Posted on in Black Is Beautiful series

Black is Beautiful Mini Blog Series – CREATIVES Edition Part 2: Hey, Sage!

Hello, Renrenspeakers! Happy second Saturday of Black History Month! Yall know what time it is – time for another installment of the Black is Beautiful mini blog series – CREATIVES Edition feature! The second person that we will be learning more about today is an INCREDIBLE artist and visionary, Sage. Before we get into today’s interview, let’s take a brief dive into how I was introduced to Sage.

Sage is especially cool because he is a study-abroad friend I met virtually after living in Ghana for a few months back in 2018. Shoutout to Whatsapp for connecting us. When I was in Ghana, I met soooo many people in passing that I cannot keep up with. However, I remember my friends talking about this remarkable artist who painted several shirts for my friends. At the time, I missed my opportunity. Fast forward to coming back to the U.S., my good study abroad sis, Blessing, connected me to Sage as an opportunity to finally get my custom made shirt and to support his artwork overall. He made me this stunning shirt with a Black woman’s face in the heart of the motherland on a yellow shirt that is very flattering for my skin tone. It was such a pretty shirt made especially for me that I still wear regularly. Sage has so much God-given talent that I am so honored to share today with yall on the blog!

Irene: What is your name/pronouns?

Sage: Hi, my name is Laryea Enoch Nii Adjei, and I go by Sage.

Irene: Give us a quick synopsis of who YOU ARE! 

Sage: I am privileged to be an artist. I am a student of the various African artists that have come before me, and my art and techniques have grown and will continue to grow because of that. My work for the past six years has used revealing aspects of my culture and its history, which profoundly impact how I create as an artist. My art is dynamic, and like culture, it’s ever-changing, which has helped me grow as an individual and artist. As audiences view my art, it is my hope that they also undergo the process of change and evolution.

My work ranges from ceramics, sculpting, body painting, illustrating, graffiti, murals, and painting. Occupying the spaces between Afrocentrism, traditional, contemporary, modern, realism, and abstract art, I use diverse materials and techniques to manifest my ideas. I often focus on evoking the voices of those who are often unheard while utilizing various emotions when creating. 

I am interested in social change and humanity, such as the struggles we all face on a daily basis and how art can serve as a bridge to bring people together. Being from Ghana, my painting is inspired by the shapes and patterns of watching cultural dance and the expressions of my people in good and bad times. That is constantly on my mind while I sculpt, paint, and produce bodies of work. I am producing art of people who look like me with various emotions. When I create, I pull from that life experience.

One of my goals for my viewers is that they are inspired when they see my work. I hope it brings them joy and encourages them to lean into their imaginative and creative side.

My works have been exhibited in shows with the Ulti-Leaf Foundation, Ghana Commission for UNESCO, UN Information Center (UNIC) Accra, and the Ghana Association of Visual Artists. I have also collaborated on murals across Accra, Ghana.

Irene: Choose up to three words that come to mind when you think of “Blackness”. Define each word in its relationship to “Blackness”. Why did you choose these words?

Sage:

Love – Black people around the Earth love naturally. With what we have been through throughout the century and even now with slavery, apartheid, colonization, colorism, gun violence, and more, we as a people still have love within our hearts. Sometimes, it’s a bit too much, but I think it’s one of the most important things that keeps us going as a people. 

Peace – From my perspective of being a Ghanaian and within my family home where I was raised with more than 50 people in the home, whenever there was conflict in our home, the elders would always come with peace. They believed it was better to maintain peace than to fight. Just like love, I believe we are a people of peace. Sometimes that doesn’t work for us, but it’s also peace that keeps us going as well. 

I chose the words love and peace because I incorporate them in all of the work that I create. It is a part of me as a Black person.

Irene: What is the MOST beautiful thing about being Black to you?

Sage: One of the most beautiful things about being Black is our resistance – our ability to resist every condition that has been enforced on us. I would also like to add that Black culture is the most beautiful. It’s so dynamic. I attempt to add it to every part of the work I create. It makes me happy.

Irene: Define “being a creative.” How has your experience been as a Black creative thus far in your respective field/interest/passion?

Sage: Being creative is the ability of creating something from nothing. It is using our imagination and skills to produce art that evokes feeling into the viewer. Creating something that will withstand the test of time, changing mindsets, and causing societal change helps move mankind in a better direction.  As an artist, most importantly a Black artist, my art has helped me to evolve personally and understand our culture. As a Black art in Ghana, it has been a struggle, as people there are focused on survival. Thus, it’s hard to sell my art for its value. This is understandable, but I would like to see African art and artists valued for what it is and not valued down.

Irene: How did you get into the creative space? 

Sage: I have always known from a young age that I was an artist. This is something I was born to do. I have worked hard to develop this talent into a skill that I enjoy. When I was in college, I used my creative skills to develop and print T-shirts to sell. Doing that supported me throughout my time in the Northern Region of Ghana where I schooled. In 2012, I started partaking in Chale Wote. It’s an annual street festival that “targets exchanges between scores of local and international artists and patrons.” There, I learned to network, work within the community teaching kids about art, and spearheading the next generation of artists. I also picked up some skills there that I use to this day.

Irene: Tell us more about one of your favorite projects that you have worked on thus far. Why was this project meaningful to you, and what did you learn from this experience?

Sage: One of my favorite projects I have worked and am still working on is called Elevation. I am yet to showcase all of it, but this project is close to my heart because it has to do with the bond of a family. Coming from a single parent household, I see how important it is to have all members of the family present in the home. The project focuses on “broken home” from my perspective and how that can impact the children and adults involved. Family unity and the strength of an African woman are important to me. I have seen and experienced that strength growing up with a single mother with four kids. I saw the resilience of her providing and protecting her family through all the struggles that came her way and how she navigated them. 

Irene: Any advice, gems, or words of encouragement for aspiring Black creatives? 

Sage: Focus on what you want to do and stay determined, work hard, and most importantly, love what you do and you will see results. People will believe in you, but you must believe in yourself if you want to see change. 

Irene: What is one of your favorite songs that fits/exemplifies that Black is Beautiful?

Sage: From the album Distance Relative by Damian Marley and Nas – Africa Must Wake Up.

Irene: How can we support a fellow amazing Black creative like yourself? Do you have any projects, businesses, creations, etc. that you are working on currently that you would like to speak briefly about, drop below, and/or that we can support?

Sage: You can find me on Instagram at sageartgh.

Below are some of Sage’s breathtaking artwork. Check out these pieces!

—

Sage, thank you for sharing your story and for displaying some of your fabulous art pieces on this platform today. These pieces are stunning, and I am just so in awe by the way that you can explore your creativity through the various forms of media that you’ve mastered. Chale Wote was SUCH a fun event when I went, and I am glad that they have you as an artist to contribute to its vibrancy. I am so excited to see the final reveal of Elevation. The inspiration behind this project is beautiful, as African women are SO resilient and strong. I am sure that your mother is going to feel so honored upon the reveal. Thank you for reminding us about the importance of believing in ourselves as well. It is easy to want other people to believe in us, but if we cannot believe in ourselves, what is the point? What a wonderful gem you’ve shared today.

I hope everyone enjoyed Sage’s interview and the associated digital art gallery today on the blog as much as I did. Please continue to stop by the blog and stay caught up on the Black is Beautiful mini blog series – CREATIVES Edition Part 3 dropping next Saturday! Don’t forget to subscribe to Renrenspeaks.com and follow the Renrenspeaks Instagram page for notifications and updates! As always, stay young, gifted, and Black!

Peace and love,

Irene

Posted on in Black Is Beautiful series

Black is Beautiful Mini Blog Series – CREATIVES Edition Part 1: Hey, Kyler!

Hello, Renrenspeakers! I hope Black History Month has been treating you well thus far! The first person I am so honored to have to kick us off with this exciting series, Black is Beautiful mini blog series – CREATIVES edition, is an old colleague and friend of mine, Kyler! Before we launch into the interview, lemme tell yall a little about Kyler!

I distinctly remember meeting Kyler during my senior year of high school when I attended the UC San Diego Black Student Union overnight program. This was an opportunity to learn more about UCSD, and more specifically, to engage with the Black community in an intimate setting, as I was heavily considering which college I would be attending the following year. I literally remember him being one of the first, friendly faces that I became acquainted with. I know it was probably partly his job (lol), but he seemed to be very interested in getting to know more about me. He always made it a point to say hello and check up on me during the program. Once I became an official Triton, he actually remembered who I was, and he always was the first one to invite me to all the Black events happening on campus and extend himself as a resource. Since then, we have been able to reconnect through our own creative platforms years later. Kyler is doing BIG THINGS, as you all will quickly find out. He is multi-talented and has a plethora of creative outlets that are so impressive – I can’t keep up! That being said, let’s launch into the interview today!

Irene: What is your name/pronouns?

Kyler: Kyler Nathan IV, He/Him/His

Irene: Give us a quick synopsis of who YOU ARE! 

Kyler: Similar to every soul reading this, I am still figuring it out.  When people ask though, I am a multi-hyphenated artist from the greatest city in the multiverse, Los Angeles, California.  Those hyphens include being a storyteller, poet, writer, spoken word artist, author, podcaster, graphic designer, and probably some more depending on when you are reading this.  I am a curious person who is trying to make sense of the world and what it means to be human, so I can share those findings with others through story.  Outside of that, I am a higher education professional who specializes in Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion, as well as a 2-Time Triton receiving a B.S. in Cognitive Science (focused in Human Cognition), an African-American Studies Minor, as well as an MBA from UC San Diego and Rady School of Management respectively.

Irene: Choose three words that come to mind when you think of “Blackness”. Define each word in its relationship to “Blackness”. Why did you choose these three words?

Kyler: Dynamic, Expressive, Communal.

Blackness is dynamic.  Many people have heard the notion that we are “not a monolith” as Black people.  Throughout the history of Black people across the globe, we have grown in our understanding of who we are, what we are capable of, and what we are up against.  I chose dynamic because I truly believe there is a living force within us all that keeps us growing and evolving in everything that we do.  I remember growing up, my view of Blackness was limited to what I saw on TV and in my neighborhood, and it wasn’t always portrayed in the most loving light.  Now? I have met so many beautiful Black people who are consistently growing in themselves, and learning more and more about their potential.

Blackness is expressive.  We live in a time where we are finally starting to see some representation in mainstream media of Black-identifying individuals.  If you are looking in the right places, you will see a diversity of Black images in the media; however, there is still a lot more progress to be made to see Black images that include folks of different sizes, skin tones, gender identities, gender expressions, ability, and more.  As someone who hosts a podcast with predominantly Black guests, and has been in many art spaces of other Black artists, the ways I have seen Black people express themselves is unmatched.  From our hair and our wardrobe (ESPECIALLY the homies from the continent, y’all be DRESSING!!!), to our written and spoken words, there is so much beauty and history in the ways we choose to express ourselves.

Blackness is communal.  We need each other.  We need each other.  We need each other.  The older I get, I realize just how communal we are as a people.  I can never feel fully at rest until I know my people are good.  In June 2020, when the world found out racism was “still” around, I saw so much love going in every direction between Black folks everywhere.  When I was in college, BSU meetings felt more important than anything else, because this was time to check in with my people.  When I worked as a staff member at the Black Resource Center at UC San Diego, I knew I had the most enviable job in the world, fostering community for Black students.  Seeing our elders and youth out in public and sharing loving glances at them to let them know “I See You.”  

All these things are so important to my definition of Blackness.

Irene: What is the MOST beautiful thing about being Black to you?

Kyler: The MOST beautiful thing about being Black to me is also one of the principles of Kwanzaa, UJIMA, which focuses on collective work and responsibility.  It is so beautiful to me when I am able to talk to other Black folks about what they are passionate about, and almost always, it is rooted in some type of collective responsibility toward our communities.  What makes it beautiful is how deep-rooted this is in everything that we do as Black people.  Affirming each other in a world that aims to sometimes do the complete opposite, giving “the nod” to another Black person I see walking, or checking in on each other’s family, it is all rooted in there being a unifying force between us all that makes us want to uplift each other in this world.

Irene: Define “being a creative.” How has your experience been as a Black creative thus far in your respective field/interest/passion?

Kyler: To me, “being a creative” is when you look at that question, and subconsciously unpack the layers of it based on your unique perspective of how to interpret and convey meaning.  Creative people see the universe and apply their own mental artistry to make more sense of it all in a way that works for them.  To some people, that may be over complicating a simple concept; however, as someone who writes poems and studied the mind in college, it is impossible for me to not see creativity as something that is so universal and so individualistic at the same time.  This very question is really a pillar of why I started The Banquet Hall Podcast – I wanted creatives to have the long-form space to be able to share with listeners the unique lens through which they experience our universe.  I invite everyone taking the time to indulge in this blog post to imagine you are laying in the grass staring at the sky.  A visual artist might be thinking about the hues of colors they are seeing and distinguishing the variety of blues, grays, and other colors they see.  A sound engineer might be thinking of all the sounds they are hearing and might be moved to close their eyes and tune out the visual field and count how many things they hear.  An environmentalist who writes poetry might be thinking about the feelings they have about all the pollutants in the air.  We all have our individual creative perspectives – which is why I think everyone is a creative if you ask them enough right questions.  I think in this capitalist society, we get caught up a lot in being a creative necessitating that you are producing something, but being a creative starts in the mind.

As a Black creative, my experience has been amazing and very frustrating all the same.  

Starting with the amazing parts, Black creatives love uplifting and supporting other Black creatives.  I love when I see someone putting their work out there for the first time, or highlighting their first sale, or celebrating a new milestone with their creative passions.  There is so much grief going on in our world.  Being in community with other Black creatives is a much needed boost of Black joy on any day.  I also just am so appreciative of how intersectionality flows with creativity – a painting starts to mean so much more to me if I know that the artist is a Black Queer Woman versus if it is a white male.

The frustrating part… Capitalism rewards a lot of content that just isn’t good.  You can open any social media app right now and see the latest mediocrity (with all due respect to all creatives everywhere) being pumped up through the algorithm to millions of views.  Scroll a couple times and you might see your friend trying to publicize content or a product that they spent a lot of hard work, thought, and effort to put together.  A lot of times (especially on TikTok), you see a white creator getting millions of dollars in endorsements and support for copying something that a Black creator put out there already.  That frustration though is recycled into my unconditional support for my friends out here grinding trying to find a place in this world.  It is an uphill battle being a Black creative, we need to take more intentional time to affirm that work so we stop losing amazing content due to a lack of perceived support.

Irene: How did you get into the creative space? 

Kyler: The short answer is that life got me into it!  The long answer though starts with peer pressure, and ends in affirmation through introspection.

There are 763 notes in my phone on this app called Evernote.  There are additional notes on other random notes apps on old phones, some things written in journals, and some that only exist in books I’ve published.  The first note though is dated 4/25/2011, 3 days before my 15th birthday, and 12 days before my life changed very significantly (that story is saved for the books).  Anyways, 2 of my friends at the time, Izzy and Orson, were starting to write raps and recording them.  They would be planning time to record and forming connections through writing, and I didn’t want to be left out, so I tried writing something.  I still cringe whenever I look back at that first piece (including when I just looked it up to double-check the date).  Fast forward over the course of the rest of that year, I started writing a LOT.  As with many poets, it all started with falling for a girl and a subsequent heartbreak.  So, so many love-themed poems.  Eventually, it got to a point where I had enough poems to where it didn’t make sense not to put it in a book and try to make some money off of it.  My dad is a poet and author and had published multiple books, so I had some guidance in how to get it done.  I will never forget sitting in the Oakland airport and compiling my first book, 5 South, as I sat and reflected on just how much emotion I was writing about.

Podcasting was a different story.  It took forever for me to become a person who engaged with podcasts.  A close friend of mine started a podcast called Melanin Theory, and even though it took me a while to check it out, once I did? I was hooked.  As many creatives know, sustaining your creative outlet when it isn’t seeing the return on investment you are hoping for, is tough.  Eventually, Melanin Theory concluded, and there was a void that I wanted to fill.  I started looking for other podcasts to engage with, and never looked back (shout out to FourDeepPod, Higher Learning with Van Lathan and Rachal Lindsay, The Ringer-Verse, The Big Picture, Crash Dummies, Ned’s Pod, Trials to Triumphs, and so many other podcasters that motivate and entertain me so much).  

Then came December 2020.  Obviously there was/is a global pandemic that 2020 is notorious for, and I wouldn’t feel right if I brought up that year and just skated past that.  Within all of the dark times that 2020 brought, the Lakers won a championship, I released a book (more on that later), and a friend of mine, Tiff, approached me about starting a Lakers podcast. Starting a podcast was already a big leap for someone notoriously as reserved as myself.  We hosted Hoop Dreamz for a couple of seasons, then Andre 1k and I did a season of the Natural Nonsense Podcast.  The support I received for those 2 pods, in addition to a desire to control my own podcast domain, led to me creating The Banquet Hall.

Now, as I begin my next endeavor into a new creative realm, I have been very reflective on my life as a creative to date.  Now, I ask myself why wouldn’t I be in this position? I’ve always been recognized as a humble genius among peers.  Out of fear of narcissism, I never really received that affirmation fully.  I’ve been writing and creating all my life.  I used to write letters to my brother when he was incarcerated and had poems written on some of them.  When I was like 5 or 6 years old I learned how to make greeting cards on a computer and wanted to start my own business called Kidz Kreations.  The creative has always been there, the belief in myself is what life pushed me into.

Irene: Tell us more about one of your favorite projects that you have worked on thus far. Why was this project meaningful to you, and what did you learn from this experience?

Kyler: I don’t know if anything will ever mean as much to me as Obsidian.  The days that I am feeling myself most, I look at Obsidian as a Mona Lisa.  The level of thought and intention I put into every single element of that book is an achievement I am very proud of.  Obsidian is when I first recognized my gift of storytelling.  I started writing it in March 2020 as we navigated Zoom meetings and parking lot pull ups trying to find which way was up.  I finished the book in May, got a copy to proofread, and then was ready to publish it for real in June, then the world had a magnifying glass on racialized injustice against Black folks.  Nothing made sense to me.  I knew there had to be people that were feeling and thinking what I was, but I didn’t know what to do, so I wrote.  Every time that I peeled open my laptop to add words to that Word document, I felt like I was having a conversation around a campfire with people who had gathered just to hear what I had to say.  Publishing it felt like putting a record of that campfire talk into a time capsule hoping that someone found value in it one day.  There are plenty of people who have bought that book to “support me” that didn’t read beyond the page with the ISBN number.  There are also quite a few who bought it, read it, and were moved even more than I could have intended.  

What I learned from that whole experience was that as long as my intentions are true to who I am, whatever I create will always be “good.”  I can’t force people to read something I wrote just because I wrote it.  The truth in the messiness of being a creative is that what you create can’t be expected to be a priority to people, even if those people are your close friends.  Nobody could have ever read Obsidian and I would still deem that book to be an overwhelming success.  I have friends who have bought me Obsidian stones because they read that book and understand what Obsidian means to me.  That matters more than becoming a best-selling author.

Irene: Any advice, gems, or words of encouragement for aspiring Black creatives? 

Kyler: Do it anyway if it matters to you.

There are so many podcasts out there.  None of them are interviewing people I know.  It matters to me that the people in my circle have their stories told, so regardless if episodes get 2 views, 10, 50, or more, I keep going because it isn’t supposed to be about the views for me.  That doesn’t mean that those things never come up.  Of course I would love for everyone to see every episode I ever put out, but unless that’s my why, then it shouldn’t matter.

Capitalism makes us so caught up on trying to be the best or have the most reach, but if we focus on just creating good content that is of value to us, we eventually are able to find homes for our creativity.  Maybe only 3 people are buying your latest hoodie you made.  To those 3 people though, your hoodie may be their favorite thing they own, and that means something to me.

Beyond that, my best advice is to rest, be present, and value time with people in any form it takes, but especially make time to connect with people in real life, real-time, in-person.  Moments matter.

Irene: What is one of your favorite songs that fits/exemplifies that Black is Beautiful?

Kyler: One Man Can Change the World – Big Sean, Kanye West, John Legend

“But how am I supposed to say I’m tired

If that girl from West Virginia came up in conditions that I couldn’t survive

Went to war, came back alive

On top of that became a female Black captain

When being Black you had to extra-extra try”

If I had a fourth word to describe Blackness, it would be dreamer.  I love this song because it is aspirational and encourages dreamers.  It affirms self-love, manifestation, and determination.  It is also deeply emotional in that it ends with Big Sean pouring his heart out about his appreciation for his Grandma followed by a phone conversation with her.  Like I already mentioned, so much of being beautifully Black is the communal nature of it, and who are we without those who came before us.

Irene: How can we support a fellow amazing Black creative like yourself? Do you have any projects, businesses, creations, etc. that you are working on currently that you would like to speak briefly about, drop below, and/or that we can support?

Kyler: The biggest way to support is to tap-in with an episode of The Banquet Hall and share it with a friend.  The biggest hurdle a lot of new podcasts face is discovery, so the more people helping to market the better.  Renrenspeaks was featured on an episode so if you haven’t checked that one out, that is a good place to start.  Beyond that, my books and merch are available on my website as well.  Be on the lookout for a new book coming (hopefully) some time this year!

Irene: Can folks connect with you to learn more about you/support you? If so, please drop your social media info down below!

Kyler: Absolutely.  Connect with me in all of the ways.  The best way to find out everything is to go to my website, thefourthkyler.com.

On all the apps (including Venmo/CashApp), the handle is @TheFourthKyler.  If you want to follow the pod, it is @BanquetHallPod

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylernathaniv/

Support the podcast directly: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/banquethallpod/support

Irene: Anything else you want us to know about you or anything you want to share with the readers? Feel free to drop it down below!

Kyler: The Banquet Hall is open to anyone!  If you have a story you want to tell, let’s connect and get you on the pod!

—

What a great way to start off this series by featuring the storyteller, poet, writer, spoken word artist, author, podcaster, and graphic designer – KYLER! Kyler is an incredibleeeee multi-hyphenated artist, as he has effortlessly exemplified through his storytelling today. I completely agree – we need each other as a Black community. I love how communal we are, no matter where we are in the diaspora. There is an unspoken understanding of one another, and are communal bond is what brings Black joy and peace within our community. I really resonated with the sentiment that you shared, Kyler, about how being a creative starts with the mind rather than the mere focus of producing a tangible item. I think even myself, I often get caught up in “production”, which then limits my ability to create anything that comes to mind. I will be sure to reframe my thinking to allow creativity to become more expansive and achievable, deconstructing all boundaries I put on it. As an aspiring blogger with a relatively small following, your advice is so timely. Thank you for sharing. And lemme say one more thing – Kidz Kreations has my heart. You gotta drop some of those greeting cards you created as a super young Kyler.

Yall, just reading Kyler’s interview has me so pumped and so inspired. I hope yall stay tuned to the blog to keep the momentum going and check out the Black is Beautiful mini blog series – CREATIVES Edition Part 2 dropping next Saturday! Don’t forget to subscribe to Renrenspeaks.com and follow the Renrenspeaks Instagram page for notifications and updates! Stay young, gifted, and Black!

Peace and love,

Irene

Posted on in Black Is Beautiful series

Black is Beautiful Mini Blog Series – CREATIVES Edition is HERE!

Hello Renrenspeakers! Happy first of February, and more importantly, happy Black History Month! The weather is especially poppin today, illuminating the radiance of melanin all over the world. I loveeeee being Black, and one way I love celebrating the beauty and joy of Blackness is the return of my annual Black is Beautiful mini blog series on the blog! This is the third year in a row in which I have been able to collab with some of my favorite, inspiring Black peers and highlight their incredible lives. Can yall believe that? If you haven’t read the other series before, click here to dive deeper into the plethora of Black individuals who continuously exemplify that Black is infinitely beautiful! This edition of the Black is Beautiful mini blog series will delve into the arts and all things creativity by highlighting genius Black creatives who continuously expand the perceived monolith of Blackness put upon us by society.

Yall know the drill! Be on the lookout, because every Saturday in February, I will be featuring a new creative on the blog, for a total of four features! They will be sharing their creative journeys. Continue to show your support and love by reading their stories on the blog. There is a dope lineup of Black creatives ready to share a piece of themselves this month.

The first post will go live on Saturday, February 3rd! Make sure you subscribe to the blog to receive email notifications AND follow @renrenspeaks on Instagram for post reminders.

Again, Black people are not a monolith – we are SO diverse and have so many layers to us. Take advantage of the connections that this mini blog series may bless you with, and continue to love and support us as a community.

Again, Happy Black History Month! Take us out to brunch, invest in Black-owned businesses, read Black literature, and pour into us as a people!

Peace and love,

Irene

Note: image was retrieved from here.

Posted on in graduate school, occupational therapy

Happy January – Stepping into my Late 20s and Last Semester of Grad School EVER!

Hello, Renrenspeakers! Happy Friday, Happy January, and Happy New Year! I hope all is well! Life so far has been treating me well overall, as with a new year comes a reset in values, mindset, ambition, and goals. I recently entered my LATE 20s – can yall believe that? Because I cannot! I still feel like a teenager sometimes, lol. My birthday was last week, and I had such a blessed time celebrating it with my loved ones and my family away from home here in AZ. I feel like I need to normalize celebrating ME more often, not just on my birthday, because I deserve it!

In addition to my birthday, I am excited to announce that I officially stepped into my LAST semester of graduate school EVER! Now can YALL believe that??? I feel like I have been in school forever, yet time has also flown by. It has been an interesting dichotomy. To conclude my final semester of graduate school, I have embarked on my doctoral capstone project. This experience thus far has been so rewarding and enriching. Upon entering grad school, one of the reasons why I was swayed to pursue a doctorate instead of a masters degree in occupational therapy was because I wanted to cultivate a unique project that augments occupational therapy in a non-traditional setting – working with immigrants and/or refugees, specifically, as many of yall know my proximity to this population. I didn’t know how it would be made possible, but it finally has come together full circle after three years of cultivating this goal. I am currently working for a non-profit organization that specifically works with refugee and asylum-seeking families offering essential services for self-sufficiency such as stable housing, financial support, English classes, and communal support. With the partnership of my organization I have been paired with for the next few months, I have been able to create a project that head spears a life skills program teaching various life skills deemed essential for enhancing self-sufficiency and easing adaptation to the U.S. I will be working with a small group of newly arrived Afghan women, and my program will be a hybrid of “in-class” sessions and community outings practicing these newfound skills to use in the community. It hasn’t been an easy journey getting to where I am now, I will say. LOTS of time reading literature, justifying the need for OT in this emerging practice area, coordinating participants, etc. has been spent, and I bet it will still change as I continue my process. However, through this experience, I have learned that being a self-starter and being my own boss is empowering, and I can actually make a positive difference in a community if I set my mind to it.  

I just finished my second week of my capstone so far. Some highlights of my time spent include the following:

  1. Practicing my (note: very broken and limited) French and Swahili skills with a Congolese woman attending English classes and witnessing her immediate comfortability with me.
  2. Conducting home visits and getting to know each participant in a very personalized way by learning more about their typical day upon arrival and being immersed in their culture.
  3. Having a traditional Afghan meal during one of my home visits as a way of welcoming me into their home.
  4. Meeting and working closely with my translator who is my right-hand woman and who has been a tremendous help to the success of my developing program.
  5. Being considered part of the team by being invited to an empowering staff meeting and justifying my role as an OTD student at the site I am interning at.

Overall, this has been such a culturally enriching experience so far, and I am excited to be a part of a community where I not only implement my program, but reciprocally learn a ton from the population that I am working with! I think a passion project is the perfect way to re-awaken my passion for OT and wrap up my graduate schooling (because I’m not gonna lie, sometimes that passion was waning during the consistent studying grind I had to endure for long hours on end the first two years). Stay tuned for the progression of my capstone project!

Peace and love,

Irene

Posted on in lifestyle

Renrenspeaks 2023 Wrap-Up and 3 Year Anniversary!

Hello Renrenspeakers! Happy New Year’s Eve and Happy 3 year anniversary to Renrenspeaks.com staying alive and thriving! I cannot believe that the end of the year is here. Earlier today, my younger sister told me that today is especially unique because the date is 12/31/23, which is 123, 123, so enjoy that fun fact because we will never see it again!

Yesterday, I had a beautiful time of reflection with my college friend group as we shared some major goals, aspirations, and wishes that we accomplished this year and aim to achieve next year. Our time together allowed me sit down and ponder on the blessings, opportunities, celebrations, and renewal that graced me this year. I outlined my thoughts and reflections on my handy-dandy iPad, and some highlights from our reflective activity I concluded with included the following:

  1. One word to describe my 2023: Growth
  2. Favorite accomplishment this year: Finished my clinical rotations
  3. Favorite concert this year: Robert Glasper and Kirk Franklin’s Reunion tour
  4. How to engage in joy for 2024: Spontaneous trips
  5. One thing I am looking forward to adding to my self-care routine: An exercise class of some sort – a spin class or Pilates

One thing that really brought me joy this year is the amount of love and support from you all on Renrenspeaks.com! WordPress constructed my site’s version of a year in review, and look at how amazing these stats are down below! It is because of yall I continue to pour into my site and engage in meaningful, reflective conversations with you all. Making an Instagram for Renrenspeaks was an avenue for me to continue to expand my blog and reach so many people I haven’t connected with in a while. I got to collaborate with Black folks in health care for my Black is Beautiful series, participate in a podcast episode with the Banquet Hall Podcast, and feature inspiring world travelers and friends on my Travelers Abroad Speak mini blog series! These experiences all re-emphasize my love for amplifying beautiful voices via written form through a platform like this blog.

As the year wraps up, I am going to briefly share some of my personal fun highlights of the year!

2023 Highlights!

My 26th birthday with my Apple Watch as my photographer!
A summer day in San Diego at Seaport Village visiting family!
First day of my third and final year of grad school ever!
Landscape of the beautiful Sedona. This was my second time visiting this city!
My beautiful best friend and soul sister who came down to visit me in AZ. We discovered a super cool coffee shop not too far from where I live.
The entrance of Tlaquepaque, a stunning arts and shopping district my best friend and I visited after our morning hike in Sedona.

—

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, right? So I gave yall a surplus of 6000 words. 😉 I have a lot to be grateful for this year as you can see. As grand as 2023 was, I believe 2024 is going to be the year of the come up for me, as I get to look forward to FINALLY GRADUATING from OT school (can you believe that?? That will be a whole post later down the road) and getting a real grown-girl job in a profession that I love! I am also claiming that I am going to take another trip abroad somewhere to revive my zeal for travel. I would also like to incorporate more fasting into my life, go to therapy, augment my physical health and nutrition, get back into photography, and become more financially literate. With that being said, God bless yall and I am so thankful for yall! I hope everyone has a marvelous start to their new year. Talk to yall next year! 🙂

Peace and love,

Irene

Posted on in graduate school, occupational therapy

Inpatient Rehab is the Jam – Fieldwork Wrap-Up Reflection  

Hello Renrenspeakers,

Happy December! It is already the end of the month and close to the end of the year, I can’t believe it! How is everyone’s December going thus far? As for me, it is going well! I just completed my second level II fieldwork at an inpatient rehabilitation facility here in Arizona, which also marks the end of another semester of grad school. I have ONE more semester to go and then I graduate – finally! I know that I initially updated yall on my fieldwork experience after my first week, but I have not been consistent (sorry). Therefore, I have SO much to delve into that I am going to sum up as concisely as I can.

The past 12 weeks have been such a learning curve in which I was challenged physically and mentally every day. Overall, my experience was a very pleasant one. I met so many individuals across the lifespan with various conditions, personalities, diagnoses, and life histories. Some highlights of my time being there include a patient’s wife who said she wanted to adopt me LOL, me being mistaken for a 19 year old several times, breaking through to more difficult patients behavior-wise, and overall affirmations from patients regarding my care. At this site, I learned so much about the importance of collaboration among all health professionals – OTs, COTAs, PTs, SLPs, nurses, case managers, rehab doctors, and RTs. Everyone was so willing to assist me regardless of their discipline, and I often felt like I was a part of the therapy team, as staff members asked about my clinical impressions to further confirm their treatment ideas or documentation. Quick side note – shoutout to my clinical instructor for teaching me all that I need to know and for being such a sweet soul! Though I often felt like I did not know what the heck I was doing, reflecting on how treatment sessions went afterward and witnessing patients beam about their newfound independence to don their own socks, reach down to pick an item off the floor without losing their balance or stability, or even receiving a green band were all wins that the patient and I were able to celebrate. The more knowledge and experience I gained each week, the more I was able to step out of my comfort zone and try novel ideas. If they failed (which def happened), I managed to be okay with it because I ended up learning way more from those not-so-fun experiences than if everything was perfect all of the time. Though thank God they were few, I did have some instances when a patient was maybe not the easiest to work with. It would be easy to think that it was a reflection of me, but these not so pleasant instances helped me to view the patient holistically and be more sympathetic to their current condition, life circumstances, coping mechanisms, and support systems that they may or may not have in place.

Every patient, though may have had similar diagnoses, presented very differently. It was very nice to know that over time, I was able to separate the diagnosis from the patient and view the patient as a whole. I guess that is where our famous OT theoretical frameworks come in handy. Several patients taught me the KISS acronym which also helped me regroup when it came to treatment ideas. KISS – keep it simple, stupid. Sometimes, I felt like if was not doing something super creative and innovative, my sessions were not effective. However, I had to remind myself that starting from the basics is okay! Working on what the patient NEEDS in that immediate circumstance rather than fluffing it up with distractors can sometimes be the most powerful form of therapy that will lead the patient to increased independence and function. I loved seeing the progression of care from evaluation to discharge, and observing the resilience, motivation, and improvement my patients developed during their stay. OT is truly a collaborative effort, and it is very cool to be a part of a process that feels rewarding and benefits the patient’s overall well-being.

The intense, fast-paced nature of this setting overall made me feel very accomplished, as I was initially very intimidated by the sharp learning curve. There is still a plethora of things that I need to learn and am excited to build my skills in. The beauty of this profession is that I am a life-long learner. With more experience, I learn more about the essence of people, the barriers they experience, and the tools to advocate for their care. I am blessed to have met so many people from all walks of life, and I learned so much from each patient I encountered. This setting definitely confirmed that I would like to begin my OT career in a setting similar to this one to continue building my clinical skills and reasoning in a medically-complex, challenging, and fast-paced environment.

Thanks all for tuning into the blog today! And shout out to all those who have supported me and listened to my rants, thoughts, and reflections on my clinical rotations throughout these three months. Stay tuned for more content coming your way!

Peace and love,

Irene

Posted on in Travelers Abroad Speak series

Travelers Abroad Speak Mini Blog Series Part 5: Meet MIKE!

Hello Renrenspeakers! Happy last Saturday of the month! I cannot believe that October has flashed before our eyes just like that. Sadly, it means that the Travelers Abroad Speak mini blog series is coming to an end. The last person concluding the final rounds of beautiful travel stories I am so honored to have featured on the blog today is my creative study abroad friend, Mike! Before we get into the interview, we gotta love on Mike for a bit!

Mike and I go way back! He is another study abroad friend that I was so blessed to have met along my Ghana journey. We instantly bonded over our similar music taste (like he was the only person I knew on the trip who knew who Hiatus Kaiyote was) and love for photography. Mike always had a camera in his hand and was not afraid to venture out and experience the wholesome beauty of Ghana. Since then, Mike and I have kept up with life through our voice notes (one of the few men who actually send quality voice notes, might I add!). I never respond on time LOL. Mike is an incredibly talented individual who has an artistic eye and captures the world around him in such a captivating, moving way. I am very thrilled to delve into the blog today and share his story! 🙂

Irene: What is your name/pronouns?

Mike: I am Mike Noone! He/him

Irene: Give us a quick synopsis of who YOU ARE! 

Mike: I am a 25-year-old international photographer and video producer. I’ve been traveling and shooting with cameras for about 10 years. I grew up outside of Boston, Massachusetts and attended college at Cal State Northridge in Southern California. I started my own freelance business during COVID and hope to build it to a point where I can get paid to travel year-round.

Irene: What countries have you been to?

Mike: Canada, Mexico, England, Ghana, Togo, South Africa, Lesotho, Zambia, Kenya, UAE, Egypt, Côte D’Ivoire, France, Aruba, Thailand, Ecuador, Iceland, Qatar, and the Netherlands.

Irene: What is your favorite country visited thus far, and why?

Mike: This is such a difficult question! One of the reasons I adore travel is because every location has something about it that is more emphasized or extreme than other places. I can’t pick an honest favorite but if I had to I would say Ghana. I’m biased because I lived there for a year but honestly the kindness and sociability of Ghanaians mixed with beautiful nature and DELICIOUS natural foods, I feel no guilt picking Ghana over the other countries. 

Irene: Let’s throw it back down memory lane for a second! How did we meet?

Mike: We met in Ghana! We were both in the international California program studying in Legon. I was lucky enough to gain Irene’s friendship through our group travels. 

Irene: What is a salient memory that you hold of me and you?

Mike: We had a craaaaaazy trip to Togo, West Africa. There was over 20 of us from the California Ghana program that went on the entirely student led expedition from Ghana to its next door neighbor Togo. The first hiccup was that none of us spoke French! Somehow Irene and I were declared the group translators, Irene because she took some French in high school and me for no other reason than I was asked to try. 

Our first obstacle cropped up when the Airbnb we booked ended up not existing at all, so we needed to find another hotel on the fly, a difficult task to do when none of us spoke any of the Togolese languages. After a few hours and some assistance, we found a spot for us and settled. 

While the language barrier was an issue, it wasn’t nearly as concerning as finding out that nobody but Irene and I had exchanged money at the border crossing!!! And when we went to withdraw money with the whole group, THE BANKS WERE DOWN! No money to be withdrawn! So Irene and I had to collect our companions’ Ghanaian Cedis (currency), ride on the back of a motorcycle, and follow our hotel concierge to a market place where we met some random guy to exchange with. The whole trip lasted only a weekend but with the amount of obstacles to overcome it felt like a month. 

While the weekend was going on it was honestly irritating to have so many difficulties crop up each day, but by the end of the trip and having overcome these obstacles I felt like I grew immensely in my self confidence and maturity.

Irene: Can you speak to one of your most memorable experiences for a particular country that you’ve visited?

Mike: I recently went to Durban, South Africa to screen one of my music videos at a film festival. While there, I was supported and shown around by Rastafarians who invited me to their localities in the mountains, to their reggae concerts at the beach, and to their underground bars in the city alleys. Being welcomed and accepted by another community that earnestly shared their cultures and beliefs with me initiated a very real spiritual awakening inside. The way they described and talked about God and the way of the universe deeply resonated with me and incarnated feelings of light and joy in my soul that I’ve never felt before. Genuinely I felt my heart touched by their kindness and openness. It is something I still meditate on and I feel changed permanently by learning from them.

Irene: What are some cultural barriers and cultural highlights that you have experienced during your time abroad?

Mike: Cultural barriers and highlights usually heavily overlap for me. Part of the reason I love traveling is to immerse myself in a new culture that has different expectations, codes of conduct, etc. Having a new culture to abide by helps me identify and shed the barriers of the culture I was conditioned to grow up in. I can also take new cultural highlights and adopt them. For example, after living in Ghana, I now carry heavy or large things on my head, which I find much easier than putting strain on my arms and low back). In this way, I can find and grow my own personal culture rather than be locked into the one I was born and raised in.

It can be difficult when the culture is very strict or closed-minded. I’ve been to some locations where men are allowed into a space but women are not, or vice versa. However, I will say from my own experience that very strict cultures usually won’t force themselves on travelers, and locals understand that if you are foreign, you may not know any better. That being said, do your best to adhere and always move respectfully through other people’s land.

Irene: What have you learned about yourself through traveling abroad?

Mike: I learned to completely trust myself for what I can control and trust in the universe for what I can’t. When I first started, travel stressed me out like nothing on earth! There’s so much to plan, so many contingency plans, so many what-ifs… only to discover that no matter what, everything falls into place. As long as there is somewhere to put my head at night and some food in my stomach, everything is okay. Once I learned this, I saw that I had been seriously skewing the severity of situations my whole life and that I could have saved myself a lot of stress if I realized that the only things that really matter are food, sleep, and your health. Things that are ‘inconveniences’ became something to be dealt with, but not something to stress over, and the threshold for what constitutes as an inconvenience has been shifted greatly.

Irene: Any advice, gems, or words of encouragement for someone who is new to traveling or is looking to broaden their travel experience?

Mike: Go do it!!! It can seem very intimidating at first but honestly just go do it. If you have never traveled before, you don’t need to dive straight into Africa or deep into South America. Just find somewhere outside your comfort zone. First, identify where that comfort zone is, then take TWO steps outside it. You’ll be surprised by how quickly you adapt.

Irene: Can folks connect with you to learn more about you/support you? If so, please drop your social media info down below!

Mike:

My website: MikeNooneVisuals.com

My Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCji5sZJgpTRq81q1bovtStA

My Instagram: @mikenoonevisuals

TRAVEL SNAPSHOTS 

Below are some travel highlights that Mike has captured during his time abroad!

—

Mike, you dropped SO many gems today! First things first – the Togo story has me so weak. Fun fact, Renrenspeakers – the two photos of Mike and me in this post were taken in Togo actually, how funny! The Togo trip literally started off as a mess of a trip that ended up being so comical. Togo was essentially summed up to be the definition of “just go with the flow.” I remember that random hotel – I believe we were legit the only people in the hotel. I also remember the taxi driver who was so willing to take us around everywhere for the weekend, and he even went to the beach with us LOL. Wow, what a time for real. Cultural flexibility, as you highlight throughout your interview, is so important. It is so easy for us to be locked into a particular way of thinking and make sense of the world around us based on our own beliefs and customs that have been passed down to us. When traveling outside of a culture that is not our own, cultural flexibility is so important to practice because this is what really allows us to grow, reshape, and refine our worldview for the better. Respect is KEY when moving through other people’s land for sure! I love that you said that the only things that matter when traveling are sleep, food, and health. I think so many people glamorize traveling and have huge demands that they want met. But as we both know, there are going to be so many hiccups along the way. As long as you are safe, might I add to the list, all things will fall into place. So thank you so much Mike for emphasizing this for us!

Yall, I am so sad that the Travelers Abroad Speak mini blog series is over! Ugh! This series has honestly been such a pleasure to compose. I don’t know why I didn’t produce it sooner, but better late than never, right? This series took me back to memory lane with the numerous travel abroad stories that were shared. I really have been blessed to meet and experience a joyous time with each and every individual who was featured on the blog for the past five weeks. After grad school, I am ready to start using my passport again. It is getting dusty! I really am so grateful for all of you for tuning into the blog and showing love and support throughout this series. I highly encourage yall to reach out to the interviewees and connect with them on a deeper level! They have a wealth of travel knowledge, as you can see. I hope that this series has inspired yall to have the desire to travel, and if you were previously nervous, I hope that this series has eased your nerves a bit. Hope to catch yall on a plane soon! 🙂

Peace and love,

Irene

Posted on in Travelers Abroad Speak series

Travelers Abroad Speak Mini Blog Series Part 4: Meet KEERTHANA!

Hello Renrenspeakers! Happy Saturday! You know what time it is – another mic drop on the Travelers Abroad Speak mini blog series! Today I present to yall the FOURTH interview in the line up! The iconic Keerthana will be sharing her travel experiences today on the blog. In true Renrenspeaks fashion, we gotta gas her up before delving into the interview!

Keerthana is my forever study abroad bestieeeeee! The numerous memories we have together are unmatched. We totally were a dynamic duo in Ghana for sure. I met my match during our study abroad experience. We were girlies obsessed with photography, aesthetics, fashion, reflection, and bougie living (on a budget, of course). We experienced Accra Fashion Week together where we thought we were soooo relevant with Mama Efua designing custom-made clothing for us. We’ve experienced Ghana, Mexico, and the U.S. together. Keerthana is hilariousssss and has such a bright, kind spirit. She embodies being a multifaceted creator and a health care girlie. One quality I so admire about her is that she never gives up on her dreams. Keerthana is a visionary and is an unstoppable force in this world. With that being said, let us get into the interview!

Irene: What is your name/pronouns?

Keerthana: My name is Keerthana and my pronouns are she/her.

Irene: Give us a quick synopsis of who YOU ARE! 

Keerthana: I’m a graduate student!! I’ve recently returned to school after a couple of gap years in between, so that is the most important identity that I currently hold. In addition, I identify as a hustler, an artist, a storyteller, an activist, a South Indian woman, and an aspiring doctor. An of-course, I can’t forget world-traveler. 😉  

Irene: What countries have you been to?

Keerthana: I’ve been to quite a number of countries and I’m going to try to name them off the top of my head. As an immigrant from India, the first country I came to was America! In America, it was easier to travel around this side of the world. I’ve been to Mexico (with Irene!), Panama, Costa Rica, Belize, and Canada. Recently, I actually moved out of the States to relocate and live in India for about a year. While I was back in the East, I also traveled to the UAE, Turkey, Thailand, Hong Kong. And last but not least, I had the privilege to study abroad in Ghana back in 2018 for a few months and it was my first time living somewhere unfamiliar and on my own.

Irene: What is your favorite country visited thus far, and why?

Keerthana: This is a hard question! It’s like asking for my favorite song and it changes with every song I listen to. As cliche as it sounds, every country has taught me beautiful things about its culture and people alongside what I learned about my own self. Traveling to numerous diverse places has truly helped me grow into myself and become the confident solo-traveler and go-getter that I am now. If I really had to pick, I would choose India and I think it may be biased because that’s where I’m from. Aside from my whole family being there, I’ll try to be more objective in my reasoning. India is one of those few countries that is SO diverse with people and dialects and even minuscule cultural habits that vary distinctively based on the geographical region that you may end up in. Although I’m Indian, I had to adapt to many variations in diet and lifestyle as I traveled through the many states (almost 10 states and territories). Most people wear “Indian” attire which is a very generic term for the variety of clothes worn throughout the country especially as Southern states tend to be incredibly hot and Northern states can fall to near zero temperatures in the winter time. Accordingly, the traditional garment for women known as “sari” is tied in so many different ways that someone deserves an award for creativity. I didn’t even know it was possible to tie a few yards of clothing into such beautiful end results.

Irene: Let’s throw it back down memory lane for a second! How did we meet?

Keerthana: I still remember my exact first meeting with Irene! We were studying abroad in Ghana at the time, but she was experiencing some delays and issues with her flight to Ghana so she didn’t arrive on the expected date. A few of the students were sitting in our classroom for mandatory orientation with one of the teachers and I remember Irene coming in late to the class (due to the aforementioned flight delays) but she had such a big smile on her face! We soon became friends because we shared similar interests in skincare, DIY projects, fashion, going to flea markets & farmers markets, and of course we were united by our love for photography and travel! At any point throughout our stay in Ghana, you may have caught us on the Legon campus with our cameras and stunning fits posing for a shoot!

Irene: What is a salient memory that you hold of me and you?

Keerthana: Although we bonded in Ghana and formed our amazing friendship, my favorite travel stories with Irene mostly take place in Cabo, Mexico because of the wild times we had! The trip was for 2020 New Years (little did we know what was about to commence that year…) and we were in Cabo for close to two weeks. Most people see it as a purely party town, but our friend group did non-traditional things as well such as going to the local grocery store and watching Charlie’s Angels at the mall in Español. My favorite memory in particular is when we ended up on some random trip to go see a waterfall and we had no idea we were seeing a waterfall so we were totally unprepared for the hike and the water. It was chaotic to say the least but so so so much fun nonetheless. Our next trip is in the works, fingers crossed!

Irene: Can you speak to one of your most memorable experiences for a particular country that you’ve visited?

Keerthana: One of my most memorable experiences in a country will definitely have to be Belize. It had quite a few memorable moments! Not only was the country so breathtaking, my friend and I did so many fun activities that I’ve never participated in before. For example, we went zip lining, snorkeling, and even went on an unforgettable cave tour. The cave tour is an experience I will quite literally never forget in my life and would encourage every able-bodied person to check it out for themselves.

Irene: What are some cultural barriers and cultural highlights that you have experienced during your time abroad?

Keerthana: Surprisingly, a smile and a few hand gestures go a long way. An of course, I’m thankful for my Spanish skills from my three years of high school Spanish. But truthfully, it’s not as difficult to get by in foreign countries as it may seem, unless you’re an extremely picky person who likes everything a particular way, because there definitely needs to be room for adaptability. When you travel abroad, you have to remember that you left America (or wherever you’re traveling from), so your expectations have to match the destination. Personally, I feel like I’ve been able to get most of the things I’ve wanted when I’ve wanted it. There’s always some form of gas stations for any quick fix for munchies or restroom runs. After living in India, there’s very few forms of bathrooms that can really throw me off. I am a very chill person so I tend to face less barriers!

Irene: What have you learned about yourself through traveling abroad?

Keerthana: This is really the key question because all the journeys I’ve embarked on in my life have only led me back to a place I call home. I feel so much closer to myself and so much happier with my family and friends after experiencing a life outside of them. Travel is truly a humbling experience, but it’s also the best way to learn. If you can afford it, why would you read a book about the Great Wall of China when you can just go visit it in person and learn from the place itself. The experiences I’ve encountered in all of my travels have been transformative and have only reinforced my personal values and ambitions that I set out for myself in life.

Irene: Any advice, gems, or words of encouragement for someone who is new to traveling or is looking to broaden their travel experience?

Keerthana: Get out there! I know that most people who travel primarily post about the glamorous aspect of it. But it is not easy to travel by any means. You have to actually enjoy traveling, because some people tend to be “homebodies”. And that’s totally fine, but understand if this is actually right for you. Travel doesn’t match everyone’s personality and it’s important to acknowledge if it’s right for you before you book that flight. During one instance while traveling around in India, I couldn’t get my suitcase code to work all of a sudden. I quite literally couldn’t open my luggage and desperately wanted to get my PJ’s and toiletries. At times, I was traveling so much that I didn’t know where my comb or toothbrush was half of the time. I couldn’t remember where I was packing some things because I was constantly on the move with packing and unpacking. It became so exhausting that I needed to take a break from my travels to take a minute for myself. Don’t go somewhere because everyone else is going there! Search for places that align with you and listen for your calling.

Irene: Can folks connect with you to learn more about you/support you? If so, please drop your social media info down below!

Keerthana: Absolutely! Please feel free to connect with me to comment on anything whether it’s about a country I traveled to or a travel experience that I shared here. My Instagram is @keerathandu and I actually do have a blog myself! Click here for the link to my blog.

Irene: Anything else you want us to know about you or anything you want to share with the readers? Feel free to drop it down below!

Keerthana: For long-term traveling where you’re completely immersing yourself in another culture, I would advise learning about the following things: culture shock, reverse culture shock, post-travel blues. These are a few of the things I’ve experienced and I’m glad I had the resources I did when I needed them. Travel is really a full-time job that can pay if you’re lucky! Thank you to Irene and the readers of Renrenspeaks for allowing me to share my travel experiences!

TRAVEL SNAPSHOTS

Below are some travel highlights that Keerthana has captured during her time abroad!

—

See yall, I told yall that Keerthana is so dope! A hustler, a doctor in the making, AND a world traveler? I can’t keep up! First, the fact that you said that you would try to remember all the countries off the top of your head is such a flex lol. Keerthana = travel queen. Gosh, you really threw it backkkk down memory lane! Our mems together are truly lit lol. I was stuck in Virginia for a DAY while everyone was starting to get acclimated to Ghana! Also shoutout to our friend Nii who orchestrated the best photoshoot we executed in Ghana using the natural beauty of UG, Legon. The random waterfallllll hahaha I think we ended up visiting it in sweats not prepared for the warm temperature at all. I wanted to quickly highlight something SO important that you mentioned above – “you left, so your expectations have to match the destination.” YES! I think this is such an important statement because in my experience being abroad, many people easily complain about being “inconvenienced” because the customs, rules, and norms are very different to what they are used to. It blows my mind when people complain abroad about not getting their way because they literally left to immerse themselves into a new culture! Cultural sensitivity and acceptance is critical for being a respectful traveler, yall! So read UP on the place that you decide to visit and make sure that your destination aligns with YOU and like Keerthana said, listen to your calling!

Again, thank yall so much for tuning into the blog today, Renrenspeakers! Continue to be on the lookout for an email notification regarding the next post release on Renrenspeaks next Saturday, October 28th for our final interview in Part 5 of the Travelers Abroad Speak mini blog series! I know, so sad that these travel stories are coming to an end! 😦 Meanwhile, stay inspired by travel and check out my girl’s personal blog!

Peace and love,

Irene

Posted on in Travelers Abroad Speak series

Travelers Abroad Speak Mini Blog Series Part 3: Meet MAIKAILUH!

Hello Renrenspeakers! Happy Saturday! The month of October is flyingggg by can you believe it? Welcome to the THIRD interview of the Travelers Abroad Speak mini blog series! Another one of my favorite travel influencers and a good friend of mine is going to be sharing her experiences living abroad. My fav, Kailluhhhhhh! I promise you every time I hear from her, she is in a different country living it UPPP. First, let me gas her up before we delve into her interview!

Maikailuh is the definition of travel GOALS, I am telling yall right now. She is a sweet, hilarious, and entertaining soul who has so much love and joy to give. We have had such deep, hours-long conversations about all kinds of topics whether that was abroad or on our chaotic Zoom calls, and have shared many great laughs. Kailuh lived across campus from me and was way too far, but we always made it a point to meet and eat the bomb Ghanaian cuisines at the Bush Canteen or The Bistro or even at the night market. One quality that I admire so much about Maikailuh is that she is a go-getter and is not afraid to take a leap of faith in all that she does. She has such a huge heart for the various community spaces she occupies, and does not relent when things are tough. She is bold, brave, and is truly one of my study abroad sisters for life. I am so very excited to feature my beautiful travel sistah, Kailuh on the blog today!

Irene: What is your name/pronouns?

Maikailuh: Maikailuh, she/her

Irene: Give us a quick synopsis of who YOU ARE! 

Maikailuh: I am a fairly recent graduate with my MSc in International Public Policy and a BA in Psychology. I am currently working in education, but also spend time working with community think tanks. I am driven by my ability to educate, support travel among youth in the global African diaspora, and community. To that end, I am also a brand new business owner! Liberated Travels is all about curating meaningful and intentional trips for groups, individuals, and organizations. We are offering group tours, with an upcoming trip to Ghana in 2024! I love what I do and feel so grateful to have the opportunity to see so many places and meet so many amazing people!

Irene: What country/countries have you been to?

Maikailuh: Although there are many more countries I hope to visit soon, thus far I have been to Ghana (with Irene), Togo (with Irene!), Mexico (with Irene too!), South Africa, Botswana, Namiba, Zimbabwe, Ireland, the United Kingdom, France, and Belgium. Of these countries, I have lived in Ghana and the United Kingdom (Northern Ireland).

Irene: What is your favorite country visited thus far, and why?

Maikailuh: It would be difficult to select a single favorite country, especially because of the varying lengths of time I spent in each one, but I will say that Ghana has become a second home for me, and I miss it — and the fruit — every time I leave for even a few months.

Irene: Let’s throw it back down memory lane for a second! How did we meet?

Maikailuh: Renie and I met while studying abroad in Ghana! We were actually in the same host program, which afforded us the opportunity to take a couple of trips together, both with and without our program. My personal favorite Ghana trip we took together landed us on a 16 hour bus ride to the Northern Region. A group of our friends decided we wanted to go on a safari, so we trekked north and stayed at an orphanage near the national park we went to visit. We met so many amazing young people and community leaders, saw wild elephants, and got to sleep outdoors under the cool northern sky! The time spent there was amazing, although I ended up stranded on the side of the road for six hours on my way back!

Irene: What is a salient memory that you hold of me and you?

Maikailuh: Another salient travel memory I have of us is the time we went to Los Cabos with a couple of our girlfriends that, *surprise*, we also met in Ghana. That whole trip was amazing, from whale watching, tequila tasting, and ocean-front massages to visiting a tiny art village, and taking the city bus to explore the mall and watch the Charlie’s Angels remake in Spanish, which none of us spoke fluently. One of the best parts of that trip was becoming close with the owners of a local taqueria and eating those shrimp tacos every single day! I also loved getting lost in town and stumbling upon the best sweet corn tamales ever!

Irene: Can you speak to one of your most memorable experiences for a particular country that you’ve visited?

Maikailuh: One of my most memorable travel experiences was studying abroad for the first time. At 19, a junior in college, this was the first time I had traveled internationally on my own. I spent ten months at the University of Ghana, Legon. I lived on campus, took classes with students from all across the continent, and traveled the country in my spare time. This experience was so profound for many reasons. 

First, it was my first visit to the African continent, which meant so much to me culturally. While there, I connected with my West African roots, and got to witness firsthand the foundation of so much of my own Black American heritage. From the language, food, hospitality, and communal values, to the cultural norms and expectations, I felt right at home in many ways. There were definitely some new social and cultural dynamics I had to adjust to, but overall, I knew I was where I needed to be.

Second, I was a part of an amazing program run by the most divinely-curated group of aunties and uncles any student could ask for! Our program coordinators gave us a fabulous course on culture shock, adjusting to a new style of learning, and so much more. They went out of their way to plan so many meaningful trips and supported us on our individual journeys as young travelers. Today, each of those coordinators remains like family to me, and my experience would not have been so immersive and raw without their support.

Finally, perhaps the most life-altering part of my study abroad experience was the connections I made. As mentioned, I spent most of my spare time traveling throughout Ghana. By the end of my initial stay, I had been able to see all but one region of the country. This amazing experience would not have been possible without the help of my wonderful friends, both from Ghana and elsewhere! Additionally, today one of my closest friends and I met because he just happened to be in a class with someone from my program and she brought them by to meet me and Irene during their study break! Our lifelong bond is just one of so many I made. Over five years later, my current amazing roommates are women I met in my program, and have become family to me. Perhaps one of the most profound experiences I had was meeting my very best friend while abroad. Betty (also featured in this series) has brought so much color and genuine joy to my life, and I owe it all to Ghana & the universe. There is so much I could say about friendship and finding community abroad, but I think the most important thing is to remain open to meeting new people and experiencing the world in a new way. 

Irene: What are some cultural barriers and cultural highlights that you have experienced during your time abroad?

Maikailuh: A place where I faced the most cultural barriers was Northern Ireland. The foremost challenge for me was the fact that Belfast, the city I lived in, was partially segregated by religious affiliation (see this link to learn about the Troubles in Northern Ireland). While I did not live in this part of the city, the daily implications of being constantly hyperaware of discussing something such as family history with newfound friends brought about many feelings, but most of all just reminded me how fragile ideals such as identity truly are. This experience also feuled my own efforts to decolonize my thoughts, actions, and the way I show up in the world because the impacts of colonialism are far-flung and ever-expanding in many ways.

Another key challenge was adapting to a new system of learning. Although I had spent a year studying in Ghana which uses the same British Imperial schooling system as Northern Ireland, settling into a Master’s program under this barely familiar system was so challenging for me. As an American, I was used to a more practical approach to research and studying, where I felt that both Ghana and Northern Ireland had much more theory-heavy educational systems. 

The final challenge here: living in a country with a 0.2 percent Black population as a Black woman, was also a huge positive for me. Unfortunately, on a few occasions, I did face blatant racism, though much of the discomfort came in the form of microaggressions. The biggest issue for me, however, was the lack of cultural necessities. During my year there, the only beauty supply I could find was a Sally’s! There were a few braiders, but they were hard to reach and the quality was not what I was used to. While a little frustrating, once this challenge became clear, it empowered me to form a more intimate relationship with my own hair and diet, as I was typically the only one tending to my haircare needs and cultural cravings. Overall, I feel grateful for this experience!

Irene: What have you learned about yourself through traveling abroad?

Maikailuh: Through travel I have learned so much about who I am, who I want to be, and what gifts and talents I can offer to the world. The biggest and most profound thing travel has taught me is that community is key. Community is key to embarking on new journeys, on being embraced and held in new places, and in finding meaning in your travels. Whether it be friends, strangers, family, or partners, there has always been someone there to point me in the right direction. There have been days, or weeks even, where I enjoyed solitude and spent time alone in nature, but even then, just the ability to reflect on my loved ones, and give thanks to them has made each day more meaningful.

Irene: Any advice, gems, or words of encouragement for someone who is new to traveling or is looking to broaden their travel experience?

Maikailuh: A piece of advice I would give is to plan the trip, book the ticket, and go alone if you have to. Once you’re there, listen to your mind & body. There will be days when you have a packed itinerary, but what you really need is to lay in bed, take that walk, or read that book. There will probably be another opportunity.

Irene: Can folks connect with you to learn more about you/support you? If so, please drop your social media info down below!

Maikailuh: You can find me on Instagram @_kailuh_ or @kailuhtravels if you have questions or are interested in joining our group trip to Ghana in 2024!

Sincerely, 

Maikailuh, MSc, Liberated Travels LLC

TRAVEL SNAPSHOTS

Below are some travel highlights that Maikailuh has documented during her time abroad!

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My gosh. Well first, PLEASE sign me up for this group trip to Ghana 2024 because I want to see all of my chales again!!! Kailuh, your passion for travel shines through this interview. I am continuously inspired by you and I am SO proud of you because I feel that we often get so bogged down with the automaticity of productivity that we don’t treat ourselves with the opportunity to expand our cultural knowledge and travel around the world. I love that you also emphasize that traveling alone if you have to is totally acceptable and encouraged! I totally want to do a solo trip one day. I believe that it will be a beautiful learning experience. Lastly, I LOVE your emphasis on community. When traveling, there is a special bond none like the one you curate with the people you meet and cross paths with. I still feel so much love and an unexplainable connection to this day with everyone that I was blessed to have encountered during my time abroad.

Once again, thank yall so much for stopping by the blog today and reading this amazing interview, Renrenspeakers! Continue to monitor your email notifications and stay plugged in on the Renrenspeaks Instagram page for the next post dropping next Saturday, October 21st for Part 4 of my Travelers Abroad Speak mini blog series! Definitely check out Maikailuh’s Instagram pages to become a part of the group Ghana trip happening in 2024! Shoot, I might have to do a Renrenspeaks meet-and-greet in Ghana, now! 😉

Peace and love,

Irene

Posted on in Travelers Abroad Speak series

Travelers Abroad Speak Mini Blog Series Part 2: Meet BETTY!

Hello, Renrenspeakers! Happy first Saturday of the month and welcome to the SECOND of the five interviews in the line-up for the Travelers Abroad Speak mini blog series! Did yall jot down a new country to add to your bucket list like I mentioned last week? If not, you have another opportunity to do so through this amazing blog interview we are about to delve into. The second person sharing their abroad journey with us is the charismatic, lovely Betty, who is a literal ray of sunshine! First, let’s love on her a bit before we jump into the interview.

Betty is all smiles, all giggles, and all dimples! Her energy is literally the definition of infectious, as she is the perfect hype woman, one of the best listeners ever, a calm and kindred spirit, and very multitalented. If it wasn’t for Ghana, I would have never crossed paths with this beautiful soul. Betty’s edgy, bold haircut and warm smile were the first things I noticed about her in a class that we were taking with other California study abroad students during my first week in Ghana. Instantly, I knew I wanted to be her friend. I tried to stay behind a little bit so that I could make eye contact and casually start a conversation, but she beat me to it! Betty is a forever abroad sister, as some of my most precious memories together consisted of our late night talks in Volta Hall at the University of Ghana when she ate almost all my Goldfish in one setting (LOL), and in the U.S. when we would each drive an hour each way to meet up at Dana Point to have bougie lunches, sit by the harbor, and catch up on life. So friends, I present to you, #Bettysuccessful and her travel reflections!

Irene: What is your name/pronouns?

Betty: My name is Betty Hang and my pronouns are she/her/hers. My Vietnamese name is Yêń and it means swallow, which is a kind of bird!

Irene: Give us a quick synopsis of who YOU ARE! 

Betty: I am a writer, a community activist, and AANHPI creative arts enthusiast. I enjoy reading all sorts of literature, pole dancing, art museums, and learning about new perspectives and stories. My personality traits entail coziness, loyalty, fun chaos, and warm professionalism. My mission in life is to accumulate wisdom, spread love and compassion, and create impact during my time on this spectacular planet. Lastly, I am an Associate Producer on the indie feature documentary, NEW WAVE, which is supported by Sundance Institute.

Irene: What country/countries have you been to?

Betty: I have visited Ghana, Togo, Ireland, Canada, and Vietnam!

Irene: What is your favorite country visited thus far, and why?

Betty: My favorite country I’ve visited thus far is a tie between Ghana and Vietnam. Ghana because it was my first time traveling internationally, where I made my very best friends, and grew my global and cultural knowledge immensely. Vietnam because I learned about the country my parents grew up in, explored many cities with childhood friends and by myself, and learned to adapt in a new city alone.

Irene: Let’s throw it back down memory lane for a second! How did we meet?

Betty: Irene was a shining light who entered the orientation room at the University of Ghana with a yellow Hydroflask, which immediately caught my eye. It was friendship at first sight. She was someone I felt radiated joy and sunshine so much, it felt like our personalities matched! We hung out, got lunch around campus, talked for hours about life, and I knew she was a friend I wanted to keep in my life forever.

Irene: What is a salient memory that you hold of me and you in Ghana?

Betty: A salient memory that I hold of our friendship is spending time in Irene’s dorm hall, Volta, and at the local bistro talking about how we have a strong desire to make a positive impact on our community and our world, becoming better people everyday, and best of all, boys (haha).

Irene: Can you speak to one of your most memorable experiences for a particular country that you’ve visited?

Betty: One of the most memorable experiences I’ve had for a particular country I’ve visited was cussing someone out in Vietnam. It was cathartic and necessary.

Irene: What are some cultural barriers and cultural highlights that you have experienced during your time abroad?

Betty: While making friends in Vietnam, I had language issues that led to me say the wrong things! Long story short, I ended up calling a group of adults a demeaning word for “smart” in Vietnamese, not realizing that word is exclusively used for children. Fortunately, none of those adults took it personally and understood I was a foreigner. Although I grew up speaking Vietnamese, there are still language issues I come across to this day, but understanding that traveling comes with unique trials and error (whether it’s getting lost, tripping up sentences, etc) makes it easier to accept our mistakes. It’s all a part of living life, really! 

Cultural highlights I’ve had during my time abroad definitely are making new friends. A memorable experience I had was being accepted as an honorary family member in a back alley of District 4 in Ho Chi Minh City. I spent time with this family everyday. We had coffee each morning, we went to temple and the market together, they would offer me meals and clothes, and we still keep in touch to this day. Even making friends with people who weren’t from Vietnam was refreshing and exciting, like hearing their stories and how they’ve built a life of their own there.

Irene: What have you learned about yourself through traveling abroad?

Betty: What I’ve learned about myself through traveling abroad is that I should not be as scared about the world as I have been. I don’t know if it’s the way I’ve been educated and socialized in the U.S., but while in Vietnam, a large chunk of my experience was my intense fear about my safety. Being constantly frightened hindered my travel experience severely and over time, I learned that as long as I am vigilant and aware of my surroundings, that is enough for me to still enjoy my time traveling solo.

Irene: Any advice, gems, or words of encouragement for someone who is new to traveling or is looking to broaden their travel experience?

Betty: I’d say to always stay flexible, nothing ever goes as planned, and to accept that life will throw anything your way and you may not always be prepared for it. Having that acceptance that life will always have great and bad things at any given point makes it easier, at least for me, to be okay with the adversity and just do my best to handle what’s in my control.

Irene: Can folks connect with you to learn more about you/support you? If so, please drop your social media info down below!

Betty: The best way to connect with me is via LinkedIn. I love to have creative idea sessions or philosophical conversations that lead to creating positive change in the world, so if this is down your alley, do reach out!

https://www.linkedin.com/in/bettyhang/

Irene: Anything else you want us to know about you or anything you want to share with the readers? Feel free to drop it down below!

Betty: The last thing I want to share with you all is that you’ll never go wrong with being your true self, and also practicing bravery regularly will transform your life! Thank you for reading and wishing you all a day full of acceptance, peace, and celebration. Life is a celebration!

TRAVEL SNAPSHOTS

Below are some travel highlights that Betty has captured during her time abroad!

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Betty, you completely wowed us with your amazing storytelling. Shoutout to The Bistro and our campus lunch dates back in the day. The juice, sandwiches, and waiters there were absolutely amazing. Also, slow tears building up currently from the picture of the four of us together. Cheers to friendships at first sight, for real! I also want to let you know that I still have my yellow Hydroflask! I was gifted my yellow Hydroflask by someone who said I reminded them of a ray of sunshine, so aint no way it will ever leave me! It is definitely beat up and a bit tattered, but this thing has literally traveled across the world with me and has been with me through thick and thin. Lastly, thank you for reminding us that life is a celebration and that we should strive to practice bravery every day for life transformation. It is definitely a word I needed to hear today!

Thanks for reading this post today, Renrenspeakers! Again, stay tune for email notifications for the next post release on Renrenspeaks next Saturday, October 14th for Part 3 of the Travelers Abroad Speak mini blog series! Keep working on getting that passport! 😉

Peace and love,

Irene