GRIOTS REPUBLIC - An Urban Black Travel Magazine - June 2016
ISSUE #6: DESTINATIONS TRAVELER PROFILES: Sonjia Mackey, Shenita Outland, Deidre Mathis & Alonzo Cartlidge
ISSUE #6: DESTINATIONS
TRAVELER PROFILES: Sonjia Mackey, Shenita Outland, Deidre Mathis & Alonzo Cartlidge
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W H E R E T H E R E ' S T R A V E L , T H E R E ' S A S T O R Y<br />
DESTINATIONS<br />
I'M<br />
BLACK<br />
AND I<br />
TRAVEL<br />
JUNETEENTH<br />
KETI<br />
KOTI<br />
FLAMENCO<br />
HOUSTON<br />
NOMADS<br />
GUYANA<br />
SAFE SKIES<br />
JUST GO!<br />
FROM ZAMBIA TO THAILAND, EXPATS<br />
DISH ON LIFE, EATS & ENTERTAINMENT<br />
JUNE <strong>2016</strong> | ISSUE 06
Ebony Booth<br />
<strong>An</strong>iya Dunkley<br />
Ejide D. Fashina<br />
Majida Mundial<br />
Alicia Mitchell<br />
Greg Gross<br />
Alexis K.<br />
Barnes<br />
Yvette Santos Cuenco
Kamara Afi Coaxum<br />
Marcus White<br />
Adrian Fanus<br />
Jessica Cobbs<br />
Bruce "Blue" Rivera<br />
Shavonne Natesia<br />
Afro-Europe<br />
International Blog<br />
Juleon Lewis
Archivists Note<br />
Hello Readers!<br />
Let’s talk about the past, present, and future...<br />
PAST<br />
Hands down, the Haiti Issue was our most read and<br />
most shared issue thus far! Readers loved reading<br />
about Haitian Vodou and the country’s “cursed<br />
narrative.” They loved the travelers we profiled in this<br />
issue and the Haitian destinations our writers talked<br />
about. The most common feedback we received was<br />
“Wow. I didn’t know about ______.” That, ladies and<br />
gentlemen, is music to our ears.<br />
Editors Note<br />
So while we say “goodbye” to our May issue and say<br />
“hello” to <strong>June</strong>, we wanted to say thank you to the<br />
contributors who make it happen and to the readers<br />
who make it worthwhile. We hope to continue bringing<br />
content that you enjoy.<br />
FUTURE<br />
I saw a meme a few weeks ago that said “If you’re<br />
dreams don’t scare you, then they’re not big enough.”<br />
I immediately started laughing because that’s exactly<br />
where we are right now. We have some big plans and<br />
our only saving grace is that we are supported by a<br />
very active and vocal community of travelers and<br />
readers who have become invested in Griots Republic.<br />
I’m talking about you, by the way!<br />
We’ve created a short survey to capture your opinions<br />
and suggestions on the direction of GR and if you have<br />
the time, then we’d appreciate you taking it.<br />
T H E A R C H I V I S T S
PRESENT<br />
So let’s get into this issue...<br />
1. We spoke to expats and<br />
travelers from Thailand to<br />
Guyana to Zambia and asked<br />
them to share their “everyday<br />
life” stories with us. The results<br />
were heartwarming and we<br />
hope that each of you see a little<br />
of yourselves in these travelers.<br />
2. If you’ve ever been interested<br />
in learning Flamenco in Spain,<br />
then this is the place for you.<br />
3. <strong>June</strong>teenth is upon us this<br />
month and we’ve mapped out<br />
some of the best celebrations<br />
around the U.S! Sounds like a<br />
road trip to me...<br />
4. This month we headed on<br />
down to Houston to capture a<br />
few of our traveler profiles and<br />
let’s just say “people do it big in<br />
Texas!”<br />
5. Definitely check out the<br />
special announcement from the<br />
team over at Re:Union Music<br />
Fest.<br />
6. African-Americans aren’t<br />
the only onese celebrating<br />
“Freedom” this month. Take a<br />
moment to read up on Keti Koti.<br />
Enjoy!
SURVE<br />
WE NEED YOUR OPIN<br />
We want to know how to serve you better. If you have a m<br />
please visit bit.ly/GRMAGSURVEY to take our confident<br />
We appreciate you support!
ION<br />
Y<br />
oment, then<br />
ial survey.<br />
<strong>An</strong> <strong>Urban</strong> <strong>Black</strong><br />
<strong>Travel</strong> Mag
R E A D I N G L I S T<br />
ASK THE READERS<br />
READ<br />
From phrase books to cook books and beyond... The answers we received when<br />
Griots Republic readers were asked which books inspire their wanderlust were<br />
wildly different. Check out some of the ones that inspired us.<br />
Selome Ameyo<br />
Dr. Miah Daughtery<br />
Kelly Nelson<br />
Danielle Pointdujour<br />
Ironically, I just posted in<br />
my blog (Singteachwritefly.blogspot.com)<br />
about<br />
books inspiring my travels!<br />
I will say that I have<br />
my Rick Steves’ “Phrasebook<br />
for French, German<br />
and Italian” that saved my<br />
life in Geneva!<br />
Lonely Planet’s “The<br />
<strong>Travel</strong> Book!”<br />
I have a book called “Wild<br />
Light” by Erik Stensland<br />
on my coffee table. It’s a<br />
photography book celebrating<br />
the Rocky Mountain<br />
National Park and it<br />
inspires me, the farthest<br />
thing from an outdoor/<br />
woodsy girl, to want to go<br />
camping.<br />
“What I Did While You<br />
Were Breeding” is one of<br />
my faves. I’m actually<br />
going to read it again.
S O C I A L M E D I A<br />
IG PHOTO OF THE MONTH<br />
BY ADRIAN FANUS (@ADRIANFANUS)<br />
I was born and raised in the<br />
caribbean island of St Lucia. My<br />
Son Omarion was born in the<br />
United States and this was his first<br />
visit to St Lucia.<br />
One of my favorite pastimes as a<br />
child was taking a shower outside.<br />
You’d grab a bar of soap open the<br />
standing pipe and indulge. There<br />
is a purity in this that makes me<br />
nostalgic about my childhood. It<br />
would rain and my friends and I<br />
would all come running outside<br />
of our home and grab a soccer ball<br />
and start playing in the rain. You<br />
don’t see that in the United States<br />
and I could not wait to experience<br />
it with my son.<br />
We had just returned from fishing<br />
in the ocean and I grabbed him,<br />
opened the pipe and watched him<br />
erupt in laughter and glee as the<br />
cold water hit his head. He enjoyed<br />
it and for a moment I saw myself as<br />
a boy in him. Something as simple<br />
as a shower outside captures the<br />
essence of growing up in St Lucia.<br />
It is the simple things in life that<br />
count and sharing that simplicity<br />
with my son was priceless.<br />
Place #GriotsRepublic on your IG photos and you too may be chosen.
L I T T L E P A S S P O R T S<br />
SUMMERTIME!<br />
Places where your little travelers can<br />
nuture their budding wanderlust<br />
Written By Kamara Afi Coaxum<br />
Pretty soon the air will be filled with the<br />
sweet sounds of children everywhere.<br />
School’s almost out and with that comes<br />
an entire summer filled with long, lazy and<br />
warm days. While kids may have their own<br />
agenda, parents often struggle with ways<br />
to keep their children entertained and all<br />
the while making sure they don’t lose what<br />
they learned during the school year.<br />
Parents, worry not. Here is a compilation<br />
of road trips, festivals, camps and reading<br />
material that spans the globe to keep even<br />
the most reticent child busy. Pack those<br />
bags and let’s hit the road!<br />
Martha’s Vineyard<br />
Head north on I-95, take the fast ferry from<br />
New Bedford or fly and in a short while<br />
you’ll arrive on Martha’s Vineyard. Since<br />
the 1800s African Americans have been<br />
flocking to the island. Families can enjoy<br />
day trips to Aquinnah, which is known for<br />
it’s beautiful clay cliffs. Children can hop<br />
on the Flying Horses Carousel in Oak Bluffs<br />
and then head over to Mad Martha’s, the<br />
iconic ice cream shop across the street.<br />
Be sure to check out the African America<br />
Heritage Tour, a treat for all.<br />
www.marthas-vineyard.com<br />
Birmingham Civil Rights Museum<br />
This museum’s mission is to enlighten
@socialfreedomfighter<br />
each generation about civil and human rights by exploring our common<br />
past and working together on the present to build a better<br />
future. Young children can take a peek into the past by viewing<br />
exhibits that compare a classroom for black children with that of a<br />
classroom for white children in the 1950s. Various exhibits chronicle<br />
the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and ‘60s.<br />
www.bcri.org<br />
Camp Atwater<br />
Ideal for children ages 8-15 who love spending time outdoors, Camp<br />
Atwater is the oldest and most prestigious African American owned<br />
and operated camp in North America. Located in North Brookfield,<br />
MA, Camp Atwater provides opportunities for your child to make<br />
new friends that will last them a lifetime.<br />
www.campatwater.org<br />
Walking the Spirit: <strong>Black</strong> Paris<br />
@nomadicmama3<br />
Grab those passports and take a quick jaunt across the pond to<br />
Paris, France for a Walk the Spirit Tour. The tours are geared towards<br />
children over 10 years old and are designed to educate and<br />
entertain. One of the stops included is Josephine Baker’s castle<br />
and you’ll also learn about the history of jazz that spans 100 years.<br />
www.walkthespirit.com<br />
Festivals<br />
Perfect for the whole family, festivals have great music, delicious<br />
foods and allow for people watching. Continue your journey overseas<br />
with a visit to several spirited, family-friendly festivals.<br />
The Obon Festival, held on Shikoku Island in Japan in August, is<br />
sure to please with stunning lantern rituals and fire ceremonies.<br />
With events such as sword dancing and a castle party, there is<br />
something for everyone.<br />
www.japan-guide.com<br />
@tiffu_onlyknew<br />
PanaFest, held in late <strong>June</strong> in Accra, Ghana is a world-class event<br />
honoring freedom and emancipation for those in the African diaspora.<br />
There are dance and storytelling workshops accessible to all<br />
ages. This festival is sure to be a hit.<br />
www.panafestghana.org<br />
#SummerReading<br />
Fire up the Kindle and start downloading books that will keep your<br />
child well read and engaged all summer long. NprED has a diverse<br />
list of books for children. Search using the hashtag #SummerReading<br />
and you’ll find everything you need.
G L OC BO AM L MGU INF TI TS<br />
Y<br />
THE SKY IS THE LIMIT<br />
<strong>2016</strong> Safe Skies for Africa, an Aviation<br />
Career Academy, set to take off<br />
SAFE SKIES<br />
Written By Ejide D. Fashina<br />
Named after the White House Initiative started by<br />
the President of the United States in 1998, “Safe<br />
Skies for Africa” is an Aviation Career Academy<br />
sponsored by the National <strong>Black</strong> Coalition of Federal<br />
Aviation Employees for students living on the<br />
continent of Africa specifically in Lagos, Nigeria.<br />
The aviation academy is now entering its 3rd year<br />
and is the bran child of NBCFAE NE Regional President<br />
and Nigerian American Ejide D. Fashina.<br />
Ejide is an Air traffic Front Line Manager for the<br />
Federal Aviation Administration based out the<br />
Philadelphia International Airport. Ejide has dedicated<br />
much of her career to encouraging youth<br />
to pursue careers in aviation related professions.
The annual event started in 2014 as a simple idea<br />
with two Americans and five Nigerian based air traffic<br />
controllers. With no idea what to expect or how<br />
this idea would evolve the event began. Three years<br />
later the aviation academy has blossomed into a<br />
large annual event.<br />
The <strong>2016</strong> Ace Academy has over eighteen American<br />
based aviation employees who plan to take the long<br />
journey to Lagos, 60 Nigerian based volunteers, over<br />
1000 student participants and numerous sponsors.<br />
Even though the event is aimed at students, many<br />
of the 18 American participants have never been<br />
to the continent of Africa; therefore, they too are<br />
expanding their worldwide perspective and experiencing<br />
different cultures.<br />
The Nigerian Aviation Academy is aimed at raising<br />
awareness and interest of students in aviation related<br />
careers with the hopes of developing future<br />
global leaders in aviation. In recent years Aviation<br />
Education in Africa has been a priority for the FAA<br />
Africa Office and the Department of Transportation.<br />
Just as in the United States, Africa is facing high<br />
demands for qualified professionals in the aviation<br />
sector. The Aviation Academy provided a broad exposure<br />
of civil and military aviation careers to approximately<br />
1000 high school aged students from<br />
the ages of thirteen to eighteen. They were also able<br />
to discover a variety of exciting professions that encompass<br />
aviation<br />
Through out the week of the Academy, the employees<br />
will share valuable insight on the importance of<br />
pursuing a career in aviation, the many obstacles<br />
they overcame to achieve their goals and the gratification<br />
they received once those goals were met. The<br />
students will also have the opportunity to hear from<br />
Pilots, Air Traffic Controllers, Engineers and Military<br />
personnel. At the end of the camp, a $1000 scholarship<br />
will be awarded to a student.<br />
If you’d like more information about the program,<br />
please contact Ejide D. Fashina at ejide.fashina@<br />
nbcfae.org to learn more about future ACE initiatives.
G L O B A L G I F T S<br />
GET<br />
OUTSIDE<br />
By Alexandra Stewart<br />
Under Armour Verge Low GORE-TEX® Hiking Shoe<br />
Whether you are exploring one of the 58 National Parks of<br />
our great nation or trekking through the rainforest of some<br />
far-off land, these Under Armour hiking shoes will give you<br />
the stability and support needed to navigate even the most<br />
rigorous of hikes. They are 100% waterproof yet still allow<br />
sweat to escape so your feet stay dry. The Michelin® outsole<br />
with Wild Gripper rubber compound provides for excellent<br />
traction on a variety of terrains. Available in an array of<br />
colors. - $139.99<br />
(www.underarmour.com)<br />
Sacred Joy Leggings<br />
by Joshua Mays<br />
Artist, Joshua Mays, takes<br />
his afrofuturism art one<br />
step further by making it<br />
wearable. These leggings are<br />
fire and you can wear them<br />
all summer and still look fly.<br />
Available in 4 images. $24.45<br />
(www.liveheroes.com)<br />
CamKix Universal 3-in-1<br />
Smartphone Camera Lens Kit<br />
Document your summer shenanigans<br />
like a pro with this camera lens kit<br />
for your smartphone or other<br />
portable devices. This kit comes<br />
with 3 lenses – the fisheye, wide<br />
angle and macro lens that will<br />
have you capturing everything<br />
from large group shots<br />
and wide landscapes to your<br />
reflection in a single drop of<br />
dew on a flower’s petal, all<br />
with your smartphone! Made<br />
from aluminum and comes<br />
with a universal clip, microfiber<br />
cloth and a carrying pouch.<br />
Available in six different colors.<br />
$13.99 (www.amazon.com)
H2O<br />
Klean Kanteen<br />
Stay hydrated and toxic-free during these hot summer months<br />
with Klean Kanteen’s BPA-free metal hydration bottle. Made of<br />
high-quality stainless steel that won’t impart or retain flavors<br />
in your beverage. Comes in a variety of cool colors with your<br />
choice of a sport cap with a silicone spout or the leak-proof loop<br />
cap both made for easy transport. Also available with a sippy cup<br />
top for kids. $24.94 & up<br />
(www.kleankanteen.com)<br />
Dont Forget Fido<br />
Collaps A Bowl<br />
Fido can easily get dehydrated and over-heated out here in<br />
these hot summer streets. This collapsible bowl is the<br />
perfect accessory to take with you on those long<br />
walks or all day outings with your fur-baby.<br />
Made from BPA-free, food-grade silicone, it<br />
collapses to .875 x 6 inches, expands to 3.5 x<br />
6 inches and holds 24 oz of liquid. Perfectly<br />
compact for travel ease. Comes in a variety<br />
of colors. - $10 (www.kurgo.com)<br />
<strong>GRIOTS</strong> <strong>REPUBLIC</strong>
01 DEIDRE<br />
MATHIS<br />
TRAVELER PROFILE<br />
Budget traveler, author and entrepreneur, Deidre<br />
Mathis, recently filed with the state of Texas to open<br />
a hostel in the Houston area in Fall 2017. Her hostel,<br />
Wanderlust Houston, will offer its guests an authentic<br />
Houston experience, safe, clean facilities, organized<br />
day tours, and more! In opening the hostel, Deidre is<br />
slated to become the first African-American female<br />
hostel owner in the United States.<br />
Having traveled to over 31 countries spanning 6<br />
continents and staying in over 50 hostels, she says<br />
hostelling has played a big part in her saving money<br />
during her travels. She also notes that not only is staying<br />
in hostels a great option to save money, but it is also<br />
a great way to meet people from all over the world.<br />
Deidre was inspired to open a hostel in the Houston<br />
area because she believes Houston is a great hub for<br />
international travelers and a popular destination for<br />
domestic travelers.<br />
Deidre’s love of travel, her hostel ambitions and her<br />
travel budget book, Wanderlust: For the Young, Broke<br />
Professional has lead her to have been featured twice<br />
in <strong>Black</strong> Enterprise <strong>Magazine</strong> and highlighted as a USA<br />
TODAY’s Modern Woman. She has spoken at events<br />
such as the Women’s <strong>Travel</strong> Fest Conference and<br />
Women in <strong>Travel</strong> Summit. She has also been a keynote<br />
speaker at many different colleges/universities and<br />
has appeared as a budget travel expert guest on Great<br />
Day Houston, First Coast Living, and WBTV CBS where<br />
she has discussed budget travel tips and shared her<br />
very inspirational story with the viewers of the morning<br />
shows.<br />
From Press release ““Wanderlust Houston: A Houston Hostel, LLC”<br />
Edited for length and brevity.
GOLDEN<br />
JUBILEE<br />
By Marcus White
From the moment I stepped off the<br />
plane at Cheddi Jagan International Airport<br />
I was showered with kindness, hospitality<br />
and…. Soca Music! If you plan a<br />
trip to Guyana, you’d better be into Soca<br />
as it seeps from every possible nook and<br />
cranny throughout Georgetown, clearly<br />
having fused to the souls of the Guyanese<br />
people who make up six different ethnic<br />
backgrounds (African, Amerindian, Chinese,<br />
European, Indian, and Portuguese),<br />
but whine as one nation.<br />
I was thankful to have made it to the “the<br />
land of many waters” and to be celebrating<br />
its “Golden Jubilee,” otherwise known<br />
as its 50th anniversary. I had packed everything<br />
from black tie to hiking boots to<br />
prepare for the myriad of activities surrounding<br />
the celebration and I used all<br />
of it. From pageants and flag raisings to<br />
presidential galas and parade, I was ready<br />
to experience Guyana in all her glory.<br />
Although Guyana’s existence became<br />
“known” and recorded in 1499 when Spanish<br />
conquistador, Alonso de Ojeda, set off<br />
to explore and “discovered” it, it wasn’t<br />
until May 26, 1966 that the country actually<br />
gained its independence from British<br />
rule. Prior to independence, Guyana had<br />
been colonized by the Spanish, French,<br />
Dutch and the British. The Dutch brought<br />
African slaves to the region and the British<br />
brought indentured labor from Asia creating<br />
another layer of culture and influence<br />
on the indigenous people living here. Like<br />
most of the world, each colonizer left a<br />
mark on the people and the land and their<br />
impact can still be seen and felt today.<br />
This week, however, I was here to celebrate<br />
with a nation coming into its own.<br />
I had a few days before the festivities<br />
kicked off and I knew I wanted to see as<br />
much as possible of the ecological landmarks<br />
Guyana was known for. With over<br />
80% of the country protected from development,<br />
Guyana is considered to have one
of the most untouched and preserved eco systems<br />
in this part of the world.<br />
Places like Kaieteur Falls, which occupies a<br />
region near the boarder of Venezuela and is<br />
the largest single jet and highest single drop<br />
waterfall in the world at five times the size of<br />
Niagara Falls, should definitely be added to<br />
your “must see” list as it is a day trip with only<br />
a 40 minute flight from Georgetown with tours<br />
starting at $180.<br />
Mind you, Kaieteur<br />
is just one of ten of<br />
Guyana’s waterfalls.<br />
The three major<br />
rivers: the Essequibo,<br />
Demerara and<br />
Berbice Rivers, the<br />
largest in the Caribbean,<br />
are also near<br />
Georgetown and can<br />
be seen on a 1-hour<br />
bus tour. The Essequibo<br />
has 365 islands<br />
on it; one of<br />
which is as large as<br />
Barbados in size.<br />
For me, the most<br />
striking thing was<br />
the Atlantic Ocean<br />
viewed from the seawalls;<br />
it was brown.<br />
I expected blue,<br />
maybe even green,<br />
but according to nationsencyclopedia.<br />
com, the sediments<br />
carried on the rivers<br />
and emptied into<br />
the Atlantic keep the shoreline a brown from<br />
mix of mud and sand. In all honesty, this left<br />
me perplexed and it’s likely something you’d<br />
have to get use to. Nonetheless, I was here to<br />
celebrate, so beach time wasn’t a real factor.<br />
The festivities of the 50th <strong>An</strong>niversary commenced<br />
and I was chauffeured from cultural<br />
shows to concerts. I made it to the Ms. Guyana<br />
World <strong>2016</strong> Pageant and parties, which<br />
will forever be my happy place and I met the<br />
President of Guyana, David A. Granger, a kind<br />
man attempting to push the country forward. I<br />
also attended my first ever road parade called<br />
“Mashramani,” which is an Amerindian word<br />
that means “the celebration after hard work.”<br />
The road parade was mesmerizing with its<br />
carnival-esque style that kept me in awe of<br />
the many bright colors that the parade participant’s<br />
wore and the Caribbean beats that<br />
made my batty<br />
(Guyanese slang<br />
meaning “ass”)<br />
move.<br />
If you plan to visit<br />
this country there<br />
are quite a few additional<br />
landmarks<br />
and sites to see<br />
that have nothing<br />
to do with the anniversary.<br />
Whether<br />
it be Georgetown’s<br />
City Hall built in<br />
1889, St. George’s<br />
Cathedral (one of<br />
the tallest wooden<br />
churches in the<br />
world) or visiting<br />
one of the nine<br />
indigenous Amerindian<br />
tribes in<br />
Guyana, you can<br />
count on encountering<br />
a sense of<br />
adventure.<br />
Georgetown is also<br />
a fantastic launching<br />
pad for a multi-country visit to the other<br />
Guianas: Guyana (British Guiana), Suriname<br />
(Dutch Guiana), French Guiana, as well as<br />
Brazilian Amapá State (Portuguese Guiana)<br />
and Venezuelan Guyana Region (Spanish Guiana).<br />
I definitely plan to come back and have<br />
already begun researching an overland plan<br />
through Nomad Revelations. Hopefully, I’ll see<br />
you there.
Marcus White spends his days behind a<br />
desk and every free day in motion. A pint<br />
of Guinness in Ireland, Shabu Shabu in the<br />
Philippines, and custom made suits in any<br />
number of countries only seem to appease<br />
his wanderlust until the next trip. This is his<br />
first written article about his travels and he<br />
excited to share more.
IN SEARCH<br />
OF A CROSS<br />
A Tale of Two Countries<br />
BY GREG GROSS
BLOGGER OF<br />
THE MONTH
If I say “religious travel,” what destinations<br />
come to your mind? Virtually every religion<br />
has its own “holy land,” sacred sites on sacred<br />
ground that is the distant goal of many a<br />
pilgrim, from the most ancient time up to the<br />
present. But an honest, open-minded search<br />
for that sacred ground might take you to some<br />
unexpected places on your modern world map.<br />
Take Christianity. Were we to start talking<br />
about a trip to the Holy Land, the first region<br />
to come to your mind almost certainly would<br />
be the Middle East, and for lots of very good<br />
reasons. Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Syria, Iraq —<br />
they all have places in the Biblical narrative.<br />
So does Turkey, which isn’t actually part of<br />
the Middle East, but forms a land bridge<br />
of sorts between Europe and Asia. <strong>An</strong>d, of<br />
course, there’s always Rome, Vatican City, the<br />
Holy See.<br />
But what about Armenia? <strong>An</strong>d especially what<br />
about Ethiopia? Do either of these lands enter<br />
into your thinking when you’re imagining that<br />
dream religious journey?<br />
They should.<br />
Armenia, not Roman Catholic Italy, lays claim<br />
to being the first Christian nation. That alone<br />
would be reason enough for a Christian to want<br />
to walk this land.That claim, however, has a<br />
major challenger. More on that in a moment.<br />
ARMENIA<br />
Is this country part of Eastern Europe,<br />
Western Asia or the Middle East? Honestly, I’m<br />
not sure. There’s no doubt at all, though, that<br />
Armenia down through the ages has been a
These days,<br />
Yerevan is the<br />
physical heart<br />
and cultural soul<br />
of Armenia.<br />
crossroads of history, much of it tragic.<br />
On a map of the world, Armenia is a little<br />
potato chip of a country, hemmed in on all<br />
sides by larger and more powerful neighbors.<br />
The country is bounded by Russia, the former<br />
Soviet republics of Georgia and Azerbaijan,<br />
Iran and Turkey.<br />
At various times in its history, it has been<br />
possessed, dominated or fought over by<br />
almost all of them. On a per capita basis,<br />
you’d be hard-pressed to find a people whose<br />
history is more thoroughly soaked in their own<br />
blood.<br />
Yerevan holds three different distinctions in<br />
Armenia:<br />
It’s the national capital.<br />
Its population of 1.1 million — roughly the size<br />
of San Diego — also makes it Armenia’s largest<br />
city.<br />
It’s been around since 782 BC, making it one<br />
of the oldest cities on Earth that people still<br />
call home.The city is celebrating its 2,798th<br />
anniversary on Oct. 15.
DID YOU KNOW?<br />
The King James Bible<br />
mentions Ethiopia by<br />
name 45 times.<br />
Armenia? Twice.<br />
It sits in the shadow of Mount Ararat — yes,<br />
that Mount Ararat, the dormant volcano where<br />
the Bible tells us Noah’s ark came to rest after<br />
riding out the great flood.<br />
Yerevan was also a major stop on the Silk<br />
Road, the great ancient trade route between<br />
China and Europe.<br />
These days, Yerevan is the physical heart and<br />
cultural soul of Armenia. A café culture, jazz,<br />
a passion for wine, nice cars, good times. It’s<br />
also a relatively cheap destination. You can<br />
score a 4-star hotel here for US$100 a night<br />
or less. Five-stars go for well under $200. Into<br />
shopping? Prices in Yerevan run about 25<br />
percent cheaper than those in Western Europe.<br />
There are guided religious tours available in<br />
Yerevan that will take you deep into Armenia’s<br />
rich Christian history, and escorted pilgrimage<br />
tours to the most important Christian sites<br />
around the country, most of which are open<br />
24 hours and free to the public.<br />
Not all of Armenia’s attractions are ancient.<br />
You reach the ancient Tatev monastery via a<br />
cable car suspended more than 1,000 feet<br />
above the Vorotan River Gorge. At 3.5 miles, it’s<br />
the longest such suspended cable car line in<br />
the world, according to the folks at Guinness.<br />
In 301 AD, Armenia was the first country<br />
to officially adopt Christianity as the state<br />
religion, a fact in which Armenians take great<br />
pride. But was it really the first Christian<br />
nation? There are those who will tell you that<br />
title may rightly belong to another ancient<br />
land… in Africa.<br />
ETHIOPIA<br />
The land once known as Abyssinia may not<br />
have made Christianity its state religion until<br />
330 AD, three decades after Armenia, but its<br />
roots in the church are at least as old as those<br />
of Armenia.
<strong>An</strong>d there are those who assert that those roots<br />
might be even older. Among them are Mario<br />
Alexis Portella, a Catholic priest in Florence,<br />
Italy, and Abba Abraham Buruk Woldegaber,<br />
a Cistercian monk from Eritrea. Together, they<br />
wrote the book “Abyssinian Christianity: The<br />
First Christian Nation?”<br />
There’s no disputing the fact that Ethiopia<br />
contains some of the most ancient and<br />
priceless sites in all of Christendom, including<br />
its famed rock churches. <strong>An</strong>d then, there are<br />
the castles. Yes, castles in Africa, a whole<br />
complex of them, in Gondar.<br />
It also holds a special place in Africa’s political<br />
history: It is the only nation on the Mother<br />
Continent which has never been colonized.<br />
Ethiopia is home to nine UN World Heritage<br />
sites, and several more that probably should<br />
be.<br />
Great as its natural and historical attractions<br />
may be, however, the best reason for visiting<br />
Ethiopia may be its people — beautiful, ancient<br />
people proud of their culture, their heritage<br />
and their faiths.<br />
Aside from its own attractions, Addis Ababa,<br />
the Ethiopian capital, is a great jump-off<br />
point for exploring the rest of East Africa. The<br />
fact that the national flag carrier, Ethiopian<br />
Airlines, has one of the most extensive route<br />
maps across the entire Mother Continent<br />
doesn’t hurt, either.<br />
Armenia. Ethiopia. Even in traveling within<br />
the context of Christianity, it’s still possible to<br />
think — and travel — outside the box.
In 2009, Greg created a blog designed<br />
to encourage <strong>Black</strong> Americans to go<br />
beyond the bounds of their block and<br />
their country. It was called “I’m <strong>Black</strong><br />
and I <strong>Travel</strong>.” It soon won national<br />
honors and an international readership.<br />
Eventually, however, he realized that<br />
encouraging people to travel was<br />
not enough; he had to enable people<br />
to travel.That realization led him to<br />
become a travel agent, and create<br />
Trips by Greg.
KETI<br />
KOTI<br />
Dutch Commemoration<br />
of the Abolition of<br />
Slavery in Amsterdam<br />
Republished from Afro-Europe<br />
International Blog<br />
Keti Koti (Breaking the Chains) is the<br />
annual celebration and commemoration of<br />
the abolition of slavery in the former Dutch<br />
colonies on July 1st. It will be celebrated in<br />
the City of Amsterdam in the Oosterpark on<br />
July 1, <strong>2016</strong>.<br />
With performances of Surinamese, <strong>An</strong>tillean<br />
and Dutch music groups, the Keti Koti festival<br />
will again contribute to the broadening of<br />
the celebration and commemoration of the<br />
abolition of slavery. After the resounding<br />
success of last year it is expected that the<br />
festival will attract more then 20,000 people.<br />
The Keti Koti Festival begins with a large-scale<br />
parade, the “Bigi Spikri” (“Big Mirror”), with<br />
orchestras and brass bands. The parade starts<br />
at 1:00pm from the Stopera (City Hall) and<br />
will end in the Ooster Park, where the national<br />
commemoration takes place at the National<br />
Slavery Monument.<br />
Controversy<br />
There is some controversy between the major<br />
black communities in the Netherlands about<br />
the commemoration date. For the Surinamese<br />
community the 1st of July is also the official<br />
commemoration day in Suriname, while for<br />
the <strong>An</strong>tillean community in the Dutch <strong>An</strong>tilles<br />
the official commemoration is held on August<br />
17th. <strong>An</strong>d also the name is different, in the<br />
<strong>An</strong>tilles it’s called the “Tula commoration”<br />
and not “Keti Koti.”<br />
Links<br />
For more information on this year’s festival in<br />
Amsterdam, visit www.ketikotiamsterdam.nl<br />
or The National Institute for the Study of<br />
Dutch Slavery and its Legacy at<br />
www.slavernijverleden.nl
“Keti Koti,” is<br />
Surinamese for<br />
“breaking the<br />
chains.”<br />
On July 1, 1863 slavery<br />
was abolished in the<br />
former Dutch colonies<br />
of Suriname and<br />
Netherlands <strong>An</strong>tilles.<br />
Thus ending a period of<br />
more than 200 years of<br />
slavery in the colonies.
BAT TH<br />
Jesse Ow<br />
By Juleon Lewis
E<br />
TLE<br />
ens
Staying up all night the previous day had<br />
made me tired. Very tired. So tired, in fact,<br />
that for hours I had been in some weird lucid<br />
state between exhausted and excited. Every<br />
time I settled into a good sleeping position,<br />
I found something new to focus on. For<br />
example, the included meals on this flight<br />
were surprisingly delicious - who knew! The<br />
movies on the screen in the headrest were not<br />
only current, but free! <strong>An</strong>d the bathrooms in<br />
this airplane were big enough to comfortably,<br />
and finally, join the ranks of the mile-high<br />
club!<br />
Of course, these things were only small joys,<br />
thoughts that popped up every now and then<br />
between the feelings of unbridled excitement.<br />
I was finally accomplishing what I had been<br />
claiming since high school - moving abroad.<br />
<strong>An</strong>d today... today was the day that I boarded<br />
my first transatlantic flight to start the rest of<br />
my life living outside of the States.<br />
Armed with only what could fit in a common<br />
school backpack, my iPhone and my<br />
international debit card, the last vestiges<br />
of my (un)common American life were the<br />
only things that kept me convinced that this<br />
moment was real! Sitting in my cramped<br />
American Airlines seat, all I could do was<br />
smile as I reflected on how my life came to be<br />
what it was.<br />
With family vacations to the Caribbean and<br />
Mexico starting in my teenage years, the<br />
travel bug bit me early in life bit. The tipping<br />
point was my high school class trip to Costa<br />
Rica, the dream trip I couldn’t go on because<br />
I had an internship. That’s when I made my
JUNE <strong>2016</strong><br />
To truly travel, as a<br />
lifestyle, and embrace<br />
all the world has for<br />
you, you can’t plan,<br />
you can’t control and<br />
you can’t predict, but<br />
you can choose how<br />
you will respond.<br />
first public declaration: “When I graduate,<br />
I’m going to Costa Rica and I’m living in the<br />
jungle!”<br />
That declaration was met with scorn from<br />
some, laughter from most, and stern, furrowbrowed<br />
rejection from my parents. With both<br />
parents having graduated from prestigious<br />
universities with high honors, they felt so<br />
passionately about my education that they<br />
literally bribed me to go to school. So, I put<br />
my dreams on hold. Then I graduated with<br />
$60,000 in debt, so of course I had to stay<br />
to pay it off, along with my car and my credit<br />
cards. My dream was slipping farther away.<br />
When I matured in my career and finances<br />
stopped being a concern, other worries<br />
popped up that prevented me from traveling.<br />
What would I now do with my car and<br />
motorcycle and mountain of possessions?<br />
What about my grandparents, who were<br />
getting older, and the business I wanted to<br />
start? I’m athletic, attractive and have hazel<br />
eyes; what if I went abroad and got kidnapped<br />
and forced into sex slavery? Nope, I had too<br />
many reasons to stay here. My dream started<br />
to become more like a New Year’s resolution<br />
- “I’ll do it next year, I promise!”<br />
Then one day everything changed when<br />
I suddenly got let go from my job. I wish I<br />
could say that I confidently sold everything<br />
and high-tailed it outta here, but I didn’t. The<br />
same fears resurfaced and brought with them<br />
some friends. What if this crazy move violates<br />
the purpose God has for my life? What if I<br />
leave and something happens to a loved one?<br />
What if I’m as crazy as everyone says and<br />
I just need to sit still and live a “traditional<br />
life?” Most importantly, what if I go abroad,<br />
squander my savings, and come back in a<br />
few years in my mid-thirties with no money,<br />
no job, and nothing of “value” to show for my<br />
years gallivanting across the globe?<br />
If anything, the fear of not getting any<br />
further than a right-swipe on Tinder scared<br />
me the most. Many of my friends, who
were in their mid-thirties and<br />
forties, joined the battle cry<br />
of my grandchild-less parents<br />
in asserting that if I made<br />
this decision, I’d basically be<br />
throwing away any chance at<br />
love and relationships until<br />
I became “stable” again. For<br />
me, a man that craves family<br />
and community, these fears<br />
stung like a hot knife.<br />
So how did I assuage my<br />
fears? I didn’t. Actually, I’m<br />
still scared. I still have no idea<br />
of where my life is headed. All<br />
the questions I once had are<br />
still there; but, I found myself<br />
still on the plane and looking<br />
forward to the road ahead<br />
because of advice from great<br />
friends and a few hard talks I<br />
had to have with myself.<br />
First, I admitted my fears<br />
and then responded to<br />
them with a logical answer.<br />
Taking the unknown out of<br />
things usually helps control<br />
emotions and when I did that,<br />
I found myself laughing at<br />
how unnecessarily distressed<br />
I was. For example, one of<br />
the most common questions<br />
asked was about money and<br />
not having a job. The answer<br />
is startlingly simple - I’ll work<br />
and I’ll survive like most other<br />
capable people that desire<br />
employment.<br />
The second key to my success<br />
If anything, the fear of not<br />
getting any further than a<br />
right-swipe on Tinder<br />
scared me the most.<br />
was adding an affirmation<br />
that directly addressed the<br />
fear. Was I still scared that I<br />
would run out of money, yes.<br />
However I, in concert with<br />
a few good friends, had to<br />
remind myself repeatedly that<br />
I would find a job and that I<br />
am capable and resourceful.<br />
Ultimately I, like most other<br />
humans on the planet, will<br />
adapt to the circumstances<br />
that life throws my way. With<br />
this attitude, I found myself<br />
joyously reselling bottles of<br />
water to hot travelers as they<br />
got off the ferry in Koh Phangan<br />
or teaching dance classes at a<br />
club in Singapore. These were<br />
all new experiences and they<br />
were all ways that I was able<br />
to fulfill the affirmation and<br />
confront my fears.<br />
Although we all have fears,<br />
the key to still moving forward<br />
lies in accepting that you can<br />
and will overcome those fears<br />
should they arise.<br />
To truly travel, as a lifestyle,<br />
and embrace all the world has<br />
for you, you can’t plan, you<br />
can’t control and you can’t<br />
predict, but you can choose<br />
how you will respond.<br />
Honestly, what could prepare<br />
you to get pulled over by the<br />
police in Bali and bribed for 1<br />
million Rupiah for not having<br />
an international drivers<br />
license? Or getting into a<br />
fight with club bouncers in<br />
Thailand because your friend<br />
insisted on sneaking in<br />
outside alcohol? Or meeting<br />
a beautiful soul on the dance<br />
floor of a club in Malaysia<br />
who turned out to actually be<br />
a princess and who you now<br />
consider a close friend? The<br />
obvious answer is: nothing.<br />
First, I admitted my fears and<br />
then responded to them with a<br />
logical answer.<br />
So go forth and explore.<br />
Explore the world. Explore<br />
yourself. Be prepared to say<br />
“sure, why not” way more<br />
than “no” and live the unique<br />
journey that can only be<br />
started when you confront<br />
your fears and excuses and<br />
just... GO.
Juleon has been traveling the world for months at a time<br />
for the past two years. From Mexico to Chile to Indonesia<br />
and other parts in SE Asia, traveling is a passion that<br />
Juleon embraces. As he begins his transition to full-time<br />
travel, he’s decided to start a blog and share his adventures<br />
with you. Follow his adventures on his blog where<br />
he shared travel and packing tips, best places to go, and<br />
all the ups and downs of embracing this lifestyle.<br />
Follow Juleon at ww.travelhustlerintl.com.
02 SHENITA<br />
OUTLAND<br />
TRAVELER PROFILE<br />
Shenita Outland, pharmacist and owner of<br />
World <strong>Travel</strong>s, LLC, was born and raised<br />
in Houston, TX, and while she still calls<br />
it home, she loves to jet set whenever she<br />
can. Her love for traveling was sparked<br />
by her grandparents; every summer they<br />
would take a road trip. Thanks to them, by<br />
the age of 12, she had been bitten by the<br />
travel bug!<br />
Fast forward to today, her passion for travel<br />
has manifested in various ways. She started<br />
a travel blog in 2012, World <strong>Travel</strong>ista<br />
(www.<strong>Travel</strong>istafly.com), as a means to<br />
document her travels, share her experience<br />
with others & motivate others to travel as<br />
well. She was also once a contributing<br />
writer for <strong>Travel</strong> Noire. That later evolved<br />
into her idea to start a full-fledged travel<br />
consulting agency, World <strong>Travel</strong>s, (www.<br />
worldtravelsllc.com) which she successfully<br />
runs today. She also serves as a Girls Gone<br />
Global <strong>Travel</strong> Ambassador.<br />
Shenita truly believes that traveling is one<br />
of the best ways to learn to appreciate the<br />
world we live in, the people within it and<br />
the lifestyles they live. Her personal travel<br />
motto is: It’s not a hobby, it’s a lifestyle.
THE WORK<br />
HEALTH WORKERS IN RURAL ZAMBIA<br />
- AN EXPAT'S STORY<br />
WRITTEN BY ALEXIS K. BARNES
Sometimes I wish I worked amidst the bustle of<br />
Nairobi. I imagine weekends hearing Maxi Priest<br />
perform in Kampala or exploring the beaches of<br />
Abidjan. However, I live and work in the much<br />
more low-key capital city of Zambia. My nightlife<br />
isn’t what I imagined, but the ability to make impact<br />
in public service is something I never expected.<br />
I love getting out of the capital of Lusaka- not down<br />
south to the majestic Victoria Falls, but to places<br />
like the rural villages of Gwembe, almost 300<br />
kilometers north of the falls. A tough ride for the<br />
weak stomached, Gwembe is more than an hour<br />
off of the main road that stretches from Lusaka to<br />
Livingstone and it is rocky. You bounce on narrow<br />
roads that twist and turn among the district’s<br />
gentle green hills. The children run out to the road<br />
at the sounds of any vehicle passing and I like to<br />
watch them wave at us long after the dust cloud<br />
our tires stirred up fades.<br />
New visitors don’t come out to these villages often<br />
and the children usually flock to peek and investigate.<br />
I traveled here to monitor the network<br />
of community health workers in the area. These<br />
volunteers support the overstretched nurses that<br />
man rural health centers in the region. In these<br />
centers, one or two medical professionals could<br />
cover over 500 to 2,000 households dotted across<br />
the remote landscapes.<br />
There is a shortage of healthcare providers in<br />
sub-Saharan Africa. In Zambia, the ratio of nurses<br />
is 0.8 to 1,000 citizens (the internationally set standard<br />
minimum is 2.5 to 1,000). With this limited access,<br />
Community Health Workers increase accessibility.<br />
They do it by using Nokia (“brick phones”)<br />
to document data on to ground. This data makes<br />
its way up to district, provincial and eventually
national stakeholders in the Ministry of Health- giving<br />
them a real-time image of the state of health<br />
in communities. The CHWs mainly work in malaria<br />
and sanitation surveillance.<br />
Zambia has so much land and is a prime location<br />
for public service and development. I work in global<br />
health and communications, and the country’s<br />
political stability and environment for growth has<br />
made it the perfect place for me to see programs<br />
at work. Far away from the “hotspots” of Ebola on<br />
the western region of the continent, passionate epidemiologists,<br />
physicians and scientists don’t usually<br />
flock to this southern African nation, yet it is<br />
a breeding ground for a public health professional<br />
to do good and tangible work. Infant and maternal<br />
mortality rates are high, the effect of HIV/AIDs is far<br />
reaching and malaria is still the number one cause<br />
of sickness and death. With such high stakes, interacting<br />
with these integral CHWs and working<br />
towards strengthening health systems feels that<br />
much more important.<br />
<strong>An</strong>y given month, I may visit a community health<br />
worker training in Kabwe, where these volunteers<br />
learn how to insert data into their Nokia phones. I<br />
traveled north to Mansa to shoot instructional video<br />
on how indoor residual spraying reduces malaria<br />
transmission. Next week, I will be throughout<br />
southern province working towards eliminating<br />
trachoma, the leading cause of preventable blindness,<br />
in Zambia by 2017.<br />
Sometimes I still wish I was on Grand Bassam<br />
beach in Abidjan, especially when power cuts<br />
leave me in the dark for 6 hours, but seeing the incremental<br />
changes and tangible improvements on<br />
the ground in Zambia makes it worthwhile.
Alexis K. Barnes is a multimedia journalist<br />
currently based in Lusaka, Zambia as a<br />
Global Health Corps fellow. Before Zambia,<br />
she worked in the United Nations bureau of<br />
Al Jazeera English in NYC. Before the Big<br />
Apple, she worked in Washington, D.C.,<br />
then South Korea and Thailand. Though<br />
her roots are in print journalism, they have<br />
evolved into proficiency in video, photo and<br />
audio editing and reporting. Her passion for<br />
telling and exploring human rights stories<br />
has landed her work on the pages of quite a<br />
few notable publications; including Vice and<br />
Griots Republic.
THE REAL<br />
THAILAND<br />
A Country Balanced Between Old & New<br />
Written By Yvette Santos Cuenco
For the last five years, I have lived abroad<br />
as an international school counselor. I spent<br />
three years in Tashkent, Uzbekistan and my<br />
most recent post the past two years is in<br />
Bangkok, Thailand. Look up any guidebook<br />
for Thailand and the front cover will likely be<br />
a pristine beach on one of its southern islands<br />
with no cars, motorbikes, or tuk-tuks<br />
in sight. The beautiful beaches are certainly<br />
what helped propel Thailand to become one<br />
of the top tourism/expat destinations around<br />
the world, but it is not the only reason why I<br />
chose to live here. One of the biggest draws<br />
for me is Bangkok’s amazing mish mash of<br />
old and new.<br />
The klong (canal)<br />
community sits along<br />
an artery of the Chao<br />
Phraya River, tucked away<br />
from the tourist drag of<br />
Wat Po and Wat Arun.<br />
Bangkok is where one can enjoy the conveniences<br />
of the ultra-modern malls and as the<br />
locals say “hi-so” (high society) cafes or trek<br />
out to a neighborhood housing a chedi dating<br />
back to the ancient Siamese capital of Ayutthaya.<br />
All without ever having to leave the city<br />
limits. For travelers who enjoy cities with such<br />
intense contrasts, Bangkok is the perfect destination.<br />
When I moved here, it was my goal to<br />
get to know the city and its layers.<br />
One such place where you can find remnants<br />
of Bangkok’s yesteryears is Klong Bang Luang,<br />
home of Baan Silapin or the Artists<br />
House. I’d heard about it from a good friend
of mine, Aloha, who’d lived in Bangkok for<br />
several years and is a photographer, teacher,<br />
and writer. She told me about this amazing<br />
place in the city, but hidden away because it’s<br />
not near public transportation or any of the<br />
tourist landmarks. Having been there several<br />
Hours<br />
Baan Silapin is open daily from 9AM-<br />
6PM. The puppet show is usually daily<br />
at 2PM (except Wednesdays), unless<br />
they are booked for a performance<br />
elsewhere. There is no entrance fee, but<br />
are welcome to leave a donation that<br />
will go towards the house’s upkeep and<br />
community programming.<br />
times now myself, her description hits it right<br />
on the head.<br />
The klong (canal) community sits along an<br />
artery of the Chao Phraya River, tucked away<br />
from the tourist drag of Wat Po and Wat Arun.<br />
According to Mark Wiens of migrationology.<br />
com, Baan Silapin is approximately 200 years<br />
old. It was purchased by Khun Chumpol Akkapantanon<br />
and renovated into a community<br />
art space. The aforementioned Ayutthaya-era<br />
chedi is housed in Baan Silapin’s courtyard.<br />
My first trek out to Klong Bang Luang was with<br />
my friend Lauren who, like me, was an expat<br />
curious to see a part of the city hidden away<br />
from the highrises. We met at the Siam Sky-<br />
Train station and boarded the train on the Silom<br />
line, heading in the direction of Bang Wa.<br />
I was a little bit anxious because of the language<br />
barrier and none of the landmarks not-
ed in the blogs I read prior to<br />
going were familiar to me. Following<br />
Mark Wiens’ directions<br />
from migrationology.com, we<br />
got out at Wong Wian Yai BTS<br />
and hailed a taxi. I asked the<br />
taxi driver to take us to Charan<br />
Sanit Wong Soi 3 and we<br />
were on our way. I checked<br />
the GPS on my phone and we<br />
seemed headed in the right<br />
direction. We turned down a<br />
narrow alley or soi and the<br />
taxi stopped at a dead end. A<br />
bit confused, we got out and<br />
200 years old like Baan Silapin.<br />
The narrow sois leave no<br />
room for cars – most people<br />
get around on-foot, bikes, or<br />
scooters. No skyscrapers or<br />
large condo towers in sight.<br />
This exudes a laidback intimacy<br />
where the rest of the city<br />
moves at a frenetic pace.<br />
You can visit the different<br />
shops and have a look at their<br />
handmade goods. Or you can<br />
buy some fish food, sit on<br />
the bank of the klong, feed<br />
all very friendly and helpful<br />
regardless of the language<br />
barrier.<br />
While I love walking through<br />
the sois of the klong, the<br />
heart of Klong Bang Luang is<br />
definitely Baan Silapin. Here,<br />
the community and visitors<br />
converge to create a lively, interactive<br />
space. Adorning the<br />
walls and the upper floor are<br />
paintings and sculptures by<br />
various local artists.<br />
Getting to Klong Bang Luang<br />
and Baan Silapin<br />
Baan Silapin is accessible by klong boat tour or by public transportation/taxi. Via<br />
public transpo/taxi – take the Bangkok Sky Train (BTS) train along the Silom line<br />
to Wongwian Yai station. Take the stairs down Exit 2. Catch a taxi and instruct the<br />
driver to take you to Charan Sanit Wong Soi 3, Klong Bang Luang (Charan-sanitwong-soi-sam-klong-bang-luang,<br />
ka). Klong Bang Luang is about a 10-15 minute<br />
drive. The taxi will drop you off at the dead end of Charan Sanit Wong Soi 3. From<br />
here you walk across the footbridge and Baan Silapin will be on your left. To get<br />
back into the city – cross back over the footbridge and walk or catch the songthaew<br />
(red truck taxi) up the soi to the main road. Once at the main road you can catch a<br />
taxi back to the BTS.<br />
the locals figured out where<br />
we wanted to go. They pointed<br />
out the little path to the footbridge<br />
and within minutes we<br />
were taking off our shoes at<br />
Baan Silapin.<br />
Upon crossing the footbridge,<br />
it was immediately evident to<br />
me why the Klong Bang Luang<br />
community is a special place<br />
in Bangkok. The wooden structures<br />
and houses throughout<br />
the klong are roughly 100 –<br />
fish and watching the klong<br />
boats motor past. The food<br />
in the klong is very good and<br />
cheap. I have tried the fresh<br />
brewed iced coffees and iced<br />
teas, curries, and boat noodles<br />
from various vendors and<br />
have never been disappointed.<br />
Average price for a plate<br />
or bowl of food is 30-70 baht<br />
($1-$2.50 USD). Not many of<br />
the locals speak English, but<br />
don’t let this be a hindrance.<br />
From my experience, they’re<br />
When not in use, the puppets<br />
of the Kham Nai traditional<br />
puppet troupe are on display<br />
so you can get up close and<br />
personal, admiring their intricate<br />
details. On the ground<br />
floor is a little café and gift<br />
shop where you can purchase<br />
locally made silk screens,<br />
postcards, and books written<br />
in Thai. On weekends, the<br />
house’s groundfloor hosts<br />
a Kham Nai puppet troupe<br />
performance. They present
a chapter of the Ramakien – Thailand’s take<br />
on the Hindi epic Ramayana. It highlights the<br />
intersection of Hinduism and Buddhism that<br />
makes up Thai culture. You might even catch<br />
the dance and puppeteering lessons geared<br />
towards the local youth.<br />
If you want to flex your painting skills, you can<br />
sit down in the café and paint a mask. Lastly,<br />
while tour groups do come, Baan Silapin and<br />
Klong Bang Luang is still very much a popular<br />
stop for locals as well. On the days I’ve gone –<br />
only weekends did I see tour groups who were<br />
mostly coming to see the Kham Nai show. On<br />
the weekdays I’ve gone – most visitors were<br />
Thai. Take the day and soak it all in.<br />
It is not uncommon to hear travelers in Thailand<br />
say “If you want to see the real Thailand,<br />
don’t stay in Bangkok – go to Chiang Mai (the<br />
Queen city of the North) or go to Pha Nga province<br />
in the South….or….” If you ask them to explain their<br />
reasoning further, it becomes evident that<br />
they have a very idealized picture of Thailand<br />
– one that only exists in pictures. What they<br />
fail to acknowledge is that Thailand prides itself<br />
in offering the old and the new. Bangkok<br />
exemplifies this contrast and the Klong Bang<br />
Luang community is just one of many examples<br />
throughout the capital city where one can<br />
experience a distinct shift from modernity<br />
amidst the urban jungle. That shift, to me, is<br />
“the real Thailand.”
Yvette Santos Cuenco, aka The Roaming Filipina, is<br />
an international school counselor originally from the<br />
San Francisco Bay Area. Prior to moving abroad,<br />
Yvette lived and worked in Brooklyn, NY as a licensed<br />
social worker for seven years. She can trace her<br />
wanderlust to her first trip abroad, the Philippines, in<br />
the 1980s. On her spare time she enjoys dabbling in<br />
street photography, cooking, enjoying epic food and<br />
DJ-ing.<br />
Follow her adventures at www.yvettecuenco.com.<br />
Twitter & Instagram: @vettievette
Since 1865<br />
The <strong>Travel</strong>er's<br />
JUNETEENTH<br />
CELEBRATION GUIDE<br />
BY EBONY "ISIS" BOOTH
© Tiphany Overzat<br />
American post-racial idealism often lends<br />
itself to cultural erasure among a myriad of<br />
other disturbing realities. In our quest for<br />
global equality, contemporary models of consumerism<br />
can cause us to make room for new<br />
trends and popular methods by which we celebrate<br />
our “<strong>Black</strong>ness.”<br />
As a child growing up in New Jersey in the<br />
1980s, African-American History in public<br />
sectors was confined to <strong>Black</strong> History Month.<br />
During February, book reports on George<br />
Washington Carver’s amazing peanut and unlicensed<br />
cartoon cutouts of Martin Luther King,<br />
Jr. adorned my elementary school halls. Awkward<br />
recitations and reenactments of Harriet<br />
Tubman’s speeches and Nat Turner’s revolt<br />
sufficed as proper homage by Youth Ministries<br />
in church on the third Sunday in February. The<br />
following Sundays were reserved for “wear<br />
your Kente Cloth to worship” at the 10 o’clock<br />
service. There is absolutely no wrong way to<br />
celebrate our history as African Americans,<br />
but we must be vigilant in discussing and celebrating<br />
our history outside of the confines of<br />
February.<br />
Where backyard barbeques used to be the<br />
maximum holiday enjoyment for previous fiscally<br />
restricted generations, Millennials are<br />
now catching flights to relax on beaches and<br />
booking the flyest Airbnb accommodations in<br />
Cabo. Despite the trends and advancements,<br />
there is still a particular celebration so specific<br />
to the <strong>Black</strong> experience in America that, in<br />
some ways, it is a sort of a cult classic in the<br />
<strong>Black</strong> American canon of unbelievable resil-
© Tiphany Overzat<br />
The following Sundays<br />
were reserved for<br />
“wear your Kente Cloth<br />
to worship” at the<br />
10 o’clock service.<br />
ience and celebratory traditions - <strong>June</strong>teenth.<br />
On <strong>June</strong> 19, 1865, nearly two and a half years<br />
after Abraham Lincoln’s famed Emancipation<br />
Proclamation, news of the end of chattel slavery<br />
reached Galveston, Texas by way of Union<br />
General Gordon Granger. The justification for<br />
the delayed liberation of Texas slaves is unclear<br />
and attributed to several claims of deliberate<br />
withholding by slave masters who sought<br />
to reap the benefits of a final crop yield, assassination<br />
of messengers, and a rogue Texan<br />
establishment unchecked by the then weakened<br />
Union army. Whatever the cause, news<br />
of liberation was shared to mixed reviews.<br />
Some slaves immediately evacuated plantations<br />
and sought independence, while others<br />
stayed on to attempt to eek out suitable lives<br />
collecting wages as employees of their former<br />
masters.<br />
No matter the response, <strong>June</strong> 19th became a<br />
day of marked pride and supplication where<br />
free black men and women celebrated their<br />
new state of independence in Galveston with<br />
speeches, prayers, parades, rodeos, fishing,<br />
baseball and barbecue.
As the migration of blacks from the southernmost<br />
reaches of Texas radiated to northern<br />
destinations, the tradition of the <strong>June</strong>teenth<br />
celebration traveled with them.<br />
The year 2015 marked the 150th year celebration<br />
of <strong>June</strong>teenth and with it brought an<br />
array of music festivals, lectures, community<br />
health events, picnics, and weekend long<br />
celebrations across America. International<br />
<strong>June</strong>teenth events have been held throughout<br />
the continent of Africa, Korea, Europe, South<br />
America and Japan. Currently, 45 states recognize<br />
<strong>June</strong>teenth as an official observance<br />
and legislation is in place seeking to establish<br />
the 19th of <strong>June</strong> as <strong>June</strong>teenth Independence<br />
Day in America. In the meantime, some of the<br />
largest <strong>June</strong>teenth celebrations in the country<br />
might be happening right outside your front<br />
door!<br />
JUNETEENTH<br />
CELEBRATIONS<br />
ACROSS<br />
THE UNITED STATES<br />
1. GALVESTON<br />
Galveston, TX is the birthplace of <strong>June</strong>teenth.<br />
The African American Museum <strong>June</strong>teenth<br />
Family & Friends Festival boasts blues, gospel,<br />
Zydeco and R&B performances alongside delectable<br />
seafood and barbecue vendors.<br />
www.everfest.com/e/juneteenth-family-friends-
festival-galveston-tx<br />
2. HOUSTON<br />
Houston, TX says that they have the world’s oldest<br />
celebration at what they call, ‘<strong>June</strong>teenth<br />
Emancipation Celebration,’ held at Emancipation<br />
Park inside Houston’s Third Ward. Check<br />
the website for details as the recent park remodel<br />
was delayed due to early spring floods<br />
in the surrounding areas.<br />
www.juneteenthfest.com<br />
3. SAN JOSE<br />
San Jose, CA is serving a diverse celebration<br />
with musical headliners such as Pete Escovedo<br />
and Tweet Charlene splitting the Father’s Day<br />
Weekend bill while engaging Silicone Valley residents<br />
in activities involving technology, health,<br />
family and heritage.<br />
www.bayareajuneteenth.org<br />
4. PORTLAND<br />
Portland, OR surprises us with a rich history of<br />
<strong>June</strong>teenth traditions. The Clara Peoples Freedom<br />
Trail Parade is named for Muskogee, OK<br />
native of the same name who is credited with<br />
initiating Portland’s first annual <strong>June</strong>teenth<br />
celebration in 1972.<br />
www.juneteenthoregon.com<br />
5. DENVER<br />
Denver, CO also has one of the most premier<br />
<strong>June</strong>teenth celebrations in the country every<br />
year in the historic Five Points District of Downtown<br />
Denver. A music festival, the Denver <strong>June</strong>teenth<br />
celebration crowns an African American<br />
Ms. <strong>June</strong>teenth every year for her outstanding<br />
achievements and community involvement.<br />
Denver celebrates with a parade and subsequent<br />
block party with live music performances<br />
throughout the weekend.<br />
www.<strong>June</strong>teenthmusicfestival.com<br />
6. MINNEAPOLIS
Minneapolis, MN boasts one of the countries<br />
largest <strong>June</strong>teenth celebrations! This year,<br />
with the recent and tragic passing of the Twin<br />
Cities’ own, Prince, the musical tributes promise<br />
to be astounding and this is sure to be a<br />
celebration that you don’t want to miss!<br />
www.juneteenthminnesota.org<br />
7. PHILADELPHIA<br />
Philadelphia, PA is getting on board with organizing<br />
efforts from Philadelphia Community<br />
of Leaders who are hosting the inaugural<br />
<strong>June</strong>teenth event in the City of Brotherly Love.<br />
This event promises to showcase marching<br />
bands, drill teams, guest speakers, live musicians,<br />
food vendors and more!<br />
www.phillytrib.com<br />
There are also <strong>June</strong>teenth celebrations as far<br />
reaching as Atlanta, Albuquerque, Boston and<br />
Jacksonville. Do not miss out on your opportunity<br />
to enjoy some rich African American culture<br />
and delectable barbecue this month!
A 2006 National Poetry Slam<br />
Champion, and recipient of<br />
Westword’s Mastermind Award<br />
in Literary Arts for her work as<br />
hostess of Café Nuba; Ebony Isis<br />
Booth is committed to her work.<br />
She continues to fuel her drive<br />
toward art-ivism as Programs<br />
& Communications Coordinator<br />
for Harwood Art Center while<br />
simultaneously writing and<br />
performing original poetry,<br />
heralding social justice, self love,<br />
and perseverance in and around<br />
New Mexico.
03 SONJIA<br />
MACKEY<br />
TRAVELER PROFILE<br />
Sonjia Mackey, simply known as “Lioness” to the rest<br />
of the world, is best known for her extensive travel and<br />
bucket list adventures which have taken her to 36 states,<br />
67 countries, and all 7 continents. She has done everything<br />
from wrestling 10-foot alligators in the U.S. to<br />
polar-plunging into the freezing waters of <strong>An</strong>tarctica to<br />
sky-diving over the Palm Islands of Dubai to spending the<br />
night alone in a tree house in the African bush!<br />
She is the founder of (Im)Possible Living, LLC – a company<br />
created to help people take responsibility for their own<br />
happiness and create the life of their dreams: (Im)Possible<br />
= (I’m)Possible! One branch of the company is “Bucket<br />
List Beasts” – a travel and lifestyle movement initiated<br />
to help people remove mental and emotional blocks; step<br />
outside their comfort zones; overcome their fears; and in<br />
doing so, live their best, happiest, most fulfilling lives.<br />
Through the Facebook social community of the same<br />
name, Lioness hosts travel adventures that enable people<br />
to check multiple items off their bucket lists. The signature<br />
adventure is an annual “mystery” trip, where a limited<br />
number of travelers pack their bags and head to the<br />
airport for a 9-10 day international getaway with no idea<br />
where they are going, where they will be staying, or what<br />
they will be doing!<br />
Lioness is currently authoring two books about her inspirational<br />
life; developing an online course about conquering<br />
fear; and expanding her professional coaching<br />
practice where she helps people redesign their lives for<br />
maximum impact, living, and enjoyment.<br />
To learn more, visit the current Facebook and Instagram<br />
communities and the soon-to-be launched website – all<br />
under “Bucket List Beasts”.
NOTHING<br />
FOR<br />
GRANTED<br />
On navigating the unexpected<br />
and living in Seoul<br />
B y J e s s i c a C o b b s<br />
If ten years ago, you would have told me<br />
I’d someday quit my “adult job,” donate<br />
all of my worldly possessions and board a<br />
one-way flight to South Korea, I likely would<br />
have thought you were crazy. As a self-proclaimed<br />
Latin American culture-enthusiast,<br />
East Asia is the last place I envisioned<br />
spending two years of my life.<br />
However, after an unexpected, yet fortunate<br />
series of events, I now find myself navigating<br />
the ins and outs of English language<br />
teaching at an elementary school in Seoul--<br />
South Korea’s largest city and cultural hub.<br />
Expat life in Korea has been fun, challenging<br />
and everything in between. As a <strong>Black</strong><br />
American woman amidst a sea of Korean<br />
faces--in one of the most ethnically homogenous<br />
countries in the world--there’s been<br />
no shortage of hilarious, eye-opening and<br />
sometimes frustrating experiences. People<br />
aren’t shy about staring; my students still
can’t seem to understand how my hair changes<br />
so frequently; and the language barrier is<br />
an ongoing issue, but my time here has been<br />
mostly positive and enjoyable.<br />
Seoul, the place I call home (at least for now),<br />
is a densely-populated metropolis of 10 million<br />
people--25 million if you include the surrounding<br />
metropolitan area. It features stateof-the-art<br />
infrastructure and technology, an<br />
extensive subway system, and some of the<br />
fastest Wi-Fi in the world.<br />
Despite its relative modernity and technological<br />
advances, touches of traditional architecture<br />
and old-world charm are still present in<br />
the city’s hanok homes, numerous palaces,<br />
and Buddhist temples. When I’m lucky enough<br />
get sucked into spending an entire paycheck<br />
during the daily commute.<br />
While I’m not too partial towards buying<br />
clothes, I admittedly spend a lot of money<br />
on food. Living in a tiny, employer-provided<br />
apartment with one stove burner and no oven<br />
means that I cook a lot less than I used to<br />
in the States. However, this isn’t necessarily a<br />
bad thing, because there’s so much to sample.<br />
Korean cuisine is fairly diverse, cheap and<br />
plentiful, and Seoul offers a little bit of everything--street<br />
food; upscale eateries; traditional<br />
markets (Gwangjang Market being my<br />
personal fave); and hole-in-the-wall joints featuring<br />
your Asian grandmother’s home cooking.<br />
Despite having spent nearly two years<br />
to host visitors, I never hesitate to bring them<br />
to Bukchon Hanok Village and Gyeongbokgung<br />
Palace, located in the heart of the Seoul’s<br />
Jongno district.<br />
Though I typically avoid shopping like the<br />
plague, it’s a popular pastime and essentially,<br />
a way of life in Seoul. With a myriad of stores<br />
and restaurants lining the insides of the city’s<br />
subway stations, it’s easy to see how one could<br />
in this country, I still haven’t gotten tired of<br />
Korean barbecue, and although it may sound<br />
blasphemous coming from the mouth of an<br />
American <strong>Black</strong> girl with roots in the south, I<br />
think Korea’s fried chicken may be among the<br />
best in the world!<br />
When I’m not stuffing my face, I try to get outdoors<br />
and enjoy the scenery. One of the best<br />
parts about living in Seoul is having access to
amazing mountains. Some may assume that<br />
natural beauty would be limited in such a bustling<br />
metropolis, but when the weather is ideal,<br />
it’s easy to hop on a train and venture out<br />
for a trek through one of the city’s national<br />
parks. Hiking culture is huge in Korea! I’m not<br />
exaggerating when I say that I’ve seen both<br />
senior citizens and five-year-olds effortlessly<br />
out-pace my steps as I struggled to catch my<br />
breath during a mountain ascent.<br />
Perhaps some of the most unique--borderline<br />
odd--experiences I’ve had in Seoul involve visits<br />
to various theme cafes. If you’re an animal<br />
lover, the dog cafe, cat cafe (and even sheep<br />
and raccoon cafe) are worth exploring. My<br />
recent obsession is CaFace, where the baristas<br />
superimpose your selfie on the foam of a<br />
beverage. To date, I’ve taken nearly 15 out-oftown<br />
guests here.<br />
Finally, I’d be remiss if I failed to mention that<br />
Seoul truly is a city that never sleeps. The saying<br />
“Work hard, play hard” takes on a whole<br />
new meaning here; Seoul’s nightlife is some<br />
of the best I’ve experienced anywhere in the<br />
world. During a typical weekend night, when<br />
I’m ready to retire to my apartment at around<br />
2:00 am, Seoul’s pulse is still alive and kicking,<br />
with no signs of slowing down, especially<br />
in neighborhoods like Hongdae (which I love),<br />
Itaewon, and Gangnam.<br />
Compared to its nearby neighbor Japan, Korea<br />
may not necessarily be a place that the<br />
average Westerner is well-versed in or one that<br />
some would venture out of their way to visit;<br />
admittedly, before I decided to take the plunge<br />
and move here to teach English, my knowledge<br />
of the country was quite limited. However, two<br />
years later, I guess you could sort of call me<br />
an expert. My experience has been transformative<br />
and one that I do not take for granted.
Jessica F. Cobbs is a Seoul-based expat<br />
with a passion for travel, photography,<br />
and foreign languages. Originally from<br />
Chicago and a graduate of the University<br />
of Illinois at <strong>Urban</strong>a-Champaign, Jessica<br />
has lived and studied in Mexico, Costa<br />
Rica and now South Korea.<br />
Though most of her days are spent<br />
teaching adorable Korean children<br />
English fundamentals, her professional<br />
background spans international<br />
development, community organizing and<br />
immigrant advocacy.<br />
She regularly shares her adventures in<br />
expat life on social media at: @froonthego.
BY ANIYA DUNKLEY<br />
It’s usually not difficult to sell me on the<br />
idea of going someplace new. In the past 20<br />
years, I’ve had over 25 different addresses in<br />
8 different states and quasi-lived in 3 different<br />
countries other than the U.S. Some have<br />
said I have a problem with commitment and<br />
with respect to settling somewhere; I used to<br />
agree, until now. Finally, I’ve found a place I<br />
can call home and feel comfortable wearing<br />
out my welcome in— Florence, Italy.<br />
If Florence is on your destination horizon,<br />
bravo! <strong>An</strong>d if not, seriously consider making<br />
it an addition to your list of must see places.<br />
Florence (or as the Italians call it, Firenze)<br />
is one of the most beautiful little cities you<br />
will ever experience. Visiting the home of the<br />
Renaissance is truly like taking a page out of<br />
history, but Florence won my heart for all of<br />
its hidden charm; all of the stuff that makes<br />
it feel like any other normal European city,<br />
and not a hub for the 16 million tourists that<br />
descend on this little gem every year. Finding<br />
its soul wasn’t easy but after two years, it finally<br />
started feeling familiar. I’m no longer in
that phase of trying to “fit in” with Florence.<br />
Right now, we are like old friends. I know just<br />
enough about this city to keep my calendar<br />
stimulating. So here are my tips for those of<br />
you interested in seeing Florence like a quasi-local.<br />
Florence is very easy to navigate by foot so<br />
bring some comfy shoes and an eagerness<br />
to walk a lot. Most places are reachable in a<br />
20-minute timeframe but the maze-like layout<br />
of the city can be intimidating at first. Do<br />
yourself a favor and take the first couple of<br />
days to just wander the streets and get familiar<br />
with it. There is so much history and beauty<br />
at every turn, and every street leads back to<br />
the river, the Duomo or the central station, so<br />
it’s really hard to get lost.<br />
Along the way, enjoy the sights and copious<br />
amounts of gelato. Just make sure it’s the<br />
good stuff, because there is definitely a difference<br />
in quality and you don’t want to spend<br />
your entire trip eating bad gelato. The general<br />
rule is to avoid places with huge mounds<br />
of gelato with fruit or candy sprinkled on top.<br />
Stick to places that are artigianale, or have<br />
lids on the containers. It’s perfectly normal to<br />
ask to sample the gelato first, so why not?<br />
The hip crowd hang out in the Oltrarno area,<br />
across the river from the Duomo. There are<br />
less tourists on this side of town and it has<br />
a more “local” feel to it. Santo Spirito is kind<br />
of like the central meeting place for locals in<br />
Oltrarno. It’s a great place to enjoy a spritz or<br />
grab a bite to eat.<br />
If you get tired of wandering aimlessly, there is<br />
always some event going on in the city. Check<br />
out The Florentine magazine for information<br />
on current events. If you happen to be visiting<br />
this time of year (during the spring/early<br />
summer months), Fabbrica Europa, Notte Bianca,<br />
and Pitti Uomo are great venues to see<br />
art and fashion. No matter what time of year<br />
you visit, there is always something to do.
18 The general rule<br />
is to avoid<br />
places with huge<br />
mounds<br />
of gelato with<br />
fruit or candy<br />
sprinkled on top.
19<br />
One of the things I adore about Florence is<br />
Mercato Centrale. This is the best place to find<br />
the sweetest fruit and freshest meat, fish and<br />
cheese. It’s in the heart of the city and there<br />
really is no better place. If you go, get there<br />
before it closes at 2 pm (it’s not open Sundays)<br />
and remember, it is not polite to touch<br />
the fruit.<br />
The second floor of the market opened a couple<br />
of years ago and it’s a cool spot to grab a<br />
bite to eat and just people watch. Right outside<br />
is the San Lorenzo Market, which is not<br />
hard to miss. In a nutshell, it’s a good place<br />
for trinkets and things but not for high-quality<br />
goods. Buy with caution.<br />
If you’re into fashion, you can’t go wrong in<br />
Italy. Besides being the home of many top designer<br />
brands, Florence also has some incredible<br />
vintage stores. Be on the lookout for them<br />
as you wander but remember, most businesses<br />
close between 1pm and 4 pm for lunch, so<br />
time yourself accordingly.<br />
It’s really hard to go wrong with restaurants<br />
here and the list is long so instead of listing<br />
them, my best advice is to see what’s close by<br />
and just check the ratings before you reserve.<br />
What I can recommend however, is the Fiorentina<br />
bistecca if you eat meat. This is what they<br />
are known for. Also, Tuscany is truffle land so<br />
don’t miss out on enjoying truffles at some<br />
point during your dining excursion. Otherwise,<br />
eat anything and everything that looks and<br />
smells good. You won’t be disappointed.<br />
The last thing I want to recommend, especially<br />
if you’ve had enough of the museums and<br />
walking until exhaustion, is to have a picnic in<br />
one of Florence’s many beautiful free parks.<br />
They truly are amazing. Grab your book, blanket,<br />
and a bottle of vino and head to Giardino<br />
delle Rose, Giardino Villa Strozzi, Parco di Villa<br />
il Ventaglio or Cascine park to name a few.<br />
Find a tree, relax and enjoy!
<strong>An</strong>iya Dunkley is originally<br />
from Brooklyn, NY. She<br />
practiced law for 12 years<br />
before moving to Italy where<br />
she is currently working<br />
on a Masters of Fine Arts<br />
(MFA) in contemporary<br />
jewelry design at Alchimia<br />
Contemporary Jewelry<br />
School in Florence.
Shinjuku<br />
Written By Shavonne Davis
Tokyo is a traveler’s playground.<br />
Home to some 37 million people, it is easy to<br />
imagine that there is a bit of something for<br />
everyone. As an international school teacher, I<br />
have lived in Tokyo for 4 years. I have greatly<br />
enjoyed my life and experience here but… I<br />
am still getting lost.<br />
A few months ago I was off to a department<br />
store that I visit semi-regularly just outside of<br />
Shinjuku station but this time I took the wrong<br />
exit. According the Guinness Book of World<br />
Records, Shinjuku boasts being the world’s<br />
busiest train station with approximately 3.64<br />
million riders a day. Operated by 5 rail companies<br />
with 36 platforms and over 200 exits it<br />
not hard to imagine how even a resident can<br />
get lost in its intricate network of hallways,<br />
passages, shopping arcades and department<br />
stores. It’s practically a destination in and of<br />
itself.<br />
On this outing, I accidentally took the west exit<br />
of the station instead of the east. There, in<br />
the underground, were signs with directions to<br />
the Tokyo Metropolitan Government buildings,<br />
which host two of the highest free observation<br />
decks in the city. I had been meaning to make<br />
my way there, but it wasn’t until this episode<br />
that I took the opportunity to do so.<br />
Located on the 45 floor of each building, you<br />
get a real taste of how densely populated Tokyo<br />
is, how wonderfully greenery plays a major<br />
part in the organization of the city and you get<br />
to see Mount Fuji if you are lucky (I was lucky).<br />
www.GriotsRepublic.com
Shinjuku is also home<br />
to cat cafes, owl cafes,<br />
fishing cafes (catch<br />
your own fish) and<br />
Alice in Wonderland<br />
themed cafes.<br />
The Odakyu Department store is directly connected<br />
to that exit, though Isetan and Lumine<br />
on the east are a bit more exciting.<br />
Bic Camera and Yodobashi Camera are a short<br />
walk away. If you have never been to a Japanese<br />
electronics store then you are in for sensory<br />
overload. Each floor specializing in something,<br />
mobile accessorises, toys or health and<br />
beauty. You may walk in for a phone case but<br />
end up playing the Nintendo Wii U, checking<br />
out the latest in face steamers or crazy robot<br />
vacuums. For anyone with a remote interest in<br />
electronics or technology, these stores are for<br />
you.<br />
The East exit provides equal, if not more, excitement<br />
on any given day. I have often gotten<br />
lost down the interesting streets lined with<br />
massive shopping stores. Personal favourite,<br />
Don Quijote in Kabuki-cho can be found here.<br />
To any visitor to Japan, Don Quijote epitomizes<br />
the absolute randomness availed to this<br />
culture. A great place for souvenirs or for just<br />
pure time wasting, you won’t soon be bored<br />
in this store. From high-end products, expensive<br />
bags and watches to Pikachu body suits<br />
and sex toys, this store has everything. This is<br />
www.GriotsRepublic.com
what a true variety store was meant to be like.<br />
Kabuki-cho itself is known as Tokyo’s red-light<br />
district. Minus the red-lights, it is filled with<br />
bars, nightclubs, Pachinko parlours (sort of<br />
weird Japanese gambling madhouses), and<br />
love hotels. This area tells the story of the<br />
shadiness of Japanese culture. For example,<br />
the Robot Restaurant is one such attraction<br />
where scantily clad women dance around and<br />
perform amongst robots all in the name of entertainment.<br />
Walking through the district at night, the well<br />
lit neon signage basically beckoning you in,<br />
people watching is at its best. From the hordes<br />
of Chinese and Korean tourists, to the African<br />
men trying to talk you into the gentleman’s<br />
clubs and the host girls dressed in maid outfits,<br />
a regular smorgasbord for the eyes and<br />
ears.<br />
Shinjuku is also home to cat cafes, owl cafes,<br />
fishing cafes (catch your own fish) and Alice<br />
in Wonderland themed cafes. The Department<br />
stores: Isetan, Odakyu, Lumine 1 and 2 to<br />
name a few, and malls (Takashimaya is huge)<br />
live up to the true meanings of “large stores.”<br />
The basement of Isetan is a food floor, full of<br />
food stalls selling everything from meat, to<br />
rice balls and macaroons; simply put, a fatkid’s<br />
playground.<br />
A walk through the underground passages on<br />
my way back to the station gives allowance for<br />
a delicious dinner, cute hosiery, hair accessories<br />
and cheesecake. To imagine that I simply<br />
left my house to buy some wool, it’s amazing<br />
what a day of getting lost can do for you.<br />
www.GriotsRepublic.com
Shavonne Davis is an international teacher<br />
currently living and working in Tokyo, Japan. Born<br />
in Toronto, Ontario, Canada to West Indian parents,<br />
she has single-handedly gotten her family to visit<br />
parts of Asia. Other than a love of travel, she also<br />
enjoys sports, photography and knitting.<br />
Twitter: @qspeedy_shivi<br />
Blog: blackgirlinasia.com
04 ALONZO<br />
CARTLIDGE<br />
TRAVELER PROFILE<br />
“The measure of a man is not where he stands in moments<br />
of comfort and convenience, but where he stands<br />
at times of challenge and controversy’’are the words<br />
spoken by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and practiced by<br />
Alonzo Cartlidge., II.<br />
Having heard the family legacy that Cartlidge men did<br />
not live beyond their 30’s, Alonzo felt a need to make his<br />
impression on the world as quickly as possible. His being<br />
educated mainly in the south was a major reason for<br />
his participation in the desegregation movement during<br />
the sixties. During his career, he became the youngest<br />
administrator to be employed as Director of Student<br />
Activities at Benedict College. At the age of 21, he became<br />
the Assistant Dean of Students at Colgate University<br />
in Hamilton, NY. Cartlidge’s professional career has<br />
impacted students from all nationalities, and from all<br />
walks of life at the City University of NY, Kean College<br />
of New Jersey, Raritan Valley Community College, and<br />
Saint Peter’s College, where he served as Assistant Dean<br />
of Academics.<br />
Today, Cartlidge serves as President of Our Gang Group,<br />
LLC., a travel and event planning corporation headquartered<br />
in Maplewood, NJ. With offices in Brooklyn, NY<br />
and Atlanta, Ga., Our Gang <strong>Travel</strong> is celebrating it’s 30th<br />
<strong>An</strong>niversary in the industry, and has received accolades<br />
from many travel partners, including recognition by Royal<br />
Caribbean International as Regional <strong>Travel</strong> Partner for<br />
three consecutive years.<br />
In his office, Alonzo has a prominent display of “The<br />
Measure of a Man,” along with two other framed sayings.<br />
Ecclesiastes 3:1—12, “All Things In Their Time”<br />
and “It doesn’t matter where you go or what you have,<br />
but who you have beside you.”
FLA<br />
MEN<br />
CO<br />
Written By Majida Mundial
I remember, quite clearly, my first introduction<br />
to Spanish culture in fourth grade. A tall,<br />
dark haired and brightly smiled woman walked<br />
into my classroom wearing a skin tight, yet<br />
frilly, red dress, a full face of makeup, and<br />
what looked like a chrysanthemum in her hair.<br />
To us, a class full of Brooklyn’s finest white<br />
and dark chocolate 80s babies, the lady in red<br />
had to be the Señorita that everyone goes to<br />
the Kentucky Fair to see. We were convinced<br />
and proud that Ms. Beverly, our teacher, was<br />
an undercover celebrity and used her pull to<br />
get La Señorita with flowers in her hair to<br />
teach our class about Flamenco dance and<br />
Spanish culture.<br />
My advice,<br />
when it comes to<br />
experiencing Spanish<br />
dance - just stick to<br />
the traditions that<br />
hail from <strong>An</strong>dalucia,<br />
namely, Flamenco<br />
and Sevillanas.<br />
Little did I know, it would be my first experience<br />
with duende - a strange spiritual, magical,<br />
and moving presence that everyone watching<br />
a performer deeply embodying their craft<br />
can feel, but not explain.<br />
My experience with duende stuck<br />
with me into my adulthood and<br />
I eventually decided that it was<br />
necessary for me to figure out<br />
a way to move to Spain. I never<br />
thought I would teach English<br />
in a foreign land. However,<br />
when I realized that doing<br />
so would provide a way for me to<br />
explore new culture and expand myself<br />
as a citizen of humanity, I decided<br />
to give it a try – I’m glad I did.<br />
Spain is a beautiful country with a rich multicultural<br />
history that is both kept very much<br />
alive and suppressed at the same time. The<br />
country has been conquered and ruled by a<br />
plethora of ethnic groups and political regimes<br />
whose presence have significantly impacted<br />
all facets of modern day Spanish life -<br />
including art, culture, and expression. Dance,<br />
however, continues to play a major role in<br />
Spanish culture.<br />
For many foreigners, the idea of Spanish<br />
dance only brings forth visions of strumming<br />
guitars, stomping feet and sexy women<br />
in brightly colored flamenco dresses playing<br />
castañuelas. However, this idea of Spain is
only representative of one region, <strong>An</strong>dalucia.<br />
A more accurate image of Spanish dance<br />
would be one that included the use of bagpipes<br />
and tambourines, as they are the main<br />
instruments for accompanying the traditional<br />
dances across the north of Spain! <strong>An</strong>d yes,<br />
they are as boring as they sound. My advice,<br />
when it comes to experiencing Spanish dance,<br />
just stick to the traditions that hail from <strong>An</strong>dalucia<br />
– namely, Flamenco and Sevillanas.<br />
The word Flamenco describes an improvised<br />
and expressive family of over 50 different<br />
song and dance styles, rather than just one<br />
style. The history of these traditions is not<br />
precisely known and has only been documented<br />
for the last 200 years. Most of what<br />
is known regarding Flamenco before this time<br />
is based upon stories which have been orally<br />
passed down through family dynasties - leaving<br />
much room for speculation and debate.<br />
It is generally accepted however, that Flamenco<br />
was birthed as a result of a unique fusion<br />
of Gypsy, Islamic, Sephardic, and native <strong>An</strong>dalucían<br />
cultures that existed in the south<br />
of Spain during the late 15th and early 16th<br />
century.<br />
Often confused as being Flamenco itself, Sevillanas<br />
is believed to have evolved from a<br />
15th century Castilian dance called the Seguidillas.<br />
This dance was later influenced<br />
by Flamenco and other forms of dance<br />
to transform into what is known as Sevillanas<br />
today.<br />
Sevillanas is a choreographed four<br />
part traditional folk dance (and genre<br />
of music) done mostly in the <strong>An</strong>dalucía<br />
region of Spain at most social<br />
gatherings. Sevillanas is usually performed<br />
in pairs, although sometimes<br />
in groups, and is danced by both men<br />
and women.<br />
Every year people come from all over<br />
the world come to Spain to experience<br />
Flamenco and Sevillanas. If you<br />
are planning your next trip to Spain and
The word Flamenco<br />
describes an<br />
improvised and<br />
expressive family<br />
of over 50 different<br />
song and dance<br />
styles, rather than<br />
just one style.
would like to include seeing some of the best<br />
Spanish dancers perform, consider grabbing<br />
tickets to one of the following events or venues:<br />
develop on your own. Nevertheless, if you´re<br />
like me and find exploring on your own to be<br />
even more enticing, then check out the following<br />
locations to start classes:<br />
Coral de la moreria (Madrid)<br />
www.corraldelamoreria.com<br />
El cordobes (Barcelona)<br />
www.tablaocordobes.es<br />
Tablao Arenal (Sevilla)<br />
tablaoelarenal.com<br />
Los Gallos (Sevilla)<br />
www.tablaolosgallos.com<br />
La Bienal Flamenco Festival (Málaga)<br />
www.malagaenflamenco.com<br />
La Bienal Flamenco Festival (Sevilla)<br />
www.labienal.com<br />
Fundacion Conservatorio<br />
Flamenco Casa Patas (Madrid)<br />
www.conservatorioflamenco.org<br />
Centro Amor de Dios (Madrid)<br />
www.conservatorioflamenco.org<br />
Universidad de Flamenco (Madrid)<br />
www.uflamenco.com<br />
Adrés Marín Studio (Sevilla)<br />
www.andresmarin.es/estudio<br />
Úrsula López Studio (Sevilla)<br />
www.flamencodanza.com<br />
If you are interested in learning how to dance<br />
Flamenco, you should be aware that because<br />
this tradition has been passed down orally,<br />
not much of a formalized pedagogy has been<br />
developed. This means that classes are mainly<br />
taught in apprenticeship settings and there<br />
are many things that you will have to learn and<br />
If you are interested in learning<br />
more about teaching<br />
English in Spain, start here:<br />
www.comoconsultingspain.com<br />
Majida Mundial is an advocate for<br />
passion-filled lifestyle creation and a<br />
believer that anything you want can<br />
be yours at anytime, if you believe<br />
enough. It’s never too late to grow,<br />
change, shift, and be who you desire<br />
to be. Always open to making new<br />
friends, connect with her on instagram<br />
@MajidaMunidal
With no back up birthday plans, a novice<br />
traveler sets off to explore "Gwada"<br />
Written by Alicia Mitchell
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Promising myself a 30th birthday celebration to<br />
remember, visiting the French Caribbean islands<br />
of Guadeloupe fit the call. Having agreed to visit<br />
a close friend more than seven years ago, this<br />
trip served a dual purpose: staying true to my<br />
word and escaping the unforgiving New York winter<br />
weather. A round trip, nonstop Norwegian Air<br />
flight departing from JFK sold for $350. That’s a<br />
steal of a deal considering prices regularly settled<br />
around double or triple the rate.<br />
As the trip drew near, I grew in excitement. Researching<br />
travel notices kept me grounded and<br />
added an air of caution to my preparations. According<br />
to the World Health Organization, the<br />
Zika virus infection was recorded in Guadeloupe<br />
in January <strong>2016</strong>. The Center for Disease Control<br />
and Prevention outlined that subtropical climates,<br />
like that of Guadeloupe, are ideal for mosquitos<br />
infected with Zika to spread to humans. No medicine<br />
or vaccine exists for Zika; aside from wearing<br />
bug spray as perfume for the week— c’est la vie.<br />
As a novice international traveler, coming to the<br />
airport three hours in advance was something<br />
new. From my experiences flying domestically,<br />
arriving that early seemed optional. Having<br />
thoroughly packed, planned and researched this<br />
trip, the severity of my oversight was shocking. I<br />
missed my flight to Guadeloupe! Purchasing another<br />
ticket or cancelling the entire trip were the<br />
only options. However, no contingency birthday<br />
plan in New York could contend with the high expectation<br />
of exploring the French West Indies.<br />
Finding a new flight was expensive, but necessary.<br />
Southeast of Puerto Rico, between the Caribbean<br />
Sea and the tropical Atlantic Ocean, rests<br />
the picturesque islands of Guadeloupe. Before<br />
Christopher Columbus discovered Guadeloupe in<br />
1493, the Carib indigenous people of the Lesser<br />
<strong>An</strong>tilles inhabited the land and named the island<br />
Karukéra, which means “the island with beautiful<br />
water.” However, the Spanish were unsuccessful<br />
in colonizing the island, losing the battle to the<br />
warlike Carib Indians. The French were able to<br />
defeat the Caribs and were the first to colonize<br />
the island.<br />
<strong>An</strong> overseas region of France since 1635, this<br />
Caribbean best kept secret has preserved its authentic<br />
way of life and respect for the sun-kissed<br />
people, land and sea. Although a cultural mix of<br />
the African and French islanders, a majority of<br />
Guadeloupians speak French, the country’s official<br />
language. Creole patios is also widely spo-
intention. Having hired a native islander<br />
as my guide and translator, I experienced<br />
Guadeloupe from a local’s perspective<br />
and it was a real treat.<br />
Basse-Terre is the capital city of Guadeloupe<br />
and the bigger of the two main<br />
islands. <strong>An</strong> adventure seekers paradise,<br />
La Grande Soufrière is one of the<br />
youngest and most active volcanoes in<br />
the Caribbean. Nearly a mile high, lush<br />
tropical rainforest vegetation surrounds<br />
the volcano with hiking trails ranging in<br />
distance and difficulty. Advancing closer<br />
towards the craters, temperatures<br />
considerably drop, visibility decreases<br />
and the sharp scent of sulfur encases<br />
your nasal passages. Getting lost in<br />
the tranquil beauty of the waterfalls,<br />
soaking away my worries in the natural<br />
hot springs of Basse-Terre, which is<br />
supplied with hot water from La Grande<br />
Soufrière volcano, was a euphoric experience<br />
I won’t soon forget.<br />
The steep and narrow roads along the<br />
tops of towering sea cliffs made driving<br />
a challenging and uncomfortable task.<br />
Resting my faith in the skill level of my<br />
friend, I refused to sit in the driver’s<br />
seat, even with the rental car under my<br />
name. The roundabouts, tight bends<br />
and poor lighting after sunset along<br />
Basse-Terre’s mountain roads felt too<br />
dangerous for a non-driving New Yorker<br />
to handle.<br />
ken, which is a mixture of French, English, Spanish, Carib,<br />
Portuguese, and African dialects.<br />
The butterfly-shaped islands of Basse-Terre and Grande-Terre<br />
are the main territories of the stunning French archipelago of<br />
Guadeloupe. The two islands are separated by the Salée River<br />
and a bridge connects the islands to one another.<br />
With more hotels than any other island in the archipelago,<br />
Grande-Terre is the ideal tourist backdrop. A beach-lover’s<br />
paradise, miles of sandy white beaches, great restaurants and<br />
nightclubs align the exotic east coast. Vacationing during the<br />
high season, but avoiding the mainstream delights was my<br />
All roads led to amazing cuisine, especially<br />
at Deshaies La Plage de Cluny.<br />
Off the beaten path, this quaint and<br />
clothing optional beach is targeted towards<br />
adults seeking tranquility and no<br />
tan lines. Local vendors offered tasteful<br />
surroundings and strong Ti Punch,<br />
a rum-based mixed drink popular<br />
throughout the island. French dishes<br />
with a Caribbean twist— the richly<br />
flavored fresh seafood echoed why<br />
Guadeloupe is world renowned for its<br />
extraordinary cuisine. <strong>An</strong> unforgettable<br />
experience worth repeating, Guadeloupe<br />
offers an escape from the fastpaced<br />
life and easily coaxes visitors to<br />
relax, release and repeat. A welcomed<br />
disconnect and necessary indulgence.
On the hunt for passport stamps,<br />
increasing international travel is a<br />
goal with noexpiration date. A New<br />
York implant, Alicia Mitchell is a digital<br />
project manager, softball manager,<br />
and lover of life and new experiences.
BOOZE<br />
CUES<br />
Celebrate the summer with a string<br />
of Beer, Whiskey and Wine Festivals<br />
Written by Bruce "Blue" RIvera
Whether for personal milestones, recognizing<br />
one’s heritage, patriotism, religion, music<br />
or a myriad of other reasons, all cultures love<br />
celebrations and festivals. Probably some of<br />
the most common and celebrated festivals<br />
usually revolve around alcoholic beverages.<br />
Why? Besides its bodacious flavor and notoriety<br />
as the ultimate social lubricant and<br />
party starter, alcohol has the magical power<br />
that makes the world go round.<br />
Liquor, wine, beer and cocktail festivals have<br />
been around in some fashion forever but lately<br />
have become particularly popular worldwide<br />
as droves of enthusiasts flock from all<br />
corners of the planet to experience some of<br />
the best festivals the world has to offer. So if<br />
you enjoy a nice cocktail when on your travels,<br />
maybe it’s time you travel to drink.<br />
Here are some of my recommendations to<br />
the best beer, wine and cocktail events going<br />
into the fall of <strong>2016</strong>.<br />
Haro Wine Festival<br />
Where: Spain<br />
When: <strong>June</strong> 28th -30th<br />
According to the Haro Festival organizers,<br />
each year between the 28th and 30th of <strong>June</strong>,<br />
thousands of thirsty locals and a handful of<br />
lucky tourists climb a mountain in La Rioja,<br />
Spain, and throw massive amounts of wine<br />
all over each other.<br />
This festival was historically known as St Peter’s<br />
Feast Day, but as this festival has grown<br />
in size over the years it seems the historic<br />
religious significance is practically lost in the<br />
puddles of red liquid that are wiped from the<br />
streets after the weekend’s events. This event<br />
is most popularly known as “La Batalla de<br />
Vino de Haro” or better known as the “Wine<br />
Battle.”<br />
This wine war is declared to celebrate its numerous<br />
wineries attended by thousands of<br />
tourists and wine loving locals alike. There
NOMAD<br />
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are many events that follow this 50,000-liter<br />
wine battle; from bullfighting to numerous<br />
wine-tastings, there’s something for everyone<br />
at The Haro Festival, as long as you love wine.<br />
Make sure to get rest and rise early and bring<br />
your corkscrew because festivities start at 7<br />
am. Wine for breakfast anyone?<br />
Tales of the Cocktail<br />
Where: New Orleans<br />
When: July <strong>2016</strong><br />
Tales of the Cocktail is held annually in order<br />
to gain a higher level of cocktail education or a<br />
higher level of inebriation, depending on who<br />
you ask. The festival is said to be the world’s<br />
best cocktail festival highlighting what’s new<br />
and up and coming in the cocktail industry.<br />
The masterminds behind this festival have created<br />
a place where people can come together<br />
to embark on an adventurous journey of the<br />
taste buds. Experience some of the best food<br />
and craft-cocktail recipes created by the who’s<br />
who of the spirit industry. From food served on<br />
the finest of china to giant punch-filled trash<br />
cans, anything goes as long as it’s innovative<br />
and a crowd pleaser. But be mindful that when<br />
you’re not tossing them back, this festival is<br />
extremely informative and educational.<br />
Tales of the Cocktail takes its instruction very<br />
seriously, hosting not only informative parties<br />
and tastings but also award ceremonies and<br />
in-depth recipe composition and cocktail history<br />
classes. Plain and simple, the organizers<br />
really know cocktails and most importantly
how to enjoy them. The skillfully shaken itinerary<br />
of events and guest speakers will keep any<br />
attendee occupied as you learn how to mix<br />
like the best and see firsthand the pulse of<br />
what the spirit marketplace is all about. New<br />
Orleans, with its rich history and knack for<br />
unbridled flare in entertaining, surely will not<br />
disappoint. So bottoms up!<br />
The Joy of Sake<br />
Where: Honolulu, Hawaii/NY, NY<br />
When: July 22nd / Sept. 16th <strong>2016</strong><br />
The Joy of Sake is the world’s largest sake<br />
celebration outside of Japan and the festival<br />
makes its appearance in Honolulu Hawaii Friday,<br />
July 22nd and in New York NY Saturday,<br />
September 16th with an array of more than<br />
300 sakes. Made in traditional and contemporary<br />
Asian sake style, top local chefs serve<br />
sake inspired culinary delights and creations.<br />
If you love sublime food and sake in peak condition,<br />
then grab some of your closest tomodachi<br />
and head to this one-of-a-kind event.<br />
Perfect for passionate sake enthusiasts or<br />
someone looking to get introduced to the wonderful<br />
gift of sake from our friends in the far<br />
east.<br />
Oktoberfest<br />
Where: Munich, Germany<br />
When: September / October<br />
Oktoberfest is the world’s largest beer festival<br />
held annually in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. It<br />
is a 16-day festival running from late September<br />
to the first weekend in October with more<br />
than 6 million people from around the world<br />
attending the event every year. The event is<br />
all about one thing and that is beer and only<br />
beer (no cocktail umbrellas or wine in sight<br />
for miles).<br />
One huge misconception is that Oktoberfest,<br />
in all its beer filled glory, is a reason to partake<br />
in massive consumption of beer. While<br />
that may be partially true of this festival, it’s<br />
only part of story. This heavenly brew is more<br />
than a drink for the people of Munich; it is<br />
integrated into the cultural fabric and foundation<br />
of the city.<br />
History states when founded in 1810, Oktoberfest<br />
celebrated the marriage of the Crown<br />
Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese of Saxe<br />
Hildburghausen. It has increased in size over<br />
its 200 -year history, most notably with the addition<br />
of droves of bros, hipsters, beards, wifi,<br />
bratwurst, electricity and glass beer steins<br />
(not in any particular order).<br />
The 16-day festival traditionally opens with a<br />
military style twelve gun salute and the tapping<br />
of the ceremonial first keg by the mayor<br />
of Munich. The mayor also employees the<br />
service of nearly 2,000 toilets and urinals<br />
to provide relief for the more than 6 million<br />
brew filled bladders in attendance during the<br />
course of the festival. Officials estimate more<br />
than 7 million liters are served over the 16-<br />
day festival. So if you are ever in the mood<br />
for a nice beer with 5,999,999 of your closest<br />
friends, without a doubt Oktoberfest is the<br />
only place to be.<br />
Honorable Mentions<br />
Whiskey Fest<br />
September 23, <strong>2016</strong><br />
San Francisco, CA US<br />
Cape Town Bierfest<br />
December 4th <strong>2016</strong><br />
Cape Town, South Africa<br />
Rum Bahamas<br />
February 24th - 26th, 2017<br />
Nassau, Bahamas<br />
Plum Hollow<br />
Moonshine Festival<br />
May 26th – 28th 2017<br />
Campobello, SC US
Bruce Blue Rivera , The <strong>Urban</strong> Mixologist,<br />
is an accomplished mixologist<br />
with over 16 years of bartending, wine<br />
and spirits experience. Boasting an<br />
impressive resume that spans across<br />
12 countries and many awards and<br />
winning cocktail recipes to his credit,<br />
Bruce Blue Rivera teaches the history,<br />
culture and application of bartending<br />
and has been featured on Spike TV’s<br />
Bar Rescue and Wendy Williams to<br />
name a few.
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<strong>An</strong> <strong>Urban</strong> <strong>Black</strong><br />
<strong>Travel</strong> Mag
Griots Republic Vol. 1 Issue 6<br />
<strong>June</strong> <strong>2016</strong><br />
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