Saturday, June 20, 2015

The perceptual process

          By reading Thu Nguyen's blog I smiled, not because of the ignorance of the people who asked those questions, but because it made me realize how calm I've been during my stay in the States. Raised in an African/Caribbean and the culture its only normal for me to take what I've learned overseas.
        Long before I came to the states, I usually see pictures and videos on TV about African kids on the floor with dirty water around them in a desert kind of land. Or maybe a worse picture of another skinny kid with flies perching all over him also having a protruding belly with big eyes, wow I thought, what a life those people are living in those places. And then I came to America, with people asking me questions about life in Africa, how I live and things, I just tell them its the same as people who live here. Questions like do you speak African or like do you do the tic-tac language rarely come up in my conversations with random people around but it came up thrice or so with different people, and it made me think of how far people can actually get ignorant or maybe curious, it was hard for me to spot the difference between both. Just last week I was asked if I enjoy my life here than back in my country Nigeria, and they expect a yes but I gave a honest no. America is a great country but a lion raised in the  free wild would always be wary  of a new environment, and besides that I lived a better easier life back home but education still remains the key, and America is arguably the best in shaping and giving opportunities. I mean I'm from a country with people of different standards, both poor and rich but anytime the word Africa is called, starving kids is what some people actually think of.  I mean I've been asked how I got to the states and how I could pay my tuition and still live a good life down here without a scholarship, and it makes me wonder why they think so. Growing up in a different setting from the States, I never thought where I came from would describe my setting and my profile automatically.
     Like they say, the emptiest barrel makes the loudest noise, so I try not to argue with anyone concerning their thoughts. I mean if I were brought up in the States from young with the media and everything, including what is being taught in school, I would probably have the same mentality. This doesn't still change the fact about people who are well informed about Africa or the Caribbean, I've actually met more well informed people than the ignorant ones, so it just makes me more aware about judging people by their nationality or race. We all strive for perfection even though its hard, its what makes us classify what we are doing now as living. 
 

Sunday, June 14, 2015

The Authentic Self

   
A pure soul, body and mind, we all strive for perfection but why?,is it to please our loved ones, the ones close to our hearts? or to please the world?. I stopped asking questions and decided to work on myself and to ease myself to be free. During the last class, we spoke about Security, companionship and love and i learnt to be free in my relationship, and not let any words get to me. Something that stood out would be the part on who would person to say "i love you", which everyone thinks the first person to say it would be the one who wants the relationship the most.

    I had a deep thought about this and recollected that in my past relationships, i expected my partners to be the ones saying "i love you" first, but who would be the slave in the relationship, my partner? or me who loves but is scared to say so, i'm guessing it would be the latter.

     Everyone likes to be pleased, we all like it when everything goes our way. I mean i like it when things go my way,but does it mean i don't try to please others?no it doesn't. I try to please my parents by going to church, getting good grades and making sure to return their calls if missed. But i tried something different, i didn't return their call when they called. I wasn't expected to pick their calls or call all the time but i had a conscience and i always wanted to please them. I ended up not returning their call for a week and they called a few days later and i picked up with no bad conscience and no bad blood, after that i felt more free and less held. Just like we discussed, our lives would be much better if we don't care if we are accepted or rejected, just living a free life.

Friday, June 12, 2015

My Auto-Biography

      Tebu, Marshall,that's what I'm called and that's the name i represent. Born and raised Nigerian who has seen different cultures from different people, the way people view life and also the way people approach them. And I'm in this class to get more insight on how different people think and approach situations to make me more well rounded and relatable.
          I was born in Lagos, Nigeria to a lovely family. Born and raised Anglican, i went to church almost every Sunday my parents were around till i came to the States 2 years ago and then i fell off, or did I? did i really care that much? haha. I thought maybe i just loved the warm feeling knowing a greater person was watching over me but as everyone has felt in life, sometimes certain things make us believe less or more but we never know our true stance.
      Back in high school, i was averagely smart i would say, in the sense that i knew all the concept of things. An all rounder also, as i was in the school track and field team, arguably one of the best in my district running in my 11's, and then i fell in love with the game of  gridiron football except the name which lacks authenticity. I remember telling my older brother about my love for the sport, and i recollect him telling me to start to hit brick walls as they would make me stronger and that was 5 years ago so I'm glad i stopped. I came to the states and i would say America has its way of changing dreams, not for the worse but a bit better even though the road isn't easy. Been in just 7 states, i've met people with different reasoning and thoughts,and it interests me. Life is such a puzzle as everyone thinks. I have questioned life and it's meaning to show itself to me, but i guess the meaning it gives is up to me.