is well known that many coloured materials fade when they are exposed to light for an extended time. But different materials fade at different rates. How can we know for how long we can keep a particular artifact in the light before it starts to fade? To help answer this question, we borrowed a microfade tester from the Canadian Conservation Institute. This instrument shines a narrow beam of very bright light on a very small, barely visible spot on an artifact for a specified length of time (for example, for 10 minutes). The instrument also takes repeated measurements of the colour of the spot. The computer software uses these measurements to calculate how much the spot has faded. These data can then be used to extrapolate how quickly that particular colourant would fade under regular museum lighting. I got the chance to use the microfade tester on some of our most light-sensitive artifacts, and we used the results to decide for how long these artifacts could safely be displayed in our galleries.

Genevieve Kulis

Science finds its way into my work in a number of ways. It’s a fundamental part of understanding how and why an object may be deteriorating. Understanding and identifying the types of chemical reactions that are taking place within the object itself, or between the object and something from the surrounding environment, that are causing deterioration is very important. This information informs a conservator on how to best proceed with treating the object. Science is also used during the treatment and preservation of the objects. It is important to know how an object will react with the materials being used in a treatment. Some materials or substances can be used to slow or stop types of deterioration, which can be very useful. In other instances, even just knowing what materials are safe to use with or around an object that won’t cause any adverse reactions is extremely important. Having a solid understanding of material science is quite essential.

Brenna Cook

We use scientific instruments broadly in conservation to discover information about the physical nature of materials. Most applicable to my work is our Fourier-transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR) which can tell me the chemical makeup of mystery textile fibers. I also use very precise lab equipment when custom dyeing fabric as minute changes in dye stuffs, water and additives can have a great effect on the resulting colours of the fabric.

What is the coolest thing you have had the opportunity to do in your career?

Carmen Li

I’ve had the opportunity to travel and work on projects in museums and archaeological sites around the world - Canadian Arctic, Turkey, Peru, Hong Kong, UK, the Netherlands, Kosovo. All these experiences enrich my understanding of conservation of different material types, from different cultures, and in different contexts. In terms of the single coolest thing, I’ve had the opportunity to help with the installation of the Durham Cathedral’s copy of the Magna Carta when it came here to Edmonton, which was pretty special.

Katherine Potapova

Working with museum artifacts can feel pretty special. I don't really know what the "coolest" thing that I've had to do would be, but my favourite thing that I get to do is inpainting. When a photograph, poster, or some other kind of picture has scratches or cracks in it, the damage often prevents you from seeing the image properly. In that case, I sometimes paint over the scratches with watercolour paints. I do this with an extremely fine paintbrush, and I have to mix colours so that they match the colours of the area around the scratch very closely. If I'd done a good job, you would then no longer notice the scratches, unless you looked very closely. When my inpainting turns out well, I always feel like I have a kind of magical power. Suddenly the image comes together, and you see it clearly for the first time. It always amazes me what a tiny amount of well-chosen paint can do.

Genevieve Kulis

I don’t think there is a single coolest thing I’ve had the opportunity to do as a conservator. All the objects I get to work on are unique and have their own interesting set of preservation challenges. There is so much diversity in what I get to do as a conservator; I’m never bored and always excited about what I’m working on.

Brenna Cook

I’ve had the chance to get right up close to clothes that people wore hundreds of years ago, I was particularly excited to work on some French dresses from the mid-eighteenth century. You can’t get more intimate with the people of the past than that!

What is your advice to young girls interested in pursuing a career in science-related careers like conservation?

Carmen Li

Courses in science and math can lead to so many interesting and diverse career paths. Anyone can learn anything with curiosity, drive, and passion. Be fearless and follow your dreams!

Katherine Potapova

Do what interests you! Scientific thinking has applications in just about every field, not to mention everyday life. If more people had a science-based education - who knows, there might even be less nonsense in the world.

Genevieve Kulis

If you find something you’re passionate about and interested in, pursue it. Find ways to learn more about what interests you, whether that be through independent research, reaching out to someone already in the field or finding a way to volunteer in some capacity. In particular, I would say volunteering is an amazing way to get practical, hands-on experience and is a good way to find out if your area of interest is something you want to get into as a career. Even if you aren’t able to find someone in your field of interest to get in touch with, or volunteer with, immediately, don’t let that discourage you. Perseverance does pay off, so do your best to keep at it and eventually, an opportunity will come up that will allow you to get your foot through the door.

Brenna Cook

I would advise young girls to indulge their curiosity. Information is becoming more and more accessible and really digging down into a question is what science is all about!

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ingliszticzer-blog · 4 years ago

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ᖴᑌ丅ᑌᖇᗴ ՏᎥᗰᑭᒪᗴ ఌఌఌఌఌఌఌఌఌఌఌఌఌఌఌ ➪ 𝗪𝗜𝗟𝗟/𝗪𝗢𝗡'𝗧 + 𝗜𝗡𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗩𝗘 (𝗯𝗲𝘇𝗼𝗸𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘇𝗻𝗶𝗸) 🔎 When do we use FUTURE SIMPLE? (Kiedy używamy czasu Future Simple?) 1️⃣ TO PREDICT THE FUTURE (do przewidywania przyszłości): 🇬🇧 I will probably move out of the city one day. 🇵🇱 Pewnie kiedyś się wyprowadzę z miasta. 🇬🇧 They will never change. 🇵🇱 Oni się nigdy nie zmienią. 🇬🇧 I think it will rain. 🇵🇱 Myślę, że będzie padać. Zwróćcie uwagę, że jest to bardziej zgadywanie co się może wydarzyć w przyszłości. Trochę jak czytanie z kart lub ze szklanej kuli ;) Bardzo często używamy w takich zdaniach ▪️MAYBE, ▪️PERHAPS lub ▪️PROBABLY. Często też zaczynamy takie zdania od: I think… I believe… I expect… I'm sure… I guess… 2️⃣ TO MAKE ON-THE-SPOT DECISIONS (do podejmowania spontanicznych decyzji, kiedy z marszu o czymś decydujemy): 🇬🇧 I will go now. 🇵🇱 Pójdę już. 🇬🇧 Somebody is knocking on the door - I'll see who that is. 🇵🇱 Ktoś puka do drzwi - zobaczę kto to. 🇬🇧 I will help you. 🇵🇱 Pomogę ci. 3️⃣ IN PROMISES, OFFERS, REQUESTS, REFUSALS, INVITATIONS, ETC. (kiedy coś obiecujemy, proponujemy, o coś prosimy, odmawiamy zrobienia czegoś lub zapraszamy, itp.) 🇬🇧 I promise I will be back before midnight. 🇵🇱 Obiecuję, że wrócę przed północą. 🇬🇧 I will do that for you. 🇵🇱 Zrobię to dla ciebie. (oferujemy się) 🇬🇧 Will you help me? 🇵🇱 Pomożesz mi? (prosimy o pomoc) 🇬🇧 I won't tell you. 🇵🇱 Nie powiem ci. (odmawiamy) 🇬🇧 Will you visit us over the weekend? 🇵🇱 Odwiedzisz nas w weekend? (zapraszamy) Pomyśl jak przetłumaczysz poniższe zdania za pomocą Future Simple: 1. Pewnie pojedziemy na wieś. 2. Sprzedaż wzrośnie. 3. Nie skończę tego projektu dzisiaj. 4. Spóźnię się. 5. Posprzątam dzisiaj swój pokój. 6. Ja zrobię zakupy. 7. Obiecuję, że będę na czas. 👉 Jak czujesz się na siłach, możesz przetłumaczyć któreś ze zdań w komentarzu 😀 💾 save Follow #ingliszticzer #naukaangielskiego #englishteacher #angielskidiy #angielskinainstagramie #studyenglish #grammar #englishgrammar #gramatyka #instagrammer #angielskieczasy #englishtenses #futureforms (at Mokotów, Warszawa, Poland) https://www.instagram.com/p/CDCWuzUBL53/?igshid=wla74zyfhnjj

#ingliszticzer #naukaangielskiego #englishteacher #angielskidiy #angielskinainstagramie #studyenglish #grammar #englishgrammar #gramatyka #instagrammer #angielskieczasy #englishtenses #futureforms

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kavuyi · 6 years ago

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Nkani: All That Glitters 21 – A Best Friend’s Day http://bit.ly/2P3V8ch

30th January 2016

“Ndiwe wo pusa.” Thandiwe exclaims. “Ahh Yolanda. Kuli vaso?”

“Nanga why you so pressed?” I ask.

“So you can’t see what’s wrong with what you’re doing ayi?”

I yawn and smile at her. I seriously don’t why she’s making a big fuss out of me going out for drinks with my supervisor. It’s not as if the man is bad or ugly anyway. I am allowed to. It’s called getting to know the boss better. Much better.

“I seriously don’t know why you are shocked with Yolanda and her stunts Thandiwe.” Mable responds. “Among all of us I seriously think she did the life thing right. I envy her.”

I shrug in agreement. I’m young. Unmarried. And happy.

“Oh come on Mable. You’ve been married for like a decade already so I think we all understand why you would like her life.” Thandiwe retorts.

“Exactly. When you have been married for over ten years, you my friend will end up like me. Wishing for singlehood to force it’s way into your life.” Mable responds.

“Though, look at her she’s so tired because she was out last night with her boss drinking her night away.” Thandiwe says.

Ahh yes. Drinking my night away with Masulani Jere. Gosh, I still have the same smile on my face.

“Thandiwe. No harm done.” I respond. “It was just drinks.”

“I am suprised it was just drinks to be honest.” Mable responds. “Your legs open too fast, too often.”

“Well I don’t care about body count and all those things men hold onto.” I start, “Fun is fun. To be had. To be laid down and done.”

“You’re so dirty.” Mable laughs. “I like it.”

“Hmmm guys. That man… Fun is important.” I groan.

“Iye Yolanda. Have you forgotten you are already dealing with one boss and yet you want to touch the other one too.” Thandiwe says. “How many men are enough for you?”

“All of them except James, Chinyama, Ian and Sangu. The rest are fair game.” I laugh.

Mable laughs, Thandiwe shakes her head. I am super hangovered – the type of hangover that always makes me vow I will never drink again. Waking up was a hustle, almost canceled the ladies plan – to be there for Sonia on one of her epic days – but Sampa convinced me to get out of bed and take a cold bath with a guarantee that she would pick me up and drive – she did not tell me it would be Mable driving all of us to Aunt Leah’s house.

“Mami, don’t you think it’s time you stopped this playing around. I swear if Mutale had not left you this wouldn’t be happening.” Thandiwe says. “It’s all his fault. You never even liked Masulani and now you’re sharing stories?”

“You know that song where do broken hearts go? Mine went to my bosses.” I laugh.

“You’re so childish.” Thandiwe chides.

“You’re keeping the jealousy in hun. Let it go. Anyway, where the hell are Sonia and Sampa?” I ask.

I think it’s time to end this topic. Sometimes I get Thandiwe and other times I swear I do not and I am not in the mood to force this. She can get worried all she wants but it will not change me. Neither will she be able to wipe the smile off my face.

“Lemme go and check the kitchen. Besides, I need to use the bathroom” Thandiwe says.

Thandiwe stands up from the bed and quickly makes her way out of the bedroom. Mable turns and faces me, an ear to ear smile on her face. I know what that smile means. She wants details.

“So what happens to the old man?” Mable asks.

“Who? Solomon? Does anything have to happen to him? He is still around. I will keep him around. Masulani probably wants me to chill with him for drinks, nothing more nothing less.”

“Is he that boring? Or isn’t he getting the hints from you already?”

“Girl what hints?” I smile.

“Don’t play with me. I know you well. Hints are flying all around.”

“Ahh.” I gasp and laugh. “I don’t know. Who knows.”

“So the old man is for what?”

“Sex and things money can buy. I am not trusting another man with my heart and letting him take my eyes off the prize.” I respond.

“The prize being what?”

“I will get back to you on that one.” I laugh

“Are you going to see him again? The supervisor boss man. After office hours that is?” Mable asks.

“Yes.” I whisper. “Gosh Mable. It was amazing. Of course I bumped into a few silly hule chicks but the man himself is like amazing.”

I can’t but smile. Masulani invited me for drinks – and maybe dinner, tonight. Two days in a row. I think he added in dinner when he took me home last night. And I think I said yes before I left his car. I had to. Hanging out with him had turned out to be more fun than I had expected.

“Hule chicks?” Mable asks.

“Yep. Some hule who thought she could get him and lost in the end. Kaya what’s with ladies and desperation. Eh.” I say. “We make these men so big-headed in the name of desperation.”

Mable falls back on the bed and laughs.

“You’re so lucky you’re single mami. Enjoy the moments before you get married one day.” She says wistfully.

I look at her gazing at the ceiling. She should be advocating the importance of marriage and sticking to one partner to me. She should be telling me the dangers of STIs and HIV/AIDS out there plaguing our country. Instead she seems to be regreting it all. Chinyama turned her into this woman today. Men.

“Is everything okay?” I ask

She looks at me and smiles.

“I’m good. Why?” She responds.

“Was just asking. That’s all.”

“Everything is good. I’m good. What could possibly be wrong?”

******

I can’t help myself. I am jealous.

I watch Sonia talking on the phone, talking to Ian asking him about what time he and his people will be getting here. I can’t help myself. I wish I was in her shoes right now. I wish I was the one getting married and planning the events. I wish I was the one getting the diamond ring and getting excited about my future. I’m happy for Sonia. She deserves everything the world can offer. She has been through a lot and the happiness she is receiving now is because she worked hard and prayed for it.

I have worked for myself. I’ve prayed too, but somehow I’m stuck in a loop.

I’m not certain about my life with Sangu. Actually I’m not certain about my life with anyone. I used to be but I’m not anymore. After finding out having a child would be near to impossible, at the time maybe I had a few regrets about my decision to abort. Maybe I should have kept the baby. Life would have been harder without the baby daddy and there was no way I was going to face my parents and tell them I was pregnant. The man who got me pregnant paid for the abortion pills when I was over two months pregnant. I listened to him and his excuses about the future being great and epic. So I hid the truth from my parents and lost the baby one dark night as I slept. Time went on and so did I until I found out the truth and by that time I wanted a child. And when I met Sangu I realised he wanted children as much as I did I told him the truth and the rest was history and now the future is still uncertain for me. I still don’t know if he will ever propose to me at this rate. I smile at a smiling Sonia as she paces around the kitchen.

“You’re deep in thought.”

I turn and face Thandiwe, breaking a smile to hide the pain in my eyes.

“I was thinking about life. How decisions we make lead us in a particular direction. Like it you had a chance to go back and change your life would you?” I ask.

Thandiwe bites her lip, cocks her head to the side as if in thought.

“Maybe.” She responds.

“Do tell.”

“Maybe I wouldn’t be married or pregnant.”

I am taken aback by her response. So bluntly honest. Is her predicament that bad that she wishes she wasn’t married or pregnant? Or is James a bad man and she’s hiding stuff from us. She notices the look on my face and laughs.

“Don’t get me wrong sweetie. I am married. James is amazing. But maybe I should have waited before jumping into marriage.”

“Oh.” I respond. “Okay I understand. But you’re okay right? You’re happy?”

“Oh yes. I am. It’s just a feeling. Besides now I am pregnant so I am excited about that.”

I am not convinced that what she saying is true. Is there more to Thandiwe’s story than she’s telling me. Is there another reason why chose me to her Godmother? What if she truly doesn’t want the baby like Yolanda said. What if I am overthinking this.

“Okay!!” Sonia says aloud.

I will have to deal with Thandiwe later. After all this..

“Ian says they will be at twelve-thirty. That’s in less than thirty minutes.” Sonia claps excitedly.

******

Estelle: Hey are you alright?

Estelle:You’ve been so silent today. Is everything okay?

Estelle: Mable. Hello.

Missed calls: Estelle 6

I want to respond.

I want to pick up. I really do.

Estelle:Call me when you’re free. Miss you

I want to but I can’t pick up. I need to think about Chinyama and my children. And Isaac too. I dare not lie to myself that I will not think about him and decide if I should be with him or not. I don’t know what to do now what with Chinyama told me last night. Do I forget Isaac and simply go back to my sex on a calender life? The life with Chinyama where I couldn’t trust him? Will I ever? It is so hard to stay faithful when you find something better out there. Is that what happened with Chinyama and I? He found something better in Cynthia. Was I a problem that he sort the warmth of another? I was the perfect wife. I loved that stupid man. And he knows it. Gosh it is so confusing. Isaac is confusing me. I want to see him, maybe if I see him I will know my answer. Maybe. But oh my, his lips, his hands. Gosh. Maybe I should stay away. The man is pure sin itself.

No more Isaac I tell myself. It’s done.

Last night was the first time in days, weeks that I slept in Chinyama’s arms. No words passed between us, it was as if the act itself of me going to bed last night gave him the answer he wanted to know, that I chose him and was still committed in making our marriage work. He held me for a while, his arms around me, his breath on the back of neck in silence, and I had slept in his arms.

I woke up in his arms. I woke up to a happy husband, his smiles in the morning the first thing I saw; I woke up to a kissing husband, his lips on mine. A make love in the morning husband who saw it fit to worship my body with his lips and tongue, touch my soul with passion, as if the past years had never happened. And maybe that’s what got me confused. Having to deal with an ideal man who treated me right like Isaac and then having Chinyama humble himself before me and make love to me like it he needed me. I needed it, or maybe I wanted it because I have been holding back on Isaac all this time and I needed a release. Confusing.

The only things that are not confusing in my life are:

One, I am a amazing mother; two I am an awesome friend; three I missed my husband’s lips and touch; four I now miss Isaac’s lips and touch and five, I have no idea where I am going with my life.

I swear I need a drink.

*******

Sonia, Sampa and I head back to Sonia’s bedroom. Ian will be here soon so Sonia needs to be in her bedroom until they call for her. I remember when it was me, mum had been so excited, over the moon knowing James was coming to begin negotiation talks. It was a beautiful day. I sense the excitement from Sonia right now. She cannot wait to see him. She can’t wait to have this over and done with.

We find Yolanda and Mable laughing at something. I swear sometimes I think they are on drugs. Yolanda is sitting in front of the dressing mirror fixing her makeup, I guess she is finally awake and ready to support her best friend. Sampa and I sit on the bed beside Mable while Sonia opens her wardrobe and takes out her handbag.

“I need to change if I am to look appropriate for the future family.” She says happily.

She pulls from her bag a black T-shirt and a colourful red and green chitenge. She quickly takes off her top and wears the dark fitting t-shirt, wraps the chitenge around her hiding her jeans.

“Don’t forget to comb your hair ka. That afro of yours. Use a chitambala maybe. We don’t want Ian’s mother saying we shall pay only if she cuts her hair.” Sampa says

We laugh, all of us in the bedroom. From what Sonia has sad about her, I truly wouldn’t put it passed her to be honest.

“Yolanda, move your kama head.” Sonia tells Yolanda

Yolanda stands up and moves away from the dressing mirror makeup bag in hand.

“I am only doing this because you are the future bride and your boo is coming here to make it serious. Otherwise.” Yolanda responds.

“Ndiwe silu iwe.” Sonia laughs.

“No makeup for you madam.” Sampa says to Sonia. “The more natural you look the better it is for you.”

Sonia sits down in front of the mirror and passes a hand through her hair. Her healthy afro bounces back. She has such beautiful hair.

“I see cars outside the gate.” Mable says loudly. “Is that them?”

We all rush to the window, straining our necks to see through the trees and flowers that surround the house to the gate.

“I can’t see anything.” Yolanda says excited. “What do you see Mable?”

“Three or so cars outside the gate I think. The guard is going to open for the cars. It’s obviously them.”

“I think so too.” Sampa agrees.

I see at least two cars with the third one hidden by the thick tall bush type of flowers.

“Oh my gosh guys.” Sonia says.

We all turn to face an excited Sonia. Her smile is so bright. She jumps up and down around the bedroom in excitement. We join her, holding hands like little girls.

It is time. Oh my I am so happy for my friend.

Best friends forever.

*******

Take a deep breath.

In and out. In and out.

Don’t black out.

Oh my I’ll die. First step. Second step. Am I allowed to freeze? Will they understand if I freeze.

What if I run away?

Will they understand I have cold feet? Why isn’t the process easier?

Deep breath. Don’t forget to breath I tell myself.

A few more steps to the door, and the rest of my life begins. In a way. I can’t believe it’s come to this. This moment. I can’t help but smile.

“Thank you Lord.” I whisper. “Thank you.”

My heart dances with each step I take. Almost there. Finally.

“Stay calm.”

I face Aunt Leah. She gives me a pat on my back. She was sent to call me. To take me to the living room and answer an important question. One that will change the whole meeting for the worst or the better.

“It will be okay.” She continues.

I nod my head slolwy. She knows about this. She’s been through this. Even Mable told me to stay calm when Aunt Leah came to get me. It’s easy she had said when she noticed the fear in my eyes.

“It’s a simple process.” She says. “As soon your grandfather is done asking you questions you will feel better. Don’t worry.” Aunt Leah whispers close to my ear.

She stands at the door leading to the living room and looks at me.

“I am so proud of you.” She says. “And remember what I showed you. Your hands.”

She opens the door and I walk into the living room head bowed behind her. I bite my lip to hide my smile. It is time. I slowly lower myself to my knees, my back against the closed door. I fold my legs and sit on the cold dark tiles my hands on my laps. The silence that follows is deafening; all these people watching me are here to bear witness. I can hear my heart beating faster. Is this how it always is for other women I wonder. If only I could look up and take part in the talks that will continue in a few seconds.

Deep breath.

In and out.

Why is it taking so long?

“Sonia.” Grandpa Ben’s deep voice booms in the quiet room.

I curve my palms and sound a deep clap. A sign of respect. A sign that I heard the head of my family. No words needed here. This will be enough. He understands. Everyone here should understand. I dare not look up at him, I keep my head down.

“Nanga izi mbale wasiba kwamene za choka?” (What about these plates do you know where they are from?'”

Mbale. Tumbale. Plates. The plates that start the meetings. I lift my head slightly and I notice the white cloth covering what I assume are the said plates on the table. Yes. I know where they are from. Yes I know where I am going with this. Yes I know what is supposed to happen now. Yes. This is it. My time is here. I shift my gaze and catch sight of a serious Ian. His eyes are glued to the table, his hands in his laps. I notice his mother sitting next to him, her eyes on me. I wonder what she’s thinking. Is she angry? Or is she happy now? Who cares now? It’s my future. Ian and I.

I lift my hands and clap once loudly.

To be continued…

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#IFTTT #WordPress latest #Nkani #series #african #africanstory #alcohol #allthatglitters #ATG

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goldmynetv · 6 years ago

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Women who wear trousers are an abomination unto God - Pastor Kumuyi. General Overseer of Deeper Christian Life Ministry, Pastor W.F. Kumuyi has ignited a big fire and we are wondering what possessedthis man of God to make a silly statement like this. It was reported that the Man Of God said that women who put on men’s wears are an abomination unto God. He made this known last Sunday when preaching on the topic: “The Inner and Outward Beauty of Kingdom Citizens.” According to Kumuyi, the Bible specifically warned that men should not put on women’s wears neither should women put on men’s wears. He explained further saying that it would look absurd if a male preacher was seen on the pulpit dressed in ladies’ clothing and maintained that God’s standard would never change. Even if the world would change, God would still frown at any woman wearing men’s wears or men putting on women’s wears. Image result for female trousers Photo Credit: Kuli Express He further admonished Christians not to give in to the things of the world and stay adherent to God’s Word and his principles. Image result for female trousers Photo Credit: Lazada Philippines Pastor W.F Kumuyi added that the outward beauty of the world is laced with pride and arrogance and that the inner beauty gotten through Salvation in Christ should be coveted by all as such would lead to heaven. Do you agree with Pastor Kumuyi on this? https://www.instagram.com/p/Bvtb5kfFB1N/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=11ofspffyg4ga

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jayamarenthika · 6 years ago

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5 models of worship

Many things are underlying us to worship Allah SWT, although we should worship Allah SWT merely expecting ridhoya. But in reality when we are asked why worship? of course the answer will vary and maybe each other will be different in reply, maybe answer can be because of fear of Allah SWT, or maybe even for wanting reward etc.

From these various reasons I think there are five models in worship (five models of slave relations with Allah SWT), as for the five models of slave relations with Allah SWT are: 1. Model of slave relations and masters. The boy is always afraid of his master because he has not owned himself because his master has owned it, which easily makes a scapegoat over all failures. This type of person looks at God as the Most Merciful and Loving Punishment (syadid al iqab and dzu intiqam), therefore worship for him is to seek salvation.

2. Model of porters and employers. Kuli only has a weekly dimension, more than that means failure. Kuli never thought of getting raped. If a week's wages are not paid by the employer then he changes from respect to being fierce. This type of person if he finds his prayer is not granted by Allah SWT then he will be angry and will not want to worship, because it is considered free.

3. Model of merchants and buyers. The trader will treat the buyer as king while he can imagine the huge profit from the transaction. If not then he does not need to respect him. This kind of person in worship always takes the reward. Therefore, the fasting month of Ramadhan is considered to be full of blessings he can carry out various religious packages, for imagining his massive reward. Furthermore, outside of Ramadhan he is very ordinary and even rather lazy, because his reward transaction is fair.

4. Model the relationship of the person who is indebted to the person who acts. People say, debt is taken to death, therefore for those who are indebted he can not pay off his debts in any way. This type of person is encouraged by his gratitude to Allah SWT in worshiping Him feeling everything is not enough because it felt how great the grace of Allah SWT to him.

5. Model of the person who falls in love with his lover. For those who are drunk, the pain is beautiful, the light weight, the cold is warm, and the cold is cold. This kind of person feels the pleasure of worshiping Allah SWT despite having to go through difficulties for the sake of difficulty.

What is to be remembered is that our worship of God is our need, and not because God asks us.

sumber : Naufal Djangkaru with Wijayakusuma

#inspiration

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marymosley · 5 years ago

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In Conversation with Maria Z. Vathis, President of the Federal Bar Association

Maria Z. Vathis handles complex business litigation and class actions at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, LLP. She also advises corporate clients on statutory regulations and compliance, including the GDPR and the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. She represents retail clients throughout the United States and in Europe. She is a frequent speaker at fashion law conferences in Chicago, New York, Paris, France and on the internet. As of October 1, 2018, Maria has been the national President of the Federal Bar Association. She is also the President of the Hellenic Bar Association of Illinois.

We had a pleasure interviewing Maria, here’s candid conversation:

Now that you are the President of FBA, why don’t you tell us your journey till here?

I joined the board of the Chicago Chapter of the Federal Bar Association when I was a brand new attorney. My colleague was an officer, and she strongly encouraged me to join and become involved, because the board was looking for younger members. As the years passed, I eventually became an officer of the Chicago Chapter and then became president. Once I finished my presidency with the local chapter, I got involved at the national level by joining the national board of directors and as a Seventh Circuit Vice President. I also participated in our annual Capitol Hill Day, in which we meet with lawmakers to lobby for various issues, like increased pay for judges and for more vacancies so that we can elevate more individuals to the bench to help ease the congestion in court dockets. I also chaired numerous committees at the national level. After several years of being active at the national level, I ran in a national election to become an officer. While I have enjoyed all of my time in the FBA, my year as national President has been special. I truly enjoyed visiting different FBA chapters all around the nation, speaking at conferences and events, and meeting our members.

You are a frequent speaker of Fashion, what are your other areas of practice and interests?

I handle complex business litigation disputes and defend class actions involving statutory violations. I also advise businesses on contract-related matters, statutory compliance and insurance-related matters.

So how does FBA exactly work?

The FBA has chapters throughout the United States and its territories. Each chapter has its own activities. In addition, we have leaders at the national level along with events at the national level. The FBA consists of over 19,000 federal lawyers, including 1,500 federal judges, who work together to promote the sound administration of justice and integrity, quality and independence of the judiciary. The FBA also provides opportunities for scholarship and for judges and lawyers to professionally and socially interact. We invite attorneys, judges and law students to join the FBA.

What changes have you seen after joining FBA as a president?

One of my initiatives this year was to focus on health, wellness and civility. Statistics show that lawyers experience high levels of stress, depression and anxiety. Lawyers often suffer from stress-related illnesses, and lawyers frequently deal with incivility. Focusing on health and wellness can help alleviate these issues. During my term as national president, we offered fitness classes at our conferences this year, including yoga, 5K runs, and jazzercise. We also provided healthy food options at our conferences. In addition, the Senior Lawyers Division launched a webinar series on attorney wellness. The focus on health and wellness will be a permanent part of future FBA events.

What is your vision for FBA in your tenure?

I am pleased to see that the organization will have a permanent focus on health, wellness, and civility. In addition, we are focused on celebrating the achievements of women in the law and the importance of diversity and inclusion. We also continue to focus on civics education and have made great strides in educating students about the third branch of government. We hold a nationwide civics essay contest on an annual basis for high school students and middle school students. This year’s topic focused on cyberbullying and the First Amendment. We offer cash prizes for the top three winners in each category and a trip to Washington, D.C. for the first place winners along with a parent or guardian. I encourage all eligible students to participate in next year’s essay contest, which will focus on the 100th anniversary of the Nineteenth Amendment, which gave women the right to vote. More details to come!

You are also the President of the Hellenic Bar Association, how are you managing between both of them?

Well, I am definitely busy! I had a wonderful term as President of the Hellenic Bar Association of Illinois, but I completed my term about two months ago. I am now Chairwoman of the Hellenic Bar Board. Each year, the president of the Hellenic Bar Association is in charge of holding a Scholarship Ball where we award deserving law students with scholarships. The theme of the Scholarship Ball during my term was this quote from Ancient Greek philosopher Plato: “Good actions give strength to ourselves and inspire good actions in others.” This year, with the help of the John C. Kulis Foundation, I am proud to share that the Hellenic Bar awarded $70,000 in law student scholarships. We also recognized esteemed honorees who demonstrated the highest level of service to the community: Mr. John Kocoras, Esq., First Assistant United States Attorney, as Hellene of the Year; Mr. Dimitri Eliopoulos, President of Wealth Management at RMB Capital; Mr. Nick Katsoris, Esq., author of the Loukoumi children’s book series, and Mr. E. Angelo Spyratos, Esq., 2018 Lawyer of the Year.

While there was some overlap of my term as FBA national President and HBA President, the positions are very different, and the responsibilities greatly differ. For example, I was able to hold the Hellenic Bar’s Scholarship Ball before I started traveling in my capacity as FBA national president. The reality is that, while I was quite busy, I really enjoyed holding both positions. I like to spend my free time giving back to the community, and these positions allowed me to do that in positive ways. I have always been organized, but running two bar associations, traveling around the nation, and sustaining a busy legal practice has certainly taken my time management skills to a new level.

You are one of the youngest and few female presidents to take office with the FBA, how does that make you feel?

I am incredibly proud and grateful to the FBA members for the amazing opportunity to lead such an esteemed group of professionals. I am only the tenth female FBA President in the 100 years that the organization has existed. I am grateful to my mentors, friends and supporters over the years who made this possible.

The FBA is forward-thinking with respect to diversity and inclusion, but the reality is that, until recently, there simply were more men than women in the legal profession, so it is logical that more men have been FBA president. With more women entering the legal profession, I think that there will be a higher percentage of female FBA presidents in the next 100 years of the organization’s existence.

As a female attorney and national bar association leader, I believe that it is important to mentor young women in the legal community and beyond. During my term as FBA president, I have had young women from different parts of the world see social media posts from the FBA and contact me to tell me that they view me as a role model and inspiration since I hold a national leadership position at a relatively young age. I will never forget those messages, and it has forever changed my perspective. I learned that there are different ways to be a mentor — from up close or from afar.

Tell us about your first experience with FBA.

My first FBA experience was attending a board meeting for my local FBA chapter in Chicago. I was a brand new attorney, and I knew that the room was full of accomplished and high profile attorneys in the legal community. My plan was to remain quiet and observe, but someone who eventually became one of my mentors (several of which I met at that very board meeting!) encouraged me to voice my opinion with respect to the fee charged for our luncheon events from a young attorney’s perspective. He taught me that you need to be vocal in a meeting in order for people to remember that you were in attendance. That advice still comes in handy.

Since FBA will be completing its 100 years in 2020, What did it accomplish in last 99 years?

It has been an honor to be national President of the FBA during such a special time in its history. The FBA’s mission is to strengthen the federal legal system and administration of justice by serving the interests and the needs of the federal practitioner, both public and private, the federal judiciary and the public they serve. The FBA is the premier bar association serving the federal practitioner and judiciary. The FBA has been a pillar for federal practitioners and the judiciary for one hundred years despite countless changes in society, politics, and technology. The organization has endured throughout many different eras in our country’s history, which is a testament to its relevance, strength and fluidity. The organization grew from just a few founding members to a thriving organization spanning the nation. Today, the FBA has over 100 local chapters across the country and in Puerto Rico with approximately 19,000 members. The FBA:

monitors and often advocates on federal issues that impact the practice of federal lawyers and the courts;

keeps its members abreast of current federal issues;

provides opportunities for scholarship and education to the profession;

provides opportunities for judges and attorneys to professionally and socially interact; and

promotes high standards of professional competence and ethical conduct.

For many years, FBA leaders have visited Capitol Hill to educate House and Senate lawmakers about the importance of the federal courts and their needs. We had seventy- four attendees from twenty-five states and Puerto Rico at this year’s Capitol Hill Day. Our issues agenda included a request for the prompt filling of judicial vacancies, more judgeships to address growing caseloads, a request for Congress to create an independent immigration court, and support for amendments to the Foundation of the Federal Bar Association’s charter as the only institution in America chartered by Congress to promote the federal administration of justice, the advancement of federal jurisprudence and the practice of law in the federal courts.

FBA educates children about American Judicial System, tell us more about that?

For several years, the FBA has been focused on the importance of civics education, and we have several different programs in place to assist with this initiative. Past FBA President Judge Michael Newman started the civics initiative during his presidency, and we have continued it for the last three years. Through our annual Community Outreach Project, chaired by Sheri Mecklenburg, our chapters organized visits to federal courthouses for schoolchildren to meet with federal judges in their courtrooms to observe, learn, and practice legal skills as critical, life skills. In addition, two models of court camps – a day program at a courthouse on Long Island and a residential program at a law school in Utah – are breaking new ground for FBA chapters to assist courts with their civics education initiatives. As I previously mentioned, we also hold an annual civics essay contest. This contest is near and dear to my heart, because I chaired the contest for its first two years, and I encourage students to participate. We also have civics education resources available on our website at http://www.fedbar.org/civics. I hope that these resources and programs bring a greater awareness of the legal system in the United States along with an understanding that there should be respect for our courts, judges and juries.

Give your feedbacks to [email protected]

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jessiegoesabroad · 6 years ago

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bread, bread, and more bread! > Rabat and my homestay, Morocco

Welcome to the Morocco section of my blog! My 2ish weeks here so far have been nothing short of very surprising, very perspective-changing, and SUPER delicious! If you can relate to the Oprah commercial where she famously says “I LOVE bread”, then Morocco is your place! I think I have tried 45 different kinds of bread and I can confidently say they are all totally yummy. Cause, I mean, come on, it’s bread!! We’ve been eating a lot of tajine, a traditional dish cooked in a ceramic pot also called a tajine! My homestay family and I made one together one night, and it is one of the most flavorful things I have ever tasted. Eating in Morocco is a group experience - in traditional meals you all sit down together around the dish, or often the tajine, and all eat together from the dish. And of course, you use *bread* as your utensil! Delicious!!

Rabat is the capital city of Morocco, which is a constitutional monarchy as of 2011. Before that, the king had a lot more direct control and now, legally, there is more power split between him and the parliament. However, we have learned that more power lies in the king’s hands than it appears legally, and a very large portion of every major GDP contributing industry in Morocco is owned by the king or his inner circle. This means a ton of the phosphate industry - Morocco is the largest producer of phosphate in the world - goes right into the king’s pocket, as well as a lot of the renewable energy sector as well. our lectures have been really eye-opening to a lot of the agricultural and ecological issues in Morocco, but also the political struggles that the citizens go through in order to advocate for their rights.

All of my group’s homestays were in the Medina, which is the old walled part of the city. the Rabat Medina is very close to the coast, and has a great souk (market) and lots of winding streets with vendors selling everything from snail soup to shawarma to caftans to yogurt and cookies. As some of you may be able to guess, the yogurt is definitely a highlight for me. There are little general stores vendors stuffed into sections of storefronts and buildings selling a little bit of everything, and 9 out of 10 times they sell yogurt. Perfect!!!

I lived on the fourth/terrace level of an old building in the Medina with a really wonderful family of three people. Jen, one of my dear friends from my program, and I were welcomed into Hosni, Fouzia, and Habib’s home with open arms and tons of mint tea! Mama, Fouzia, worked at a mall on the other side of the city and when she wasn’t working, was either cooking, bringing Habib (more on that little rascal later) to and from school, or telling us to “kuli kuli!!”, or “eat, eat!!”. Mama worked so, so hard and was so good to us. Not to mention, she made, hands down, the most delicious and perfect mint tea I have ever had. Mint tea is a staple in Moroccan cuisine, and it sometimes is had with every meal, but no matter how many cafe and restaurant’s teas I have tried, hers is still definitely the supreme tea! Mama didn’t speak a whole lot of English and lord knows my Moroccan Arabic needs some work, so we mainly communicated through my broken French and lots of body language, smiles, and cheek kisses.

Baba, or Hosni (or “Mr. Rabat” as we called him) is maybe one of the most popular people I have ever met. He took Jen and I, as well as Riley and Cooper (two of my close friends who lived in a homestay with Baba’s parents!) on walks all the time, whether it was to the beach to watch the sunset and play soccer (or rather, attempt to play soccer but just have Baba beat us every time) or walk around the souk together. Whenever we walked with Baba we stopped every couple minutes or so to say hello to one of his friends! The feeling of community and family that Morocco has, and especially in the Medina, is really special. this is true outside the home and inside, for sure. Sitting down together and eating meals together as a family every night was always a highlight of my day. Getting the chance to meet his friends, who were everyone from his co-workers at the market to film producers to chefs, and share tea together over a lot of laughs was always so much fun. When Baba wasn’t leading us around, he was *always* cracking a joke and making us laugh.

Now, Habib was my 9ish year old troublemaking little brother! This truly is the semester of me living my dream of being a big sister with my little homestay brothers. Habib is super energetic, feisty, killer at soccer, and has the attention span to color with crayons for hours and hours. I say this out of experience! On the first weekend in the homestay I spent the majority of a day with Habib cozied up on the couch coloring together and putting the crayons Riley gave him to good use. Having little siblings in my homestay gives me so much joy - that part of the experience really is priceless.

Something not so positive about this experience has been the street harassment. Women are targets of a lot of catcalling and unwanted attention in Morocco, from everyone from younger boys to older men. Tourists, students, and locals experience this alike, and it has not been easy. Walking alone, or without a man, increases the chances of being harassed and it has made me pretty tense. Growing up in New York I always experienced catcalling from a young age, although it never really was on this scale. Learning from women like my homestay mother and our female lecturers on this subject has been so personal and sometimes emotional. This is part of the everyday life that is definitely normalized and not often questioned, but the women of Morocco put up with a lot and having the honor to learn from them, within their healing and their individualism, especially on the subject of street and sexual harassment, as been a true privilege.

Getting to spend time with our family in the Medina was the perfect way to start off our time in Morocco. We spent our school days at the CCCL - Center for Cross Cultural Learning - in the Medina, where we had our classes and guest lectures and lunches. Having the chance to learn at such a wonderful institution was totally awesome! Learning in Rabat and in my homestay was super different from anything else I’ve ever done, and I am happy to share that my heart is even more full because of it.

love and hugs and agapé,

jessie

fig 1. Baba and us at the beach, from left to right: Riley, Race, me, Jen, Cooper, Damien

fig 2. waves on the coast of Rabat!

fig 3. the whole group in our class room at the CCCL!

#study abroad #ihp #sit #international honors program #photos #sit study abroad #climate change #ihp climate change #people #morocco #homestay

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kinafairy-blog · 8 years ago

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InshaAllah.

"Mak, kalau nak study kat U swasta boleh?" "Kau nak belajar lagi ke?" "Mom, quitting study has never been crossed in my mind. At that time, i just wanna change my course, situation that forces me to quit." "Habis tu lepas tu kau nak kerja? Bisnes macam mana?" "Kerja lah after tu. But only for a short period, to only for my gaining knowledges and experiences. I wanna own my own company, Mak. I will not forever working under people and be a kuli. Im your daughter afterall." "Hmm. Okay, try lah mohon dulu." This. I mark my own first step to my own journey.

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marymosley · 5 years ago

Text

In Conversation with Maria Z. Vathis, President of the Federal Bar Association

We had a pleasure interviewing Maria, here’s candid conversation:

Now that you are the President of FBA, why don’t you tell us your journey till here?

You are a frequent speaker of Fashion, what are your other areas of practice and interests?

So how does FBA exactly work?

What changes have you seen after joining FBA as a president?

What is your vision for FBA in your tenure?

You are also the President of the Hellenic Bar Association, how are you managing between both of them?

You are one of the youngest and few female presidents to take office with the FBA, how does that make you feel?

Tell us about your first experience with FBA.

Since FBA will be completing its 100 years in 2020, What did it accomplish in last 99 years?

monitors and often advocates on federal issues that impact the practice of federal lawyers and the courts;

keeps its members abreast of current federal issues;

provides opportunities for scholarship and education to the profession;

provides opportunities for judges and attorneys to professionally and socially interact; and

promotes high standards of professional competence and ethical conduct.

FBA educates children about American Judicial System, tell us more about that?

Give your feedbacks to [email protected]

The post In Conversation with Maria Z. Vathis, President of the Federal Bar Association appeared first on Legal Desire.

In Conversation with Maria Z. Vathis, President of the Federal Bar Association published first on https://immigrationlawyerto.tumblr.com/

0 notes

marymosley · 5 years ago

Text

In Conversation with Maria Z. Vathis, President of the Federal Bar Association

We had a pleasure interviewing Maria, here’s candid conversation:

Now that you are the President of FBA, why don’t you tell us your journey till here?

You are a frequent speaker of Fashion, what are your other areas of practice and interests?

So how does FBA exactly work?

What changes have you seen after joining FBA as a president?

What is your vision for FBA in your tenure?

You are also the President of the Hellenic Bar Association, how are you managing between both of them?

You are one of the youngest and few female presidents to take office with the FBA, how does that make you feel?

Tell us about your first experience with FBA.

Since FBA will be completing its 100 years in 2020, What did it accomplish in last 99 years?

monitors and often advocates on federal issues that impact the practice of federal lawyers and the courts;

keeps its members abreast of current federal issues;

provides opportunities for scholarship and education to the profession;

provides opportunities for judges and attorneys to professionally and socially interact; and

promotes high standards of professional competence and ethical conduct.

FBA educates children about American Judicial System, tell us more about that?

Give your feedbacks to [email protected]

The post In Conversation with Maria Z. Vathis, President of the Federal Bar Association appeared first on Legal Desire.

In Conversation with Maria Z. Vathis, President of the Federal Bar Association published first on https://immigrationlawyerto.tumblr.com/

0 notes