#also with other cities some people yell sydney instead of their own city | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

notsuch · 1 year

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Wanna write Junkers but dont know Aussie shit?

Writing a Junker for non-Aussies, some shit that will make it hit just right instead of half-assing it by writing arvo and calling it done:

the outback is a conceptual area, not a physical place, you cannot put "outback" into a gps and find it, but you can drive two hours out of your city and hit it. the outback can be a green lush rainforest or the outback can be red sand deserts. the point is, it's further away from where you are now and there is fewer people. A park is not the outback, but you can go "out back" to a park to infer its distance from your house.

the most aussie thing about junker queen, junk rat and roadhog is that shirts are a suggestion, not a requirement. if we dont have to wear full tops, we don't. no, that's not just blizzard going "lets show off half naked ppl", in many towns, especially on the coast, they have to enforce a "no shirt, no shoes? no service." rule, it gets that bad.

we also constantly get skin cancer, all the time. everyone. the australian sun has more uv in it than anywhere else in the world AND I DOUBT THAT GOT BETTER WITH ALL THE FREAKING RADIATION EVERYWHERE NOW. It doesn't matter your heritage, black, white, asian, you live in australia? you're getting skin cancer.

no this still does not mean we put on shirts. you'd think that change it, but no. wrong. fuck shirts. fuck pants too. scratch shoes probably while you're at it. ow my feet are burning on the hot pavement? TOO BAD SUCK IT UP. Shorts and a tank top if you really have to push it, but a bikini top at all times is perfectly acceptable for women.

but put on a fucking hat and sunscreen, you complete buffon, what are you, a tourist, not putting on a HAT? always put on a hat. DYOU WANT TO GET SKIN CANCER, HONESTLY,,,,,, but also we suck at putting on hats, just your parents yelled at you to do it and you tell others to do it and always have a hat on hand.

shirt exceptions: if you're in sydney or melbourne. they like, have actual standards about business dress. they even wear three piece suits and shit. my soul died just thinking about it. but even then,,,,, ehhhhh, if its summer, people get /hand wobbles, vague about shirt requirements. ive watched foreign business people see what sydney calls business dress and go EVERYONE HERE IS INFORMAL so like, its more dressed up than the rest of australia, but still probably more dressed down than half the world lmao.

they're call "sydneysiders" and everywhere else takes any reason to trash talk them at every opportunity. we all hate sydney. people who have never been to sydney hate sydney. sydney hates sydney: north sydney hates west sydney, west sydney hates east sydney and so on. everyone who lives in sydney wishes they didn't. fuck sydney. if you cant think of anything to say that's neutral, you can always just slander sydney and it'll be a fairly positive-neutral conversation. i can garuntee Junkers will be sitting there shoving radiated dirt into their horrendous bullet wounds, missing fingers, barely scraping alive, living in the literal apocalypse, and especially be like MAN AT LEAST IM NOT IN SYDNEY.

we call the brits 'Poms' and americans 'Seppos'. If you are talking to a Sydneysider, you can mutually hate on both of these groups. Poms more so. We hate the English. It's not active, btw, we aren't the yanks out here having national pride about a war or something, no, its a passive, low grade, mocking tone at all times about them. Ireland, Scotland and Wales are ok tho, we like them just fine. Just the Brits.

you are not allowed to openly state something is wrong, if its actually seriously fucked up, you have to understate it. for real my own mother was in a small flight plane that had to make an emergency landing in a farmer's field and the farmer came out and said 'bit of trouble mate?' as literal smoke was spewing out of the engine block and the pilot went 'reckon she'll be right in a bit', and everyone sat around having a beer.

except for the weather, you are always, at all times, allowed to complain about the weather. its too hot. its too cold. why is it so humid, why is it so dry. "hows this weather we're having?" is a normal conversation starter to make small talk and also just kill five minutes in line at [sports venue of the choice]. I can physically hear the two fucking junkers in the line to the Scrapyard Arena being like 'man fuck this weather lately' as if it's not the 432432 day of burning hot dry desert irradiated heat that was exactly the same as the day before, and everyone will be 'no yeah bloody hell aye'

slab of beer is a defined currency once you are outside of cities. this is a 24xbeer cans. you can pay for services in beer.

when passing people, "hey" is only acceptable in busy settings, the rest of the time, we're so fucking talkative. people in cities can say 'hi', but outside its got to be the 'eyyy' 'g'day', 'hey bruz', it's always "hi, how ya going?" then a nod and response of "not bad, you?" if you have the time to answer, otherwise a nod with 'g'day gotta go' and an indication you're in a rush is perfectly acceptable. if there is time for it, this is when you go into complaining about the weather. not engaging in this process is ruder than swearing at each other.

a mad cunt and a sick cunt, are your best friends, or the dude at the party who brought the rum and you all cheer. a shit cunt is the worst person who ruined it for everyone by calling the cops because you shouldnt stick a ice box drink cooler on a lawnmower and ride it while drinking said rum. asshole.

the ice box drink is called an Esky, by the way. Not cooler. Esky.

NORTH IS HOT, ITS WHERE ALL THE CROCODILES N CASSOWARIES N SHIT ARE.

the south is cold and does actually get snow, aka the Snowy Mountains are in the south. Yes, we did name it that.

Tasmania (that one big island at the bottom lmao) is snowy and rainy and makes really good whiskey and is probably actually just fine b/c no one cares about it and is not connected to the mainland at all, they judge all "mainlanders".

THEY'RE NOT CALLED COWBOYS, THEY'RE CALLED STOCKMEN, OR JACKAROOS AND JILLAROOS.

Kangaroos are like asshole deer. You will not break them if you hit them, your car however is *completely* fucked.

WE DO NOT CALL THEM 'FARMS'. They are 'properties' or 'stations'. A 'cattle station' is an acceptable term. A sheep station. If you say 'a property' everyone knows you mean an agricultural piece of land, and that it's specifically many, many, MANY, thousands of kilometers long. If you call them farm, we instantly clock you as american or a rich city person who has a 'hobby farm'.

The person who OWNS many, many, many, many, MANY, thousands of miles of land and don't actually work it themselves, may call themselves Farmers, but the rest of us often clock them as rich fuckers because of that reason.

We are not afraid of spiders, snakes, kangaroos, jellyfish, whatever it is foreigners scream about this week, the way you think we are. We don't like them, (ok some of us do), but they just are, and we all got education lessons young about how to not be an idiot about them.

we are fucking with you, at all times, i'm an aussie and I am fucking with you right now. i can meet another aussie in a bar that i do not know, have never seen in my entire life, and make shit up on the spot to distress someone about some animal that does not exist, and the other australian without a fucking beat will IMMEDIATELY. JOIN IN. Junkrat will be tricking Brigette about the existence of Land Sharks and even if she wants to strangle him to death, Junker Queen will 100% back him on whatever the fuck he's saying.

#overwatch #overwatch 2 #junkertown #junkers #junkrat #roadhog

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goldenhour-goldenboy · 5 years

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A Yovanna and Santiago wedding imagine with all of the crew there? :)

Yovanna and Pope’s Wedding

By now it’s been a few years. It took a while for Yovanna and Pope to figure out their relationship, untangle the mess they’ve both been in when they’ve found each other for the first time and separate feelings from thoughts, lies from truths and accusations from facts. Yovanna can’t help but second guess everything that Pope tells her, suspicion too deeply rooted into her from her past to simply trust the man she met under such violent conditions.

Pope has a harder time settling with a normal life, too used to hunt for the next piece of a bigger puzzle, figuring out moves and chasing after silhouettes. Though time, and sometimes even feelings seem to work against the pair, it’s one thing that keeps drawing them back to each other - the certainty that they want this. They want the love and the safety of being in a stable relationship. They want each other and in the end this is all it comes down to.

Pope proposes in an untraditional way, not only in the middle of an argument but also without a ring. It’s a necklace he kept in his pockets for weeks now, a small aquamarine gem on a golden chain, and the moment he shows it to Yovanna is really a moment of defeat. The silence that follows has both of them tense, Pope fearing that she will leave, almost certain with the way she’s standing so perfectly still while Yovanna tries to hold back tears. Tears of shame, that she could’ve ever doubted Pope’s intentions with her, tears of emotions, never really believing that someone could want her - for life. When Yovanna finally steps forward to press a shaky kiss against Pope’s lips, tears falling freely now, he almost starts to cry as well, thinking that this is goodbye, before Yovanna takes his head in her hands, nodding, again and again while she whispers “Yes” over and over.

They’ve moved to a less buys part of town, traveling down and down the Australian coastline until they’ve nestled in less popular city than Sydney. It’s smaller but not too small to notice a family of three moving in. Pope only has to walk a few minutes until he can feel the sand beneath his feet and Yovanna immediately fell in love with the old rustic neighborhood, the little shops a couple streets down and the rhythm of the relaxed surfer town. It’s the same neighborhood they decide to host the wedding and they settle on the location incredibly fast, both of them having the same place in mind. A place that Yovanna goes to whenever she needs a quiet place to think and that reminds Pope of home, the smell and interior instantly bringing him back to his childhood.

It’s a small chapel, in a tiny perfect place at the skirts of town, the only one around to be exact and the chapel isn’t filled to the brim with many people but everyone important to Pope and Yovanna is there. Yovanna’s brother sits right at the front, the only family she has left, both of their parents dead and the connection to the rest of her family cut when they had to flee the country. The thought brings tears to her eyes as she and Pope sit down weeks before the wedding, talking about wether or not to invite them but even after all those years it would still bear too much a chance to invite chaos and death as well.

They light a candle instead, for everyone who can’t be with them today. A minute of silence for everyone that, for whatever reason, isn’t able to attend the wedding circling through the church in a silent prayer and Yovanna squeezes Pope’s hand in her lap a little tighter as the pastor honor’s them in their speech. They share a look, both of them knowing what’s going through the other person’s head and before he can realize it, Pope has lifted their hands to press a small kiss to the back of Yovanna’s hand, making the pastor and the audience chuckle with the affection of the soon to be husband and wife.

Of course the boys are there as well. It’s one of the few occasion where Benny drinks way over his limit, William having a blast watching his brother dance it out on the dance floor at some point, while his own arm slung is over the back of his girl’s chair that has been invited as well. Fish is dancing with his daughter and though he and the mother split she’s a happy little girl, waddling through her dad’s and uncles legs, who take turn in spinning the little around in circles.

The reception is held a couple blocks down the street at a small Caribbean bar that Pope has spent many nights with Yovanna before, laughing and drinking and making friends along the way. It’s not a luxurious location but more importantly it holds a dear place in both of their hearts and the small stage, filled with a local Spanish band, has everyone happy and dancing in seconds. Pope has an arm around Yovanna as he sways around with her to a completely different beat, tugging a piece of hair behind her ear before leaning in and kissing her softly, tasting champagne and strawberries on her lips that she must’ve snacked on not too long ago. He can feel her smile spreading against his lips and as Pope looks up the rest of the guests disappear, leaving only the two of them. “Are you happy?” He’s asking her quietly, hand drawing little circles on the small of her back and Yovanna can’t help but ask herself for the thousandths time this day how she got to be so lucky. It’s a small nod, before she presses her lips to his one more time, mumbling a soft “Yes.” before she get’s whisked away by some of her female friends, leaving Pope with the imagine of her light dress waving in motion and her laughter hanging in the air.

The speeches are … interesting to say the least. Pope’s father has a beautiful story prepared, following his son through the years. How he watched him as a little boy who took care of his family as young as the of seven turn into a man that is now starting his own. It has everybody eyes wet at the end, Will squeezing his partner a little tighter and Fish sneaking a cheery grin to his daughter, who immediately sends him back a toothy grin.

Yovanna’s brother keeps it short but still loving, grateful for the opportunity to see his sister find the happiness she deserves and how lucky he is to celebrate this day by her side. Since he’s one of the only people from her family, she can’t help but squeeze Pope’s hand under the table a little harder, eyes suddenly misty and her brother as well has to clear his throat more than one time.

William goes on, voice a bit raspy and it takes a while for him to stumble through his cards before he finds his flow. He has the small audience touched with little details sprinkled here and there and of course, Will being Will, he ties it to numbers. He remembers the date he got the call from Pope, nonchalant at first before breaking the news of his engagement. Will talks about all the times he and Pope were on a mission together (63 times, officially) and how often they would talk about the life they had planned out for themselves after their service, about the family they’d hope to have at some point in their life (23 nights, give or take a few and Will is not quite sure if Pope remembers the drunken ones). Will remembers Pope as a man who always wanted to find peace in life, to do right by the people he loved and to find someone he could give is love to unconditionally. He raises a glass at Yovanna, happy that Pope finally found someone to share that with and calls her family.

Benny is a bit more … intoxicated as he takes the stage. His grip on the microphone is tight, wether it remains unknown of the fear someone might take it away from him or in desperate hope to find some steadiness. Looking at Pope, who has sunken a bit deeper into his chair, eyes stern on Ben after sending Yovanna and apologetic glance even before he started talking, it’s not a far fetched guess that Pope’s more than ready to tackle Benny, in case he has something prepared that will end his marriage before it even started. But Benny’s surprisingly touching as well, sharing pictures of the team throughout the years, some of them blurry but the evident fun and connection evident. Of course he couldn’t let the opportunity slide to include some that draw shocked gasps or embarrassed laughter from the audience and Fish even has to cover his daughter’s eyes for one but overall it’s a sweet gesture. Will still needs to intervene and force his brother of the stage, a tight grip on his arm, as he starts to drift off on how glad he is that Pope figured it out with Yovanna and “.. might I say you look very beautiful today? I mean, really, Pope’s a lucky man. I always knew that you’re exactly his type from the first time I saw you and I know that Pope just loves a woman with curves and your dress today really brings out - “ There’s a bit of fighting between the Miller brothers before Benny is seated again.

Fish is the last one to talk, going on stage with a shy smile and nervous fingertips. His daughter was supposed to be seated on the edge, feet dangling over but she waves to Pope with a bright smile and it doesn’t take long before she has hopped down and run to sit on her uncles leg instead, so waving to her father who just forgets everything he was written down at the sight of his baby girl sitting with his best friend. Fish really starts of timidly, almost quiet but he sneaks in a warm joke here and there and is easily the one who touches the audience with his deep connection to Pope. He drifts in to Spanish mid speech, getting carried away by his emotions and slipping into his mother tongue, that neither Pope nor Yovanna mind that much and it isn’t until a couple minutes later that Benny yells from a back table that he really can’t understand anything, that has Fish finishing up his speech hastily before sitting down and smacking the younger Miller over the back of the head for disturbing his talk.

All the boys find a quiet moment for themselves after the dancing and the speeches and the cake and a little more dancing. It’s at the bar, where they share a knowing look because how often have they had this moment before, leaned against against a bar, each a drink in their hand and laughter hanging in the air? It’s so familiar by now that Pope suddenly has tears burning at the back of his throat as he orders a round of shots for everyone and even though they’re only four man standing in a circle he orders a fifth one that they sat in the middle. Benny wipes his eyes suspiciously fast and Fish has to clear his throat as Will mumbles about how Tom would’ve loved this, though he and Yovanna weren’t that close and Pope agrees, looking over to his people dancing in the sand, Yovanna twirling little Maria around in circles. It’s such a perfect moment that each of them have to take a second to breathe before they raise their shot glasses, looking at one another before as an inevitable grin breaks out on all of their faces and they cheer in silence, the liquor burning their throats a second later and igniting the night even more.

#triple frontier #triple frontier imagine #triple frontier headcanon #santiago pope garcia #santiago pope garcia imagine #santiago pope garcia headcanon #santiago pope garcia x yovanna #triple frontier yovanna #yovanna imagine #yovanna headcanon #why doesn't she have a surename?#get's so confusing every time i have to tag her in something #smh #she deserves a full name #oscar isaac #Adria Arjona

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whydoifeelsoold · 6 years

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Seeing iKON live for the first time: a reflection

So last Thursday and Saturday I saw iKON live for the first time, in Sydney and Melbourne respectively. Here are my thoughts.

Random thoughts:

- Before the Sydney show I was nervous af. Honestly, I couldn’t eat, couldn’t concentrate on shit, I was trembling, I was alternating between rambling like a madwoman and sitting in silence staring into space. My poor sister thought I was losing it. Think Hanbin in On Hiatus when Bobby texts him he’s outside his house and wants to speak to him in chapter 4. I was THAT.

- I was so nervous because I felt like there was SO much at stake. I’ve written sooo much about these boys (over 337,000 words?!), I’ve spent so much time (enjoyable time lol) wondering about them, hypothesising how they’d respond to different situations, basically doing full on character studies. I was so scared that I’d go to the concert and what if....I’d gotten them wrong, I’d totally misunderstood them...what if they weren’t quite like what I imagined. What would happen then?? Would I be disappointed in myself?? Disappointed by them?? That wouldn’t be fair to them at all because they are PEOPLE not CHARACTERS!! And I would be disappointed in myself about that too!! So anyway, long story short, I was terrified some kind of disappointment would be inevitable.

- So of course I was nervous (bats aggressively swooping in my stomach) right up till when they finally appeared. However, I was amazed that instead of feeling awe, or surprise, or disbelief, when I saw them lined up about to begin Bling Bling, I just felt insanely happy. Like childishly, innocently, joyously happy.

- I was so thrilled by how good the vocal line sounded live. Their voices sound SO clear, strong and full of colour. It was amazing to FEEL their voices echo and project in the room. The sound was better in Sydney however, for some reason their voices were more muffled in Melbourne, not sure why. May have been to do with my location in Festival Hall.

- I wish Sydney iKONICS were a bit more friendly to one another. I felt like a village idiot when I smiled at some people and they just looked at me with confused, dead eyes. Like come one guys, can’t we all bond over this incredible experience?! Can’t we kill time in the massive-ass queue by getting excited together (But Sydney is a catty city, so that didn’t surprise me too much tbh) ?!?!

- They were all SO so So sweet and very endearing. They were just...adorable. I felt so affectionate and proud of them.

Now, about the Boys themselves:

- They were all INCREDIBLY handsome in real life. Even more handsome than on tv or in photoshoots. Like, I dunno what it is about seeing them in real life, but they were just really stunning.

- In Sydney especially they were tired (but did a very noble job of pushing through). In particular Hanbin, and I felt a wave of concern for him when he was bent over puffed at one stage. Bobby and Donghyuk were up there hyping up the crowd with “WHO WANTS ANOTHER SONG” and poor Bin was just shaking his head laughing, trying to catch his breath. You could really tell he was ready for a good 15 hours of sleep.

- In Melbourne they all seemed to be more rested, except maybe Bobby. He did his very best not to let on he was tired, (and don’t get me wrong, he still had plenty of energy) but he was a bit more reserved in Melbourne than in Sydney and struggled to get his words out more when speaking english. Every now and again he seemed a bit distracted in Melbourne, like maybe his concentration was off.

- The one thing that DID blow my mind, was that ALL of them - but especially double b - were exactly as I had imagined and written them to be. As a writer, I’ve tried my best to interpret them as accurately as possible from the sources given to us: tv shows, performance recordings, the music, the survival shows, the interviews, the radio appearances, etc. etc. How this whole time I’ve also been acutely aware, that no matter how hard I try, how can I truly get a “vibe” from someone when I haven’t seen them in person. Seeing them live made everything make sense.

- Bobby had this gorgeous, outward energy, just the way I imagined him to be. He was so sweet towards the boys, but also devilishly cheeky and when he got the chance. As for his interaction with the audience, you could really tell he wanted to give us a good performance, it was like he really wanted to give us a gift and for us to love it. You could really feel how lucky he felt to have us there screaming and singing along, how appreciative he was (like dude, no, thank YOU!! NOT US!!). In Melbourne a small smile he shared with Hanbin suggested that special connection which made my heart soar. They clearly have a very deep connection, whatever that may be. Overall I would describe him in real life as Generous and uplifting.

- Han Fucking Bin, my ultimate bias. Oh god. I was blown away by how similar he is in real life to how I have imagined. He had this incredibly complex, fascinating energy riddled with paradoxes. He was eccentric yet very in tune with the crowd, dorky yet intimidating, reserved/shy but very sweet, rather dreamy and in his own world, yet always very in control, unassuming yet also proud and a bit aloof. Maybe aloof isn’t the right word...maybe detached? But I guess what I’m trying to say is that I think he has a very good poker face, it’s his professional/leader face. He takes his responsibility to deliver a good concert very seriously and so he doesn’t always look like he can “let himself go.” But at the same time, I really got a sense that underneath the poker face he was feeling a lot, thinking a lot. He was doing a lot of work, but keeping that to himself.. Finally, he struck me as someone who has made the brave commitment to be himself unapologetically, but he’s still learning who exactly he is. I’m really excited to how he turns out, but if my gut feeling is right, he will only continue developing as a person, he won’t just find himself and stop there. He is like a pokemon, there are going to be many evolutions for him and that’s EXACTLY why I love him so much. I would sum him up in real life as Sensitive and Inquiring.

- Jinhwan was just as feisty, cheeky and cute coy as I imagined. He was in high spirits, and I think he’d impressed himself with his english skills so he was very confident on stage, he really knew how to work the crowd. I really got a sense of his love of attention. He was so charming, cute and willing to indulge the crowd. I didn’t see his mum-side but I’m glad about that because I feel like he doesn’t need to be in that mode when all the boys are having fun on stage, he can just focus on being his naughty, sexy self. I would summarise him as Playful and Engaging.

- Donghyuk was a total darling and omg he looks soooo handsome in real life. I really got a sense of his attentiveness towards the fans, he really did his best to engage with us, asking questions, complimenting the city he was in, joking around, singing other songs whenever he got the chance. Diligent and Caring, that’s DK in a nutshell.

- June!!! So June was like Chanwoo and Yun, they kinda let the other boys take the floor and lead the show. Totally fair enough. I can’t begin to imagine how vulnerable one must feel when you have no idea wtf the being said and you’re up there on stage with everyone watching. Two things with June. One, I could NOT believe how dramatically handsome he was in real life. Like, his raven-black “comma-styled” hair, the way it contrasted so boldly with his pale skin, his muscular tallness, the way his white t-shirt hung off his frame so casually yet perfectly, his striking brows, strong profile and chiseled jawline...like, he was GODLY. Out of this world. From another universe. He was stunning. In terms of the vibe he gave me in real life: Cool and eccentric.

- Yun!!! Bless him!!! I really just wanted to hear more from him...although i totally get why he didn’t have the means to express himself more. But what he couldn’t communicate through words he really poured into his singing and interaction with the fans. I was really impressed by his voice live, he has such a nice warm tone. And he really put heart into his lines and high notes. His showmanship was very impressive. I would summarise him as heartfelt and emotive.

- Chanwoo was SO SO gorgeous in real life. Even from where I stood at the back his eyes stood out so well. He was reserved but not lacking in confidence, he was shy but also very sincere and sweet. His vocals were brief but his husky tone is awesome. I would summarise him as observant and alert.

- Overall Seeing them was really amazing, it was such a positive experience. All I feel now is the bittersweetness of it all. Before I didn’t know what it was like to miss them, that wasn’t something I had to deal with being a distant aussie fan. But now I’ve seen them twice in three days, I now know what that is like to be in their presence. And honestly, I miss them so much already. my heart feels bruised. Laaaaaaaame.

p.s. @mvssmallow I hope you have regained hearing in your left ear. I’m sorry I yelled so loud and so consistently throughout the ENTIRE show. You’re a legend for putting up with my drunken nerves.

@notsolonelyinthisworld @drinkyourjuicejinhwan @jennicullen @gurrchoo @runsoftbin

#reflections #ikon #ikon live #kpop #kim hanbin #kim jiwon #Kim Donghyuk #kim jinhwan #ikon fanfics #koo junhoe #jung chanwoo #song yunhyeong

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dedzidilives · 5 years

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Gone Fishing / August 2, 2019

For those of you that were children during the Disney Pixar heyday of the early 2000‘s, I’m sure you remember going to theaters and watching the story of an endearing clownfish father and son duo, Marlin and Nemo. (*spoiler alert* for those of you who aren’t in the know) Do you remember the pangs of grief when Nemo got separated from his father, who then dramatically and valiantly journeys all the way to Wallaby Way in Sydney, Australia to find him? Who knew fish could tell such a riveting story! A few weeks ago, as I was reminiscing about this movie, my mind flashed back to the scene where Marlin and Dory finally locate the fish tank in the dentist office where Nemo had been living. Yet, the reunion was threatened by the infamous fish killing Darla. Nemo thought he could escape her grasp play dead in this bag and get flushed down the toilet. Instead, he was vigorously shaken by Darla to put some life in him - “WAKE UP, FISHY,” she says. Darla is delusional. Darla is frightening. And sometimes... Darla is me. Yes - Darla is me as I shake the bag of my seemingly dead or sleeping “love life” and yell with imaginary headgear and all, “WAKE UP!” hoping that by some measure of effort, it will be shaken from sleep (or resurrected from the grave). Ridiculous, right? “Gone fishing,” more like, “fishing gone wrong.” I never thought I would be drawing comparisons between Finding Nemo and my life... but yet here we are. I also never thought I’d be writing something about singleness (and my singleness at that) for the world to see but, again... here we are. However, as I’ve been comparing my life and examining my heart against the Scriptures this summer to look for more ways to be transformed by the renewing of my mind and made into the image of Christ, it seems like something like this was inevitable. When I look and think like Darla, I “conform to the world”, trying to give life to something that I do not, should not, and can not control. When I think more like Christ, I, Dedzidi, whose aim is to be “transformed by the renewing of my mind” (Romans 12:2), try and give glory to God who does, should, and can control my life as the Holy Sovereign Creator that He is for all. Moreover, as a believer, who has trusted in God through the Lord Jesus Christ, I also have been reconciled to and know Him as a Gracious Father that works all things for His glory and for my good (Romans 8:28-30). So, here I am, letting a little bit of my life get out in the open, to let you know that maintaining contentment in singleness is not a walk in the park, for many people, including me. Lest you think that I for whatever reason am floating on clouds, it is work, pretty hard work, as is the whole Christian life. But do you know what makes it easier, what makes me able to grow in my ability to persevere with joy, to be content in my circumstances, to submit to the Lord’s current plan for my life, to obey Him above all else? The truth.

Here are a few truths I’ve been thinking about over the past few years, this summer… basically my whole life in Christ. So though there’s a possibility the Lord might be preparing me for marriage…

… I have 100% certainty that I will fail at being content in singleness on my own strength.

I know that because I have failed at being content in so much else. Before I believed in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ, my quest for contentment was futile. I either thought myself able to sustain my happiness by myself and by believing in myself or in other things.

Saying I put my hope in the wrong place would be an understatement. With my inherent sinful nature, I “worshipped the creature rather than the Creator” and with every action, attributed honor and thanks to anything other than God (Romans 1:21, 25).

But God opened my eyes to my futile speculations and changed my darkened, foolish heart into a heart of flesh finally enabled to please Him, to be at peace with Him (Romans 5:1).

Even now, as a believer, I struggle daily to grow in contentment in all areas of my life. Though saved because Christ’s death on the cross paid for my sin, justified me in the eyes of God, and enables me to be righteous and godly in my everyday, contentment is still something I will fail at if I attempt to go it alone. I’m grateful to have learned early on in my faith from the example of Paul:

Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. (Phillipians 4:11-13)

Paul, at that moment, though in chains, though in great need, learned to be content in anything and everything through Christ. He could withstand the discontent, be strengthened through suffering, be satisfied when in need, in Christ. Lest you think this verse refer to anything else, in Christ we are continually strengthened in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, and always for “better”, never for “worse”. If singleness is what He has for me, I know that He will be enough. (And I can’t do it any other way).

... I have 100% certainty that God’s plan for my life might not line up with my plan for my life.

“I know I’m going to get married.”

I hear statements like that somewhat often from single women referring to themselves, or from others referring to me. I’m sure that even if I haven’t said it aloud, I’ve thought that such a statement in my mind. I know, you might mean well, and I can’t speak to others’ motives, but I can speak to mine. Thoughts like that, once viewed through the lens of Scripture must be taken with a large grain of salt.

Though you or I might have the desire to be married, there’s no promise, no “writing on the wall” that anything I desire for this life, let alone marriage, is guaranteed. A passage in the book of James, full of practical wisdom on what it means to not only persevere in trial, but to be “doers of the word” gets at the heart of what these statements often reveal:

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.” But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil. (James 4:13-16, emphasis mine)

Instead of making plans for your tomorrow, submit your plans to the Lord for His today (James 4:7; Psalm 118:24). Submission to the Lord’s will is something that must happen in full, not in part. Yes, thinking and planning for what tomorrow could be is not foolish, but wise. However, when we purport our perceived sovereignty over God’s, we show immense pride in the face of a God, who ultimately “directs our steps” though we may “plan [our] ways” (Proverbs 16:8). What “the Lord wills” for you as part of His sovereign plan could or could not include a spouse, a move to a new city, a successful career. Be reminded that He, indeed, is the One who gives and takes away.

… I have 100% certainty I’m called to grow in my ability and desire to love Him wholeheartedly and to love others.

So, what has this Sovereign One given us to do? As is often quoted, He has called us to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and secondly, to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37, 39). But what does this love look like? Christ unveils this to His disciples in John 14:

"He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him. ... If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father's who sent Me.” (John 14:21, 23-24, emphasis mine)

This love of God is not lip service, but true obedience to the word of Christ and, therefore, the Word of God. It involves not only having the commandments, but keeping them. As with learning contentment, this is a task that none of us can do on our own strength. The very one who tasks us with keeping His word keeps us. God comes to us!

Though this obedience begins inwardly in our hearts with God’s hand, it ends outwardly in our actions to other people. With other brothers and sisters in Christ, it looks a lot like Ephesians 4 through 5:21, which starts out:

Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. ... for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. (Ephesians 4:1-3, 12-13)

It means that you should strive to use the gifts that the Lord has given you to serve other believers for their benefit and not your own, to live and grow alongside a local group of like-minded believers to grow in maturity together.

With those outside of the body of believers, it looks like holding your main calling in high esteem:

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. (2 Corinthians 5:20, emphasis mine)

If your focus has been dead set on seeing that you fulfill the targeted directives in Ephesians 5:22-24… well, you’ve missed the mark. You may consciously or subconsciously think that the role you were born to play is future wife, future mother, future grandmother. However, as Christians, we must remember what is of first importance - we are present and constant slaves of Christ, constant stewards of the gospel, in all life stages and in all circumstances. So, “walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called” (Ephesians 4:1). Keeping your focus on understanding what is “worthy of [that] calling” will likely prepare your heart for whatever comes next.

… I have 100% certainty that He’s preparing me for eternity.

As believers, we may not have the plans of today or tomorrow to trust in, but we can be assured that what comes next is not only eternity, but eternal life. John 3:16 says, “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”

The Bible tells us more about this eternal life that those who believe that “He gave His only begotten Son” looks like. We await a bevy of promises given by God in His sovereign grace and abundant mercy to those whom He has chosen as His own:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to [obtain] an inheritance [which is] imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:3-5, emphasis mine)

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. (Romans 8:18, emphasis mine)

At its heart, though this eternal life brings all these promises, may we have great joy in knowing what eternal life really is:

“This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” (John 17:3, emphasis mine)

Though we look forward to an eternal inheritance, to future glory, what we will have no longer in part but the whole is an intimate and deep knowledge of the One who created us, the One who sustains us, the One who saved us. What a blessing it is that we can now spend our lives growing in the grace and knowledge of Christ (2 Peter 3:18)!

But… how exactly can we do that? Paul connects what is heavenly to what is earthly this way:

Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. (Colossians 3:1-2)

In keeping our eyes and motives heavenward, we can continue to get better at resting in the guaranteed eternal promises of God and, most importantly, in God alone.

It can be a hard pill to swallow that nothing on this earth, even a good thing like marriage, is guaranteed. But the reality is that God is still good and still is faithful no matter what our lives may look like. May I continue to be less and less fearful about the future, whatever it may look like. Instead, humble myself and cast my anxieties on the One who truly cares for me (1 Peter 5:6-7).

PS - I would be remiss if I don’t say that it is practical to seek wisdom on marriage before you get married. As I also try and remind myself, I would also be remiss to look at marriage as a “level up” from singleness. I did not, because I cannot scratch the surface on this topic, but whether in it for a season, or for a lifetime, learn along with me that it is wholly good and wholly satisfying for those to whom it is given by God to some for His glory and for the benefit of all believers.

References and Recommended Resources:

TBD, I’m tired of writing. NO MORE!!!

#words in July #dedzidilives #dedzidi #singleness

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newstfionline · 5 years

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Headlines

17 nations face severe water shortages (LI) Countries around the world, including India and Iran, are using almost all the water they have, according to World Resources Institute data. Cape Town, South Africa, recently narrowly escaped a Day Zero--when all of its dams would run dry. Among cities with over 3 million people, 33 face “extremely high water stress,” per the report. By 2030, cities in this category are expected to rise to 45, affecting nearly 470 million people.

Bankruptcy filings rising across the country (NY Post) Bankruptcies are back--flashing warnings that more Americans are knee-deep in debt in big cities like New York. While total bankruptcy petitions nationwide by consumers and businesses are still well below Great Recession levels, analysts say there is an unmistakable trend upward. New York state’s bankruptcy filings, for instance, have risen steadily the past three years, hitting 34,711 in 2018, up from 30,112 in 2016, according to the American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI). More consumers nationwide are falling behind on their payments and filing for bankruptcy to resolve overwhelming debt loads.

Newark begins giving residents bottled water amid ongoing lead problems (Washington Post) New Jersey’s largest city began handing out cases of bottled water Monday to residents with lead water service lines, more than two years after it began wrestling with high levels of lead in its tap water. “I understand people’s frustration,” Newark Mayor Ras Baraka (D) said in an interview, adding that he also has a lead line at his home, and that he and his pregnant wife have been using one of the tens of thousands of water filters the city began distributing in the fall. Baraka’s comments came after the latest twist in Newark’s long-running water problems. Tests in recent days showed that the water filters the city provided to residents might not be adequately blocking lead, according to federal and local officials.

New Trump rules would further restrict legal immigration (AP) The Trump administration is moving forward with one of its most aggressive steps yet to restrict legal immigration, denying green cards to many migrants who use Medicaid, food stamps, housing vouchers or other forms of public assistance, officials said announced Monday. Federal law already requires those seeking to become permanent residents and gain legal status to prove they will not be a burden to the U.S.--a “public charge,” in government speak --but the new rules detail a broader range of programs that could disqualify them. While much of the attention has focused on President Donald Trump’s efforts to crack down on illegal immigration, the new change targets people who entered the United States legally and are seeking permanent status. Its part of an effort to move the U.S. to a system that focuses on immigrants’ skills instead of emphasizing the reunification of families.

Mexico Says Organized Crime Present at Ports, Customs (AP) Mexico’s president is acknowledging that organized crime gangs are in control of certain customs stations and ports and says his government is working to fix that.

Argentine peso collapses as Macri’s re-election chances drop (Reuters) Argentina’s peso currency collapsed on Monday while stocks and bonds crashed by a degree not seen in 18 years as voters flirted with a return to interventionist economics by snubbing market-friendly President Mauricio Macri for the opposition in Sunday’s primary vote.

US-China trade war leaves Europe as collateral damage (AP) Like a sleek Mercedes crunched between two freight trucks, Europe’s economy is being knocked off course by the conflict between the U.S. and China over trade. The bill for damages from the U.S-China collision will likely be reflected in new growth figures due Wednesday that could show Europe’s economic motor, Germany, is stalled or shrinking. Beyond that, economists say there are signs that years of declining unemployment since the depths of the Great Recession and the eurozone debt crisis may be ending. And if the trade wars escalate to include higher U.S. tariffs on cars made in Europe, the picture could look even worse.

Fire Burns Through Greek Pine Forest on Island Near Capital (AP) Dozens of firefighters backed by water-dropping aircraft are battling a wildfire on an island north of Athens that has left the Greek capital blanketed in smoke.

Norway’s police treat mosque attack as terrorist act (Foreign Policy) Norwegian police are investigating an attempted attack on a mosque over the weekend as a potential act of terrorism. (The gunman was overpowered by those inside.) It is the latest in a series of white nationalist attacks, including the deadly shooting in El Paso, Texas last week. The Guardian reports that the suspect in Norway was inspired by the attackers in El Paso and in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Russia Says Radiation Levels Rose by 4-16 Times in City After Accident: TASS (Reuters) Radiation levels in the Russian city of Severodvinsk rose by up to 16 times on Aug. 8 after an accident that authorities said involved a rocket test on a sea platform, Russia’s state weather agency said on Tuesday, the TASS news agency reported.

One out of five Russians wants to leave the country (Washington Post) A recent Gallup poll made headlines in Russia with the revelation that a record 20 percent of the population wanted to leave their country. Among younger Russians, the figure was far higher: For 15- to 29-year-olds, a staggering 44 percent indicated that they would like to migrate. Where did they hope to go? Germany (15 percent) and the United States (12 percent) were the most popular destinations mentioned in the poll. Migration intentions do not equal actual immigration, of course, but these numbers illustrate the widespread dissatisfaction in Russia with the country’s current state of affairs.

Indian-Controlled Kashmir Under Strict Lockdown for 9th Day (AP) An unprecedented security lockdown is keeping people in Indian-administered Kashmir indoors for a ninth day Tuesday.

Class Dismissed: Surge in Arrests of Foreign Teachers in China (Reuters) Arrests and deportations of foreign teachers in China have soared this year, lawyers, schools and teachers say, amid a broad crackdown defined by new police tactics and Beijing’s push for a “cleaner”, more patriotic education system.

From Givenchy to Versace, big brands are apologizing to China (Washington Post) As tensions in Hong Kong continue to escalate after months of political unrest, China has sought to rein in international brands that have mistakenly identified the semiautonomous territory--and other Chinese-claimed lands--as independent countries. From Versace to Givenchy, brands have swiftly offered apologies to China over their references to Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macao on their websites and on items of clothing. The online backlash and calls to boycott the brands come at a highly sensitive time for China, with Hong Kong rocked by protests--which kicked off in June--over concerns that Beijing is encroaching on the territory’s autonomy. The Chinese market is key for luxury brands, and many have been quick to publicly express regret over clothing designs that have upset Chinese consumers.

Protesters shut down Hong Kong airport as China warns of ‘terrorism,’ raising fears of military crackdown (Washington Post) Thousands of protesters shut down Hong Kong’s international airport Monday, defying an intensifying police crackdown, as China issued ominous warnings that described the protests as “terrorism” and began massing a paramilitary force in a southern border city. Some of the protesters who had been occupying the airport’s arrivals hall swarmed into the departures area Monday, prompting authorities to cancel all flights and advise travelers to leave one of the world’s busiest hubs. The action came in response to a sharp increase in the level of force employed by Hong Kong’s embattled police. Hours before the airport shutdown, two police officers elsewhere in the city had pinned a black-clad demonstrator to the concrete, one officer’s knee pressing the young man’s face into a pool of his own blood.

Japan Braces for Tropical Storm Krosa in Peak Holiday Season (Reuters) Japan braced on Tuesday for a tropical storm set to dump heavy rains on western parts of the country, threatening to snarl road, rail and air links during the busy summer holidays.

Man Arrested After Trying to Stab Several in Sydney (AP) A knife-wielding man yelling “Allahu akbar,” or “God is great,” attempted to stab several people in downtown Sydney on Tuesday before being restrained by members of the public, with a woman taken to a hospital, police and witnesses said.

#headlines

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channelnewswire-blog · 5 years

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Does ‘new’ New Zealand make you less New Zealand? | StopPress

It's obvious that over the last thirty years more people have actually transferred to major cities and this pattern is set to speed up. In lots of parts of the world, this is greeted with both delight and worry, which oscillates someplace in between city Paradise and Mad Max wasteland. While some may fear the development of Judge Dredd-type scenarios there are some indications already that city dwellers across the globe are being quietly homogenised into one 'worldwide city' culture.Let's also not forget that the greatest city on the planet now has 2 billion people conversing within its platform every day.(It's anybody's guess what will this bring, however that's, perhaps, story for a various day).

We conducted research study across New Zealand and cross-referenced this with further qualitative groups that we were included with throughout Asia, Europe and North America to look at the phenomena of the worldwide city culture and what individuals are purchasing, particularly what they are purchasing into when they buy a New Zealand product.One aspect in the

analysis that was particularly interesting was the principle of'countries within countries 'Stroll down to Britomart in Auckland or to a significant Westfield in Wellington and you truly might be anywhere in the world. The worldwide franchised High Street brands make little concession to their Kiwi surroundings, relying rather on our emotional needs of wishing to be identified as hip city dwellers.The'Truman Show 'High Street is replicated throughout the world

. Brand names such as Bobbi Brown, Ted Baker, Joe Malone and even Nike present their standard schtick that plays well in New york city's SoHo. So it will definitely work here, right? Well, looking at the period and variety of the outlets in our significant cities, it appears we lap them up. I strolled previous Tiffany, the jewellery company, recently and the outside of the structure yelled to be identified as the very best of the very best in global capital city chic. The truth is, we could really remain in the airport shopping center; these stores are all there too.Is this a good idea? By voting with our wallets we have all backed them. Have we played victim to an intricate self-confidence trick here? Consider it, for global companies what could be more effective than having the requirements of countless consumers in enormously various cultures being lured into the exact same psychographics so they might market to all of us in one go, with one strategy and one imaginative message.They can do this since people in cities have more in typical with their urban equivalents than they make with their own country.

In lots of ways, huge cities are nations within countries. This is genius due to the fact that city occupants collect in larger numbers, in a smaller sized geographic location, we

can be compartmentalised, profiled and more cost-effectively checked off an international online marketer's' to do'list.These guys are banking(actually )that Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch have more in typical with Sydney, London and Frankfurt than they do with Northland, Otago and New Plymouth.I was going to point out Hamilton, but am reliably informed that this will most likely sign up with greater Auckland within 10 years anyway.The stats likewise back this shift, revealing that over 85 percent of the country lives in metropolitan

areas-- making New Zealand among the most urbanised countries in the world. Hell, the cities have such an effective pull that even the Hilux has actually left the areas for the suburbs.In truth, even the Aussies are getting it(now, we can just hope that they ultimately cotton on a bit more and legalise gay marriage

). What separates the urban occupants form their regional equivalents? Of course, there are the stereotypes, such as doing things in' Northland time'or the truth that my Kiwi friends tell me an excellent country night out is getting smashed at the club in your gumboots and going cow tipping.There is the truth that people have more time and more time for each other outside the cities, subsequently, they take pleasure in the speed of life more instead of forcing it. This is a fantastic thing. There are also stark differences in the brand names that succeed outside the main cities. Spark immediately comes to mind and the telco's most loyal consumers are here. They are slightly older and more dubious than any other telephone company actually has a credible network(something they are marketing hard in their push with wireless broadband ). Both audiences heap disdain on each other, whether calling individuals JAFAs or declaring that just outside the cities can you find the'genuine 'New Zealand. I turn down these labels. Within the urban setting, the New Zealand experience is no less real, no less special. However this metropolitan New Zealand culture is accelerating at a huge rate and it

will take genuine nimble thinking to both understand and profit from it. However it can likewise live alongside the non-urban experience and be complementary.The truth is that we require our cities to do well on the worldwide scale because this business advantage flows to the remainder of the country. Otherwise, it simply goes to Singapore or Sydney.There are fantastic examples of marketing that play to these 2 variations of New Zealand. Some commemorate urban variety. Others return to a time, which while real to a generation, is simply not the Kiwi experience for millennials or many

a Gen X'er. It's usually accepted that culture and society progress, but what has actually come as a surprise to numerous is the speed of this.The' City Mega-culture'has actually only emerged in the last twenty years. It

remains in the interests of economics to both market to it and keep it in check.I comprehend the economics of this, however maybe they are missing some of the psychological point. New Zealand is, in my mind, the very best place in the world to live and raise a family.

The diverse cultures, exceptional topography, and unique geographical position are what individuals come for, the factor they stay

and why we come back.We have something exceptionally unique and precious here. Let's more market to the world and put them on our'to do 'list.

We currently have brand names such as Icebreaker leading the charge in cities, why couldn't Fonterra be up there with Ben & Jerry's? We certainly beat Vermont's finest hands down. Wellington isn't the only windy city, the foolproof Blunt Umbrellas might be keeping folks sheltered worldwide. Manuka honey must be hailed as an international treasure and the All Blacks are the very best sports group in the world. No contest.We are understood to have a few of the finest innovative minds in the world, paired with the believing that New Zealand business in fact wishes to make the world a much better location. It's something to bring the very best of the world to New Zealand, but we have never remained in a better position to reveal the world our finest. It's about time we show them the new New Zealand.

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coconutbass-blog · 6 years

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The Ending.

In my interview with Alioune Ndiaye my partner Nelson Ascamilla and I learned a great deal about Aliounes life and his past experiences helping us understand a new culture and learn more about another person's past life situations. In our half hour interview we learned that Alioune was an Senegalese young man who was born in Cote D'ivoire . He was raised there for seven years until returning to his native Senegal to live with his uncle and grandmother for one year . After that he moved to Tunisa in 2003 to live with his family , being brought up in west Africa amongst a majority of his own people ( black African descent) Alioune never felt like a minority obviously since he was one within his own . It wasn't until his move to Tunisia that he felt first-hand the feeling of being a minority even though he was still on the same continent of his birth home.

The only tie that Alioune had to his native country or to Cote D'ivoire was the language, French since it is the main language in all three countries . Which aided him in communication but not in assimilation. The other main thing that tied him to his home was the fact that he is Muslim and the main religion in Tunisia is Islam. This could be referenced to Amine Malouf in his book 'In the name of identity' where the author stresses that even more important than religious identity is lingual identity "while it would not be difficult to prove that a man can live without a religion, clearly he cannot live without a language" and since Alioune shared both of these factors this made his stay a little more comfortable. After this we asked him 'how was the move to Tunis at first'? His response was that it was the first time that he encountered racism, he could hear racist remarks being made about his ethnicity or skin color. Even though the remarks were not made directly at him he felt the backlash. He was very open minded and strong hearted about the situation and he said that he does not blame one person for the entire country. After living in Tunisia for another seven years his father relocated to Saudi Arabia, he left his friends he had made there but was optimistic in Saudi Arabia. This led me to my second question how racially diverse was Saudi Arabia? He said that he was enrolled in a French school and majority of the people were of Lebanese or African descent. The backlash and racism this time came from the native Saudi people who are used to a more closed society, and usually shy away from anything that is not Saudi Arabian inspired . Alioune was again very open minded with this population again stressing on the point that he does not blame one person for the actions of all. After Saudi Arabia and attaingin his baccalaureate degree from the French school in Saudi Arabia he chose to apply to Canada where he got accepted into MCGill university.

I asked him why he chose Montreal instead of his first choice London , his response was that Montreal being the bilingual city it was and as English and French are his main languages .It was the most logical of the decisions . That and the fact that Montreal was a more affordable city to live in he opted for the latter choice and chose Montreal to be the city he felt most comfortable to with . One of the most important questions I asked Alioune in the entire interview was 'where does he consider home'? As he has lived in numerous countries around the world and majority of his friends and schools throughout his life were based in the Francophone world. This also lends back to Amin Maalouf ''where language can not be separated from identity''. He proposes that ''every individual should speak three languages''which Alioune does fluently (Wolof national language of sengal , French and English) . We seemed to wonder throughout the interview what country did he feel most attached to his response was '' I consider home to be Senegal since I am from there and majority of my family and friends are from there, but I also consider Cote D'ivoire to be home as well since I have many friends there and that he lived there for the first seven years of his life. This goes back to Amin Maaloufs idea that a person should feel related with more and more people till, in the end, the human race is the most important allegiance and since Alioune chose more than one country as being home and by referencing his friends and family as being the only tie to those countries we can stress on the fact that Maalouf ''tried to convey that no man can be ranked higher than his being human''. We asked him how the transition from Saudi Arabia an arid desert to Montreal (pre arctic tundra). He replied that ''what he loved the most in Montreal was that he loved its diversity and the fact that there were a lot of Lebanese people who he had become accustomed to in when he was at French school in Saudi Arabia''.'' Montreal being the melting pot of different languages and people really helped Alioune explore different nationalities and make a wide array of friends.''

Throughout this interview Alioune described to us the different countries that he lived in and the different out looks that these countries made on his psyche. He speaks how he moved from on country to another taking something away from his experiences. Since majority of the countries he lived in he adapted himself to the different cultures and the different way of life. He used his language skills in French and English in order to move from one country to the other and to break down the barriers to the different walls that stood in his way. He remained optimistic and remained to the point that Amin Maalouf made throughout his book that '"how violence can erupt between different groups of people when they limit the definition of their identity to only one facet of their being. This belief that an individual is defined essentially by their nationality, race, language, or religion "presupposes that 'deep down inside' everyone there is just one affiliation that really matters, a kind of 'fundamental truth' about each individual, an 'essence' determined once and for all at birth, never to change thereafter". Since Alioune was educated in the French language from a very young age he did not find the transition between countries to be that big of a shock since he was able to immediately enroll in school and make new friends and acquaintances every time he moved to a new country. Since he thinks of home as where he has the most friends and family it is obviously no the tie to the land that he is mainly after but more of the people

For the majority of people who move from one country to another and the different situations that they may encompass at every new destination such as language or cultural barriers . Alioune was more fortunate than others since if he did not share the same culture as was the case in the tunis , Saudi arabia and Montreal . He shared the same common language in all of the countries .Which allowed him to excel in his studies and focus on his main goals .

We concluded the interview by thanking Alioune for participating with us and being so open, honest and trustworthy with his words .We asked about his identity card and then we were on our way .

Alongside my partner Amel Jamal Sannan, we interviewed two university students about the impact of majority and minorities in their lives. I will write about the second participant, who is named Marc Pétion, born here, Haitian parents. Marc is a 26 years old student at Université de Montréal who is currently developing his knowledge on the communication studies. He is a Christian devoted to his faith and goes to church every Sunday. Marc has visited and lived in other countries other than Canada. Although he never took a plane before the age of 17, his adventures and life story are quite interesting.

After he received his High School diploma, Marc decided that he wanted to go study abroad. Due to his Christian heritage from his family, he was really attracted to go study at the Hillsong University in Sydney, Australia. This college is a Christian school focus on theology and other field of studies that concern Christianity and religion. He took the courage to take the first step and leave for Australia with a handbag and 300$. Marc explained to Amel and I that he saw the difference between Montréal and Sydney. " Interviewers: Have you ever travelled to another country and/or lived in another country? Mark:Yes, I have been to Egypt for a month and I lived in Australia for three years. Interviewers: Have you experienced "racism" in Australia? Marc: I haven't experienced racism myself, but I've known and seen people and friends who were affected by racism directly. I only have been exposed to prejudices and stereotypes back there. The only time I felt that it tough on me, culturally is when I was trying to find a job, it was really hard, no one wanted to hire me and I suspect it's because of my skin color." Marc talked about how some of his friends experienced "racism" and how they were mostly Asian. He stated that people who had the markers of a west Asian person would be seen differently, discriminated and attacked by prejudices. "Mark: I remember clearly when I first saw a typical Australian yell at an Asian lady to go back to her country even if her accent seemed very Aussie", "Interviewers: What did they think of your accent? Mark: My accent was actually the cause for confusion, people knew I was not from there because, well, I'm black and because I have a French accent when I speak. French people from France are not well seen in Australia because there are many French people who go to Australia and that are involved in crimes. I had to specify to everyone who asked that I was from Québec, Canada so that people wouldn't judge me. The famous author Amin Malouf, develops the concept of universality in his book "In the name of Identity". This concept is defined by the writer as humanity seen as one without taking into consideration phenotypes, markers, religious affiliations and other. This can be applied to Mark's story of the lady who was being attacked for having different markers from the "typical" Australians. Universality is a concept that cannot be denied according to Malouf. This means that the people who are being judgemental like the person who mistreated the poor "Asian-looking" lady is not accepting that humans are all the same race and that we all deserve to have the same rights. In our interview, we also asked Mark how he though people perceived him for being a minority in Australia. "Mark: I'm not sure if I can talk for everybody who saw me but I had a roommate who said that he was really shocked to see that I was not a black guy like in American movies. He thought that I was all loud and "stuff" and that I would talk gangster with gangster moves". This example can take us back to Malouf's book once again. The author states that globalization is a threat to many people and that it has affected the perception of societies around the world. This is no exception of Australia, we can see in Mark's story that he had been misjudged by and Australian because of Hollywood movies. Globalization is the reason why people in the entire globe can see movies from another country. We also asked Mark how did he perceived the Australian majority "Mark: All the young people went to the gym and looked like Barbies and Kens. They seemed really superficial and they all ate healthy, no one eat McDonalds over there. I know I'm generalizing I saw them all as rich hipsters from Beverly Hills *laughs*". "Interviewers: What ethnicity do you identify yourself with? Mark: Here in Montreal, I consider myself as Haitian, but when I travel and when I was in Australia I would say that I am French Canadian. I am really proud to be Canadian, but I also like to represent my roots and the culture of my parents". This answer immediately made us think about Malouf's identity concept. The author says that our roots and our own life experiences form the identity of an individual. In the case of Mark, he defines himself as a proud Canadian from Haitian origins because he has lived here for most of his life and because he's also really proud to say that he is Haitian. The culture that was nurtured to him was mostly Haitian, he speaks fluent creole, French and English. "Interviewers: Where would you rather live, here or Sydney? Mark: I think I actually liked Australia better even if I told you many bad things about the place, I think it's a nice country and it's warmer over there, you do not have to worry about climate, plus you have beaches and when I was waitressing I used to get mad good tips".

We concluded the interview by thanking him for his time and for helping us understand better the concepts that we learned in class in his life story. The interview was a success and we were able to extract good information from both our participants.

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