blackgirl on mars: notes on a life in copenhagen (or how my alienation brings me closer to people).

"I wish I could say, however, that general understanding of the Middle East, the Arabs, and Islam in the United States has improved somewhat, but alas, it really hasn't. For all kinds of reasons, the situation in Europe seems to considerably better." Edward Said, in his 2003 preface to the 25th Anniversay Edition of his groundbreaking book, Orientalism . "Look Lesley," R's voice says with excitement, "It's Denmark!" "See, this is Jutland, and this over here is Fyn!" H chimes in as he points to two puddles on the pavement. I have just completed a walk around the lake with my 7th graders. We sometimes go out the last thirty minutes or so to get some fresh air and move our bodies. The sun is shining and I can see the blue sky and white clouds reflecting off the puddles. "You're right!" I exclaim in agreement, "It is Denmark!" I am amazed that it is Denmark they both see in these puddles. They proceed to point out ...

I wonder if Columbus dreamed of me from aboard the shaky ship that sailed the seas was I upon his broken heart when he took the world apart? Did he see me reflecting in the Oceans daring to disband the shackles of humans? Or did he ask for forgiveness first devouring Paradises with an unquenchable thirst? I wonder if Columbus thought of me, as he set forth upon unsailed Seas how much a change to the destiny of me... I console myself remind myself that he was a disciple of God, that he could not know the infinity of love but still I wonder if Columbus dreamed of me as he set upon the Seven Seas a little girl on her grandmother's knees an island her home ...for ancestors never to be. Forgotten.

As the child of my father, I had in my possession a very interesting record collection by the time I was ten. By then, my father had tossed me an odd array of albums, he felt for one reason or another, he had to pass on to me. Among these albums were the soundtracks to many Broadway musicals such as My Fair Lady, Jesus Christ Superstar and West Side Story. I spent many years listening to records probably deemed odd for a ten year-old, such as Franky Valli and the Four Seasons, the soundtrack to Breakfast at Tiffany's and Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake. Many of the titles I just named molded my consciousness into images and storylines which remained untarnished by the cinematic productions themselves. I can only equate the experience with the difference between reading a book and seeing the cinematic version: the former always wins out because in the end, nothing ever beats your own, unhindered imagination. One of the albums that I listened to the most, although I had never seen the m...