Photos: Trip To San Francisco.

Dear Yaso,

Here are the pictures from our trip from Edinburgh to San Francisco. Enjoy!

P&L

Kris

From San Francisco: Travel, Occupy, and Cornel West

Dear Yaso,

It’s not the wisest thing to write a letter right now. It will never have been while being in San Francisco. Every morning has been an early one (6am wake up). Taking the train (the BART) from Berkeley to San Francisco and back to Berkely every night. Sometimes leaving the city at about 8pm, other times 10 or 11pm and everything in between. Right now, I’m extremely tired; like I’ve been every night here thus far. But oh well, life is for living right? We’ll sleep when we’re dead.

I wanted to send you a high quality letter filled with pictures from SF, but that will take more time and I will post them up later once I get to Gainesville and have some substantial amount of rest.

This whole trip started with our early morning train from Edinburgh to London. We left our flat impeccably clean. It’s so good to know I’m coming back to a nicely done bed, cleaned rooms, and organized spaces. It was a nightmare last time! I’ll send you photos later with more chisme from the train. Lol. I took the time to put together an application that was due the day after I got to SF. By the way, sorry about you not getting the job, but I’m glad you have a good attitude about it. The right job will come. I’m saying to you, and to me even more. It’s harder, I think, perhaps, after you have graduated.

While on the plane to SF, we noticed that the guy next to us was going to the same conference… small world. We had saved our meal from the night before and we ate it on the plane while everyone was jealous >:)

While at the conference, I found some really good workshops. I was surprised. They actually had some practical ones to go to about social change, AZ’s immigration law, peacebuilding and others. I’m not sure what I would’ve done if those weren’t available. I even went to one on yoga…which got a bit weird… remind me to tell you later. Lol. But I still love my yoga! And miss it! Speaking of which, I’ve been going crazy with no exercise for a whole week and eating out. Ugh. Detox and training when we get home! It’s horrible. Had no time to go to the supermarket and get some healthy foods to pack for lunches. We seriously had no time for anything, it was crazy.

Even still, we managed to see some of San Francisco. You’ll see in the photos later Anyway, we heard Dr. Cornel West and Tavis Smiley were going to be speaking at OccupySF’s site on Sat night. So we marched with the Occupy people for a mile. We stopped at a Hyatt hotel to protest the hotel for its unfair treatment of workers. There’s great work being done to support the unionization of hotel workers in the SF area and nationally. I went to a session about that—opened my eyes to those issues. A hotel worker came to speak to us. He barely knew English so he read from a paper. It made me cry. I was talking to Mike later about why I was crying. I really believe I’m in the presence of the divine, of God, the most when people I’m with people in tough situations of oppression, marginalization, and helplessness. It’s crazy. I can’t help it, I just start crying.

SO….. we marched and got to the SF site by the bay. Someone got on the megaphone and said, “we’re really sorry. But Dr. West said he can’t be here tonight because he is really sick”. We were like, really? Cuz we just saw him and I have a picture of him at the Marriot just an hour ago. Yeah, we were suspicious… so we just went home. I just wanted to hear him speak. Our opinions about the Occupy movement is a bit wavering. I just always think back of the struggle people went through during the civil rights movements and other movements. It seems like this is just a camping game for some. A girl who was marching with us stopped and got on a platform along the way and started dancing and acting a fool. I’m like, “really? This is how you get your point across?”.

During a session on Occupy at the conference, an activist from the Oakland area got up to say her opinion. She was very eloquent, passionate, and knowledgeable. She talked about how the issues that Occupy is confronting has been issues minorities, people of color, and the poor have been working to tackle for years. For years, they’ve been trying to get their message across and have it be part of the public discourse. She had an issue with the voices from the many years of activism being ignored while somehow the voices of “middle-class/white people” are immediately heard. That, now because it’s a white or middle/upper class problem, it’s a real problem. And now people will hear, and now it will get the media attention.

She also had an issue with the mechanisms by which Occupy operates. The general assemblies, etc. Those who are most affected by the economic crisis generally don’t have the luxury to camp out over night and stay there for weeks and months. When they try to bring up issues to the general assemblies/leadership of these groups, it often gets discussed so far along the meeting that they have to go home because they have kids to attend to or work the next day. It begs the question, who is camping out? The ones who have the luxury to do so? Who is getting arrested? Because a lot of the people (minorities, people of color, the poor) don’t have the social standing/privilege to be able to randomly get arrested, or participate in a hunger strike.

I think she’s right to have issues with those. But I also think the Occupy movement has finally brought important topics to the foreground; albeit it had to take a certain group of people to make that happen, however unjust or just that may be.

I think my opinion of it is that the Occupy movement has gotten their point across. Now they have to be smart. Actions that cost the city (taxpayers) should be discouraged. There are a lot of resources coming in to sustain the occupiers all over the world for weeks, months now. What if these resources were used to help those who have been affected by the economic crisis the most? There has to be something subversive about the movement. An alternative way of existing has to be modeled for Wall Street. I could write on and on about this. And I’m getting to two pages, which is OK because there’s lots to write about from my trip here. I’ve only scratched the surface. But I wanted to say, this is why I think Jesus and his teachings are on point. They’re subversive, confrontational and give an alternate way of living.

In regard to your question about democracy and the book you’re reading: I’ve thought about that before. Quite a lot. Since I’ve been in Europe, seeing how small the countries are compared to the US, I’ve often wondered if the US is just too big geographically and demographically for democracy to be of any good quality at all. If that were true, it would have serious implications: the US will have to split up somehow, right? Yeah, it’s a topic worth looking into and talking about. Time to board!! En route to FL! I need some sun!!!!!!! Tell me your thoughts now :)

Peace&Love,

Kris

***Urgent Message!!!

So.... as I suspected, I did not get the job. Funny enough, I was still in such a great mood after getting the news. They didn't state why in the e-mail. My bro (oz) told me to ask them for feedback. I think I will on Monday, but I have a better idea.... Read this:

I couldn't stop laughing when I found that. What do you think? Shall I do it? lol. I found another one. These are the types of jobs I should be applying for!!!:::

Ah, geez. What would life be without humor? Completely boring. :) I hope you're having fun in San Fran, CA with Mike.

See you soon!!

y

My First Letter to You :)

Dear Kris,

I thought we’d start light-hearted, but you just delved right into it with a rant! Lol. I have no complaints though, because I love your rants! I’m excited to start this blog. I think it will help us focus on what we want to do as a career when we’re finally done with school. I plan to share my knowledge and opinion, but also to learn about social policies and events – both national and international – that affect our lives.

Anyway, I write to you from Kennesaw, Georgia! It’s really pretty here. It reminds me of Jacksonville with an actually visible Fall season. I honestly think south Florida is a whole different world and not in a good way lol. I have to tell you, I really miss walking everywhere in Edinburgh, Scotland. I love it. I love how I can just walk out the door, walk to the grocery store, get an ingredient I’m missing from one of our fabulous recipes and go home all within 10 minutes. I think more cities in the U.S. should be designed in that manner: pedestrian friendly. It’s better for the environment and helps people get out of their sedentary lifestyles. Guess what city has awesome public transit? That’s right, our lovely capital. Can’t wait to ride the subway one day in DC.

So, this past Monday I went to the job interview for the Site Coordinator position at the Boys and Girls Club of Central Florida. Two people interviewed me, and I didn’t know this, but this position would lead into Director of Operations. Like I told my bro, this would eventually make me the “big man you stick it to” lol. I would be in charge of pretty much all kid programs, funding, recruiting, etc. I would also manage a staff of 4. This is an awesome opportunity, but I’m not so sure I may get it. L I feel like looking young definitely works against me. I mean, I can practically blend in with the kids. I look like I’m in high school lol. They said I would know by Friday. So cross your fingers! .gives you job if I get hired.

I thought this was interesting. You remember the book you were starting to read “America Beyond Capitalism”? Well, we are towards the end of it in my online class and I noticed a pattern forming in the author’s point of view. For instance, there was one comment: Democracy can't be achieved in a population reaching 400 million people without decentralization and perhaps the formation of smaller regional units. That sounds like Ron Paul to me. I would say conservative, but right now that party is run by unknowledgeable and vain extremists. I commented on that to a classmate, but the response I got was political O_O I guess UCF is doing a mighty fine job in preparing us lol. What do you think?

I will end my first letter by saying that I cannot believe that Herman Cain is now campaigning that he doesn’t need to know everything going on in the world to be president. Always lovely to hear J I’m sure Stewart and Colbert with have a feast with that. I hope your flight was great and safe and have fun in SanFran! Take note of awesome restaurants in case we’re ever there.

Till then,

Yaso

The first letter on 11/11/11 - We are now open for business!

Dear Yaso,

This is our first letter! I’ve been wanting to talk about so much… but as you may have figured out: I’ve forgotten. I was thinking of what should our first letter be about. Something I’ve been wanting to tell you, something about DC, or something happening now? I thought there’s no better place to be and nothing better to think about than the present.

I’m supposed to hear about the Development Advisor job by the end of the week this week, which I assume it’s the end of the business week, which I assume it’s the end today, which I know is 11-11-11. Happy 11-11-11!!! I think this is the PERFECT day to start this blog! J I guess your procrastination made the stars align just right. Lol. So about the job.. yeah, every time I see that I’ve gotten an email, I get scared. I check to see if it’s about the job, and nothing. So I just turned on my phone cuz I thought maybe they would call me? Better be ready. I really hope I find out by today. So I can move on or get on.

On the way back from the interview there was a guy from the Scottish Socialist Party by Balmoral Hotel & St. James Mall on Princes St. talking about how Scottish Power (the electricity company) has raised its fees by 19%. The guy was on a megaphone repeating key lines over and over again trying to get people to sign a petition against it. As I walked by, I heard what he said and upon making sense of what he said, I took a few steps back and signed the petition. His basic message was: big power company increase our fees by 19%, but pensions are not increased, minimum wages aren’t decreased, and services are being cut. How does that help the average person??? It’s crazy. I didn’t know Scottish Power had done that so now I gotta look at my utilities bill to see how much it’s increased.

It’s really unfair. Even though the energy costs may be higher because of various factors, how does it make sense to have loads of profits and still demand higher fees from people? Why is it necessary? And if energy fees will continue to go this way, and if it will not get cheaper to live the way we have been living, how about investing some of the money that is collected from fees into harvesting new sustainable technologies that will be able to sustain an increasing amount of people in our planet? These companies are not out for the good of the people, but that’s common knowledge now-a-days, isn’t it?

There are some people that are afraid to say they’re against capitalism; like as if capitalism was the social polity sent down from the heavens above to us mere mortals, and so worship it we must. .gag. I don’t think so. There’s something to say about the fact that the Scottish Socialist Party can stand in the middle of the busiest street in Edinburgh, speak their mind peacefully and sensibly, and attract about 50% of passerby’s toward signing their petition. Their message makes sense. And people don’t fear that hear: a socialist presence. Can you imagine if that happened in the U.S.? The Socialist Party out on the streets, speaking their mind, making sense out of the world’s mess… do you think they’d be paid any respect? Or have a successful petition campaign? Especially in our current political climate where ‘socialist’ is deemed as the worst of all evils? I’m really surprised Vermont’s Senator Bernie Sanders doesn’t get the socialist insults that President Obama gets… here’s an actual socialist in Congress but Republicans pick on Obama about being one? Trust me, if Obama acted more like a socialist, his approval rating would go up lol.

The American political system sucks, it’s immature, petty, ineffective, and ignorant..and everyone knows it.

In other news, Mike and I went to the Elephant House (Harry Potter’s birthplace). After days of him working nonstop, he finally finished his work for the conference and we went to have breakfast at Elephant House. It was so nice not having to cook or clean up J Here are few pics. I can’t wait to visit coffee places and have breakfast dates when we’re working hard one day in DC…

Xo

Kristellys

Creation of the blog

This is the day we created the blog. We are now up and running as of Nov 11, 2011. Have a look around to see what this is about.

Yaso & Kris