Travel isn’t Colorblind…So Get Out and Get Yours!

I was recently enjoying a relaxed Saturday morning complete with a full breakfast of Southwest scrambled eggs, bacon and spiced chai. I had my laptop right beside me revved up and ready to peruse the internet for websites and articles of interest. I was praying that the internet gods would shine a light on me and allow me to log onto Facebook and other China blocked websites with relative ease. Fortunately, I was granted partial, not full access and before things totally cut out, one of my favorite Black travel bloggers had a link to an article by another Black travel blogger about the lack of black faces in the mainstream travel media.

I was curious, so I found the article and read it through comments and all. The article was discussing the recent White House Travel Blogger Summit (I never knew such a thing existed until that moment); an event that invited the top 100 people of the travel media in the U.S. The goal of the summit was to encourage American youth to become global citizens through volunteering, studying or working abroad.

According to this travel blogger, there were no black speakers invited to this event since all the photos the blogger saw were of white people (According to a commenter on that blog, this was false since the commenter  was in attendance at the event and it turned out there were a few Black speakers present). 

To be honest, I wasn’t blown away by anything the travel blogger had to say, in fact, it sounded like the same ol’ song I’ve been hearing on repeat for the past few years-The lack of black faces in the mainstream and it isn’t fair right. I guess I’ve become numb to such kind talk and instead of being

angry/upset/annoyed etc. I just feel meh…

I guess the reason for my apathetic feelings is because  I don’t expect the rest of the world to play fair /equal/accepting; not even the highest place in America. With a half Black president in the White House, some would come to the conclusion that the event would be more diverse, with a large number of Black speakers in attendance.  Obviously, folks haven’t been watching this administration that closely or they wouldn’t be acting this surprised (that’s something for a whole other blog post).

And while the point of this summit was to get the American youth interested in being a “global citizen,” I’ve come to the conclusion that they were probably trying to appeal to a certain demographic which happens to be…

White/Middle to Upper class/ College bound/enrolled/ or graduated…

Now, before anyone gets carried away, I’m not accusing the leaders of this summit of being racist. What I’m pointing out is the simple fact that a global traveler in America, especially the notion of being a “global citizen” is often times assumed to belong to the face of a White (Liberal) American. Now, historically, this was true, but in the recent decade, I’ve seen a number of Black travelers/ study abroad students/ and travel bloggers in growing numbers. However, other people may not know or realize this or if they do, they may not care to acknowledge it. I will also say something that’s been my experience while traveling:

Some may not be too happy about it...

 As someone who has traveled for a few years now, I’ve learned that travel (especially one that involves trans-Atlantic or farther), when it comes to other Americans, is something reserved for White people. While something as simple (or complicated depending on how you look at it) as travel shouldn’t be exclusionary, or have a racial undertone, I’ve found in my experience the opposite to be true.

 I’ve encountered the funny looks, comments and even downright rudeness for entering travel spaces which were apparently reserved for enlightened, liberal, colorblind white folks (yes, I’ve always laughed at the irony). While the majority of Americans I’ve met have been cordial or even excited to see another American, I’ve noticed a fair number of people (especially in Asia) weren’t too keen to see me in “their spaces.”

Luckily for me, I never let those people deter me from my travel path. If I encountered someone of that kind, I would cordially excuse myself/busy myself and keep it moving. No amount of ignorance was going to keep me from enjoying my well-earned vacation or working abroad experience.

So what am I trying to say?

Black people…please realize that life isn’t fair. Instead of moaning about things/people/ institutions being too exclusive, start forging your own path. Stop waiting on the media or the government to give Black people a voice, because... “that ain’t gonna happen cap’n!”

 Lastly, if you see another Black person in the travel world who’s product/service/writing has inspired you or helped you, pay it forward and support that person (I will emphasize if you agree with them, not just blind support based on race).

I guess what I’m trying to say that if you’re black and you’re interested in travel, currently traveling, thinking about a career in travel media or, are firmly in travel media, my advice would be to seek out other like-minded people on that path.  If you want to study or work abroad, find alumni from your high school, college or university who have been/are currently abroad. If you want to get into travel media, start making moves and network with other people in this arena if your goal is to expand your brand or, be successful in this business. 

Send your support to other Black people who are doing the travel/study/work abroad thing. Comment or reblog their posts; purchase their podcast or merchandise; simply spread the word about these other Black platforms to give them well needed (and hopefully) deserved exposure.  

So dear readers, realize that you have the power and stop begging for scraps. It’s a new day, a new world and a new time out here and the determined/innovative/hard-working are going to get the spoils.

Well, that all for now, tune in next time to hear about my upcoming travel plans for 2015!

Holiday Time in China: Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day

Red Lanterns are out for Mid-Autumn Festival

Hello and welcome back to another installment of my blog! I've been very busy over the last couple of weeks with my new job, living matters, and finally, social matters (experiencing all that Shanghai has to offer and believe me, this could take awhile). At the end of September/ early October, China had two important national holidays: The Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day which I was able to experience like a native (meaning days off and consuming traditional food just like a local). Read on to find out more about these holidays.


 Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋节):

Celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th month on the lunar calender (Mid September to Mid October on the Gregorian calender, this year it fell on September 30th), the Mid-Autumn Festival is a very old, yet revered holiday in China.   Families across China gather together on this day and exchange stories, consume a traditional meal; drink tea; and indulge themselves on moon cakes under the light of the full moon.

A very, very large moon cake

Moon cakes are pretty much the star of the Mid Autumn Festival holiday.  Moon cakes are medium sized pastries traditionally filled with lotus seed or red bean paste. Moon cakes come in a variety of fillings and flavors, mostly nuts and fruits, but in recent years, there have been some interesting flavors such as ice cream.

Lotus Seed Flavor-these were $50USD per box

Even Dairy Queen got into the Moon Cake Spirit!

Starting as early as August, stores and bakeries begin advertising the availability of moon cakes and the Chinese go wild! They can be found individually wrapped and sold or, in a box set of six or more.  Prices range from a mere 30 cents all the way up to several hundred dollars for fancy box sets or incredibly large ones. During my first few weeks here, I couldn't help but notice many people walking around with bags and boxes of moon cakes. I was fascinated and eager to try one, but I patiently waited until the  holiday time to make my move (my workplace graciously bestowed me with one before the vacation).

Moon Cake display at one of the shopping centers

In terms of taste, I found some varieties to be a bit more edible than others. I was enjoying a five nut flavor until I noticed a walnut and I immediately had to dispose of it (I'm allergic to walnuts), and unfortunately, I missed out on the ice cream ones.  Overall, it was an interesting experience and  when in China, do as the Chinese do and (try to) eat what the Chinese eat!

A moon cake parting gift from an expat dinner I attended

National Day(国庆节):
Celebrated on October 1st, National Day celebrates the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC) by Mao Zedong.  Since the PRC was founded on October 1, 1949, this year marked the 63rd anniversary.  Around Shanghai, I saw displays commemorating the anniversary which ranged from posters, garden displays and musical performances on t.v. On National Day, the streets were full of people carrying flags, wearing red, and fireworks.

63rd Anniversary Commemoration Display

How did I spend these holidays?
 To be honest I didn't do much. On Mid Autumn Festival night, I had dinner with friends (which turned into a sleepover) and consumed a couple of mini moon cakes I had purchased earlier that day (which were not that great tasting). For National Day, I slept in, heard fireworks (I could not locate them) and spent the night singing loads of songs at  KTV (Karaoke) which was incredibly fun.




Well, that's all for now. Thanks for reading and leave some comment love :)

Book Review: Why You’re Not Married Yet...The Straight Talk You Need to Get the Relationship You Deserve

Background: Author Tracy McMillan wrote this book as a follow up to her popular, yet controversial article by the same title that appeared on the Huffington Post last year (click here for the original article).  Despite the praise and criticism the article received, one thing was for certain that many people were interested in what she had to say; thus, she detailed her original six reasons and added four additional reasons to explain the reason why you may not be married yet.

According to McMillan, this book “isn’t so much about getting a husband as it is about shifting your perspective on being a wife.”

 My Thoughts:

 Nothing brings out more animosity in women than hearing why they’re single (okay, maybe weight).  Many women will bemoan the fact that they do everything right, yet still find themselves kissing frog and after frog with the elusive Prince Charming nowhere in sight. I understand this sentiment; hell, I used to think just like this. But after some deep reflection and constructive criticism, I realized that there are definitely some things I can work on when it comes to communicating my romantic interest to the opposite sex.

Despite the author’s sometimes annoying humor and tone of her writing, I managed to extract some valuable information from the book. In chapter nine, McMillan says the reason why you’re not married yet is because “you’re a dude.” She makes some excellent points on how the current culture encourages women to be strong and independent, leaving men as an option or an accessory. McMillan says to counteract this attitude; a woman needs to tap into her feminine energy since heterosexual men are attracted to feminine women. There’s nothing wrong with wanting your own and supporting yourself; however, if a woman is looking to enter into a long term relationship or marriage with a man, she needs to learn that a man wants to feel needed and appreciated.

Another interesting point that McMillan makes is that you’re not married yet because you’re too selfish.  A woman needs to understand that marriage essentially means living and sharing a space with another person; thus, you must factor in that persons’ comfort along with your own.  This is something I’ve been pondering lately and frankly, it’s the number one reason I’m not actively searching for a mate.  I’ll be honest; my desire to travel is top priority right now and while one can make the argument that I should find someone with a similar desire, I know the life I lead would not mesh well with a large segment of eligible suitors. So, I will remain faithful to my first love which is my passport :)

The biggest take away from the book is that you need to love and embrace yourself before entering a marriage.  A woman must seriously evaluate her life and during this assessment, she should make any necessary improvements to bring out her best self.  Furthermore, McMillan makes a very valid point, that marriage is a partnership, not a completion; thus, a woman should be comfortable with herself and the life she has before searching for someone else. 

In the end, “Why You’re Not Married Yet” is a quick, witty and interesting read for women who desire to get married.  Although some points of the book may be overly simplistic and a tad redundant, try and read this book with an open mind and focus on the parts of the book that are most beneficial to you. 

Photo Credit: amazon.com

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Book of the Momment: "Man Down"

One of my ideas for this blog besides writing about adventures and worldwide travels is to write a brief sypnopsis about a book of interest of the moment. As an avid reader and life long patron of public libraries, I will chronicle a book of the moment, hopefully a couple of times a months (depending on how busy I get). So without further ado here is my first "Book of the Momment": Man Down by Dan Abrams...

So after seeing a brief blurb about this book in a past issue of Glamour magazine; then after seeing the author on the Dr. Phil show (my blog = judgment free zone), some fate intervened in my life when the book stumbled upon me at my local public library.

To quickly summarize, the author writes a brief, informative book on how women are better than men in a variety of ways besides the universally well known ( i.e.: bathroom manners, living longer, and higher voter turnout), to current society changes (i.e.: Investors, Hedge Fund managers, and Gamblers). However, the book also discusses how women are better than men when it comes to activities and professions that are typically male dominated even in today's world, some of which I found to be a bit surprising (i.e.: women are better spies, video gamers, and bizarely, competitive eaters). To support his argument, the author supplies various results and statics from research and psychology studies in both controlled and non-controlled environments.

My overall opinion of the book is that it was interesting, easy to read, and a bit thought provoking. I completely agreed with the author on some things; such as how women have a better pain tolerance (childbirth and aunt Flo ring a bell) or how women have a better sense of smell. I found it interesting how Abrams uses various studies and statics to break some long held beliefs, such as, that women actually get over a break up quicker than men (his reasoning is that women turn to their social circle, were as men must remain men and keep their emotions inside...sounds pretty accurate). However, I found somethings to be a bit overkill and even a bit far-fetched in my opinion. In one chapter, Abrams discusses how women get dressed faster than men (even though he supports this argument with only one, brief survey that was conducted by the British pharmacy retailer Superdrug).

I guess my one large qualm about this book is that people will cite various passages and chapters from this book and use it as gospel. I feel as if lately in are society, women have this "I am better or stronger than man," or that women must be literally equal to men when it comes to every and everything which I frankly find a bit disturbing. I am by no means saying I should be treated less than a man when it comes to working, careers, or making large purchases (i.e.: getting hired, promotions, buying a car, home, or even laptop); on the other hand, I don't think that we can change thousands of years of evolutionary biology in a few generations as the media or even your fellow female peers may think. I won't bore you with a myriad of examples; however, Jersey Shore's Snooki comes to mind and all her travails of trying to hook up like one of the guys, only to look like a fool the morning after when she thinks she has finally met "the one," only to slowly realize that she was just a "lady of the late night" for one of her "juicehead" hook-ups (let this be the last time I ever reference that show).

In short, I suggest "Man Down" if you have a free afternoon to spare or as a nice book to read on your morning/afternoon commute.It will make you smile, laugh, and even ponder a bit on how women are not just good...but we're great!!!!