tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81925263882364544322024-03-06T07:29:49.785+01:00Adventures in WheelvilleBrainy, bigmouthed, and black by the BalkansCaptain Gregorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12727097214880031615noreply@blogger.comBlogger304125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8192526388236454432.post-83579128901970778772012-08-24T20:39:00.004+02:002012-08-24T20:39:29.861+02:00Slovenian Meets LouieHilarious to see this on one of my favorite shows! So random.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/mIiKN3te-Ak" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Camille Aceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08088945478653638179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8192526388236454432.post-76237889803514547892012-05-28T18:03:00.000+02:002012-05-29T01:43:48.428+02:00Meanwhile Elsewhere in Slavland....<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/OYj219ZPHmE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-18162443">BBC tells</a> the unfortunate tale of Gaitana, this year's Eurovision representative from Ukraine.<br />
<br />
<i>The right-wing Freedom Party attacked the ground-breaking selection of a Gaitana - who is half Congolese - to represent Ukraine.
"Millions of people who will be watching will see that Ukraine is represented by a person who does not belong to our race," said Yuri Syrotyuk, whose party is preparing to contest the parliamentary elections later this year. </i><br />
<i><br /></i><br />
<i> "The vision of Ukraine as a country located somewhere in remote Africa will take root," he added.
</i>
Oh, European right wing, you never fail me with the absurd soundbites.Camille Aceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08088945478653638179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8192526388236454432.post-66576936346459580832012-05-06T23:57:00.002+02:002012-05-06T23:58:30.322+02:00Where are ya?Cute track <i>Kje si Lubi?</i> (Where are you, Lubi?") from Slovenian band Manouche
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/CaM1efQrNXM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
(via <a href="http://europopped.com/tag/slovenia">Europopped blog</a>)Camille Aceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08088945478653638179noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8192526388236454432.post-26168251069865059602011-07-20T00:01:00.005+02:002011-07-20T00:11:12.773+02:00Full Circle - Manhattan to Ljubljana and back again!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEtjmXNILH2JO3j1gtz0s20-2f_T5d7t12amkMDYOzO2MDjHxX0hko0Wtjk6b8r4y1W8zxJFgdkFFzMSlpUXKKiH5rvQYstYJjH8A2SU7orv8raLfqZ9BoeEjbpLEQJ6kgeYfNaNOR4jeG/s1600/zemanta.png"></a><a href="http://www.zemanta.com/blog/meet-the-team-casual-fridays-tin-dizdarevic/" target="blank"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 244px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEtjmXNILH2JO3j1gtz0s20-2f_T5d7t12amkMDYOzO2MDjHxX0hko0Wtjk6b8r4y1W8zxJFgdkFFzMSlpUXKKiH5rvQYstYJjH8A2SU7orv8raLfqZ9BoeEjbpLEQJ6kgeYfNaNOR4jeG/s400/zemanta.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631188595557126402" border="0" /></a><br />New York has kept me wildly busy, more busy than I could have ever imagined. I wear many different hats working with many different organizations, but one of the jobs I recently took on is as contributing Blogger for Slovenian - American startup <a href="http://www.zemanta.com/">Zemanta</a>. Last week posted my first piece; it is an interview I did with my boss, Tin Dizdarevic. Incidentally, Tin, who was born and grew up in Slovenia and Serbia until he was a teenager, first met me when he was visiting family in Slovenia last year, and the reason he knew of me is because of this very blog. Full circle, huh?<br /><br />Click the pic above to read the interview!Camille Aceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08088945478653638179noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8192526388236454432.post-42252822467020644972011-05-16T01:51:00.003+02:002011-05-16T03:25:05.416+02:00Why don't more people live in liveable cities?<a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://kottke.org/11/05/why-dont-more-people-live-in-liveable-cities">Great piece from kottke.org a blog "about the liberal arts 2.0"..</a><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">I brought up a similar point in <a href="http://wheelville.blogspot.com/2010/08/best-of.html">a piece I wrote last year</a>. </span><br /><br /><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4022/4648525414_e0b4b245d5_o.jpg" /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/39890289@N05/">image by Andreja Brulc</a></span><br /> <h2>Why Don't More People Live in Livable Cities?</h2> <p>Those lists of most liveable cities...why don't any of the vibrant big cities of the world ever make the list? Because the lists don't take into account <a href="http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/dd9bba18-769c-11e0-bd5d-00144feabdc0.html">many important reasons why people choose to live in a certain place</a>.</p> <blockquote><p>I spoke to Joel Kotkin, a professor of urban development, and asked him about these surveys. "I've been to Copenhagen," (Monocle's Number 2) he tells me "and it's cute. But frankly, on the second day, I was wondering what to do." So, if the results aren't to his liking, what does he suggest? "We need to ask, what makes a city great? If your idea of a great city is restful, orderly, clean, then that's fine. You can go live in a gated community. These kinds of cities are what is called 'productive resorts'. Descartes, writing about 17th-century Amsterdam, said that a great city should be 'an inventory of the possible'. I like that description."</p><p>Joel Garreau, the US urban academic and author, agrees. "These lists are journalistic catnip. Fun to read and look at the pictures but I find the liveable cities lists intellectually on a par with People magazine's 'sexiest people' lists."</p><p>Ricky Burdett, who founded the London School of Economics' Cities Programme, says: "These surveys always come up with a list where no one would want to live. One wants to live in places which are large and complex, where you don't know everyone and you don't always know what's going to happen next. Cities are places of opportunity but also of conflict, but where you can find safety in a crowd.</p><p>"We also have to acknowledge that these cities that come top of the polls also don't have any poor people," he adds. And that, it seems to me, touches on the big issue. Richard G Wilkinson and Kate Pickett's hugely influential book The Spirit Level: Why More Equal Societies Almost Always Do Better (2009) seems to present an obvious truth -- that places where the differential in income between the wealthiest and the poorest is smallest tend to engender a sense of satisfaction and well-being. But while it may be socially desirable, that kind of comfort doesn't necessarily make for vibrancy or dynamism. If everybody is where they want to be, no one is going anywhere.</p></blockquote> <p>(via <a href="http://stellar.io/">stellar</a> and many emails)</p> <p><strong>Update:</strong> That Decartes quote above? <a href="http://snarkmarket.com/2011/6844">He never said it</a>.</p>Camille Aceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08088945478653638179noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8192526388236454432.post-16827138959897860612011-03-04T14:52:00.003+01:002011-03-04T15:20:54.630+01:00Brainy, Bigmouthed, and Black....by the Brooklyn Bridge<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/anomalous_a/5366595486/" title="Church of St. Cyril - 62 St. Marks Place, New York, NY by Anomalous_A, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5204/5366595486_b14ec323ae.jpg" alt="Church of St. Cyril - 62 St. Marks Place, New York, NY" width="375" height="500" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">St. Cyril Slovenian church in NYC's East Village</span></span><br /><br />Noticing a lag in this blog, the Powers That Be have elected to send me on long-term assignment to perhaps the most exciting city in the world -- NYC. I will try to keep you posted as to any of my experiences, things I read about, and goings-on that pertain to race, culture, Slovenians and/or other Slavs here, at home, and abroad.<br /><br />Stay tuned.Camille Aceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08088945478653638179noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8192526388236454432.post-86360440393045981052011-01-25T19:22:00.005+01:002011-01-25T19:32:14.654+01:00Meanwhile elsewhere in Slavland...#3<span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" ><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/acedout/3507434828/" title="IMG_0182 by acedout, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3552/3507434828_d734166dfa.jpg" alt="IMG_0182" width="375" height="500" /></a><br />a view on the way to Prague Castle - 2009</span><br /><br />While you're waiting for this blog to maybe one day come back to life, I strongly suggest you turn your attention to my fellow African-American sister in Slavland, Ms. Tinu a.k.a. <a href="http://blackgirlinprague.blogspot.com/">Black Girl in Prague</a>, who has just done something I've been DYING to do for ages...she started a podcast! Her first interview is with Prague-based American expat jazz singer <a href="http://www.facebook.com/LeeAndrewDavison">Lee Davison</a> and is sharp, smart, and funny. Just like her*!<br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><br />Don't just sit there, <a href="http://blackgirlinprague.blogspot.com/">click over</a>!<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">*She's also a gorgeous girl, so y'all gotta start sending around the petition for her to add a v-cast component ;)</span></span>Camille Aceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08088945478653638179noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8192526388236454432.post-37036789994558231862010-12-14T10:03:00.004+01:002010-12-14T10:12:09.909+01:00Meanwhile elsewhere in Slavland...#2I have other things I should be posting about and I hope I will find to do so in the next few weeks. But for now, I though I'd better post about this since people will undoubtedly be emailing me about this all day. <br /><br />(Via The Times) <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/poland/8187102/Polish-parliament-welcomes-first-black-MP.html">Nigerian-born Polish citizen, John Godson, becomes Poland's first black MP </a><br /><br /><img src="http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:scsqVje_uW4UTM:http://www.godson.pl/i/plik_duzy_263.jpg&t=1"><br /><br />Congratulations to Mr. Godson and <span style="font-style:italic;">Powodzenia!</span>Camille Aceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08088945478653638179noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8192526388236454432.post-13622627638797886492010-10-25T08:45:00.007+02:002010-10-25T09:27:01.946+02:00Wait! What? A Brother IS Mayor in Slovenia?!As the conclusion to our ongoing posts "Wait! What? A Brother Running For Mayor in Slovenia?!" (<a href="http://wheelville.blogspot.com/2010/07/wait-what-brother-running-for-mayor-in.html">1</a>, <a href="http://wheelville.blogspot.com/2010/10/update-on-wait-what-brother-running-for.html">2</a>). I just want to report to you what <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/oct/25/peter-bossman-first-black-major-eastern-europe-slovenia">the UK newspaper The Guardian has already splayed across their own pages</a>....<br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><u>DR. PETER BOSSMAN IS THE FIRST BLACK MAYOR IN SLOVENIA!!!!</u></span></span><br /><br /><img style="width: 411px; height: 247px;" src="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/About/General/2010/10/25/1287961721374/TO-GO-WITH-AFP-STORY-BY-B-006.jpg" /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">As he said on <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11616879">BBC World Service</a> this morning, "It will take some time to see if there will be any real change."<br /><br />All who know me, know that I'm not holding my breath. I'm just celebrating.</span>Camille Aceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08088945478653638179noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8192526388236454432.post-47099711073022342542010-10-20T10:51:00.004+02:002010-10-20T11:07:41.059+02:00Sara Rajh, architectJust came across another fascinating young Afro-Slovenian.<br /><br />This lovely woman is Sara Rajh, a Ghanaian-Slovenian architect who enjoys the richness of her Hungarian, Slovenian, and Ghanaian heritages.<br /><br /><img style="width: 419px; height: 279px;" src="http://www.mediaspeed.net/dinamic/medium/00000140/140965.jpg" /><br /><a href="http://www.mediaspeed.net/fotka.asp?id=1&foto=140965"><span style="font-size:78%;">Sara Rajh with her husband, the academic sculptor Jürgen Rajh</span><span style="font-size:78%;"> - photo credit</span></a><br /><br />She was raised in northeastern Slovenia and now calls the Austrian town of Graz her home, but still works on projects in Slovenia and with family and associates in Ghana. Among her many endeavours has been: the establishment of a Slovenian association in Graz (which already had quite a large Slovenian population), working on the local radio station, organizing fund-raising exhibitions of Ghanaian jewelry/artistry, and developing an eco-farm in northeastern Slovenia (one of the most economically depressed regions in the country). All this from a woman that <a href="http://www.dnevnik.si/tiskane_izdaje/nedeljski/1042339978">the articl</a><a href="http://www.dnevnik.si/tiskane_izdaje/nedeljski/1042339978">e</a> (Slovenian-language only) describes as "a true little miracle in a Slovenian countryside where no one had ever seen a dark-skinned person up close before."* Bravo and best wishes to you Ms. Rajh!<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">* As regular readers may have already noted, there is a lack of tact here, especially as regards race.<br /></span>Camille Aceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08088945478653638179noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8192526388236454432.post-59949686941324637552010-10-19T09:01:00.007+02:002010-10-19T09:32:12.451+02:00Yucky TricksA weekend or so ago, The Captain's mom, The Captain, and I went down to a family vineyard in the Dolenjska region where she's from. From what she told me, we were going down to have lunch and say hello to family members; she talked a LOT before we left but that was all the information she really gave. Off the back of that information, The Captain and I got dressed up smartly, loaded up the car, and left.<br /><br /><img style="width: 384px; height: 288px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4144/5069189778_77f21da7ab.jpg" /><br /><br />...so you can imagine how perturbed I was when we pulled up to the vineyard, got out of the car, and were handed buckets, scissors, and gloves. CapMama turned to us and was like "You guys have a change of clothes, right?" Steam blew out of my head and -- despite the fact that this happens all the time* -- it took everything I had to keep quiet and go with the flow.<br /><br /><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4084/5070254041_1d1631237a.jpg" /><br /><br />I walked up the steep hill into the vineyard with my brand new ankle boots on, angered about the state of my new shoes and frightened I'd fall down the hill.<br /><br /><img style="width: 390px; height: 292px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4149/5070858502_7147482155.jpg" /><br /><br />After leaning against a fence post for 15 minutes watching everyone else work, I finally decided to jump in and help pick some grapes. It was nasty work, as this year's mix of weather coupled with the neighboring vineyards bout with mold (the neighbour, who probably inherited the damn vineyard, refuses to come out and pick grapes anymore and just leaves them to rot year after year) meant that most of the grapes were either dried like raisins or totally moldy.<br /><br /><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4146/5070861042_80e31fdb55.jpg" /><br /><br />Our job was to knock away all the sour grapes and pick out the few decent looking ones. Messy, stinky, yucky work.<br /><br /><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/5070253427_e9df4611a9.jpg" /><br /><br />I ended up taking my shoes and socks off so I could get a grip on the ground and not slide down the hill.<br /><br /><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/5070859648_b47ccd3c7e.jpg" /><br /><br />It ended up being the best decision; though I did have to contend with pesky people walking past me every few minutes with admonishments and "concern" that I would catch cold (catching cold seems to be the worst fate that can befall you in this country, geez.)<br /><br />Anyway, after an hour or two of this cruel punishment, at least I got a good meal (pictures to come)....and, of course, this little blog post.<br /><br /><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4109/5070860254_4f5ed71bcd.jpg" /><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">*Slovenians have a bad habit of not giving you necessary information unless you explicity ask for it. Problem being that you don't know what you don't know. Frustration!</span>Camille Aceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08088945478653638179noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8192526388236454432.post-81026885736777728132010-10-11T09:16:00.014+02:002010-10-11T09:56:38.416+02:00Update on Wait! What? A Brother Running For Mayor In Slovenia<img style="width: 528px; height: 351px;" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs179.ash2/44269_164065093606467_144921562187487_535882_1685283_n.jpg" /><br /><br />Quick follow up to July's post <a href="http://wheelville.blogspot.com/2010/07/wait-what-brother-running-for-mayor-in.html">Wait! What? A Brother Running For Mayor In Slovenia</a> ....<br /><br />According to <a href="http://24ur.com/lokalne_volitve/v-piranu-v-boju-bossman-in-gantar.html">news reports </a>(Slovenian only), Slovenian-based Ghanaian doctor and politician <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Peter-Bossman/144921562187487">Peter Bossman</a> was in the lead with over 30% of votes after yesterday's election to become mayor of the lovely seaside town of Piran. The race will now go into run-offs against the current sitting mayor (who had just over 20%) of the vote. Here's hoping Dr. Bossman makes it all the way through and becomes the first black* mayor in Slovenia! Let's goooooo!<br /><br />In further news, journalist Vlado Miheljak puts forth a more ambitious proposition..."<a href="http://www.dnevnik.si/debate/kolumne/1042393205">Peter Bossman For President</a>" and much mudslinging in the comments ensues! (Slovenian only)<br /><br />*yes, say <span style="font-weight: bold;">BLACK</span>/<span style="font-style:italic;">črn</span> not <span style="font-style: italic;">temnopolt/</span> "dark-skinned". Black comes in many shades (from light to dark) and is an experience, not just a state of melanin.Camille Aceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08088945478653638179noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8192526388236454432.post-31445211468665120792010-10-11T07:55:00.005+02:002010-10-11T09:15:35.459+02:00Venice Architecture Biennale 2010The Captain and I made it over to Venice for the Architecture Biennale. Here are a few pics:<br /><br /><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4084/5068234869_f5baac6cd6.jpg"><br /><br /><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4091/5068235537_777f47a9ed.jpg"><br /><br /><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4084/5068235989_5c234e2d43.jpg"><br /><br /><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4104/5068848226_9eb6a8d2bf.jpg"><br /><br />The Belgian pavilion was my favorite hands down. It was full of used interiors.<br /><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/5068246211_2e5e43714c.jpg"><br /><br />this was a work table surface that sat next to a copy machine<br /><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4104/5068854364_8d35e3719a.jpg"><br /><br />a big foam model of the city in the dutch pavilion<br /><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4127/5068248519_06f66f2ef5.jpg"><br /><br />a big strange spanish toy sculpture thing<br /><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4128/5068862720_eea37c3530.jpg"><br /><br />a detail shot<br /><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4150/5068251995_e1da6ee344.jpg"><br /><br />another detail shot<br /><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4130/5068860512_904a00e8ab.jpg"><br /><br /><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4089/5068864110_ef385e793a.jpg"><br /><br /><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4084/5068257395_166f8f0daf.jpg"><br /><br />the cafeteria<br /><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4084/5068870730_c960dd58a3.jpg"><br /><br />the polish pavilion<br /><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4125/5068263605_b2268d268b.jpg"><br /><br />the egyptian pavilion<br /><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4106/5068873808_2bd6f1df7f.jpg"><br /><br />the serbian pavilion, which happened to be full of a group of friendly young serbians<br /><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4107/5068265997_5f4ce83350.jpg"><br /><br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" height="300" data="http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=71377" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000"> <param name="flashvars" value="intl_lang=en-us&photo_secret=ce6fd704f8&photo_id=5070344993"></param> <param name="movie" value="http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=71377"></param> <param name="bgcolor" value="#000000"></param> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=71377" bgcolor="#000000" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="intl_lang=en-us&photo_secret=ce6fd704f8&photo_id=5070344993" height="300" width="400"></embed></object><br /><br /><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4144/5068875844_64af582fa4.jpg"><br /><br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" height="300" data="http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=71377" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000"> <param name="flashvars" value="intl_lang=en-us&photo_secret=022c6f86c8&photo_id=5071034926"></param> <param name="movie" value="http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=71377"></param> <param name="bgcolor" value="#000000"></param> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=71377" bgcolor="#000000" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="intl_lang=en-us&photo_secret=022c6f86c8&photo_id=5071034926" height="300" width="400"></embed></object><br /><br />American pavilion<br /><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4112/5068269759_99d086a37f.jpg"><br /><br /><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4112/5068880370_2869b08561.jpg"><br /><br /><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4091/5068882070_d4b95c931c.jpg"><br /><br />Czech and Slovak was lovely<br /><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4088/5068274029_20a380e589.jpg"><br /><br />the Canadian exhibition was an interactive manmade plastic forest<br /><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4103/5068887912_4c2e8b53b8.jpg"><br /><br /><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/5068277179_8404439877.jpg"><br /><br /><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4105/5068278849_6903963f13.jpg">Camille Aceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08088945478653638179noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8192526388236454432.post-758478664565233032010-09-11T13:30:00.007+02:002010-09-11T13:37:05.279+02:00Three Whole Years<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mayplanet/3619670659/" title="Oh! The Places You'll Go! by Маy, on Flickr"><img style="width: 226px; height: 310px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3383/3619670659_0a3221ef78.jpg" alt="Oh! The Places You'll Go!" /></a><br /><br />Today is the 3rd anniversary of my residence in Slovenia (of all places). Amazing where a little adventurousness, blind faith, love, perseverance (and a healthy helping of foolishness) can get you.Camille Aceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08088945478653638179noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8192526388236454432.post-84154201651698451192010-09-01T17:32:00.002+02:002010-09-01T17:41:20.903+02:00Call for proposals: Publication on "Integration beyond Migration"<span style="font-size:85%;"><br />(via <a href="http://blog.blackwomenineurope.com/">Black Women in Europe Blog</a>) </span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/unhcr/3217910110/" title="Local Integration: A Durable Solution for Refugees by UNHCR, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3330/3217910110_d30e4140f8.jpg" alt="Local Integration: A Durable Solution for Refugees" height="333" width="500" /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">picture credit</span></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><a href="http://www.enar-eu.org/Page_Generale.asp?DocID=25124&langue=EN">Call for proposals: Publication on "Integration beyond Migration"</a></span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">As a reflection of the debates in the Member States, the current EU debate on integration repeatedly combines the issues of migration and integration by maintaining a restrictive approach to integration policy focusing primarily on the integration of Third-Country Nationals. As a typical example, the 2004 EU Common Basic Principles on integration have been developed within the broader framework of the management of migration and its consequences, and therefore primarily concern migrants and Third-Country Nationals. However, people from a migrant background born in Europe or people from a European minority ethnic or religious background can no longer be considered as migrants as they are facing an entirely different set of challenges and hurdles in their integration process - many of which are certainly more akin to the integration/inclusion issues faced by specific economic classes of the majority community (in terms of poverty, underachievement in education, etc.). The linkages between anti-discrimination, integration and social inclusion therefore need to be rethought to develop a new approach to this policy area and enhance policy coherence. It is important that EU integration policies not only focus on new arrivals, but on the social inclusion of all migrants and minorities, irrespective of when they arrived in the EU.</span><br /><br />Deadline 2o September 2010. More details <a href="http://www.enar-eu.org/Page_Generale.asp?DocID=25124&langue=EN">here</a>.Camille Aceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08088945478653638179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8192526388236454432.post-84310889991325584612010-08-24T09:16:00.005+02:002012-06-17T00:30:58.258+02:00Irena Yebuah-Tiran<img style="width: 285px; height: 366px;" src="https://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/423819_10150653870104082_1798978777_n.jpg" /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><a href="www.klub-pac.si">Picture credit</a></span><br /><br />Not to turn this page into a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who%27s_Who">Who's Who</a> of Black Slovenians, but hey I think it can't hurt to show that the few black Slovenians and black people in Slovenia have done and can do remarkable things.<br /><br />This vision of loveliness before you this time around is the lovely Ghanaian-Slovenian opera singer <span style="font-weight: bold;">Irena Yebuah-Tiran</span>.<br /><br />Just the other day, someone mentioned to me that there was an old Ghanaian guy in Dolenjska who had settled down there and (much like every one else in Dolenjska) had started his own vineyard. A quick Google search led me to <a href="http://issuu.com/dollist/docs/ziva_2004_04_04">this 2004 story (Slovenian language only) on Mr. Robert Yebuah</a> and then onwards to his talented and lovely daughter Irena. According to <a href="http://www.irena-yebuah-tiran.com/eng/biography.htm">her website</a>, Ms. Yebuah-Tiran has been training her voice since middle school and gained her Masters degree in Music from the prestigious Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria, and has performed in both Ljubljana, Vienna, and beyond.<br /><br />Check out her music on her Myspace page <a href="http://www.myspace.com/irenayebuah">here</a> and cheer her on!<br /><br /><img src="http://b9.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/01428/91/62/1428182619_l.jpg" /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><a href="www.klub-pac.si">Picture credit</a><br /><br /></span>As they say in Ghana,<span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> ayekoo!</span></span> (well done!)Camille Aceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08088945478653638179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8192526388236454432.post-79571192432294440682010-08-23T10:18:00.005+02:002012-06-17T00:33:58.523+02:00Best of<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jer1961/4691024314/" title="World Cup national flags for sale by jer1961, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4036/4691024314_90bc35e55b.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="World Cup national flags for sale"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.newsweek.com/2010/08/15/interactive-infographic-of-the-worlds-best-countries.html">Newsweek just came out with it's list of 100 Best Countries to live</a> and Slovenia came in at 24. Congrats to Slovenia. The country is safe with a highly educated population and good life expectancy. No small accomplishment, of course.<br /><br />That said, one has to interrogate how these lists are compiled and WHO praytell are they for? I don't think this list imagines that these conditions apply to just anyone who dropped out of the sky. It must be for the natives, most of whom are not going anywhere regardless of what this list says. I guess it would give them a boost of pride, which I guess is something. But what of the people that are looking at this list with an eye to moving to one of those countries? Can we get any glimpse into the life we would lead as an expat? Things such as access to services in multiple languages, the weather and environment, health care and social services, cultural events and resources, and importantly attitudes of natives towards newcomers/foreigners are what may be on the mind of a potential expat to that country. But I suppose that could be a hard thing to measure...Nonetheless in this globalised world, it would be nice to see one of those lists that gave more than a passing nod to the non-native's concerns and made this information useful rather than just a source of pride (or shame) for natives of the respective countries.<br /><br />On a lighter note, the interactive tool is pretty neat on that site...<a href="http://www.newsweek.com/2010/08/15/interactive-infographic-of-the-worlds-best-countries.html">check it out</a>!Camille Aceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08088945478653638179noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8192526388236454432.post-35323720032682424582010-08-18T17:39:00.004+02:002010-08-18T18:01:08.521+02:00A Visit to the Volčji Potok Arboretum<img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4094/4897151993_c4edcb29f4.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4139/4897138383_bcfebe848a.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4143/4897733122_f44e539299.jpg" /><br />Dog water fountain. Curious, since I never see water fountains for HUMANS.<br /><br /><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4121/4897717810_d5602f3f45.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4137/4897124481_c8359c7fbd.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4099/4897718340_1a92ef9e9f.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4143/4897734354_2f382bc34f.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4096/4897128939_30c22786bc.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4115/4897740034_84a8916dec.jpg"><br /><br /><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4093/4897725398_debe9dca80.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4093/4897143019_983c426ca5.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4119/4897146507_0d935253ab.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4122/4897728722_d1a3fe201b.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4142/4897742252_6a715f8b3a.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4101/4897150685_69dceabec4.jpg" />Camille Aceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08088945478653638179noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8192526388236454432.post-62355861088193503932010-08-13T19:26:00.004+02:002010-08-13T19:38:41.390+02:00Meanwhile elsewhere in Slavland...Interesting news slightly late off the presses from Slavland North (aka Russia)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Jean Gregoire Sagbo Becomes First Black Politician Elected In Russia </span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">KRISTINA NARIZHNAYA | 07/25/10 09:22 AM | AP</span><br /><br /><img style="width: 394px; height: 274px;" src="http://www.themoscowtimes.com/upload/iblock/0a2/Black1.jpg" /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">NOVOZAVIDOVO, Russia — People in this Russian town used to stare at Jean Gregoire Sagbo because they had never seen a black man. Now they say they see in him something equally rare — an honest politician.<br /><br />Sagbo last month became the first black to be elected to office in Russia.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">In a country where racism is entrenched and often violent, Sagbo's election as one of Novozavidovo's 10 municipal councilors is a milestone. But among the town's 10,000 people, the 48-year-old from the West African country of Benin is viewed simply as a Russian who cares about his hometown.</span><br /><a href="http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/a-russian-milestone-first-black-elected-to-office/411071.html"><br />Read the rest here....</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span>Congrats to Mr. Sagbo and Good Luck Brothaman!</span></span>Camille Aceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08088945478653638179noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8192526388236454432.post-44915219062660721512010-08-04T13:05:00.003+02:002010-08-04T13:27:18.336+02:00Marvelous Merlene<img style="width: 359px; height: 459px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2077/2388946235_fcc16e98e9.jpg" /><br /><br />Long time readers may remember <a href="http://wheelville.blogspot.com/2008/02/mystery-of-merlene-ottey.html">my post about Jamaican-born Slovenian-naturalized Olympic runner, Merlene Ottey</a>, but few (including me) may have realized that old girl -- now in her middle ages -- was still running on on Slovenia's team. Two days ago, she became the oldest woman (at 50 years young) to take part in the Euro Championships, and though she didn't make it to the final of the relay she ran, she has no intention of slowing down.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />"I don't see the end at the moment. My goal now is to try and qualify for the World Championships and as for the Olympics (in 2012) ask me after that," she said.</span><br /><br />Go on, girl!<br /><a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/othersports/article-1299274/Merlene-Ottey-fails-fifty--dont-rule-London-2012.html"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Daily Mail Online - Ottey fails at fifty... but don't rule her out of London 2012</span></a>Camille Aceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08088945478653638179noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8192526388236454432.post-34739485377402442132010-08-04T10:18:00.002+02:002010-08-04T10:22:11.874+02:00Žižek on CharityI have a lot more posts to put up here and I promise I'll do it soon. But until then, have a look at this excellent dynamic animation of a speech by my second favorite Slovenian, Slavoj Žižek, on the ethics of charitable giving. <br /><br /><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/hpAMbpQ8J7g&hl=en_US&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/hpAMbpQ8J7g&hl=en_US&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />An <a href="http://www.thersa.org/"> RSA</a> ProjectCamille Aceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08088945478653638179noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8192526388236454432.post-62431970733465720262010-07-20T12:39:00.004+02:002012-06-17T00:32:43.669+02:00Homesickness<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/acmace/4471774941/" title="Lower Manhattan at Night from Brooklyn Bridge Park, NYC by andrew c mace, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4063/4471774941_9f95b09b4e.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Lower Manhattan at Night from Brooklyn Bridge Park, NYC"></a>
I found <a href="http://www.phenomenologyonline.com/articles/winning.html">this interesting article</a> on the condition of homesickness that describes the situation chillingly well. Thought I'd share with some of the other expats (and maybe even those who are in the same country but just miles away from the place they consider home), so that you know you're not nuts and you're not alone.<br /><br />Here's an excerpt:<b><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">What Are You Doing Here?</span></b> <p style="font-style: italic;">A visitor is often asked, What are you doing here? It seems that in the question there is the suggestion that, because you don't belong here, there must be some good reason for you to be here. One can't leave home and just be somewhere else. People do leave their own homes for a variety of reasons: vacation, conferences, work, schooling, or resettlement. If they meet and get into conversation with inhabitants they are inevitably asked the purpose of their visit. We are all curious as to the reasons some people make temporary or permanent breaks with their home ties, perhaps with a sense of wonder regarding what would be deemed important enough to initiate such a violent separation of oneself and one's foundations.</p> <p style="font-style: italic;">Indeed, visitors too may privately wonder sometimes about their reasons for being somewhere, as did the Canadian woman who, while visiting the outback of Australia, suddenly came across a wild bull: "I stared at the bull which barred our passage on that dirt road. Its huge bulk seemed to rise out of the dust at me and say, `What are you doing here?'" Is the answer to this question worth the discomfort, the feeling of homesickness that may accompany it?</p> <p style="font-style: italic;">Nevertheless, visitors often strive to overcome aspects of this strangerness by making a space of their own where they find themselves. The hotel room becomes the inner space to which they return after venturing into the city to take a look around. It seems that the establishment of home (even if it is a temporary home) involves not only the "carving out of chaotic space a definite area set apart from the rest of the world" (Bollnow, 1961, p. 34), but also requires that one has a place from which to set forth and to which to return.</p> <p style="font-style: italic;">The establishment of a place to which we can return and feel a sense of ownness is indicative of what is missed in homesickness. Even if we recognize something as being similar to that of home, we still do not feel the sense of home, the sense of ownness, or intimate familiarity. According to Schutz (1971, p. 113), "the longing for re-establishing the old intimacy-not only with persons but also with things-is the main feature of what is called `homesickness.'" However, it is not enough to say that homesickness is a longing to reestablish old intimacies with things, space, and people. Home cannot be reduced to only people, places, and things; and therefore, to miss home involves something more fundamental to our way of being-in-the-world.</p><br /><br />Read the rest <a href="http://www.phenomenologyonline.com/articles/winning.html">here</a>.Camille Aceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08088945478653638179noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8192526388236454432.post-71112376318949602402010-07-13T09:11:00.005+02:002010-07-13T09:34:37.078+02:00Wait, What?! A Brother Running for Mayor in SloveniaI was walking along minding my business, when I came along <a href="http://www.delo.si/clanek/113311">this story (Slovenian only)</a> on a <span style="font-weight: bold;">Mr. Peter Bossman, </span>a black doctor who is running for mayor of the lovely Slovenian seaside town of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piran">Piran</a>. Well, go 'head bruh!<br /><br /><img style="width: 407px; height: 328px;" src="http://www.delo.si/assets/media/picture/20100713/670x420_bossman.jpg" /><br /><br />Upon further inspection, it seems that he is being subjected to the <a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Haterism">haterism</a> that plagues a black man anywhere he tries to do something good. In this case, he is being pressured to step out of the race by people who are claiming that he is addicted to gambling. Mind you, he is a doctor who works healing people from their own addictions, but they think that he -- most likely one of the most noticeable people in his town -- is sneaking around feeding some sort of addiction, while also trying to build his own political career (he is already part of the presidency of the local chapter of his political party). Hmm, dubious. They also tried to out him as having a child out of wedlock, to which he replied that that didn't fly in his culture and that he was indeed paying his child support. Then the people said that as soon as voters saw a black face on the campaign posters they would realize that they didn't want a black mayor.<br /><br />Where is this coming from you ask? Well, according to recent polls, it seems Mr. Bossman is some fierce competition for the incumbent, Tomaž Gantar, and the existing structure is none-too-thrilled about the threat to the established order. I don't really know what this Bossman cat is all about, but a little change -- in fact a lotta change -- sounds good to me. If Bossman wins, I might have to relocate to the seaside and help him paint the town a lovely shade of brown!<br /><br /><img style="width: 287px; height: 204px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3104/2550143217_3f797f1849.jpg" />Camille Aceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08088945478653638179noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8192526388236454432.post-7595979718053640542010-07-10T12:36:00.010+02:002010-07-10T13:07:53.583+02:00Black Water<img src="http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w147/BlackPix2007/BlackPixIII/blkswim.jpg"> <br /><br />Summer is here, a time that many people often associate with water sports and swimming. Many people, but not me, since I don't really swim. People here in Slovenia always react strangely when I tell them I don't really know how to swim and that I did not learn how to swim as a child. In fact, my mother and brother don't know how to swim and most of my black friends growing up did not know how to swim either. This <span style="font-weight: bold;">doesn't mean</span> black people can't swim*, it means that many of us simply never learn. The reasons are manifold, and many are outlined in <a href="http://www.wnyc.org/news/articles/157046">this useful article from WNYC</a> and <a href="http://www.usaswimming.org/_Rainbow/Documents/121d4497-c4be-44a6-8b28-12bf64f36036/2010%20Swim%20Report-USA%20Swimming-5-26-10.pdf">this (more lengthy) survey report from the USA Swimming Association</a>. From disinterest to fear to concern about damaging one's hairstyle, the reasons range from serious to inane and I have heard or been the deliverer of many of them, but I think the biggest issue is not learning as a small child, which is often the outgrowth of having parents who never learned or are afraid, no or limited access to a swimming people, and concerns about the costs of and time for swimming lessons.<br /><br /><img style="width: 460px; height: 329px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1009/544521170_847c5631c0.jpg" /><br />Black Olympic gold medal winning relay swimmer <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cullen_Jones">Cullen Jones</a><br /><br />In the past, <a href="http://wheelville.blogspot.com/2008/08/learnt.html">I've posted about Cullen Jones, the black Olympic gold winner in swimming and his efforts to develop swimming education for young black American children</a> (who are 13 times more likely to drown than white**), and I've also written about my efforts in learning to swim (efforts I'll maybe pick up again in the future), but I think it bears much more repeating. Not only to build awareness, but also to encourage tolerance and understanding in places where swimming is more the "norm" and action (by someone other than me!) in places where we can make a difference.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />*Black people CAN and DO swim. All over the world. I have to say this explicitly, because I know some stupid person might read this and otherwise get the wrong idea. I've seen how quickly ignorant racist ideas fly around this country. BTW, here's a bonus to those same dummies,<span style="font-weight: bold;"> <a href="http://www.uh.edu/engines/epi1149.htm">black people DO feel heat just the same as white people</a></span>.<br /><br />** Turns out a near-drowning was the impetus for Cullen himself to learn to swim!</span>Camille Aceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08088945478653638179noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8192526388236454432.post-14329102089504144902010-07-01T18:46:00.006+02:002010-07-01T19:43:35.620+02:00A Thursday Thought Exercise: Dreaming of A Perfect City<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3425/3210294963_98d23a6c86.jpg" /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">people second-lining in the streets in New Orleans</span></span><br /><br />A friend on Facebook recently pointed me to <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203440104574403293064136098.html">this interesting Wall Street Journal article</a> from last year where musician, artist, writer, designer, and one of my favorite people on the planet, David Byrne, outlines the elements of what would comprise his perfect city. As a person who is currently dissatisfied with where she lives but unsure as to where to go next, this is a perfect thought exercise for me. But I think I come up a little short since I have so many places I still feel like I need to visit before I could craft my Ultimate City. But for now I can still present you with....<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Features of the City of My (Current) Dreams*</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Size:</span> Half the size of New York would be good. Maybe limited to the size of the three boroughs that I frequented the most -- Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn. Trim the fat, there's still plenty city there.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Density: </span>The density of Berlin seemed just right to me. At around 3.4million (according to Wikipedia), it is less than half the size of NYC (and 1.5X larger than the entire country of Slovenia), which means you can usually get a seat on the subway and you don't usually have to fight for sidewalk space, but you still run into (or try to avoid) people you know on the streets. I also crave good people watching, something that this level of density offers.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Sensibility and attitude:</span> It would be a mix of New York and Berlin. I'd take the Berlin laid- back kindness mixed with the grizzled and blunt attitude of an old school native Brooklynite.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Security: </span>I always feel pretty safe in NYC, because there are almost always plenty of people out on the streets.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Chaos and danger: </span>There is something about the organized chaos of New York City that I really love. You don't know what you will find around a corner. There can be a film crew shooting or a man taking a crap on a sidewalk. It makes for interesting cocktail chat and creative inspiration.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Mixed Use - Creative/Culture Areas<span style="font-weight: bold;">: </span></span><span><span>New York does this mighty nicely, with work/live space where artists can paint or sculpt all day and then have awesome loft parties or dance exhibitions or rock shows in the evening. Ljubljana has <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metelkova">Metelkova</a>, but it is too grungey for my taste (plus it is only one place, not an area) as are these kinds of spaces in Berkeley and San Francisco. When it's done well, New York does it really smashingly and that would be a nice feature for my dream city.</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Transportation:</span> </span></span><span><span>My ideal city would have precious few cars and lots of bike lanes, buses, and subway lines...maybe some sort of congestion charge like in London to limit the number of cars in the center. </span></span><br /><br /><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1024/683255467_f08cb2f4c6.jpg" /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Public Space:</span> I can't think of a city I've been to that really gets parks fabulously right (NYC does OK), but my dream city would have good green parks with ample space for exercising, walking animals, kids playgrounds, and public concerts and events.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Community:</span> </span></span><span><span>New Orleans does this gorgeously. The city is so many different communities laid on top each other in so many fantastic formations focused on art, food, music, activism, academia.... They may not have the greatest work ethic but they do have a strong party ethic and a wonderfully unique culture that hold people together in good times and bad<span style="font-weight: bold;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br />Dancing In The Street: </span></span><span><span>New Orleans wins for this one with its impromptu and very fun second line culture, though Berlin comes a close second with its "Any Reason is a Good Reason to Dance in the Street" attitude. New Orleans wins for better music. :)</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span><span><span><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">*to be continually updated as I travel</span></span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br /></span></span><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2496/3812276913_cf0aa2960a.jpg" /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br />Top 10 Cities I Think Will Affect My Vision After I Visit Them</span><br /></span></span><span><span>1) Sao Paulo<br />2) Barcelona<br />3) Tokyo<br />4) Hong Kong<br />5) Dakar<br />6) Johannesburg<br />7) Bombay<br />8) Stockholm<br />9) Istanbul<br />10) </span></span><span><span>Chicago</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span><span><span><br />What about you?</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span>Camille Aceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08088945478653638179noreply@blogger.com18