Morning on the Mountaintop

Years from now, I will look at my children and tell them that one day your mama was on a mountain top in Rwanda, East Africa planting trees. They will think I am a crazy mom, of course, but then I’ll show them these pictures and they will see that I ain’t so crazy. The journey to the mountaintop  marked the inauguration of a new youth group that would be committed to service.  I didn’t know that the walk would be so long. I didn’t know that it would actually be a hike. And lord knows I didn’t know it would be up a mountain. Nonetheless, I put on my standard, comfortable [and cute] clothes, my pretty, pink pumas and began the trek. There were times when I doubted my ability to make it through but I did.  The end was rewarding for many reasons: the physical experience, the confidence building aspect of it, and the ceremonial experience of tree-planting here in Rwanda. The students sang and danced as they planted the trees. Some sat down and chatted, but I think in general, everyone felt a sense of community. I am glad I made the journey. Can I change my name to mountaineer now?

mama, i made it 

leaving campus

this is when i realized that we were going up a mountain

we went beyond that bush in the background

two of my travel and tourism students looking awesome in their ranger gear! 

it was amazing to see that people live up these hills

my pumas: from panama to rwanda

The Rwandan government has made no mistake when it comes to investing in youth and instilling in them, the mindset that youth can and do have the ability to impact their country. Each time I am teaching a new group of students, they remind me that they understand their own power within society. My students, when asked why they have chosen to study, rarely have selfish or personal reasons; they always mention something about improving their country. It’s an interesting phenomenon, I would say. Really, it is. Say what you must, but they have got the youth empowerment thing figured out.

In just the two short months that I have been here, I have experienced quite a few things that compound my aforementioned observations. I sat in a presentation where some officials came by to discuss the role of democracy in society and how youth are a part of that equation. I went to the second year anniversary for the organization of students who are genocide survivors. To see the manner in which they regard themselves, the family they have created, and the dedication they have to upholding the legacy of the organization, is commendable. Finally, this week I was a part of an experience that reaffirmed one of the reasons why I do what I do. Who doesn’t want youth to journey to the mountaintop while sowing their seeds along the way, and becoming the voices of their generation?

student leaders addressing their peers, officials, and community members

everyone was in on the fun :)

chillin'

if this doesn't capture enjoyment, i don't know what does

to think: there's more to come folks!

*This blog (Bee's Backseat) is not an official Fulbright Program site.  The views expressed on this site are entirely those of its author and do not represent the views of the Fulbright Program, the U.S. Department of State or any of its partner organizations.

Thoughts for the Ride: 25

i promise that's my inner light. 25 and shinin'

I am so blessed to be me. And I mean that in the most humble Bintu way possible. Lol. No seriously.

I am thankful for so many things as I celebrate my quarter of a century milestone.

Each year, I learn a new thing, new lesson about myself on how to make myself better. Some things I have learned this year (the hard way) are too personal to share on this blog, that all of yall read lol. But among the shareable things, I am learning to let go and really, truly go with a flow.

You see sometimes, we get so caught up in this plan that we have for ourselves, that we do not listen to the omens, signs, answers that are given to us by whatever we believe. And when we set ourselves on a path without truly listening to our inner most thoughts and blessings, we might set ourselves up to miss other opportunities that are presented before us with an even better, cooler, more exciting option for us.

Recently, I had to make a big decision. So big because it would determine where I would spend the next few years of my life, well at least the next year or two.

I felt stressed. Sad. Anxious. Worried. I had to remind myself that it was a blessing to have both options in front me, yet still it wasn't an easy feat.

I prayed. Made a pros and cons list. Prayed. Meditated. Put cold water in a corner after talking over it for guidance from my loved ancestors. Asked my namesake (grandma Bintu Janneh) for her blessing and guidance. And talked to my parents about it. And prayed again. And finally, I listened. I weighed the things that were most important to me.

And with that, I was able to see that the opportunity I had in front of me was exactly what I had asked for at the beginning of this year.

I said somewhere, that all I wanted was a full-time job, one where I could sustain myself, continue to live my lifestyle abroad, and empower girls under a more professional guise. I want to take my passion for girls' empowerment to another level. I want to really use the skills that I know I have in a way that I have never used them before.

can't wait to see this reflection from the other side of the Atlantic :)

So I took a risk. I accepted the full time position to be English as an Additional Language co teacher. The catch, what I am really excited about, is that I am designing a club, just for girls from scratch. This time, internationally. Check me out!

And Godwilling, I will get to travel to the place where my heart has been since 1988, Sierra Leone. There I will visit my grandparents graves, pay my respects, cry a lot. But most importantly, facilitate a workshop or two for the second annual Girls Empowerment Summit in Sierra Leone.

Am I scared? Hell yes? I have absolutely no template for what I am trying to do. Well, sorta, kinda. I have it. In several word documents, but in a figurative sense, I have no template, because I am doing everything I do in a way that only I, Bintu, can do it.

A big risk indeed because my other option was much more planned out. But this---this is truly me.

I am continuing to live out my dreams, even if sometimes I forget what they were, they always come back to me.

So let's keep journeying through Panama, in a few months, I will give you lens from the perspective of girls’ empowerment internationally from two very different countries.

If I might say myself, I am goin' to do the damn thang (Godwilling)

(P.S. I am also working on believing in the value of my work in this new chapter)

Here's to Round 2 of Bee's Backseat in Panama!

Bee's 3 Step Guide to Going Abroad: LIVE!

Step 3---You made it! And so...

First thing’s first. There is a good ol' saying from Sierra Leone, that the people always tell the JCs ( a term for newly arrived visitors, especially those Sierra Leone natives living abroad). They say "Nah for put u rights nah u pocket." In translation, put your rights in your pocket. In translation again, forget about all them rights and rules and essentially all the order that you know to exist in the western world. It’s a serious thing, though, we laugh at it. But it is one thing I recommend for travelers. It speaks to the ability to adapt to your local environment. This will help you stay calm and not become frustrated in certain situations. Take it easy, take the country for what it is, try hard not to compare it to what you know and you will be able to get the best experience out of it. Do I like brushing my buttocks against passengers as I squeeze to through the cramped aisles to find a seat? No. Do I look forward enduring the odor of someone’s long day of hard work? Um, not exactly. But do I like paying only .25 cents to get somewhere?  Um, yes. $3.00 to the beach. Um, yes. So I take it for what it is and sacrifice. Learn how to do this and you are half way to having a blast! And truly delving into what the country has to offer.

-Check into a hostel, couch-surf, or stay with a friend in town. Some people look for places to live before hand. I would recommend crashing somewhere until you are hired or have established an area that you want to be in. You should get a feel for the country and decide where you could see yourself living. I stayed at a nice hostel in the older section of Panama City upon arrival. And I am actually planning to move back there in a few weeks.

-Once you arrive, ask where you can get a small/cheap cell phone with a local number. This should be done almost immediately.

-Once you get yourself a number, add your new local number to your cover letter and resume and then re-send your cover letter/resume to your list of school contacts. Watch the magic happen!

-Ask about ways to get around and start checking out the locations of these language schools. Get some copies of your package printed and then hand deliver them to schools/businesses. This shows that you are serious and the reality is that down here and in other parts of the world it is highly likely that you will not get a response via email. I won’t even begin to go in to the many reasons as to why non-response should be expected. #aintnobodygottimeforthat

-Be patient. Again. And Again.

-Go out. Meet people. Network. Tell them what you are doing. Indulge the people who will spend minutes and minutes talking to you you about how they are investing in some weird project and even the people who say they have been traveling for 7 months and are just passing through. Just indulge them. You might learn a thing or to, or find someone with whom you share similar interested. And besides, you never know what connects they might have.

-Don't be usin’ all your money juuuuuust yet. (Yes, I said it like that. It was appropriate)

-Make a list of things/experiences you want to have while in country.

Deep Ish:

Make a list of what you didn’t come here to do. And every time you find yourself trippin' look back at that list.

For me, I didn’t come to panama to work excessively, to be stressed, to have that day-to-day stress of office job-ness and I didn’t come here to drive. I came here to walk as much as I could and be driven. I also came here to write more, live more, and self-reflect about how to build my future.

And so far, I have done those things. I’ll be honest and say that I do get stressed, but it’s a different kind of stressed than when I was in the States. I have had a lot of time to do just those things. However, I am almost ready for what’s next. Stay tuned.

But in the mean time, start your own journey.

Get back to Y.O.U. (Your Own Unfulfilled dreams)

Just G.O (Get Out!)

And

LIVE!

Border Hoppin' and Discovering Gems

Even if you don’t believe in anything, going to Costa Rica is bound to make you think about who or what created such awesomeness.  The beauty of Costa Rica, the natural diversity, the lushness of the green plants---it’s sure to leave you thinking…

But of course, nothing comes that easily. So before I tell you all the amazing things about Costa Rica, let me recap the journey for you. If you ever thought US customs was a big deal, check out the immigration process in Central America. Lol. Ain’t nothing like it.

In true spirit of a semi-backpacker/semi-nomad/semi-adventureseeker (I do not yet own the official backpacker bookbag, lol), we decided to bus it. Okay, okay. It was wayyyy cheaper. Consider crossing borders in Central America for a mere $80 versus $400.00. You would be on that bus too. Anyway, the Tica bus left Panama City’s Gran Terminal at 11:00pm and was set to arrive in San Jose, Costa Rica at 2:00pm the next day. Indeed it was a long journey, but well worth it. I mean, it is all about the experience, right?

At 6:44 am, we arrived at ‘La Frontera.’

We were asked to get off of the bus and enter a sketchy room. I imagine that this sketchy room was the Panamanian side’s immigration office. They brought in a dog that perused the bags. Then a man pointed at all of the foreigners in the room and asked for our passports. I realized later that he had a paper with certain names circled. Yet, how he figured out just who to point to even with that list is still a mystery to me. Maybe, he was just that damn good?

After we were cleared for whatever foreigners need to be cleared for, we proceeded to another line.  Here we were asked to show our tickets and they took a picture of us with webcams.  I even had to take my scarf off my head. Oh well.

It's always exciting to make it across any border!

Then we walked the rest of the way to Costa Rica. Got you! Lol, we were at the border, so just one foot over and we were in Costa Rica.  We stood in line again, this time at the immigration office on the Costa Rican side. 

Somewhere around 9 o’clock (still don’t know whose time it was), we got back on the bus and pulled off. Then we were stopped by police officer or immigration official. I am realizing that you are never really sure who is who around these parts. You just comply.  The good thing about this guy was that when I handed him my passport, he actually pronounced my name right. If you want to see me smile, say my name…and say it right :) 

As we began driving again, I found myself staring out of the window and being grateful once again for the opportunity to see so much, with so little. Each time I see a new place, I am re-inspired to keep making strides in my life and to be a step closer to whatever my purpose is on this earth. For me, this isn’t just about acquiring stamps in my passport. I’ll admit, that part makes me happy too. But the real thing for me is truly finding myself and actualizing my dreams along the way. Through all of this traveling, I am moved, I am inspired, and I am driven to work even harder, to touch people. 

Our ultimate destination during this trip was to a town on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica called Puerto Viejo. A gem it is indeed! Puerto Viejo is a funky little, hippie, rasta, backpacker and everything- in-between-kinda beach town. That meant lots of fresh fruit smoothies, which we all became addicted to by the end of the trip! Lots of expats from different countries including Spain, the United States, Canada, just to name a few. I loved the place. I fit right in with the easy-going people and the reggae tunes blasting from cars, bars, and shops. The reggae vibe just matched with the flair of the town and the tropical vibe. It’s the kinda town where everyone knows everyone and their story. I will always remember at least three of the characters I met here. The Nicaraguan rasta, a costa Rican rasta, and a man from Jamaica, who looked at me and told me straight up that he liked my African vibe. He was a truth speaker. Each of these three people gave me something to think about. My conversation with the rasta from Costa Rica was full of things that will come up time and time again in this blog. The joys of travelling the world: you meet people who, no matter how far away your lands, share the same ideas and thoughts and even passions as you.  You pick up bits and pieces. 

Fresh caribbean food from a local spot called Soda Isma

the glow comes with the territory ;)

kisses from a caribbean town in central america!

peace on the beach

chocolate and green...my faves!

limon's flag has colors similar to the flag of Sierra Leone :)

As Puerto Viejo is located in the province of Limon, it was only right that we pay a visit to the city where most of the afro-descendants reside. They came from Jamaica and other Caribbean countries to build a railroad.  Fortunately, we actually made it there in time for the Carnaval de Limon. It was a blessing to be there in the flesh and experience the pride that people feel on that day. I even noticed some dances that seemed distinctively similar to African 

tribal dances. The city, the people, the experience---nothing short of interesting. I hope to go back there some time next year and have an even richer experience. Check out some of the pictures from carnaval. 

african princesses

the finer things in life: writing on the beach

All in all, 'twas a wonderful trip with two spontaneous sistagirls and all in the name of a Central American Caribbean adventure. 

This weekend I look forward to exploring a bit of Panama. Stay tuned for the San Blas Islands experience with the Kuna Indians of Panama. And remember---don’t take off your seatbelt cuz there’s always an adventure awaiting you here on Bee’s Backseat!

The 'La Negra' Experience: Part 1

Well, I am L-I-V-E in Panama and who would have thought, that my being black would actually be a thing? I imagined that, since there are obviously people here of African descent, my presence would go almost unnoticed---not.

Lol. A task as simple as walking to the go grocery store for me is met with hollering matches between construction workers, taxi drivers, and quite frankly almost any guy that’s on the street. Yeah, I know what you are thinking---I’m an international showstopper...jk.  But this show stoppin’ deserves analysis. Here, I am called 'La Negra,' which literally means the black girl/woman, black and feminine. Sometimes I get 'morena,' which is brown girl. To-may-to, to-mah-to.

I will say that I was prepared for the 'la negra' experience because it happened to me in Spain and my host mom explained to me that it was a term of endearment. Call it what you want, but I still have some reservations about the deeper meaning of being objectified by your skin color AND womanhood. But, I am in another country and I have always despised when people complain about a country they are visiting. I will live this experience and use it to my advantage by writing about it.

On two separate occasions, I have felt extremely uncomfortable with taxi drivers because one kept purring over how beautiful my skin was and the other kept explaining how much he loved my skin color. The last one even went as far as rubbing his head on my arm…errr?

Yes, people will say that it’s normal here for women of afro-descent to be referred to as ‘negra’ or even ‘morena.’ Yet, I find it peculiar that I have to be referred to as ‘la negra.’ Yes, in the Spanish language they often refer to people as exactly what they are in a sweet (?) way. They might call a cute, chubby little girl, ‘gordita’ or a cute, black little girl, ‘negrita.’ They even call the people from East Asian countries here, ‘chino,’ #straightlikethat. But even in a place where there are others who look juuuuuust like me, my skin is still made to be something exotic.  Something tells me that there is more to this. I have a couple of theories; we will delve into them later on in the journey.

All this to say that, while I expected that my seemingly African looks would stand out a bit from time to time, I didn’t expect the rave reviews that I am receiving from men and women alike. With the men, it is as though I am a forbidden fruit. Or rather, the forbidden race, whether they look like me or lighter. With the women, I can't exactly read all of them, but I have noticed a sense of disapproval/ridicule based on their facial expressions/body language. I am just assuming that it may because of the way I wear my hair, (haven’t seen anyone with natural hair here) or wrap my head when I don’t feel like engaging in a war entitled Hair vs. Comb. One day as I enjoyed my Saturday ritual of ceviche de langostinos* at the Mercado de Mariscos*, a woman asked me why I didn’t perm my hair...that my hairstyle must be an "estilo africano*." She really meant no harm, I guess. The way I look, the way I dress [some days], my style, jewelry, and even that dramatic (but natural) walk that people love to hate... it screams culture...it screams...black...it screams Africa...and I am beginning to think that some folks here, just aren’t ready to open up their ears and hear my silent audio. We shall see…

This topic is one that we will revisit at various times throughout the journey, as I am sure that it will come up pretty often. So don’t worry. Race, culture, travel, and perception--- it’s only right. 

*Ceviche made with Jumbo Shrimp or Prawns

*Seafood Market

*African Style

Up next: Hopping the border to Costa Rica...buckle your seat belts. Yes, it's the law, even here on Bee's Backseat :) Stay tuned for the Carnaval experience!

Kickin’ off the Journey

Just the other day as I sat in the teacher’s lounge at my school, I found myself expressing how excited I was for the new class that was starting on the following Monday.  The school where I work offers a TEFL Certification course every couple of months (TEFL=Teaching English as a Foreign Language). Another teacher asked how I could possibly be that excited for a group of people that were just starting a certification course.  He didn’t understand HOW in the world my sentiments about the start of this course could be sincere. Of course, I couldn’t believe that he didn’t believe me! But then, I took a step back and thought to myself. Why in fact had I been so excited about this class? Then it dawned on me: TEFL symbolizes the beginning of a journey. For so many people, the TEFL course is a major step towards accomplishing a dream, that may seem so small to others. The opportunity to travel the world and work as a teacher of a foreign language, sounds pretty cool and exciting to me. Granted, I also had to realize that some TEFL teachers aren’t necessarily teaching because they want to travel, see the world and teach people, but rather because of circumstances. Sort of like a lot of people have to do certain things not out of passion or love, but out of lack of opportunity, choice, etc. Point taken.

Yet still, TEFL has deep meaning for me. The fact that I am actually doing this means that I had a dream, and even though it took years to get it crackin’, I am finally livin’ it.

Let me tell you all a little about how my longing for this TEFL lifestyle started. Let’s make it fun! I’ll do a timeline. Timelines seems to be in now, huh? #shoutout to Mark Zuckerberg, who constantly makes millions of people around the world do what he wants us to do. Lol. So here it is. 

2008: Studied abroad in Spain for a short stint during the summer. I met a lot of teachers there at the local bar/club that we frequented. They were from all over the world. I remember meeting a guy from Ivory Coast who was teaching French. He was happy, relaxed, teaching and traveling. I promised myself that I would do the same one day. I enjoyed every bit of Spain. I enjoyed walking to school and stopping at the bakery shop to satisfy my sweet tooth. I enjoyed tasting new foods, sans the Morcilla (blood pudding). But most of all, I enjoyed discovering the unknown. Everything was new to me. I had officially been bitten by the travel bug. A bite that has long-lasting effects.

2009: I applied to an internship at the State Department to work in DC or somewhere abroad. I researched study abroad options in South Africa.  I thought it would be awesome to study politics at a university in South Africa. I would either spend the spring semester 2010 interning in DC or studying in South Africa.

My junior year of college started in the fall.  I had the best college circle, yet I found myself in an unhappy place. I was unhappy with my surroundings for many reasons. I loved my college life, but was ready to be away from campus. I tried to figure out a way to leave.  Then the perfect opportunity presented itself…and what a surprise it was.

Remember the State Department internship that I had applied for during the summer? Yes, that one. Well, not only did I forget that I applied for it. But I also forgot that I indicated that I would be willing to work at an internship overseas.

Needless to say, when I opened the acceptance letter and it said Georgetown, I thought to myself, “Why is Georgetown, capitalized?” Duhhhh Bintu…not Georgetown in Washington D.C., but Georgetown, Guyana. As in South America. Yes, I knew where that was before I left. My escape route had been planned. I would spend my spring semester living and interning abroad. Yes!

2010: Guyana! The place will always have a special place in my heart. For so many reasons. Even obvious ones :) Guyana was the place where I really let down my black girl hair.  I say that in a literal and figurative sense. Allow me to explain. I went there with top of the line Remy human hair. Y’all know what I mean; I was not getting my weave wet. I didn’t know how to flat iron my weave then. Still don’t. But weave days are over for me. Anyway, somehow, my host mom convinced me to go on a trip to Marshalls Falls with a technical crew that had been visiting.  I went along despite my real lack of interest. I have always been terrified of any sort of outdoorsy/physical activity. I had told myself that these things were not for me and that I couldn’t do stuff like that. Anyway, I went. We took a sketchy boat across a major river. Then got on another small boat. Hiked to a beautiful waterfall. After all that, I was still stuck on not getting my weave wet.  While all the other people went under the waterfall’s massage I stood to the side. Then something came over me; here I was in a place that I would probably never visit again in my life, and I was thinking of missing out on the full natural experience because of two packs of hair that didn’t really belong to me? I was moved by that thought. I dashed into the water. I felt renewed. I felt accomplished. I felt ready to do more and see more. I had let my black girl hair down. Things haven’t been the same since.

I graduated from Towson University this year!

Skip to 2012: Landed back in Guyana. Lol. I forgot to tell you all that I drank the black water in 2010. They say that if you drink the black water you are sure to come back. Make your own judgement on what brought me back--- the black water or a particular black man? ;)

After a much-needed short vacation, I returned home and tried to get back in the groove of working my two jobs. The whole thing was getting old. I guess the fact that I was overworking myself helped me realize that I needed to take a step back and think about what it was that I was supposed to be doing. I had always kept the advisor at the TEFL Institute’s phone number. I would use it and sign up for the class for real this time.

I started the class in February and felt really good. As I completed the course in April, I began my practicum in April/May. I got my certificate just after returning from a wild getaway with my girlfriends in my favorite US city, Miami! 

August 5^th, 2012: I moved to Panama City, Panama. I actually did it. I FREAKIN’ DID IT!

This has been a long journey for me. Well, let me rephrase that. It took a long time for the journey to start.

And so, it is October; I am two months into living and working in Panama. It all happened very quickly. I arrived on a Sunday, interviewed at two schools on Tuesday. Started teaching on that Wednesday. Moved into a cute little spot with some Colombian and Panamanian girls on a Friday. Talk about BLESSED.

So far, so good. I am learning and growing as a language teacher. I walk to the grocery store. I speak Spanish as much as possible. And spanglish too. But most of all, I am l-i-v-i-n-g. 

I can't wait to share my experience as "La Negra". Stay tuned. It's a free ride: Bee's Backseat.

The New Way to Travel: Bee's Backseat

Welcome to Bee’s Backseat. Simply because whenever I am taking in some of the world’s most beautiful sights, I always think of how much I would love to share the experience.  Secondly, the backseat metaphor connotates that I am the driver, and in control of my own experience. I have finally reached a point in my life where I can safely say that I am creating my own adventure. Finally, have you ever ridden in the backseat of a car or a taxi, and had a different perspective on the road? You see different things than if you were the driver. You have a chance to think about different things. You can hear, see, and learn so much just from taking the backseat. You can even BEE inspired. So let’s do it. I am taking you on my adventure…I promise to make it worth your while by exploring various topics as they come up during my travels. Come on, what do you have to lose? ...It’s Bee’s Backseat. Ready?