I went to watch the Black Panther movie TWICE  in 3D after having quickly gotten a ticket during the pre-order sale period in January. I’ve been waiting patiently for this movie for the LONGEST!!!! As an African I wanted to see the influences of the thousands of beautiful cultures we have in my continent and I was not disappointed. I thought that Wakanda was amazing and so afrofuturistic in the movie trailers but after watching the movie it surpassed my expectations. I was probably most excited to see the #BLACKGIRLMAGIC being that this is the first marvel movie with the plot being just about a Black superhero and with the supporting cast being mainly Black women and men.

Representation, more so undiluted representation is imperative. It is vital for young black girls and boys to see themselves depicted as kings, queens, innovators, warriors and so forth because often times, society puts us in a box with a predetermined label and its not fair. You honestly never realize how important it is to see a visual representation of yourself until you see it.  I am overjoyed to see such beautiful representation of my continent and its people. We are more than what the media makes us seem.

Getting the tickets was pretty simple, I ordered them online. The only downside was the fact that unlike in the UK where you select your seats, here in the US in some cinemas, you have to be a member of the premium account in order to choose your seats. Also, the tickets are more expensive in general but its worth it for the kind of quality service the cinemas here have. For one, with the exclusive seating privilege, the seats are better, can recline and have like a touchscreen on the side where you can even order food and have it delivered to your seat ( the convenience  😩)

I was dressed pretty simple, mostly black, hair was in an afro puff tied with my traditional cloth from back home (Botswana) . I was ready to be served by Chadwick Boseman, Lupita Nyong’o, Michael B. Jordan and co.  Overall, I give this movie a 15 out of 10 (maybe I’m biased 😬😜) and highly recommend everyone to watch this movie. I also look forward to more movies like this in the future.

 

#wakandaforever

G

Collegiate sports in America is taken very seriously and is one of the ways in which students are able to attend the institutions they want as well as play the sports they love. I’ve been to a few sports games since I arrived and I can say I absolutely love the school spirit and the vibe surrounding the sports teams at UMD. Being a sports fanatic, one of the things on my list of things to do is to attend as many sports events as possible.  One major difference is the popularity of sports at the college level which I feel in the UK is not taken as seriously as professional sports. Being in the US has been an adjustment but I’ve decided to go with the flow by learning the vernacular they use.  Football to me much like the rest of the world is referred to as “soccer” and “American football” is simply just football.

I’ve also been to the multiple basketball, football and soccer games. One thing I can say is that my university spends a lot of money on collegiate sports and make sure that as students the experience is worthwhile. The best thing thought is that all school sports events are FREE for STUDENTS!!!The families in College Park and surrounding areas come out to watch the games. They tailgate football games which basically means hanging outside of the football stadium, drink beverages and grill food. We get free goodies too!!! I think I am on track to starting a t-shirt collection. One of my favorites so far is one I got at the first home football game which was a shirt for senior and on it was the Michael Jordan crying meme but his face was replaced with our school mascot, Testudo.

 

These are some of the pictures I took at sports events.

 

Soccer games with the men’s soccer team being one of the best in the NCAA

 

    

Basketball and Football games

 

I hope to attend more sports events in the Spring semester too.

 

G

Washington D.C:- The University of Maryland, College Park is located along the state lines of  the State of Maryland and is only a 30 minute drive and a short train ride from the U.S capital. One of the  activities scheduled on the last day of orientation was a trip to D.C. We walked to the metro station which uses a similar system to the Transport of London. You scan your metro card and move to the platform to wait for the trains.  Unsurprisingly, the metro system here is extremely easy to navigate. There are only a few lines, which are color coded and in comparison to the tube map, I would say it is easy to comprehend. Depending on where on is going the fares range from $2.00 (off-peak) to a maximum of $6.00 (peak times). The trains are very well maintained and are air-conditioned which makes travelling easier in the summer heat.

Around 13:00 we set out in the blistering heat on the journey from College Park to Washington.  The school guides took us to a station near the central where we split into groups to explore the city.  My group ultimately decided the best way was to travel by foot to see as many sights as the day would allow.  One of the key sights we saw was the U.S Capitol . We were able to explore the inside of the iconic sight, learning more about the establishment of the United States of America and the change it has gone through over the centuries. Other sights included the Union Station, The National Archives and Chinatown.

It was an eventful and tiring day. I walked over 15 kms but it was worth it! I loved how the day wasn’t structured and we just wondered about and spontaneously decided which direction to go next. For me, that is the best way to create memories.  I am enjoying the pace at the University of Maryland and I am looking forward to exploring what Maryland and surrounding places have to offer, like the White House!

Till next time,

G

Pics of the day