Starting from the beginning

Ok, I vented yesterday on here and I know, for some of you, it wasn't a side that you would have liked to see but we have to be honest with ourselves, right?!
Since I will be back in the UK next weekend I guess I have to wrap up this story and let you know how things have been going and the nice experiences regardless of the FACEBOOK pictures right.
So the last I remember, is writing shortly before or after the elections that made Obama President of the United States.

It was a surreal moment wherever in the world you were watching the elections being broadcasted, and I know that many of you didn't sleep until after 4am; to see if he would make it.

I was only up until 2am I think and then spent the whole day on the laptop talking to people on msn, skype and facebook about the historic moment. I read newspaper reports and viewed opinion polls. It was a day well spent, even though it was touched by drama in and around South Carolina, who obviously had a McCain majority. Many different statemehts were made by various people about the African American population and the stigma's that were attached to Obama were down right uncalled for.
I heard of hostilities occurring on the USC campus, in classrooms, on the streets and all over certain parts of the country.These hostilities also filtered into my apartment, and that was a very interesting matter to resolve and I was proud of the stand point that I held.

But a statement was made by a student comedian, at the Talent show that was held to celebrate the birthday of the 'Q's Fraternity {blog on the sorority and fraternity life will soon come}. He called for the acceptance of the fact that Obama did not become President simply because of the overwhelming votes that he received from the African American and Latino population of the U.S as they consist of only less than 20% of the voerall U.S population and less than 30% of the 57% who voted for Obama.

I see my experience of the election as a miniscule incident that can be used to illustrate the wider issues that still exist with the United States and I am pretty sure that many people who are educated enough and not irrogant, will accept that Obama becoming President is a good thing, but there are still many different issues that the States need to address in regards to a vast majority of their citizens are treated { again another blog on the non- existent universal healthcare system and the educational system is in the wings people}.

OK, happy picture time
(need to find the pics I want to use LOL)

Long time coming

I know that you have been wondering why I haven't been blogging, it has been a longtime and alot has happened.
Honestly I didn't think that I was strong enough to blog, whta I have been feeling. But I will bear all and tell you that a sudden wave of homesickness has overtaken me for the past hour and even though I tried to force myself to sleep it just hasn't happened.
Some of you I have spoken to on instant messenger and given brief snippets of my time at University of South Carolina, some of you; our friendship has flourished tremendously since I have been the U.S.A and we have lengthy conversations at least three times a week and for that you don't lnow how grateful I am. If it wasn't fot speaking to you, I would have given up on all the obstacles and heavily considered packing up and returning home.

Year abroads are not easy, especially in the South of the U.S.A. I have encountered so many different things that have tried to alter who I am and frankly the person that you all have grown to love over the year or the years that you have known me. Yes, I fought my battle to try and preserve who I am but unfortunately I failed in a number of different ways.
The society on this side of the Atlantic tries to change and form who it believes you should be in so many different wyas; that I may have to explain to you all on a one to one basis.
My foundation remains but believe it has been shaken, for better or for worse, but I will be back at the end of this month and I can't wait to see you all. The thought of being back home brings many tears to my eyes, joy to my heart and a sense of comfort that can not be explained in words.

And for that reason I am awake at 1:11am East Coast time writing this blog, the first since November and maybe if I feel that USC deserves for my recollection I may tell you the good experiences that I have had out here.
All in all I am forever grateful with the opportunity that was presented to me, but it has changed me as a person and this summer will tell if it has been for better or for worse.


Isha

MUCH OVERDUE I AM SORRY

I know that there are some of you awaiting a blog from me and it will be coming very soon, hopefully by the end of this week

Pleas bear with me..Amcrica has turned my world upside down

Well, to say it’s been a hot minute is an understatement to tell the truth.

So it’s been a long time, & a lot has happened. The United States have their first black President & Alexandra Burke won the X Factor, not to my caring but hey!

Big thanks to MisterLego & the BNTL crew, and G3 for keeping me updated with what the deal has been.

But in general the States haven’t been much to write home about, the place has been annoying me, but hey what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger!

So all is good in the hood, currently in LNDN & should have good times over the next fortnight, so let’s see how it goes…

Here are a couple clips from the past two months of what has been going on…

Shall give updates in the NEW YEAR… funky monkey Promise !

picture time..this better work

Heya
How are you? I'm doing very well, I must say. Was gona put something up on Friday but was too tired & was cooking some good chicken wings and potato...
Friday put a smile on my face after a week of ups and downs, but hey I guess it's all good, gotta have those times right?
What don't kill me, makes me stronger etc blah blah blah
First shout out goes to Walmart

For making me when I found *plantain* unfried of course
But it just made me crave on of those cooked meals that I had at home & Uni *good times*

So yes, that put a huge smile on my face

Then yesterday I finally broke a sweat at a ''club''..it's called good times and I think I will be a regular there.. :-)

So finally a blog without moaning! cross your fingers for me yall x

this shhhhh is BANANA'S

Hi y'all
I have spoken to some of you & you have said you don't mind if my blog is me moaning or complaining about my current environment, fair enough...but if you do want to complain then please DO!
1) why is it raining all of a sudden? It's such a remainder of home, but home I didn't mind if rained that's what you expect from the UK right? So I don't know what this Southern weather is playing at to tell the truth..
2) I NEED A STUDENT UNION or a Union night with good people and music to keep me sane! It's insane how these people are able to function but I guess if you haven't known anything 'better' you're not really missing out on anything. Yes there are clubs but I'm tired of the rubbish nights out that can go two ways...The Vista is an area made up of old warehouses that have been remade into clubs. 1) they are filled with old horny men & soldiers from Fort Jackson & ''wake music''
2)Five Points is 21+ and is made up of mainly pubs which are filled with underage horny drunkards & barley audible music...you see my problem..if not look at my facebook pictures, even and especially Union nights I have sweat dripping from my hair & neck, have a big grin on my face, or my mouth is wide open from laughing or singing..sometimes both...that is what you call a good time! Three nights in a row I have gone out & returned home with hair and makeup in tact..this shhhhhhh is BANANA'S!
3) Then there is Club Levels, haven't been there yet but it does not have a good rep. It's on the ''ghetto' side of town, basically most Afro Americans live there..kmt! Why does it make it ghetto because they live there, stereotypes...*try not to rant and rave Isha*..anyway it's the ghetto spot that most people are trying to keep me away from, simply because I am British I will find it abit too unclean? Ok?!?!? I want someone to dance with a shout "From the window, to the wall...to sweat drops down...etc" etc...see people nearly make Love In the Club...! But it's not safe! :(
I wish I was a person who could stay in and watch films and go to sleep a happy person but I can't!
Right so many of you are probably thinking go somewhere woman and see places! There is not much to see in Columbia, I haven't or really anyone to drive me anywhere & MONEY is not in abundance at the mo! It should be easy to find someone with a car right? Wrong they have cars, but many Americans have not been socialised into thinking ''ok this foreigner must be bored out of their skull let me show them around''. Many of them here seem fascinated that you are an exchange student but that's s far as it goes...Sorry maybe I am being moany, but hey all my karma should be coming back to me right now, for being eager with people I meet...I don't know call me crazy...
Yes I hear you saying ''give it time, things will change, it' just the beginning, when they find out how much fun you are things will change'' I hear you I hear you, but try and put yourself in my position..ok take yourself out of it, it's saddening right!

But hey, I'm going to Charleston next weekend for a historical day trip, which will probably have me foaming at the mouth at about how inhumane the Southerners are, but hey at least I won't be on campus, then three days after that will be Fall Break...hopefully going to Jacksonville Florida...so maybe this is just a bad week..or maybe not
Enjoy fresher's week people & let me know how second year treats you.Take lots of pictures to make me jealous & miss you even more, it's ok.... I will live...suicide is frowned upon in the Southern states, don't want to upset anyone ;)

AFM

the people want...

some of you ask me what are the people like out here? & my simple answer is so far, they conform to an extent to the worst stereotypes that we generally associate with the American college population...very clique orientated, if I am allowed to the say.

The funniest thing for me out here, is the hostility that I have come across from the Afro American female population & the majority's attempt to say a couple of words here or there to me, but not know how to interact with me..come on people I am the same as you, I just have an ''accent'' and I'm here for a year. Apart from that I probably find the same things acceptable as you do and find things wrong just as you do.

The one thing that I was ignorant to was the divisions that exists amongst the various characters that I have in one particular class which is my AFRO PSYCHOLOGY class. Only at a group meeting did it become apparent to me, that obvious not all girls get along, lol doh! so that may have been to my detriment ?! (sorry I cant change the font size to the original size lol :P, Lego or G3 help me out here :P)but yes, maybe I should have 'begged' it in my first days here...*don't roll your eyes at me those who are at Warwick, it's not the same here*...but yeh generally, its going alright. trying not to be too picky and internally critical of some of my peers, but I have been used to a certain way...not sayin that everyone should want to flock around the girl from London, but people around here..American to Americans are not accomadating of others than those who are in the friendship group and that means not even trying to make an effort with those who they meet in the classes..that in my eyes is the saddest thing.....that said and done i have met some really nice people out here!

Hey y'all

Just wanted to let you know that you can now comment on my blog, even if you are not a blog member
I have heard that it was quite annoying for those who want to read & comment but not commit to having a blog yourself lol...

A post will soon be coming...I'm being lazy & don't think you would be interested in what I have to say at the moment...
Something exciting needs to happen :)

x
btw none of you realised I have been signing my posts wrong
its not AMF but AFM think about it

AFM

Political agitated

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/sep/15/lehmanbrothers.creditcrunch

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/sep/15/barackobama.race

London Fashion week...size zero models (size 4) are allowed back on the runway...other Fashion capitals did not buy into it & London can not afford to miss out! :) "Woman who are naturally size 'zero' feel just as victimised as women who are size 20 plus" well said.....

Haven't written in awhile, been all over the place & trying not to write negative pieces :P something shall come very soon, it may be a week ot two but it will come, if not facebook or mail me

Much love
the sunkissed AMF

Y'all asked...

how I am doing with the Elections coming up & being in a university that has a significant number of students from African descent in, and how am I coping in class at the moment.
Some of you may have read me saying, that the Afro Americans seem ''confused'' or that I am proud of being a British Sierra Leonean, this is because of issues that are on a daily basis presented to the Afro American students, particularly now in the advent of one of the biggest elections, the United States of America and the world in some respects has seen.
Increasingly in classes I see the looks upon the faces of my peers when confronted with the issue of their identity, not only as Americans but as people of African descent.
Yesterday there was a society fair and it seemed that there were various types of ''black'' students that walked the campus. Mainly what I realised was that regardless of their 'difference', they all walked in isolation and social groups reflected racial groupings, which I haven't been used to for a while. The funniest thing was the competition to define oneself as 'different' from their counterpart. This made me thing, that there were more than one forces at work here; they didnot want to identify with the whole Afro American student body but all of them avoided the rest of the student body altogether, it seemed.

In my Psychology and Afro American class, my lecture highlighted a theory that Afrocentric psychologist have developed, concerning why some members of the Afro American population are mentally ill. The psychologists point to the fact, an aspect of confusion has occured within the individual as they have tried to conform to two or more norms that society expects them to adhere to. Is this true? I don't know...and will keep you informed on that, as in two weeks or so I would have to do a piece on why I think ''all the black kids sit together in the cafeteria''.

But anyway this blog was supposed to just share my findings on the Guardian website concerning, what the journalist considers a conflict in interest concerning how some Afro Americans may vote in the upcoming Elections. Sorry if you didn't understand some of what I was trying to put across....my mind was just racing! Will keep you informed nevertheless

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/sep/04/uselections2008.republicans20088

FIRST AMERICAN FOOTBALL GAME

I shall write very soon....got a migraine at the moment :P

please see this link for pictures of Wednesday & Thursday activity

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=152441&l=47bde&id=681405435

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=152448&l=5adfa&id=681405435

Up date you....

heya my lovlies
hope you are having a good bank holiday weekend, some of you are going to the Carnival others are not. Fair enough. Not to rub it in but I have perfect Carnival where I am but hey am not going to rub it in like I said.
Well you been asking what have I been up & I love the questions but I am goin to have to be super organized to be giving regular updates...please can some of you download skype so that you can hear the excitemet & surprising disgust in my voive lol :) not like am mean out here or anything.
So whilst you decide whether or not you are going to the Carnival or what you're going to do tomorrow etc (or for some of you getting things together for Uni), let me tell you wasup...
so Thursday was the first day of ''class'', talk about being ''chuffed''. excuse my language been with the English students most of the week, but hang tight I will be informing you about the Americans very soon *just one footnote, I am a sophmore, so technically a second year in America, but most of them have made allegiances from their first year aka they are in cliques already, not like am making any excuses for myself 'cause they love it when I open my mouth lol :P but yes! it'll take a while just remember your fresher experience last year :(, lol yep am back there, I doubt I will be as lucky as I was in Warwick, p.s shout out to the Warwickers, lvoe & miss you* but that said and done, I have met a couple of real funny Americans & we get on like a house on fire, pics shall soon come.
btw it's Frat week, so all the Fraternities have started their partying :), I may go to one on Thrusday but watch this space...the thing about American parties, is the can get ''busted'' by the ''cops'' & people get fines or arrested for drinking & ''disturbances'' so I gotta ''watch my back lol''
anyway..umm yes class started on Thrusday, again fresher feeling again and again, but I have an excuse since am ''foreign'' I can just talk to anyone (guys :-) )cough cough moving along..yes Lego, i wish I was studying Somalian but they do not offer that where I am..nonsense..I am doing US since 1865, Film&Political Change, Psychology& the Afro-American Experience & Intro to Afro American Studies *shout out to Sam, my lad from Leeds that's doing that module with me, I will come & steal music from your laptop after I have done this blog :)*
umm first pep rally on Tuesday :) and first game on Thursday, have I already said that.
No more laziness...GYM! was there today :) felt good...but got to be eating double now, so I put weight on burn some and tone at the same time.....don't roll your eyes at me KMT! :p
umm whatelse? i don't know, ask me questins no matter how stupid they are...or are there are specifics that you will like me to share?
let me know

*shout out to the Soldiers who opened my jammed bedroom door with two butter knives :)*

love you
sweet
AMF

PLEASE WRITE TO ME PEOPLE

I told you about my blog because I want us to converse :)
so tell me what's good bad & just plainly worng, you can do this publicly or provately or facebook me :)
love you all

by the way went to the pool today & got brownER :) love it!
got Wednesday & Friday off but finish at 8pm on Monday Tuesday & Thursday-gutted

excitement! classes start on Thursday...more to dish as the time goes on
xx

It’s been three days. I am waiting for the technician to come and fix the ‘’jax’’ in my room that will get me on the “Ethernet”. Hmm. So what has been going on? I moved from the hotel in West Columbia to USC. Got to the Uni at about 12pm on Friday. Had to get i.d card and go to my room etc. To be honest the first day wasn’t to eventful, wait now that I go over it, it was quite eventful lol. O.k got to my room, but my housemates hadn’t arrived. Took a walk to find food (across the road literally), to find that one of the campus food “outlets” was closed, in fact all of them would be closed till Sunday ,. Fair enough. First shout out goes to the guy who was sitting in the outlet on his ‘cell’ & I asked if there was anyone around serving food and he said he thinks so, to go on to ask where am I from, I respond London & he says and I quote “I like that”…lol, just think of how Chingy would say it :P I know I have issues.

Anyway I walk out of there and find myself in Wendy’s J after Wendy’s I had back to my room & it starts to rain L….rain….RAIN! humid hot muggy rain. Ok. Get back to my room, “chill” a lil, then head of the Walmart with other international students. Get on the bus and everyone congregates together according to where they are from…a Dutch guy comes & sits next to me….and he has the most hilarious *just thought of the Chinese woman from Big Bro this year* sense of humor…or as some would say he is classic, quality or simply a legend. Yeh so he my “buddy” now. Got to Walmart…HUGE! Tesco aint NOTHING! Got a tonne load of stuff, nah am lying , just bed stuff, lil bit of food & ”school supplies”. Second shout out to the super woman behind the till that bagged all my stuff…amazing! Ok so shopping done. I thought the bus leaves at 5.45 to head back to campus…at 6.10 I find out that the bus aint coming till 6.45…hmm here comes the third shout out…MASSIVE shout out to the superwoman who cut, layered and straightened my hair in 20mins J yes Walmart has a hairdresser, would have got my nails done if I had more time lol!

Shout out to my flat mates!!!!!!!!!!!!

Shout out to the American soldier I met on Saturday!!!!!!!!!

Shout out to the American who had to be stereotypical in the club & entertain the British lads and lasses by given a “Step Up” style dance :P, see facebook for pictures

Shout out to the guy who had to fix my internet but instead wanted me to say “Harry Potter has arrived at Hogwarts”

Shout out to the South Quad crew & all those who love my accents J

Shout out to the manufacturers of the USC clothing line *that will be modelled by yours truly very soon* for making shorts that says “Cocks” on the back…*short for GameCocks, the name of the Uni’s American football team- first game next Thursday J*

Massive shout out to the sporting facilities in the States, that have a gym that uses your finger prints to check that you’re a student & not have to pay $500 a month for membership in the beautifulest gym I have ever seen *would have taken pictures but did not want to look like a nob*

Shout out to the Olympic size indoor pool & resort size outdoor pool & volleyball area J..gona use that tomorrow

(gona try & include the important stuff on this thing)

Love u

AMF

oh Carolina!

So let me paint the picture for you. By yourself in a hotel in the middle of West Columbia, South Carolina watching American TV showing everything from Opra’s view on the Obama campaign, to sophisticated TV pawn broking of personal item, to “varsity football”. You realise that hey this is another world. Fell asleep whilst waiting for Chinese to be delivered *got to love the Internet, if it was not for it I would be a goner, have you seen how small I am, my mum did not put me on a plane to perish within 24hours, no Sirry*
So American football, making me heavily anticipate my first match that I will go by the end of next week, aswell as start “lessons” at the same time, even though guys haven’t dreamed of going back to lectures…oh well the difference is I will be going to lectures in 70degrees plus :)
When I got to Atlanta at 1pm *6pm London time*, I started singing to myself “welcome to Atlanta where the players play & we ride on *&%$ nearly everyday”. Atlanta’s airport was nice, very spacious and efficient and I soon boarded for South Carolina. I think that people here can see when you’re not from the State or America in general. It took a while to realise that I was stick thin and looked different from many of the women who were working in the airport… shall come back to that another time
Flight to South Carolina was beautiful at 27,000 feet above the ground, so I could see the little blue circles that sat behind most of the houses J need to get a friend with a pool in their backgarden mayne! Columbia Metropolitan Airport was quaint & I was met there by Woody, no not from Toy Story but from the University’s welcome service *they take this college football serious here, like our Premiership, just saw an advert to buy the ESPN package for $109 to watch 12 matches each Saturday, these guys are in high demand, might have to get me one of them J*
Woody drove me to my hotel and I got myself acquinted and had to get in touch with my “mom” asap….
Just want to say some holdtights *copyright of MisterLego* or should I say shout outs…To every who I did and did not speak to before I left, all of you I saw and spoke to the night before, thanks for the texts messages that were sent even though I was in the middle of nowhere, probably by Alaska or something. Let me how things are for you all respectively..I am your canvas and will be seeing if the stereotypes that exist on either side of the Atlantic prevail..to let you know the good bad & the ugly…and to let you know that all is not well…lol am expecting some rough times similar to first year in regards to sleeping lol
(this was boring …but more shall come)

AFM