17/02/2014
So I really want to keep my blog going so what better way then to start from the beginning.
Lately my thoughts have been filling in and screaming write us down!! so here I am my 100th attempt of blogging but this time I'm much more inspired and have some thoughts I want to share,I guess its helpful way to keep a journal while I travel.
Who am I
I am a young woman from South Africa and currently have been travelling for a year and 3 months.
In no particular order I am a guitarist, singer, percussionist, performing artist, motivational speaker, poet, writer, chef and community activist fighting against women, children and youth abuse, fighting against human trafficking and many other things I believe are an injustice to freedom for all. .
Some of you know others not I left home a year and 4 months ago,I was invited to a conference in the United States in LA.
First time leaving the Mother continent,the previous year(2011) I had already started my journey, I want to Lesotho for a month which was a very empowering feeling having my passport stamped for the first time I had this grin on my face taking pictures of me crossing the border…until the police saw me and asked me to delete my picture (party poopers) any way that was the first time I travelled alone in a new country.
So when I got this invite to the United States I was like oh wow and when I received my visa and the years they gave me on my visa I was was like I am going to be gone for a long time.
My life long dream to travel has arrived and its really happening. 14 November 2012 my boyfriend drove me to the airport I had all sorts of feelings but mostly contenet,I hardly had any cash paid trip have accommodation all else was history.few hours up in the air we had to turn back because our airoplane was missing water the plane smelt like burning plastic. I was like really!! November 15 spent the whole day with my boyfriend he didn’t go to work waited with me to get a call which we waited the whole day for gave me enough time to repack J. We tried again eventually we left and I said goodbye to my familiar.
My trip was a round about our half way town was England my word what a huge airport how I wanted to explore in the hours we waited for the San Francisco flight I settled myself by making a promise I will be back England.
With the opportunity to travel I knew I wasn’t going to stay in America how could I,I have the opportunity to explore the world how could I settle, I had 2 awesome host families to stay with after the conference in LA. The families are from California one stays in Berkeley and the other in Oakland and I love Oakland all of it J.
I met really good people creative, professionals, Djs, business owners models etc it was just a good experience I was out to enjoy me being in a whole new kinda world seeing places I only have seen on tv or read about in books, I was taken a back. Even though it took me a week and few days to bravely get out the house alone( due the fear instilled by NCIS and Law and Order) I kinda thought American where crazy until I left the house and saw how beautiful Berkeley is.
Very artsy fartsy ,with a touch of underlined issues concerning race. I thought it was fuunnny how some people where constantly shocked that I am an African and speak English.” wow your English is good! Where did you learn it? aaah school! At first I use to say thank you and smile but after a while I was like well ye what can we say colonisation is a bitch!
My reality kicked in, yes I have hosts families but I can’t live off them.so there I was looking for work found my first job hated it and realised they just wanted to hire Mexicans that don’t speak English so they could exploit them and me I cant shut up in the face of injustice so I left. I finally got a job which was just perfect in a café; this job set my plan in motion to move from one country to another.
If ever you are in California go to Berkeley Guerilla Café they make the best waffles and cappuccino love that place the staff the owners, I would love to have that kind of establishment. I miss that cafe
If you looking for good fashion and beautiful ambiance while shopping check out Owl and Wood and I love the owner Rachel Konte beautiful soul.
When time came close to leave I realised I am not ready for America it was too much for me at that time,I was performing, organising events etc but I was not ready for so much abundance and I left some good friends whom I know I will see one day.
Few reasons fuel my journey
1. To see the greater world
2. To see how black people negotiate themselves in the spaces they find themselves, this is inspired by my search for identity of being black what does it mean what are the consequences of history and where are we now globaly as a race.( I shall write about this again based on the 3 countries I have been)
3. To share my music and poetry which has become a catalyst of me filling in the gap on certain things based on my understanding of Africa and my country and tribe.
4. To question is the world really as cruel and unloving as media portrays because I kept on feeling like we being lied to just so we could be kept in place.
So I continue moving it hasn’t been easy but it’s doable the world still has love and the truth is I am learning me I am defining and redefining me. Who I am , Who I think I am.I have met and continue meeting people who help me answer these questions.
Love and light
there was a lot to see I mean from when I went to the market for veg what I saw was beyond my imagination,our drive with Jackie from Cali to LA ,seeing Holywood and Beverly hills and sooooo much to see.....it was magical so while I figure out how to posts pics we will definatley add more
First time leaving the Mother continent,the previous year(2011) I had already started my journey, I want to Lesotho for a month which was a very empowering feeling having my passport stamped for the first time I had this grin on my face taking pictures of me crossing the border…until the police saw me and asked me to delete my picture (party poopers) any way that was the first time I travelled alone in a new country.
So when I got this invite to the United States I was like oh wow and when I received my visa and the years they gave me on my visa I was was like I am going to be gone for a long time.
My life long dream to travel has arrived and its really happening. 14 November 2012 my boyfriend drove me to the airport I had all sorts of feelings but mostly contenet,I hardly had any cash paid trip have accommodation all else was history.few hours up in the air we had to turn back because our airoplane was missing water the plane smelt like burning plastic. I was like really!! November 15 spent the whole day with my boyfriend he didn’t go to work waited with me to get a call which we waited the whole day for gave me enough time to repack J. We tried again eventually we left and I said goodbye to my familiar.
My trip was a round about our half way town was England my word what a huge airport how I wanted to explore in the hours we waited for the San Francisco flight I settled myself by making a promise I will be back England.
With the opportunity to travel I knew I wasn’t going to stay in America how could I,I have the opportunity to explore the world how could I settle, I had 2 awesome host families to stay with after the conference in LA. The families are from California one stays in Berkeley and the other in Oakland and I love Oakland all of it J.
I met really good people creative, professionals, Djs, business owners models etc it was just a good experience I was out to enjoy me being in a whole new kinda world seeing places I only have seen on tv or read about in books, I was taken a back. Even though it took me a week and few days to bravely get out the house alone( due the fear instilled by NCIS and Law and Order) I kinda thought American where crazy until I left the house and saw how beautiful Berkeley is.
Very artsy fartsy ,with a touch of underlined issues concerning race. I thought it was fuunnny how some people where constantly shocked that I am an African and speak English.” wow your English is good! Where did you learn it? aaah school! At first I use to say thank you and smile but after a while I was like well ye what can we say colonisation is a bitch!
My reality kicked in, yes I have hosts families but I can’t live off them.so there I was looking for work found my first job hated it and realised they just wanted to hire Mexicans that don’t speak English so they could exploit them and me I cant shut up in the face of injustice so I left. I finally got a job which was just perfect in a café; this job set my plan in motion to move from one country to another.
If ever you are in California go to Berkeley Guerilla Café they make the best waffles and cappuccino love that place the staff the owners, I would love to have that kind of establishment. I miss that cafe
If you looking for good fashion and beautiful ambiance while shopping check out Owl and Wood and I love the owner Rachel Konte beautiful soul.
When time came close to leave I realised I am not ready for America it was too much for me at that time,I was performing, organising events etc but I was not ready for so much abundance and I left some good friends whom I know I will see one day.
Few reasons fuel my journey
1. To see the greater world
2. To see how black people negotiate themselves in the spaces they find themselves, this is inspired by my search for identity of being black what does it mean what are the consequences of history and where are we now globaly as a race.( I shall write about this again based on the 3 countries I have been)
3. To share my music and poetry which has become a catalyst of me filling in the gap on certain things based on my understanding of Africa and my country and tribe.
4. To question is the world really as cruel and unloving as media portrays because I kept on feeling like we being lied to just so we could be kept in place.
So I continue moving it hasn’t been easy but it’s doable the world still has love and the truth is I am learning me I am defining and redefining me. Who I am , Who I think I am.I have met and continue meeting people who help me answer these questions.
Love and light
there was a lot to see I mean from when I went to the market for veg what I saw was beyond my imagination,our drive with Jackie from Cali to LA ,seeing Holywood and Beverly hills and sooooo much to see.....it was magical so while I figure out how to posts pics we will definatley add more
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