So let me reintroduce myself

Hello reader.

My name is Kaycey and I am a university student in the UK. I study tourism and my course is 4 years long. The third year (this year) I have to work in the tourism industry for 40 weeks thus I by God's grace ended up in the city of Barcelona and have a home and work placement here until next year summer.

I chose to study tourism because I wanted to do a subject with hints of geography and languages. I feel I wasn't intelligent enough or good enough at science to do Geography (one of the most underrated subjects in this world) and wasn't good enough at Spanish to study Spanish. Though those points seem negative, it is the truth and it lead me to study this amazing subject at a wonderful university - in fact the best in the country for tourism. I have always loved travelling and going on holiday (like every single normal human ever) and wanted to know more about this wide 24 365 industry. I liked that I could study subjects like environmental studies, which looks at eco tourism and the pressure tourism puts on nature fauna and flora; I could also study tourism operations management and tourism development and planning. French was also available as a module which allowed me to pick up from where I left up with French in year 9 and many management subjects, like finance, marketing, economics and managing people - which can all be implemented in many fields of work.

I will concentrate on Spain in a later post and Korea and Malta which I have visited in the past year.

I sincerly thank you for reading and hope my blog is something of interest to you. #reboot

Bad blogger

Hello readers,

I return to being a writer because I have missed blogging that much. It has been more than a year now that I have been postponing writing, even though I have been gathering writing material and have many ideas. I can admit I haven't been able to keep up with many areas of my life but this is going to become my new homework - to revive this blog and fill it with the content that I had originally intended.

I even considered starting afresh a new blog but that would cause everything I've ever posted here to become invaluable. I'd compare this blog to a plant I bought but kept forgetting to water it...but that plant is a cactus so it will live long and survive arid conditions.

I put my writer cap back on, try to communicate using proper english and return to tell you about the world outside your front door. And now, some spam!

International heart?

I started to write this post when I had one week to go until my big adventure but now my big adventure has almost ended so I have a lot to tell you :)

First I wanted to share a little summary of my first year of university and some things to come. I have a great year at my university home or 'beachland' as I like to call it. I really feel at home there and it is an amazing place. Perhaps my course isn't all I expected it to be but I still enjoyed it so much and passed year 1 with a merit which I am proud of so I can't complain! (Even though I could have done better). Bring on second year tourism management! This year of course I have to be ever more cautious of my grades as they contribute to my final year mark and the grade I graduate with. This year I must also start to look for a placement which I will really be praying over; there are certain lands and fields of tourism on my heart.

I'd like to think I have an international heart. I think I mentioned last year how I get confused as an international student as most of my friends are international students. (A bit annoying that that is the assumption as if international students should only hang out with each other) but I love to learn from them. Sharing different cultures and customs, learning bits of other languages and of course the awesome food; I find it all so fun! I sometimes go this international café and of course everyone asks where I am from but get confused that I am a British student (especially since my english fails a lot) and that I  want to learn from them about their home cultures. I still have not figured out how exactly I identify with foreign students. Is it a personality thing? A selfish thing that I am just friends with people from certain places as I want to learn their language. I am not sure but I am a proud back up for the international team at Christian Union, global buddy for next year and geography & languages enthusiast

I am currently at a crossroad, not knowing whether to take on French again next year or not. I enjoy learning it, but could I possibly be assessed on it at a higher level?

So I write this post from a hairdressers in Seoul, South Korea as I wait for my friend to get her hair done. I finally made it here guys, and though my adventure is almost over, a real big one starts tomorrow ;)

...updates coming soon

Comeback!

I am very excited to announce that I will be returning to my blog after almost a year of hiatus. Many exciting things this past year have happened and many exciting thing are coming up...keyword = EXCITEMENT.

I have a lot of content, that I have been planning to write for a long time now, that I will be able to share real soon. Life threw me under the bus with a lot of university work however, "it's been along time coming, but I'm here now".

Kaycey, welcome back.

Da Rules

This video right here relates a bit to my rant post that I uploaded about a month ago. I literally just watched this video but found it too epic and deep that I just had to share it everywhere! This is really the world outside your front door as I feel a lot of people have no idea the racism in society especially against black people. Eyes need to be opened and though there have been several movements in the past that we all are reminded about during black history month, racism still exists.

  Being black often feels like walking on eggshells, how we have to be so careful not to 'scare' people, how so many stereotypes (stupid and offensive) are always brought to us and how we have to be careful that our 'blackness' or lack of it doesn't offend people. Check out this poem recited by these three young African Americans - Marvin Hodges, Em Allison and Saidu Tejan Thomas. "Da Rules"

In other news, exam period is approaching so busy busy busy I am. I am still having an amazing time preparing for my South Korea trip and am in love with the new Mfbty album "wonderland". 

If you do not know who Mfbty (my fans better than yours) are, they are a project group built up of 3 of the best, most famous, crazy skilled hip hop artists based in South Korea. They created Feel Ghood Music and are Bizzy, Tiger JK and Yoon Mirae (Tasha). Their sound comes from a variety of places and they have lived all over the world (including New Zealand, USA and of course South Korea). Tiger JK and Yoon Mirae, who is half African American, are married and the group is just amazeballs. The song I really recommend is 사랑과 평화 (love & peace) featuring Jeon In Kwon - it has a smooth reggae Maxwell type beat and is the tale of pride in love causing loss, the pain that comes after and realising it is time to apologise.

Best beach in Britain

Este artículo me hace feliz :-)

2 years!

Wow! I guess sometime this month is my 2 year outsideyourfrontdoor.blogspot.com anniversary. I am not sure the exact date but I am so happy that I was inspired to create this blog. It really helps me organise my thoughts and share them with all you readers and document so many amazing things I have come across and learnt.

Whether you have been reading for two years or two minutes, sincerly, thank you.

I hope I never forget to blog, thank you for reading 😃

Welcome to MY culture: Rant

This is a different kind of post, a post of frustration for a change - I have already come to terms that I cannot win whatever I do but I am done trying to win - I am just doing me. I have come to 100% acceptance of who I am and only God and I know who that truly is.

What I mean (in preparation for this rant) I am so sick of people telling me who to be according to outwards appearance. If you have read any of my blog you can tell that 'Kaycey's culture' is about literally everything I am interested in and that includes the languages I learn and the countries I read about and cultures that I investigate. I try not to discriminate - I am interested in the world outside of each one of our front doors! I am a world person - and like to travel - I would go everywhere if it was up to me.

This all came from a conversation that I had today with two of my close friends (whom I love loads and will be traveling with this summer). We spoke about racism we may face when going to this certain country (two of us going are Asian and two of us are black) and racism in general. Quite a lot of emotion was brought out because of the unfairness and superficiality and ignorance and arrogance people from all over the world have to encounter; the constant stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination - just because of such a measly thing - because of our race. Races being different, which should be such a small irrelevant thing has become such a big thing in such a negative light because of this thing called racism. We're bloody made different for a reason - everyone is beautiful and special in different ways for a reason!- and I have never been able to understand how one race could be more valuable, more powerful and more high up in some sort of  weird stupid hierarchy - what is the reason?!

I spoke to my friends about my experience of people always judging me because of my apparent personality and hobbies - "Are you even black?" "Why are you trying to be White / Asian / not be black". Just because I take an interest in languages and cultures people think I want to change my race. It is so annoying I am not defined or boxed in by my race. Under the skin we all look so similar! I am in love with Spain and Latin America EVIDENTLY but people only take notice of me learning an Asian language and because of that apparently I only like Asian guys too?! If anything I would want to be Latina (my love for Shakira is too deep) but I am happy being me! If I find someone attractive it is not because of their race - it is their everything. My own family hint at me how I am not black enough? What does that mean; no one has actually explained that to me?
Are they are hinting at stereotypes like me not wanting to smoke 'ganja' or go to bashment parties, or my inability to cook certain dishes, do certain hairstyles, dance certain dances? My friend in response to this said "There is more to being black than a few Caribbean stereotypes". I still don't get it! Please tell me how I could have 'interacted with my race' properly.

It is hard enough living in such a multicultural country. I was born and brought up here but I always get "yeah you are from London...but where are you FROM?!"

I just act according to my heart and not what is expected. I genuinely like a mix. I have friends from all over the world and I don't choose them as my friend because of where they are from - if we get on and have similar interests then bam! - friendship formed. I have an international heart. In my course people from the UK tend to hang out with each other and there is a little bit of segregation as the international students hang out together. But why is it like that? I was even mistaken as an international student several times because of me hanging out with the internationals.

To be honest, it is nonsense. I have friends from South America, Bulgaria, China, South Korea, Indonesia, Nepal, France, Hong Kong, South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria, Portugal, Brazil, Italy, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Guyana, Jamaica, Eritrea, Morocco, India, England and all over the world. Why is it every time I might take an interest in their culture I am suddenly 'trying to get away' from my heritage?

I admitted to them there have been times when I have found 'being black' tough but mainly due to my own insecurities. Whenever I'd go on holiday I would get darker and because of comments like "Wow! You are dark" said in such a negative way I hated going outside in summer in fear of becoming darker. How stupid and sad that is! My friend said in response to this 'The darker the berry the sweeter the juice'. Black people also compare their skin tones amongst themselves (and other races also do this aswell). 'Lighties' 'teamdarkskin' all of that. In my head from when I was young I was confused if being such a colour was such a bad thing. It is a thing with so many people that 'hair is beauty' - mines is a very tough short coily curly mess of an afro thing that I do not maintain well and does not grow so easily. India Arie wrote a song about all of this "I am not my hair, I am not my skin; I am a soul that lives within". "Dont judge me based my hair or my skin color but on who I am inside".

I mentioned to some friends how I have not in recent years had a black guy approach me (no I am not talking about those 40 year old uncles - I mean black guys in the same age category) and they told me that I was lying (because of a certain 'black' apparently attractive feature I might possess lol). Guys have their random preferences so I am not going to appeal to everyone and that is fair - but it was unfair to say that I filtered out black guys because of my apparent preferences. IT IS TOTALLY NOT LIKE THAT!

If I put on reggae or hip-hop or RnB it goes ignored. The second the language changes suddenly I hate being black? If I like a black guy no one cares. The second I mention liking a guy who is Asian for example "Yeah you like your Asian boys don't you!" I want to travel the WORLD instead of always going to the same Caribbean countries (which I love btw). Oh, suddenly now I hate and am ashamed of Jamaica? I made jerk chicken earlier this week and all I get is "oh what happened to the Asian food". Just because I like a mix.

God made us all in his perfect image, but some certain humans intervened and created the 'desired image' and so came the 'white supremacy'. This isn't a race rant or a history rant, this is a me rant so I will leave that part right there but remember 'WE ARE ALL AFRICAN' - WAKA WAKA (Shakira love too deep).

People from all different races are different and sooo soo beautiful regardless; however, society's flaws created so much of this racism crap. At the end of the day, I (finally) love who I am and am comfortable with myself. I hope for anyone who feels like they 'do not belong' that they remember that they do and are so important - so put spoons on your eyes and 'umm block out the haters'

Happy New Year!!

Greetings loyal / new / wandering readers! I hope that the Winter break was enjoyed and peaceful for those who had a break and that 2015 will be good for you all!

I decided (NEW YEARS RESOLUTION...though January is almost over) I really have to dive into blogging again so I will be hopefully having minimum weekly posts and multiple updates coming soon as I have some time on my hands.

So here we go~~

I follow a really beautiful twitter page called viajerosblog on twitter (it means travelers blog) and my friend tells me I spam by retweeting my 'paradise porn' pictures. I can't help it! Check out the glorious pictures of various worldwide destinations they post!

I received another box filled of lovely Korean goodies from my amazing Korean friend - I realised I still have not shared what was in the first box and what I sent! (Major procrastination) so an update on the two coming up!

I mentioned a blog called 'fluentin3months' a few months ago on my 'Esperanto' post and recently bought his (Benny Lewis') book with the same name as the blog. I have not started reading yet but the book is 'Tips and techniques to help you learn any language'. It should be a good and helpful read!
 

I am loving my uni town and have settled really well here. I love my course (...so far), my Church, my Christian Union, my home away from home and the many wonderful friends I have met here. I went on  trips to a lovely country mansion, the Isle of Jersey and to Brownsea Island I am still into Geography / language related things in my free time.

 I often read 'BBCMundo' when reading the news, my 'Santa Biblia' to read beautiful translated Bible verses in the beautiful Spanish language;

Yes, that is a selfie stick #ftw

I go on lovely nature walks through forests or on the beach,

         

 I cook Korean and sometimes Mexican dishes and I am trying to keep up with my Korean TV shows music and Spanish films! French is going well as well.

Plus, my room has lovely World Maps on the walls ;)

That is it for now. I hope 2015 is prosperous and excellent for you all. 2014 was a big lesson for me and I went through some radical changes last year. 2,500+ page views ↑ we go!~~

 

Sorry for the hiatus, but... are you ready!

Hello all! I welcome you once again to this blog that I have for a long time been neglecting. This summer has just been THAT crazily busy. Good news only; I got into university! 

University and A-Levels

So I am leaving my home to go study Tourism Management in a lovely lovely place! As I have said in the past, my geography grade has always been disgusting but luckily this year, the geography module that I completely failed last time, I got an A in that module - which was enough for my happiness. Another module I basically failed last time went up to a B grade. The rest of my grades were not as impressive (I was really disappointed by Spanish but I took that exam as a completely broken student...lol)  but I am now moving on from the A-Level world. I would have started my course by this time next week.

Spanish

So I finished learning Spanish in school. My sixth year finished of learning this beautiful language - and as some of you may already know - it will not stop there! I am definitely doing a Spanish module at university and hopefully can do a term abroad in Spain or even a placement year out there...when I get more knowledge on things I will decide; but that is all in the future! I have a friend who is like a sister that has gone to do a year of volunteer work in Peru so I am jealous her level of Spanish will overtake me really soon haha :) but I do wish her the best experience for this next year. I have another friend that studies Spanish at university and has gone to Spain for the year as part of her course . 

I went to my school to say goodbye to some teachers recently and had a really nice conversation with one of my Spanish teachers about keeping the language alive in my life, If anyone here is reading this and is a learner of a language, please remember to keep practicing the language or you will forget things more and more. Utilize it whenever you can! I have tried to keep Spanish alive by watching films in Spanish like 'nueve reinas' and 'perdon si te llamo amor'. I will soon watch 'diarios de motocicleta' which is about famous figure Che Guevara. I also have been listening to a wider range of Spanish / latin music (not just the Shakira I am used to) like 'bachata' and reading articles on 'BBC Mundo'.

There was one day earlier this summer I was on the bus and could hear several people having Spanish conversations in different accents and it was killing me because I automatically go to translate and listen to their conversations as if it is a listening exercise! 

I will try to improve my grammar but I think I am getting better with automatically responding in Spanish!

Korean

I must say I have made progress with Korean, mainly because I surround myself with many Korean things and ways to learn. Another mission I gave myself was to learn the meanings of those little things I do not know in a sentence instead of skipping them and translating the words I am used to; also, enriching my vocabulary and trying a bit harder with grammar. The next thing I need to try is stop mixing Korean and English in sentences when I have no idea what to say - I do speak in very broken sentences sometimes haha. 

Our class 'successfully' carried out our annual Korean event, though there were many difficulties that I will try to forget about (the stress was unbearable)! We filmed our drama parody video, performed a dance, cooked and served food and had a really good time. Our hard work paid off and so thank you to everyone that helped made it possible, my lovely Korean teachers and those certain few unnies and chingus that worked hard.

 

Like with Spanish, I cannot help overhear Korean conversations to test out translation skills. I did visit Korea Town a few times this holiday and on one occasion I was sat next to a father and his daughter. The father was teaching her Korean etiquette like how to wrap the meat in the lettuce, checking if she knew how to hold her chopsticks properly; as he spoke to her in Korean she would reply in English. I just found that situation really cute and funny - especially when the father told her to eat the hot soup slowly saying '천천히' which reminded me of a key line from a sketch from KBS's 'Gag Concert' called 'Hidden Masters'. I was mid conversation with my friend when I had to stop speaking in case I burst out laughing. Anyways, another reason I listen to others speaking their language is in case if they were to say something bad about me and I could surprise them by understanding. I wouldn't be surprised if that happened to anyone as with my friends we use Korean as almost a code (never for bad reasons) but for secret jokes which I find fun, or to warn someone about something in subtle way. 

Other languages

So at the start of summer I gave myself a challenge to also improve my Portuguese, Chinese and French (I am on absolute beginners for Portuguese and Chinese). I have basically done no French, I have not tried to learn anymore Chinese symbols last time but have worked just a tiny bit with Portuguese lol. I did meet a Chinese girl in a Korean class and she was surprised when I knew the meaning of three very basic symbols '男' '天' '美' when we were reading a Korean article about 3 members of Exo on the cover or a Hong Kong fashion magazine. With Portuguese I just have worked with my pronunciation and try to recognize the words that are similar in Spanish and French. I find that really fun and I just listen to my Portuguese music :)

I resumed reading my book about North Korea 'Nothing To Loose' and my Bible in Spanish. Still many more updates to happen...once I find the time in my busy schedule, but thank you for reading! See you soon!

Posts coming soon!

I have a lot to say and a lot to do. I have not blogged since the start of the summer and now the summer has almost ended! I will try my best to update pages as well and I also have new ideas haha...we will see if they will be unveiled soon!

A tiny greeting with a link

I have done it. I have entered the dreaded exam season. I had my first Geography exam on Monday and it went better that last years. The next is on Friday and then I have my 4 A2 exams after in June for English Literature, Geography and Spanish. Freedom arrives in exactly 1 month and 1 day! Then I am free to fix up this blog (which truthfully I have been neglecting since I started haha).

I am preparing for the annual Korean Event that my class hosts as I self-nomitated myself onto the organiser committee (no one else was going to do it!) It should take place mid July before the Summer break.

I feel my Spanish improved in my 15 hour Easter workshop over the 7 days I spent in Spain! I had my oral exam not too long ago and I feel more confident speaking. I really hope to do well with Spanish. To think I almost didn't take the subject for A-Level; now it has it's special area in my heart! You get out what you put in eh! If I do well with all my exams...or at least get into the university of my choice I will be over the moon! Results day is in exactly 3 months; a scary thought! I will be back to greet my readers whoever you are eventually. Until then, be well and do well and check out this interesting article below!

The visual contrast between Korea - North and South

Language interference

Is there anyone that knows or is learning more than one language? I know I am nowhere near fluent level or polyglot in the languages I do learn, however I am starting to feel the language interference! Does that happen a lot? I start off a sentence in one language but then in walks the other language and I confuse a lot of people including myself and my Spanish and Korean teachers >.< As Spanish has to be the most important at the moment, I really can not risk letting Korean or English in my case take over. My tongue can not resist the temptation to speak those two languages at times even though I know in my mind I must speak Spanish.
Today I surprised my Spanish teacher when I answered her in whatever French I remember! Well...I have a very important Spanish test coming out so time to drench myself in the lovely español. Will return to blog soon and edit some very important pages. Reader, stay well until then at least.

I made a new page...again!

Photo Page!
I put my pictures from my Valladolid trip onto this page! I will update it more frequently. I thought the homepage looked a bit messy so the pictures are here now!

What is in the box?

My precious box arrived from South Korea, sent by my lovely friend. Since I don't write much updates on my sub pages, I will put my post on my Korean page. Check it out to see what I received and what I also sent! Soon!

How much easy questions can you get right?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vWjobDRp3w&feature=youtube_gdata_player

One more

I recently walked the Alzheimers society memory walk and passed some interesting places in London so I will post some pictures as soon as I get the opportunity. Also a lot of foods of the world page I may as well add in soon...not that I'm a food critic but it is something interesting I guess haha :)

Slacking

I have been slacking but I have one new update - A presentation on Bolivia on the Spanish page and another one soon on the Canary Islands. I hope all you Brits are enjoying the heat...I'm not; and I hope everyone else is having nice weather

Hello all! Salut! Hola! Hallo! 안녕하세요....I'm all out of languages ^^

Hiya all. Exams are over which means I'm supposed to be UPDATING! Hopefully do so soon so I can have a blog that I enjoy writing and hopefully someone enjoys reading. So I'll be spamming everyone soon :) so urm have a nice day
...also I've almost reached 1,000 views. Yay!

Exams!

I will stop blogging until I am free from exams next month but (if anyone cares) I will make loads of updates next month!! My first exams are geography and Spanish, my favourite subjects. Pray for me that they go well!!