The Little Things Really Do Matter

So, The3Hermanos decided to go to a beautiful vacation spot in Venezuela called Choroni. Choroni is a beautiful cit right off the Caribbean Sea coast. Arriving to Choroni was THE WORST! From Merida (the city where we study) to Maracaibo was a 12-hour bus ride, then we had to take a 2-hour taxi ride up and around mountains to finally reach our destination.


After we dropped our bags in HELL, I mean our hotel room, we decided to walk around this city that is not larger than East Lansing. The majority of the local residents of Choroni where darker than the people we were accustomed to in Merida, Venezuela. So we, The3Hermanos, fit right in! Even though our hues were similar it is still evident that we were not from Choroni. The people in Choroni, well some, walked around the streets without shoes on. I mean almost EVERYONE walked around this city without shoes as if it were a fashion statement. Even when Chris and I decided to play basketball with some of the locals they were playing without shoes either and playing really well I might add. You can forget about proper ankle support. It was bad, real bad, Micheal Jackson. Chris and I felt that we had an advantage because we kept our shoes on while we played.

Aside from protecting ourselves from possible foot diseases in the restrooms we were not allowed to place toilet tissue in the toilet because the city of Choroni cannot afford large sewage pipes to handle tissue, sanitary napkins, and the like. Yeah think about it...it's gross but it is how they live.

Even in Merida, the little things we take for granted in the United States like fluoride that we have in water. The country of Venezuela does not have fluoride in their water so the water does not help your teeth at all. Also, the water is not purified so the water is "hard" and causes the human skin to become dry and irritated.

In hindsight, the little things that we are accustomed to in America really do matter. Before stepping on Venezuelan soil I thought everyone had simple things like fluoride and purified water but I was wrong. We should not assume because we American that everyone in the world has what we have.

So think about the little things that you have in life and cherish it,

Paris

El Presidente Chavez has a twitter! WTH!

Hey world! Did you know that Hugo Chavez (The VA Presidente') has a twitter page? I mean if ya'll thought that this man is a crazy politician who corrupts the poor Venezuelan people...I mean you are right but he is still cool! Which President do you know that has a twitter page AND he assigns 200 people to reply to all the of his at replys? Chavez wrote on his twitter account, "...I’ve decided to create Mission Chavez Candanga to attend to and provide responses to everyone.” This was referring to the large number of requests he was receiving. C'mon son! Hugo Chavez is the junk! Add to President Chavez's followers (267,028) at @Chavezcandanga.

"Big Girls You Are Beautiful"

One thing that I have noticed in Venezuela is the beauty in this country is not skin deep. Everywhere I look there are always beautiful women with tons upon tons of makeup on for no apparent reason. Venezuelan women are gorgeous and yet, some are still worried about their outer appearance as if skin never ages and makeup is their only hope. After living in Venezuela for three weeks, I see that this problem is evident throughout the world and not just the United States. With one of God’s greatest creation I am sad to think that some women think that makeup and plastic surgery can cure the insecurities they have within. Honestly, I want to hug and tell every woman in Merida, Venezuela that they are beautiful, but I have not learned how to formulate that sentence in my Spanish class yet. LOL However, I just would like to say that people come in all different shapes, sizes, and colors for a reason and if women continue to primp themselves and try to look like the supermodels, the Miss Americas, and the Miss Universes of the world then they will lose one of their most precious items that they obtain since birth: their self-identity. I was influenced to label my title of this blog “Big Girls You are Beautiful” because of a song created by the group called Mika. This song instills a very positive message and stating that women (mainly plus-sized women) that they are beautiful and no one should tell them anything different. Women of all shapes, sizes, and colors, I just want to let you know that you are beautiful and makeup or plastic surgery should enhance your natural beauty and not become the controller of your beauty.

Just a little something I was thinking about at 11:55 pm,

Paris

Slappin

Slappin

A few days ago Janel and I heard Paris use the word “slappin” in a sentence. Paris informed us that “slappin” was a word that some Detroit people use to mean very good, or excellent. As I’m sure you would agree, like many of the words people from Detroit use, this is clearly one of the most ridiculous things you have ever heard in your entire life. Paris would occasionally say “this food is slappin” or “that party was slappin” and Janel and myself would look at each other in disgust of this terrible word with such a peculiar definition. When one hears “slappin” they might think of sloppy joes, or Bozo the clown at the circus. For example, at the circus “we had a slappin good time”. Doesn’t that sound much better?? Because this word has such an incorrect definition JaNel and I decided to use the word slappin to mean something that is very bad, of poor quality, and especially of extremely poor taste. For example, “That restaurant was slappin, I will never go there again” or “You are being very rude, if you don’t stop acting so slappin I am going to slap you”. We feel that this is a much more appropriate use for the word slappin, and have now incorporated it into our vocabularies. We also have taught our Venezuelan sister the word slappin and its new definition as well so that she can use it as Spanish slang. We would also like to encourage all of our readers to use the word and its new improved definition.

From the most non-slappin place on earth, Venezuela

Chris

The Preview

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOG5LwNFeyI

Cultural Adjustment

These first few days in Venezuela have really left an impression of the vast differences between our country and culture and Venezuela. Little things that I would take for granted before, like electricity, and orderly traffic are far from consistent here in Venezuela. Rolling black outs in 2 hour blocks per day occur throughout the city. During blackouts generators fill the streets to power stores and houses. Traffic lights are ignored, income inequality is vast and poverty is contrasted with government created jobs. It quickly becomes apparent that “rules” and “laws” are only in effect when they can be enforced, which isn’t often. Despite what many Americans would interpret as deficiencies, after a few days here you realize that life is life. The more different people appear, the more similar you realize they are to you. Venezuelans like us, live, eat , go to school, and go to work.

The bus might not actually have a stop, and no one around you speaks the same language, but you are the same. Life in Venezuela is lively. Sounds fill the streets, and drivers use their horns for any reason. The cars seem to be talking to each other, and if you don’t honk at the person in front of you, you must be doing something wrong. Gasoline is sold at a mere 14 cents a gallon, making cars and taxis affordable, and fumes and pollution omnipresent. You become accustomed to the smell of car exhaust in your new surroundings, the blinding rays of the sun in the mountainous terrain, and the sounds of salsa music blasting at every corner. When you walk to school you are reminded of the time you lost the remote, and the tv was stuck on the Spanish channel! But there’s no TV, and there is definitely no remote. The language is rapid and incomprehensible. The people are beautiful. The heat is unbearable. But you can’t help but be impressed by your new environment. The culture is engaging. And students are intrigued by your unique look, and your curious mastery of their toughest and most important class in school, English. The language starts to slow down. Your two years of studying Spanish are finally paying dividends. The rapid string of foreign sounds is now a distinct rhythm of sentences and words. You can communicate, tu puedes hablar con la gente. You can’t wait to see more. You’ve been in Venezuela for 5 days, yeah… I’m starting to really like it here.

Chris

Life in the VA (Venezuela)

Coming to Venezuela has been a humbling experience. People in America complain so much about not having the best material objects that it's pathetic; in retrospect, I am a victim of wanting the best material objects that have no value. For example, I complain
about not having the the flashiest car, the most expensive smartphone, not having enough money, etc. etc. The majority of people in Venezuela don't even have the opportunities to advance and obtain the material objects that we posses in the United States. The Venezuelans take what the plights that are given to them and make the most out of it. After being here for a week I now understand that I need to start being more appreciative of what I posses and adore in the United States. If we all can just start being appreciative of being alive and enjoying having friends and family that love us, I feel that Americans and all human beings can make the world a better place.

Just observing our host family, the Rodriguez's, it is amazing how family oriented they are. The only people that I have seen watch TV has been Chris, Ja'Nel and I. In America, some people have been socially trained to be so concerned about "me" and not "we" that we often lose sight on what we really need to strengthen which is more family time and service for our respected communities. There is no need to be narrowly focused on temporary objects because they will be here today and gone tomorrow.

- Paris

"...when the G4 Leaves the Concourse"

When I finally decided to study abroad, it was difficult for me to believe that I was actually going to follow through. It was even more unbelievable for my friends and family. Chris, who was one of the major influences in my decision to take this trip, was one of the major skeptics as well. Chris told me constantly, "I won't believe that you are going until the G-4 leaves the concourse." Although I knew that Chris's skepticism was a reverse psychological approach towards encouragement, it was really hard for me to believe that I was actually going to follow through.

My goal was to spend the least amount of my money as possible. This was a very ambitious goal considering that I decided to study abroad two months before the departure date. I instantly started looking for grants, scholarships, and programs to offset the cost of the trip. The Genesee County Census Bureau sponsored a 2010 Census Video Contest for Flint area college students. Students were to create a 60 second commercial advertising the 2010 Census. Chris and I decided to participate. With two hours of brainstorming, an iFlip HD camera, and a few willing friends, "Who's Counting" was born. Our video took first place in the contest and put the trip deposit right into our hands.

It was time to get real, I had less than two months to get a passport, apply and get accepted into the program, get my courses approved, and to get approved as a guest student from UM-Flint, amongst other things like finals and work. I don't know how it got done, but by the week before departure, I had satisfied all requirements and was preparing for departure. I knew that I was about to go somewhere, but since I had never been out of the country, it was hard for me to grasp that I was going to Venezuela. When the date of departure came, I was still unable to believe that within 24 hours I would be in Venezuela.

I was excited about what lied ahead. Although I didn't know what to expect then, and I don't know what is to come now, I know that The 3 Hermanos will be in it together. I find much comfort in knowing that I have a strong friends and family behind me in every step of my life. Although this trip, at times, seemed impossible, when the G4 left the concourse, I was there with mi hermanos.

Southern Hospitality...Redifined

South America has redefined the phrase "Southern Hospitality", for me. The people here are really nice and are always willing to help. Every time that I meet someone new, they are always so willing to listen, even though my Spanish is terrible. When people see you, they speak. If someone sees that you are in trouble, they are willing to help. Although some people here are definitely slappin' the majority of the people here are very hospitable.

When we look at countries like Venezuela, we tend to look down on them for their shortcomings, but since visiting here, I look down on the U.S. We still haven’t figured out that being hospitable is not a crime. How often do you stop to see if someone, who looked lost, needed help? How often do you remain patient when foreigners, who do not speak much English, try to communicate with you? If you are being real with yourself, you probably very seldom do either of these things. There have been countless times that I have gotten upset with a foreign student speaking broken English, or walked past someone who was clearly lost. When you are put in these situations, your perspective will change. When you really realize how difficult it is to not have the ability to communicate or to have no idea how to get home, hospitality becomes really important. We really need to step our hospitality game up in the U.S.

Estamos en Venezuela

Hello All!,

Time has been flying by here in Venezuela. It seems like I don’t have enough hours in the day the first few days here, but it is amazing how quickly I am adjusting to this new life! There are so many things to talk about, and many things that words can’t even explain so we are working on adding photos and videos as soon as possible to the blog and to facebook.

The basics:

What are we doing?

If you didn’t know Myself, JaNel and Paris are all living in the same house with a host family here in Merida, Venezuela. We are studying abroad here with the University of Minnesota at the VENUSA institute. We go to school everyday here at the institute which doubles as a school for American and European students learning Spanish, and for some Venezuelan students learning English. We go out in the city everyday, speak Spanish, meet new people all while taking classes which are LOOONG. We al have class last 6 hours Monday-Thursday.

How did we get here?

That’s a great question. And honestly I’m not sure if I really know the answer. I have always loved to travel and ever since my trip to Mexico with Central’s model united nations class I knew that I wanted to visit another Spanish speaking country and eventually learn Spanish. In college I explored study abroad opportunities and narrowed down my search to South America. Around this time Paris expressed a mutual interest in studying abroad, considering that it is required for our majors at Michigan State and we decided we would do it together. We then went to the study abroad office to look programs but to our disappointment many programs that I was eligible for Paris was not, and vice versa because of our different levels of Spanish experience. Our advisor then referred us to VENUSA in Venezuela and it sounded to good to be true! No Spanish prerequisite… CHECK Interesting country with different government… CHECK …. In state tuition offered to us…. CHECK…. Sign us up immediately. I also had been telling my good friend Ja’Nel how much he should study abroad and he would always tell me “soon” or “next year” and often brushed off my suggestions for him to go with me. He would always tell me that he really did want to go, but that he just couldn’t. I had all but given up hope on my good friend, when he out of nowhere told me “Chris I’m going to go, I know you don’t believe me, but I’m going to go” I replied, “I’ll believe it when the G4 leaves the concourse” the rest is history

Now you know the basics!

More to Come!

- Chris

 

We are here!!

Chris, Ja'Nel, and I have finally arrived to our destination, Merida, Venezuela. To begin, our first day out of Michigan was CRAZY!! We were in Miami, Florida for the night and it was AMAZING! We have declared that Ocean Drive is probably the best street to walk on in America. There was so much diversity, culture, and tradition all in one place! I wish you could have been there with us to be in awe.

Currently, we are in Merida, Venezuela and this place is fantastic. Chris' Spanish game is loco, my Spanish game is stepping up and Ja'Nel's well, it's going. LOL We are appreciating the people and the politeness of the Venezuelan people. This is an eyeopening experience and the people here have showed us nothing but L-O-V-E.

We just finished selecting classes and now we are waiting for a tour of the city and after that we are going to a club and show them how to do it Michigan style.

Hasta Luego!

Paris

Welcome!!

Paris, Ja'nel, and Chris would like to welcome you to one of the best blogs that will be on the internet this summer! This summer, we are going on a study abroad trip in Venezuela for 12 weeks and you are able to share this experience with us! We are so excited to experience this adventure to another country while evolving into multi-cultured people. Be prepared to be in awe, laughter, and view some incredible things that we are going to share with you!