Tag

wanderlust

NYC: Be the Backdrop of My Life Any Day

By | Baby Jade, Blog, Uncategorized | No Comments

From the moment I touched down in NYC I felt something stirring inside me. My spirit was awakening. I thought, if a city can do THIS, what else could I possibly experience in the next 4 days? I was not disappointed. In a trip that mixed business with pleasure, I landed ready to explore. I knew I was only there for a short period of time, and did not want any wasted opportunities. I stayed on the Upper East Side with an old friend of mine. Once I dropped my luggage, I was off! The first things no one tells you about NYC, is that there is soul in that city. And it was everywhere! On the subway you’ll see business men who work in the financial district sitting next to an older lady making a grocery run with her granddaughter. You get a show from artists who use the train system as their stage. While I was taken aback by the performance, everyone else looked on or looked away, completely un-phased by what was going on.
I admit, I went in slightly afraid of the “rude” behavior I was sure to encounter, only I didn’t encounter any. At all. Mind you, know one goes out of their way to welcome you to the big city, they’re all much to busy. but when I had a question, I encountered only people who wanted to help. One lady took it upon herself to be my guardian angel and made sure I got off on the right stop.
As much as I thought Los Angeles was a melting pot, it pales in comparison to NYC. All walks of life don’t just have the subway system in common, they have the local pizzeria, the Starbucks in the corner, the nail salon 2 blocks down, the rooftop bar across a lit up Empire State Building…the list goes on.
I’d start each morning just ogling the inhabitants of the most vibrant city I’ve ever been in. The way they interacted, the way they maneuvered. In LA, a sign that you aren’t interested in the company of others is to have head phones in and your head lowered. In NYC, it just is assumed that no one wants to be bothered. Not in an attempt to be crass it’s just an understanding the citizens of NYC have among each other. As someone who is never without her iPod, I found myself not wanting a reason to miss ANYTHING happening around me and left them in the apartment as I wandered the city.
If the men of NYC aren’t reason of enough to go back to NYC, then the lasting impressions this city full of life, is.
I want to take this time to thank the city of New York, for rekindling the fire in my soul and reminding me that if I’m not enjoying life as I’m living it then I can, and must, change it.

I was able to take some footage of my time in NYC. You can view that vlog here: https://youtu.be/8k0U3WgchJU

*Thank you for continuously reading my blogs. For more content check out my YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/c/bethlehemawate*

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Xo, B

Cairo: City of Memories

By | Baby Jade, Blog, Uncategorized | 2 Comments

I consider myself traveled. Maybe not travel noire status, but I’ve been around. The greatest was during our trip back home to Eritrea, in ’92.

As humbling as  it was getting to know about my roots, and forming a lifeline to where I’m from, the best part of that summer was our stay in Egypt. My parents wanted to make the most of our vacation, and therefore, planned a few days stay in Cairo.

Egypt. Where do I even begin? The country is so unforgettable. I was there at age 7, and remember it as if it happened yesterday. The generosity of its people. The smell of spices wafting through the warm air. The INSANE traffic; signs were merely suggestions. The food, oh Jesus, the food. There’s nothing like fresh food bought from the local souk (market), so fresh and delicious.  Touring the ancient ruins of the Giza Necropolis on horseback. My father, who opted for a camel, rode next to me and thus, my fear of camels was born. A white keffiyeh, with a yellow threaded band, secured on my head, blocking the sun’s rays. Walking through the pyramids while hearing the stories of the slaves that built them (this, more than likely, is the cause of my fascination with cemeteries). My father almost falling into a pit because he was too busy recording everything on his massive camcorder (thank God for smartphones). Our ever-so-cute tour guide with the amazing accent & amethyst eyes (I’ve been impressionable from a very young age).

It’s been 23 summers since that trip, and years later, it has all stayed with me. On certain days, like today, I love mentally traveling back to that time, and reminiscing on one of the most historic moments of my life. When people talk of memories that last a lifetime, surely this is what they mean.

*Thank you for continuously reading my blogs. For more content check out my YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/c/bethlehemawate*

Let’s connect on social media, I’d love to hear from you:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bethlehemawate
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Snapchat: betu_la

Xo, B