Thoughts on a Sickness

So, my school is awesome. I got a ride to the hospital, I had someone wait with me, constantly checking on me, I got an several emails checking on me, an email to my professors, and emails wishing me good health from said professors. And that is just protocol.

My professors sent work to me via my friends, I had friends check up on me, I have meetings for one-on-one time with my profs, and much more.

My school is awesome.

But in being sick, I realize how much work I still have to do....*sigh*

My Dilemma

I'm currently enrolled in an African Politics class and I have been looking forward to it since last March when I found out about it and got in. My problem is, I have been to a country in Africa: Kenya (in case you didn't know). And since going, I have had an adverse reaction to people clumping together Africa as a whole.

In Kenya, we had a dinner with a group of Kenyan bloggers and other intellectuals (I hate that term too) during which I was lambasted for saying "Africa" rather than "Kenya". And they had a point.

Africa is a very diverse continent with 53 counties (possibility of more soon) recognized by the U.N. It has hundreds, if not thousands of tribes and languages being spoken as well. And yet we clump it together.

Kenya alone has a rich history of political, economic, tribal, and socio-political issues that sets it apart from its neighbors. Beyond this, people from each country have their own customs and usually get offended by being clumped together.

So, you might be wondering why I am writing this; is it just for catharsis? No. It is because I want people to know, and I want people to understand why people do this (especially Westerners).

Africa is scary! When most people think of Africa they think of either a giant wilderness or of the scary African natives. Why?

In general, we have a history of doing this: "Heart of Darkness", "The Lion King", "Out of Africa", the AIDS crisis, National Geographic, Drought Relief Services Reports. Pretty much whatever we look at, we find objectification on Africa.

Why is it that we can show women from Africa's breasts but if they are from anywhere else it is considered uncouth? They are the crazy foreigners, its just what they do.

Why is it we can show the genitals of Africans in movies but not of other people? They are the crazy foreigners, its just what they do.

Why is it we can show Africans dying in documentaries without any hesitation, but other countries its hard to be able to do so? They are the crazy foreigners, its just what they do. They can't help but die without the White man's help.

The list goes on....

Maybe this is just a silly pet peeve of mine, or maybe my eyes have been opened...I don't know....

Resident Life 2.0

So, we have been in RA training all of this past week and it has been really interesting.

We have a wonderful staff and I am really excited, but it has been very taxing to attempt to put my hall together the way I expect it to be (all beds lofted (as is told will happen to incoming freshmen but never actually happens), all maintenance and IT issues resolved (doesn't look like they will be), and to be able to lock my door without issue (probably won't happen).

Because of all of this, I have not had time to mingle or even really talk to the three (maybe more) residents that I already have...and they all live next to me (two in one room and one in the other)...I mean really?!

I told them that I would be busy and gave them my number if they needed me but, nonetheless I feel bad!

But I have been working really hard and I am very excited for this coming year...I just hope that it goes well and without too many issues...but this is the hall that had over $1000 in damages to Exit Signs alone last year....

Last thing: I had to spend $319.70 on books this semester and I have a book for each hour that I am in class...really? I mean REALLY?

*sigh*

So, I Kinda Suck....

I realize now as I'm about to have to blog about my time in Kenya (if you don't know already idk what i should do with you...more info here) that I kinda suck at blogging unless I have to....

I mean I do microblog (whatever that is) and I do have a photostream on the side there where I photoblog...but for the most part I don't update the actual blog part of this page.

And for that I am sorry. Now I do have a bit of an excuse, lately, my life has been very uninteresting...so I see no need to bore you all (whomever you may be) with the mundane details of my day to day life without any real insight...hence why I rarely post on my other blog. Without some need to blog I just don't.

But I have made a resolution of sorts...I will attempt to increase my bloggage (is that a word?) even if it is simply an update about how mundane my life is at the moment.

So, on that note: I spent yesterday in San Francisco and walked 10 miles (I google mapped this after the fact to find out how far I had trekked) and now I have a MASSIVE blister on my right foot...perfect for going to a foreign country! :D YAY! jk, jk

Nonetheless, I had a great time and had a wonderful lunch, explored some fascinating areas and scoped out some new places to eat! :D (If you're wondering why I didn't have a wonderful dinner, it is because I had to wake up at 3 AM today to get ready for my flight and I decided to OD on sugar so I passed out via Cinnabon, this worked out wonderfully until I had 3 friends call me.)

Well, I have to go, there is something going on with my flight that I didn't pay attention to...oh, they're trying to get people to ditch it to make more room...um....no.

Nonetheless, I am STARVING...adieu!

Finals

I wrote 20 pages last night.....my hands are SO sore.......and I'm taking a later final for one of my classes because of this, my lack of sleep and my need to study more....

2 more finals left: MLK and African Art

20 more pages of paper left: NGO Theory 

19 rooms I need to check out personally before I can leave....

also, still need to pack up EVERYTHING.....

awesome

So, My Schedule Sucks....

Yea......It really does though....

A Hard Question

In order to go to Africa with the ONE Campaign, I had to fill out a long application. But one question really got me thinking:

 

"Why should you be one of the five students who are selected to come on this trip?"

Well, I don't quite know. So, I don't have an answer yet. But its really gotten me to think about what qualifies someone to do anything. Why should I get to go and not another activist? What makes me special? And for that matter, what makes it so I should not be picked to go? 

If you have any comments, I'd love to hear. Maybe I'm just thinking too much about it. *sigh*