Closing An Old Chapter...

Yesterday was the end of something that started four years ago. When I entered the International University of Grand Bassam two weeks after getting my High School Diploma, I was far away from thinking that the next four years would have been full of so memorable memories. I have never understood the excitement about getting new diplomas until the last few days. I took my last classes yesterday and I realized that it’s not only about closing an old chapter but more about writing a new one.

My teacher of Strategic Management asked us what we wish we would have done differently during our years at Georgia State University. And I am saying this because I hope that it will be helpful for someone taking the same path. I wish that I believed earlier in myself and stepped out of my comfort zone. I believe that this would have led me to take more leadership positions on campus and created even more beautiful experiences than what I have lived. I wish that I had started earlier to exchange with my professors and I promise you that when it will be time for recommendation letters, you will think about this advice.

When I took that flight on August 16^th 2013, I knew that I was coming to study in the United States. What I ignored was that I would learn more about myself and develop a national identity that I have never experienced before in Ivory Coast. Here I have not only learned about financial concepts.

I have built houses with international students.

I have volunteered with the American Red Cross through the Red Cross Club at GSU.

I have promoted the Ivorian culture to middle school students in U.S and college students from Taiwan.

I have listened to incredible stories from the Dalai Lama, Steve Harvey, John Lewis and other amazing people.

I have faced the fear of not being understood, but I am learning to raise my voice.

As a normal student, I have faced the nights of regrets while procrastinating but thanks God I have been able to maintain good grades.

I have met professors who offer donuts for their last days of class or who write a beautiful note card for every student in their classes.

I stood at the same place where Martin Luther King gave his “I have a dream” speech.

And today, I hope that this step will just be one to build my own dream.

In two years, I have learned the importance of having an impact in the community though the smallest act.  I have learned that the comfort zone is a dark place that limit the potential of people and that the only way of shining is getting out of it. I have learned that one person can make a difference but it takes a village to make a durable change. I have learned that everything depends on whose hands it is. A tennis racket may seem useless in my hands, but in Serena Williams hands, it worth millions of dollars. Any tool can be powerful depending on the person who uses them. The knowledge that I have accumulated during these four years, will only be powerful if I use them in the right way. But most of all, I have lived with and met incredible people that I will always keep in a special place in my heart and in my head. 

In four months, it will be the beginning for a new objective in a new university, in a new state but for now, please no assignments. IT IS HOLIDAYS!  

Empowering the African Youth !

Last Thursday, I woke up at 7:30 am and my phone displayed -10°C. There is no need to tell you that I automatically heard this smooth voice saying “It is okay if you cancel everything and go back to sleep.” My bed was so comfortable and deliciously warm that I didn’t want to leave it and go out. Fortunately I thought about everything I planned for the day, the people who were counting on my presence and I finally said “Goodbye bed, see you soon.” THANKS GOD I had victory over my laziness. My day was so great that I would definitely do it again if I was asked to.

I had the immense pleasure to volunteer with Books for Africa and discover what people are doing there. So here is the short story. “Books for Africa was founded in 1988 as a non-profit organization by Tom Warth, whose dream was to ship donated books to the children of Africa. Tom’s visit to a Ugandan library, where books were almost nonexistent, inspired him to create a system for collecting discarded books from American schools, libraries, and publishers to send to Africa.”

I was very excited to be in this cold warehouse full of wonders… We sorted out books according to the subject (math, leisure, art, science…) and to the audience (elementary, middle, high schools, university). I don’t know how to explain what I was exactly feeling. I wanted to read most of the books I had on hands but despite the fact that I couldn't, I felt happy to know that someone else would be able to do so. Many people including myself, take for granted this chance that they have to learn, to travel by turning a page. According to the United States Agency for International Development, forty-six million African children have never set foot in a classroom. Moreover, 10 to 20 of those kids having the chance to go to school may have to share one textbook.

Books for Africa is the world’s largest shipper of donated books to Africa. In 2013 alone, they shipped 1.5 million books, 775 computers and 3 law libraries valued at over $22 million to 21 countries. They also shipped French-language books from Paris to Cameroon in July and to Guinea in October 2014. The books are collected at the Books For Africa warehouses in St. Paul, Minnesota and Atlanta, Georgia from individuals, book companies, publishers, schools and libraries. As Nelson Mandela said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”. This is the reason why BFA is working to end the book famine in Africa and give the chance to millions of children to improve their lives and help realize a better future for Mama Africa.

As you can see on the next picture, there are many ways to get involved in this wonderful journey of empowering the African youth. 

I talked about the organization with one of my friends and he asked “Why are we the ones always receiving?” Of course he was wrong because other parts of the world also receive some helps in many domains. But still, it is true and sad to see that African countries depend so much of the others’ charities. Although I am grateful for this opportunity given to millions of kids, I wish that one day we won’t have to rely on exterior aid to solve our own issues. It is great to discover other places, cultures through the books but as Chimamanda NgoziAdichie said, we should not have a single story of what books are. I hope that in addition of books from other parts of the world, there will also be more African books (both leisure and academic ones) written by and about Africans that will be spread around the continent. Books are powerful so let’s use them to tell and learn our own story.

After two hours in this wonder-room, I left to bridge the gap between surplus and need of medical supplies with Medshare. I told you…I had a great day J

 

  

Back To High School !

Remember in my lastarticle I talked about my reluctance for public speaking. I also mentioned the means I am using to get out of my comfort zone despite all my fears. Then guess what? I made a huge step (it’s huge for me) in that way. So here is the story. A week ago I received an email from an international advisor saying that the director of the International Student & Scholar Services needed an African girl to speak at her daughter’s High School. I was like “Can I do this?” and then I thought “Why not?” This was a great opportunity to improve my oral communication and presentation skills. After thinking about it for few seconds, I decided to get into the train. 

The first thing I can say after that day is that I love my country. Yes I already knew that but it was like discovering it again. I was supposed to speak to two seventh grade social studies classes about my country. There was also a graduate student from Niger who accepted to be a speaker on the occasion. I did not really know what I could speak about so I decided to take few facts I like about Cote d'Ivoire. The students of Griffin Middle School were enthusiastic and eager to learn more about Africa. I would like to share with you what I actually showed to my young audience. And additionally give you some facts I learned from my co-speaker presentation.

1-     The food is actually what I love and miss the most from Cote d’Ivoire. Alloco and attieke are definitely the best dishes in the world. 

2-     I was shocked when I saw Americans eating peanut butter with bread. We rather use it to cook a sauce and eat with rice. 

3-     Each time you eat chocolate there is at least 34.5% chance that it was made from cocoa produced in Cote d’Ivoire. 

4-     There are more than 60 tribes in Cote d’Ivoire contributing to the cultural diversity. 

5-     Michael Jackson is not only the king of the pop, he is also a prince from Krinjabo Kingdom located in…Ivory Coast of course J

6-     Even if loincloths and bazin fabric are considered as African fabrics, they are actually from other countries like Holland (wax) and Great Britain (bazin). But we still have our own local fabric like you can see on the picture. 

My brother trying to weave and some dresses made from African fabrics

7-     We recently inaugurated the third bridge of Abidjan, the economical capital but we also have a lot of Liana Bridges in the country. They are handmade and only few initiated people know how to make them. 

8-     We have the biggest religious building in the world: La Basilique Notre Dame de la Paix de Yamoussoukro. Yes, even bigger than St Peter’s basilica in Vatican.  

9-     We have a mix of both tradition and modernity but unfortunately, modernity tends to overshadow all these traditions we are supposed to be proud of. 

10- Although they gave us a lot of heartbreak when playing together, our soccer team called “The Elephants” had and has some of the greatest players in the world. 

Here are few things I learned about Niger…Thank you Bachir J 

1-     It is not uncommon to see a man riding a camel in the cities. There was even a  picture where we could see a camel in a Taxi. See it by yourself. 

2-     The Fulani, one tribe of Niger, claims to have the most beautiful girls of the country. I can’t blame them for that because the Fulani women are actually gorgeous. 

3-     There is a ceremony during which the Fulani men try to apply the best make up on their face in order to get the women’s attention. 

4-     It is considered an insult to refuse the tea from a Touareg (another tribe of the country). 

5-     There are so much sand in Niger that they do ski on sand. Yes you read it correctly, SAND SKI!

Although I had a great experience, I was sad to notice that there are so many things about Cote d’Ivoire that I don’t know. The most important thing I need to do is to be able to speak my hometown language before I die in chaa Allah. Then I wish I will discover more of the folklore that the country has to offer. Finally I am so glad I took part in this journey and again, getting out of your comfort zone is always rewarding!!!