All About Ms. World's World

Where's Ms. World?

The truth is that I've almost forgotten that I have a blog and use to proudly call myself a "blogger." Now I use another word to describe myself, "homeowner." I've been living it up in my newly purchased condominium in East Coast City X! Do you know what my owning a home means? Yes, God performs miracles.

I love my new pad and the tax deductions I'll get as a homeowner. Now I have to decorate the place with the help of IKEA, Macy's, Domino magazine, and all the stuff I brought in Japan and in my travels! And please feel free to send me any good decorating advice.

The Life of a Phile Or How I Became An Internationalist

When I was a young girl, I was an anglophile. This was a strange way of being for me since I was a working class African-American in the Midwest.  My anglophilia manifested itself in my love of 80's British pop music (especially Culture Club & Wham), my love of British magazines (Smash Hits, The Blitz, & The Face), the EastEnders soap opera, and my longing to see London. My family was somewhat supportive of my anglophilia since it harmless and didn't disrupt any important aspects of my life.

A little late in my teenage years, I verged into francophilia. After viewing photos of Paris, I thought the French definitely had some secrets up their sleeves because it is such a beautiful city. (Please note that I didn't dwell on the fact that the British & French were huge colonizers.)

I eventually grew out of these phases. However, the phile in me came back in a major way when I got interested in India. Of course, I became an indophile. But I always had a problem being an indophile because it didn't sit well with my innate afrocentric tendencies. I don't think I'm an overt afrocentric person but it is in me. I stopped being a huge indophile after traveling around India (I think I got it out of my system!).

After traveling around South Africa and Mozambique, I became enamored with the continent of Africa. Now I want to see it all! And I'm formulating a plan to visit the western and eastern regions of Africa in the next several years. I feel like my African interests are a better fit with my identity as a person of African descent. But the truth is that I'm still an indophile and anglophile at heart. I also have a touch of japanophile in me after spending two years living there.

In the end, the only way I can make sense of all of this is to embrace the identity of an internationalist. I think this word will allow me to acknowledge all of the places which I feel intimately drawn to no matter what cultural, ethnic, religious, or racial differences may exist.

New Addiction

an This is my new addiction! McD's premium coffee is relatively cheap (compared with Starbucks & Dunkin Donuts) and is pretty good. My BFF Wenona had raved about McD's new coffee but I never tried it until I recently moved to the suburb's of east coast city X. I've been drinking it since last Friday and I'm hooked. I had briefly given up Starbucks' vanilla lattes for Dunkin Donuts coffee but McD's is closer to my home. I have a feeling this will be a short-term addiction because I think I could lose 15 pounds a year just swearing off coffee. Of course, I would stop drinking McD's coffee any day if I could score some high-quality chai. Where is the chai-wallah when you need them?

The Land of the Master

Lately, I've been very busy in east coast city X looking for a job, meeting people, and networking. I've looked for a job many times but  networking like a maniac is a new thing for me. And I'm happy to report that there is fun to be found in networking.

The truth is I've never been a huge networker because an aspect of my personality hates asking strangers to help me out (unless I'm in a foreign country). I'm very big on doing things all by myself or only asking for help from my mother, brother, and close friends. I really prefer relying on myself because I'm guaranteed to get things done. However, it has dawn on me in recent weeks that networking is the key to job hunting.

I'm happy to say that I'm enjoying networking. It is interesting and fun to talk to so many different people about their work which usually leads to a conversation about their lives and choices.

One thing I've discovered in east coast city X is a preponderance of people with advanced degrees (MA, MS, MBA, JD, PhD). Everyone seems to have a master's degree here which surprised me. And I feel like the staple master's degree is in international relations. This has killed any interest I had in possibly pursuing another advanced degree in that field.

I fit in because I too have a master's degree, so I can join the masses of well-educated or over-educated folks (depending on who you are) in the battle to land a permanent gig. The competition is tight but I'm confident in my skill set. I also believe I have something interesting and different to offer. 

Ms World's Top 10 Things about Her New City in No Particular Order

1. My newly born niece is nearby.
2. I have several friends in the area.
3. I have an opportunity to meet people through my JET network.
4.The city has a very international scene.
5. The city is known by all, so people like Cousin Ryumi, Sexxy Jimmy, Thip-Sexy, and Fashion Diva Elie-san may visit me from abroad.
6. I'm no longer in the Midwest.
7. I have access to the CW tv network, therefore I can become re-addicted to GIRLFRIENDS.
8. There are many free events happening in the city.
9.There are many places selling coffee in the city and suburbs.
10. There are a number of cinemas showing
interesting films.

The Downsides
1. The public transportation system cost to much in my view.
2. I'm not sure if my New York City friends will come to visit me.
3. The movies aren't under $10USD all the time.
4. I heard the public libraries suck.
5. I have to learn my way around a new city in the cold!
6. It ain't London, Mumbai, Tokyo, Bangkok, Hanoi, Cape Town or Dublin.
7. On a good day, I'd prefer to be mid-flight to a new destination.
8. I haven't found the international people, yet.
9. There is a Krispy Kreme shop in a major location which spells temp-tation for moi!
10. I have to find a job!

The 411

My life is all about networking to get a j-o-b! URGH! I'm also working on getting my fire (as my mother calls it) or my mojo (as my brother calls it) back.

Yes, it is true that doing the past several months, I've lost my groove(or fire or mojo). And honestly, my life isn't the same without it pumping through my veins and getting me psyched about life.

I can't seem to get very excited about anything these days besides my niece, drinking coffee, seeing friends since I now live near a few of them, new meeting people since I know less than 10 people in the area, and books. This isn't conducive to gaining employment. I do my best not to think about my past world travels or my time in Japan because I fall into nostaglia-land which isn't conducive to gaining employment either.

I miss my mojo (fire, groove). I feel like part of me is gone. I'm so blah. And people have called me many names in my life but never blah. I hope it is a seasonal issue or once every few years occurence. I look forward to snapping out of it.

Movement is essential to growth

Rule Number One- Move! And I did move on Monday, October 23rd. My mother had spent Sunday evening packing bags with the contents of my newly purchased wardrobe. Meanwhile, I was prepping or as the Brits say revising, for an upcoming test. On Monday morning, my mother drove to an airport in the Midwest (located in a neighboring city). Meanwhile, I dozed in and out of sleep when I was attempting to prep for the damn test. By 14:00 hours (military style), I was on my way to a brand new life.

The city I've moved to is on the east coast of the U.S. but it isn't la citta de Nueva York. I can't do New York F*nkin' City anymore. I'm 35 years old and I want to own the place where I lay my head (eventually). And I know that ain't going to happen in the Big Apple.

I have family in this new place that I'm trying to call home. Mia fratello (my brother in Italian) lives here. And I officially have two friends living in the area. I think I'm pretty well-off. I have a theory that a person needs at least one true friend to survive in the world. It is great when you're blessed with lots of good friends but if you have one person whom you are comfortable calling at 3 in the morning, you have a support system. 

Rebound

I disappeared for awhile to take care of some important business: dealing with reverse culture shock and health issues. Now I'm back but not in blogland. I don't have the heart right now to deal with the blogsphere, so please enjoy the archives!

The summer of the memoir

      

 

I'm supposed to be writing a book but sometimes I can be found reading.

Here are some good reads I've enjoyed so far this summer.

Accidental Diva         by Tia Williams.
This is an African-American chick-lit book. I picked it up because I wanted to prove to myself that badly written books get published all the time. But I picked up the wrong book because it was well-written for the genre. It was also a very enjoyable read.

Project Girl  by Janet McDonald
I've been picking up lots of memoirs because of my own writing project. I have a special interest in memoirs written by African-American women. This book was richer and more moving than I expected. I thought it would be a story about a girl getting out of the ghetto because she was intelligent. It is so much more than that. The plot had more ups and downs than I anticipated. I loved it!

The works of Marjane Satrapi
Marjane Satrapi is an Iranian born graphic novelist now living in France. She has published at least 3 books in the U.S. about her experiences in Iran. I have a great interest in Iran (I tried to go there last year doing my BLACK GIRLS RULE WORLD TOUR but couldn't get a tourist visa. I also desperately wanted to go to Beirut, Lebanon too.) Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood is about her life in Iran during the Iranian Revolution.   Persepolis: The Story of the Return is about a period of her life spent in Austria where her parents sent her to get educated and enjoy life in a free society. It isn't a very happy tale and Satrapi ends up returning to Iran.  I liked these two books the best. I also read Embroideries which was interesting but not as powerful as the Persepolis series.

Fun Home: A Family Tragicomedy by Alison Bechdel
This has complex and very original graphic novel has to be one of the best reads of the summer. Bechdel is a well-regarded creator of the comic strip Dykes to Watch Out For. This graphic novel is about her childhood and her relationship with her decorative arts-loving father. It was so good that I re-read it.

Naked: Black Women Bare All about Their Skin, Hair, Lips, and Other Parts edited by Ayana Byrd and Akiba Solomon
I actually purchased this book! (The rest of the books were checked out of the local library.) This book is a great collection of personal essays by a diverse group of African-American women. I highly recommend it.

 Cafe Trinity by Wendy Lo
This is a book of beautifully written poetry book with Japanese drawings by a new talent on the American poetry scene. You can't find this book in a bookstore or library so if your interested, please click on the title and pick it up.

 

There are more books that I read but I'll stop here. I'm in the midst of reading Frank McCourt's Angela's Ashes (I'm stunned by how poor his family was!), Mary Karr's The Liars' Club , and Alexandra Fuller's Don't Lets Go to The Dogs Tonight. I think you can tell that I'm studying the memoir. 

Mourning

I have a quiet truth that I must share with you all. I'm in mourning. For what you ask? For my former life. I miss Japan but the bigger truth is that I miss what my life in Japan represented- opportunities to travel, exploration, adventure, and lots of fun.

Yes, I did work during my 2 year tenure as an English teacher. However, the teaching bit came a little easy to me.  I'm a born organizer and planner, so I was always on top of my lesson planning. Work was easy for me. My after-school life was good, sometimes amazing. I miss knowing that I have 20 days of vacation to use for my pleasure and dreaming and making plans to go to countries in Southeast Asia, East Asia, or Oceania. How many Americans have jobs that give them 20 days of vacation a year? I've also realized that I'm a very social person. I have not having a significant social circle in my life. I have friends in the U.S. but most of the them are on the East Coast or West Coast. I have few friends in the Midwest.

Honestly, I feel like I had an amazing life in Japan. Now I'm back in the U.S. and I feel sentenced to a life of work and no travel. I miss having the opportunity, time, and funds to travel to different countries. I feel like a sort of travel lust monster was created when I landed in Japan.

Please note that the photo was taken by Dr. Mike S.