How You Can Change Zimbabwe

With the last national elections in Zimbabwe, the international world caught just a glimpse of the chaos going on there. That was only a glimpse, we weren't even there. In the months since the chaotic events, we've seen repeated attempts to appease the situation, with no avail. Doing my daily news check on a list of my favorite previous and current residences (Zim, Pak, USA, France) I found a list of quotes by the present (and only) president of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugage.

“It may be necessary to use methods other than constitutional ones…”

“People are free to campaign and they will be free to vote. There won't be any soldiers, you know, at the queues. Anyone who has the right to vote is free to go and cast his vote anywhere in his own area, in his own constituency…”

“The only white man you can trust is a dead white man…The white man is not indigenous to Africa. Africa is for Africans. Zimbabwe is for Zimbabweans…”

“We pride ourselves as being top, really, on the African ladder... We feel that we have actually been advancing rather than going backwards…”

“Our economy is a hundred times better, than the average African economy. Outside South Africa, what country is [as good as] Zimbabwe?...What is lacking now are goods on the shelves - that is all…”

“So, Blair keep your England, and let me keep my Zimbabwe…”

“When they criticise the government when it tries to prevent violence and punish perpetrators of that violence we take the position that they can go hang…”

The Zimbabwean government is defiant, obstinate towards and with Western influences, state media openly blames sanctions for their economic deterioration, and they openly call world leaders crass and unkind names. But we're going to pray. That's what the churches in Zimbabwe and others around the world are doing; across denominations and political differences, we're praying for change, and we're praying for hearts to be changed in the horrific mess of the last 8 years. That's what you can do, that's what I do. The possibility of changing the world, truly does exist.

How I Survived Math

This posting is a celebration of survival leading to a monumental moment in my life, the end of mathematics. I had to take two math classes for my university education. One dragged on endlessly over the spring semester; 16 weeks over two continent and three countries, just awful. The second I took over the summer; 14 weeks, three continents, three countries, less awful, still awful. The idea behind college math is supposedly to be "a well rounded individual." Ha! The evil masters in high offices in supposedly wealthy (but honestly broke) private institutions are seriously just cooking up ways to bring your GPA down. But thankfully, the two hardest classes of my freshman year (and hopefully my education) are finished. Life as it is meant to be lived can rebegin. Here's how I got through math (maybe not with flying colors, but I didn't get Ds either!).

1) I bawled. This always works. It's not productive and it breaks a principle rule of mathematics; "stay emotionally unattached to the problem, work through it logically." Nonetheless, I bawled, whined, whinged, screamed, yelled. It didn't help, but it felt real good at the moment.

2) Drink coffee. This is the world's fundamental problem solver and coffee must be consumed interchangeably with extended period of rest (naps).

3) Pull late hours. College requires many late hours, but math requires late hours to the 10th power (ie. a whole lot).

4) Draw up a schedule and stick to it. I derived much joy calculating the number of lessons, and then creating a work plan to get through the material. What's more, you stick to the plan. Nothing interrupts the plan. You don't skip a day. You don't call in sick. You cancel other activities and rearrange your days because you have made an oath to stick to the plan. If you don't, the joke's on you buddy because you're the only one to blame for your poor timing and lack of commitment.

Math has ended, now I continue my education by beginning my sophomore year and look forward to the era when I shall be able to select more of my own classes, and let the lofty mortals with the PhD's watch me with envy as I pursue my own interests.

How to Understand Multiculturalism and TCKs

Multiculturalism is hardly new. It's as old as time, beginning with human migrations and continuing stronger then ever today.

Multiculturalism involves the ability to see the world through global lenses. It's about going beyond your home country to seeing the world objectively on a global scale. Sometimes it's a choice. For other people, it's inevitable. We all have our loyalties, but with globalization we have American insurance companies connecting to Bangalore telephone operators. Multiculturalism is free from bias and prejudice with it's very foundation rooted in respect for other cultures and people groups.

Kids who've grown up overseas are described as multicultural. They look like you, may speak like you, but they can be different inside. They've grown up learning to respect people from different parts of the world and incorporating diversity into their own lives. American boys play rugby, German kids study US history, kids enjoy music in languages they don't understand, and debate the name for the container holding unwanted items (the "bin" vs. "trash can" argument). They marry people from other parts of the world, attend universities continents away from "home" and keep books in foreign languages on their nightstands. Without even trying, their worlds incorporate diversity which becomes completely normal, even fundamental to their lives.

Because of their multiculturalism, there comes the nasty awakening to how they don't fit in just anywhere because of their intrinsically different views. It's not a conscience decision. I've met little 8 and 10 year old TCKs who sadly tell me how their friends back "home" don't understand them and they don't understand why. For most TCKs they eventually sit down and decide what they want to do in life and what they're going to do with their multiculturalism. Questions like "where is home?" 'where do I belong?" and "will I always be different?" are just a few they're forced to work though. Some TCKs stay overseas after varsity, letting their innate international knowledge soar in it's home environment. They're more comfortable in overseas settings. A majority of TCKs move back to their home countries and apply their adaptability skills to becoming citizens of the countries they're from.

As a TCKs, I discovered multiculturalism the hard way. In some circles it's appreciated, in others I'm expected to be "normal." In our modern world of globalization, multiculturalism is increasingly valued. In the world of overseas life, you're required to respect and wholeheartedly attempt to understand other cultures. These attributes would serve anyone well in life! Multiculturalism is a gift. We don't always know what to do with it, but it's not a waste of time.

If you want to help us, express genuine interest in our overseas lives. We'd love to tell you about our lives and understand yours. It makes us feel more a part of your world.

How to (Really) Enjoy Paris

After living in Parisian suburbs a year, I know Paris pretty well but coming back for three weeks I discovered a few more things which enchanted me, all over again.

1) Paris by Night; sitting across from a prof I asked her how to say in French, "I'm going to visit Paris at night." "Paris by Night," she replied. Paris at night is a sweet deal, the Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, the bridges and the Champs Elysee are like nothing you've ever seen before and with the lights glittering, they can never be replaced. It's highly cool and you'll never forget the experience.

2) Chartres; Chartres is a cute little Medieval Town located south of Paris about an hour. It hosts one of the most famous cathedrals in church and architectural history. The stained glass is legendary and underrated, the town isn't visited by many tourists, and the crepes are magnificent.

3) Hit the Champs Elysee...At Night; Friday night is like nothing else with the lights and the people and the feel of life all around you, busy and happy. I didn't know the shops were open until I went at 11pm, and a majority of them are.

4) Enjoy a French movie; If your French is good enough get to a movie (smuggle in your own candy). If it's not, do it anyway because French cinema is distinctly different from American theater and worth noting.

5) Visit the parks; All the parks are second to none. If you only see Parisian parks, the trip has been well worth it. I got to hear a concert at Jardin Luxembourg on a Sunday afternoon. I adore Luxembourg, and the concert was the icing on the cake.

6) Find Paris for yourself; Some call it the City of Love, the City of Life, the City of Lights, (see the L theme, hint, hint, hint). There's a grain of truth in all of these cliches but don't expect any single one to be completely true. Feel Paris, smell it, enjoy it, taste it, get annoyed by it, and then you decide for yourself what sort of city it is.

My closing thoughts of Paris have been thus been recorded, and I return to Asia to absorb in the Far East's richest pleasures.

How to create "Malheur a Gare de l'Ouest"

One assignment in language school this past week was to write a paper regarding how this photo came to pass. The logic was to use the grammar we had just learned related to causes, sources and above all, le subjonctif (which I used only once, brilliant) and invent a story. Mine is about a drunk driver, other students decided to put him to sleep. My French isn't brilliant here, but I know enough to make a mess and this is a flavor of what we do in langauge school, mainly have a good bit of fun with what we know. Voila!

Malheur à Gare de l’Ouest

« Ce weekend, il y a eu un grand désastre à la Gare de l’Ouest quand un train à destination de Bruxelles a déraillé et a percuté la vitrine et est tombé sur la rue. C’était la première fois que quelque chose d’assez dangereux se passait à cette gare, même à Paris. L’origine de l’accident n’est pas connue mais le facteur principal pourrait être la grande vitesse du train. L’accident a eu lieu Samedi, à neuf heures du matin.

Etonnamment personne n’a été blessé. Le conducteur- qui pourrait répondre aux questions et aidait trouver la source de l’accident- est dans un coma dépris l’évent quand il était hospitalisé dans un état grave. Les autorités ont annoncé qu’ils commenceront une investigation pour trouver si l’accident était à cause de l’ivresse du conducteur. D’après ses amis et sa femme, Monsieur Jean Fillon, de Nice, âge de 45 ans, boit souvent, même le matin. Etant donné qu’il a ce passé, les autorités ont déjà commencé à questionner la capacité de Monsieur Fillon.

A présent, il y a un effort pour en lever le train de la rue à l’extérieur de la gare. A cause de ca, nous vous recommandons d’éviter la Gare l’Ouest et de fréquenter la Gare de Nord jusqu'à ce qu’il ya ait encore du calme. »

How Not to be a Tourist in Paris

There are certain things you don't do in Paris. Paris is a place to tour, but thou shalt not be a tourist. There is a shame to being a tourist, but not to tourism. There is something normal about visiting a place but you don't want to draw attention to yourself, less you be branded a tourist. My desire is to establish by this complicated paragraph that being a tourist is not preferable and all indications suggesting that you're participating in "tourist-ing" should therefore be avoided at all costs.

1) Thou shalt not read a map on a street corner. This makes people think you're lost. You don't want to be lost, not even give the impression that you're lost because honestly if you truly are lost you walk till you find a metro.

2) Thou shall not wear a baseball hat. This is for Americans mostly but it stands true for all, this is a sign of tourists which should be avoided, obviously. Futher, while you may need many items throughout the day, avoid the backpack if possible.

3) Thou shall not use a public toilet. Those are for tourists and further are disgusting. Use a McToilet (restroom at McDonalds) or a Starlet (Starbucks restrooms which do require you to purchase something).

4) Thou shall not use the tourist buses. Overpriced, bad views, crammed with people speaking all but French and...well...don't use them.

5) Thou shall not speak English loudly. Thou must attempt to speak softly, quietly, not loudly, kindly, sweetly, French-like. Speaking loud is considered rude based on the general belief that what you say on the phone or to your mate is your own private affair.

Thou shall blend in. I've neglected to note why one shouldn't be a tourist. It's more enjoyable to blend in, to be part of the culture, to integrate and experience a location from the view of the nationals who give that location the meaning it holds. That's why we try to fit in, and further we really enjoy it.

How I'm Finding Summer School

After my hectic life of the past year on three continents, balancing 15 credit hours per semester, and moving...err...three times, summer school in Paris is quite a change. There's truly only one thing I hate and that's my cronic inability to store data. I can remember my favorite brand of cheese, the 16 merto stops from Massy to central Paris, and side streets to Paris sites. All this is brilliant (or not) but I can't remember linguistic rules which would serve me well, if I could remember them that is. Exactly.

My summer language intensive program includes 53 students, 53 names, 53 stories from 8 countries, brilliant. I screwed up the placement test (too much Bollywood since my French days) so after a few adventures my retained French warrented a replacement the next class up. My class contains 14 students, some speaking brilliant French, and I sit between two American.

For coffee break, I drink tea. I speak French at mealtimes with students from United Kingdom (Wales, Scotland, Ireland, and England, I know there's a difference). I do homework in the evenings while other students laugh hysterically over YouTube videos and get high on French chocolate. I spend afternoons insuring my sister does her homework. I spend the hours between 1 and 6:50am trying to sleep. I sacrifice things I love for the sake fluency in French. What's more, I explain my life spanning several continent over and over again. Brilliant.

I thought coming back to Massy would be challenging as I'd confront memories of my time here in 2006-2007. It's not always easy but there's another valuable lesson about life overseas; we're not slaves to a place. It's what we make it, and by extension, it's what we decide to remake it. There's thing living overseas teaches you, and other lesson in overseas life.

Brillant. Bon, je vais partir et parler en français...a la prochaine...