A Day in London- Beginning of Summer Break 2012

You need to have tough skin to live abroad. You don't have to be a loner but you need positive ways to cope with being such far distances from the loved ones in your life. This acquisition of learning to be alone is the best recommendation that I could give to a person considering living abroad in the Middle East over 8,000 miles from friends and family. I can rough out three of four months away, but any longer and I begin to really need the recharging from the people that matter to me the most. Although I was just back to the U.S. in March, it felt like that time again to visit my mom, sister, and niece in Connecticut, my father, grandmother, and friends in Georgia, friends in Tallahassee, and cousin in south Florida. And it wouldn't be right not to take out a little "me" time so and of Summer trip to Costa Rica will be the respite I need.

A one day layover to London was the preemptive icing on the cake that I needed to get the trip started. My flight came in from Abu Dhabi early in the morning. I was concerned about the Customs line because I had read complaints a couple of months earlier that they could take hours. Luckily, I made it through in less than fifteen minutes. Things seemed to be looking optimistic for me achieving my goal of getting another country's stamp on my passport and visiting London for the day. Informative guides were great at reassuring me that there would be no Customs check coming back in to the airport and that I would be fine taking the Lube (underground rail) forty minutes to town for a visit.

I paid about eight pounds or $14 US for an all day pass that would take me around town. I took the Piccadilly line in to downtown London and first got off at the Piccadilly Circus area, a site that was suggested by a British teacher that lives in Abu Dhabi as well. I was impressed with the massive statues all over town that celebrated various generals, politicians, royalty, and martyrs in British history. Way in the distance, I even noticed Buckingham Palace. I walked down to the historic Trufulgar Square and almost got to catch the many free arts and history museums in the area. They didn't open until 10am though, and I still had more sites to see on my one-day express journey. I was impressed with the cleanliness and ease with riding public transportation as the city braces for the big, 2012 Summer Olympics beginning in two weeks.

The train terminals were painted with music concert and theatrical performance posters and the culture and history of the town buzzed electrically in the air. My next stop was Green Park. From there, I took another line to a stop along the River Thames. I was surprised to walk right out of the terminal and stand right in front of Big Ben. Here I was, on my non-directed city tour, running right in to one of he world's top attractions. My intuition led me on the right track. I took great pictures and was content that the rain and partial gloominess of a typical London day had spared me the need of buying an over-priced touristy umbrella. I was able to see part of Westminster Abbey.

My last stop before returning to Heathrow airport was another historic area called Hyde Park. I walked around briefly and then decided it was time to head back to the airport so that I could prepare for the seven hour flight to New York's JFK airport.
My expectations were exceeded. London is definitely a place that I could come back to visit or possibly even stay for a short artist's residency. The city has a rich culture with spoken word and the arts and there are different opportunities with slams and spoken word features. I'm glad I took my chances, intentionally booked a ten hour layover, and had the courage to step out of the airport to peel back one layer of one of the coolest cities I've ever visited. This is London in a day!

The Poetic Arab Spring

It's amazing what difference a few months make. In March I was just starting to plan a poetry open mic to help expose the art form of spoken word poetry in Abu Dhabi. I initially assumed that this would start small with an estimated crowd of 20 to 30. Coming of age with Black on Black Rhyme, I was trained to be content with five people as long as there was a potential to build consistency and show professionalism. In only three months though, the poetry scene has blossomed in to a full blown movement! It all came in to fruition to me when I sat down with the progressive arts magazine, Tempo Magazine (http://www.tempoplanet.com), this week for an interview about my poetry endeavors and the burgeoning scene in the United Arab Emirates, specifically the capitol city of Abu Dhabi. God seemed to have placed me in this area at the perfect time. It's akin to Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston being in Harlem just as the Harlem Renaissance was cresting or Bill Gates being on the scene as soon as the digital revolution started. This poetry surge is definitely not my own doing. I'm realizing that it's the perfect mixture of God's grace, timing, talent, and need for your gift. All of those factors have combined to make me a central figure in this poetic revolution.

Before I arrived, poets have told me that there were only sporadic, low-attended events that featured poetry. Recently, the tide has changed. Aside from the monthly open mic, "Rooftop Rhythms", that I co-organize with Ben "DJ Black Wolf" Mays, there have also been poetry open mics organized by college students at both NYU-Abu Dhabi and Sorbonne- Abu Dhabi. Both were very successful with over 50 in attendance. Bahareh, an Iranian-American poet that has been here for a couple of years, also hosted a major event called, "Speak Abu Dhabi", that was supported by the city and was in the Abu Dhabi Theatre, a marquee location for arts in the UAE. With over 200 in attendance, this event was the perfect mix of poetry and music dedicated to ancient Middle Eastern poets while giving credence to the original works of today's writers (Us!) in the region. View video of Speak Abu Dhabi


I also have been able to become acquainted with a poetry collective called the Poeticians out of Dubai. Led by Hind Shoufani, this group has been making noise in the UAE for the past couple of years with their monthly performances and fierce spoken word. At a recent poetry feature in Dubai, I was able to perform and meet Ms. Hind, and she stated that her group wants to network with Black on Black Rhyme- Abu Dhabi to continue to spread the art form. This willingness to work together for an artistic cause is an element that keeps movements snowballing. I informed her that it was an interest of mine to bring our show to Dubai and she was fully open to it. There was no, "This is our city" vibe that tends to permeate through spoken word venues and cities across the U.S. There seems to be an obvious and proactive interest in aiding this revolution of expression. The atmosphere is perfect for it and I am poised and ready to assist in any way that I can!

Awww...Souky Souky Now! (My first visit to a souk!)

If you want to mix a little upscale in your souk visits, look no further than Central Souk in downtown Abu Dhabi. Since this was my fist souk, or market experience, I was a little skeptical that the trip would be a little more than a different way to waste a few hours. My, how I was wrong. Entering in the Central Souk, I immediately was taken aback by the design and layout of the place. Wall-sized wood carvings give the place a contemporary look. The dim lighting and cool temperature created an aura for this shopping extravaganza. The smells of the home-made colognes and fragrances meshed with spices from all over the world.

I assisted a friend find souvenirs for her family members. We first stepped in to a souvenir shop complete with jewelry, mini-Persian rugs for computer mouses, sculptures, and more. We talked the man down on decent deal. Outside of the shop were large, ornately carved doors out of teak wood. I was in awe at how beautiful they were. There were also large wooden cabinets and drawers. Shop after shop had their own niche or novelty. Inside this modernized and massive souk, a visitor could find fresh markets, cafes, restaurants, Henna shops, spas, and more. My friend decided to get some original, Arabic cologne for her father. The cologne experience was memorable to say the least. The manager sat us down in two plush chairs near a stuffed carcass of an infant deer. He proceeded to bring us different scents from sophisticated glass jars filled with various oils. He would tilt the container just enough to get some of the fragrance on a lid. He would then hold the lid to our noses to give us a smell. The sensual experience last almost fifteen minutes and is one that I won't forget.

My absolute favorite part of the souk is the spice shops. There were so many spices and fragrances that I have never heard of. Every one knows about garlic, paprika, and sage. My nose was bewildered by the virgin smells that I have never previously experienced. There was dried rose, frankincense, and others that I can't even name. Afterwards, we went to the rooftop of the souk and took in the scenery with waterfall and rooftop cafe and shisha spot. I refrained from buying anything this time but what a visit! No other place in Abu Dhabi managed to heighten all of my five senses collectively like the Central Souk. I encourage you to visit if you have a few free hours and enjoy taken an environment in.

"Rooftop Rhythms": A Major Success!

God is good! I sensed that momentum was building for Black on Black Rhyme Abu Dhabi's 1st open mic show but who knew that it would exceed expectations so well?! During the planning stages, I was content with 30-50 people showing up. I would have been happy with 10 because a small crowd is usually common place when trying to start any new event. My focus was more so on giving the patrons that did attend a quality experience that would make them want to spread the word.

As the word of mouth spread amongst the connected group of teachers, my final estimate was around 50-60 people. I was shocked to see a final count of 110 people in attendance. Although I have been a part of planning major special events, this was the largest crowd I've ever help bring to a regular open mic.

The night was beautiful to say the least. I arrived two hours early to do a sound check with DJ Black Wolf (also co-organizer of the event with Mays Bros. Entertainment). As soon as we arrived, there were already patrons trickling in to get a seat on Cafe Arabia's rooftop. By 7pm, an hour before the event, there were already approximately 50 people in the seats getting settled in. By show time, we were near capacity on the roof.

Poets and vocalists from New Zealand to Houston, Texas, were in the house to contribute to the vibes. We were commemorating the 15th anniversary of Notorious B.I.G.'s death, and DJ Black Wolf did a great job of keeping his theme going throughout the night. He gave out mixtape CDs of Biggie's music by getting crowd members to answer specific questions about one of the best rappers of all time's life and career. We also did a NCAA-styled bracket of his 24 best songs. To a Hip-Hop head's dismay, the commercial hit, "One More Chance" won.

The eclectic crowd was a racial, age, and social status mix. There were white women in their 50's from Arizona, Emirati nationals enjoying the arts scene, Blacks from both the UK and America, and more. It was a good feeling to know that a lot of the crowd was being introduced to Biggie's music for the first time. Poets got on the mic and spoke about a variation of issues that some people could relate to and others couldn't. At the end of the night, the mission was accomplished and that was to get people to challenge each other to think and to open each other's perspective. The most touching moment of the evening was when an older White woman approached me and said that she was initially uncomfortable with so many Black people. As the night progressed, she felt more open and welcome. I was honored to help facilitate this vibe tonight.

Already, the patrons that attended are demanding another show! We are currently planning to make the next one even better! Currently we are planning to do the show once per month, but the demand may make us do it bi-weekly. Special thanks DJ Black Wolf for helping me to plan and envision this event. Much love to Sunny Deis of the Al Ain "Slammin' On the Roof" crew for coming out and representing. Another special thanks to all of the open mic participants that did their "thang"! Also, much love to James, Theresa, and Alex for all of their assistance in helping from behind the scenes. We also could not have been successful without each patron that invited a friend and helped to spread the word. Finally, thanks to all of my friends and family that believed in this event and prayed for its success back in the states. I can't wait to see what the next show/s have in store as we spread spoken word around the world!

A Budding Spoken Word Scene in the United Arab Emirates!

The Middle East, specifically the UAE has a rich oral history. The bedouin people of this area have told stories and spoken poems of wars and and tribal culture for thousands of years. (Click here for history of poetry and literature in the UAE.) Sheikh Zayed, the visionary of the UAE, loved poetry himself. Since the descendants of this great tradition were largely illiterate though, this tradition or love for poetry slowly declined over the decades.

With the advent of a large ex-pat (Western) community, many spoken word lovers from the West are coming with different performance art talents with few places to share. When I arrived, any one that knows me knows that I was bent on either joining a poetry movement or starting one. I was shocked to discover that Abu Dhabi, the nation's capital, had no on-going poetry open mic or feature show. Hence Black on Black Rhyme- Abu Dhabi was realized and berthed.

I was inspired by word that some expats started a show in Al-Ain, a smaller town about two hours away from Abu Dhabi. I heard of their first show in November when I arrived but had little knowledge on how to get there. I heard they were doing a show and was excited that I could be part of a new poetry movement in the Middle East. Two weekends ago, I was invited to perform poetry at a house party thrown in Al-Ain by different organizers. Although it was the most difficult of venues to perform, (Do you want to hear a poem at midnight after the "spirits" have been poured and the DJ is the middle of his best set? Thank you.) the crowd showed me a lot of love. I was able to drop the seed that a poetry show was being started in Abu Dhabi.

This weekend, I was finally able to make it "Slammin' on the Roof", Al-Ain's poetry show and what I believe to be the first ever open mic in the UAE. I took the 10 AED charter bus (Only $3?!) to Al Ain and was picked up by one of the organizers and host, Michelle. She introduced me to her husband, Preston, a DJ/Emcee and co-organizer. They welcomed me in to their home and treated me like family. They told me of how the show went from 10-15 people at its inception and is now at over 40 only after three months.

When I got there, I saw what the buzz was all about it! People brought their own refreshments and lawn chairs to a nice rooftop of a teachers' apartment building and the vibe was tangible! Over 50 people came this time to vent, relax, and share their rhymes.

Teachers spoke about their unique experiences of living abroad in the Middle East. One poet/comedian cracked the audience up with stories of Middle Eastern flies that catch rides in teachers' cars, the daily experiences of his elementary students, and even his life as a part-time actor. Charlis spoke about her love for Black music while Eddie, the husband of a teacher, showed his emcee prowess with a dope rap. The host, Michelle, kept the show in perspective with her piece about history of Blacks in America. She also told a sincere piece about the loss of her brother. In a crazy twist of events, I discovered after that she was a part of Black on Black Rhyme-Miami! What's the chances of that?! Everyone showed me love and support for taking the trek to Al-Ain and told me they would show reciprocity by attending the Abu Dhabi show on March 9, 2012.


More than ever, it became evident to me how open mic readings are necessary cartharses for people to bounce their perspectives, knowledge, and struggles with one another. Without them, we are all recluses that are left to deal with the quickly developing world on our own. As Black on Black Rhyme- Abu Dhabi's inaugural show approaches, there are already 50 people confirmed! I take pride in carrying on a tradition of Black on Black Rhyme but something that is inclusive of all people; It is the need to connect with others, the feeling of being a part of a larger community. This was the same sentiment that started the oral traditions of African and Easterners thousands of years ago and hopefully the same sentiment that will sustain this budding scene of poetry/story-telling to a fully blossomed flower for years to come.

When keeping it "cultural" goes wrong!

In an attempt to show my students appreciation for their culture, I decided to wear the Kandura more often. This is the traditional clothing for men in the UAE. It is a long-sleeved "get-up" that is usually white and flows down to the ankles almost like an Irish kilt. Over the past few weeks, I have worn it on Thursdays and have gotten a great response from my students. Many of them crowd around me and take pictures with me and compliment me on how well I look. Even other students in the school will approach me and ask if I am Arabic and are shocked when I begin to speak English. Nevertheless, the outfit sparks a lot of positive attention and admiration from the students.

I got encouraged by this idea and decided to unofficially start Kandura Thursdays. After work last week, I went to a local store and bought a few of the outfits for a reasonable price. I couldn't find any with the long sleeves so I thought nothing of it to purchase the ones without them. Since I have a tattoo on my left arm, I had to get creative and figure out a way to conceal it. I decided that a cut sock would not be the best idea, I decided that I would wear a long-sleeved, Western dress shirt under it. I arrived to the school and was met with the same praise and appreciation from the students. I made it through half of the day when I was alerted to some pretty embarrassing news. An Algerian teacher that is of Arabic descent approached me and told me that I was wearing what sounded like a "bad" outfit. I thanked him and shook his hand. I then thought he was saying a bad outfit as if he didn't like it. I realized after saying "What?" a few times that he was saying it was a "bed" outfit. Imagine the look on my face when I got the epiphany that I was wearing the pajama form of a Kandura! When keeping it "cultural" goes wrong! Needless to stay I turned blushed in a heartbeat.

Why hadn't my students said anything to me during class? Did they crowd around me and take pictures as a joke? I saw no students laughing but, then again, were they mocking me in Arabic? In my older age, I have learned to laugh at myself so I quickly dismissed any of the paranoia of this ordeal. I truly assumed that the students weren't laughing because they understood my intent and still appreciated my effort. Just like weeks before, I believe that they took pictures of me because they appreciate me and look up to me.

Later that evening, my head of faculty of the English department alerted me that one of the principals told him to give the head's up that I needed to be careful of what I wear. The head of faculty recommended that I relax on wearing the Kandura for a while. I was a little defensive and took up for the positive effect of how me wearing the Khandura had on the students. He said to use my discretion but that I had to be careful of what I wear because the Emirate people will not hint if there is an issue as opposed to being straight-forward. He said that it was great that I wanted to be a part of the culture but wearing their outfits may offend some that feel like it is meant for Muslims to wear. Just like in the states, there are traditions that some like to share and others like to keep to themselves.

I decided to go to the principal to that spoke with my head of faculty today. I kept it brief but apologized for wearing the wrong outfit. He was very understanding and told me that it was great to wear the outfit because I was showing respect for the culture and traditions but that I just needed to make sure that I wore it appropriately. He informed me to just wear a white, long-sleeved Kandura with the red headscarf or Guthra and black band to hold it in place called an Egal. So, give me your input. Should I let up a little and give it a break or continue on in risk of offending my head of faculty after he advised me that I might be doing a little too much?

Poetry Feature in Berlin

Berlin was a spur-of-the-moment addition to my Europe trip. After putting some "feelers" out in the poetry community, Marc Marcel, a fellow poet, gave me a list of contacts in Amsterdam and Germany. Since it was the holidays and only two weeks notice, I knew that I would have little to no chance of finding a show, let alone a paid feature. Yet and still, I resolved that I would still pay for my own travel as an investment in to getting my craft out internationally. I have been so blessed over the years to receive college and open mic features that I was comfortable in stepping out on faith in hopes of building connections and future opportunities.

Soon after I sent a few e-mails out in to the stratosphere, a poet and organizer from Berlin named Gaby (pronounced Gabby just like my sister's) responded and said that she would set up a show especially for me if I was able to make it. The date of 1/6/12 coincided with my travel itinerary so I accepted the offer. Gaby also offers Berlin tours so, when I arrived, I went on a brief visit to the Berlin wall. I was also able to view impressive street art and get a brief history on the Bohemian history of Berlin and its popularity as a haven for artists of all walks of life. On the tour, Gaby took me by my performance venue for later on that night, the Bethanien House. The building used to be a massive hospital that was eventually converted to an art space for Berlin's many painters, actors, and performance artists. I knew, at that moment, that I was right in step with fate and God's plan because there, in front of the building, spray-painted on a massive rock was, "Abu Dhabi to Berlin"! I couldn't believe my own eyes. It was a refreshing message to me because I once doubted why I even came to Berlin.

Although the show was small with only about 25 to 30 in attendance, the crowd was very receptive and supportive of my work. I also had a feeling of confirmation when I met down-to-earth poets from all over the world. We conversed and connected immediately. MC Jabber, a dope poet from Scotland has traveled around the UK and made a name for himself. Ben Porter Lewis, a poet from the states, mentioned names of poets he knew personally from the U.S. There had to be about one degree of separation because we knew a lot of the same poets. He mentioned great poets like Jason Carney and Mac Dennis, poets that I know as well. He also is well-versed in the National Poetry Slam community, a family of which I am well-versed as well.

Although, my stay was only a day and a half, I quickly became connected to Berlin and definitely would like to visit again. I was invited back to spend even more time once the weather warmed up and people weren't away for the holidays. A maxim shared with me by my father holds true. "If a man doesn't work, he won't eat. This doesn't always mean that you will get paid for your work. Sometimes, you have to get out there and show people, volunteer your services, and show people that you deserve to get paid." Otherwise, they will never know you existed. Here's to putting my name out in the atmosphere. I can already feel it resonating in the stratosphere. You'll be the first to know what comes of it!

Anne Frank House/Buchenwald Concentration Camp

A lot of people know that I am from mixed heritage, but many don't know what which nationalities specifically. In the American South, most people just understand my ethnicities as Black and White. I'm proud to say that I am Black mixed with Polish, White (great-grandmother raped by a White man), and Seminole Indian. This trip was intentioned with discovering more of my Polish-Jewish ancestry. My grandmother Jean, lived in Antipolia, Poland, as a young child but was moved away to America by her parents along with her other siblings. This was in the early 1940's, just before Hitler began his slaughter on Jews. Many of my great-cousins died in the Holocaust so I wanted to visit to reflect on this part of my history.

I was a little underwhelmed when I walked in to the exhibit of The Anne Frank house. It was nothing compared to the updated, interactive exhibit at the National Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C. It was then, in my criticism, that I realized that this exhibit was more about its location and history. It began to sink in, at that moment, that a tragic story of a great child occurred within the walls of this house. I got the chance to view all aspects of the home. As a poet, I noticed a aura of great sadness in the house. I heard more about Anne and her family's story of being forced from Frankfurt in to hiding in Amsterdam. How she came from a family of privilege and had to go in hiding in sub-par living conditions. It was touching to see the pictures of celebrities she pasted on the wall in her small sleeping area. I got to see the attic that she used to visit to get the stale house air out of her lungs. It's hard to imagine that the two families in hiding from the Nazis were rarely able to walk around or run water during the day in fear of being caught. They eventually were given up, as the story goes, and Anne was sent to Auschwitz, the most brutal concentration camp of all. A friend of hers that snuck to see her at Auschwitz said she was in bad condition because everyone fought for scraps of food, clothing, etc... Oftentimes, the teens and children would not be strong enough to survive. She said that Anne died just a few weeks before the U.S. helped to liberate the camps.

Two days later, I set out to Weimart, Germany, so that I could witness the Buchenwald Concentration Camp with my own eyes. This experience totally shook me. Indeed, there was no way that I could mentally or emotionally prepare myself for this visit to one of the largest concentration camps of all. I visited the de-lousing station, the crematory, operational rooms, furnaces, and other areas. I went down in to the dark basement where people were hanged from hooks and tortured. POWs were executed by shot to the neck. Bodies were thrown down a shoot and stacked in the area where I stood. These bodies were then sent to the furnaces. More humiliating, the remains were mixed together in one big pile and then randomly poured in to urns to be stacked or given to families. It was unsettling to picture that on those premises, families were destroyed, people were tortured, and lives were senselessly lost. The Nazi Germans were relentless on their systematic torture of not only Jews, but Russian POWS, "gypsies", homosexuals, and the handicapped; All of these groups were labeled as impure. The saddest part of it all is that only a few of the Nazis involved were actually brought to trial and sentenced to death. Many of the few that were tried had their cases lightened and were later released five to ten years later. Most of these devils moved away to other countries to hide from extradition. Many of them succeeded. Although brutal on the human soul, I suggest a visit to a concentration camp in Germany or Poland. They tell a unique story of human deprivation at its sickest. It tells the story of how people managed to survive such denigration, overcrowding, and death. It lives as a reminder of how low humanity can go if morality isn't respected.