The following are posts from my blogs:
http://therealicelandia.blogspot.com/
http://40b430.blogspot.com/
http://andthisismorocco.blogspot.com/
http://liveloveandlaughwithpriscilla.blogspot.com/
http://bollywoodtraveladventures.blogspot.com/
http://therealicelandia.blogspot.com/
http://40b430.blogspot.com/
http://andthisismorocco.blogspot.com/
http://liveloveandlaughwithpriscilla.blogspot.com/
http://bollywoodtraveladventures.blogspot.com/
1. Exploration Unknown Lies Ahead
After church, I was captivated by the neighborhood. With a beautiful day and a love for villages, I was ready to explore it.
What does Explore mean for an Average tourist?
It means go in with a guide, stop with the group to talk to a couple people living in the village, take photos, talk to people in the group, take more photos, and after an hour-leave.
What does Explore mean for Priscilla?
It means to use all five senses to fully take in the environment. This means to examine, analyze, observe with your nose, eyes, ears, and touch. The fruits, the plants, the trees, the grass, the housing, the animals, the front yards, the sky, the sounds-fully immerse yourself into what's in front of you. Put down the electronic device or limit your use.
When you are walking through the village, let your body take you somewhere else in time. Let yourself wonder about how this village came about. What was it like 100 years ago? It's a time to use your imagination and creativity and this happens the most when you're alone.
When you're alone, you are more likely to meet locals and talk with people about their customs and life traditions. It may feel outside of your comfort zone, but once you get past the fear it's a wonderful feeling. Instead of feeling afraid of being in an unknown place or working off false stereotypes-give people a chance and you will be pleasantly surprised.
Some people truly do not feel comfortable and prefer to explore with the group-this is okay. Although, there are many who have the desire and need to truly explore and they just don't properly utilize it.
After I realized that the tourists are given tours through these villages. My own tour was much more pleasurable, educational, and interesting. For example, I spoke with a beautiful women and her son about her turkey farm. How many turkeys does she have? What do the turkeys eat? What's her family life like and is she happy living in this village?
I walked around the village utilizing all my senses-petting the horse, smelling flowers, eating a fresh mango, and learning children's play games. I helped a lady carry her enormous jug of water, which she said they use for everything including bathing, cooking, cleaning etc.
A couple men were pulling weeds and I smiled at them, but they were not interested in the tourist-fair game-can't win them all. Baby chicks were following me straight into a coconut tree in the middle of a farm. The sun shined down in between the clouds alternating between bright sun and clouds
While the label of poverty would be mainly associated with these small homes., I do not focus on the label. It's a matter of the person, their lifestyle, and happiness. These people in this "touristic" village were content with their lives. They had the church, support from the Mayan center, a few local made restaurants, and plenty of nature and livestock. It was not a village to feel bad for rather it was one to feel proud for in a real way. Again, religion was sliding these people down a rainbow into a happier tomorrow. And the best part was that you can see God's presence amongst this divine setting.
Is it worth it?
As a traveler in Southeast Asia, most things are relatively cheap letting you travel for longer periods of time with less money saved or total spent. Food, transportation, basic hygiene products, drinks, and clothing are a fraction of the cost in the US. Some travelers go to Thailand with a back pack and a few basic things and buy the rest as they go. When it comes to purchasing and negotiating how much is too much? And how much is taking too much energy out of your overall mood and attitude toward traveling.
Starting off with transportation, tuk tuk’s (taxis) set the price higher for a fare when they see your backpack. A traveler’s backpack is a symbol for money and business for tuk tuks. The tuk tuk quotes you 40 baht and you go back and forth negotiating a lower price. A person may enjoy this negotiating, but from my experience most do not want to negotiate and some do not even try. During the day negotiating maybe fine, but after you have been on a bus or out all day and you just want to get to your guesthouse-it may not be worth the negotiation.
In Thailand, it feels easy to negotiate, Laos-moderate, and from what I hear Vietnam is difficult to negotiate. I have about people’s experience being near violent with Vietnamese requesting a specific amount and not budging. With a negative experience like that, it brings your mood down and affects your overall experience. My friend says, “Vietnam is always a bargain or negotiation everyday all day.” This does not sound like it is a fun thing to me when you have to put time and energy into negotiating what do you think?
Also, some more food for thought involves how far to take your negotiations with the type of people you are bargaining with. If you are bargaining with a street vendor in Thailand or Laos, they already are not making money and negotiating with them you are basically taking money out of their pocket. When a lady has a baby in her arms and she is working on the street selling rotis do you negotiate? Is it worth saving an extra 50 cents to a dollar? This does add up overtime, but how do you feel taking from a family or someone who has so much less than you?
In Laos, an English couple were making a deal with a young teenage boy selling paintings. His paintings were precious and he was already selling the small ones for $1 dollar each and the couple were trying to get the paintings for less than a dollar. This boy was out there performing his passion and exposing himself to a market full of people and he gets low balled on his beautiful work. The look in his eye when they dropped the price touched my heart as I felt him sink a little bit, but he ended up selling them lower because of course he needed to make the profit whether his asking price or not.
In Thailand, I tried to bargain on buying some bananas and stopped to realize that I was making a bargain to save $25 cents. I had a self-reflective moment and thought about what I was doing. I ended up not buying them at all because I thought about what I was doing and why I should not be low balling things because I can.
These people have families to feed and work very hard every day. Do we think about them when we are negotiating and is it all worth the fight at the end of the day?
Needs vs. Wants
Before leaving New York, I reflected on how many unnecessary things I had and what I really needed to live. I wanted to make a change in my lifestyle of buying a new outfit for each outing, excess shoes, clothes, and purses. I practically gave away my whole wardrobe to the thrift store or just threw away most of it and traded it in for a pair of gym shoes, sandals, a few pairs of pants, and some shirts. It was time for a change and I feel liberated with a backpack on my shoulders and few items of clothing. Moving from LA to New York, I gradually started to improve my behavior by using a few purses, keeping a few pairs of shoes, but I still continued to buy new clothing frequently. I love fashion and clothing, but there is such beauty in letting go.
Needs and wants are two things that I reflect on increasingly as I work on self-improvement, but also addressed with clients in a reflective, psycho-educational manner. As we get older, our needs and wants shift depending on a variety of factors including: income, lifestyle, environment, family, and relationships. A person may live simply and be happy, but then win the lottery and live in luxury. A person may live close to the poverty line, but always be shopping for new clothes. A person on welfare may not have no money for food, but still buy cigarettes.
As human beings, we can psychologically train ourselves to let go of our wants and focus on our needs with behavioral modification. For examples, the things I need are basic food, water, and shelter and God. My wants are usually involving food and some sort of sugar. I can address these wants by self-regulating them i.e. putting myself on a rewards system. Of course, it is not easy to let go of wants that we have become accustomed to receiving for years and years. But we CAN shape our behavior by monitoring the needs that are coming into our lives.
Our society impacts what we want/need significantly. In USA, we think that we need expensive electronics, phones, computers, and televisions and we also have a focus on having an excess of things. In Western culture, "Bigger is better" whether it is a food portion, a car, a phone, or a hotel stay. With material possessions, many feel better with these possessions and maybe using these possessions as a defense mechanism to what they really need and crave. It maybe spirituality, a greater sense of wellbeing, or a quest for love/attention that they really need or desire.
A person may conform to societies needs or have the self-discipline to focus on what is truly important to you. I had a blackberry and I realized it was not important. I downgraded to a normal phone that still had internet, but I realized that was not important. And then I realized a phone in general was not that important and this need turned into a want.
Some electronics are more difficult than others to label as needs vs wants. For instance I love my computer to write and I love my IPOD to listen to music. These are still wants, but I feel so attached to them it makes them feel like a need. The feeling of attachment or necessity can turn something into a need, but is may just be a want at the end of the day.
Also, overtime society has turned wants into needs i.e. a television and cable. One may think that this is a want, but has developed into a need. In Cambodia, a person maybe living in a floating village with little amenities, but they still have a television. With the wave of technology, there has been a shift with our needs. It is interesting how cultures in developed and undeveloped countries value a television with cable. I recall an interesting debate in social work school where a student who encountered many hardships listed that a cable was a necessity for her. This put the class in shock and created a debate on the necessity of television for low income populations. In my mind, it is still a want vs. a need, but this is debatable. What do you think?
When addressing wants/needs with clients-those of lower socio-economic status and many utilizing state welfare and medical benefits. It is always interesting what comes up with this topic. Cigarettes, television, and fried foods were needs while a mansion and a fancy car were wants. Due to their environment and their own mental health state-they shape many wants into needs and always come up with justification of some sort for their decision. It is quite interesting and enlightening as to what Western culture makes us feel dependent on. Any thoughts on this topic?
The Beauty of Sharing Food
In American culture, it’s increasingly common for people to eat alone. The amount of family dinners together has decreased and kids are sitting in front of a computer with Mac n’ Cheese and no desire to talk. When people go to restaurants, they usually order their own dish. The intimacy of the food experience is not always present. In large gatherings, holidays, or homemade cooking-a greater intimacy with food and others can be formed. Although, there are countries like India, Turkey, and Morocco who keep this intimacy going all the time. The sharing of the food is part of a custom and eating together is a part of daily routine. They take pleasure in sharing food with family, friends, and newcomers. While Americans will eat a snack or a lunch in front of another, this rarely would happen in these countries. It’s considered disrespectful to do so. A bad day at work can seem to fade away with that power of simple sharing.
Living in Morocco for one year, they made this beauty present. I would like to credit Morocco for their beauty in the sharing of food. It is Morocco who will sit and wait a couple hours for someone before they eat their food, it is Morocco who will share their food with you hand in hand, it is Morocco who will give to you food made with love and caring. It is amazing the patience they hold when it comes to cooking and waiting for others to eat their food together.
People always shared kindly and warmly cooked and shared their food with me whether in a restaurant on the street or in the home. It was wonderful to be in a Moroccan home eating course by course and enjoying each meal slowly. I remember one time we waited an hour for a friend to get home from work.
While I thought I was so hungry, the waiting actually decreased my hunger. It's funny because Americans are so interested in satisfying the hunger immediately while Moroccans like to wait it out and focus on the quality-it's quite interesting.
With this new found perspective on food, I developed new habits with my eating. Instead of eating in convenience, I would wait until I came home to cook something and cook it. When you cook from scratch, it takes time and I started to love that cooking time. While I started my cooking in New York, Morocco just confirmed my enjoyment in cooking and its therapeutic qualities. Morocco was getting me hooked on this idea of sharing the food with others. When you cook something and share it with other people, you feel content and satisfied with the serving, the sharing, and the giving.
It makes one understand why chefs love cooking for others and do not enjoy their own consumption as much. It's beautiful being able to share what you spent your time and efforts on with someone who appreciates and enjoys it. This addictive process is what is happening in Morocco over and over again leaving Moroccans in the "sharing food and loving it" culture. They just keep the sharing up during big festivals like Ramadan, Eid, and just on an average dinner. During Eid, those who are wealthy are supposed to actually buy a sheep for someone who doesn't have one. While the rich have their own "unique" way of sharing, most people still do a pretty good job of sharing what they have whether on a holiday or not.
With all the sharing in Morocco, it became contagious for me to share. What is interesting is that I love to help people for what feels like a lifetime, but when it comes to food I do not enjoy sharing, especially my own food. My experience in Morocco seems to have triggered a sharing feast. It seems like I just can't stop sharing whether it's buying a homeless man food, sharing with those on buses, in the streets, giving away my own food, giving away my favorite fruit and cupcakes?! This is just not me as I love my food and I don't want it to be touched by others or shared. While I still hold those strong ties to food and I still allow myself flexibility to obtain what I desire- I just share a whole lot more and it's beautiful. My concern for what people are eating and putting in their stomachs is at a much higher importance.
In Antigua, at the Atitlan tours agency I had made a whole new groups of friends-go figure. I love talking with the transportation guys, especially bus drivers and conductors. My one friend from the other day was having his lunch-a tostada with some beans on it. He was a big guy-a gordo hombre with a short t-shirt and his belly hanging out. I asked if that was all he was going to eat and he shrugged his shoulders. I went out the street and got him a couple tamales and a couple nice, corn drinks (made of corn, sugar, milk, and rice). I just bought for him and my other lovely friend who worked in the office. They were surprised with my kindness and so was I. It was like I just left the office with a mission to get them their lunch. It only cost me a couple dollars and their stomachs were happier and more content.
This gave me pleasure instead of just filling myself with whatever I like to eat. This act of kindness continued to occur giving my crackers away on the bus to mothers with children, buying food for the homeless(in a recent case feeding someone who was blind)-it's really amazing how much I grow and learn every day and in each experience. I never thought I could be so generous with food, but it turns out I do have it in me.
Thanks for sharing Morocco.....
No Worries Iceland
People do not run around rushed, they don't speak like they are in this manic hurry. They speak in a calm and peaceful manner maintaining a low toned voice and good eye contact. They don't interrupt you or talk over you. They are very, very polite. This happiness factor is definitely connected with their peaceful being.
Where there is peace and joy, there is happiness. When the pace of life is slowed down, the crime is almost nonexistent, no attitude/sarcasm/manipulation, a great health care system, little unemployment, and support of all basic needs and more.
What is there not to be happy about?
The environment is positively supporting the being creating less stress and worry.
Their needs are being met and this impacts how they handle things. They don't have this reaction where they freak out rather they calmly hand things with little reaction and more action and appreciation.
Example, visiting the Blue Lagoon, I was standing in the line to buy tickets when I purchased an online ticket. There was no indicator standing outside that there were two lines so everyone just stands together. With not one person in line, I get to the front and say, "I didn't know there were two lines so I was waiting outside"
She responds," Well you are here now right? That's what matters."
Yes, things could run more efficiently and I would have a posted sign outside, but who cares? You waited an extra ten minutes and you don't have to wait a half an hour like everyone else. Be thankful rather than upset you lost ten minutes in the spa. Many Americans are trained to think this way- most especially living in big cities- New York being the worst.
With my environment, my behavior was shaped to respond in that matter over small things, especially living in New York She was trained to just let it go and focus on being present. That was a reminder for me when I have these moments of rush appear-just let go and be present.
The great thing about peace is that it can be contagious like a smile. This sense of peace can take over you for a second or a moment. You can sigh in relief with the hope for more peaceful moments in your own life. You may just sit and wonder about how these people stay so calm, kind, and how that peaceful being is internally shining. It's in their smile and their kind nature making you feel content and comfortable. These people are doing something right and it definitely deserves taking notes
Stay happy
Stay peaceful
Stay beautiful
Iceland
SONRISA SONRISA (SMILE, SMILE)
"Sonrisa" in Spanish means "Smile." When Guatemala Smiles, it is magical. Some people light up your heart and spirits connect making it a pure experience between two humans. Often I will encounter those with their top teeth missing and just one on each side. There smile is just as beautiful as a person who did have teeth because the spirit shines. The spirit is within the self and it is not reflected in external beauty. Often people will comment on my beauty and after time I realized that they are not commenting on how I look rather they are commenting on my spirit. It is my God given spirit, which shines through my smile. For these Guatemalans who are Mayans, there is a spiritual energy that is coming through their being. It is being transmitted from the sky, moon, and stars to the person. Many Mayan people are full believers in astrology and their spirituality is present in life form, but also the structures they create especially the Mayan ruins.
The Mayan population does not just shine through their smile, but they shine from what God gave up them up above in his own nature.
Keep Smiling My Local friends, students, teachers, street vendors, hotel workers-everyone keep smiling=)
AGING WITH REALITY
We are guilty of feeding into those self-fulfilling prophecies with age. By this age you should have kids and be married. By this age a man should be a CEO, not an office worker. When we listen to society instead of own self, we cannot be surprised when things don't work out or just seem to work against us.
The easiest way to avoid this American cultural age obsession is to leave the US. When you are outside of it, you think about it much, much less. I found myself getting so caught up in turning "30" and how I have not reached all my goals yet. Is the world going to end when I turn 30 and is God going to punish me for not accomplishing everything I desired? NO. When you leave and spend time in other countries- the magazines, media, friend, family and strangers comments are out of your face. You can accept and learn about who you are through introspection and cultural exchange with others rather than focusing on a number and where you should be placed.
When one is in the US, there is a scale of numbers and an amount of accomplishments you should have met. Any illness, bad circumstance, or personal difficulty does not matter rather you should be successful if you are 35, 40, 30, 45 etc. and living in American culture. Of course this age phenomenon is present in many cultures, but in the Mayan culture it does not seem to be present.
In Mayan culture some of the older women work even harder than the younger. You can witness real beauty with women weaving always blankets, sweaters, clothing, table clothes, accessories, and everything. They are older women and they are beautiful with each wrinkle representing strength, courage, and hard work. They are not working in Guatemala City for a big office rather they are engaging in their craft and that's beautiful no matter what the age.
While having a family is important and age does seem to correlate with reproducing. There is still a large number of older numbers who reproduce later in their life. While having a child younger is encouraged, it is not a judgment based off one's age.
What's the secret?
There is no secret-it's wide out in the open. Enrich your life with laughter, love, sincere moments, living in your purpose, giving to others, not searching for excess, and you'll never age a day in your life.
We learn by every experience every day (PRIS).
TRUTH ABOUT CRIME
Let’s get the facts out of the way so there is no confusion. With crime and drug cartels-Medellin, Colombia did play a big part in the drug scene. Per Wikitravel, Medellin was considered one of the most dangerous cities in the world for its size and highly disproportional homicide and kidnap rates. It was the home of Pablo Escobar and the so-called “Medellin Cartel” who took over the city at that time. Since his demise in the 1990s, the cartel was disbanded and the city changed tremendously. The city went from 6500 murders in 1990 to 2900 in 2009 to 184 in 2002 to 38 in 2013. (Wikitravel). The US did issue a travel warning in 2014 for narcotic trafficking. The paisas (locals) are proud of the cities improvements overtime, but there is still lots that needs to change.
When you look at the homicides going down significantly, this tells you that something is going right. The crime initiatives, the community efforts, and the Mental health or jail systems-a city came together for increased safety in their home. When you compare these homicides to the US, the results are an eye opener for the US Customs who label Medellin and cities of Colombia “dangerous.”
In New York in 2013, there were 333 homicides in comparison to Medellin at 38. In Los Angeles, there were 250 homicides in 2013. In Chicago, there were almost 2400 shooting = more homicides than New York City and Los Angeles (Huffington Post).
When it comes to a city like Medellin, there will probably be many people who don’t visit it because it’s history and current crime. People needs to realize that their own major cities also have this terrible crime. Chicago is one of the most Gang infested cities with shootings on the news every other day.
When you see that a city used to have terrible crime, but it has significantly improved-it’s time to reevaluate. If you are coming from New York or Chicago, it’s not much different when it comes to crime. The population is almost 4 million, which is not the same size as Chicago and New York City, but it’s in double digits-38.
Doesn’t anyone get curious about this improvement and think maybe this city is now doing something good? Perhaps the leadership is different, perhaps the security has become better, perhaps tourism is on the rise, perhaps they care for the Paisas (locals) and want better safety.
If you ever saw the nice area of this city, you would forget any crime exists. If you crossed over town, you may see a bit more action and real life. Regardless, this city deserves a pat on the back for their developments within their communities. They should be Proud Paisas and love their people and city without getting discouraged by people labeling or stereotyping what they are. Many locals are proud of Colombia and South Americas acknowledge crime, but it is not a problem for them. Do the Americans and Europeans also know this?
No Iphone For You
For many years, I watched all my friends strut around with their IPhone in and out of fashion events, parties, and nightclubs in New York and Los Angeles. It was like the coolest thing to have and if you didn’t have one you were “Out.”
For years, I was “Out” and I refused to conform to the “Apple IPhone World.” For years, I was content with my IPod shuffle that held 200 songs or so. It was not about having all the expensive gadgets to be in trend. When you have an IPhone, you are making a statement and I was not interested in making the statement. It was my responsibility to sometimes send text messages or look something up with my friends IPhone. The touchscreen was actually hard for me to use and I didn’t understand how to properly use it-true fact.
Often when traveling, I saw American’s and travelers with these IPhones. It definitely had some appeal looking convenient and like something that would be handy for information when traveling.
After 5 years of not having an IPhone, I conformed when returning from Morocco and received a Free IPhone 5. I still did not want to get one when I came back, but it was Free. It’s not a great excuse as values and morals trump materialism, but not in this case. I hopped on board to the IPhone world and as I figured-it’s a point of no return.
There is no possible way to say that having an IPhone while traveling is not useful. It is extremely useful for me to write and connect to WIFI to communicate back home. I am behind with technology as I just started using Whatsapp this year and was not even aware of how you could connect for free with the world. It would have been great to use on my first trip and preferred over facebook, which I will not use anymore.
Abroad, it’s not so cool to have one when you are a traveler because practically everyone does. Although, it is still very cool for one person- the local. The local who can’t afford one and the local who wants one so badly-it’s a reason for me to not have one.
The biggest thing I do not like about having one is presenting in front of others. When I use it for Notes constantly, I have it out and it is always on display. It is very exciting to a local who sits and stares at it with such envy as if you had a thousand dollars sitting in your hand. In some countries with the value of the IPhone, it is almost $1,000. This part of having it is what makes me want to not have one. The last thing I want to do is present materialism as flashy, cool importance. That sends the wrong message and I have to provide clarity to children and adults.
For example, a man singing a trumpet in the middle of the market stared at my phone and asked about if it records. I told him that it does record, but it has limited space. This is a Belizean man who is very poor and probably can’t afford to buy groceries for a full week.
He says to me, “I’m going to get the newest version of that very soon.”
Pris: “Really? How much do you think a new one costs here?”
I don’t know, but I want it.
Pris: Okay why do you want it?
To record video.
Pris: Don’t you think you could use something else to record? Something less affordable?
Yeah I could
Pris: What if you didn’t record and you just kept playing beautiful music for people? The IPhone holds no importance in your self-expression. If you really have a purpose for a video camera, then you can buy one second hand. The only reason I have this phone is to voice record and write-that’s it. It’s not important, it’s just an electronic.
Okay, that’s very nice. Thanks so much young lady. Thank you.
You’re welcome. God Bless and Take care.
These conversations happen frequently with locals who don´t have a smart phone, but they desire it so badly. While it´s not important the world of Apple makes it important. It´s great the make the human values trump the phone because that is what is more important. The IPhone will never outshine the interpersonal interaction-never, never, and never.
Materialism on an All-time Low
I am approaching my five month mark of traveling and reflecting back on what I have spent. I am incredibly proud of myself for the self-discipline I have exhibited over my travel time. Traveling through places with dresses, shirts, and pants averaging $2-$4, I could have easily bought new outfits for each day or even week. This would have defeated the purpose of getting rid of my clothes in NYC and picking up a backpack.
From Thailand to Cambodia to Singapore to India, I have seen beautiful skirts, dresses, and traditional wear that I absolutely love. There has been times where I have sit and negotiated on a skirt or dress and then put it down because I knew I did not need it. In India, the saris are one of my favorite things to wear and I could have bought many, but I kept my discipline. The saris I have seen are just like the nice dresses I would buy back at home-glamorous and fabulous.
Being around constant shopping, I have adopted a “look but do not touch” philosophy with shopping. I can stroll by a market and stare at a dress, but I cannot go into the shop, pick it up, and attempt to try it on. It is like an alcoholic driving down the road passing a liquor store. They see it from a distance, but they cannot, stop, park the car, get out, and go into the store. The alcoholic needs to keep his distance and the shopaholic need to keep her distance.
When I first moved to New York from LA, I had significantly reduced the amount of clothing I had leaving myself with a few purses, a few pairs of shoes, a few dresses, and a few jeans etc., but I was still shopping and buying new outfits as usual. Now I have been carrying the same purse for 5 months, the same pair of gym shoes, the same pair of pants, two bras, a few t-shirts, etc. There has been very little shopping and I have calculated what I have spent in the past 5 months and I am shocked at my self-discipline and will power.
Excluding $2-3 sunglasses that I have to replace every month because they break or I lose them.
Here is the shopping breakdown:
1 top $20(my big purchase for a quality Indian top)
2 leggings $ 4
1 black shoulder cover $4
Cambodia pants $3
Fab India 2 tops $13(another big purchase for quality)
Sun hat ($2)
1 Dress from Thailand $3(one dress purchase in 5 months!!!!!!!!!!)
Cambodia scarf ($3)
Dress for NYE ($3)
Aerosol comfort sandals and blue sandals $30(was walking around with $2 sandals from Conway for three months!!!)
Total=$82
$82 is what I would normally spend at Macys on 1(ONE) DKNY, Guess, Or BCBG top, dress, a pair of jeans, or half the price of a pair of boots. Also, I would have spent half the amount if I only bought from the market and did not purchase from retail stores.
From the age of 16, I have always been into fashion and buying excessive amounts of clothing. When I was living in California at age 17 is when I began to shop and get into the one outfit one time motto. I was working at Forever 21 so naturally I became addicted to fashion and I loved dressing up in cute skirts and dresses all the time. When age 19, I worked at Nissan as a receptionist where I would always wear a new skirt or dress. People would comment on my wardrobe and I guess I loved being the fashion princess.
From age seventeen to age twenty seven, I have come a long way shopping and shopping and shopping my life away. I could have traveled around the world a good 2-3 times with all the money I have spent. It was materialistic things and a great presentation that made me happy and now I have entered into a simplistic life that makes me just as happy.
I do miss the glitz and the glamour and I will still buy and wear beautiful dresses, but it is all about self-discipline, will power, and MODERATION.
The main point of this post is to emphasize the ability to decrease spending and attachment to clothing. Many people have no desire to decrease their shopping because they love it and they live for it. This is completely understandable and if there is no desire to change then staying with those habits is appropriate for them. For those interested in not maxing out their credit cards or spending their paycheck on “things”- put yourself in check. Buy one item a week, stay away from malls, find different hobbies you enjoy, replace fashion magazines with Time magazine or the newspaper.
The potential is there for everyone to live a simpler life and I truly believe that people have the potential to live simpler and still enjoy fashion, but not be overdosed in fashion. There will be withdrawal periods, but don’t worry those days shall pass. I still love shopping and my eyes light up when I find nice outfits or dresses, but I know that I can’t and don’t need to buy a new outfit for 3-4 days a week. A solo backpacker way of traveling does require a simpler clothing selection, but it just makes you realize how much you actually need and excess. that we purchase in the US.
Live a bit simpler and feel better!
Literacy Rates Down Ignorance Up
Is Moroccan government giving enough time and money to the education system? Why are over forty percent of the population illiterate in 2013? If the government money was going towards education, you would see less kids on the streets and more in schools and reading books.
Moroccans have limited choices when it come to their educational field unless their family has money and they are sent to the best Moroccan private schools. Even in this case, the "best schools" are the best according to Moroccan standards, but to my standards the schools can be doing more for their students.
This topic was discussed with some lovely, lovely Moroccan students of mine. One of my favorites, Yassine, was clearly so upset as evidence by him mixing his English words together. He said that the government has used that money at their own leisure for things less important than education. It is clear that government allocates their money to buildings and construction. For example, they spent billions on the Hassan II mosque. Yes, it a religious building, but was it necessary to make the largest mosque in Africa? Did they have to spend that amount of money when they have half of the population not knowing how to read or write?
From a cultural perspective, it does not seem that surprising to me because Moroccans care very much about presentation and showing off rather than showing up/committing/and educating. This is not good for the population as a whole because it draws their attention away from important principles of life onto superficial material things.
When I speak to Moroccans who care so much about their education and those who would jump at the opportunity to receive an education abroad- I can’t help, but extreme disappointment with the knowledge of the corruption in third world countries. towards their country not meeting their educational needs and wants. For example, my friend wants to become a writer, but her degree is in business and she feels discouraged because she would like to pursue her writing abroad, but the educational opportunity here is limited. Applying for a visa and going abroad is a whole other process and Moroccans are family oriented. They would rather stay in their country and receive the education rather than going abroad.
There needs to be significant improvement in this system if the country wants to see its people succeed. Success is not about material gain, but about living in your purpose and pursuing your dreams, passions, and interests.
While there is a high amount of poverty in the country-it does not mean that these children do not deserve an education. They are street smart and highly resourceful leading to a life of crime rather than pursuing a passion. Those who are wealthy feel that completing their pillar of charity giving food once a month is enough. Community needs to be created within the country by higher interaction between the rich and poor to realize that one person is not superior by material status. Those who are wealthy in Morocco usually come from the background or little to no education. They can relate to their own people, but they choose to run around in a Range rover and dress like a Prince.
Educating those from these populations can help them believe in their selves and have a desire to get out of their circumstances and be role models for their community. Without awareness and commitment from government, I am afraid this problem will still persist and Moroccan children will continue to suffer.
Often we get the question, “What do you do?” and usually people respond with one response. “I am a doctor, I am a lawyer, and I am a social worker.” As I get older and wiser, I realize I do not want to define myself by one title because I have multiple interests and talents and all of us do on various levels. These talents, abilities, strengths may be similar or vary greatly. For many, there may be one common denominator and mine is people.
I love philosophy, history, art, photography, therapy, and education. All of these are connected between living and breathing and people. Capturing moments, feeling alive, and being of service to others, making connections in history, and connecting with peoples real experiences in art and photography. What is your common denominator?
Who said we have to define ourselves in one certain manner? We are human beings with various interests and we should be able to pursue them all. I recently talked with an amazing fellow Chicagoan and she was talking about Dubai and being able to explore your creativity, ideas, and goals.
In Dubai, you can have your ideas come to real life with financing and property given. In America, many have creative ideas that are stuck in a bubble because “they do not have the money” or they are afraid to break free from the socially constructed 9-5. It is a shame because people of all races, economic statuses, and cultures have great ideas, but they are not supported by America. Not just in America, but cultures all over prevent human beings from growth and are not empowering them to grow. America lets you think outside of the box and explore your dreams, but it does not give you money to do it. Dubai supports their people, which creates a wonderland of creations. An underwater hotel, the tallest skyscraper, snow in the dessert? It is letting people take creativity to the highest level.
Do not let your career consume your being. You might be blessed to be working a job that is your passion or it may just be a paycheck. Explore your real interests, passions, strengths, and skills. Maybe you love hiking/trekking and you think a lot about being a tour guide-then go try it out for a few months. Your job will not let you take the time off? Then quit or keep the job and work on your passion part time, but your passion deserves your full time attention. Crunching numbers, financial analysis, IT, and marketing is not going there. It will always be there for you, especially if you have the education and experiences to back it up.
We have to come up with new, fresh ways to respond to our being. Any ideas, thoughts? Do you get tired of answering the same question, "What do you do??” Most people do not ask you after that question, "Are you happy?" "Do you enjoy it?" My belief is that your job response is frequently associated with your identity-who are you are as a person. This does not have to be the case. Explore your interests, talents, abilities, and redefine yourself. Next time you are asked this question-share what you really love and what you are truly passionate about, but if you are living in your passion-awesome- keep living in your purpose!=)
I have met people who are so well connected, they could probably help me get a job in multiple fields. It is overwhelming the amount of social networking that goes on and how people come in and out of your lives leaving footprints on your heart, leaving your mind stimulated/changed, inspiring, empowering, and educating you.
This is what makes traveling so amazing-THE INTERPERSONAL INTERACTION. I cannot reinforce this point anymore. It is NOT about drinking, partying, touristy destinations place to place, etc. These things come along time to time and it is fine, but that is not what the traveling is about.
The opportunity comes my way from country to country and it just about finding that job where I can travel all over and follow a mission that is meaningful. I have wonderful people asking me to stay longer in various cities and offering to help me find work or build connections. But I have my own mission when traveling, which is inspiring and empowering others to believe in their purpose and passion. People laugh when they hear my email and without me currently being connected to a corporate job people just think I am going around partying and watching the clouds.
On a daily basis, I have meaningful interactions with people and acknowledge them as human beings. While this is not important to most people, it is important to me and this mission of mine is not documented, but maybe it should be so people can understand the importance of believing in your purpose and educating others on their potential.
I am never alone and I am floating among seas and seas of opportunity… I have no fear about finding a job or not having money anymore. I am learning to let go of the focus on materialism and that is when good things come your way. Focusing on money creates stress and rather than stress- I just want happiness
After church, I was captivated by the neighborhood. With a beautiful day and a love for villages, I was ready to explore it.
What does Explore mean for an Average tourist?
It means go in with a guide, stop with the group to talk to a couple people living in the village, take photos, talk to people in the group, take more photos, and after an hour-leave.
What does Explore mean for Priscilla?
It means to use all five senses to fully take in the environment. This means to examine, analyze, observe with your nose, eyes, ears, and touch. The fruits, the plants, the trees, the grass, the housing, the animals, the front yards, the sky, the sounds-fully immerse yourself into what's in front of you. Put down the electronic device or limit your use.
When you are walking through the village, let your body take you somewhere else in time. Let yourself wonder about how this village came about. What was it like 100 years ago? It's a time to use your imagination and creativity and this happens the most when you're alone.
When you're alone, you are more likely to meet locals and talk with people about their customs and life traditions. It may feel outside of your comfort zone, but once you get past the fear it's a wonderful feeling. Instead of feeling afraid of being in an unknown place or working off false stereotypes-give people a chance and you will be pleasantly surprised.
Some people truly do not feel comfortable and prefer to explore with the group-this is okay. Although, there are many who have the desire and need to truly explore and they just don't properly utilize it.
After I realized that the tourists are given tours through these villages. My own tour was much more pleasurable, educational, and interesting. For example, I spoke with a beautiful women and her son about her turkey farm. How many turkeys does she have? What do the turkeys eat? What's her family life like and is she happy living in this village?
I walked around the village utilizing all my senses-petting the horse, smelling flowers, eating a fresh mango, and learning children's play games. I helped a lady carry her enormous jug of water, which she said they use for everything including bathing, cooking, cleaning etc.
A couple men were pulling weeds and I smiled at them, but they were not interested in the tourist-fair game-can't win them all. Baby chicks were following me straight into a coconut tree in the middle of a farm. The sun shined down in between the clouds alternating between bright sun and clouds
While the label of poverty would be mainly associated with these small homes., I do not focus on the label. It's a matter of the person, their lifestyle, and happiness. These people in this "touristic" village were content with their lives. They had the church, support from the Mayan center, a few local made restaurants, and plenty of nature and livestock. It was not a village to feel bad for rather it was one to feel proud for in a real way. Again, religion was sliding these people down a rainbow into a happier tomorrow. And the best part was that you can see God's presence amongst this divine setting.
Is it worth it?
As a traveler in Southeast Asia, most things are relatively cheap letting you travel for longer periods of time with less money saved or total spent. Food, transportation, basic hygiene products, drinks, and clothing are a fraction of the cost in the US. Some travelers go to Thailand with a back pack and a few basic things and buy the rest as they go. When it comes to purchasing and negotiating how much is too much? And how much is taking too much energy out of your overall mood and attitude toward traveling.
Starting off with transportation, tuk tuk’s (taxis) set the price higher for a fare when they see your backpack. A traveler’s backpack is a symbol for money and business for tuk tuks. The tuk tuk quotes you 40 baht and you go back and forth negotiating a lower price. A person may enjoy this negotiating, but from my experience most do not want to negotiate and some do not even try. During the day negotiating maybe fine, but after you have been on a bus or out all day and you just want to get to your guesthouse-it may not be worth the negotiation.
In Thailand, it feels easy to negotiate, Laos-moderate, and from what I hear Vietnam is difficult to negotiate. I have about people’s experience being near violent with Vietnamese requesting a specific amount and not budging. With a negative experience like that, it brings your mood down and affects your overall experience. My friend says, “Vietnam is always a bargain or negotiation everyday all day.” This does not sound like it is a fun thing to me when you have to put time and energy into negotiating what do you think?
Also, some more food for thought involves how far to take your negotiations with the type of people you are bargaining with. If you are bargaining with a street vendor in Thailand or Laos, they already are not making money and negotiating with them you are basically taking money out of their pocket. When a lady has a baby in her arms and she is working on the street selling rotis do you negotiate? Is it worth saving an extra 50 cents to a dollar? This does add up overtime, but how do you feel taking from a family or someone who has so much less than you?
In Laos, an English couple were making a deal with a young teenage boy selling paintings. His paintings were precious and he was already selling the small ones for $1 dollar each and the couple were trying to get the paintings for less than a dollar. This boy was out there performing his passion and exposing himself to a market full of people and he gets low balled on his beautiful work. The look in his eye when they dropped the price touched my heart as I felt him sink a little bit, but he ended up selling them lower because of course he needed to make the profit whether his asking price or not.
In Thailand, I tried to bargain on buying some bananas and stopped to realize that I was making a bargain to save $25 cents. I had a self-reflective moment and thought about what I was doing. I ended up not buying them at all because I thought about what I was doing and why I should not be low balling things because I can.
These people have families to feed and work very hard every day. Do we think about them when we are negotiating and is it all worth the fight at the end of the day?
Needs vs. Wants
Before leaving New York, I reflected on how many unnecessary things I had and what I really needed to live. I wanted to make a change in my lifestyle of buying a new outfit for each outing, excess shoes, clothes, and purses. I practically gave away my whole wardrobe to the thrift store or just threw away most of it and traded it in for a pair of gym shoes, sandals, a few pairs of pants, and some shirts. It was time for a change and I feel liberated with a backpack on my shoulders and few items of clothing. Moving from LA to New York, I gradually started to improve my behavior by using a few purses, keeping a few pairs of shoes, but I still continued to buy new clothing frequently. I love fashion and clothing, but there is such beauty in letting go.
Needs and wants are two things that I reflect on increasingly as I work on self-improvement, but also addressed with clients in a reflective, psycho-educational manner. As we get older, our needs and wants shift depending on a variety of factors including: income, lifestyle, environment, family, and relationships. A person may live simply and be happy, but then win the lottery and live in luxury. A person may live close to the poverty line, but always be shopping for new clothes. A person on welfare may not have no money for food, but still buy cigarettes.
As human beings, we can psychologically train ourselves to let go of our wants and focus on our needs with behavioral modification. For examples, the things I need are basic food, water, and shelter and God. My wants are usually involving food and some sort of sugar. I can address these wants by self-regulating them i.e. putting myself on a rewards system. Of course, it is not easy to let go of wants that we have become accustomed to receiving for years and years. But we CAN shape our behavior by monitoring the needs that are coming into our lives.
Our society impacts what we want/need significantly. In USA, we think that we need expensive electronics, phones, computers, and televisions and we also have a focus on having an excess of things. In Western culture, "Bigger is better" whether it is a food portion, a car, a phone, or a hotel stay. With material possessions, many feel better with these possessions and maybe using these possessions as a defense mechanism to what they really need and crave. It maybe spirituality, a greater sense of wellbeing, or a quest for love/attention that they really need or desire.
A person may conform to societies needs or have the self-discipline to focus on what is truly important to you. I had a blackberry and I realized it was not important. I downgraded to a normal phone that still had internet, but I realized that was not important. And then I realized a phone in general was not that important and this need turned into a want.
Some electronics are more difficult than others to label as needs vs wants. For instance I love my computer to write and I love my IPOD to listen to music. These are still wants, but I feel so attached to them it makes them feel like a need. The feeling of attachment or necessity can turn something into a need, but is may just be a want at the end of the day.
Also, overtime society has turned wants into needs i.e. a television and cable. One may think that this is a want, but has developed into a need. In Cambodia, a person maybe living in a floating village with little amenities, but they still have a television. With the wave of technology, there has been a shift with our needs. It is interesting how cultures in developed and undeveloped countries value a television with cable. I recall an interesting debate in social work school where a student who encountered many hardships listed that a cable was a necessity for her. This put the class in shock and created a debate on the necessity of television for low income populations. In my mind, it is still a want vs. a need, but this is debatable. What do you think?
When addressing wants/needs with clients-those of lower socio-economic status and many utilizing state welfare and medical benefits. It is always interesting what comes up with this topic. Cigarettes, television, and fried foods were needs while a mansion and a fancy car were wants. Due to their environment and their own mental health state-they shape many wants into needs and always come up with justification of some sort for their decision. It is quite interesting and enlightening as to what Western culture makes us feel dependent on. Any thoughts on this topic?
The Beauty of Sharing Food
In American culture, it’s increasingly common for people to eat alone. The amount of family dinners together has decreased and kids are sitting in front of a computer with Mac n’ Cheese and no desire to talk. When people go to restaurants, they usually order their own dish. The intimacy of the food experience is not always present. In large gatherings, holidays, or homemade cooking-a greater intimacy with food and others can be formed. Although, there are countries like India, Turkey, and Morocco who keep this intimacy going all the time. The sharing of the food is part of a custom and eating together is a part of daily routine. They take pleasure in sharing food with family, friends, and newcomers. While Americans will eat a snack or a lunch in front of another, this rarely would happen in these countries. It’s considered disrespectful to do so. A bad day at work can seem to fade away with that power of simple sharing.
Living in Morocco for one year, they made this beauty present. I would like to credit Morocco for their beauty in the sharing of food. It is Morocco who will sit and wait a couple hours for someone before they eat their food, it is Morocco who will share their food with you hand in hand, it is Morocco who will give to you food made with love and caring. It is amazing the patience they hold when it comes to cooking and waiting for others to eat their food together.
People always shared kindly and warmly cooked and shared their food with me whether in a restaurant on the street or in the home. It was wonderful to be in a Moroccan home eating course by course and enjoying each meal slowly. I remember one time we waited an hour for a friend to get home from work.
While I thought I was so hungry, the waiting actually decreased my hunger. It's funny because Americans are so interested in satisfying the hunger immediately while Moroccans like to wait it out and focus on the quality-it's quite interesting.
With this new found perspective on food, I developed new habits with my eating. Instead of eating in convenience, I would wait until I came home to cook something and cook it. When you cook from scratch, it takes time and I started to love that cooking time. While I started my cooking in New York, Morocco just confirmed my enjoyment in cooking and its therapeutic qualities. Morocco was getting me hooked on this idea of sharing the food with others. When you cook something and share it with other people, you feel content and satisfied with the serving, the sharing, and the giving.
It makes one understand why chefs love cooking for others and do not enjoy their own consumption as much. It's beautiful being able to share what you spent your time and efforts on with someone who appreciates and enjoys it. This addictive process is what is happening in Morocco over and over again leaving Moroccans in the "sharing food and loving it" culture. They just keep the sharing up during big festivals like Ramadan, Eid, and just on an average dinner. During Eid, those who are wealthy are supposed to actually buy a sheep for someone who doesn't have one. While the rich have their own "unique" way of sharing, most people still do a pretty good job of sharing what they have whether on a holiday or not.
With all the sharing in Morocco, it became contagious for me to share. What is interesting is that I love to help people for what feels like a lifetime, but when it comes to food I do not enjoy sharing, especially my own food. My experience in Morocco seems to have triggered a sharing feast. It seems like I just can't stop sharing whether it's buying a homeless man food, sharing with those on buses, in the streets, giving away my own food, giving away my favorite fruit and cupcakes?! This is just not me as I love my food and I don't want it to be touched by others or shared. While I still hold those strong ties to food and I still allow myself flexibility to obtain what I desire- I just share a whole lot more and it's beautiful. My concern for what people are eating and putting in their stomachs is at a much higher importance.
In Antigua, at the Atitlan tours agency I had made a whole new groups of friends-go figure. I love talking with the transportation guys, especially bus drivers and conductors. My one friend from the other day was having his lunch-a tostada with some beans on it. He was a big guy-a gordo hombre with a short t-shirt and his belly hanging out. I asked if that was all he was going to eat and he shrugged his shoulders. I went out the street and got him a couple tamales and a couple nice, corn drinks (made of corn, sugar, milk, and rice). I just bought for him and my other lovely friend who worked in the office. They were surprised with my kindness and so was I. It was like I just left the office with a mission to get them their lunch. It only cost me a couple dollars and their stomachs were happier and more content.
This gave me pleasure instead of just filling myself with whatever I like to eat. This act of kindness continued to occur giving my crackers away on the bus to mothers with children, buying food for the homeless(in a recent case feeding someone who was blind)-it's really amazing how much I grow and learn every day and in each experience. I never thought I could be so generous with food, but it turns out I do have it in me.
Thanks for sharing Morocco.....
No Worries Iceland
People do not run around rushed, they don't speak like they are in this manic hurry. They speak in a calm and peaceful manner maintaining a low toned voice and good eye contact. They don't interrupt you or talk over you. They are very, very polite. This happiness factor is definitely connected with their peaceful being.
Where there is peace and joy, there is happiness. When the pace of life is slowed down, the crime is almost nonexistent, no attitude/sarcasm/manipulation, a great health care system, little unemployment, and support of all basic needs and more.
What is there not to be happy about?
The environment is positively supporting the being creating less stress and worry.
Their needs are being met and this impacts how they handle things. They don't have this reaction where they freak out rather they calmly hand things with little reaction and more action and appreciation.
Example, visiting the Blue Lagoon, I was standing in the line to buy tickets when I purchased an online ticket. There was no indicator standing outside that there were two lines so everyone just stands together. With not one person in line, I get to the front and say, "I didn't know there were two lines so I was waiting outside"
She responds," Well you are here now right? That's what matters."
Yes, things could run more efficiently and I would have a posted sign outside, but who cares? You waited an extra ten minutes and you don't have to wait a half an hour like everyone else. Be thankful rather than upset you lost ten minutes in the spa. Many Americans are trained to think this way- most especially living in big cities- New York being the worst.
With my environment, my behavior was shaped to respond in that matter over small things, especially living in New York She was trained to just let it go and focus on being present. That was a reminder for me when I have these moments of rush appear-just let go and be present.
The great thing about peace is that it can be contagious like a smile. This sense of peace can take over you for a second or a moment. You can sigh in relief with the hope for more peaceful moments in your own life. You may just sit and wonder about how these people stay so calm, kind, and how that peaceful being is internally shining. It's in their smile and their kind nature making you feel content and comfortable. These people are doing something right and it definitely deserves taking notes
Stay happy
Stay peaceful
Stay beautiful
Iceland
SONRISA SONRISA (SMILE, SMILE)
"Sonrisa" in Spanish means "Smile." When Guatemala Smiles, it is magical. Some people light up your heart and spirits connect making it a pure experience between two humans. Often I will encounter those with their top teeth missing and just one on each side. There smile is just as beautiful as a person who did have teeth because the spirit shines. The spirit is within the self and it is not reflected in external beauty. Often people will comment on my beauty and after time I realized that they are not commenting on how I look rather they are commenting on my spirit. It is my God given spirit, which shines through my smile. For these Guatemalans who are Mayans, there is a spiritual energy that is coming through their being. It is being transmitted from the sky, moon, and stars to the person. Many Mayan people are full believers in astrology and their spirituality is present in life form, but also the structures they create especially the Mayan ruins.
The Mayan population does not just shine through their smile, but they shine from what God gave up them up above in his own nature.
Keep Smiling My Local friends, students, teachers, street vendors, hotel workers-everyone keep smiling=)
AGING WITH REALITY
We are guilty of feeding into those self-fulfilling prophecies with age. By this age you should have kids and be married. By this age a man should be a CEO, not an office worker. When we listen to society instead of own self, we cannot be surprised when things don't work out or just seem to work against us.
The easiest way to avoid this American cultural age obsession is to leave the US. When you are outside of it, you think about it much, much less. I found myself getting so caught up in turning "30" and how I have not reached all my goals yet. Is the world going to end when I turn 30 and is God going to punish me for not accomplishing everything I desired? NO. When you leave and spend time in other countries- the magazines, media, friend, family and strangers comments are out of your face. You can accept and learn about who you are through introspection and cultural exchange with others rather than focusing on a number and where you should be placed.
When one is in the US, there is a scale of numbers and an amount of accomplishments you should have met. Any illness, bad circumstance, or personal difficulty does not matter rather you should be successful if you are 35, 40, 30, 45 etc. and living in American culture. Of course this age phenomenon is present in many cultures, but in the Mayan culture it does not seem to be present.
In Mayan culture some of the older women work even harder than the younger. You can witness real beauty with women weaving always blankets, sweaters, clothing, table clothes, accessories, and everything. They are older women and they are beautiful with each wrinkle representing strength, courage, and hard work. They are not working in Guatemala City for a big office rather they are engaging in their craft and that's beautiful no matter what the age.
While having a family is important and age does seem to correlate with reproducing. There is still a large number of older numbers who reproduce later in their life. While having a child younger is encouraged, it is not a judgment based off one's age.
What's the secret?
There is no secret-it's wide out in the open. Enrich your life with laughter, love, sincere moments, living in your purpose, giving to others, not searching for excess, and you'll never age a day in your life.
We learn by every experience every day (PRIS).
TRUTH ABOUT CRIME
Let’s get the facts out of the way so there is no confusion. With crime and drug cartels-Medellin, Colombia did play a big part in the drug scene. Per Wikitravel, Medellin was considered one of the most dangerous cities in the world for its size and highly disproportional homicide and kidnap rates. It was the home of Pablo Escobar and the so-called “Medellin Cartel” who took over the city at that time. Since his demise in the 1990s, the cartel was disbanded and the city changed tremendously. The city went from 6500 murders in 1990 to 2900 in 2009 to 184 in 2002 to 38 in 2013. (Wikitravel). The US did issue a travel warning in 2014 for narcotic trafficking. The paisas (locals) are proud of the cities improvements overtime, but there is still lots that needs to change.
When you look at the homicides going down significantly, this tells you that something is going right. The crime initiatives, the community efforts, and the Mental health or jail systems-a city came together for increased safety in their home. When you compare these homicides to the US, the results are an eye opener for the US Customs who label Medellin and cities of Colombia “dangerous.”
In New York in 2013, there were 333 homicides in comparison to Medellin at 38. In Los Angeles, there were 250 homicides in 2013. In Chicago, there were almost 2400 shooting = more homicides than New York City and Los Angeles (Huffington Post).
When it comes to a city like Medellin, there will probably be many people who don’t visit it because it’s history and current crime. People needs to realize that their own major cities also have this terrible crime. Chicago is one of the most Gang infested cities with shootings on the news every other day.
When you see that a city used to have terrible crime, but it has significantly improved-it’s time to reevaluate. If you are coming from New York or Chicago, it’s not much different when it comes to crime. The population is almost 4 million, which is not the same size as Chicago and New York City, but it’s in double digits-38.
Doesn’t anyone get curious about this improvement and think maybe this city is now doing something good? Perhaps the leadership is different, perhaps the security has become better, perhaps tourism is on the rise, perhaps they care for the Paisas (locals) and want better safety.
If you ever saw the nice area of this city, you would forget any crime exists. If you crossed over town, you may see a bit more action and real life. Regardless, this city deserves a pat on the back for their developments within their communities. They should be Proud Paisas and love their people and city without getting discouraged by people labeling or stereotyping what they are. Many locals are proud of Colombia and South Americas acknowledge crime, but it is not a problem for them. Do the Americans and Europeans also know this?
No Iphone For You
For many years, I watched all my friends strut around with their IPhone in and out of fashion events, parties, and nightclubs in New York and Los Angeles. It was like the coolest thing to have and if you didn’t have one you were “Out.”
For years, I was “Out” and I refused to conform to the “Apple IPhone World.” For years, I was content with my IPod shuffle that held 200 songs or so. It was not about having all the expensive gadgets to be in trend. When you have an IPhone, you are making a statement and I was not interested in making the statement. It was my responsibility to sometimes send text messages or look something up with my friends IPhone. The touchscreen was actually hard for me to use and I didn’t understand how to properly use it-true fact.
Often when traveling, I saw American’s and travelers with these IPhones. It definitely had some appeal looking convenient and like something that would be handy for information when traveling.
After 5 years of not having an IPhone, I conformed when returning from Morocco and received a Free IPhone 5. I still did not want to get one when I came back, but it was Free. It’s not a great excuse as values and morals trump materialism, but not in this case. I hopped on board to the IPhone world and as I figured-it’s a point of no return.
There is no possible way to say that having an IPhone while traveling is not useful. It is extremely useful for me to write and connect to WIFI to communicate back home. I am behind with technology as I just started using Whatsapp this year and was not even aware of how you could connect for free with the world. It would have been great to use on my first trip and preferred over facebook, which I will not use anymore.
Abroad, it’s not so cool to have one when you are a traveler because practically everyone does. Although, it is still very cool for one person- the local. The local who can’t afford one and the local who wants one so badly-it’s a reason for me to not have one.
The biggest thing I do not like about having one is presenting in front of others. When I use it for Notes constantly, I have it out and it is always on display. It is very exciting to a local who sits and stares at it with such envy as if you had a thousand dollars sitting in your hand. In some countries with the value of the IPhone, it is almost $1,000. This part of having it is what makes me want to not have one. The last thing I want to do is present materialism as flashy, cool importance. That sends the wrong message and I have to provide clarity to children and adults.
For example, a man singing a trumpet in the middle of the market stared at my phone and asked about if it records. I told him that it does record, but it has limited space. This is a Belizean man who is very poor and probably can’t afford to buy groceries for a full week.
He says to me, “I’m going to get the newest version of that very soon.”
Pris: “Really? How much do you think a new one costs here?”
I don’t know, but I want it.
Pris: Okay why do you want it?
To record video.
Pris: Don’t you think you could use something else to record? Something less affordable?
Yeah I could
Pris: What if you didn’t record and you just kept playing beautiful music for people? The IPhone holds no importance in your self-expression. If you really have a purpose for a video camera, then you can buy one second hand. The only reason I have this phone is to voice record and write-that’s it. It’s not important, it’s just an electronic.
Okay, that’s very nice. Thanks so much young lady. Thank you.
You’re welcome. God Bless and Take care.
These conversations happen frequently with locals who don´t have a smart phone, but they desire it so badly. While it´s not important the world of Apple makes it important. It´s great the make the human values trump the phone because that is what is more important. The IPhone will never outshine the interpersonal interaction-never, never, and never.
Materialism on an All-time Low
I am approaching my five month mark of traveling and reflecting back on what I have spent. I am incredibly proud of myself for the self-discipline I have exhibited over my travel time. Traveling through places with dresses, shirts, and pants averaging $2-$4, I could have easily bought new outfits for each day or even week. This would have defeated the purpose of getting rid of my clothes in NYC and picking up a backpack.
From Thailand to Cambodia to Singapore to India, I have seen beautiful skirts, dresses, and traditional wear that I absolutely love. There has been times where I have sit and negotiated on a skirt or dress and then put it down because I knew I did not need it. In India, the saris are one of my favorite things to wear and I could have bought many, but I kept my discipline. The saris I have seen are just like the nice dresses I would buy back at home-glamorous and fabulous.
Being around constant shopping, I have adopted a “look but do not touch” philosophy with shopping. I can stroll by a market and stare at a dress, but I cannot go into the shop, pick it up, and attempt to try it on. It is like an alcoholic driving down the road passing a liquor store. They see it from a distance, but they cannot, stop, park the car, get out, and go into the store. The alcoholic needs to keep his distance and the shopaholic need to keep her distance.
When I first moved to New York from LA, I had significantly reduced the amount of clothing I had leaving myself with a few purses, a few pairs of shoes, a few dresses, and a few jeans etc., but I was still shopping and buying new outfits as usual. Now I have been carrying the same purse for 5 months, the same pair of gym shoes, the same pair of pants, two bras, a few t-shirts, etc. There has been very little shopping and I have calculated what I have spent in the past 5 months and I am shocked at my self-discipline and will power.
Excluding $2-3 sunglasses that I have to replace every month because they break or I lose them.
Here is the shopping breakdown:
1 top $20(my big purchase for a quality Indian top)
2 leggings $ 4
1 black shoulder cover $4
Cambodia pants $3
Fab India 2 tops $13(another big purchase for quality)
Sun hat ($2)
1 Dress from Thailand $3(one dress purchase in 5 months!!!!!!!!!!)
Cambodia scarf ($3)
Dress for NYE ($3)
Aerosol comfort sandals and blue sandals $30(was walking around with $2 sandals from Conway for three months!!!)
Total=$82
$82 is what I would normally spend at Macys on 1(ONE) DKNY, Guess, Or BCBG top, dress, a pair of jeans, or half the price of a pair of boots. Also, I would have spent half the amount if I only bought from the market and did not purchase from retail stores.
From the age of 16, I have always been into fashion and buying excessive amounts of clothing. When I was living in California at age 17 is when I began to shop and get into the one outfit one time motto. I was working at Forever 21 so naturally I became addicted to fashion and I loved dressing up in cute skirts and dresses all the time. When age 19, I worked at Nissan as a receptionist where I would always wear a new skirt or dress. People would comment on my wardrobe and I guess I loved being the fashion princess.
From age seventeen to age twenty seven, I have come a long way shopping and shopping and shopping my life away. I could have traveled around the world a good 2-3 times with all the money I have spent. It was materialistic things and a great presentation that made me happy and now I have entered into a simplistic life that makes me just as happy.
I do miss the glitz and the glamour and I will still buy and wear beautiful dresses, but it is all about self-discipline, will power, and MODERATION.
The main point of this post is to emphasize the ability to decrease spending and attachment to clothing. Many people have no desire to decrease their shopping because they love it and they live for it. This is completely understandable and if there is no desire to change then staying with those habits is appropriate for them. For those interested in not maxing out their credit cards or spending their paycheck on “things”- put yourself in check. Buy one item a week, stay away from malls, find different hobbies you enjoy, replace fashion magazines with Time magazine or the newspaper.
The potential is there for everyone to live a simpler life and I truly believe that people have the potential to live simpler and still enjoy fashion, but not be overdosed in fashion. There will be withdrawal periods, but don’t worry those days shall pass. I still love shopping and my eyes light up when I find nice outfits or dresses, but I know that I can’t and don’t need to buy a new outfit for 3-4 days a week. A solo backpacker way of traveling does require a simpler clothing selection, but it just makes you realize how much you actually need and excess. that we purchase in the US.
Live a bit simpler and feel better!
Literacy Rates Down Ignorance Up
Is Moroccan government giving enough time and money to the education system? Why are over forty percent of the population illiterate in 2013? If the government money was going towards education, you would see less kids on the streets and more in schools and reading books.
Moroccans have limited choices when it come to their educational field unless their family has money and they are sent to the best Moroccan private schools. Even in this case, the "best schools" are the best according to Moroccan standards, but to my standards the schools can be doing more for their students.
This topic was discussed with some lovely, lovely Moroccan students of mine. One of my favorites, Yassine, was clearly so upset as evidence by him mixing his English words together. He said that the government has used that money at their own leisure for things less important than education. It is clear that government allocates their money to buildings and construction. For example, they spent billions on the Hassan II mosque. Yes, it a religious building, but was it necessary to make the largest mosque in Africa? Did they have to spend that amount of money when they have half of the population not knowing how to read or write?
From a cultural perspective, it does not seem that surprising to me because Moroccans care very much about presentation and showing off rather than showing up/committing/and educating. This is not good for the population as a whole because it draws their attention away from important principles of life onto superficial material things.
When I speak to Moroccans who care so much about their education and those who would jump at the opportunity to receive an education abroad- I can’t help, but extreme disappointment with the knowledge of the corruption in third world countries. towards their country not meeting their educational needs and wants. For example, my friend wants to become a writer, but her degree is in business and she feels discouraged because she would like to pursue her writing abroad, but the educational opportunity here is limited. Applying for a visa and going abroad is a whole other process and Moroccans are family oriented. They would rather stay in their country and receive the education rather than going abroad.
There needs to be significant improvement in this system if the country wants to see its people succeed. Success is not about material gain, but about living in your purpose and pursuing your dreams, passions, and interests.
While there is a high amount of poverty in the country-it does not mean that these children do not deserve an education. They are street smart and highly resourceful leading to a life of crime rather than pursuing a passion. Those who are wealthy feel that completing their pillar of charity giving food once a month is enough. Community needs to be created within the country by higher interaction between the rich and poor to realize that one person is not superior by material status. Those who are wealthy in Morocco usually come from the background or little to no education. They can relate to their own people, but they choose to run around in a Range rover and dress like a Prince.
Educating those from these populations can help them believe in their selves and have a desire to get out of their circumstances and be role models for their community. Without awareness and commitment from government, I am afraid this problem will still persist and Moroccan children will continue to suffer.
Often we get the question, “What do you do?” and usually people respond with one response. “I am a doctor, I am a lawyer, and I am a social worker.” As I get older and wiser, I realize I do not want to define myself by one title because I have multiple interests and talents and all of us do on various levels. These talents, abilities, strengths may be similar or vary greatly. For many, there may be one common denominator and mine is people.
I love philosophy, history, art, photography, therapy, and education. All of these are connected between living and breathing and people. Capturing moments, feeling alive, and being of service to others, making connections in history, and connecting with peoples real experiences in art and photography. What is your common denominator?
Who said we have to define ourselves in one certain manner? We are human beings with various interests and we should be able to pursue them all. I recently talked with an amazing fellow Chicagoan and she was talking about Dubai and being able to explore your creativity, ideas, and goals.
In Dubai, you can have your ideas come to real life with financing and property given. In America, many have creative ideas that are stuck in a bubble because “they do not have the money” or they are afraid to break free from the socially constructed 9-5. It is a shame because people of all races, economic statuses, and cultures have great ideas, but they are not supported by America. Not just in America, but cultures all over prevent human beings from growth and are not empowering them to grow. America lets you think outside of the box and explore your dreams, but it does not give you money to do it. Dubai supports their people, which creates a wonderland of creations. An underwater hotel, the tallest skyscraper, snow in the dessert? It is letting people take creativity to the highest level.
Do not let your career consume your being. You might be blessed to be working a job that is your passion or it may just be a paycheck. Explore your real interests, passions, strengths, and skills. Maybe you love hiking/trekking and you think a lot about being a tour guide-then go try it out for a few months. Your job will not let you take the time off? Then quit or keep the job and work on your passion part time, but your passion deserves your full time attention. Crunching numbers, financial analysis, IT, and marketing is not going there. It will always be there for you, especially if you have the education and experiences to back it up.
We have to come up with new, fresh ways to respond to our being. Any ideas, thoughts? Do you get tired of answering the same question, "What do you do??” Most people do not ask you after that question, "Are you happy?" "Do you enjoy it?" My belief is that your job response is frequently associated with your identity-who are you are as a person. This does not have to be the case. Explore your interests, talents, abilities, and redefine yourself. Next time you are asked this question-share what you really love and what you are truly passionate about, but if you are living in your passion-awesome- keep living in your purpose!=)
I have met people who are so well connected, they could probably help me get a job in multiple fields. It is overwhelming the amount of social networking that goes on and how people come in and out of your lives leaving footprints on your heart, leaving your mind stimulated/changed, inspiring, empowering, and educating you.
This is what makes traveling so amazing-THE INTERPERSONAL INTERACTION. I cannot reinforce this point anymore. It is NOT about drinking, partying, touristy destinations place to place, etc. These things come along time to time and it is fine, but that is not what the traveling is about.
The opportunity comes my way from country to country and it just about finding that job where I can travel all over and follow a mission that is meaningful. I have wonderful people asking me to stay longer in various cities and offering to help me find work or build connections. But I have my own mission when traveling, which is inspiring and empowering others to believe in their purpose and passion. People laugh when they hear my email and without me currently being connected to a corporate job people just think I am going around partying and watching the clouds.
On a daily basis, I have meaningful interactions with people and acknowledge them as human beings. While this is not important to most people, it is important to me and this mission of mine is not documented, but maybe it should be so people can understand the importance of believing in your purpose and educating others on their potential.
I am never alone and I am floating among seas and seas of opportunity… I have no fear about finding a job or not having money anymore. I am learning to let go of the focus on materialism and that is when good things come your way. Focusing on money creates stress and rather than stress- I just want happiness
