Amazing Hands that Guided Me - Dra. Nelly McRae

"God or our spirits have a peculiar way of putting particular people in our lives at particular times for particular reasons - and you never know when or how that's going to come about, but you'd best be open to it" Eddie Armstrong as written in the book A Hand to Guide Me by Denzel Washington 

As I read that quote I am reminded of my former  Spanish professor Dra. Nelly McRae, who I now affectionately call my Madrina (godmother in Spanish). That quote personifies our relationship. I had no idea when I chose to become a Hampton University student that I would develop lifelong relationships with my professors. The relationship that was fostered between Madrina and I (professor/advisor >mentor > godmother) has been such a blessing. She has been a strong involved presence in my life since we met. I remember when I took one of her Spanish classes as a Sophomore it was like I had already taken classes with her before. It was like I had grown up with her. She made language learning fun. She always showed me different ways to better my language skills both inside and outside of the classroom. She encourages me to travel and embraces the various cultures of each place both domestically and internationally. There were many times when she saw more in me than I could see in myself. She would always remind me that with God nothing is impossible. I have carried and continue to use all of the lessons that she has and continues to teach me.

Madrina is one of the main reasons why I chose a career in Study Abroad/ International Programs. She was with me every step of the way as I prepared to study abroad during my undergrad matriculation. She was always a phone call, email or text away when I graduated and as I completed graduated school a couple of years later. She is such a supporter of my career and has been a true inspiration. She is such a source of encouragement and advice as I successfully make my way in my chosen profession.

Hampton University has a true gem in my Madrina. So many of her students love and adore her.  As I work with my students, faculty, administrators, parents etc.  I pray that Madrina's spirit and influence shines through. There are many times that I think if I could affect another students life even half as much as Madrina has affected mine then I would have done something right. 

Thank you Madrina for the person that you are and for all that  you have and continue to do in my life and the lives of your students. God has truly blessed me with your continued presence.  My life truly would not be the same without you!  

                      

KoMiSa'sThoughts: Who has made a positive impact on your life? Have you let them know? If not and you can, do so. And if you are looking for a great read that personifies mentorship and inspiration check out the book "A Hand to Guide Me" by Denzel Washington. Madrina's hands among others have guided me. Whose hands have guided you?

Hasta el proximo vez,

KoMiSa

Cooking up Memories

A couple of days ago I had an afternoon and evening of cooking. I realized that it was a bit like traveling. I got to travel through food as I made curry chicken for a friend and later made tacos for dinner with my family. 

When I think of experiencing other cultures I often think of traveling to different places. (I have definitely been bitten by the travel bug over and over again) However in the in between times of traveling I love doing things that remind me of my travels or things that will allow me to experience other cultures, sometimes without even leaving my home. 

Some of my closest friends are from Trinidad thus I have an affinity for the music, food, and other cultural aspects I have experienced through my friends.  Trinidad is definitely high on my list of places to visit!  Thanks to my friends I have learned to make a some Trinidadian dishes. My friend Shalana gave me her curry chicken recipe a few years ago while I was in Spain. I made it for my roommates and parents when they came to visit. It was a hit and I have been making it ever since. I made it a couple of days ago. It brought me back to the times I enjoyed eating with Shalana, her family and my other Trinidadian friends as we ate their native dishes, listened to soca and calypso music and talked about the fun they had living/ visiting Trinidad. 

 

Making tacos that same night brought me back to when I spending time with at my host family's house in Guadalajara, Mexico. As I made the different components that went into the taco bar I felt like I was in my host mom's kitchen watching and helping. We ate tortillas with almost every meal. I got the way that I warm up my tortillas from her.  I warm them up on top of the stove but I don't use a pan. Instead I put the tortilla right on top of the eye of a gas burner stove. Watch it carefully!  It only takes a few seconds on each side to.

 My family really enjoyed the tacos and my friend was really happy when she picked up the curry chicken I prepared for her. I am glad I could travel a bit through food and remember some great times with family and friends. 

KoMiSa's Thoughts: Whether you like to cook, just eat or both try a dish from another culture or country. It's a great way to learn about another culture and wet your appetite not only for food but for travel too.  

Hasta el proximo vez,

KoMiSa

3 Keys to Help Cross the Language Barrier When Teaching: a Nod to My Korean Exchange Students

Language Barriers are real but like with any barrier with an open mind, open heart and some creativity you can overcome any barrier. In the beginning of this year I had the opportunity to teach Korean students English. They came to Bloomfield College during their winter break to learn English and about American culture. I was used to teaching Spanish speaking students how to speak English and knowing the Spanish language has come in handy. Teaching English to Korean students whom I don't know there primary language could prove to be a real challenge. Neither I nor they could fall back on pure translation of the other language. We had to figure out a way to communicate in English so that I could understand them and they could understand me. With patience, my understanding of what they were going through as language learners, and myself having teachers who did not speak my native language when I studied abroad gave me a strong foundation to teach new students. As we went through class I encouraged them to use what English they did know no matter how little and we built upon that. Below are three things that helped me to navigate and conquer the language barrier to most effectively teach my amazing students.

1. Show genuine interest in your students.
Showing interest in your students often helps them to open up to you. Although my students were here to learn English and about the American culture, it was important for me to show interest and learn about their country and culture as well. A little bit can go along way in this area. It helped me to understand my students better and it allowed me to develop a good relationship with my students. For example, I took keen interest in how to pronounce my students names in Korean, no easy feet but very worthwhile to help them feel comfortable and respected.

2. Building relationships is key.
 Before I tried to teach my students anything I first did my best to get to know each of them. In addition to learning their names in Korean I learned their majors and something unique about them. For example Haram loves photography and she has an amazing camera so I made sure to include readings about photography and the arts in my lessons. Not only did it show that I cared about each of my students, it helped them to be more open and receptive to the lessons I was teaching them.

3. Have fun with the new language.
I taught a science reading comprehension class to my Korean students. I made sure my students were having a good time by using what I learned about them to make the science articles interesting. I incorporated their interests and the science theme as they learned the vocabulary and practiced their English pronunciation and reading comprehension. We often had more time to explore other subjects in American culture after completing the science coursework so I made sure to do fun cultural things with them. My students enjoy listening to music so I brought in some of my favorite music and shared it with them. I started playing Tamia's "So Into a You" and to my surprise they found the Korean music artists that remade the song in Korean. Talk about sharing our cultures! :-).  It was a lot of fun going back and forth listening to each version and talking about what we liked about that song and other songs and artists of both cultures and languages.

I love Tamia's song so much I thought I would share it!

A huge thank you to my Korean students. I had such a great time teaching them and learning from them.

Hasta el Proximo Vez,


KoMiSa

The Story of My Traveling Pants

I enjoyed watching the movie the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Parts I and II. I enjoyed the story of four friends and how they shared one pair of pants although they were different sizes with different body types, different styles of dress and different personalities. The pants not only traveled amongst the girls during various events of their teen years, these pants traveled around the globe to the various locations that the girls traveled to. Whether it was the U.S., Greece or Mexico the pants ended up with each girl just when they needed them.

The movie made me think of two of my favorite pair of pants. I consider them my traveling pants. My cousin brought back two pairs of pants for me from Nigeria. He gave them to me when I was a pre-teen or teenager. I always loved the fabric but back then I wasn’t sure of how to pull them off. Fast forward a decade or so later and they are two of my favorite items to wear. I love the African print, the vibrant colors and that I can dress them up or down. They are also very easy to travel with, oh and did I mention comfortable and I always feel great wearing them. Thank goodness that my fashion sense and style has evolved and thank goodness that I was always in my right mind and kept them in great condition through the years. Ha!

The pants are not only cute and comfortable but they are special to me because they are a great reminder of the travels of my family and I. They remind me of the various cultures that are represented in my family and friends. They remind me of my ancestors, they remind me of my love for learning about different places, cultures, people, and languages. They remind me of my travels and time spent abroad. While in Spain, a similar style of pant was in style and I thought about purchasing a similar pair of pants. For some reason I never went through with buying the pants in Spain. When I got home I suddenly remembered the pants given to me from my cousin and realized why I never bought the pants in Spain. I already had not one pair but two pairs of pants in a similar style yet better. Better  why, because my pants had a lot more meaning than the ones than those that I would have bought it Spain ( I got an awesome pair of shoes instead J) Now my favorite pants travel with my quite often. Now I can’t wait to go to Nigeria to visit my cousin’s side of the family and snag some more cool fashions to incorporate into my wardrobe.

Do you have a favorite article of clothing that remind you of your travels or inspires you to travel to new/ different places? If so leave a comment and let me know.

Hasta el proximo vez,

KoMiSa

BELIEVE that You Can Go On the Trip of Your Dreams!

Have you ever dreamed of traveling to a far away place such as Tahiti, London, Bora Bora, China etc. and totally discounted it because of the various reason that you told yourself that you can’t go, do have the money to go, no one you know has ever travelled that far therefore why do you think you can go. These are but a few of the thoughts that many of us allow to play in our head that often stop us from believing that we can take that trip of our dreams. So what can be done to change our way of thinking to help you to move forward to go on that trip of your dreams? This post isn’t about saving the money for the trip or trying to figure out the logistics of the trip. That will all come into play in time. Rather this post is about believing that you can go anywhere you want to go literately (and figuratively for that matter) if you believe. 

Believe that you can go on the trip of your dreams!!!

1     Imagine Yourself on Your Dream Trip 
      This is the time to really allow yourself to imagine yourself in the place that you would like to go. Imagine yourself on the beach in Hawaii or visiting the rainforests in Costa Rica. See yourself having a great time and soaking up the culture, the sights and sounds.  Let your imagination reign free. Don’t limit yourself. Have fun on the mental journey that will one day come into fruition.

2    Create a vision board

I don’t know about you but sometimes it is challenging for me to fully see something that I have not experienced. I have created a few vision boards that have helped me to fully see and embody the vision of the places that I plan to travel. Creating a vision board helps you to focus on what you really want. After you imagine yourself on your dream trip, use those imaginations to find pictures, phrases, encouraging words, and other images to put on your board. Working on your vision will help you to get into the realm of believing that you can and will travel to your dream place. Looking at the vision board often helps to keep your travel dreams alive and on top of mind so make sure you look at it on a consistent basis, Before you know it your doubts about the trip will start to be replaced with a belief and knowing that you will definitely travel to that place of your dreams.

KoMiSa's Vision Board

Write the Vision

Habakkuk 2:2 states write the vision and make it plan. This is a popular Bible verse one that I have used and practiced many times. I would use write the vision that I wanted in the future tense saying what I would like to happen but I want to suggest a different way of writing your travel vision. Instead of writing your travel vision in the future, write in t the present tense using the words I am. I am traveling to Hawaii. I am having a great time at the luau in Maui. I am really enjoying the music and the food at the luau. This is the best trip that I have taken thus far. This is only the beginning. By writing your vision in the present tense it makes your vision more concrete in your mind. It heightens your belief that you will actually experience your dream trip. Before you know things will start to fall into place and your dream trip will become a reality.

Hasta el proximo vez,

KoMiSa

Career Corner: A Chat with Janel Martinez

Photo courtesy of Janel Martinez

Meet Janel Martinez, a journalist with a love for travel. A graduate of Syracuse University, Janel not only learned about other cultures as she studied literature and art, but she also learned a great deal about herself. Today on KoMiSa’s World we will get a glimpse into Janel’s intriguing study abroad experience.

1. Where did you study abroad?

I studied abroad in Paris, France. I was enrolled in a Syracuse University study abroad program called “Paris Noir: Literature, Art, & Contemporary Life in Diaspora.” It’s an African-American studies program that focuses on the African American influence in The City of Lights.

2. When did you study abroad and how long did you stay?

I studied abroad in the summer of 2008. Paris Noir is a six-week program.

3. What was your sole purpose for studying abroad? Did you accomplish that purpose? How has studying abroad changed your life? You as a person?

I went into my undergrad years knowing I would study abroad, but not too sure where I would go. It’s funny because I took Italian for two and a half semesters thinking I was going to go to Italy, but at the last minute decided on Paris. It was seriously one of the best decisions I’ve made to date.

I learned so much from my experience abroad. For one, I finally felt comfortable in my own skin as an Afro-Latina. Growing up, I felt like I constantly had to choose between being black and Hispanic. Nowadays, you see various ethnicities and Latinos from different countries, but growing up if you weren’t Puerto Rican or Dominican you weren’t really Spanish. And I wasn’t really black with a last name like Martinez. It wasn’t until my abroad curriculum delved into multiplicity of identity that I had an “aha” moment. I realized I didn’t have to define myself by society’s standards; I could embrace being more than one thing.

Also, while our coursework involved lengthy readings and papers, my professor made sure we viewed Paris as our classroom—walking tours, trips to the museum and restaurants were just as important as our class time, which, by the way, took place at Café de Flore where James Baldwin worked on his novel “Go Tell It On the Mountain.” The experience taught me to not limit my travels to a tourist’s perspective and to experience a country as a native. Yeah, I had to go visit the Eiffel Tower, but most of my days were spent living as a Parisian. I still view the 11 Arrondissement as my home away from home.

4. Were you initially excited and ready to go or were there any fears or reservations? If so what were they and how did you overcome? If not what expectations ignited your excitement?

While I was extremely excited about my first visit to Europe, I was also extremely nervous. I had no idea what to expect. At the time, I absolutely hated flying so the nine-hour flight was reason for concern. Also, at 19 years old, being so far away from home was a little nerve racking.

The fear of the unknown can really trip you up and cause you to put things off, but I just went for it. That’s all you can do. I put my reservations to the side and just went for it. I have no regrets.

5. What was your experience like studying abroad?

My experience abroad was life changing. I think as Americans, it’s so easy to get caught up in the notion that the world revolves around you but there’s a whole other world that exists beyond our borders. I admired Parisians for taking the time to enjoy life. No one’s rushing to eat and get back to work—in fact, stores close down for a few in the afternoon. Things are more relaxed there; the stress-level is a lot lower. I miss that.

6. Are you bilingual or multilingual? If so what languages do you speak? If so...(continue to the questions below)  

I wouldn’t consider myself multilingual. I know very basic Spanish and a few words of French. Oh, and some Italian.

6a. How has studying/working abroad impacted your languages skills?

I went to France not knowing a bit of French, but left knowing how to introduce myself to people (name, major, where I was from, etc.) and how to order my meals. My Italian came in handy once.

      

7. How has studying abroad impacted you career path and outlook?

While I haven’t explored any career opportunities abroad, studying abroad has shown me that I can go anywhere and be okay. I’d definitely work abroad if the right opportunity presented itself.

7a. What is your current position and what does your position entail?

I’m a journalist. I’m currently the technology editor at BlackEnterprise.com. My job entails overseeing the editorial vision and strategy for the channel of the site. I do quite a few things; I oversee a small staff of freelance writers, edit, write and report, as well as produce videos.

7b. Is there an international aspect to your position?

I work online so I can work from anywhere, as long as there’s an Internet connection.

8. What characteristics does one need pursue a position such as yours?

A person needs to be inquisitive, diligent, persistent, reliable, organized, have a strong work ethic and great communication skills. That’s just to name a few.

Journalism has changed a bit with the rise of social media and new digital innovations so current journalism students should try to familiarize themselves with the various storytelling methods. If they can, definitely learn how to shoot video because multimedia storytelling is essential.

9. Do you have any advice for others who want to study abroad?

My advice to students looking to go abroad, don’t second-guess yourself, just go for it. Students of color are less likely to study abroad when compared with our counterparts and it’s because we let certain things deter us from moving forward with our plans. For example, many study abroad programs aren’t cheap, but you can afford it—revisit your financial aid package, apply for scholarships or even ask family members/supporters if they’d be willing to donate money towards your excursion. Fundraising is also another option. It’s definitely doable.

Thank you very much Janel for sharing your study abroad experience on KoMiSa’s World!!! If you would like to connect with Janel feel free to find her on twitter at @janelmwrites

Hasta el proximo vez,

KoMiSa