The Lure of Absinthe…

Absinthe refers to potent liqueur of emerald green color, made from a mixture of wormwood and a variety of herbs. It has amazingly-high alcohol content and a licorice flavor that users find rather appealing. Poets and painters hailing from Belle Epoque, France, passionately embraced the alcoholic beverage in early times. This action could have been due to its mind-altering effects or spirituous potency.

The drink was popularized by Baudelaire, Oscar Wilde, Degas, Van Gogh, Toulouse-Lautrec, Picasso, Manet and a host of other prominent 19th Century writers and artists. It served as symbol of French decadence during this time period. Though notoriously addictive, absinthe is slowly regaining popularity among smokers in Europe and generally the Western hemisphere.

Prominent figures in history have come under allure of the legendary alcoholic drink. They include Alfred Jarry, W. Somerset Maugham and Edgar Allan Poe. Paul Verlaine and Arthur Rimbaud are however the two scribes who most often are associated with the addictive beverage, apart from mythologizing it as elixir of Bohemes.

From its first medicinal use in Ancient Greece through its prohibition right before start of World War I, absinthe is rising in popularity once again. Artemisia Absinthium, known commonly as wormwood, is the chief ingredient for constituting absinthe. Wormwood was used for medicinal purposes dating back to the Egyptian Era, finding use as stimulant, antiseptic and tonic, whereby it remedied menstrual pains and fevers.

The Greeks offered it as prescription for anemia, rheumatism and jaundice. Romans utilized it for aiding in digestion and relieving stomach upsets. Leaves from this perennial were used for expelling intestinal worms, where the liquor obtained its name. Absinthium’ is believed to derive from apsinthion’, implying undrinkable, perhaps owing to its extreme bitterness.

Absinthe was produced at first during late of 18th Century in Val-der-Travers, Switzerland. Wormwood abounds here, together with other wild-growing alpine herbs. Pierre Ordinaire is the French doctor believed to have invented this alcoholic concoction back in 1792. The intention at this time was to patent absinthe as a medicine, though it tasted strongly of anise and licorice. Due to its often alluring color Come late of 1790s, this herbal mixture already was termed La Fee Verte, implying The Green Fairy in English.

Chlorophyll content present in the herbs used to distill the strong beverage laced it with the characteristically green color. Some dishonest manufacturers however adulterated the drink with toxic chemicals in a bid to achieve the color as well as clouding effect (louche). In reputable brands, the clouding effect resulted from precipitation of essential oils within the herbs.

Quite possibly, absinthe later developed a bad name owing to such disreputable acts, which posed grave danger to its consumers at the time. Major Dubied, a Frenchman, found the tonic impressive and having purchased the recipe in 1797, began manufacturing it for sale with Son-in-law, Henry-Louis Pernod. After experiencing great success with their modest Swiss distillery, Pernod split from Father-in-law in 1805. He then opened up a new factory in bordering Pontarlier, where he started producing small volumes of liquor. Production however later shot from 16 liters at infancy to 400 liters on daily basis within just few years.

The original recipe of Pernod Fils included a total of six aromatic herbs, which were namely Roman wormwood, wormwood, hyssop, anise, fennel and lemon balm. Angelica, nutmeg, juniper, dittany and star anise later on found way into the original recipe. There were other distillers who sprang up to tap into the market, which was growing quite fast, but Pernod Fils largely remained the standard.

Absinthe was mostly a European phenomenon, though it did take root in New Orleans that became the capital for absinthe in North America. The Old Absinthe House had probably turned to be the most famous city bar by when Prohibition came. While in New Orleans Alistair Crowley, the British occultist termed as wickedest’ in the world, composed The Green Goddess’, a lyrical essay describing abysinthe. In it he hailed the significance of absinthe in the life of New Orleans dwellers.

Even kitchen recipes eventually embraced the highly-intoxicating drink, which later got effectively banned in North America by the Food Inspection Unit in the US Department of Agriculture. The action was well-considered and followed rampant reports of proactive abuse of Abysinthe in Europe.
Today , this alcoholic beverage remains widely available for sale in France, Spain, Germany, Sweden, Portugal, Czech Republic, Ibizz, Andora, Japan and the UK.

A Journey to Kuala Lumpur

Soooo….. I don’t know where to start. Haha. The last few days in Kuala Lumpur have seemed like a really weird dream. When I flew in I was pleased to see that I didn’t have to fill out any forms at immigration and after I handed my passport to the official and gave my fingerprints, I was given a 90 travel visa. After that I grabbed my backpack and headed to customs which I was nervous about because I know how strict they are about drugs here and I was nervous because I have such a big bag I was surely to get searched. I was worried about having to explain that I’m not really a photographer here on business even though I have so much camera gear. As I approached I saw a family being searched and I thought “fuck”, but the customs official smiles and waives me through.

The bus system was really easy and I only needed one transfer to get to my hotel which was an hour plus from the airport and right on the edge of china town and what seems to be a big party district.

Very pleased with the city so far, I put my bags in my room, had a shower and decided to go for a little walk. That was when I was to feel culture shock for the first time. I didn’t make it ten steps before I noticed all the rats and cockroaches in the ally’s and on the sidewalk. I passed a restaurant and noticed that everyone was eating everything with their hands. I noticed one man with rice all over his fingers lean away from the table and blow snot on the floor and then spit. It’s a different kind of table manners than I’m used to but certainly not everyone here has such disregard for cleanliness as that “gentleman”.

The next block proved to be even more interesting. Every fifteen steps held very different and foreign smells from all the street vendors lined up along the sidewalk. A group of prostitutes stared at me from a corner and one turns a little and smacks her ass. The whole time looking at me with the same blank expression on her face. She licked her lips and I smiled but had to look away. I heard dance music coming from a bar across the street so I went over and stepped in. A woman led me through the crowd of drunk ( and I’m pretty sure a lot were on ecstasy) people to a table in the back. I ordered a pint of beer and when it was brought to my table I was handed a bill for 29 Ringgit($10)! I asked to look at a menu to see if I was being ripped off but it was correct for some strange reason (or they have a separate menu for suckers like me that don’t ask the price first). Lesson learned. I paid the bill sourly and decided to drink my beer quickly and leave due to the amount of people staring and giving dirty looks at the only tourist in the bar.

After I left, I only made it a few steps before a prostitute in a tight pink dress grabs me by the arm and asks me where I was from. I tell her Canada and she says “ohhhh I love cCanada”. She then leaned in and whispered “you want to give it to me for free? I have private room”. She kissed me on the cheek and I had to pull away and tell her(or possibly a him) that I was flattered but no thanks. She (or he) made a weird noise and as I walked away I noticed that a six foot tall lady boy was watching and he tells me she is crazy. I laughed and walked down another street. I asked someone sitting on a wall where I might me able to find a quiet bar to have a beer. Boy was that a bad idea. He pointed to a place across the street and I noticed the fluorescent sign that he was referring to. I walked in and look around and I notice a woman at a desk that just points to an elevator. Inside stands a man who I thought was just the operator but halfway up I notice a pistol sticking out of his pants and judging by the mean look on his face I figure he is more like a bouncer. The doors open and a short funny looking man rushes up to greet me. I notice it doesn’t look much like a bar. Then I see all the woman wearing next to nothing and lounging all over the furniture.

I realize what kind of place this is and at the same moment the funny looking man shouts something and they all line up. I told him that I am tired and just would like a beer. With a semi-sour smile he points to the bar without saying anything. He shouts again at them and they all return to their lounging (or resting unfortunately). I order a beer for a much cheaper price than the last place and the funny looking man leads me to a dark room full of men in lazyboy recliners with swiveling computer monitors. I had been really nervous since the elevator and I let him lead me to an empty lazyboy.

He tells me to relax for a while and I sit down only to think of how to get out of this situation without pissing anyone off. The computer monitor turns on and pornography displays inches from my face while loud moaning seems to be coming from speakers built right into the chair. I’m sure all of this is meant to arouse me but all I want to do is go back to my quiet little hotel room. I chug the beer and get up. The funny looking man, who must have been waiting only a few feet away, urges me to sit back down and relax. He asks me if I need another beer and I tell him no and that I am very tired from traveling. I lie and tell him that I will be back tomorrow for sure and finally his sour look changes to a fake smile. I get back on the elevator and the man with the pistol stares at me the whole ride down. I’m sure he is wondering why I am leaving so quickly.

As dirty and loud as it is, I am happy to be back on the street and headed to my hotel. Once I get there I immediately shower the filth from that place off of me and go straight to bed.

My sleep was filled with strange dreams and nightmares. I woke several times to the sounds of things scurrying on my hotel room floor but I am too exhausted to care. I wake in the morning to a tiny moth trying to fly around under my blanket. I wondered if it’s cocoon was in my blanket (the next morning I woke to the same thing so I’m pretty sure it’s a popular spot for larvae). I head straight out of the hotel to get coffee and breakfast. I find a nice clean looking place and sit down and order the Nasi Lemak (I’ve heard it’s one of the most popular dishes). It was good but I wouldn’t suggest it to anyone for breakfast. I find that the dried anchovies don’t taste the best after brushing your teeth. It was decently cheap though and I did finish everything despite a scruffy and dirty cat who kept bothering me and even jumped onto my lap a few times to get some food.

After that I decided to do something more familiar and go for a walk with my camera. It’s Chinese New Year right now and I thought I would be able to get some neat shots in Chinatown. I walked for twenty minutes and after taking about ten photos I was yelled at four times before I decided to stop. It was not like the Philippines where I would be thanked for taking people’s pictures. Instead almost all I got were dirty looks no matter how much I smiled or thanked them and one person even spat at my feet. On the walk back I tried asking people if I could take their picture and only a few agreed or gave me a slight nod of compliance. I decided I would go take pictures of landmarks instead. The immense Petronas Towers were even more breathtaking than I had imagined and the KL Tower was higher than I had ever been in a building. After that I got a little lost trying to find my way back. I’m also not used to the cars driving on the other side of the road. This is a first for me and I almost got hit by a motorcycle going extremely fast because I looked left first instead of right while crossing the street. He swerved a little and went by only a couple feet in front of me. He was going so fast I couldn’t even hear him until he was right in from of me. Another lesson learned.

All in all though, I am not disappointed at myself for coming into the city and not taking a bus straight out to a small town somewhere. I’m not a fan of big cities anymore and this is the craziest and most foreign place I’ve ever been…but it has been quite the experience though.

This post is written by Patrick Anthony Rojo who is travelling around South East Asia and is a freelance photographer.

Top 10 Rappers

Rap music is a vocal style that is associated with hip-hop. Rap is among the four pillars of hip-hop culture. There are many rappers who indulge in this musical genre. The following rappers should be on every list of the greatest rappers.

1. Biggie Smalls

biggie smalls
This rapper had a distinctive flow that was never heard of in the early 90’s. His lyrics were relevant and he also had a one in a million style. When it comes to the mic, Biggie had charisma. Many people loved his songs because they felt that they connected to him. His music was all about the realities of life. Most of the rhymes were mainly about transforming from being poor to being rich, which most people hold as a dream. Just like other artists, his death increased his popularity and ever since his tracks are rated as classics. Actually, many artists look up to Biggie as an inspiration. He had been labeled a discoverer of the Golden Era of Hip Hop.

2. Tupac

tupac
Tupac, conceivably, is the one of the most popular rappers of all time He is known to have an extremely wide fan base. One thing that makes this legend to be rated as the greatest rap artist in history is how he reached into areas in the community where people could associate to his material especially the ghetto. He showed his passion for what he does on the mic and he never held anything back. His lyrics may not have been all that, but one could get a feel of what he is saying through his songs. The fact it that he grew up in a rugged environment and on the streets made his fans relate to him and understanding better what he was rapping about.

3. Lil Wayne

lil wayne
People dislike Wayne because of how he does things differently on his albums. He has been in the game of rap for a long period and won every possible award is worthy to win for rap music. This rapper has never lost skill. Wayne is a talented artist and he cannot simply be ignored. His lyrics may not be a story telling like, but he is a rap artist who can manipulate words and think totally outside of the box. His different game of rap shows the reason why he has many haters. Despite the fact that he is the most hated rapper known, you can take time to listen to his lyrics before talking trash about him. He has been rapping from a young age and is still successful.

4. Eminem

eminem
He is known for his best beats, best signing, best lyrics, and best voice. Both of his personalities, Marshall Mathers and Slim Shady are enticing to listen to His songs are suitable for whatever mood you are in Whether you need to be pumped up or you are in the best frame of mind. This greatest rapper’s life made him what he is today. So far, Eminem is the best rap artist alive and the greatest of all time The first three albums he revealed to his fans were a style never seen before. His lyrics, word play, and metaphors are the best ever. Being the first rapper to blow up from the underground combating ground makes him an iconic never to be forgotten in years to come. His songs always talk about the real issues of life.

5. Jay Z

jay-z
This is one of the best rap artists still in the game and the most triumphant men in this universe. Learning the hard way from the streets, he struggled his way into a business person. It is through him that most of the greatest talents in the industry today have been discovered. He is the one that discovered Kanye West. Jay Z is in his 40’s and with a number of years, his lyrics have grown. Not many rappers have stayed relevant for such a long period. When listening to his songs, many people scratch their heads to the lyrics. His music has evolved to a place where it is almost an art.

6. Kanye West

kayne-west
This guy is not only a great rapper, but he is also a musician who has a crossover appeal. He is a very good producer too. These attributes are what makes him everyone’s favorite. Presently, Kanye is among the best rapper in the game. He has been an inspiration to those living the hard knock life. Although he is a college dropout, encountered late registration and graduation, he still sailed through. He blended hip-hop and soul music to make three classic albums. Even though he longer raps his previous tracks will be played and remember throughout the years. With such a discography, it is logic to rate Kanye as one of the top 10 rappers of all time

7. Macklemore

macklemore
Many rappers talk about girls and drugs, but Macklemore write lyrics about having fun and things that concern today’s life. He is more that a rap artist, he is a storyteller. All his songs paint a realistic picture of what he is describing. The thing that defines him as one of the greatest rapper is his real lyrics that connect with people.

8. Drake

drake
Of course, best-all-times rappers are associated with lyricism, which includes originality, sincerity in the rhymes and the best mode of delivery. With all these, consistency and production quality has to be in the limelight. Drake has all this in him. He makes music that is amazing to listen to The only reason why some people may overlook him is that fact that he also sings.

9. Krazie Bone

krazie-bone

Definitely, he is the most talented artist in history. He has consistence in delivering rap verses of high quality and he is ranked as the best lyricist. Krazie Bone is a legend. Talent is one thing nobody can ape and this rap artist takes over the stage with all his songs. He is one of the rappers today that write meaningful lyrics.

10. Nas

 

nas
He is an MC and not just a rapper. He also gives something to think about and this is because he knows how to bring discussions. Nas knows the hip-hop history and always a firm answer to today’s commercial rappers. He has influenced a lot of rappers today and is respected by many. He is among the rappers that made hip-hop a little bit different and better. He brought imagery and storytelling to hip-hop. Nas will remain a legend and an all time conscious rap artist. Who do you feel are the current best rappers in 2014 or even all time? Post your comments below.

Welsh Secrets

“Wales is a backward country.” I am sitting on the train from London, heading toward Carmarthen, Wales, where I am going to spend the upcoming semester. A young Englishman, after learning of my destination, is half talking to me, half to himself. I have already heard what he is telling me – that Welsh culture is a bit “behind” its progressive neighbors, the British.

“Backward? How so?” I ask him. He gives me a funny look and raises his eyebrows. “Have you heard the accent?” I shake my head and look out the window, watching the landscape slowly change as we head west. Sitting here in the train I see sheep running everywhere, in front of cars and around the streets of the villages. Drivers seem to ignore the sheep the way we ignore squirrels, letting them go about their business, patiently waiting as they cross the street. I become aware that the grass is a color green I have never seen before – a brighter, fresher green than the grass back in my home state of Michigan. The Welsh hills roll together, creating a depth that makes me wish I could paint.

I start thinking about what this English boy has just said about the “backwardness” of the Welsh. Of course they are not “modern,” like the British and the Americans. No one could expect a place with such intense natural beauty, like that of Wales, to boast the cosmopolitan lifestyle of London or New York. I knew that about Wales; it was actually a deciding factor when I selected Carmarthen as my location for my semester abroad. Now, I sit happily on the train, dreaming of the simple, easy days to come.

The train pulls into Carmarthen station in the late afternoon. The station is at the bottom of a large hill, and the city of Carmarthen gradually works its way up. In the early evening, the sun casts a pleasant sheen over Carmarthen’s quaint buildings.

On the way toward Trinity, the cabby takes a route that weaves through the town. As we pass all the pubs and restaurants, I am delighted to see that everything is just as I have envisioned: The Boar’s Head, King Cross, The Angel Vaults, Spread Eagle, Blue Boar. Fish and Chips! Fish and Chips! I feel as though I have entered old England, and am half-expecting to see men tipping their hats at curtsying women. Ah, the easy life.

I soon meet my flat mates and instantly I realize what the young Englishman on the train meant by the Welsh accent. He was right. I feel as though I have entered a country that speaks a completely different language. The accent is laced with a rhythm much different than American or British English. They speak words with a pulsating beat, like a heart or the flow of a wave. Everything is a question, dragging out the last word just a bit too long, hanging on to each remark.

I settle in. I meet my fellow Americans. By Friday night we are ready to explore. Unsure of where to begin, we decide to head to town to check out the pub scene of Carmarthen. The temperature is around 50 degrees, but the dampness and chill in the air here is sharp and cuts through clothes right to the bone. So, taking the weather into account, I put on a thick sweater. I assume that we will have a pint in a pub, watch some rugby and be home by one.

I am wrong.

Three other American girls and I begin the two-mile hike toward town. The pub we are headed to is Weatherspoons, one we will come to recognize all over the UK. When we enter, the place is packed. We can hardly find the bar itself. And then we hear it:

Born in the USA, I was, born in the USA!

We giggle together at the coincidence of the song upon our arrival. But we quickly realize that people are looking at us: girls giving us glares, men examining us head to toe. Within 30 seconds of our arrival at Weatherspoon’s we have been spotted as Americans. Smiling stupidly, we wait a moment then grab a booth in the corner, ordering drinks as quickly as possible.

We sip our Snakebites (a mixture of Carling beer, cider and black current flavoring…a drink I still miss dearly) and start replaying our awkward entrance. It is then actually look around and begin to understand. I glance back at my girlfriends and attempt to inconspicuously examine what they are wearing. We are all decked out in North Face jackets, bright reds and greens, Birkenstock clogs, loose jeans, hair in pony-tails and little to no makeup. (After a month of traveling around Europe I become very good at identifying on the streets what I call this “American uniform.”)

A common sight in Wales … spring lambs!

I turn my attention back to the pub scene. The women here are wearing blacks and whites, browns and neutrals. All are in heels with low cut shirts and high cut skirts. Skin is everywhere. The men are wearing pressed button-downs with khakis or dress jeans. I am no longer in a small local pub, but a bar in downtown Chicago. These people did not just get done with a day’s work on the farm; they are just starting a night out on the town. The Welsh knew us to be Americans instantly because we were the ones looking unsophisticated, simple and definitely unsuspecting of such cosmopolitan nightlife.

We finish the night and begin the uphill trek back to Trinity College. We are already discussing plans for the week to pick up a “few things” downtown to wear out. None of us had been prepared, and such a cultural faux pas will not happen again.

Again, I am wrong.

Most of the Americans at Trinity had previously signed up for an Outdoor Pursuits course, which promises to expose us to some of the natural beauty and adventure of Wales. I expect some pleasant walks along the shore or a few hours roaming the hillside with the sheep. I spend one Wednesday walking the Pembroke path along the coast of west Wales, spotting otters and seals, even surfers in the chilly water. The next week we explore the base of the Brecon Beacon Mountain range in central Wales. However, we all fail to realize that we have been “hill walking” at the base of the mountain range. Little did we know the intensity of the Welsh when they really go hill walking.

The next week, we head toward North Wales to Snowdonia, the home of the tallest peak in the UK, Mt. Snowdon. In the beginning, we marvel at the beauty. Yet after about an hour, something about the landscape starts to look suspicious. The ground is covered in a thin white layer…of snow! I look down at my meager hiking boots and continue on. An hour later, my group and I are trekking up the side of Snowdon with eight-foot visibility in three feet of snow. It is icy, and our instructor starts to hesitate, saying that death on Snowdon is not too rare. I glance around and can barely see anyone; my eyelashes are frozen and I definitely have lost feeling in one foot. But we continue. (Did I mention that my guide, Mr. D., is a 75-year-old Welshman?)

After four hours of struggling up the side of Snowdon, closely followed by training Army boys, we summit. Exactly five minutes after summitting, we turn around. Half-way down, however, the entire struggle becomes worth it. Within minutes, the storm passes and the sun peeks out behind the dark clouds. The view from Snowdon shows me a Wales I have never imagined. This is a Wales of harsh elements, power, beauty and resistance. I look at Mr. D: at 75, he has just taken us up the side of a 3,560 foot mountain! I am in awe.

The six-hour ride home from Snowdonia, weaving along the narrow, hedge-lined roads of Wales, is silent. We absorb the mountains, hills, valleys, sheep, cows, lakes and streams of Wales, the little villages hiding a secret cosmopolitan world. It is then I realize that Wales is not backward, or simple, but rather modest and humble. She stores her secrets quietly. Understanding Wales is like understanding her people – the accent is only hard to understand until you lean in a bit closer.

This article was written by one of our contributors filed under travel.

Union Black

As my departure date for London approached, well-meaning friends and family bombarded me with advice. Living as a minority in any country is never easy, but I would be living as a minority times two. Not only would I be an American in England, but a black-American. The next six months would take living out of my comfort zone to another level.

“They love black girls over there, you know, especially American ones,” I was often told, “You’re gonna have to fight those English boys off with a stick!”

I’m not sure if this was supposed to be comforting or not. To be admired is always a good thing, but exotification I can do without.

“They don’t like black people over there, you know, especially American ones.” I heard this, too. While it was not comforting, it was nothing new.

“There are so many black people over there, you’re gonna have the time of your life!” And I also heard the opposite. “Why are you going to London? You know there aren’t any black people over there.”

Looking back, one could say all these things about America, and they would all be true. I didn’t catch the irony then. I wondered how I would be treated, and whether I had made a terrible mistake. Maybe I should have gone to Barbados.

Pond-hopping

Everyone else I talked to who was studying abroad seemed so excited, but I could not shake this feeling of dread. They were excited because they would be living in another country for six months. I was scared for the very same reason. I pictured myself trying to find my way in a sea of potentially racist, potentially lustful scary white people with strange accents. They would be yelling at me from the street, calling me a demeaning names or doing other terrible things in an effort to belittle my heritage and my sexuality. And I was going to be by myself, in a place I have never been, an ocean away from everyone I care about.

That was the worst-case scenario.

I chose to study in England because, besides Canada, it is culturally the country most similar to the United States. I wouldn’t have to learn a language, and, I thought I would not be bombarded with culture shock. How wrong I was. The accumulation of little differences are surprisingly nerve-wracking. In Britain, the time is 21:42 instead of 9:42. The food is always just “slightly” bad. The sun comes out once a week, at most. On a particularly homesick day, these small discrepancies can make one want to open fire.

However, I’ve found that London more than makes up for these shortcomings. I was initially surprised at the number of black people I encountered. And not only black people, but people from all over the world. London is the most diverse city in the world, I’d been told.

My school, the School of Oriental and African Studies, is, within itself, very diverse. Claiming to be the world’s largest school focusing on Asian and African studies, it has students from over 110 countries, and 25 percent of students are from overseas. It was comforting to know that there were other students whose homes are outside of England. However, so far, I have only met one other black girl from the States.

Colonial Encounters

I still feel my “otherness” here, even more than I did back home. It is evident as soon as I open my mouth. I can feel it in my Colonial Encounters class, where my white, male, British professor almost smugly describes how Great Britain colonized most of the world, and how this colonization would come to be the basis for the racism that continues to plague certain countries today. Sometimes I can almost see my professor, dressed like some fifteenth century explorer, setting out on his new “discovery.” I am the only black person and the only American in the class.

In general, there seems to be less sensitivity than in the United States when it comes to race relations. I don’t think the PC craze was as strong over here; whether this is ultimately a positive or negative thing is yet to be determined. A few examples: In an effort to buy tickets to a professional soccer game online, I wandered into a fan chat room. Most were talking about the players, the games, the news. One topic stood out. A young man was talking about how he loves to go to soccer games but is tired of all the racist name-calling that goes on in the stands. Apparently, some of the white fans like to have fun by calling the black players racist and demeaning names such as “black bastard” and “monkey,” among others. The young man was pleading for the fans to use a little more tact in their cheering, as it made him uncomfortable. However, his request fell on deaf ears (or silent keyboards, as it were). People replied that he needed to loosen up a bit, that it was all in good fun, that it was not racism, and that he should stop taking it so seriously. I questioned whether going to a soccer game was really a good idea.

While walking around downtown once with some friends, I passed a McDonald’s and was almost run over by a young white man running out. Apparently, he was evading an Indian McDonald’s employee for some undetermined reason. Once across the street, he called the Indian man a “black bastard.” He got several strange looks from people on the street, and he ran away. Do these incidents represent the feelings of an entire country? Probably not. But even so, I wonder.

Another time I went to a club with a few friends, all of them black, British and female. I think we were the only black women there. We danced in a circle all night, having a great time. Throughout the course of the evening, we got hit on by a number of very drunk, white British guys who approached us and mumbled a slurred pick-up line that we couldn’t understand. We politely turned them down and continued dancing. But the great time ended when I felt something on my behind which, after I grabbed it and held it up, turned out to be a man’s hand. After I sternly berated him for his behavior, his friend expressed his surprise that we were not as “fun” as he thought. He said he had the impression that we wanted to have a “good time,” implying that he thought I was the kind of girl who didn’t mind someone grabbing my ass. Did he get this impression because we’re black? Because we were dancing? A combination of the two?

Perhaps I’m being hyper-sensitive, but it’s a tough call. I’ve certainly encountered my share of African-American jerks. So who’s to say whether it’s exotification or plain, old-fashioned sexism?

Stepping back

I have spoken at length with my flatmate, Kesha, the only other African-American female I have met here, about our experiences. She said that speaking to black British people here has helped her to see how little she knows about her heritage. Most of the black people here are African or Caribbean, usually first or second generation British. Kesha recalled people who assumed that she was African or Caribbean and asked what country she came from. When she responded that she was American, they wanted to know where in Africa her family and ancestors were from. For the first time, she realized she had no idea.

The incident points to a substantial difference between African-Americans and black British people. Slavery has, among other things, wiped out the histories of many African-American families. I can trace my own family back to the nineteenth century in South Carolina, but beyond that I can only say “somewhere in Africa”.

I have asked my black British friends for their impressions of African-Americans. One girl, Hana, is from Nigeria, but for the past three years has been an international student at the University of Maryland in Baltimore. She said that upon arriving in Baltimore, she was excited about getting involved in the black community there and forming relationships with the black students. However, she felt that she was treated like an outcast because she was not American. She finally stopped trying.

Thus, after having spent one month of observation and research, my conclusions are….inconclusive. Just like the United States, it is impossible to come up with one sweeping statement summarizing the racial mentality of this country. All the contradictory advice that people gave me at home is true. They like black people, they don’t like black people, there are a lot of black people, and there aren’t a lot of black people. In many ways, this country is not unlike America. With the many blessings that come with a diverse society, so do confusion, ambiguity, and gray areas. My experiences here have taught me a great deal about the culture of another country. They have also helped me to see my own country in a new light.

Seeking Asylum

Refugees in Cairo, Egypt

Tesfai lives in a cramped apartment with his wife and four of his children. His other children are scattered: two are imprisoned in his home country of Eritrea, two are somewhere in Sudan (the last he heard) and another is in Israel. Tesfai’s hair has turned white with worry and his eyes, which are cloudy from a medical problem he cannot afford to get diagnosed, are often full of tears.

Tesfai is not permitted to get a job in Egypt. His children cannot go to school, nor can they freely play with other children because of the security problems they face. They live here illegally, having unsuccessfully completed the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) process that they hoped would grant them refugee status. Refugee status would allow them legal residency and protect them from deportation to their home country, where they would once again face the persecution from which they have fled.

Tesfai came to the Refugee Legal Aid Project (RLAP) near the end of my six months working there. He wanted help in getting the UNHCR to reconsider his case, which had already been rejected, appealed and closed. He described a situation not uncommon for refugees without official refugee status: “We live as though we are in prison, without freedom. Even my 16-year-old son was stopped by Egyptian security. We’re in a critical situation. Next to God, I only have you.” Egyptian security has a history of conducting racially-motivated arrests, rounding up Africans from buses, streets and even homes. Though the RLAP does not typically assist with re-openings of closed cases, Tesfai’s plea was hard for me to ignore.

The Refugee Legal Aid Project is a nonprofit, free legal service for people applying for refugee status at the UNHCR-Cairo office, which received over 13,000 applications in 2002, the highest number of any country worldwide. My job as a legal advisor was to demonstrate how clients met the internationally accepted refugee definition, laid out in the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees: “A refugee is a person outside his country of origin who has a well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group, and is unable or unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country.” The vast majority of asylum seekers we dealt with came from Egypt’s southern neighbor, Sudan; the rest have fled Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Burundi, Rwanda, Sierra Leone or Liberia.

Tesfai’s case is common – a political dissident opposed to, and therefore persecuted by, the current regime. As a tailor with his own business, Tesfai secretly made uniforms for the underground political party to which he belonged. He fled to Egypt when other members of his group were arrested and tortured with electric shock, afraid that they would reveal his involvement, making him the next target and victim. After he fled, the police station summoned him; when he failed to report to the station, the government confiscated his property and beat his brother.

Unlike Kenya and Sudan, there are no refugee camps in Egypt. Instead, asylum seekers fend for themselves in an urban setting as they wait for their individual case to be heard and decided by the UNHCR. Asylum seekers want UNHCR to declare them to be refugees not only because it grants them protection from deportation, but also because it gives them the possibility of resettlement to a third country such as the United States or Canada.

The refugee application process can take years to complete. However, an applicant is better off having a case pending than denied, for his options are essentially exhausted once his file is closed. As with Tesfai, the only hope that remains is a reopening, something the UNHCR is reluctant to grant as there is currently a backlog of tens of thousands of cases pending decision and appeal. The Egyptian government refuses to take on the task of determining refugee status of individual applicants, as governments do in most other countries where the UNHCR operates. This means that the UNHCR’s role becomes one of judge and jury, compromising its responsibilities as advocate and protector.

I came to know Tesfai’s background over the course of several interviews, facilitated by an interpreter who was a refugee himself. Other interpreters, like 16-year old Somali Yasmin, have already closed files like Tesfai’s but still volunteer their time and skills to assist other asylum seekers. The majority of the office staff consists of international volunteers; there are only three Egyptian permanent staff members.

Scheduling interviews was often difficult given the stretched resources we had to work with at the RLAP. There were only so many interviews that we could hold at once, given the space limitations, and there were only so many interpreters with the necessary English skills. When I managed to get everything lined up, it was not surprising to find someone else conducting an interview in the area I’d signed up for, or for a client to be hours late, or for an interpreter to be double-booked. Frustrated at first, I learned to be flexible and make do when things didn’t go as planned. They hardly ever did.

In order to get a complete and accurate testimony, legal advisors spend ten to fifteen hours, sometimes more, with a client, while the UNHCR interviewer has only one to three hours to do the same job. We then write legal arguments on their behalf and accompany clients on the day of their interview at UNHCR.

Before beginning work in Cairo, I used to think that UNHCR was the hero hailed by refugees; I came to learn that this was far from the case in Egypt. During my initial training at the RLAP, I heard horror stories about inefficiencies and flaws in the UNHCR process, about the incredible backlog that keeps applicants waiting years for results and about cruel, insensitive interviewers. I prepared myself for the worst when I accompanied my first client, but found that evil was not lurking around every corner and that every interviewer was not actually a monster. While there is much to criticize, the problems are largely a result of bureaucracy, understaffing and stretched resources. As asylum applications have continued to increase over the last several years, the budget has shrunk, limiting the number of applications that can be screened as well as the assistance provided to those applicants recognized.

The most common reason for rejection while I was in Egypt was coded “LOC” – Lack of Credibility. According to a study recently completed by Michael Kagan, a former lawyer with the RLAP, LOC accounted for 75% of rejections in the first half of 2002, at a time when the recognition rate was only 24%. LOC meant one of two things: there was something in the client’s story that contradicted itself or some aspect did not agree with country of origin information that the UNHCR had. Appealing cases dismissed for LOC is like shooting into the dark; it is never clear what was deemed unbelievable or inconsistent. Assessing credibility is a tricky task: interpreters make mistakes, cultural misunderstandings arise, trauma negatively affects applicants’ ability to remember and a lack of education can make pinning down dates nearly impossible.

To an asylum seeker who has told the truth, such a judgment is hard to accept. Having been rejected because of LOC, Tesfai expressed his frustration: “I have told my case and testimony truthfully and honestly, but I have had problems communicating it. I don’t even know why I was rejected. If they need more detail, then I can give more detail.”

It was hard for me to imagine that my clients, including an author, an actor and a lawyer, would leave their homes, jobs and families to travel to Egypt to live the life of a refugee – insecure, poor and without access to education or job opportunities – unless they had a legitimate refugee claim.

On that first day I met Tesfai, he told me, “I would not have come to Cairo for nothing. If I didn’t have any problem, I would not have fled my country.” In front of his teenaged son, he spoke of having contemplated suicide as a better choice to his current life.

Tesfai was rejected because of LOC in an UNHCR era that has hopefully passed. Within the last several months, LOC as a reason for rejection has been phased out, at least partially because of the arrival of a new administrator. The culture of disbelief is fading and the recognition rates have increased.

In my final days at the RLAP, I helped Tesfai write a letter requesting a reopening. The day he returned to thank me, risking security on the street, his eyes had changed – there was a glimmer of hope where before there had just been despair. I left Cairo with many cases still pending and fates not yet decided, including Tesfai’s.

A Tradition Misunderstood

Taking a beautiful country road from Dharwad, Karnataka, I reach the small temple village of Saundatti in South India. It is in this village that the devdasi tradition, one of the most criticized forms of prostitution in India, is still practiced. Best defined as “temple prostitutes,” devdasis are women who dedicate their lives to the temple deity. They are said to be the “Maids to God,” but they also serve as prostitutes for the priests and the rich members of the temple.

I was told that I might be able to meet a devdasi in the yatra (pilgrimage) taking place at the holy Matangi sarovar (lake). This lake is on the outskirts of Saundatti and during the yatra the devdasis take a “holy dip” before proceeding to the Renuka-Yellamma temple for prayers.

Traditionally, the devdasis performed duties at the temples and participated in religious functions in the villages. They were an integral part of most Hindu temples and were invited as honored guests to social functions in the villages to present dance and music. In fact, India owes much of its classical dance and music lineage to these women.

Bharatnatyam and Oddissi, two popular forms of Indian dances, are modified versions of traditional devdasi dances. MS Subbulakshmi, Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhonsle – three world-renowned Indian singers – trace their musical lineage to thedevdasi community.

Sadly, the devdasi tradition has degenerated over the ages and today the devdasis have been reduced to mere prostitutes. About a century ago, a campaign was launched to portray devdasis as immoral and many began to talk about abolishing the “evil” of the system. Historically, a devdasi’s life did not involve a denial of herself. She was free to have or refuse sex at her will. Once given to the temple, a devdasi devoted her life to the deity. Her sexual partner, generally an affluent person from the society, was chosen by her mother and the temple. The person who took on the girl as his dasi (maid) accepted responsibility for her social welfare.

In the 1980s, the Indian government banned the devdasi tradition and began working in tandem with various non-governmental organizations to help reinstate these women into the society, as well as raise public awareness of the demeaning nature of their life work. The government launched programs to “rehabilitate” the women, such as teaching them embroidery, knitting, tailoring and other skills to help them pursue an alternative livelihood. Despite the governmental ban, hundreds of girls are secretly dedicated to Goddess Yellamma every year. The devdasi system is still flourishing in parts of the country, especially southern India.

Though the temple I visited fervently denies upholding the devdasi practice, the locals assert the opposite. “The devdasis are still there, but the authorities won’t say so,” the flower seller outside the temple tells me. When I ask where I can find them, he tells me that the women live around the temple and locating them will not be easy. “But they are very much there,” he stresses in whispers. Rakesh, the shopkeeper of a little souvenir shop, says the same. “You won’t find them at the temple, but they are around,” he adds. He suggests that I visit the Matangi sarover.

If the flower seller and shopkeeper are correct, the modern devdasi practice holds little resemblance to the tradition practiced over a century ago. Instead of living in the temple premises, the women now live outside the temples in their own houses and take on the responsibilities of the temple work. Kamla, who takes care of the pilgrims’ shoes and slippers outside the temple, refuses to talk about the devdasis at all. When I ask another local about Kamla’s reluctance, she tells me that the people of the town have been strictly instructed by the temple authorities not to talk about devdasis to visitors. When they venture to do so, they speak in hushed voices.

I finally have the opportunity to meet a devdasi who is taking part in the yatra at the sarovar. Her name is Yellamma; in India, it is common to be named after gods and goddesses. After her “holy dip” in the lake, Yellamma proceeds towards the Saundatti temple. Draped in an off-white saari, with maed hair and a shell necklace around her neck, she tells me she dedicated herself to the deity at the Gedekal temple in Karnataka 22 years ago at the age of 12. She lived at Gedekal for 18 years, but for the last four years she has been at the Saundatti temple. She has four children, whom she is no longer in contact with, but she is informed that they are doing well and live in Bangalore.

Yellamma speaks only Kannada and it is difficult to communicate with her until a local woman offers help. Yellamma tells me that she can sing and dance well, yet has no formal education. She only takes one meal a day. She says devotion to God gives her energy and she doesn’t need food.

Born within a well-to-do family, Yellamma became a devdasi of her own will and says she is “content and has self-respect because she devoted her life to God.” Yellamma says she feels respected in the society and enjoys a special standing amongst women because of her devdasi status.

When I try to contact the temple authorities, they refuse to talk. However, after persistent requests, KS Yeduyariah, the head priest at the Renuka-Yellamma temple, agrees to meet with me. He speaks freely about the temple and its activities, but whenever I try to bring up the topic of devdasis, he avoids it. When I specifically ask if the temple supported devdasis, the priest angrily answers, “There are no devdasis in the temple. The government has totally banned the practice. If there are devdasis outside the temple, we don’t know. The temple has nothing to do with those women.” But the tension in his face reveals a different truth.

 

Top 10 places to Visit

Some of The Top 10 places to Visit

Anyone who enjoys traveling will always strive to visit exotic places and take beautiful pictures of such sites. Everyone though, defines beauty and exotic differently. But the truth is, there are numerous places that stand out, even though it takes time, research, money and lots of energy to be an avid traveler and visit most of these sites.

Because not everyone can travel the world in search of beautiful sceneries and exotic sites, here is a list of the top 10 places to visit. It is worth noting that the list is not exhaustive nor are the places listed in order of preference. The top places include the following breathtaking and utterly beautiful towns, sites and beaches.

The Taj Mahal in India

tajmahal-india

Even though it is a holy Muslim mausoleum, it is a spectacular building worth admiring and recording your visit with a photo. It is indeed one of the most magnificent religious buildings in the world; having been constructed way back in 1653. The entire construction took over thirty years to complete; the finished product is a real architectural masterpiece.

Because of religious reasons, it is recommended that you wear appropriate attire when visiting the Taj Mahal. The sunset behind the Taj has been well documented over the years and one should make a point of being around the Taj as the sun goes down.

The Grand Canyon in Colorado USA

Grand-canyon-colorado

This gorge in Arizona stretches for over 277 miles, with its widest point measuring an astonishing 18 miles. The picturesque scene of the great Colorado River flowing through the center of the gorge is bound to be priceless.

The strides up the sky walk; which was specifically built to ease the task of going up the Grand Canyon is a marvelous and heart stopping experience. Many people who have ever visited this place tend to go back time and time again. It is a beautiful place for anyone to visit during vacation or holiday.

The Teotihuacan in Mexico

It is one of the biggest archaeological sites in the world. It has large pyramids, buildings, other sites and a wide array of beautifully painted murals that are well preserved. It was used by various tribes over centuries gone by.

Many people who have visited this place usually leave feeling that they have just visited one of the Seven Wonders of the World. In fact for many years the site has been viewed by lots of people as a contender to replace one of the current wonders of the world.

Teotihuacan-mexico

Sognefjord in Norway

This is the largest fjord in Norway and the second largest in the world; it offers an expansive and stunning view to all and sundry. Its highest peak stands at 2000m above sea level whereas the lowest depths are around 1,300m below sea level.

The beauty of this place is the freshness and naturalness that it oozes; it makes you feel really close and attached to nature and all that it has to offer.

Sognefjord in Norway

Santorini in Greece

The white washed stone houses with those bright and electric blue roofs lining the cliff edges and the beautiful beaches offer a spectacular spot for any kind of photography. Once you get back home with those lovely pictures; everyone is bound to ask you where and when you took the photos.

To say the truth, these beautiful houses dot many places in Greece, but nowhere does offer better scenery than Santorini. This is because most of the beaches here have their cliff edges packed with these houses; leaving you aghast as to how those houses have survived over the centuries.

Santorini Greece

The Great Pyramid of Giza and Sphinx in Egypt

If you ever visit Egypt, make a point of visiting the great pyramid of Giza one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. It is the oldest and largest of the pyramids, having been built 2500 years ago and standing at 455.22 feet.

Next to it you will see the 241 feet Sphinx statue; together they offer a very memorable background for photos. The feeling you get touching the structures or listening to the history behind these beautiful structures is life changing and incomparable.

sphinx-egypt

The Ayers Rock in Australia

It is also known as the Uluru, it is a sandstone rock that measures around 1145 feet. It has very unusual rock formations and is also a sacred site for the Aborigines. It is one of the most beautiful sites in Australia. The place is so huge; its circumference is almost 6 miles, giving you a very enchanting view and lovely memories to boot.

Ayers Rock Australia

The Yosemite Valley in California USA

This is a valley in the expansive Yosemite National Park in California which covers an astonishing 3.1 million square kilometers ; it has the Merced River snaking around it, offering very breathtaking scenery of a stretch of water being towered by some very glorious mountains and is naturally considered as the pinnacle of all the beautiful attractions that dot the park.

The Clouds Rest and Half Dome are some of the most famous peaks which attract the highest number of visitors; they are quite popular with people of all ages. If you are staying at a hotel near Santa Cruz beach, you are only a short drive away from this amazing park.

Yosemite-Valley-in-California-USA

The Canals of Venice, Italy

The canals that encircle the city are usually used for commuting; in the process they offer very romantic backgrounds that are virtually incomparable with anything else in modern cities. Venice has a very rich history which many friendly locals are ready and willing to share with interested visitors. The city also has some architectural wonders such as the Piazza San Marco and Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo which on their own merit are a tourist attraction.

canals of venice

Victoria Falls in Zambia/Zimbabwe border

The view as the Zambezi River pours its contents majestically from points as high as 360 feet up, is quite humbling to say the least. It is a sight to behold. These waterfalls are amongst the most dominant and prominent ones in the entire universe. If you have an interest in photography, the background scene offered by the scenery can offer a good postcard picture.

Victoria-Falls-Zambia-Zimbabwe

The world is full of beautiful places worth visiting; the above mentioned top 10 places to visit are just but a small representation of what the world has to offer. Always make your safety a priority by avoiding unnecessary risks. It is important for anyone planning to travel to make appropriate bookings quite early so as to avoid any disappointment. While travelling, it is also prudent to ensure that all the legal paperwork required by your host country such as Visas, Vaccinations and foreign currency regulations are in order.

Surma Lip Plates

[intro]Living in the mountains, southwest Ethiopia, approximately 0.8km on 45 square km, is a tribe of approximately 2500 nomads who are called the Surma. They are related to the Maasai and the Nubians of Kenya and Tanzania. The Mursi are most likely found in the Omo-Valley neighboring the Surma. These tribes are mostly pastoralists. They value cattle and practice crop growing for instance, Millet, Sorghum and Maize. These tribes are always in conflict with the enemy local tribes and therefore mostly are warriors. However a tourist visiting the Omo valley would straight away recognize their unique tradition of Lip plates wearing among other traditions like body painting.[/intro]

Lip Plate Tradition

Of all indigenous tribes, the Surma and Mursi are the most likely among the most few tribes who still continue to indulge in this unique tradition of inserting lip plates in the lower lips. Other tribes which practice this are the Chai and the Tirma. For the Mursi and the Surma, it is a tradition to wear the large clay or wooden pottery lip plates or discs that are put in the girls’ lower lips. A tourist visiting the Omo valley may find this tradition very odd and recognizes these tribes normally by this unique tradition. It’s only the women who wear lip plates and they may remove them while talking but only in the absence of men.lip-plates

Apart from serving as a touristic attraction, the Lip plates serve a more significant purpose among these tribes’ culture. When the girl is at16, another tribes-woman, in most cases her mother, cuts the girl’slower lip. Then a wooden plug will hold the lip in place after the incision and allows the cut to heal such that the incision remains open. It is up to the girl to decide whether she wants to widen the cut. Over time, larger and newer lip plates may be inserted. Some of the tribes-women may have Lip plates with a diameter of 12 centimeters and even more.

[pullquote position=”left”]It takes place when the girl is between 16 and 20 years old prior to marriage. The lip is perforated and a small plate is introduced at first. Later on the disc is progressively replaced with a larger plate.[/pullquote]

The Lip discs or plates may be made of clay or wood. Clay lip discs have become a tradition among the Mursi and Surma tribe. The tribes men fashion the wooden lip-plates. They are considered less fashionable and more traditional accessories. The Lip plates are also considered to be stylish and therefore, are colored and decorated depending on the desired style of the women wearing them.

There are four kinds of Clay lip plates, (Shauna LaTosky). They include:

  • The red clay lip plates/Dhebi a Golonya
  • Reddish brown clay lip plates/ Dhebi a Luluma

The above kinds of clay lip -plates are then fashioned by putting them in hot charcoals and then dousing them using the sweet Gongui trees bark which is commonly found in the forest.

Black clay or Dhebi a Korra. They are plain lip plates which are put in hot charcoal and then rubbed with Linnui (grass) so that they darken the color.

  • White clay lip plates or Dhebi a Holla. They are only fired but aren’t rubbed with grass. They are polished and decorated with milk, metal or pumpkin seeds.

Importance of the Lip plate among the Surma and the Mursi

As said earlier, these accessories don’t only serve as decoration items but have significant cultural importance as well. They include:

Bride Wealth

The lip plates have significance in valuing the bride price of the woman. The larger the plate, the more the dowry (Cattle). This is a very ancient tradition. The biggest plates may be as big as 5 inches in diameter, the parents may ask for more than 50 cattle for their girl’s hand in marriage. However this has been heavily debated by historians since bride wealth is decided before even the girl gets the lip cut. But if two men are vying for the same girl, the size of the lip-plate may increase the bride price.

To Ward off the Slave Traders

Another importance of the lip plates is considered to be to drive away the slave traders. It is considered that women, who have distorted the nature and size of their lips by inserting lip plates, look less attractive and therefore this lowers interest of the slave traders for their business needs. Although nowadays slave trading is dying out, they still continue to practice this lip-plate tradition. Also other tribes which practice this tradition have the men also wear the lip plates. For example, the Kayapo tribe of Brazil, where only the highly ranked older men of the tribe have the privilege to sport the lip plates. Therefore, wearing lip plates so as to drive off slave traders may be something of the past and nowadays it remains to be just a significant norm among the Mursi and the Surma.

Source of Self esteem and Validation

It may seem that wearing lip plates may be a source of oppression and stigma among these tribes. However the lip-plates which are worn by women are considered to represent self esteem and validation. They express reproductive potential and social adulthood. Among these tribe the ability to remain calm in difficult situations, hardworking and proud to belong in their status as a woman. Lip-plate tradition has enhanced the qualities of these women.

If the girl gets pregnant either outside marriage or when she is not married, she loses the right to wear the plate.

It takes place when the girl is between 16 and 20 years old prior to marriage. The lip is perforated and a small plate is introduced at first. Later on the disc is progressively replaced with a larger plate.

The Lip plates signify the economical and social status of the tribe. Among the Mursi and the Surma women, it is often indicated that the larger the plate the bigger the size of the cattle as the bride price of the woman. Other historians believe that the lip plates represent the woman’s self esteem and strength to withstand any situation and this is reflected by the Lip plate tradition which has not yet died among the Surma and the Mursi tribes.

Want To Watch the World Cup 2014?

The FIFA World Cup 2014 is expected to be one of the best football tournaments of all time and will kick off on June 12 and end on July 13, 2014. Everyone seems to be excited and quite nervous as Brazil hosts one of the best sporting events on the planet. Every team knows that the spotlight will be on them and wants to show the world that their country can go all the way in the tournament. We already know that the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil will be hosted in 12 cities rather than the customary ten. Football is a huge part of the Brazilian culture so all cities wanted to host the event. This is the second time Brazil is hosting the 32-team competition, and has won the trophy a record five times.

As football fans around the world start to turn their attention to the tournament, you can expect the ticketing issue to assume more significance. So if you are planning a trip to Brazil next summer, it is important to know how to get tickets for 2014 World Cup.

Availability

With the many attractions in Brazil, the demand for the 2014 World Cup tickets is high. Football’s world governing body, FIFA recently announced that 3,334,524 match tickets are up for grabs. Every avid fan wants to be part of the biggest fiesta in the world of football. Those who will be unlucky to get match tickets will also want to travel to Brazil just to enjoy the fantastic atmosphere and support their favorite teams.

Type of Tickets

Football fans are allowed to purchase three types of tickets: individual match tickets, team-specific tickets and venue-specific tickets.

As the name suggests, individual match tickets will be available to people who want to watch certain matches only. The prices of these tickers vary based on the category one prefers.

The team-specific tickets allow fans to follow their favorite teams. So you can decide to buy tickets for the games your team will play. With this option, fans are allowed to purchase between three and seven tickets based on how far one expects their team to go in the tournament. This caters for the initial group matches and the knockout stages. In case your favorite team does not make it to the number of matches you purchase tickets for, you will be given tickets to cheer on either the group winner or the one that defeats yours in the Round of 16.

The venue-specific tickets are ideal for individuals who want to watch all the matches in a single stadium. So if you are planning to buy tickets for the matches in, for instance, Rio de Janeiro, this category suits you.

Pricing

The 2014 World Cup tickets are put into four categories, in terms of pricing. The ticket prices for each match will vary based on where you would like to be seated in the stadium. Also, each stadium will host different kinds of matches so the prices will vary from one city to another.

Category 1 is made up of the most expensive tickets and their prices range from $175 for each group match, to $990 for the World Cup Final at the Estadio do Maracana in Rio de Janeiro.

Category 2 match tickets are a little cheaper as the seats are usually situated at the furthest ends of the stadium.
International fans who want to buy category 3 tickets will have to part with USD90 for the group stage matches.

Brazilians have access to almost 400, 000 low-cost tickets out of the available total of roughly 3 million. In addition, Brazilian students and social societies will have access to $15 tickets

Remaining Tickets

To buy the various tickets, FIFA has created different sales windows. The dates for the remaining sales rounds are as follows:

• 8th Dec 2013 – 30th Jan 2014- The Second Phase Lottery• 26th Feb 2014 – 1st Apr 2014 – The Second Phase on First-Come-First-Served basis• 15th Apr 2014 – 13th Jul 2014 – Last Minute on First-Come-First-Served basis

Where to Buy

The best ways to buy your tickets is to apply at FIFA.com. The process is quite easy, although you need to wait for any of the applicable sales rounds listed above to make your purchase. Alternatively, you can download an application form on the official FIFA website and send it by post.

It is advisable to book your 2014 FIFA World Cup tickets beforehand during the listed sales windows to avoid missing out. Nonetheless, early bookings are currently underway and you can save money by buying now.
Good luck!