It was a warm autumn night, one of those nights in DC that we just left behind. The weather was humble, clothes were not yet thicker and reflections of the sunset were on the leaves day and night. A strange cocktail of melancholy and happiness of the transitioning season was inside the overly discussed red cups of the Washingtonians. I was too excited since my tickets were bought, it was going to be my first ballet experience in the Kennedy center. We were about to take our Uber to ‘The Suzanne Farrell Ballet’, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts’ own ballet company in Washington, D.C.

The show was composed from three parts; Walpurgisnacht Ballet, which was going to be the company premiere (first meeting with the audience), hence I could guess the excitement of the dancers, like my own. The second was the Shakespeare’s forever joy, ‘A Midsummer Nights Dream – Pas De Deux’[1], and the third one was “Scene d’Amour from Romeo and Juliet”(oh la la!).

A small but sophisticated ballet company, The Suzanne Farrell Ballet, has given annual seasons at the Kennedy Center since 2001. Without going into too much detail, I want to mention about the style that was used in the show, that is the Balanchine Technique. Named after a Russian born American choreographer, the Balanchine technique is all about rhythm, minimalism and funny details. For example, at the second act of Walpurgisnacht Ballet, ballerinas came back to stage with their long, untied and wavy hair with multiple colors and wooed the audience after a typical first act.

A midsummer Nights Dream brings one back to childhood memories;  I personally adore Shakespeare’s unbound imagination, which also fueled mine when I was five. Yet, a cocktail of Balanchine and Shakespeare was divine!

Hmm… There is a spot that you have missed at ceiling Jose!

After all that minimalism, the last act ‘Scene d’Amour from Romeo and Juliet‘, the most well-known love story of all times, brought some color into our lives. It was one of Balanchine’s three “Jewels” ballets; the story was in the color of ‘Emerald’. According to an article in the New York Times, Suzanne Farrell and Kyra Nichols Carry On Balanchine’s Spirit, “Emeralds were delivered with real nuance, sensitivity and freshness.“ According to your fellow resident, it was legen -wait for it- dary. Not only was the ballerina, Heather Ogden, in noticeable harmony with her partner, but the whole scene was recreated again with Emerald Ballerina’s on the stage like a necklace from Buckingham Palace. From now on, Green is the new pink when it comes to love and romance.

The air is getting colder, going outdoors on weekends is unfortunately not desirable anymore.  With the ‘Special Price Tickets’ for us students, the Kennedy Center is a must go-to indoor weekend activity. Not to mention it hosts an incredible collection of different ballets and concerts from all over the world – don’t miss your chance to see this concrete jungle of art while you are in DC. Stay with art, love and passion everyone! Wishing you all a great December and early greetings of Christmas!

Kennedy Center Calendar

[1] Let’s jump on a bit of ballet world, shall we? Pas de Deux means couple dance. Check this link for an awesome one.

ISH is a spell bounding place comprised of eclectic and curious individuals many of whom possess an -everlasting love of literature. I am no exception. I read all the time and I mean this quite literally. I listen to books while eating, washing, cleaning, walking, waiting, working and whenever I need to mentally escape to another place, space or time. I often share what I’m reading with other ISH residents and thought it would be fitting to begin sharing my favorite books each month via this blog. I will only include 4 of my top books read over the past month but will gladly provide additional recommendations to any interested readers!

Citizen: An American Lyric by Claudia Rankine

Citizen is a remarkable read comprised of profoundly poetic prose. Each of the short essays evoke images of commonly shared experiences amid those in the Black community. Complex subjects such as micro aggression, overt racism, social-awareness and self-consciousness are exquisitely yet easily explained through short captivating pieces.  I believe most readers will find this book to be relatable, realistic and reflective of the way we view and validate each other in this country.

Our Kind of People by Lawrence Otis Graham

Our Kind of People chronicles the history, culture and traditions of upper class African American families. Contrary to popular belief, the upper echelon of Black society has existed for well over a century and is still thriving all across America. The book discusses the good, bad and disheartening aspects of this insular world which is primarily built on qualifying features such as skin color, status, family lineages, educational accolades and social affiliations. The author grants readers a rare glimpse into an aspect of American society that is often criticized envied, Applauded and seldom fully understood. Full of personal reflections and social observations, this book is definitely a must read for anyone interested in learning more about the origins of America’s high class Black society.

Radiance of Tomorrow by Ishmael Beah

This novel follows the lives of residents returning to their city following a 7 year war in Sierra Leone. Written in a deeply cultural and figurative style, this book will certainly hold your attention captive. The author expertly weaves together critical issues involving environmental degradation, traditional customs, corruption, war crimes, grief, family, community and resilience. I would recommend this riveting read to anyone interested in gaining a greater understanding of the multidimensional aspects of rebuilding an entire life and rekindling the love of living.

I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai 

I read this riveting book with fellow ISH resident Katherine Haugh. We both found Malala’s story to be insightful and immensely inspirational. Her unwavering advocacy for girl’s education compels you to seriously consider exploring the fullest capacity of your academic pursuits. The intensity of her personal journey is mirrored by her fierceness for educational equality. A great read for those who would like to learn what it means to risk one’s own life in order to help others live more fully and freely.

Do you have a book you think should be featured on the blog? Let me know! I would love to receive your recommendations!

After a couple of months I am happy to say that I am doing much better in Law school then I thought I would. The first weeks were very stressful since the way of teaching students is different than back home, as well as the amount of readings and class participation. I have been sending several emails to the professor to talk about my concerns and I must say that I am doing great at the moment. Professors have been very considerate with helping me to get back on track and it really is just a matter of time to get used to this new system. Time flies by, the midterms are over and I am preparing for my finals, which will start in four weeks. I would like to encourage you that whenever you have this feeling of failing, just don’t give up and be patience. Time is really the cure in this case.

I have to say that I miss my intern life in the House a lot, since now, as a student, there is less time for trips, but with planning things out, there is still lots of time to go out and have fun. Speaking of fun – Halloween, one of my favorite holidays in the US, was epic once again. Every year I keep being amazed of how people can be really creative with their costumes. For those who don’t know what Halloween actually is, it is an event where everyone dresses up as something popular on TV, books or movies. Also parents go along with their children to doors to get candy where they say the famous phrase “Trick or treat!”

This year I went for a costume out the Disney collection. I was dressed up as Aladdin and even had a Jasmine! The only thing missing was our flying carpet. It was crazy full on the streets with literally everyone dressed as something. The Power Rangers, Minions, Darth Father, Spiderman, Batman, Catwomen, Jack Sparrow; name it and I can assure you that they were there. We don’t celebrate Halloween as crazy as in the US back home. We do have Carnaval in the Netherlands where we have a Halloween-look-a-like dress event.

This year I have also been experiencing to have friends outside the house, but I must say it is like ISH itself. My classmates are all around the world and it keeps surprising me how the connection of such a big international group becomes one. Surrounded by this international network keeps me happy and makes me think of one of the important goals I have. See the world from a different perspective, as in green and blue, instead of borders or flags. We really are one.

Seeing the World through another’s Eyes

A few weeks ago, fellow blogger and close friend Justice Shorter, presented at the International Student House’s Resident Salon series. Justice spoke about disability rights advocacy and shared her experiences as a legally blind person with other residents in the House.

Justice began her presentation by encouraging residents to ask any questions they had about people with disabilities or her disability. Justice’s openness to questions allowed for an honest and authentic conversation. Residents asked straightforward and sincere questions about how to refer to people with disabilities, how to better accommodate colleagues with disabilities, and what state and federal policies exist to ensure that the rights of individuals with disabilities are protected. Justice explained that even though you may have good intentions, you may still act or speak in a way that can be offensive to individuals with disabilities. It’s important to always think before you speak or act to make sure that you aren’t behaving in a way that could offend someone that you care about or work with. Above all else, Justice recommended to simply start by getting to know the person and see them for who they are and what they like to do, not just by their disability. Everyone has different preferences for how they interact with others and their needs when it comes to friendship and feeling comfortable in social settings. Justice recommended never assuming that people with disabilities need “help” and to always view individuals holistically and genuinely get to know them, rather than minimizing them to the singular characteristic (such as their disability).

This point really resonated with me because I think this truly applies to all people and all interactions. For some reason, I find that a lot of people (including myself) tend to identify one dominant feature or characteristic about someone in order to describe them or understand who they are. While this is sometimes necessary given that it is impossible to fully capture who a person is in a simple introduction, it can easily lead to reducing or categorizing others unfairly. This is especially true in the International Student House, where residents are not solely defined by where they come from or what they look like, but who they are and what they enjoy doing as individuals.  I talked about this at length with some of the other residents in the House and we came to the conclusion that while it’s only natural to associate people with dominant features (such as being “the girl that runs a lot” or “the guy that plays piano”), it’s important to make sure that that characteristic is not the only way you view and understand that person.  That kind of single-track thinking limits the many ways in which you could potentially engage with others, find common or uncommon ground and discover shared hobbies or passions. (Unquestioned, this kind of thinking underpins decisions to unfairly and inaccurately categorize entire populations as “rapists” or entire groups of people as “drug dealers.”)

Justice’s presentation emphasized the importance of not identifying someone exclusively by a single characteristic, such as their disability, country of origin, or external appearance. To me, I don’t know Justice as the “legally blind girl”, I know her as Miss Delta, the girl that reads books like she breathes air, doesn’t like to eat apples, and makes everyone around her laugh.

Justice spent the second half of the presentation sharing her story. She told us about her experience losing her vision, the challenges she faced in her school, and what barriers she overcame with support from her family. Justice told us about her personal triumphs and struggles, as well as anecdotes from her life, including some stories from her time studying in Cape Town, South Africa. In telling her story, Justice gave a lot of fantastic and powerful advice. Above all else, Justice urged residents to never let other people’s fears become their own or let other people’s fears hold them back from achieving their dreams. If Justice had let other people’s fears impact her life decisions, she would never have traveled to South Africa and would not be living in the International Student House today. This point rung true for so many residents in the House, who have left their home countries, their familiar surroundings, their friends and family, to move somewhere completely new in pursuit of their dreams.

Something I realized when we were all sitting together that Sunday evening was the general recognition among residents of the enormous potential for growth that accompanies being open-minded and innovative in new environments and the thrill of leaning into the discomfort of all things “new.” Justice closed her presentation with an interactive exercise during which residents were able to experience what it’s like to live at ISH as a legally blind person. Justice assigned pairs of two different tasks (such as going downstairs and turning on the microwave, putting the washer machine on delicate cycle, or picking up mail from our mailbox) and one resident had to wear a blindfold.  Take a look at some of the pictures below of residents participating in the exercise.

     

After residents completed the exercise, they shared their reflections about the experience. As you can imagine, many residents said that it was much more difficult than they thought it was going to be, that it was hard to determine what other people were doing around them, and how uncomfortable and uneasy they felt. Residents also explained that it was difficult to fully trust the person who was guiding them and to be completely dependent on another person for certain things like going up and down the stairs. Listening to my fellow housemates reflect on their experiences, I thought about how valuable it is to literally put yourself in someone else’s shoes and look at the world from someone else’s perspective. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about this lately (especially around the concept of “targeted universalism” as it relates to economic opportunity, poverty, race, and political systems) and truly believe that, only by stepping outside of our own individual realities, are we able to create a community that is intentionally inclusive and equal for all.

Going one step beyond just understanding where someone is coming from and literally putting yourself in that person’s position is truly invaluable. This exercise brought to my attention so many things I had never seen or been aware of before. Before the evening began, I thought I had a fairly good understanding of the many challenges that Justice faces on a day to day basis, having shared many tribulations and triumphs from our days over late dinners in the dining hall. Ironically, it wasn’t until I put on a blind fold and tried to get up to the exercise room, did I see for myself how incredibly difficult it is to live in this House as a visually impaired person.

Bringing this long-winded-late-night-blog post to a close, I have been thinking a lot about strategies for bringing about positive social change, whether that be related to poverty alleviation, improving access to affordable healthcare and housing, or bringing back the Krispy Kreme donuts at ISH’s Saturday brunch! (This is a real campaign. As Justice is also a fan of the Saturday Krispy Kreme donut tradition, we’ve thought about calling our campaign, “Justice will be Served.” Stay tuned. We’ll be coming to a community organizing event near you!) In all seriousness, when thinking about bringing about positive social change, I keep coming back to this idea of “targeted universalism.” Lots more to say on that, including an enlightening quote from the ever wise, well-known thought leader, Jeanette Buljevich Haugh (my Mom)—stay tuned for my next post!

It feels amazingly good to be back in DC and in the House. Familiar buildings, faces and the weather. DC doesn’t let you forget the humanity. The Fall has officially started and it gets a bit colder day by day.

The first month of school was pretty overwhelming. Lots of readings, a high tempo of going through readings, difficult and different lectures compared to the lectures I had back home in the Netherlands, and fast speaking native English speakers who are hard to follow. I found myself thinking about what I just have read after a page of reading, with the legal English terms which were unfamiliar for me. Many different questions are going through my mind, “am I going to survive this,” or “I underestimated the Master program in the US”.

Stress was coming up in my mind until I had the chance to confess this ongoing struggle with my classmates, and when it turned out that I am not the only one dealing with this “study shock,” I could continue breathing again. After speaking with different professors and classmates I realized that it was a matter of time to get used to this new system of learning. In the United States, lectures are quite different than back home, where I was listening to the professor, took notes and left. Here, lectures are different; there is interaction with the professor, where you have to answer questions about the readings and you have to explain your opinion.

Next to the study stress, which is kind of over now. I am used to the system, I also try to have a social life, which is less, comparing it to my stay in DC while I had an internship. I am blessed with the new international network I built up with classmates from all around the world and residents at ISH.

Every year, the International Student House holds its annual Global Leadership Awards Dinner which honors people who have made outstanding contributions toward international understanding. We are had a small Tribute Dinner for award winners, Members of Congress, and special guests. The Ambassador and Mrs. Sasae of Japan hosted a dinner at their residence on Thursday, September 17. I had the honor to be invited as a guest speaker and give a speech in the name of ISH. It was the best gift I could have had for my birthday, which was on that very same day. Being 25 years old and reaching this point made me proud. Also, this year has been my second birthday in DC and I must say that it is a very nice experience to be at ISH and studying in DC, celebrating your birthday with friends.

Whatever comes on my path, every day I am grateful for this opportunity. Roads are not always easy and have their ups and downs, but that makes us strong and brings us where we are today.