Changes!

So it's become very apparent that I genuinely am very useless at keeping up with this whole blogging business! But here I am again about to tell you all about my last few months and what's in store for my next few. So I'll start from the beginning, because that's a very good place to start :D
So I started my new job in August which was definitely the change I needed and has really been where the ball has started rolling... again! With a new job comes a new routine and a whole new social circle which was very exciting as I've always been very keen on meeting new people. But I had a moment in November maybe where I thought that I might throw it all away and run straight back to the pub, my comfort zone. With everything being so new for the first few months, you're still adapting to everything but once that's over and the dust starts to settle the reality of the all the changes start to become very clear, and honestly that's more scary then making the changes. Thinking only a few months ago I was this different person with a different life. The scariness had really come from being turned down for a promotion at the new job. When I told I hadn't got it this time, I went home and got very angry! Was this change all worth it? Would I have been off if I had stayed? What about all this work I've put into this? Well, I decided to calm down and go back to my work and tell them exactly why I thought they had made the wrong decision, why I was deserving of the role, how I was the best candidate. Would you believe that worked? Well it did! I went back and fought for what I believed I deserved and got it. In that moment I realised I had changed so much already. Never before would I have fought hard for what I wanted and not in a begging, whiney way. No, I fought with reason and evidence, I may have got a bit teary but that's because I felt so passionate about what I was saying! So when I they told me they had re-thought it and I had I thought I had really won a small battle (for man, huge win for Jess! :D).
So with any promotion come new responsibilities and I've been super busy setting training mornings up and how to boost staff morale, and I feel that my time in Ghana teaching was brilliant experience for this role! I could put my teaching methods into my work, and also on the way learn so many more methods that I could take away with me for the future.
One thing that;s unfortunate that comes with new jobs and any real big change is the loss of friends. Maybe loss is a bit of an extreme word, but definitely losing touch with people. I have all these accomplishments I want to tell my old friends and it feels like it may have been too long to text them out the blue to be like 'Look what I did!'. So that's something I'm gonna be working onnow I'm more comfortable in my new role, working on my friends. Even if it's a text a week, I need to make it happen, cus it's taken me being away from them all to realise what I've had with them and actually how much I need them around!
So talking of the future, I'm moving in with one of the besties in a couple of weeks time. It's a totally exciting time, but also a really scary time! But the time has come, I'm 22 and it's time to fly the nest. And who better to do it with than the bestie! If you had asked me last year if  I thought I was grown up, I would have turned around and really believed that yes I had grown up, but I'm now realising how wrong I would have been, there's so much for me to experience, like responsibilities!
But that's where I'm at now! I'll probably be back in a few  months time telling you all how it is being a grown up and how I'm totally out of my depth!
So I'll leave you with one of my favourite songs at the minute and hopefully I shall speak to you sooner then that :D

Feminism - Stereotypes = Equality

Recently I've seen a lot of articles and posts about being a feminist, "10 celebrities you didn't know were feminists" "Everybody needs to see this act of feminism" and it really is an amazing thing to see how much attention it's getting and how much of a difference it can really make, but (there's always a but) when does it stop being an empowering movement and start becoming a hate spree!

I believe that being a feminist you should feel empowered! Hell! Just being a woman! A gay man? Why the hell not! Y'know, one step further, how about being a human?! Is that not the whole point of most activist groups? Going through the tears of people insulting you for something that can't be helped, it's just genetics after all, and even after that still fighting just to be seen as equal? Gay rights? Women's rights? Racial rights? Essentially all it is people are fighting for is to be treated equally compared to the next person. And why shouldn't anybody want that? Maybe to some, we're too pushy? I believe being a little pushy is a good thing, some people need that push. I think the big problem though is that some activists are confusing the passion of wanting something, with aggression. Don't get me wrong a little bit of positive aggression is perfectly fine, and to me falls under being passionate but then there's hating on the people you are trying to convince to get on your side. Now you may think I'm talking about men when I say people, and for the majority I am, but I'm also talking about women. Yes, women need to convince women to fight for women's rights! I have read posts where women with good intentions sometimes over step the mark and start telling women what they should and shouldn't be doing and sometime I agree that there are people who let down our side but isn't that exactly what we're fighting against? People who tell us what we should and shouldn't be doing because we're women? You may be trying to enlighten women and even men with the "You don't need to wear make up" and the "You don't have to be a housewife" and that's fine. I enjoy wearing make up, and I love that silky feeling of shaving my legs, and yes I do it for myself but I also do it for others to show a good representation of myself. I feel at my most confident when I think I'm looking good, but to me that's not a bad thing. If you're a person who feels at their best when they're fresh faced than that's what works for you! We should be living by what makes us feel the most comfortable. Some women are at their happiest when they fall into what the 'stereotypical' woman want and no you don't have to but there's also nothing wrong with wanting that either! Women shouldn't feel belittled or left behind in the fight for equality because they do want what other women don't! The whole point is that we want to be treated as individuals and not Be a proud mother, be a proud student, be a proud CEO but at most importantly be a proud 'you'. Enjoy what makes you exactly what you are and remember don't criticize those who don't necessarily fit into what we believe our 'ideal' is. If we want equality we have to fight together and help those back up and not push them down further. We can be better if we're all confident in who we are and do it together! I want equality, not advantages. 

Naturals For Boobies

There's been a trend the last few days to raise awareness for Breast Cancer where women take selfies, now stay with me I know this is the norm for women, but they're going without make up! Nada! Completely nat-u-ral! This won't be a long post, I just wanted to get out how surprised I am, as to how much it's worked! But the big question is, should it be about raising awareness or raising money? Personally I think both are just as important as the other! Raise awareness for women to check themselves and get themselves checked! Raise money to get the research done to save lives! I don't think either opinion is wrong because I've never heard so many people talk about the 'C' word so much, whether it's negatively or positively, it's still being spoke about and I guess is sort of the point to the whole thing. Unfortunately cancer seems to have had an effect on everyone, either you know someone that's had it or you have had it yourself! We can really learn from this! I know that I learnt more about what to look out for and how to know whether I should be getting checked out!

Within 24 hours Breast Cancer UK had raised over £1million! If that doesn't prove a point then I don't know what will! Maybe Charities should make raising awareness/money more fun? I'm not sure that's the right word to use but everyone seems to have enjoyed doing them (apart from those neg heads) and most people seems to have donated! A little can go a long way! So to those who thought it was silly and didn't see the point and mostly to you cancer you can all go do one!! Congratulations ladies keep it going! 

If you'd like to donate to Breast Cancer simply text BEAT to 70099

My no make up selfie!

Average Ali

Describe to me what the average person is to you. Forget about the maths involved with it, just your personal description of what you believe it to be. What is this person's traits? What are their quirks? Do they have any habits?

I find that there's so much hype about this average person! Let's call this person Ali, and on average we're quite obsessed with their appearance! Weight, height, general body measurements, eye colour, hair colour, hair in genral, skin colour!

The average persons hair starts going frizzy at 60% humidity.

"Mine goes frizzy at 70%! What sort of monster am I?"

(Not an actual fact!)

Why do people want to put numbers and statistics on the appearance and not on the things that make people, well, human? In a world where they're trying to make people accept 'Ali' it seems that it's turning into the 'Unofficial Battle of the Sizes'. The 'Unofficial Battle of the Sizes has been going on much longer than most battles, and it seems everyone is involved! I scroll through my Facebook feed and there's the "I'm proud to be curvy" And the "I'm proud to be slim" but it doesn't stop at being proud. It goes so much further! Too far! It seems people over a certain weight are on one side of the ring and people under a certain weight on the other. I thought we were fighting for equality? How can these people be allies and yet feel like the biggest enemy in this fight for "equality". What ever happened to the rest of a make up of a person? Personally, I don't choose my friends on their size of clothing or how big their eyebrows are. If I share a similar sense of humour with someone then I think it's going to turn into a beautiful friendship.

If I'm to describe Ali I'd say that they would have a good bit of common sense. an ability to be able to make friends and keep good relationships with them. Has had a bit of heartache but is stronger for it! They sometimes say things they don't mean and immediately regret it. They will cry and sometimes laugh for no reason whatsoever. They have a habit that nobody knows about and isn't necessarily even relevant to anything. They have a habit that everybody knows about! They have opinions on different topics and doesn't care about other topics. Things make Ali angry, happy, and confused. Ali definitely does not understand everything but things are a learning curve! But every individual has their own traits which separates themselves from Ali which is just as important as everything else!

I strive to try and break the 'Ali' personality boundaries! I don't want to blend in with the 'norm', and I think I do it rather well! I think what annoys me most about Ali is that people are looking at that thinking that means Ali is the ideal person. Unfortunately for these people what they maybe don't realise Ali is just based on numbers and surveys. Ali isn't real. You are! It seems averages are just as much the enemy as the rest of "the enemies" The things you do and say are real and instead of trying to base yourselves on a number, express yourself the way you want to! People will appreciate that far more! The reality is the odds are against us and not everybody can like us and that's okay, it's just one of those things! Don't let that stop you being you though, because you will find people that like, or even share your ridiculous choice of clothing or your views of conspiracy theories. The only thing that everybody should have in common is rights and the only numbers that matter is you, because you are your own number one!

Too Many Cooks?

So I've just finished watching Reggie Yates's Extreme South Africa which has to be one of the more surprising things I've watched in a while. It's a 3 part stint and the first episode is about the White Slums in South Africa, and for many of us (me included) I didn't realise it was as bad as it is. I've been aware for many years that being white in South Africa has been a thing that's getting worse, mainly from stories my mum has told me from family members that are/were living there. So my thoughts are would a situation like this capture the eye of the "Western World" because to put it bluntly, they're white. When you think of Poverty in Africa you think of black families in villages who are hungry, walking miles for water and to go to school (if school is an option). Unfortunately Poverty is only getting worse, worldwide. It used to be some sort of illusion of ours that it only hit people of certain races and people of certain backgrounds. So what now? It's very clear that the poverty virus is spreading and no one is immune.

There was a series of episodes about a year or so ago that I watched, that showed the harsh truth about what was going on everywhere! There were no restrictions to country, religion, gender, sexual orientation or colour. Just people. It was called Why Poverty? And their aim seemed simple. Awareness. There was no asking of money no one trying to force you to believe a particular view point of any one person. Just a look into peoples lives. Rich and poor. Just an understanding of things. Some episodes made you realise how easy it was for anyone to end up in (for lack of a better description) just a really crappy set of circumstances. There was a debate that revolved around the series of shows that really asked the hard hitting questions on how to try and end poverty for good with big names, which included Tony Blair, Vandana Shiva, Oby Ezekwesili and Moeltesi Mbeki. And what was their verdict? There wasn't one... They all had so many different points of view on how they think poverty could be ended. It was almost the perfect representation of "Too many cooks, spoil the broth."  After watching it. it made me ask a lot of questions, which I guess was the aim of the series. Maybe one of the biggest questions I had was, will there ever be an end to poverty? Or even a world where every person at least gets their entitlement to the most basic of human rights? I'm not entirely sure! But is there a right answer to it all? Things are getting much better in some places and then a new type of poverty has started somewhere new! But I believe you can't look at all countries difficulties with the same answer. So should it then be up to their Government to figure out a solution because they realistically should know where the country needs the help. But it just doesn't seem to be the case.

Poverty has been happening since the beginning of time. Whether it be in that country or this or whatever. How is it still happening? We've come so far and yet we still can't figure out how to give everybody a fair life. There will always be the "little man" but do they have to be denied the basics?

Been A While...

So it's been over a year since I've wrote anything here! I'm a tad dissapointed in myself that I couldn't even stick at it longer than just the one introduction post. I wish I had recorded my year as some of it was so busy I feel like I missed a majority of it! :/ But I also feel like I did a lot of growing up and had a lot of change in my opinions, as well as my goals and future plan. For once I feel like there is a plan! Not one of much organisation BUT a plan none the less. The plan you may ask? It involves more volunteering in my favourite place (Ghana!) and then fingers crossed 2015 will be the year I start a University Education studying Social Sciences, specifically International Development. I've played on the idea of the subject for a few years. I don't want to be another young adult who gets themselves in debt over choosing any subject because it sounded good at the time. I want to make sure I've had enough time to know and to be able to fully understand what I will be getting myself into with the commitment and debt! I just want to be doubly sure :P But I feel that it's time to put it as a definite on the future plan!

As I think about what has happened in the last year since I last wrote this and there's only been a few things. One that was inevitable to leave a memory or a thousand was heading back to Ghana. What a trip! But I knew it was going to be anyway! I've also celebrated my 21st since and celebrated it in style in Ghana! But when I try to think back to the rest, nothing sticks out and it's right now writing this that I feel I need to make a change. I would rather not go out for a couple of weeks and go to a gig. Or save and go out for a day, a weekend or a week. No mater how small, I want to start making my days more memorable and almost start living. I'm also not afraid of my opinions and of wanting to express them whether it be a close matter to my heart or whether it be a flying though across my mind. Instead of this being a place where I document my life fact by fact, I'd rather act a bit more free and throw my thoughts out there to the rest of the world (If they so choose to read it :P). But even if not this is a place where I can be me and I'm open for debate! I don't believe that your opinions stays the same for every subject if you're open minded. It changes with experience and new knowledge! I just want to expand on my knowledge and even find opinions about subjects I didn't even realise I had! So I'll completely disregard my first post but keep it there as I did have some sort of intention. But this won't be on a time schedule just as and when I want to share something because this isn't about getting the views on my blog it's about sharing with you and you sharing with me. So if you had read this maybe throw a subject at me I'm all ears... Maybe eyes and fingers would be more appropriate for a blog :) I look forward to hearing from you! But I may throw the odd song in there! Just cus I like them :) So here's to a good new year!