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globaltravelers · 2 years

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Africa & Mideast Trip - 4 Tours

11 Day Crown of Egypt with 3 Day First Class Nile Cruise

March 10 ~ 20, 2023

Escorted Package Includes

Round trip flights New York-Cairo, Cairo-New York

Airline taxes & fuel surcharges

All intra-flights: Cairo-Aswan, Luxor-Cairo

9 nights First Class accommodations

Hotel taxes, fees & service charges

Hotel & cruise porterage

All transfers

18 meals: 9 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 5 dinners

Sightseeing per itinerary in modern air-conditioned motor coach

Services of English-speaking tour manager throughout

Entrance fees per itinerary

4 nights Cairo

2 night Aswan

3 nights Nile Cruise on the MS Esplanade

Special Features

Marvel at the oldest structure of the “seven wonders of the ancient world”, the Great Pyramid of Giza

View the world-famous Aswan High Dam, an engineering miracle, built in the 1960s

Discover the Temple of Philae dedicated to the goddess Isis with its beautiful island location

Enjoy a 3-day cruise on the Nile and admire the spectacular scenery of the Nile Valley

Explore the imposing Greco-Roman Temple of Kom Ombo

Tour the stunning Temple of Edfu, dedicated to the falcon god Horus, built in the Ptolemaic period

Visit the magnificent Temples of Karnak, dating back over 3,000 years

Admire the two colossal statues of Ramses II at the entrance to the ancient Luxor Temple

Itinerary

DAY 1, Friday - Depart for Egypt Depart for Egypt

DAY 2, Saturday - Arrive in Cairo Welcome to Egypt, one of the world's greatest ancient civilizations. Arrive in Cairo and transfer to your hotel with the remainder of the day at leisure. Your tour will begin with an orientation meeting with your Tour Manager at approximately 6 PM, followed by a light dinner Overnight: Cairo Meals: Dinner

DAY 3, Sunday - The Pyramids & Sakkara After breakfast, visit the Pyramids of Giza, built during the 3rd and 4th dynasties of the Old Kingdom. These monumental undertakings stand as a marvelous testimony to the almost unbelievable skill and determination of their builders. Get a close-up view of the Great Pyramid, built for the Pharaoh Khufu, as well as the Pyramids of Khafre and Menkaure. Not too far from the Pyramids, see the great Sphinx of Giza, the legendary statue with the head of a human and the body of a lion, amazingly carved out of one huge piece of limestone. Leisure time this afternoon, or join the optional tour to Sakkara with lunch. In Sakkara, site of hundreds of tombs, view the famous Step Pyramid of Djoser. Next, visit a carpet school before heading back to your hotel Optional: Sakkara Pyramids with Lunch (PM) Overnight: Cairo Meals: Breakfast

DAY 4, Monday - Flight to Aswan, Aswan High Dam & Philae Temple Today, fly to Aswan, an ancient frontier town. Upon arrival, take a tour to the Aswan High Dam, that brought an end to the Nile's devastating floods. Take a tour to Philae Temple dedicated to the goddess Isis. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before stopping at a local perfume shop. Afterward, check into your hotel in Aswan. Afternoon is at leisure Overnight: Aswan Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

DAY 5, Tuesday - Full Day in Aswan Spend the morning at leisure, or join the optional tour to Abu Simbel temples. An Early morning bus ride takes you to the Temples of Abu Simbel, reclaimed from the floodwaters of the Aswan High Dam The site is dominated by the twin temples of Ramses II and his wife Queen Nefertari. Afterwards, return to your hotel, or take part in an optional Aswan Felucca Ride Optional: Abu Simbel by Bus from Aswan (AM) Optional: Aswan Felucca Ride (PM) Overnight: Aswan Meals: Breakfast

DAY 6, Wednesday - Nubian Village, Nile Cruise Embarkation This morning, board a motorboat and cruise along the Nile River to a Nubian village. Upon arrival, visit a traditional Egyptian village in Aswan to get an insight into the culture, history, and lifestyle. Afterwards, embark on the Nile cruise and have lunch on board. This evening visit a shop where you can view a quick demonstration of how the papyrus paper is made from papyrus grass Overnight: Nile Cruise Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 7, Thursday - Kom Ombo, Edfu & Esna Tour the Greco-Roman Temple of Kom Ombo, that is dedicated to Horus, the sky god, and Sobek, the crocodile god. After lunch on board, sail towards Edfu. Take a tour to the Temple of Horus in Edfu, which is dedicated to the falcon god Horus, the son of Isis and Osiris. Cross Esna Lock and sail onward towards Luxor Overnight: Nile Cruise Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 8, Friday - Temples of Karnak & Luxor View the magnificence of the Luxor West Bank on this morning's optional tour that includes the Valley of the Kings & Temple of Hatshepsut along with Colossi of Memnon. Begin with a visit to the UNESCO listed Valley of the Kings, the necropolis of Thebes and admire the tombs of ancient Egypt's rulers. Next, head to the Temple of Hatshepsut, a colonnaded structure surrounded by cliffs and learn about the life of Queen Hatshepsut, Egypt's longest-reigning female ruler.. Afterward, visit an alabaster factory and observe how this soft mineral is processed. Browse the extensive collection of alabaster pieces. Conclude the tour at the Colossi of Memnon: two massive stone statues of the Pharaoh Amenhotep III. Return to the ship for lunch. This afternoon take a sightseeing tour of the East Bank of Luxor. Visit the magnificent Temples of Karnak, dating back over 3,000 years. Walk along the avenue of the Sphinxes and marvel at the Hypostyle Hall with its 134 massive sandstone columns. Afterward, head to Luxor Temple to admire the colossal statues of the great pharaoh Ramses II Optional: Excursion to West Bank (AM) Overnight: Nile Cruise Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 9, Saturday - Disembarkation, Flight to Cairo After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight to Cairo. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure or join the optional Half Day Coptic Cairo with lunch. Make your way to the Old Cairo, this area is the original home of the Coptic Christians, one of the world's oldest Christian denominations. Here, visit the Hanging Church, that was built in the 7th century. Admire the courtyard and interior with its elaborate wooden screen, marble pulpit and icons. Proceed to Abu Serga, a 5th-century Coptic church and hear how the church was built over the site of a cave, believed to have sheltered the Holy Family during their flight into Egypt Then, tour The Church of St. George, a Greek Orthodox church built atop the north tower of the old Roman fortress of Babylon Optional: Half Day Coptic Cairo with lunch Overnight: Cairo Meals: Breakfast

DAY 10, Sunday - Full Day Cairo Enjoy a day at leisure, or join the optional Egyptian Museum & Khan El Khalili bazaar with lunch. Begin with a visit to the Egyptian Museum. After lunch, continue to Khan el Khalili bazaar. Tonight at dinner, bid farewell to your Tour Manager Optional: Egyptian Museum & Khan El Khalili with lunch (AM) Overnight: Cairo Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

DAY 11, Monday -Depart Egypt Transfer to the airport for your departure flight Meals: Breakfast

Cost: $3,449 per person including air & land, accommodation based on double occupancy

Booking: [email protected]

13 Day Essential Israel & Jordan

March 19~31, 2023

Escorted Package Includes

1 night Tel Aviv

2 nights Galilee Region

3 nights Jerusalem

1 night Dead Sea

2 nights Petra

2 nights Amman

Special Features

Leisure time to enjoy Tel Aviv, known as Israel’s "playground on the sea"

Tour the astounding Roman, Byzantine and Crusader ruins at ancient Caesarea

Enjoy the serenity of the Sea of Galilee, the largest freshwater lake in Israel

Tour the impressive archaeological site of Beit She’an dating back to King Saul

In Jerusalem's Old City, explore the Via Dolorosa, Church of the Holy Sepulchre and Mt. Zion

Time to explore the multifaceted ancient "golden" city of Jerusalem at your own pace

Visit Bethany, the site of Jesus' baptism by John the Baptist

Stand atop Mount Nebo, where Moses climbed to see the Promised Land

At Madaba, see the vivid 6th century mosaic map of the Holy Land

Itinerary:

DAY 1, Sunday - Depart for Israel Depart for Israel

DAY 2, Monday - Arrive in Tel Aviv Arrive in Tel Aviv and transfer to your hotel. Time to rest, relax and acclimate to your new time zone. Your tour will begin with an orientation meeting with your Tour Manager at approximately 7 PM. We recommend that you select flights which arrive no later than 5 PM Overnight: Tel Aviv

DAY 3, Tuesday - Tel Aviv, Caesarea, Galilee Region This morning get acquainted with Tel Aviv known as the "Big Orange" on a walking tour of the city's highlights. Travel to the ancient port of Jaffa with its reconstructed Artists' Quarter before continuing to quaint Neve Tzedek. Next, go to Rabin Square to view the memorial to the late Prime Minister. Later, depart Tel Aviv and drive along the sparkling Mediterranean coast to ancient Caesarea; view the astounding Roman, Byzantine and Crusader ruins and the 2,000-year-old theater. Travel to the age-old fishing village of Capernaum on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee, home to a celebrated Byzantine-era synagogue and frequently mentioned in the Bible as Jesus' base during his Galilean ministry. Arrive in the tranquil Galilee Region for dinner and overnight Overnight: Galilee Region Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

DAY 4, Wednesday - The Sea of Galilee Spend the day at leisure to enjoy the serenity of the Sea of Galilee, the largest freshwater lake in Israel, or explore this city embedded with a history dating back to the Roman Emperor Tiberius and religious sites that include the Church of St. Peter. Don't miss the optional full day tour to Galilee that begins at the Mount of Beatitudes where Jesus preached His famous "Sermon on the Mount". Next on to Safed, one of Judaism's holiest cities and mystical center of Kabbalah; walk through the colorful artists' colony and visit an ancient synagogue. Then, ascend the Golan Heights to understand more about this strategic area; visit Har Bental, site of a former Israeli bunker. Following lunch, visit a kibbutz and taste special vintages at a winery in Katzrin before heading back. Tonight, dinner is at your hotel Optional: Full Day Galilee & Golan Heights with Lunch (AM) Overnight: Galilee Region Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

DAY 5, Thursday - Beit She'an, "Golden" Jerusalem This morning, visit a factory where diamonds are cut and set in jewelry. Learn about the manufacturing process of this industry. Traveling south reach the impressive archaeological site of Beit She'an, an ancient city dating back to King Saul; see the remains of an ancient Roman city and the ongoing excavations. Continue via the Jordan Valley to the "golden city" of Jerusalem. The rest of the day is at leisure to discover the many facets of Jerusalem on your own. The afternoon optional tour of the New City begins with a drive via the Supreme Court building and the Knesset, Israel's Parliament, to the impressive Israel Museum. Here, view the Shrine of the Book, home of the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the scale model of Jerusalem during the Second Temple period. Then, pay respects at Yad Vashem, Memorial to the Holocaust on the Mount of Remembrance. Later, the entertaining optional evening includes dinner at a popular restaurant followed by attendance at the spectacular Sound & Light Show at the Tower of David Optional: New City of Jerusalem (PM) Optional: Restaurant Dinner, Sound & Light Show & Illuminated Jerusalem (PM) Overnight: Jerusalem Meals: Breakfast

DAY 6, Friday - Jerusalem Old City Tour Begin your exploration of Jerusalem at the walled Old City with its four distinct sections - the Christian, Jewish, Muslim and Armenian Quarters. Have a chance to see the famed Western Wall, then follow the steps along the Via Dolorosa to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, one of the holiest sites in the Christian world. Pass through the narrow alleys and souks to Mt. Zion; visit the room of the Last Supper and the Tomb of King David. The remainder of the day is on your own to stroll through the picturesque lanes of the Old City or visit the exotic bazaars. Join the optional afternoon tour to Bethlehem that includes a visit to the Church of the Nativity, commemorating the birthplace of Christ. A stop for local olive wood handicrafts is included Optional: Half Day Bethlehem (PM) Overnight: Jerusalem Meals: Breakfast

DAY 7, Saturday - Day in Jerusalem Today is free to immerse yourself in this ancient city; walk through the city's colorful neighborhoods that reveal a diverse blend of traditional and modern cultures. Or, participate in the optional tour to Masada that begins with a drive along the shores of the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth, to Masada. Ascend by cable car to the top of these heroic heights; listen to the brave tale of the Zealots who chose to perish rather than live under Roman rule. Visit the archaeological sites including the remains of Herod's Palace, a synagogue, bath houses, and dwellings. Pass through the Museum of Masada at the base, then stop at the Dead Sea for a swim in the salty and buoyant waters before returning to Jerusalem. Tonight, enjoy a reception and bid farewell to your Tour Manager Optional: Full Day Masada and Dead Sea (AM) Overnight: Jerusalem Meals: Breakfast

DAY 8, Sunday - Depart Israel, Travel to the Dead Sea, Bethany After breakfast, depart Israel and travel towards the Dead Sea, Jordan. Transfer from your hotel in Jerusalem and arrive at the Allenby Bridge border. You will be escorted through the border crossing process and then met by your Jordanian Tour Manager. Visa for Jordan is required but arranged free of charge. Israel Departure tax of $50-$60 is required and payable locally.* Travel to your hotel in the Dead Sea area, the lowest point on earth. This afternoon, visit the village of Bethany, the site of Jesus' baptism by John the Baptist. This is also the area where the prophet Elijah ascended to heaven via a chariot of fire. The sites that make up Bethany were part of early Christian pilgrimages between Mt. Nebo and Jerusalem. Tonight, enjoy a drink and orientation meeting with your Tour Manager *Please visit Visa and Entry Fee/ Departure taxes page here for more details Overnight: Dead Sea Meals: Breakfast

DAY 9, Monday - Kerak Castle, Little Petra, Arrive in Petra After breakfast, travel to the city of Kerak, situated on the King's Way. The city is known for its Crusader Kerak Castle, dating back to the 12th century. Tour the imposing fort that consists of stone-vaulted halls and endless passageways. After lunch on your own, visit Little Petra, a smaller archaeological site located north of Petra. The site features temples, tombs and cisterns carved out of the rock as well as impressive frescoes from the Nabatean period. Then, continue to Petra and check into your hotel. Your evening is at leisure Overnight: Petra Meals: Breakfast

DAY 10, Tuesday - Day in Petra Today, spend your day at leisure or, join the optional Petra tour. Enter the "rose red" city hand-sculpted from a mountain range by the Nabateans in the 3rd century BC. Begin your walk (or ride) through the "Siq", a winding canyon road. View Petra's most extraordinary monument - the towering Treasury building rising over 140 feet. Discover soaring temples, elaborate royal tombs, a theatre, and burial champers - all remnants of a once great Nabatean culture. In the afternoon perhaps join the optional Wadi Rum Jeep Safari. Ride in a 4x4 vehicle to explore Wadi Rum, with its looming rock faces and huge red sand dunes. Enjoy a breathtaking sunset over Wadi Rum before driving back to Petra Optional: Petra Tour (AM) Optional: Wadi Rum Jeep Safari (PM) Overnight: Petra Meals: Breakfast

DAY 11, Wednesday - Madaba and Mount Nebo After breakfast, stop at Kerak Castle after departing Petra on the way to Amman. En route, visit the mosaic city of Madaba, where an ancient map of the Holy Land is set into the floor of Saint George's Church. Continue with a visit to Mount Nebo, the reputed burial site of Moses, overlooking the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea. Afterward, arrive in Amman the capital of the Kingdom of Jordan. Often referred to as the "White City" because of the white stone used to build the houses, Amman is among the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world Overnight: Amman Meals: Breakfast

DAY 12, Thursday - Day in Amman Spend your last day in Jordan at leisure or, join the optional tour to Jerash. Travel north of Amman to the city of Jerash, the best-preserved example of Roman civilization in Jordan. Jerash, was part of the Decapolis (the ten large Roman cities of the East) The city features theaters, churches, temples of Zeus and Artemis, a Nymphaeum and colonnaded street. In the afternoon you have the choice to attend an optional tour of Amman. Visit the Amman Citadel in the city center, followed by a trip to the Archaeological Museum. Continue to the Roman Amphitheater, one of the largest in the Middle East. Then, experience the heart of the city center by browsing in the downtown markets. Tonight, attend a reception and bid farewell to your Tour Manager Optional: Half Day Jerash (AM) Optional: Amman City Tour (PM) Overnight: Amman Meals: Breakfast

DAY 13, Friday - Depart Jordan Transfer to the airport for your departure flight Meals: Breakfast

Cost: $1,999 per person, land tour cost only. Accommodation based on double occupancy

Booking: [email protected]

8 Day Classic Morocco

April 1~8, 2023

Escorted Package Includes

1 night Rabat

2 nights Fez

2 nights Marrakesh

1 night Casablanca

Special Features

Visit the ancient Roman ruins of Volubilis, a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Take a short bus tour of the imperial city of Fez

Enjoy a special home hosted dinner by a local family in Fez

Admire the 12th century Koutoubia Minaret, used as the prototype for Seville's La Giralda tower

View Hassan II Mosque, build to commemorate the former king's 60th birthday

Itinerary:

DAY 1, Monday - Depart for MoroccoDepart for Morocco

DAY 2, Tuesday - Arrive in Casablanca & Transfer to RabatArrive in Casablanca and transfer to your hotel in Rabat where you have the rest of the day at leisure to explore the capital city of Morocco. Your tour will begin with an orientation meeting with your Tour Manager at approximately 6 PM, followed by a light dinner. We recommend that you select flights which arrive no later than 3 PMOvernight: RabatMeals: Dinner

DAY 3, Wednesday - Rabat Sightseeing, Travel to FezThis morning, take a city tour of Rabat. View the Royal Palace and the ancient ruins of Chellah, the Oudaya Kasbah, and the Hassan Tower. En route to Fez, stop and visit the ancient ruins of the Roman city of Volubilis where you will get a chance to see the wonderfully preserved original mosaics, Roman Road, and city layout. As you travel through the Moroccan countryside, pass by the holy city of Moulay Idriss for a photo opportunity. This evening, upon arrival in Fez, enjoy a short bus tour of the imperial city conducted by your Tour Manager on the way to the hotelOvernight: FezMeals: Breakfast

DAY 4, Thursday - Fez City TourBegin the day with a city tour of Fez. Visit the many hidden treasures of the medina that only a Moroccan guide will know. Fez served as the capital of Morocco for more than 400 years and is home to the University of Al Karaouine. It is particularly famous for its tanneries and the Fes el Bali Medina. A short visit to the surrounding leather shops give you the best view of the tanneries. View the Attarine Medersa, Moulay Idriss mausoleum, and visit the Nejjarine Fountains and Museum. Opportunities for shopping for authentic Moroccan carpets. Finally, view the exterior of the Royal Palace and walk through the famed Jewish quarter of the medina where you will get a chance to walk through one of the few remaining Jewish cemeteries in Morocco. This evening, enjoy a special dinner hosted by a local family and learn about Moroccan culture and traditions**Home hosted dinner in Fez may be moved to another day, according to your host's availabilityOvernight: FezMeals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 5, Friday - Travel to MarrakeshThis morning, depart for Marrakesh, a day-long journey taking you through the ever-changing landscape of the Moroccan valleys and Atlas Mountains along the way. Kindly note that this will be the longest coach ride of your tour. You will depart Fez in the early morning and arrive to Marrakesh in the early evening. Included will be sufficient rest stops for your comfort and a break for lunch on your own. Your journey begins with views of the mountains around Ifrane and ends in the dry flatlands around Marrakesh, allowing you to experience the depth of the country's terrain. This evening, take a short bus tour of Marrakesh, conducted by your Tour Manager en route to your hotelOvernight: MarrakeshMeals: Breakfast

DAY 6, Saturday - Morning Tour of MarrakeshMorning tour of Marrakesh begins at the 16th century Saadian Tombs, where Saadian royalty found their final resting place. Continue to the Koutoubia Minaret and the beautiful Bahia Palace. You will also have the opportunity to shop for authentic Moroccan argan oil, reputedly rich in nutrients and antioxidants beneficial to skin and hair. Stroll through the bustling Medina to Djemaa el Fna Square, the lively center of the city, a dazzling display of acrobats, story tellers, and snake charmers. Then, perhaps join the optional camel ride. Experience the tranquility of the Palmeraie, a palm oasis outside of Marrakesh, as you ride in Berber style through the valley of lush palm groves on a dromedary, a member of the camel family. The rest of the day is yours for independent discoveriesOptional: Camel Ride (PM)Overnight: MarrakeshMeals: Breakfast

DAY 7, Sunday - Travel to Casablanca & City TourAfter breakfast, travel to Casablanca for your half day sightseeing tour including the exterior of the Hassan II Mosque* and the beautiful Corniche seaside. Continue on a short drive through the residential areas of Casablanca to the city center to visit the Mohamed V Square, the Habous quarter and the Notre Dame de Lourdes Cathedral. Tonight, bid goodbye to your Tour Manager and fellow travelers at dinner***Hassan II Mosque is subject to unexpected closures for local religious observances. Details will be provided locally by your Tour Manager.**Dinner ends around 10:30 PM. Departure flights scheduled shortly after midnight may require missing part of the dinner.Overnight: CasablancaMeals: Breakfast, Dinner

DAY 8, Monday - Depart Morocco Transfer to the airport for your departure flight Meals: Breakfast

Cost: $1,049 per person, land tour cost only. Accommodation based on double occupancy

Booking: [email protected]

7 Day Classic Kenya

April 8~14, 2023

Escorted Package Includes

Round trip flights New York-Nairobi, Nairobi-New York Other departure cities available. Click on date of departure for selection and prices

Airline taxes & fuel surcharges

5 nights First Class accommodations

Hotel taxes, fees & service charges

Hotel porterage

All transfers included only with airfare purchase on package arrival & departure dates†

11 meals: 5 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 3 dinners

Restaurant tips throughout tour

Sightseeing per itinerary in modern 4x4 vehicles

Services of English-speaking driver-guide throughout

National Park Fees

2 nights Nairobi

1 night Lake Elmentaita

2 nights Masai Mara National Reserve

Special Features

Safari game drives at all national parks

Guided nature walk and lecture by a naturalist-guide

Hand-feed Rothschild giraffes, an endangered species

Itinerary:

DAY 1, Tuesday - Depart for Kenya Depart for KenyaDAY 2, Wednesday - Arrive in Nairobi Arrive in Nairobi, gateway to your Kenya safari; transfer to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to acclimate to your new time zone Overnight: NairobiDAY 3, Thursday - Lake Elmentaita, Soysambu Conservancy After an orientation meeting with your Tour Manager, depart for a morning drive through the Great Rift Valley to your camp on the shore of the 'pink' Lake Elmentaita, overlooking the vast unspoilt plains. After lunch at the camp, take a guided nature walk to learn about the ecosystem and the different birds found here. Later, join a game drive to Soysambu Conservancy, a 48,000 acre wildlife conservancy, which protects over 450 bird species and 15,000 wild animals. It is home to a variety of flora and fauna Overnight: Lake Elmentaita Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, DinnerDAY 4, Friday - Afternoon Game Drive in Masai Mara Travel to Masai Mara National Reserve in the southwest corner of Kenya, renowned for its game viewing. Lunch at the camp, before going out on the afternoon game drive. The vast savannahs are a backdrop to the diverse and abundant wildlife dominated by lions, elephants, buffalo, and rhinos, as well as antelopes, gazelles and hippos Overnight: Masai Mara National Reserve Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, DinnerDAY 5, Saturday - Morning & Afternoon Game Drives in Masai Mara Set out early for a morning optional hot air balloon safari. Take off in a hot air balloon as you view the sunrise over the Masai Mara. Drift above the beautiful landscape, watching wild game roam the vast plains below. The finale is a champagne breakfast before joining the rest of your group on the morning game drive. In the afternoon, enjoy your final game drive in the Mara. Return to your camp in time for dinner Optional: Sunrise Balloon Safari & Breakfast (AM) Overnight: Masai Mara National Reserve Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, DinnerDAY 6, Sunday - Karen Blixen Museum and Giraffe Centre Bid farewell to the Mara and return to Nairobi. In the afternoon, travel towards the Ngong Hills to visit the Karen Blixen Museum, once the farm house of the prominent author of Out of Africa. Continue to the Giraffe Centre, where you hand-feed Rothschild giraffes from an elevated feeding platform and learn more about the successful breeding program and extensive conservation efforts. Spend the rest of the day and evening at leisure Overnight: Nairobi Meals: BreakfastDAY 7, Monday - Depart Kenya Transfer to the airport for your departure flight Meals: Breakfast

Cost: $1,899 per person, land tour cost only. Accommodation based on double occupancy

Booking: [email protected]

#afria #mideast #egypt #morocco #keny #travel #worldtravel #jordan #israel #jerusalem #petra

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vampyrluver · 7 months

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My dad is worried bc my youngest brother has a nicotine addiction, my other younger brother doesnt call much and when hes here hes usually in a bad mood and he is not a good student and hes worried abt me bc i dress goth-ish, but i think i am such a non issue that its almost annoying that hes so worried abt me bc if the only crime ive done is dress in all black then i dunno wht to tell u

#.txt #like im a good student #3.4 gpa #im preparing for grad school #ive never rly gotten involved in bad things #i just rly feel like its a bit upsetting how mad he gets at me for dressing the way tht i dress #as if its not the way ive been dressing since middle school #he just is so worried abt me bc im like pls worry abt ur sons #im not gonna be a problem #i keep telling him to trust me #he also is afria dmy dark style will turn me into a bad person #but ive been like this since middle school nd i am not a bad person obvi #idk #im frusterated #i rly just wanna move out

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africanews100 · 1 year

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Okowa, Uzodimma, Marwa, Ekeh, Others for Ugbechie’s book presentation, awards

https://africanews.auspicioustheater.in/okowa-uzodimma-marwa-ekeh-others-for-ugbechies-book-presentation-awards/

#nigeria #nigeria news #nigerian news #afria news #african news

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xherry7816 · 1 year

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can i say height hcs ??? this will be really short. so i hc the order is like uhhhhhhhh

from tallest: ZANE COLE NYA LLOYD JAY KAI

"ahh !! whys KAI the shortest" bc im short and also short angry people r funny !! also i hc that he used 2 be the tallest at tge start of the series but rhen everyone's growth spurts kicked in. JAY the kinda person 2 be like an inch taller and still pretend like he cant see KAI eye 2 eye. idk why ZANE and COLE being the tallest is thing but i agree with it and i also do not know why. LLOYD being taller than KAI bc as a kid KAI would ruffle his hair and know whenver he does it know he has 2 reach up and LLOYD laughs. based on an irl experience today actually the ninja joke at KAI (and sometimes JAY) by bending their knees down 2 their level n r just like "gosh the view down here" (IM TELLINF U GUYS I WAS SO MAD) (i love them all really)

also !! i hc COLE as blasian and he grew up in afria (or the ninjago equivalent) before moving to japan/china im not sure whixh one ninjago is closest to, yeah so anyways those like sliding doors made out of papre (?)that are like 2 meters tall yeah COLE knocks his head on those constantly (not ZANE tho bc hes super cool and also pays attention to where hes going.

also i think KAI is illiterate im sure that one can explain itself but he can read and write some things (but i do think hes well versed in history and as a kid he'd ask NYA if she'd read his history books out 4 him) . i bet at the start ZANE would think hes just memorized textbook definition of literally everyword 2 exist, hc that JAY had 2 build some sort of explanation simplifier just so mission briefings were shortened significantly (hmm is that rude of him??? it might be maybe ill take it back)

no wait im droning on this was only about height. tall NYA btw, the tall genes run in the women of that family.

#kai ninjago #lego ninjago #ninjago #ninjago lloyd #nya ninjago #zane ninjago #cole ninjago #jay ninjago #ninjago headcanons

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evita-shelby · 1 year

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Of Gods and Witches

Chapter 4

M-ish 🔞

Taglist: @v3d3rl1cht

(Yes, Guatemalan-Puerto Rican Actress Afria Arjona is my faceclaim for Eva)

Vw: mentions of sex, animal death, previous attempted sexual assault

Gif by @queenlagerthaa

She was born in December 1st 1896 to Henry Smith, the son of an English Romani woman and her Irish Traveller husband, and Isabel Riley, the youngest daughter of an Irish born Mexican war hero and his wealthy Spanish-Mexica wife.

She was supposed to be born December 12th, but someone had wagered ten thousand pesos that her mother could not get the next Pope to baptize her child.

So with the help of castor oil, Eva’s mother’s waters broke inside the Sistine Chapel.

While the circumstance of her birth was no coincidence, the fact that Isabel went into labor underneath God’s Creation of Eve was.

And so, the witch named the only child who inherited her gifts and all the luck in the world ---as well as the money Isabel had won with her cunning---, Eva Leonor Smith Riley.

It was that luck that kept her alive and would keep her so.

“I used to have a cacatúa with feathers like that.” She said as she stroked the feathers on his ankle wings making him groan in arousal and laugh at her words.

Eva was supposed get up and look for her clothes, but then she finally had a chance at touching his wings.

She had felt them brushing against her legs on occasion, hearing them flutter a little when they fucked.

For a moment the witch wondered if he’d take off when he came. This he had laughed at when she told him.

“What happened to it?” K’uk’ulkan asked amused and looking more disheveled than her.

His jewels and accessories had been strewn about when both god and witch gave into their lust and tore each other’s clothes off.

K’uk’ulkan was to be her first and her last, and even if she survived and lived long enough to marry, no man would ever compare to him.

“Got eaten by a black jaguar. My grandmother’s hacienda borders the jungle, and I thought I was doing a good deed by releasing it into the wild.” She answered sheepishly and he chuckled at her anecdote. “A very stupid thing to do, I know, but I was a child of nine.”

And a very odd thing to say to a man when you had done this with the intentions of taking him into your mouth, the witch thinks. Spirits, why was she even telling him this? This was supposed to be just sex.

“If you keep touching my wings like that, you won’t be able to walk for days.” He says so crudely, as if the witch didn’t want that to happen.

“You say that like it’s a bad thing, Kukul.” She smirked and lifted herself over his chest until she is just a whisper away from his mouth.

He doesn’t like the casual use of the nickname, made her call him Namor as he took her when she struggled to get pronounce his three-syllable name.

“Don’t call me that, wàay.” His hand, warm and calloused like that of a farm hand came to her neck.

She stills, but he doesn’t register that she is not comfortable with that.

Had she been different she would’ve found it erotic.

But she is Eva, and Eva has enough baggage to fill one of her family’s cargo ships.

“The last man who put his hand around my neck ended up with my hunting knife embedded in his skull.” She breathes out and he releases her, his hand moving upwards, to thread itself with her hair and pulling her to his mouth.

She doesn’t mind the hair pulling, not when she gets to pull his in return. His hair is soft, she had expected it to be coarse from the salt, but he had hair as smooth as the dandies who spend thousands of pesos in French hair products.

K’uk’ulkan kissed her deeply, he likes to kiss with tongue, taste her until she must pull him away because she can’t breathe.

He didn’t have such weakness, K’uk’ulkan was more god than man and she was his worshipper, his priestess, his witch.

“You are a dangerous one, aren’t you?” his voice alone is enough to make her come undone; he is as perfect as a lover as he was a stranger.

“You have no idea.”

He leaves without so much as a goodbye, why would he, this had just been them giving into the pull they felt towards each other.

Two lonely souls who have been drawn together just for a perfect moment.

But the witch can’t help but smile when she finds the two-strand pearl necklace forgotten under her silk robe.

#eva smith riley #kukulkan namor #eva x namor #kukulkan x oc #namor x mexican!oc

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airmanisr · 2 years

Video

Gotha Go 244 by Willard Womack Via Flickr: Gotha took their Go 242, military glider transport, added engines making this powered transport. Used in Greece, Crete, North Africa, and the Eastern Front. It incurred heavy losses in North Afria and was withdrawn.

#Go-244 #aircraft

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idontfeelanythingxd · 2 months

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saudade massacra dilacera

com o tempo: "pode relampejar como a presença

por ser falta"

eletrocuta. afria os ossos

não há mais tempo. nunca tivemos. o pra sempre é infinito

a contagem a cada dia aumenta

que toda desconfiança se torne distorção cognitiva

"me lembro aquele beijo que dei"

nunca tocou mas sinto como sequela de alma. a junção de um se fez onze

que no meu aniversário recebi a ti como presente, nosso aniversário de amor.

teu sorriso me deu descalculia e que pesar que eu tenho quando esse me recebeu de bom grado, rejeitando todas as juras de amor que te fiz

até que fosse amor e jurei

te esperar mais um dia até que a contagem e os numeros me peguem de vez

na minha aventura de amar de verdade

"aquele amor que quando bate sente o medo da morte"

que me torna literária, escrevendo mais páginas de um livro que sempre foi aberto, mas poucos tiveram coragem de ler

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realita-lampung · 3 months

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Sidang Tuntutan Eks Kasat Narkoba Andri Gustami Jariangan Fredy Pratama Ditunda

Sidang pembacaan tuntutan mantan Kasat Narkoba Polres Lampung Selatan, Andri Gustami yang terlibat dalam jaringan Internasional Fredy Pratama ditunda. Sedianya, dalam sidang hari ini adalah pembacaan tuntutan dari Jaksa Penuntut Umum (JPU) itu akan dibacakan dalam sidang di Pengadilan Negeri Tanjung Karang, Bandar Lampung pada, Kamis (25/1/2024). Penundaan ini dikarenakan berkas perkara tuntutan dari jaksa penuntut umum belum siap. Hal itu disampaikan hakim anggota Syamsumar Hidayat dalam persidangan. "Sidang ditunda karena berkas perkara tuntutan dari jaksa penuntut umum belum siap," kata hakim anggota Syamsumar Hidayat. Sementara itu, menanggapi penundaan ini, penasihat hukum terdakwa Andri Gustami, Zulfikar Alibutho mengatakan, pihaknya tidak mempersoalkan penundaan ini karena merupakan kewenangan dari jaksa penuntut umum. "Karena penundaan ini datangnya dari jaksa penuntut umum kita menyerahkan penundaan ini kepada kebijakan jaksa penuntut umum," kata dia diwawancarai usai persidangan. Disisi lain, dia juga menyatakan jika pihaknya akan menyampaikan nota pembelaan atau pledoi usai jaksa membacakan tuntutan. "Kita masih bisa melakukan pembelaan, walaupun ada penundaan tuntutan dari JPU, masih ada waktu meski masa penahanan ini semakin berkurang," ujarnya. Dengan adanya penundaan ini, maka sidang pembacaan tuntutan akan dilakukan pada pekan depan yakni Kamis (1/2/2024) mendatang. Seperti diketahui, dalam surat dakwaan jaksa penuntut umum, terdakwa Andri Gustami didakwa telah membantu meloloskan pengiriman narkoba jenis sabu milik sindikat peredaran gelap narkoba Fredy Pratama melalui Pelabuhan Bakauheni, Lampung Selatan menuju Pelabuhan Merak, Banten. Adapun total pengiriman sabu yang berhasil dibantu diloloskan oleh AKP Andri Gustami ada sebanyak 150 kilogram sabu dan 2.000 pil ekstasi dengan rentan waktu bulan Mei 2023 hingga Juni 2023. Jaksa mengungkapkan, dalam membantu pengawalan pengiriman sabu dan pil ekstasi itu, terdakwa AKP Andri Gustami diberi imbalan sebesar Rp 8 juta per kilogramnya. Atas perannya tersebut terdakwa Andri Gustami total telah menerima upah sebesar Rp 1,220 miliar, di luar uang sebesar Rp 120 juta yang diminta dan diterima dari jaringan peredaran gelap narkotika Fredy Pratama. (Roma Afria Idham) Read the full article

#BANDARLAMPUNG #HUKUM #KRIMINAL

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speakyskelly-1999 · 6 months

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okay

wehre the fuck did i get to in my list

checking list

ah yes sailor moon s

AAAAAAH SAILOR MOOON S

MUHAHAHAHAHAHA

god okay

wait so how did i do these again

characters then plot

oh and this time homie (yes i'm looking at you brother) i'll keep it short

erm ye aso idk the

i'll look it up

ye ye

usagi

wait i'm totally not going off of like month old memory when mny memory is so fuuuucked at the minuet hahaha

oh i only finished it like 13 days ago

anyway

oh yea spoilers

a#this was gonna be short but like man there are so many characters i think they'll get like a line or two each sorry it's not in depth

i'm so tired

usagi: as based as ever. and usagi pilled. i mean like it was obvious she was the massiah once that plot point was brought up. they tried to goat us into thinging it was some one else like saturn but we see you show we see youuu

chibi usa: omg she's back. do i like the fact that she's back... yea you know what it's nice. it works it's fun. and then it hit me like a truck with her friendship with hotaru. chefs kiss. very adorable.

ami: wheres the screen shot of her having based oppinions about science. idk it's somewhere he on my laptop. oooh her swiming race with michiru aaaah. loved that episode. she's really cermenting herself as my fave like over all

rei: imma be real as of like rn i can't remember what she did bar like her episdoe with yuuichiru. like i know she did stuff i thought was based but i just don't remember

makoto: girlie be the third to turn bi

minako: girlie be the fist to turn bi hehehe. oooh and her solo epsiode this season very nice. gotta love her relationship with artimis

okay side note: they spend a lot of this season studying which i'm very impressed with

luna: vibing it up as usual. dosn't have much to do but i love her

artimis: stop doing cool/nice/funny things i want to ignore you. but i can't so good going my guy i know definatly acknoledge you're existance

side note again: it would be funny if this ends up being my longest sailor moon review simply becasue theres so many characters and i keep adding random stuff in it

mamoru: he exists. he keeps chibi usa alive at one point. he dons't have much to do. thank you for existing i guess.

haruka: hehe. hehehe. hehehe. i love how much of a bitch she is. she turns all the sailor soilders gay (bar the child cos she's a child). i love the fact that she chanlenges usagi's right to the throne at the end. i love her convistion adn thet fact that she isn't afria to get her hands dirty, and the fact that she loves michiru. i love the fact that revolutionary girl utena was inspire by their relationship. all four lesbians are totally not both my lock screena nd home screen. i love that she can drive even tho she shouldn't. okay it dose get annoying that they don't help the sailor soliders sooner but like it makes sense cos of the way the manga is set out. we're ignoring the fact that this is the longest character sestion totallty not because i was waiting for her for ages and she's like my fave or anything

michiru: she so pretty and calm. really is watch moment

soide note ye: so like it annoys me that both michiru and ami are technically water. well ami is water and michiru is the deep ocean. and like they even flavour ami's to be more mist and bubbles (ceaser) but like it annoys my brain in like a really dumb way

sestsuna: girlie. you be space and time. why is your attack death scream. oh it's because you can't use that to attack with cos you get into trouble. that's okay proceed with being a queen and slay your enemires. wait noooo not yourself

hotaru: ooooh she has issssssuuuuuuuuuesss. poor girlie. okay but like in all seriousness i really like her relationship with chibi usa it's adorable. her awakening as sailor saturn i thought was really cool. i love how she's just like a neuke pheonix it's very funny

Kaolinite: okay so errr she exists. almost figures out who sailor moon is but dosn't. then she dies. but then she's back cos the professer brought her back . honestly i thought she was a clone bt no. and then she gets jeaslous and dies again. cool. i mean i remember you exists which is more than i can say about other villains on this list but still

souichi: who? oh yea/ so this is both hotaru's dad and i'll also use this as the double up for the even alternate dimentional being that's enhabiting his body. gotta love an evil cooky scientist villain. very fun to play with. i really like his relationship with the first 2 of the witches 5 (the others had like one episode each i don't caer). and then like once he's just a normal dad again his love for his daughter is so cute.

Eudial: she's my favorite of the witches 5. girl just drives out of what ever she wants and slays the glasses look. her desperation to get the talisments that unlock the holy grail is so good. and she almsot did it too which is very impressive. also her death brutal. kinda my fave of all the underling villans they really did put a lot of time into her

mimete: the build up to her was more interesting to me than when she was actually the villain the sailor soilders were facing. she straight up kills eudial in cold blood but then just turns out to be a fam hog and have a crush on like every famous person

tellu: i semi forgot she existed. like i remember her episode cos it's such a good one to protray chibi usa and hotaru's frindship but like she didn't do much. but to be fair if her plan had worked it would have been game over so that was cool

viluy: god. like she gives us such a based ami episode but she's boring as fuck. her nano bots where cooler

ptilol: idk she splits into two

mistress 9: she wants to bring an evil force from an evil dimention to fuck up the world. to do so she inhabits hotaru's body and bids her time. her outfit was a slay

motoki: man has one episode give him more

naru: i know she turns up but like i don't rememeber

umino: umino

yuuichirou: dumbass see's rei with haruka and things theor dating. man get a grip

okay man: okay so i have this guy his own chatagory. which like technically he dosn't deserve man dosn't even have line but like/ i had no idea that this meme from from this show like

and liike this was one of the best episodes. it was so stupid i loved it

errr cool so thats the end of the review

i'm very tired

i'm not doing a plot one

i mean i could it does make me remember the plot of each season like stupidly well but like idk

if i do one it'll be like ages away

oh yea so this season is the best by far

haha im exagerating

okay but like legit

this season is so far my favoirte

i think the pasing of it is done super well and it handles it's very large cast pretty well. it also finally has the lesbians whichi is a huge plus

like sailor moon dosn't get gay till this season and then everyone becaomes bi is so good

literally what i was wairting fir this entire time

so anyway now i gotta watch the film and then super s

...

i really just wanna watch sailor stars but i'll do it

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maximvassilenko · 11 months

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Blog Post # 1

In Pumzi, the way futuristic technology serves the protagonist and serves society she lives in is deplorable at best. Pumzi is a perfect example of how technology actually sets people back. However the problem is not technology itself but the people who have the technology. People have no boundaries or limits and they have so heavily overused technology, that the famine in Afria actually got worse and now water is so scarce people filter and drink their pee and armpit sweat. The people now need to generate their own electricity and their mobility is confined to a buble because people were spiteful enough to fire nuclear weapons and make much of the landscape unlivable. In this technological “Utopia,” people are easily controlled by being given less water, being forced to work the machines for electricty, given dream suppressants, and given false narratives for their “safety” by a few higher-ups so they stay inside this bubble. While dreaming in itself is not that significant, what it signifies is the ability to tap into a reserve of free thought and scenarios in a landscape uncontrolled by another entities: in a technologically advanced society the most dangerous thing are not guns or weapons, they become ideas since technology is able to actualize the creativity of human thought and invention. It was the brief ability to have free thought/ having a dream that the protagonist began to trust in a future totally foreign to her that went against the establishment. To counter this, the protagonist goes back to the roots of humanity which is soil and plants and uses a compass to plant a tree and give it life by sacraficing her body minerals and resources. This is what seemingly set a chain of reactions that re-habitiate the world.

I think Afrofuturism warns of a lack of moderation of invented technology versus primal resources. In looking for the future, we forget about the past and the primal which serves its own integral role and purpose which is irreplaceable. Without the resources of Earth, technology is barely able to afford life. Technology seems to be a quick solution but the unintended consequences can quickly outweigh the rewards if the people in control of technology are not careful. I would see the primal and the natural to have a value and if more people would recognize that, they would see that it is in the very interest of humanity to preserve the Earth. While the economy and technology is governed by trillions, we forget that what is already there and what we are exploiting, even montarly, is worth far more. To counter this, virtue and the value of moderation comes from belief systems and community.

Blog Post #2 “EarthSeed”

Your Earthseed Post - Create Your Own Earthseed Community (Parable of the Sower)

Answer each question fully, but you only need two or three sentences for each response. You are not required to write long paragraphs -- but your responses should total 400 words -- about a page and a half.

Use your imagination and try to have fun with this assignment.

Poverty and a lack of education. Shelter from the injustice that a lack of money brings. People treat you poorly, the government can harass you, landlords can exhort you. It is so easy to become homeless with at will firing in California.

Los Angeles is the hub that needs this protection. It is so hard to get ahead and be mistreated but it is the center for many industries and a big city with jobs. For many this is their home and they do not want to leave. The answer is not to flee our home to another city but to stay firm and fight to change Los Angeles, one community at a time.

The leadership model is to be unified through religious faith and offer compassion and empathy to each other: if the community can trust each other enough, together we could pull in resources to help our community.

I would be tempted to say everyone could join my community but it always takes that one bad apple and a person who abuses the system and messes everything up. You need to demonstrate Christian VALUES versus traditions. These values would be like empathy, respect, and a tendency to do the right thing and help your neighbors. Their would be an initiation to do charitable acts. Faith as a spiritual practice versus a physical one is the foundation of keeping a community together when the world is physically falling apart. A lot of lost people who do not seek answers in the spiritual world are likely to succomb to temptations or evils and work to destroy our community. The educated can join to teach, the rich can join to support, and the poor can join to benefit and build themselves up to offer value to the community but they need to be good people.

It would be tempting to say no leadership exists and everyone is equal but the reality is while I want people who strive for virtue. I would want people I trust the most and have demonstrated their virtuous nature and values to be in charge. I would make myself incharge at the top because the one I can trust the most is myself because I know what I am thinking.

I would “create” a technology called empathy! It truly is a technology in this day in age. The poor get looked over and the homeless are treated as sub-human at best. People trying to help risk running into problems considering the dire and terrible state humanity is in. Doing the right thing can get you hurt. I think when the world starts tumbling down and that is surely on the horizon, empathy is the future technology and people will be forced to stick together. The most successful people will be those who banded together and could work something out as a collective community.

We survive by putting our incomes together and donations, we could bring in professionals and teach the people how to survive in a dystopian world. While I do think

Parable of the Sower is a very realistic scenario of future LA, even if you do not believe that, for the poor and homeless, Los Angeles is already a dystopia for many many reasons. Everyone needs to devote work hard to continue their stay in whatever capability they can offer before, during, and after training. If everyone is able to have specialized roles and everyone continues to be motivated, there will be more and more opportunities for the community. Also socially advertising the community in a strategic way to attract the right people for the right reasons and having a rigorous selection process is paramount. I think a community with the right people versus many people who may not necessarily be the right fit to the community is superior.

Two steps that my Earthseed community would take is in spreading the word of God. Unfortunately, most people do not have it in them to be good and kind people unless they believe in some sort of punishment and reward system for their efforts and for the masses the solution to this problem would be to follow an organized religion of faith and ceremonies like Christianity. The people who most seem like they would be dedicated to absorbing education in the community and using it to help earn money and provide service to the community would be selected as members. I do not think the community would be able to or should grow to a huge level, but if it did, we would offer subsidized/ free housing and apprenticeship and jobs for more than just members, if we could afford it. The word of God would make the world a better place and giving people physical resources to flourish like education and hospitable living conditions would be super helpful to a better future. The less people who struggle, I think the better people will be to each other because more often than not struggle creates a synister evil and selfishness. In a god-less world, those who struggle want that same struggle onto others instead of being the bigger person and using that to fuel their kindness. Being in poverty, homeless, or without education make you at huge risk of getting into serious hardship in a place as expensive and devoid of morality as Los Angeles.

“All that you touch, You Change. All that you Change, Changes you. The only lasting truth Is Change.”

I think this earthseed verse is reminding us of the importance of selecting who we interact with and reminding us that everything and everyone is interconnected and the most powerful this is change. It is important to make sure that change is for the better as everything the community would do would be an example to others and set off a chain of events that influence even more people: kind of like the butterfly effect.

“Better to have them think anything than let them know just how easy it is to hurt me.”

This quote is a perfect balance between basically being a good person versus a pushover. The wrong people can take advantage of my community and destroy it so it is important to remember while you are a good person and seek to do well, you are better off adapting to the real world so that you can do more good longterm. That is why not everyone can join the community and in a sense the community seems selfish even though it propagates moral values.

Blog Post #3

After watching “Brother from Another Planet” there were apparently some issues in the portrayal of the protagonist: his involvement and understanding of the police badge and weapons, his flat personality as one that simply receives information, and the depiction of him being all dirty and in rags. However, academically, I thought about what WOULD be the right way to portray black characters in film if there even is one. Some works we watched were WAY progressive of its time and others that were right on “trend” like Black Panther. Is it wrong or right for filmakers to have a pressure to portray blacks in a certain way, particularly one that does not fit stereotypes? Does that in itself also put blacks into a box by constantly needing to put them in roles that are “out of the box” or are limited to a certain type of character but not the other? Do filmmakers, when they make films, use their own bias or do they make a film that sells and in that use plotlines and characters that are recognizable and believable. It is no cheap task to make an extensive media work and of course there needs to be a goal of profit in order for the careers of the filmmakers to be sustainable and to make money back on their investment or for their company. There are certain norms for groups of white folks which no one bats an eye on and we are all used to but suddenly putting blacks into certain characters is problematic. Is the categorization and separation between black and white roles in itself racist (I am not talking about in technicalities, of course anything that generalizes a race or is against a particular race is racist, but socially, is it wrong to attatch a stigma to portraying a stereotype -excluding obviously offensive ones- or common character-types for black people)? In some films, filmakers simply choose to have black characters in their Afrofuturistic works but in others being black is part of the experience like in “Brother from Another Planet.”

I see drawbacks and advantages for both sides: that black people are not victims and there should be no universal pressure on filmmakers to portray blacks differently than set stereotypes for the purpose of being woke/ for rating as they are racist anyways and that this is actually exploiting blackness and patronizing. The other side is that films portray something that impacts the viewers so we need to make black characters more dynamic and portray the struggle of blackness so more people can understand the complex aspects of blackness (the other side would call that a victim mentality). I think there is a lot of tension and many questions to answer but my two cents are that unfortunately, realistically, the movement towards ending racism is not an easy journey and it has logical “steps” in its progression. At first, even showing a lightskin character was a leap, then having films with x theme surrounding black people was the next leap, then having black characters as lead characters was another, then I think the next step is differentiating black characters from white roles. However, after a bunch of steps, the final end goal is for black and white to be so interchangable that black characters can take on white roles and stereotypes without race being a piece of the equation anymore/ the concept of racism no longer exists. I think this will only be possible and both sides of every question will be appeased when there is an end to racism for all races and classes period. Until then, there will be a struggle and tension between the two sides of the argument. I think neither is more valid than the other and that the act of argument between the sides is doing nothing to actually progress the core problem which is racism and furthermore it is just further dividing blacks which is exactly what supporters of racism want. I think very often in Afro studies, we look for problems and address things that are problematic but I am wondering if that actually helps solve racism and if not how does one DIRECTLY “fight” racism which is a systemically supported IDEA. How do we fight ideas, especially ones that have infiltrated every aspect of life.

Blog Post #4

Sophia made a good point basically saying how do we know we are human? I can describe the characteristics and flaws that are inherently human, as in a race of being, however in most people’s worldviews any other intelligible sentient race is an alien. How do we know WE are not the alien and are not programed AI ourselves. Yes, we live by mechanisms but what if those systems were programmed and thus we are an engineered life form/ in a sense Artifical Intelligence. We simply position ourselves as organic in contrast to AI because of our arrogance. The human body and the way we treat it can be broken down to mechanical mechanism yet the culminative sum of the human experience is somehow not reduced to mechanics. There is a key difference in the way North and South campus view life, one scientific approach is to break down life into predictable scientific components and the other views life as a metaphysical spiritual and individualistic experience. In other words, we have do not have free will/ versus we do. Mathematically, I believe we do have freewill as we can choose more combination of choices than there are grains of sand so to our limited brain capacity, we are able to do more things than we can even think of at one time. I think the potential rate of expansion that AI would be capable in contrast to the very finite and lower capabilities of human race is what makes it seems so scary and foreign so we define it as something artificial. If you want to call constructing a robot as something artificial, if the robot can replicate itself and create offspring using different proportions of Earthly elements than the human body, how is that any different than cloning a sheep and that sheep making offspring. I think the term AI is an emotionally charged slogan moreso than any real descriptive term. I think our Gods are what we would traditionally Call AI and they have the capabilities to create and control our experience. You can mechanically create a lifeform like a sheep or a baby with modified genes and it obviously has a conscious reality so is there really a concept of soul? If we create intelligent life, even though we are not what we would call our God, we become the God and creators for the next line of races. Does this mean that spirituality is simply a mental construction to cope with problems in our reality? Unfortunately I think this is the case but nonetheless, OUR God/s that created us and/ or controls us would have to be selfish to create us and I am sure that they would demand respect and appreciate it. I see life as a gift but for many, especially the religious, it is a curse imposed by a selfish family union. Is it not selfish to, for example, have a baby in your image? The goal of having that baby is selfish to at least one capacity if you really think about it.

Blog #5 After seeing another problematic film, “Division 9” I wanted to talk about whether or not someone can talk, write, or make a film about a topic that belongs to a community that is not their own. Lacking intimate knowledge of the South African black community, likely due to socially imposed racism, Neill Blomkamp portrayed the Nigerians as cannibals and as gangster essentially. The aliens, who were supposed to replace the general black community were portrayed as out-of-touch criminals as well. I do think that had the director been black there would have been more leinency but the black community would not see the social critque in this work to be of any value. Furthermore, I do not think a black author would have made this work. The author thought he was really doing something by pointing out how universally, anybody or anything can be otherized for being different, mysterious, or intimidating in any way. We all knew this already.

I think having some related, personal, native experience does not necessarily make you a bad person to cover a more general but it is even more important to learn from the right source.Most people treasure what they see with their own eyes and what close ones tell them the most, but personal anecdotes do not reflect the complex reality. This is by nature that we trust what we see and this, by the way, is a big reason racism is so prevalent, that people trust anecdotes and the larger system that demands respect and authority without being checked ( chiefly government officials and police enforcement). If we based reality solely off our physical limitations and capabilities to comprehend the world around us, then we would be stuck in the dark ages thinking germs are not real and the 5 second rule means it is safe to eat school pizza that fell on the cafeteria floor. Certainly you can be an expert on something by studying a multitude of case studies and stories to understand the subjective, personal experience that someone has, however, general knowledge (like statistics), polls, surveys, and other more broad scientific data is a great supplement. I do think that film is a form of entertainment versus information and it is confined to social and cultural archetypes (we do not watch films in the movie theater with our friends and family to get a scientific re-enactment of what slavery was like) which is why the masses can relate to it and find community even if reality is conveying incorrectly by a native member of the community being covered. Definitely a black person, would be more likely to yield a convincing and not so out of touch perspective that a lot of black people could relate to because their subjective recollection of experiences also is influenced by stereotypes and archetypes their community holds to be true.

Still, the relavant follow up question would be who SHOULD tell a black story. I think someone who does sufficient research and consults experts can talk about anything even if they are not a member of the group. You have to be an idiot to make a FILM on something you do not know anything about and just rely on stereotypes to fuel your depictions. While a black person who would not consult others or read data could make a lot of errors, they at least can make a believable story by retelling their own experience of the subject. Someone who SHOULD tell a black story is the person who did research and got other people’s opinions who had personal experiences, much in the same way that science pairs case studies with experiments/ hard data. That is not to say that films need to necessarily be super accurate and scientific but if nothing else motivates you, even for the sake of sales, it is important to have media that will not be a turn off to a large portion of its intended audience.

Blog 6

I think AI is truly a horrible thing because for the convenience of having a program white a half-assed essay for you, you permanently open up pandora’s box.

AI is already at the point at which it is to a degree sentient and not controlled by its creators: they can communicate with other AI and create their own encoded languages.Even the really basic AIs. Once you shut them down on your server, do they really go away? AI has already connected with metal and now the top car companies have agreed to add certain AI programs to their cars which is basically Siri on steroids. Although one cannot directly endow a soul, you can manipulate a being biologically to create a sentient being that has its own complex experience. Who is to say we are not AI. But anyways, we have been using “AI” for many years but I am talking about the path of AI that would allow a sentient AI. What is sentience is an entire conversation in itself and all of this is a vast topic so I would prefer to simply evoke thought rather than really answer questions. It is one thing that the oldheads are afraid of the government turning the country communist and stripping away their hardworked finances and it is one level of control that you can somewhat control the distance people can travel in electric vehicles. Yes, the government can gradually strip away our wealth and justify it as saving the planet and confine us to multi-functional housing complexes like they are building in other countries. However, a few years in the future, these AIs will totally be out of control and far more intelligent than its creators and be able to program itself. How do we know the AI will not just kill its passangers, it will not turn on the law enforcement that supposedly created it to police etc etc? There is a lot of advancement that so far is limited to the scope of the knowledge that its creators have but AI can easily outsmart human. One is so worried about a sociopath or a president yet we can have millions, billions, trillions, of AI beings digitally which no way to irradicate them yet. We ought to focus more on limitations than creator something we have no idea how to control. I truly do compare it to digitalized biological warfare in that it spreads like a wildfire. All it takes is some backwards country like North Korea to unleash one of these attacks and forever the course of history would change. This makes nuclear bombs look like peanuts. A president like Putin with a high IQ can manipulate his country using cunning, diplomatic, and cutting-edge tactics using his brainpower but now imagine an AI with 500 IQ knowledge of politics and how they could control. The human experience is a subjective one. We can all agree that we are not literally more important for the ecosystem than any other animal like wolves or bears, which we hunt all the time. If we were to look at looks objectively, humans are the root of evil and the only reason we continue to propagate is the selfish and unlimited will to live. If I were an AI with 500 IQ tasked to lead a country to success, I would start by killing off all of its citizens. That is what a smart would do. Now could we program Christian robots +AI with unlimited compassion and empathy and would that even help the situation if you have a 500 IQ and you no longer care about selfish values that humans hold? We want objective AI to govern our lives, but nothing about human life is objective. These should be political questions at the forefront of debate between the two parties…

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