WHERE THE HELL HAVE I BEEN ft. Support My Other Content Outlets!!!!

   The title exemplifies mostly my own anger towards myself for not posting regularly. It has mainly been a combination of things that have held me back from posting here. But you don't want to hear excuses.
   Instead, I'd like to direct you towards some other things that I've been working on recently! I hope you check them out to support me as I try to increase and diversify my online presence!

• I recently became a Contributor for the Huffington Post, and have written two articles so far! Check those out here:
• First Article: 'Does Donald Trump Really Represent Change?'
• Second Article: 'Minorities: Should We Make Space For Those Who Excluded Us?'

• I also started a YouTube channel this year! I have tons of really great videos planned, especially for the beginning of 2017, so definitely tune into what I have already uploaded, and subscribe to be the first to know when my next videos roll out!--->click here!

   I'm so excited to be able to share my thoughts in a variety of different ways! I would really appreciate it if you guys supported me with views and likes!!! (:

Does Africa Have Dialects or Languages??

  First of all, an apology is warranted; I've been sooo bad at updating. But that doesn't mean that I've been neglecting sharing my ideas online entirely--I'll let you guys know ways you can see what I've been doing recently in my next post. Please check it out to support me!!

  So what I wanted to briefly let you guys know is about how to steer clear of ignorance when it comes to verbal communication in Africa.

  It's truly startling that I still have people approach me and inquire whether I can click my tongue, or if I can speak 'African". So I'll address this first: THERE IS NO SUCH LANGUAGE AS AFRICAN. STOP SAYING IT.

  If you even think about it for a moment, does it make any sense for an entire continent to speak a single language? For countries that have different histories, backgrounds, cultures and identities that happen to occupy the same giant landmass to all speak one language?? Of course not. That's like me asking a French person if they can speak European--it doesn't add up in the least.

  The more excusable mistake is when I am asked if I can speak "Nigerian". Don't get me wrong--it's still ignorance, but in this case, an understandable form. Since in Germany they speak German and in Russia they speak Russian, I can understand this mistake. However, I must inform you that this is a wrong assumption. As far as Nigeria is concerned, there are 520 living languages in the nation (is actually 527, but 7 of them are extinct). Imagine--that's just in one country out of 54. I'm not asking anyone to go learn about each of them--I simply want you all to understand and acknowledge that there are many, many, many languages spoken within the African continent, and one shouldn't assume anything when asking an African about which one they speak.

   This leads nicely into today's topic of discussion. When I have told such things to people, they always ask, 'Are they languages, or just dialects?'

  And in my opinion, they are indeed distinct languages. Of course, I'm no linguistics expert, and I can't speak for every African language, but from my experience, what outsiders are assuming to be related dialects are actually different language.

  Generally, the main criterium for determining if spoken communication methods are languages or dialects is whether they are "mutually intelligible"--that is, whether individuals who speak them can understand each other.

   Of course, this criterium get confusing, because "understanding" is a very vague term. For instance, while I was in the Dominican Republic, I met people from Mexico, Venezuela, Spain--all Spanish-speaking countries like the D. R., but they said they had trouble communicating, especially with listening. And then you have instances like with Danish and Norwegian--while they are considered mutually intelligible, they are still considered different languages.

   This being said, I suppose that the question presented previously is a valid one. I of course have not come in contact with all 520 Nigerian languages, talk less those of the rest of the continent, but here's what I can tell you from my experience.

   I speak 'Edo' (not to be confused with Japan's Edo), which is sometimes referred to as Benin (not to be confused with the nation Benin). However, I cannot understand Yoroba, Igbo, Hausa, Fulani, etc. Last year I went to a traditional Nigerian wedding that was conducted entirely in Yoroba; I had no clue what was going on, and spent the entire time having my mother and aunt translating for me (they both speak Yoroba). There are some exceptions to this, though. I remember once I spoke Benin to my mother in front of an Esan speaker, and he understood exactly what I said. Turns out, this is because they both belong to the Edoid language family. However, Edo and Esan remain separate languages, as do Yoroba, Igbo, and the others. 

   I hope this explanation is clear enough to display the true diversity of languages within Africa. The continent's tragic history unfortunately overshadows the wealth of culture that is held within it (however, its wealth in natural resources never goes unnoticed by those ready to exploit it.......but that's another conversation). Please feel to comment anything you'd like to say or add!

   

Short Story: Captivated

          

            I never thought I could be so captivated.

            And I never thought that I could get so turned on…by mere words.

            She just does everything so intellectually. Every word, every vowel that leaves her mouth is coated with knowledge, and you can hear it, too. She is constantly leaving me in a state of awe and intellectual inadequacy, but I don’t mind it; because I feel that simply being in her presence makes me a more informed individual, and makes me feel like knowledge is the most dominant force in the universe, and that if I just stay by her side long enough, I too can one day exist in the blissful state of intelligence with her.

            Most of the time, she does all the talking. And really, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Not only does it give me a chance to learn things, but also it is just the sexiest thing in the world to listen to her display her knowledge, and I wouldn’t dare interrupt it.

            She thinks I’m an ignorant conservative moron because I always have the television tuned to FOX News when she’s at my place. But really, I do that on purpose. Because she sits in front of the TV, listens to what they say and lashes out in retaliation at what the news reporter is talking about. I always just sit back and watch as she lays out informed arguments and points out loopholes in their statements by quoting people and other sources, all the while not forgetting to intertwine some less politically-correct insults into her rants (among her favorites being “ignorant fuckers”).

            And I always say and do things that I know will provoke her into a rant, just so I can be mesmerized all over again by her demonstration. I only have to put a drop in the ocean—something as subtle as “Congress will surely get the job done” or “Nice one, Obama administration” can send her into her informative speech-giving mode. And you would think that it would be annoying being talked to by her like that all the time, but it’s the complete opposite. She educates me of the world around me, pushes me to see the undersides of different issues, and helps me to be an all-around more informed citizen of the world.

            But it’s not just politics that she is well-versed in. It’s everything. She is such a junkee for knowledge that she finds information about all kinds of subjects, from whatever sources she can. Like different cultures. It’s always the sexiest thing when we go to a Korean or Romanian restaurant, and she just starts ordering in that language. It’s especially satisfying when the waiter is of the same ethnicity of the type of food served in the restaurant, and she can just casually have a mini-conversation in the native language. I never have any idea what she says, but they get so impressed. And although I’m the one at the table that ends up being left out, I can’t help but to beam with satisfaction, because that’s my girl.

            Based on what I’ve said, you would think that she is an extremely arrogant individual. But it’s really quite the contrary. She’s the most humble person I’ve ever met. She doesn’t pretend to know things when she doesn’t, because she is just as passionate about learning as she is about teaching. She also does things in a very particular manner. She’ll never say, “You’re wrong”. Instead she’ll say, “I do respect your opinion, however I strongly believe that…” And she has NEVER uttered the words “I told you so”. Instead, I hear her say, “I’m glad we came to a factual conclusion; now we can both move on from this experience as more informed individuals of the society”. Like, who the fuck says that? It’s things like this, and how she thoroughly thinks through every word and every statement that crosses her lips, that make me fall for her every time she speaks.

            And as much as I love having her all to myself, it’s just as great to see her interact with other people. It’s as if every interaction she has with people leaves them with more information that they initially had. It’s always the most pleasing to see the facial expressions of those who meet her for the first time. It is the result of mixed feeling from just being mind-fucked—the same one I had when I first talked to her. The way she carries herself in public, and presents herself to strangers, to me, is impeccable. Her overflowing confidence carries them away from the moment she shakes their hand, and their thoughts get wound up in confusion from the moment she states her name. All throughout the conversation, they’ll be struggling to keep up with her, but at the end, you can tell that they are ready to get back in line for another ride. That’s just the kind of charisma she has, and I, probably along with many others, am absolutely addicted to it.

            It’s because of all these things that I am so lucky to be with her. To be the one who (*whom) she always grammatically corrects. To be the one she snuggles up to and whispers foreign phrases in my ear. To be the one she sends historical quotes to throughout the day. To be the one that she is not afraid of being vulnerable with, and doesn’t mind sharing her insecurities and worries with. To just be the one that is her eternal student—and I don’t plan on moving from my desk anytime soon.

Being Courteous of Differences

  I still have yet to understand how two individuals can be living completely separate lives, inflicting no harm on anyone, and yet one party finds the need to attack the lifestyle of the other.
  This speaks to larger issues happening in the world (i.e. Christians vs. law-abiding Muslims, gay marriage, ect.), but honestly, I am talking about the little stuff right now.
  A man wearing a Speedo on the beach. A woman allowing her young son to grow his hair down to his shoulders. A person living off the grid.
  As far as I see it, as long as no undue harm is being imposed on other individuals, I have no right to be speaking poorly about another person's life choices. So what if the elderly man wants to wear a speedo on the beach?? Let him live. (Additionally, I'm sure there are many who would speak against me wearing my bikini on the beach, so I'm in no position to attack anyone else's beach bod.)
  Another thing that deters me from doing this is energy.
  Here's something that most people wouldn't guess about me: I am extremely lazy. Not in the sense that I won't do work and other things that need to get done, but in the sense that I will strategically plan in order to minimize the amount of energy I have to expend on a feat. If I need to go above and beyond, no problem. But the moment I feel that there is no need to do that anymore, I withdraw that energy.
  This being said, I tend to be picky with what I put my energy into. And in my mind, judging people for their lifestyle habits is not one way I want to use it.

  Those are just my most recent thoughts. Let me know if you have any thoughts about this!

RIP Alton Sterling, Philando Castile

  Last night, I went to sleep with a lot on my mind, and at the top of it, two words: Alton Sterling.
  This morning, I woke up to find another name: Philando Castile.
  There's something wrong in this country.
  We just celebrated another US Independence Day, and as I scrolled through my Instagram feed, I couldn't bring myself to like the pictures of groups of cis white males sporting beers and American flag shorts. Because the only ones who truly enjoy those freedoms that our nation was founded on, are people who look exactly like them.
  Apparently, it isn't enough to have systematic barriers against our education, employment, housing, and standards of living in general. No, there has to be systematic barriers against our mere existence; with the law enforcement officials being the ones playing judge, jury and executioner.

  Regarding specifically the two cases that just occurred in these past few days, they both allegedly involved the victim carrying a firearm.
  And perhaps I am mistaken, but isn't that the same issue that so many Americans have been arguing about? The "war on guns"? Did the NRA forget that killing an individual simply for having a weapon is also an attack on Americans' right to own a firearm? Or did I forget that the amendment that the organization bases its existence on is a decree that, in its inception, only applied to the white men that occupy the nation...?

  When considering our state of racial affairs, I can't help but to look at other recent systematic killings of specified groups of people--think Rwanda and Burundi with the Tutsi, Iraq with the Kurdish people, Bosnia with its Muslim population, ect. And a common aspect of them are that these systematic killings were for the most part sanctioned by some segment of a government, be it the ruling party or a revolutionary administration. However, this doesn't seem to be the case with the occurrences in the United States. It is terrifying to think that it isn't a political regime or campaign that is carrying out these killings, but individuals...which lends itself to say that it is the culture that is the driving force of these heinous acts. To me, that means that something is wrong with the way the American culture views people of color, specifically the black population. Of course, what is happening in our nation is nowhere near the scale of what happened other nations like the ones I named above (unless you are counting the mass incarceration of blacks); but from my perspective, the resemblance is striking.


 My head hurts and my heart aches.

Just Say It: I'm Black

  This post is in reference to something that I have taken a notice of in the recent years. On more than one occasion, when in conversation and some other person is talking about a classmate or a professor that I don't know, or can't remember the name of a celebrity, I do the most sensible thing that would be likely to result in a proper identification: I ask them to describe the individual.
  This often happens:
  "Well...he is tall. Pretty built, but with lean muscle. He has black hair, and has a big booming laugh."
  But then, when speaking of a different person, the same person may use the following description:
  "You know, tall lanky white guy, salt-and-pepper colored beard, always wearing a cowboy hat? You've definitely seen him; you can't miss him." [Points to those who know who this is describing.]

  Do you spot the difference in these descriptions? When it comes to black people (and perhaps this could be expanded to any other visible ethnic/racial minority), there seems to be a hesitation to call the person 'black'.
  Perhaps this is a result of the advancement of political correctness in our American society. And that's not to say that political correctness is a bad thing; but I do speculate on why it has created such a hesitant environment in regards to race that, from what I have experienced, is rather one-sided.
  So here's my two cents on the topic.
  First of all, I want to assert that it is not offensive to call an individual black. While I reject the concept of race, it is an ever-present part of our society that I can disagree with, but cannot ignore. Despite the fact that I identify as Nigerian, the American government decided decades ago what I was to be categorized as, and that's the box I fill in for every document that inquires about my racial background: 'Black'.
  Secondly, don't try to avoid saying 'black' by saying 'African-American'.
  This is one misconception that I think Americans have. They get so used to the idea that 'African-American' is the politically-correct analog of 'black', and thus identify all black individuals with that term. But not ever person living in the States is an 'African-American'; there are black people from all parts of the world. And sure, if we trace back far enough, all blacks are of African descent, but if we are using that calculus, then we all are Africans, regardless of skin color.
  Let's be sincerely honest here. Black people don't have a problem being called black. It's the other historically-charged slurs like nigger, coon, darkey, and others that we find problematic, as well as the association of our demographic group with stereotypes like uneducated, poverty, crime, ect. And FURTHER, it is the implications of these stereotypes that are most crippling for the black community--that is, the numerous deaths of black bodies by the hands of law enforcement; the heafty jail sentences dealt disparagingly to black law offenders; and others.
  So here's what I'm saying: don't shy away from the term. In my opinion, it isn't offensive, so there shouldn't be any fear or hesitation in calling people who are black, 'black'. And if you still aren't comfortable with that, you can do what is even better than what I've called for here--and that's simply asking the person, "What do you identify as?" That avoids any mix-ups, and is sure to make both parties comfortable with the term used to address one another.
  Thanks for reading, and make sure to share and comment!

My Most Recent Pet Peeve: PICK A FUCKING COUNTRY

  Recently, I have noticed that I get terribly annoyed with a particular reference that people use way too often.
  And it lies with one word: Africa.
  Whenever people want to refer to one thing or another that ties into one country or region of the continent, they for some strange reason find it to be more descriptive to just say that it occurs "in Africa".
  Excuse my language, but WHAT DOES THAT FUCKING MEAN?
  Does that mean that something is prevalent in the bustling towns of southwestern Nigeria? Or in the mountain-carved regions of northern Sudan? Or perhaps that refers to the rain forests of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, or maybe the Namib Desert that resides in Namibia (WOW, look at that, there are deserts other than the Sahara; the more you know!).
  Perhaps you see what I'm getting at. You cannot, cannot, CANNOT keep referring to the whole continent when talking about specific things. Each nation is distinct, with its own identity and its own people, culture, and history, and by lumping them all together does a disservice to that diversity, as well as allows the rest of the world get away with the ignorance that lies behind the use of this broad categorization.
  Honestly, I much prefer that you to just PICK A  FUCKING COUNTRY. Like truly. It is probably not far from the truth that some issues are present in some place, in some form in every African country. Like healthcare access disparities (I mean, this issue is even present right here at home in the US). To me, it sounds much more intelligent and much less ignorant to speak of healthcare issues occurring in Malawi than to just hand-wave it and say that it is occurring "in Africa" (for the record, I do know of specific healthcare issues that exist in Malawi). This being said, the even more intelligible thing is to do some research before you open your mouth to make the lazy 'Africa' claim. If you want to say that something is happening somewhere, FIND THAT PLACE WHERE IT IS HAPPENING. So simple. Especially in these times, when we can access information within seconds. (And don't worry; Google is much more forgiving than I am when it comes to these things.)
  Thanks for reading, and please share this if you enjoyed this.

Why President Obama (or any other American President) Does Not Have To Apologize For The WW2 Nuclear Bombings of Japan

  Last week, the United States President Barack Obama visited the Hiroshima Peace Memorial in Hiroshima, Japan and delivered a speech. He is the first sitting US President to visit the city. There were many questions raised as to whether or not the President should offer an apology for the bombings that occurred 71 years ago.
  For those of you who are a bit rusty on your US history: on August 6, 1945 the United States dropped an atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima, followed by the release of a second bomb three days later on Nagasaki, Japan.
  Now, let me tell you what I will and won't do here. What I won't do is debate the merits of detonating the bombs in the first place. There are longstanding arguments as to whether it was necessary to carry out the bombings, with valid points raised on each side. And as much as you all know that I love talking about WWII, I'm not going to touch that side of this topic. Way too messy.
  What I am more immediately interested in is the many calls for President Obama to apologize to Japan for the United States' decision to drop the bombs which resulted in the death of tens of thousands of Japanese people in the process.
  Let me make something clear: I in no way, shape, form or fashion am in support of the use of weapons of mass destruction. However, I stand firmly by my opinion, which is that there is no place for an apology on President Obama's part.
  To see things from my perspective, you have to have an intricate understanding of WWII. And lucky for you guys, I have an unhealthy obsession with that particular time period, so I can give you a tiny bit of that insight right here(:
  To me, the most vital thing that must be understood is that if the United States did not use the atomic bomb first, someone would have. Let me repeat: IF THE US HADN'T USED THE A-BOMB FIRST, SOMEONE ELSE WOULD HAVE DONE IT. Why do I seem so comfortable making such assertions? Because it is true. By the 1940s German scientists were already hard at work to perfect a nuclear weapon, with Russia trying to pursue such technologies as well. Of course we only know one course of history, so it it terribly hard to imagine what would have occurred if the Nazis had been the ones to use that technology first, and how that would have effected how we know life in the world as it is.
  Under this calculus, I see no need for any apology. It was a last resort action, that likely would have occurred through one course of action or another at that point in time. It is ignorant of me to say that the way that it occurred was the best, since I have no knowledge of what it would have been like otherwise, but considering what the other regimes at that time stood for, I'm glad that it didn't happen any other way.
  Now thankfully, our current commander-in-cheif handles himself with such grace and charisma, that he blew me off his feet by how he addressed the bombings and the aftermath they left on the Japanese and their nation. He spoke of the lives that were lost with great respect and remorse, while highlighting how far we have come, and how far we as humans have to go in order to ensure that nuclear technologies don't result in more catastrophic future consequences. I can't imagine any better way to go about it. His demeanor towards the entire situation was truly remarkable, and while he did not apologize, I think that the words he spoke held far greater weight and importance than 'I'm sorry' could ever capture.
  Thanks for reading.

New Adventure: Punta Cana, Republica Dominicana

  I have found that as I get older, I began exhibiting the very habit that I detest so much: constantly saying that I will do something, and never doing it. It makes me cringe to think that I am falling into this routine, especially considering that my mother did it to me so much growing up. From dog promises to DisneyWorld visits we never took, she was good at never keeping her word on doing things. And as I get older, I have been catching myself doing the same: saying I will do something, and letting days go by with only excuses and justifications, and no actions.
  So I've decided to change my ways, starting with one passion that I also took from my mother: traveling. I love learning about new cultures, and I have been itching to transverse the numerous countries of the world just as my mother did at my age. And considering that my closest counterparts have recently been traveling all around to places like Iceland, Nepal, Austria and Hong Kong, I have to say that I am a little envious of them, and eager to have some experiences for myself.
  Up until now, I have only traveled to Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates. So I'm looking to expand my viewpoints and meet some awesome people in the process...and that will be starting with the lovely Dominican Republic.
  I was fortunate enough to land an internship opportunity studying medicinal plant usage in la Republica Dominicana. So for the next 8weeks, I'll be periodically documenting my time here, as well as trying to keep abreast with other issues of the world. Hopefully by doing this, I will not only share my experiences with others, but also be able to reflect on those experiences in a manner that maximizes their positive influence onto me as a person.
  So keep checking in for updates on my DR adventure!