Places in the World… December 1, 2010

I have always been curious about traveling to different places. My imagination most oftenly takes me to another time, when I am grown and living on my own or married. I can picture myself living in a nother country or traveling often and moving from place to place. Although my sisters did get the experience of living in different countries as children, I never got that experience. I lived in Ghana for a while, but that was later on in my life. I thouroughly enjoyed it, and it increased my desire to live in other places of the world even more.
Throughout time, I have come up with many different places, either cities or countries, that I would like to live in. Here is a list of my top five, and why I chose them.

1. Italy. I have always dreamed of living there ever since I was a child. My great grandfather is Italian, so I feel like I have some type of connection with the place that may be stronger than I can think of. I love Italian food, but also their culture and architecture is intriguing. I would love to learn how to speak Italian, and be able to go from Venus to Rome.
2. Japan. This has country has been at the top of my list for a while now. I gre fond of Japan after my parents took a trip to Tokyo, and my sister decided to study abroad there. The stories they had to tell about their experiences in Japan were amazing, and are the reason why I want to live there. I am very into fashion and technology, so where else can a get a better combination of both but Japan!?
3. Mexico. Many people in the United States would probably wonder why I would chose Mexico of all places in the world. In my senior year of high school, for my AP comparative goverment and politics of the world class we studied six countries including Mexico. I learned a lot about Mexico, and it made me start to consider studying abroad there while I am in college.

Warning: Global Warming! November 29, 2010

An important aspect to being Globally Aware is being conscious of changes the world is facing. Climate change or global warming is mainly due to the big hole we have in our ozone layer. The ozone layer is meant to protect the Earth by filtering the sun rays which are absorbed by the greenhouse gases. Human activity and industrialization are the main reason for an excessive amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, causing global warming.

Global warming has many negative effects to our planet. The world is facing abnormal climate behavior: areas that were usually dry are experiencing more rains like in West Africa, and areas where rain was regular are experiencing droughts like in Kenya. The change in temperature alters our ecosystems: some animals are becoming extinct, while others migrate to cooler zones. One of the most serious problems is the melting of icebergs in the North Pole, causing the level of sea water to rise. It is estimated that, by the end of the century, the level of the water will increase by 1 meter. This means that many coastal cities will find themselves under water, and that the amount of land on Earth will diminish. With our currently increasing population, more people will have to live on less space. Can you imagine how that would be?

This is why we have to take action now in order to save our planet for future generations. We have to be more environmentally conscious about how our behavior affects the earth and start being informed about the actions political leaders can take to help solve these problems. It is the little things that we do in our everyday lives that can help as well.

Here is a link on how you can “go green”:
http://www.online-college-reviews.com/index.php/101-ways-to-go-green-in-college/

A walk through Brussels or ‘Bruxelles’…

Last year I took a trip to Belgium for a couple of days, and was automatically intrigued by the charm of Brussels. Brussels is the capital of Belgium and is the host of the European Union headquarters. Although it is majorly French-speaking, it is considered bilingual because of Dutch or Flemish.

As I walked through the streets of Brussels, I could definitely picture myself as a study abroad student here. Many students who take French as a foreign language only think of going to France and aren’t aware of the other options of French speaking countries. There are several universities to choose from, especially for International Studies majors.

But even if it is not to study abroad, Brussels is still a great place to visit. From my favorite things about Brussels, I came with a list of five reasons why one should consider “Bruxelles” (Brussels in French).

1. It’s easy to get around. If you do not have a car while you are there, you do not have to worry. Brussels is small and easy to navigate by foot, by metro or bicycle. So nothing can stop you from going to museums, restaurants, concerts or shopping venues.
2. It’s “going green”. Brussels is very conscious about reducing the environmental impact. Recycling is actively promoted with recycling bins all over, and signs that encourage people to respect the environment.
3. If you like fries, waffles and chocolate, then look no further. Brussels is known to have the best fries and waffles, which I can confirm myself. Chocolate is very popular as well, there are many chocolate specialty shops, or cafes where you can buy some delicious hot chocolate and chocolate sweets.
4. It is famous for comics. Brussels is home to “Tin Tin” which is a popular comic book in the Francophone world. All over Brussels you can find walls painted with comic book characters or expressive graffiti. This adds color to the city, and makes walking through the streets a pleasant experience.
5. There are funky stores and cool places to shop. If you like vintage shops, there are may all over selling clothes from elite designers to charity driven causes. There are many interesting little boutiques where you can find unique pieces, and big shopping centers with all the mainstream clothing lines.

Home Sweet Senegal October 20, 2010

Flag in map of Senegal

Person: Hello! What’s your name?

Me: Rugiyatu Kane.

Person: Where are you from?

Me: I am from Senegal.

Person: Oh! Ok.

This is how many of my first conversations with people have gone in college.

Many people either have never heard of it so they pretend they know where it is, or just know that it’s in Africa.  But Senegal is more than just a place in “Africa” cause when people think of Africa they think of it as “one big country”. Senegal is the land of “Teranga”, which means Land of hospitality.

Senegal has a great charm, and many people are bound to fall in love with it. The capital, Dakar, is where most of the action occurs like in many third world countries. Although there is poverty, people still know how to enjoy and live life to the fullest. Senegalese love to dress up in traditional clothing called “boubou” on Fridays, because it is a holy day in Islam, and on special occasions. The national dish is called “thiebou-djeun” and it consists of rice with seasoned vegetables and fish. …I could elaborate some more on many of the absolutely marvelous cultural aspects of Senegal, but how would that relate to you?

So, I am going to talk about the young urban “Dakarois” and what we like to do. Going to the beach is a major activity, Senegal has a beautiful coastline from north to south, and the youth definitely take advantage of it during the summer when the sun shines bright. Dakar by night is where the party scene comes into place because Senegalese love to dance and have a good time; we listen to hip-hop, RnB, French rap, and Mbalax which is a popular Senegalese music genre. Some hit the clubs; others hit lounges to have more of a chill atmosphere. On Sundays many people go to the “Pointe” which is the furthest most western point on the map of Africa, to enjoy seafood or crepes, relax and socialize with friends. Dakar is pretty modernized, even though there aren’t that many shopping malls, the market scenes are fun. You can bargain on prices for different items and find yourself with more things than you initially wanted.

Youth is youth everywhere and most people enjoy doing the same things, Senegalese are no different.

This is what I want my words to do to you…

I want my words to expose reality. I want my words to open your mind. I want my words to help you create new opportunities for yourself.

The global experience can be achieved in many ways. I have always been fond of boarding “trains, planes, and automobiles” to discover new places, new peoples, new cultures, and new realities. Although traveling may be the best way to learn and grow because it kills ignorance, I came to realize that it is basically unrealistic to go to all of the world’s diverse communities in one lifetime. Through education, reading and media my mind has been able to move through space and time without physical limitations. My experiences have given me a sense of belonging to the much greater global community we live in. They have also invested in me the will-power to influence change. This is why I want my words to be your passport, and each of my posts to take you on a journey. I want my words to encourage you to explore the unknown, and to help you develop a sense of curiosity for what is going on in other communities, other countries, and other continents. There is great potential in this culturally, politically, socially, and environmentally diverse world. I do not want my rods to leave you indifferent. I want them to trigger questioning, promote conversations, and raise global awareness. I want my words to make you realize that essentially the world is that we make of it, and that you too can make a difference.

Cultures of the World

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