Spring Break 2020 – Savannah, Georgia

I went on my last undergraduate trip with the amazing student organization MUNDO. We took a road trip down to the South for spring break 2020. Our group of 15 people (12 students and three staff mentors) went to Savannah, Georgia for a few days. For the second half of the week, we explored Atlanta. The purpose of this entire experience was to expand our awareness about the history of colonial cities and their role in the Civil Rights Movement, as well as the continuous struggles for equity in the United States. We became armed with greater knowledge and greater confidence in ourselves to create social change, which can start by holding space and conversations. Our group examined social justice issues and engaged in critical thought and discussions throughout the week. It was truly fascinating and as some of us say in colloquial terms, “mind-blowing.”

Saturday, March 7th – The Road Trip


Everyone arrived at the three campus pick-up locations on time. The group was able to depart for Georgia before 8:00 AM. The drive down South was peaceful. I worked on an assignment the whole time and was pleasantly surprised and thankful that the bus WiFi was very cooperative. It allowed me to listen to music too! We made a stop for lunch in Virginia and I tried Bojangles for the first time. I did not try their famous chicken and biscuits, but I ate a grilled chicken sandwich with deliciously seasoned fries. We continued and arrived in Savannah, Georgia around dinner-time. Several of us got food at an Asian take-out restaurant called Tokyo Café. I was excited to support a small business that is not only locally-owned, but also run by people of color. The area we were in had a plethora of hotels and restaurants, both chain and local. It was interesting to see Spanish moss trees everywhere. That night, I flipped through several brochures in the hotel to help me determine what I wanted to do in my free time.

Sunday, March 8th – Settling into Savannah

People ate breakfast in the hotel before we met up outside in the hotel parking lot around 9:35 AM. Breakfast options included make-your-own waffles, sausage patties, fried eggs, sliced cheese, and boiled eggs. Fresh fruits (apples, oranges, bananas) along with a few cereal options and oatmeal were also available. We addressed the indigenous peoples of the land we were currently visiting: the Muskogee (Creek), Guale, and Yamasee tribes. One of the staff mentors said to the group, “These tribes continue to thrive on this land today, but we acknowledge the genocide experienced by their ancestors in the past and the emotional labor necessary to continue the legacy.”

We boarded the bus and made our way towards the Historic District of Savannah. Lining the sidewalks on each side were trees of Spanish moss that draped down towards us. The air felt fresh and less polluted while the atmosphere felt more relaxed and carefree. When we reached Chippewa Square, we were given about 20 minutes to roam the streets before our Savannah Walking Tour would begin to give us an orientation to the area. Some of us stopped into a bookstore to peruse the books. Not many shops were open at 10 AM. Our tour guide was an older man with a well-rehearsed script and the willingness to answer any questions. We learned about how Savannah was founded and other neat facts. This laid down a foundation for us about how Savannah came to be about and events that took place there that shape life today. I learned that Georgia was named after King George. I also learned that churches and bars are usually in close proximity to each other. This tour was about two hours long and we went through a handful of the 22 squares in Savannah.

A peer shared her thought out loud about how these stories of the individuals (often military-involved men) who get honored by monuments can be glorified, and a staff mentor felt so proud from hearing this analysis. Why are certain individuals displayed and remembered in a city’s history? What traits do they have in common? I appreciated hearing my peers think about anything and everything.

We did not really have time for a sit-down lunch. Some people brought snacks with them. This is an important tip for MUNDO experiences: pack a snack. The guided tour of the First African Baptist Church was incredibly impactful. It was constituted in December 1777 and is the oldest continuous Black church in North America. As visitors sat in the pews, a young man in his 20s was our guide and he did not explain everything explicitly to us but allowed us to make the connections for ourselves.

Students and two staff mentors (far right) proudly pose in front of the church. Our hour-long tour transported to us through history and transformed our thinking.

Our guide told us the story of George Leile, an African American man who was enslaved and later freed, and who baptized fellow enslaved individuals. Reverend Leile established Baptist churches in Jamaica and people in his Congregation established FABC in Savannah. Words that came to my mind from the tour information: intentionality, purpose, foresight, and vision. It dawned on me how resilient and resourceful enslaved and free African Americans were and their intentionality behind the church design and objects: stained-glass windows, pews, floor, etc. They were more intelligent than they were made out to be by their slave-holders and the public. 

For more of the history, please see this site: https://firstafricanbc.com/history.php

Additional information that made an impression on me was that the church had a barrel roof; the walls and ceiling met in rounded corners to allow sound to travel so that someone’s voice can be heard anywhere in the room without a microphone. In the basement, a small part of the floor had holes, to let the Georgia pine wood breathe due to moisture, and to allow people resting underneath breathe as well. The FABC housed people fleeing to freedom as part of the Underground Railroad. The people associated with this church also resisted white supremacy and colonist forces in that the cross symbol used was an Ethiopian cross, not European. Subtle, but significant.

It was also interesting that the church’s 17 pastors have all been black men, and a number of them were mixed race and light-skinned. An important conversation matter is how lighter skin complexion can come with greater privileges and acceptance; colonialism and colorism are part of the equation.

We often hear the expression that knowledge and/or consciousness is power, and this rang true for me because of this tour. Enslaved peoples were seen as threatening to the status quo if they knew how to read and write. They were not allowed to read or write or even possess writing instruments or learning materials. The guide drew correlations to world history, when during the Holocaust, books were burned. A culture is at risk of dying if materials such as books and artifacts are erased. Still, people learn how to resist and persist. African Americans picked up English throughout the years.

The tour guide ended his time with us by imparting the phrase and African-American proverb, “Each one, teach one.”  The message here is to not sit and stew with newfound knowledge, but share it with others. Sometimes ignorance or lack of knowledge about a topic does not mean that someone is unintelligent or uninterested. Rather, it can be because no one is willing to tell somebody else. Taking the time to teach somebody something new can pique their interest and spark that desire to learn more.

After the tour, the group met up outside to reflect on our experience. Some of us shared that we did not expect to learn so much from a tour of a church. It actually opened our eyes to a lot regarding enslavement and the legacy of enslaved African American ancestors. We had two hours of free time in the area, and a group of us ate pizza right by the church. We were at the edge of the Savannah City Market, which is a great tourist spot. I enjoyed sampling pralines.

MUNDO opens space for everyone to see and hear each other.

Back at the hotel, I took a quiz for my online courses. Then I went with two friends to walk around the area. We stopped by Walgreens, ate mini glazed donuts at Krispy Kreme, walked past Yamaha, explored Publix, almost went into Staples but found it closed, stopped into Amigo’s Latin Grocery (actually a small family-owned restaurant, not a grocery store), and went straight into Carey Hilliard’s for dinner.

I will carry a backpack with me to hold more items and prevent my one shoulder from being overburdened and sore. Additionally, I will keep my journal on hand to jot down the information provided and insights developed from the tours!

Monday, March 9th – Tours Galore

In the morning, MUNDO had some free time for us to explore. I ate leftover fried rice for breakfast. Then several peers and I took ride-shares (Lyft, Uber) to the Savannah Botanical Gardens. We spent close to an hour looking at trees. One of us had wandered off into the hiking trails so the rest of us went off to find her. This excursion aided my mental well-being since it was a peaceful environment that felt secluded from technology.

Half of us decided to immerse ourselves in nature. Not many flora was in bloom but it was still nice to see and be around the grounds.

In the afternoon, the entire group went on a Juliette Gordon Low birthplace tour. Juliette Gordon Low founded Girl Scouts in 1912 to encourage girls to discover, lead, and be their best selves. Being in Girl Scouts would also promote girls’ confidence, character, and courage. We learned about Gordon Low’s upbringing and her family. Basically in every room, there was a painting and/or sculpture of a family member; some were created by Gordon Low herself, or by her relatives. She married a multimillionaire, and the privilege and resources that come along with that did play a role in her later success.

We interacted with the table in the library room of the house.

Find out more at: http://www.juliettegordonlowbirthplace.org/en/about/about-girl-scouts-of-the-usa.html

Free time was scheduled for the rest of the afternoon. Many of us went to Tybee Beach, about 20 minutes away. We took Lyfts and Ubers to get there, and we spent a few hours frolicking on the sand and dipping our feet into the water. One student read a book and another took the time to look for shells. Later, the beach group ate dinner in the area before ride-sharing to the Ghost Tour location.

As evening set in, MUNDO did a Ghost Tour, which was thrilling yet terrifying. We rode on a trolley with a narrator/storyteller who shared some stories/legends. We stopped at the Andrew Low house and then Perkin’s and Son’s Ship Chandlery. The latter stop was truly something different.

We traveled via trolley and made two major stops. The seating was comfortable. The gnats in the air were not.


Tuesday, March 10th
 – Power of People

In the morning, the group did a small discussion before exploring the Ralph Mark Gilbert Civil Rights Museum. I learned that Savannah’s Civil Rights Movement differed from other movements in Southern cities. According to the museum, “…the movement in Savannah was fueled with home grown passion. It was fully organized and implemented by local African American citizens, the victims of the laws which gave people of color second class status. Outstanding leadership in the local adult and youth branches of the NAACP, the courage and eagerness of Savannah’s youth and the wisdom of local elders combined to make the quest for equal rights in Savannah, truly, a movement from within.”

From the museum’s welcome documentary and displays, I learned more about Savannah’s store boycotts that endured for 16 months! The substantial economic effects included a six percent decrease in retail sales and ultimately resulted in white business owners to start integrating their workforces. Slogans used during the 1960s included, “Don’t Shop Jim-Crow! We Will Not Shop Jim-Crow! We Must Not Shop Jim-Crow!” I learned more about the role of the Savannah branch of the NAACP. It also became clearer to me that sit-ins escalated into extreme discomfort, emotionally and physically. People would yell at the brave individuals who sat down and asserted that they deserved to be served and treated with equality. I also found a list of sit-in rules to follow. The last rule stated, “Remember love and nonviolence,” and I cannot imagine how hard it must have been to practice back in that era, which does not feel so far behind us.

Sit-in participants follow these rules while at lunch counters.

MUNDO had a few hours of break for lunch and free time. Four peers and I had a conversation over Wendy’s and then walked over to a cat café, where we made reservations. After that relaxing time, we joined the rest of the group for the museums.

For about 10 minutes, in two subgroups, we reflected over a few questions/prompts before proceeding into The Telfair Museums and Jepson Center, which contain a vast collection of artwork. There was artwork made by enslaved individuals. One of them was David Drake “Dave the Potter” (American, c. 1801-1870s). We looked at his alkaline glazed stoneware, just one of the thousands of vessels he made as a potter. “He signed hundreds of them and inscribed dozens with poems and verses.” The description also read that he was a “rare literate man,” which did raise some thoughts by members of our group. We also looked at impressionist paintings and sculptures.

We then had a special tour of the Owens-Thomas House estate. The tour guide did an excellent job at explaining the history of the house, which had a separate building designated the “slave quarters.” We saw what it was like, and how about a dozen people had no other choice but to live in such a cramped space. We learned about haint blue, which was painted around the quarters to resemble the sea that ghosts cannot cross, in Gullah culture. The Gullah are African Americans who live in the Lowcountry region of the U.S. states of Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina. They have their own language as well.

These are some of the names of enslaved peoples that were recovered, and the empty planks are for those whose names could not be recovered. George Owens enslaved almost 400 people on his plantation, according to the plaque text.

This plaque informed of the power behind words and suggests that people choose wording carefully because of the meaning(s) and context.

The text says:
Words have power.
They express meanings, ideas, and relationships. They impact how we relate to the past and to one another.
As we share this history, we strive to use words that are empathetic to those whose history has been marginalized. For example, we use phrases like enslaved woman, rather than slave. The noun slave implies she was, at her core, a slave. The adjective enslaved reveals that though in bondage, bondage was not her core existence.
Furthermore, she was enslaved by the actions of another. Therefore, we use terms like enslaver, rather than master, to indicate one’s effort to exert power over another. You may hear other phrases, like slave labor camp or escapee, rather than plantation or runaway. These reinforce the idea of people’s humanity rather than the conditions forced upon them.

To end the evening on a more comforting note, the group headed to the famous Leopold’s Ice Cream. This place has seen patrons for over 100 years, and is one of the best ice cream parlors in the city.

Please see the next blog post to read about what happens next for the MUNDO spring break experience group, in Atlanta, Georgia!

Roots of Revolution, Change, & Activism in America (Spring Break 2019)

On the road again!

Once again, I planned and participated in one of MUNDO’s alternative break experiences! This was yet another ‘education vacation’ and an opportunity for me to see a part of America for the first time in my life. It allowed me to deepen my knowledge about this nation’s history. This spring break 2019, we visited Colonial Williamsburg, VA, Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, Maryland to explore the theme of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Furthermore, we aimed to explore “Who tells your story?” because there are histories that are commonly known about whereas there are others that are unknown or hidden. Some individuals’ or groups’ histories and stories do not get told fully or even at all. For this spring break, we had a host of different experiences that enhanced our knowledge and challenged us to critically think and inquire. A few of them were visits to the Jamestown Settlement, National Holocaust Museum, and Great Blacks in Wax Museum, and a dinner with Pulitzer-Prize winning author, Wesley Lowery.

Fun Fact: MUNDO first went to D.C. in the spring of 2001. Ever since, the organization has gone back regularly (but not every school year). Each time is a different experience!

I used Canva to create an informational flyer.

The spring break action team held biweekly planning meetings in autumn semester and weekly meetings for spring semester. To be brief about our experiences coordinating the trip, we encountered many roadblocks and hurdles that helped our team strengthen and bond over obstacles. We were able to execute this experience successfully, with 20 participants (16 students and 4 OSU staff members/mentors). MUNDO partnered with the Morrill Scholars Program Learning Community so we had new faces and new perspectives. Our trip was predominantly underclassmen (first- and second-years!)

Here’s the day-to-day run-down:

Monday March 4th
The action team held a 30 minute Pre-Travel Meeting for the participants to attend, unless they had other circumstances that prevented them from coming. We added people to the GroupMe and shared a Google Drive folder with the itinerary, room assignments, and restaurants in D.C. and Williamsburg. In our presentation, we made sure to discuss what people should pack (such as packing layers of clothing to wear), and for specific days, people should wear nicer clothing – ‘snappy casual.’

Friday March 8th
I packed one large suitcase and stuffed my backpack full of items. I was most excited for Washington, D.C. and warmer weather.

Saturday March 9th
I slept about six hours before taking a Lyft to campus. MUNDO has three pick-up locations on campus: Archer House, Drake Performance Center, and the Ohio Union. We have an OSU charter bus throughout spring break, and I stocked four of its cubbies with snacks bought from Kroger. We had quite a stash of food for our participants, including Krispy Kreme donuts, apple sauce, Poptarts, apples, mini oranges, juice boxes, granola bars, chips, and fruit snacks. We also distributed MUNDO drawstring bags to each participant; each bag contained the itinerary and resource guide (with maps and lists of places to eat), a brown paper bag to store food, and Wesley Lowery’s book, They Can’t Kill Us All! Participants were encouraged to read the book on the bus ride since there were hours to spend.

Around 12:30 PM, we were in Lexington, VA and had an hour long rest to eat lunch. A large portion of us went to this restaurant called Cook Out, which has burgers, fries, and shakes, among other items. On the bus ride, I did online homework and was happy to be finished. I also spent time looking at classes for Autumn 2019 semester.

We reached Williamsburg, VA around 4 PM and checked in. We had free time until 6:00 PM when we met up for a group dinner. Dinner consisted of pizza and salad and we talked some more about the itinerary. That evening, I tried some ice cream from Bubba’s Ice Cream Shack just minutes away on foot from our hotel. The ice cream there was a tad expensive, but thankfully we used a buy-one-get-one-free coupon which made it more worthwhile. I had a great sleep at the hotel we were in; the bed was very comfortable.

Sunday March 10th
After an early breakfast at the hotel, we departed for a three-hour guided tour of Colonial Williamsburg. Our guide was named Mr. Drewry. I liked that he was honest and encouraged us to ask questions and challenge him. He was born and raised in the area and said he would spend the rest of his life here. This site is incredibly large that no single person can get through all of it in a day!
Here is the website for this living museum: https://www.colonialwilliamsburg.com/

We were ready for a day of exploration and education!


The group made our way to a silversmith, a jail, some homes, a carpenter’s area, and the Capitol Building. It was an information-packed time. My favorite part was visiting the silversmith. For some reason, I remembered the most from that session. It was interesting to see that people’s coins in the 18th century were literally cut in half to make a half-dollar. Coins could also be cut into fourths and eighths. Silver was also converted into jewelry and household items (spoons, coffee pots, bowls, etc.). A peer asked if people could get sick from using silver spoons for eating and the presenter replied that silver has antimicrobial properties.

I did find that the jails were very unhygienic at that time in history; this was not surprising to me though. Jail cells had poor ventilaton and usually had one window. Inmates would use a blanket to cover the window in the winter to block snow (and sunlight). They would relieve themselves in a corner, but the stench would be strong in the summers and winters.

This was where “the colony’s representatives struggled with the British governor over the meaning of American liberty.”

This tour provided me with greater insights into African Virginians in the early 1700s. Africans made up 52% of the population in Williamsburg. We heard stories of enslaved peoples and their experiences in this area. A salient point I remember is that when an enslaved person was new to the quarters of an estate, the other enslaved people already there would welcome the person in. They shared clothing and tools in crowded conditions. Their meals were simple and made out of one pot. Mr. Drewry, our tour guide, talked about some of his heroes and heroines from the colonial era. Some stories he told were saddening, but there were some that included triumphs and perseverance.


We took a break for lunch and explored the area on our own afterwards. I took the chance to quickly stop by the College of William and Mary to see what its campus looked like. A small group and I looked at a statue and one building. Since we were hungry for lunch, we left to get food. As we walked to a tavern, we saw a cow on a leash, bulls in a field, and plenty of people walking their dogs in Williamsburg. This was a pet-friendly environment. We found out that Chowning’s Tavern was closed, so we went to Trellis Bar & Grill. After lunch, we browsed in shops. My friend and I strolled through bookstores, a candy shop, and an outdoor festival. I appreciated this free time to explore; I purchased dessert from a festival vendor to support local and small businesses.

This public research university is the second oldest institution for higher education in America. The oldest is Harvard.


I ended the afternoon in Colonial Williamsburg with meandering through the Art Museums. I enjoyed viewing the installations at the Public Hospital for Persons of Insane and Disordered Minds, the first of its kind in British North America. It housed 24 patients and a live-in attendant in a remote area of Williamsburg. At the time, there was a belief that medical intervention in a hospital setting would cure insanity. Since its opening in 1773, mental illness treatment, and our knowledge of it, has transformed during the 18th and 19th centuries.

Seeing this exhibit appealed to me because I study public health and have interests in medical anthropology and history. Approaches to mental illness had a new outlook beginning in the mid-19th century, when caretakers used more optimism and kindness, which was referred to as moral management. Anyone could fall ill to mental illness. The hospital changed rooms to improve patient comfort (and health outcomes). Each patient still had their own room (called apartments) with wooden bed and furniture. The rooms looked more domestic and suitable for humans. The windows and walls were also different in order to give the sense of a welcoming environment. It was unsettling to see how patients were held in previous centuries, but comforting that eventually, medical practices and views changed.

In the early years, hospital cells felt like prison cells. Patients spent most of their times inside and were provided with a straw-filled bed, chamber pot, and blanket. There were no structured activities.


In another area of the museum, I gazed upon examples of American and British antiques and decorative art dating back to the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. There were also colonial and contemporary folk art pieces in the galleries.
In the late afternoon, we returned to the hotel for rest. Just a handful of us ate dinner before the evening activity.

In the evening, we embarked on the African American Music Experience, back at the same location, but inside one of its buildings. I did not know what to expect, but this was certainly a nontraditional discovery opportunity! (The NDO part of MUNDO stands for Nontraditional Discovery Opportunity). We stood the entire day and it was very interactive. In the hour or hour and a half we had, we began with singing Funga Alafia, which is a cheerful rhythm about welcoming and blessing. “Greetings I bring to you, ashe, ashe.” That was fun. Then we followed and sang along to other words in different African dialects. Another song I remember was in English and it was called “One Day.” Enslaved folks sung while they worked to keep their morale up and to preserve and pass along cultural traditions. Song and music can help people communicate and express their myriad of feelings, from despair and mourning to hope and encouragement. Additionally, singing along with others can uplift one’s own spirit and help form closer relationships over a shared struggle. We did several different dances and songs. Each of us also had to do our own unique dance which could not be similar to anyone else’s. It was also amazing to see MUNDO participants step up and help make rhythms using instruments like African drums. By the end of the night, we had some lighthearted fun while also learning about the realities of enslavement and how African people survived centuries of slavery and its aftermath and thrived.

The staff had wonderful voices and helped us sing, dance, and play instruments along with them.

Monday March 11th
We ate breakfast and stored our bags in the charter bus. We had a guided tour of the Jamestown Settlement, America’s first permanent English colony. It is a living history museum with indoor and outdoor displays, as well as replicas of ships and recreations of the original James fort from 1607 and a Powhatan Indian village. Our guide, a retiree and a veteran of two wars named Ali, started us inside the museum to walk us through history of colonization and settlement. We actually know and use Algonquian language without realizing it: the words skunk, raccoon, Potomac, and tomahawk are Algonquian. In addition, many words in everyday English come from Native American languages.

The group witnessed a musketeer firing a rifle. Some of us also tried on musketeer armor and helmets!

To briefly explain Jamestown and its history, from what I took in from our guide, Europeans came over to this land we now call America for economic, religious, and political reasons. Some came to settle to escape persecution, but there were some with insidious intentions who wanted to exploit the rich resources of the land and other negative actions. Some Europeans were colonizers. Building this settlement and building this nation required human, natural, and capital resources. In 1618, the first documented Africans arrived in Virginia for indentured servitude. By the middle of the century, slavery was incorporated. These facts and findings about Jamestown was more eye-opening for me because it added to my knowledge of colonialism, specifically in the context of Virginia.

I enjoyed learning about Powhatan life. Women did farming, harvesting, cooking, and childrearing. Men hunted and fished. Farming accounted for at least half of people’s food supply, but people, including many elementary school visitors, think that hunting is the main source of food for Indians. Something else I learned was Pocahontas’s story and role in saving America. Pocahontas is a nickname given to her by her father because she was his “playful child.” She was an important figure who helped bring peace between the Powhatans and English while she was alive. It is intriguing that she is a popular Native American figure and there are many books, poems, and films about her, including the Disney film. Stories about her can differ and we do not know the entirety of her short life, but I learned much more about her from my visit to Jamestown (and later on, D.C.’s National Museum of the American Indian).

Overall, I really liked the Jamestown tour and how much history and information we were provided. It did not feel like we were being lectured at. Our guide emphasized a few points: 1) each culture is great and valid; no culture is better than the other. 2) We should thank our teachers/educators sincerely because without teachers, society would not function. Teaching is an often underappreciated profession, but teaching helps pass on knowledge to younger generations.

An actor shared with us facts about Powhatan lifestyles in the 17th century.
“The re-created Powhatan Indian village is based on archaeological findings at a site once inhabited by Paspahegh Indians, the Powhatan tribal group closest to Jamestown, and descriptions recorded by English colonists.”
From historyisfun.org

For more information on Jamestown, this summary should suffice:
https://www.historyisfun.org/jamestown-settlement/history-jamestown/

We went on to our next city, Washington, D.C.! Some students take a class trip to D.C. during middle school or high school; this is a phenomenon for Ohio students for some reason. I was supposed to go in eighth grade but it did not end up happening. Perhaps it was because of funding issues, as I attended a public school in a low-income inner-city. I always wondered when I would get to see the nation’s capital, and finally as a 21-year-old, I was able to!

After arriving and checking in, we had the rest of the time to explore. My friends and I walked to the Washington Monument, where we ran into public health Buckeyes, and then we headed to Chinatown. The D.C. Chinatown area is smaller than the ones in NYC and L.A. of course. It also is different in terms of atmosphere and feel compared to my hometown Cleveland’s AsiaTown. For this spot in D.C., many establishments had signs in English letters and Chinese characters. I enjoyed looking at the architecture of buildings and the traditional entrance gate. A group and I had dinner here in a family-owned restaurant called New Big Wong. We got bubble tea afterwards at a Vietnamese-owned cafe that sells banh mi sandwiches and Taiwan-invented bubble tea. It was a good evening.

“Full stomachs and happy hearts” is how I like to describe our dinner.


In the future, I want to delve into the history of this Chinatown because from what I have briefly researched online and noticed in person from walking on the streets, there is some gentrification going on. Apparently, many people of Chinese descent have been driven out of this historic area. Gentrification is not a new occurrence for communities of color, and as someone who is passionate about sociology and social justice, I want to examine this issue and its effects.
For more information on Chinatown:
https://www.tripsavvy.com/chinatown-washington-dc-neighborhood-guide-1039373

Tuesday March 12th
The D.C. hotel does not provide breakfast, so we are responsible for finding food ourselves. I tried to eat leftovers of my beef chow fun, a Cantonese Chinese dish, but I wish I had eaten more filling and nutritious food as well. In the morning, our group walked together to the Smithsonian Castle, home to the Smithsonian Visitor Center. This is a good stop to get oriented to the Smithsonian museum complex. It is the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex. I learned about the history of the museum and how an Englishman named James Smithson founded the Institute to promote and diffuse knowledge and learning around in America.

Smithsonian Castle. Source: smithsonianmag.com

A few friends and I had a small window of time to wander the halls of the Freer Art Gallery. We only had 20-25 minutes to look around, and part of the time, we spent in the gift shop. I did not get to go back to this art gallery later in the week for its exhibits and gift shop. However, I saw Asian art pieces when I was there. In particular, I saw Buddhist and Hindu ancient art and shrines. It would be nice to visit D.C. again to get to the museums and art galleries I did not get to the first time I was in the city.

Information on the Institute: https://www.si.edu/Museums/smithsonian-institution-building

Our MUNDO group visited the National Holocaust Museum. This was self-guided, so we went at our own pace. I have been to a holocaust museum in Cleveland and Los Angeles, and now this one in D.C., where I learned even more about the genocide. I had a card with the name and photo of a young girl; as I progressed through the museum, I learned what happened to her and her family. She did not make it out of the Holocaust alive, and perished in a camp.

I took photos of many of the walls that had text descriptions on them. A few facts I want to share are:

– By 1939, there were less havens available for Jewish refugees. Latin American countries took in around 39,600 Jewish people, and 15,000 people found safety in Shanghai. In October 1941, emigrating out of Nazi Germany was forbidden. It was upsetting that America did not let in as many refugees as they could have, in part because of anti-immigration sentiment.
– Some Jewish children who were sick and hospitalized were killed by starvation, lethal injections, or overdoses of medicine. About 30 institutions carried this heinous practices out, intentionally harming instead of helping. These “special children’s wards” were also places where any youth with disabilities, mental or physical, were killed. German physicians carried out Operation T4 to eradicate the Jewish people and preserve genetic impurity. Learning of this was atrocious to me; it was especially horrific hearing how children were treated.

Here are hundreds of photos of people in a Jewish community in Eishishok, in what is now Lithuania. These are from 1890 to 1941.

In the museum there is also an exhibit about the systemic killings occurring in Syria since 2011. This is the greatest humanitarian crisis since World War II. Half of Syria’s population, 11 million, have fled. While I have heard about this crisis in the news, I have not done much thorough investigation of my own. It feels removed from me for some reason, and I know that I should do something like educate myself and/or donate. I should share this information so that we do not turn a blind eye to this issue of human rights as well.

Here is the website for the museum: https://www.ushmm.org/

After the National Holocaust Museum, I went straight to another museum, which also dealt with heavy history: The National Museum of African American History. I spent a few hours here, and was not able to read every detail. I learned a lot here as well. The museum began in the basement, where we were introduced to Africa in the 1400s. Slavery was not yet based on perceptions of race and it was a temporary status. People traded gold, salt, and spices. Later on, the concept of whiteness developed, along with other races to categorize people and ascribe characteristics to them. Race was also a factor in determining freedom, like in the case of John Punch. He and two European servants tried to run away but were caught and trialed. The white indentured servants had added-on time for their service, but Punch was sentenced to a life of enslavement. This was unbelievable.

This exterior design resembles a golden basket to me.

In addition to the exhibits on slavery, I found this learning center fascinating. There were interactive stations and I engaged with one of them, where I learned how people find artifacts in the deep Atlantic Ocean to help us uncover some more of the story of the slave trade. On other museum floors, I saw African American music and art, and how those influenced our world to this day. African Americans have made so many contributions to society and are an integral part of our history. This was not the first African American history museum I have been to; the first one was in Detroit, but this one was the largest! You can spend a whole day here if you want to devote intense interest to the museum.

I liked a quote on the wall: “The great force of history comes from the fact that we carry it with us, are unconsciously controlled by it… History is literally present in all that we do.” – James Baldwin
This quote will stick with me, since I hold history to be so important and necessary in understanding the world around me. From the museum’s food court, I enjoyed delicious, soul-soothing mac and cheese and corn bread. I recommend these two items! After that, I returned to the hotel for a quick rest.

MUNDO attended a Shear Madness performance at the Kennedy Center. I was in charge of booking seats for this murder comedy show. We had to keep contacting the center to update them on how many seats to reserve. I liked the show as it was interactive and funny, and I liked how they used retro colors and styles. It was similar to the movie Clue. During the intermission, we were able to talk to the performers to try to figure out who committed the crime. The performance was a nice way to end the night.

Wednesday March 13th
We completed service in the morning at A Wider Circle, in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Our group spent about three hours with this organization, and I really enjoyed volunteering here to help with organizing the different sections. Some people worked on making furniture and glass look polished and like new. Other people sorted out donations and even unloaded furniture from a truck. Those in the workforce development room worked on tidying up the areas and sorting belts, clothing, and shoes in preparation for a major event. Later, some of us examined puzzle boxes from the children’s section and counted the number of puzzle pieces in each box to make sure nothing was missing. This was all a fun experience for me. I learned about this great community-based organization that wants to continue growing and offering all that it can to support anyone in need.
They help people make houses or apartments into homes, help secure jobs and look good for the workforce, and help families make the most of what they have.

Expand your mind and expand your efforts at http://awidercircle.org/ 

The next group activity was our tour of the Capitol! 

Our tour guide was engaging and charismatic. She was open to all of our questions. She, like many people in D.C. in her words, is not from the area.

MUNDO had to do an OH-IO in front of the Capitol building!

While the architecture of the Capitol was gorgeous and impeccable, there was one room with many paintings and sculptures that made us think deeper into the art. No enslaved peoples were in any of the art in the room. There were a few Native Americans and these depictions were often racist as they painted these indigenous Americans as non-human/sub-human. There was a large painting of Pocahontas being baptized and becoming “white” or “acceptable.” Her true story rarely gets told, and I wonder why this is the case. Congress has the ability to change out these paintings and commission new ones that can tell the story of America better, and bring justice to the lives of Native Americans and African/African Americans as well as other people of color who built this stolen nation.

Our tour ended at 4:30 PM and we were free until 6:15 PM, when we had to be back at the hotel. I rushed to the U.S. Botanic Garden, an attraction on my bucket list. When I finally made my way into the building, I had about 10 minutes to zoom through its galleries and set my eyes on the lush vegetation and landscapes. A peer took photos of me before we were asked to leave. I’d love to return in the summer when everything is in bloom.

In the evening, MUNDO had a group dinner with Ohio State alumni at Harriet’s, a family-style restaurant inside of our hotel.

Thursday March 14th
This was a free day for MUNDO participants. I spent time with friends eating breakfast at a café called Abe’s Café (there are two locations). We stayed there for a while to work on homework and applications. I finished a study abroad scholarship application and had a friend look it over. We then went to Smithsonian museums of our choice! First up was the Library of Congress. Three of us went to get our library cards! The rooms of the library were marvelous. If I lived in D.C., I would check out some books and study in that library. What a great resource for people who want to learn and research any topic of choice.

My friend Kayla snapped this shot of me on this sunny day of exploration.

Then one friend and I explored the National Museum of the American Indian. Prior to this, I had never been to a museum dedicated towards Native American history and heritage. I was very thankful that this museum existed to educate people and celebrate the many diverse cultures and traditions of different Native groups.

Did you know? About 60% of the world’s diet today is derived from Native American foods, such as potatoes, chilies, tomatoes, and chocolate! Native Americans also grew a variety of food together, which is called biodiversity and lead to healthier crops. European colonists, on the other hand, used monocultures, which is not the most beneficial for agriculture.

This museum offers information and artifacts about American Indians in the Western Hemisphere of the world.
https://americanindian.si.edu/about

My friend and I witnessed a Native American man perform a song he wrote; he is a scholar and artist. This performance was a nontraditional discovery opportunity, and he opened the floor to questions from the audience: three from children and three from adults. We explored the museum and learned of different communities and their ways of life. I learned how different groups perceived their universes. We looked at the:
Pueblo of Santa Clara (New Mexico)
Anishinaabe (Canada)
Lakota (South Dakota)
Quechua (Peru)
Hupa (California)
Q’eq’chi’ Maya (Guatemala)
Mapuche (Chile)
Yup’ik (Alaska)

It is our duty to pass these teachings on to succeeding generations 
For that is the way to keep our traditions alive

Emil Her Many Horses, NMAI, 2003

These exhibits, including the introductory video NMAI suggests you watch on the top floor, was eye-opening for me and helped me gain a greater appreciation for Native Americans and their legacies. I would not have gotten all of this information and insight elsewhere. I strongly believe that all school curricula should have comprehensive sections on Native Americans and their experiences. I remember learning about them in second grade and fifth grade. As an adult, I have a more nuanced understanding of the complex histories. I still want to learn more and one way I can do this is to find books and works from indigenous scholars themselves.

I had an Indian taco from the food court. It had buffalo chili, which tasted like normal chili to me. I paired the meal with a refreshing agua fresca.

Afterwards, I checked out the NMAI gift shop and debated on what to get from there. Leaving empty-handed except for educational pamphlets, we embarked for the National Portrait Gallery. According to the gallery curators, it is a place for our nation’s stories to be told. The arts are a window to our history. The first major sculpture my friends and I saw was the dying Tecumseh, a key player in the Indian resistance to America’s expansion into the Midwest. We saw portraits and sculptures of important figures who played a role in shaping America. I was more interested in figures who are alive today, although everyone is important. I especially liked the most up-to-date exhibit. In particular, Michelle Obama’s and Barack Obama’s portraits were absolutely outstanding. This art gallery had pieces related to responses to the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights Movement, and other events. It is a very interesting gallery aimed to provoke emotion and thought.

The artist displayed on the TV screens what he associated with each state.

The last part of the day was spent having dinner and conversation with Mr. Wesley Lowery, a journalist at The Washington Post. We ate at Ollie’s Trolley, around the block from the hotel. It was a fantastic opportunity to hear from him and his upbringing in Ohio and his experiences as a journalist fighting for justice. According to his biography,  he was a lead on the Post’s “Fatal Force” project that won the Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting in 2016 as well as the author of They Can’t Kill Us All: Ferguson, Baltimore, and a New Era in America’s Racial Justice Movement. In 2017, he became a CNN political contributor.

Mr. Lowery went to Ohio University with a MUNDO staff mentor, who helped us connect with Lowery and coordinate this meeting. For about an hour and a half, we had his presence. He explained to us how he had always known he would pursue journalism. It was an enlightening conversation. We asked him questions during dinner as well as afterward. I still struggle with coming up with questions to ask guests. It is something I need to work on. I also read a little bit of his book, but not all of it. It is on my to-do list.

For the rest of the night, a few peers and I looked around in the H&M store down the street from us. We tried on clothes and had fun. That was it for the night. I knew I should turn in at a reasonable time to get sufficient sleep, and for the most part, I have slept fine in Hotel Harrington.

Ollie’s burgers are good. The fries are seasoned with 27 spices, they boast! Sadly I could not try one of their shakes; the machine broke right before it got to me.

Friday March 15th
We had a free morning to do our final exploration of D.C.. I got to visit Palmer Alley, which had beautiful pink lanterns to celebrate cherry blossom season. This is a great spot for photographs! Also, this spot is pretty close to Chinatown. I wanted to see more art installations and murals around, but I did not want to go alone to these spots, and there was a limited amount of time.

In the summer, the lanterns get switched out for beach balls.

At 2:15 PM, we met up for an afternoon walking tour. MUNDO walked all the way to the Tidal Basin, and around it, we met with our guide. We started at the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial and then made our way to the Korean War Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, and Vietnam War Memorial. This was an interesting tour with tons of tidbits of facts. Many people were touring the area and looking at the memorials.

 

On the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, we took a nice photo. 10 students and one MUNDO advisor are in the photo!

We had the evening free to ourselves after the tour. I met up with a friend from the summer research program I did in summer 2018! I am fortunate that she lives and goes to school in the DC area, and her spring break had just started as mine was coming to a close. We went to Ricebar for dinner, where we caught up over our meal, and then walked to The Wharf at the suggestion of my friends. At the Wharf, there’s a substantial amount of seafood sold, which is not surprising. Then there are restaurants and bars all around. I want to return here as well. If we had walked all the way down its boardwalk, we would have seen the giant swings that my friends got to go on. My friend and I went to get red velvet cupcakes and we ended the night. It is hard to find cheap desserts in DC. The cupcakes were $3 or so, which is not too bad because they were quite tasty and rich.

(For the week in DC, I gave myself an allowance of $200 to spend on food and souvenirs. A month later at the time of this posting, I still have not checked exactly how much I spent. I know I saved a significant amount of money by using an app where certain dishes from restaurants were $1 and I had credit on the app so I was getting free meals once a day! The app is called Ritual.)

Saturday March 16th
We had an early breakfast before checking out and storing our bags on the bus. At 8:00 AM, we departed for Baltimore, Maryland for a tour of the Great Blacks in Wax Museum. I believe this was my first time going to a wax museum. (There were a lot of ‘firsts’ for me on this trip). This museum was certainly unique and unforgettable, as it presented Black individuals in life-size dimensions, and they were quite realistic. There was so much to this museum. We began with the slave trade and I learned more pieces to the story. My knowledge of the world is constantly expanding. It was such an experience to see the figures accompanied with text to explain the context.

I saw so many important figures, some of whom I learned about in elementary school during African American History Month. My school’s library teacher taught me the most about civil rights and social justice. She taught me lessons that I take with me to this very day. Educators like her have inspired me in ways that I cannot express verbally. All over the museum were African Americans as pioneers in fields where nobody looked like them, as warriors and fighters in the midst of tumultuous times, as dissenters and activists to get their rights. There were many people I was unaware about, and this filled I recommend this museum too. My favorite part was seeing the wax figure of Barack Obama and the poems that people wrote about him.

Here is more about the museum: http://www.greatblacksinwax.org/index.html 

We had lunch in the Baltimore Inner Harbor before continuing on the long journey back to Columbus, Ohio.
The inner harbor is a historic seaport, tourist attraction, and landmark for the city of Baltimore. My small group of friends ate at Shake Shack. We were originally going to eat at Cheesecake Factory but our party of seven would have had to wait 45 minutes before sitting down. After eating, we perused Barnes & Noble. I also want to return to this harbor to try out the dragon boats available for tourists! I’ve rowed a boat before in Finland, but I want to try a boat here in America. We had a short time in the Harbor. I wanted to finish this blog on the bus ride, but slept for several hours. Surprisingly, by 7 PM, MUNDO reached The Ohio State University’s campus! I was happy we had gotten back before it was dark outside. Even more so, I was relieved that this experience was successful.

Source: Baltimore.org

REFLECTION
This experience was the most stressful to plan to this date. The frustrating aspects of planning were the government shutdown making us wonder about how we would adjust our agenda, participant recruitment, participants canceling, and museum and tour bookings. Since our group’s number of participants changed constantly, it was difficult to give museums and service sites an exact count. Being an action team member has sharpened my skills in patience, public speaking, problem solving, communicating, planning, budgeting, and email etiquette. I also helped facilitate Monday MUNDO meetings that connect and contribute to the themes of our experience. Furthermore, I was the administrator for the group’s GroupMe, where we communicate with each other. I put in reminders for where the group had to be and what they had to do for each activity. Additionally, I am pleased that we had a smaller-sized group because it was easier for us to fit into spaces and navigate museums. We got to know each other better as well. We discussed heavy and controversial topics and found common ground. My peers are very admirable and interesting.

I look forward to planning and participating in more MUNDO experiences. For the 2019-2020 school year, MUNDO is going to New York City for fall break, Los Angeles for winter break, and Charleston, South Carolina; Atlanta, Georgia; and Savannah, Georgia for spring break. I would like to be a part of the Action Team for both winter and spring breaks to continue to create meaningful experiences and further explore the country.

Tune in next year when I serve, learn, and lead even more with my beloved student organization, MUNDO!

Civil Rights, Citizenship & Southern Legacies – Spring Break 2018

Sometimes people completely relax and let loose for their spring breaks. For mine, I took an “education vacation,” as one of my friends Debbie calls it.

Seven months’ worth of planning led to MUNDO’s spring break 2018 experience! This was my first time partaking in extensively planning a trip. Our action team had a great deal of autonomy over the itinerary and creating an agenda that answered our big questions of the year and addressed major themes and issues. Julius and our other staff mentors guided us! For most of us, this was our first time being on an Action Team too, except for Danny, our current President. We had a few mandatory events to attend before people could go on this trip.

A promotional poster for the experience, made by me

 

A reminder flyer for people to apply

In total, 22 students participated in the experience, four of whom were part of the ACTION Team (Melinda, Celine, Danny, Nick) and along came three staff mentors (Julius, Ana, and Alex), for a total of 25 people in our group. One person on the ACTION team could not attend the experience.

MUNDO explored three of the most dynamic cities in the Southern region of the United States in order to take a powerful look at just how far the United States has come in terms of race relations, Civil Rights, and social justice in this part of the country.

We encouraged students to think about the following questions:
● Do boycotts work? (Are they freedom of speech?)
● What do we do when people refuse to admit that they are wrong?
● What is freedom?
● What is automatic citizenship?

Julius also provided an Insider’s Guide packet about the experience and what to expect. He wrote that in the South, conversations may be more in-depth than just “How are you?” Activities begin and end at flexible times, as things appear to be less structured in the South. People don’t have urgent needs to be somewhere. He also wrote that there may be an emphasis on saying hello, good morning, and good evening to people who we pass by on the street.

Saturday, March 10th, 2018 – “Orientation”

“There is no such force in the world as the force of a person determined to rise. The human soul cannot be permanently chained.” – W.E.B. DuBois

I stayed up the entire day and night until the spring break experience participants boarded the Cardinal bus at 3:15 AM. Coincidentally, Buck-i-Serv was at the same stop as us and we waited together. A few of our participants actually initially boarded the wrong bus (the Buck-i-Serv bus!).  By 4 AM, we were all on the road! Around 11 AM, we stopped in Jackson, TN for food. I already noticed a difference in the types of trees that dotted the lengths of the highways.

1:30 PM – MUNDO arrived at our hotel in Memphis and we unpacked. We all took a short respite. People were sleeping three to a room, which was comfortable; one person had to sleep on the pull-out bed from the couch.

3 PM – 4:30 PM – Walking and Bus Tour with Sweet Magnolia Tours
We first boarded the bus and our tour guide, Dick, provided us some facts and background on Memphis. We went to Big River Crossing, where we viewed the river and saw the intersection of Tennessee and Alabama!
A pastel blue truck, a tad smaller than the size of an ice cream truck, was parked in the lot where our bus was. I was extremely compelled to purchase a Mempop, a popsicle full of flavor; mine was mint lemonade, which was tasty. In hindsight, I would have chosen pineapple coconut or another flavor. Mempops are local, hand crafted, all natural pops (www.mempops.com).

4:30 PM – We strolled into the Peabody Hotel and made our way to the second level. A popular tourist attraction are the Peabody Ducks; five North American mallards arrive and leave the hotel fountain, a grand procession complete with red carpet, official introduction, and visiting paparazzi. This event is open to the public and occurs at 11 AM and 5 PM each day. Due to the amount of people, I could barely see what happened, but it was still pleasant to be in a nice hotel.

Photo credit: blizzardinternet.com

My friend group walked around, looking at art murals displayed along the streets, until we reached “99 cent Soul Food Express,” which is a great restaurant!

The photo could not capture the entirety of the mural. I was pointing to the Black Lives Matter written on the mural.

Not everything at the establishment is 99 cents, but most of the sides are, and the rest of the food is all incredibly affordable. I was very impressed with the restaurant. Here, you will find chicken, mac and cheese, greens, corn bread, peach cobbler, and other foods. (99centsoulfoodexpress.com/)

We then walked to Beale Street, a lively street bursting with color (especially blues, purples, and greens) and music. People were all over the street, which was closed down for foot traffic. We simply walked around, listening to bands playing.

I had never heard of the “I am a man” movement before this experience.

I have never seen anything like Beale Street before! What a sight.

While we were doing this signature tradition, part of the MUNDO group saw this and shouted “O-H” at us! We reunited.

Beale Street runs from the Mississippi River to East Street, which is about 1.8 miles, and this street is a significant place in Memphis history and blues history. Festivals and outdoor concerts occur from time to time (Wikipedia).

Reflection Questions:
1. What do you know about Memphis? What was one thing you learned today?
I know nothing about Memphis except for it being in Tennessee! I have limited knowledge of the South, and have never been to this state. While I was aware that there were strong roots to music, I could not recall specifics prior the trip. I also learned that there was a strong cotton growing industry here in Memphis! Mules would be used for labor to pull barges.

2. What are you expecting the South to be like compared to the Midwest?
Coming to the South, I expect people I encounter to be more racist than the Midwest. Based on what I have learned about in school and heard online, the Southern states have poorer education than other states. People are more likely to live in poverty in the lower states. Because of the various conditions of the South, especially its history, I have felt a tinge of nervousness thinking about how I would be treated by the Southerners.

3. What is something you are eager to learn about or see on this trip?
I am eager to experience new cultures and taste authentic Southern food! Having never traveled to the South, there is much to see and do.

Sunday, March 11th, 2018 – Getting Started
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

7 AM – I woke up and went downstairs to get breakfast, which was buffet style. After eating scrambled eggs, sausage, and a biscuit, and drinking milk, I prepared myself hot cocoa to stay awake.

8:30 AM – The group walked over to the Lorraine Motel, which is now the National Civil Rights Museum (450 Mulberry St, Memphis, TN 38103). This is a powerful place to visit, and I learned so much from the museum, which details history of civil rights from the 17th century to present day.

Because of people like Dr. King, we are here today.

Being in Memphis is also particularly special because this year, 2018, marks the 50th anniversary of Dr. King’s assassination. It was so surreal to be standing in front of the motel where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated. A young man, perhaps college-age like us, talked to us about how the museum came to be. He asked us what a sculpture in the lobby meant, and we realized that the bronze artwork depicted African people scrambling over each other, and they were placed in a shape to resemble the United States of America. None of the people had made it to the top. This was symbolic and means that African people, to this day, are experiencing struggles and have not ‘reached the mountaintop.’ We had a self-guided tour of the museum, which began with slavery, and then transported us through time. We learned about topics such as inequality in jobs, education, service, and more. There were exhibits on the Freedom Riders, Rosa Parks, and more.
For more information: http://www.memphistravel.com/mlk50-where-do-we-go-here

A crucial component of the Civil Rights Movement was sit-ins at diners. People of color were not served at diners that were intended to be for white-only patrons. People of color were ignored. There is much more to this piece of history, so I encourage you to read more on sit-ins!

Overall, the experience was unbelievable because of how much my knowledge of American history and the Civil Rights Movement expanded. Every year during elementary/middle school, my media arts/library teacher would spend several lessons on Dr. King and play the same films, such as Our Friend, Martin. I am now understanding more of the importance behind that. I learned more from the museum about the narrative of the Civil Rights Movement, including details of people I did not know were involved with the movement!

12:30 PM – After the informational and insightful museum, which has two parts to it, two friends and I went to Central BBQ, just two minutes from the museum! I thoroughly enjoyed the experience of the restaurant. I wanted to see what Memphis BBQ was all about; my meal consisted of sweet tea, a pulled pork sandwich, and mac and cheese. My friends bought similar meals, but one had potato salad while the other had baked beans, and we shared the sides with one another. This meal was so filling, that I did not eat until eight hours later.

Photo credit: barbecuefiend.blogspot.com

2 PM – We took a self-guided tour of the Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum (191 Beale St, Memphis, TN 38103). This tour, which is conducted by slipping on headphones that the museum provided, and pressing in the number listed for each specific exhibit, complemented my knowledge of blues and rock music from a class called “Roots of Rock & Soul” that I took at Cleveland State University during eleventh grade. I enjoyed seeing how rock was formed, and other contributions to music made by African-Americans. Out of the numerous artifacts, my favorite was a jukebox that had swirling, changing colors.

Photo credit: guidego.com

7 PM – For dinner, a group of 14 of us went to Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken! They have multiple locations around the United States, but are most concentrated in the Southern states. After walking for perhaps 20 minutes and then waiting in line for 40 minutes, we were seated! It was worth the wait. The restaurant is quirky and cozy, with chicken-related paraphernalia around the room, on the walls, tucked into corners by the ceiling, and by the cash register. Our server was so friendly and funny; she will be going to med school later this year! She wondered how we all knew each other. It was a great way to wrap up our time in Memphis. The food was good, and the chicken slightly spicy, which can be fixed by drinking water. I would have opted for more sweet tea, but that is loaded with sugar.

Cheap eats at Gus’s! We thank them for accommodating our group of 14.

Reflection Question:
How does music tell stories and shape the world around us?
Music tells stories of hardship and gives people an outlet when they do not have other options to confront their problems. Songs can be like narratives of people’s lives. Music is a part of art and unites people; it can inspire people as well. To me, music is universal; even if a song is in a language I do not understand, I can still appreciate it. To some people, including myself, music is important to our lives and speaks volumes.

Monday, March 12th, 2018 – Journey to the Crescent City

“In recognizing the humanity of our fellow beings, we pay ourselves the highest tribute.” – Thurgood Marshall

8:30 AM – Breakfast

9 AM – My two friends and I depart to see art murals around the area. We see some murals as well as walk down South Main Street for two miles. Many shops either did not open until 11 AM or were not open Mondays at all, so it was very quiet. To get back to the hotel, we took a trolley! It normally costs $1 per person per one-way trip, but the driver was kind and let us ride the trolley for free.

One of the m’s in Memphis is for Music.

10:30 AM – We went back to the hotel and I researched courses to enroll in for Autumn 2018. I scrambled to pack.

11:45 AM – MUNDO members boarded the bus to prepare for the journey to New Orleans! We discussed with our bus buddies what we thought about Memphis compared to our expectations. Other questions our program coordinator Julius asked were, “Does civil disobedience work?” and “What do you think Memphis will be like compared to New Orleans?” While on the bus, I read over a hundred pages of a book for my Violence class.

7 PM – We arrived in New Orleans (NOLA!) and settled into our rooms. The hotel was in a great location to restaurants and stores. We were a 20-30 min walk from the French Quarter, but this was not bad at all. I was so pleased of our proximity as well as the general layout of the city. With the food we were eating, it was a tradeoff to have our hotel distanced away from all the action.

8 PM – Deciding where to go for dinner, I searched for “cheap eats, New Orleans” in the Google search engine. Others went to Flamingo a-Go-Go, while I suggested Barcadia, a restaurant and bar that also has arcade machines and board games, including a giant human-sized Connect Four. I tried jambalaya and fried oreos for the first time here. (barcadianeworleans.com/)

Jambalaya, influenced by Spanish and the French, often includes sausage and rice.

10 PM – Four friends and I watched Princess and the Frog, a wonderful, whimsical Disney movie that provided us some New Orleans scenery. The movie also helped encourage us to be even more excited than we already were for our adventures. It served as a precursor for certain topics we would cover over the next few days: voodoo, jazz music, a swamp tour, and beignets, among others.

Image from fanpop.com

Reflection Questions:
1. What do you know about the cultural diversity of New Orleans?
2. What makes New Orleans unique?

Tuesday, March 13th, 2018 – Orientation for New Orleans

“It is impossible to struggle for civil rights, equal rights for blacks, without including whites. Because equal rights, fair play, justice, are all like the air – we all have it, or none of us has it. That is the truth of it.” – Maya Angelou

7 AM – Breakfast

8:15 AM – We met in the lobby to depart as a group to walk to Jackson Square, dedicated to President Andrew Jackson. There is plenty of green space to sprawl on and nap. People were taking photos by the pretty flowers and bushes, in front of the fountain, and in front of the massive St. Louis Cathedral.

9 AM – 11:30 AM – We engaged in a walking tour of this section of New Orleans and received a gracious introduction to the Crescent City. Our guide is a native of NOLA and was extremely knowledgeable. She wants to go back to school to get a degree in Social Work. She told us about the general layout of the city and how to get around. For example, Street names are pronounced like how they look. I learned so much of the history and how NOLA’s administration has switched hands so many times.

11:30 AM – 1 PM – The French Market is a historic market area with over three centuries of history, and is six blocks long. This market includes restaurants, stores, snacks, and souvenirs a-plenty. This is open daily from 10 am to 6 pm. I tried a New Orleans-style burger, called a N’awlins Burger, at one of the stands. I also explored the flea market/artisan section nearby. I was amazed at all the items offered: Caribbean-style maxi dresses, golden trinkets, typical New Orleans tourist clothing and hats, purses, bracelets, and more.

2:45 PM – We took a swamp tour with Cajun Encounters, in Slidell, LA. I suggest dressing warmly in layers for the tour; as the boat speeded on the waters, the wind made it really chilly. I kept on my winter coat, and shielded myself from the incoming water drops that sprayed on me. Since I sat at one end of the boat, opposite from the captain, I got most of the water on me. Still, the swamp tour was one of my favorite parts of the entire spring break trip. The captain was humorous and amicable; he provided facts about alligators and told jokes.

We got up-close shots of alligators!

9 PM – MUNDO had a group late night snack at Café Du Monde!

Bourbon Street is in the French Quarter, and a street full of restaurants and bars – 13 blocks’ worth. It is primarily for those over age 21.  I still walked this street with my friends to see what it was like. People danced in the street and onlookers from above on the balconies or galleries would throw bead necklaces to people on the ground if their dancing was good. Music permeates the air.

We stopped at an outdoor market that sold mostly art.

Wednesday, March 14th, 2018 – “Ghosts, Vampires, Voodoo, Oh My!”

“Hate is too great a burden to bear. It injures the hater more than it injures the hated.” – Coretta Scott King

9 AM – On Wednesday, the halfway point of our experience, the group served at the Sculpture Gardens (1 Collins Diboll Cir, New Orleans, LA). Many assisted with weeding around the pond.

We aimed to be as mindful as we could to avoid falling into the pond.

 

Ana played music to keep up morale and make the time fly by. People sung along to some songs.

12:45 – After lunch in the French Quarter, we gathered to go on a Voodoo Tour, offered by Free Tours on Foot. Our guide, Michelle, was great and we learned a lot from her. She practices voodoo. She first took us to Armstrong Park to inform us of the history of the area. I enjoyed most her stories about a voodoo priestess, Madame Laveau! The tour helped dispel common myths regarding voodoo.

Armstrong Park’s history involves enslaved people gathering on the grounds for rituals and relaxation. They could catch up with people here. One tree here is nicknamed Grandfather tree, for it has been around for 300 years.

7 PM – We had free time until the Ghosts Tour. We met at St. Louis Cathedral’s front steps, and our guide Elizabeth shared several stories as we visited locations around the French Quarter.


Thursday, March 15th, 2018 – “Plantation and Presbytere”

“We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

This day could have been summarized by the 3 P’s: Plantation, Presbytere, and Praline Connection.

8:45 AM – We met in the lobby to leave for the plantation. In the morning, MUNDO visited Whitney Plantation, the only plantation museum in the state of Louisiana that emphasizes slavery (other plantations focused on the architecture of buildings or other aspects of slavery, instead of the people that suffered from this atrocity). The Whitney was originally known as the Habitation Haydel, after the Haydel family of German immigrants who owned the plantation and the slaves. It was only in 2014, a few years ago, that this place opened, and since then, the public has explored its 262 years of history and suffering. Some original buildings were restored, like a church and slave quarters. The master’s mansion was massive and we were able to walk around inside that as well; the furniture inside was preserved. I learned a great amount of information from this trip, and this site will remain in my memory for a long time. Our tour guide was extremely passionate and vocal about the truths of slavery. Slavery should be a part of American history that is never forgotten.

* The term “enslaved peoples” is more humane than “slaves.” These were people too, yet were not treated as such.

2 PM – During lunch, I bought a crepe from a crepe cart in the French Market. It was delicious!

My crepe had Nutella, banana, and strawberries. It was about $10 and it filled me up.

2:45 PM – For the Presbytere museum (751 Chartres St., Jackson Square, NOLA, 70116), we had self-guided tours. Admission to this museum is very cheap! The first floor covers Hurricane Katrina whereas the rest of the museum showcases a vast array of elaborate and exquisite Mardi Gras artifacts. The collections show how Mardi Gras began as a tradition in NOLA, from its ancient origins to the 19th century parades and balls in the city to what the tradition is like today. Millions of visitors come to New Orleans each year just to witness the spectacular festivities.

After the museum, we again had free time. My friends and I remained in the area because we did not want to return to the hotel that was 20-30 minutes away.

6 PM – Dinner was on MUNDO; the 25 of us ate at the Praline Connection (542 Frenchmen St., New Orleans, LA 70116), and we are thankful for the delicious meals.

Malik, Debbie, Lovette, and Rozavine smile for the camera!

Reflection Question:
How do the places we visited today connect to our trip themes of citizenship, legacies of the south, and ‘what is freedom?’

Friday, March 16th, 2018 – “Exploration of the Big Easy”

“If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for anything.” – Malcolm X

Today was a free day for participants to check out whatever they wanted and go to places that they did not get to yet. After packing up our belongings to store for the day, we embarked on our own. Some went to the library to do work, while my friend Eliza and I first went back to the French Quarter for more boutique-shopping before studying. We stopped in a book store, which was dusty but filled with many books; the third floor/attic had records! It was a humid day, but I wore a thick dress and carried a heavy backpack around, which made me feel hotter than the 70 degree temperature. I did not buy anything at the stores, but I enjoyed exploring and seeing what wares people were selling. If I had the money to splurge, I would buy a $200 dress that was made in Italy, or indulge in luxury soaps.

It was memorable that I visited NOLA as it turns 300 years old this year!

My afternoon was spent in a Starbucks on Canal Street, sipping a Pink Drink and reading a huge chunk of a book for my sociology class on Violence. This Starbucks was similar to Starbucks back in Ohio, so no dramatic difference. In the evening, I worked on applying for MUNDO’s ODNUM, which is our executive board. Café Envie (www.cafeenvie.com) is open late, so it was a perfect spot for getting work done. It was courtesy to purchase something if you stay there, so I got tea. I continued to read a book for my Violence class. For dinner, I came across a Vietnamese restaurant called Nine Roses (ninerosesrestaurant.com/). The menu on the wall outside provided a vast array of options; many dishes were familiar to me, because of my mother’s upbringing in Vietnam. Therefore, I ordered my favorite dish that my mom makes: vermicelli with egg rolls. While Nine Roses’ vermicelli was delicious, I still favor my mother’s version. We returned to the café to finish doing work, and I purchased milk. The barista was very friendly. A mini St. Patrick’s Day parade went by on the street; people tossed necklaces and flowers. It was a new sight for me to see the floats and people on bikes. Some people on the bikes had paper-mache animals At midnight, when the café closed, Eliza and I made the return to the hotel. Some of our peers were sleeping in the common area, and some were on their laptops. We all had good days and sleepily boarded the bus.

There was a mini St. Patrick’s Day parade on Decatur Street, in front of the café I was at. People tossed necklaces from their floats! Other people threw out faux roses.

Saturday, March 17th, 2018 – “Bringing it to Birmingham”

“The only tired I was, was tired of giving in.” – Rosa Parks

Leaving a bit after midnight for Birmingham, everyone in MUNDO was weary. We arrived in the Magic City around 6:30 am, with some time for breakfast and a quick nap. I was amazed that some of my peers could sleep on a floor. I could not nap, but still shut my eyes for a brief period.

10 AM – We had a tour of the 16th Street Baptist Church, where four young girls were killed by a bomb placed by a Ku Klux Klan member in 1963. It was chilling to be in that church. We sat through a documentary of the church’s origins and how the church and Birmingham community reacted and persevered in spite of a horrible hate crime. This site was so powerful, and I cannot believe that the church is still operating! People still attend its services and the church stands strong today.

11 AM – We had free time around the Kelly Ingram Park area. The park itself has been a place where numerous historic events happened. Children protested by the thousands, and hundreds of them were arrested. It is unimaginable that youth protested and were so brave enough to be jailed in order to fight for rights. If I were in a similar situation, I am sure that I would not have been the one on the frontlines; I am so introverted that I would only be able to provide support behind-the-scenes. It just amazes me at the bravery of children from the past, and children today. Often, children’s roles in movements are neglected or barely mentioned, but they certainly played a part in the Civil Rights Movement.

These four girls are gone but they are never forgotten. Their names were Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley, Carole Robertson and Carol Denise McNair.

I do not know why I became emotional when my friends and I were exploring the park and encountered a grandmother with her three granddaughters. They were looking at sculptures at the park. The oldest granddaughter was around 7 or 8 and could perfectly read the inscription on a sculpture. It is crucial to teach youth about history; the earlier, the better. I may have gotten emotional because I was touched by what the grandmother was doing, and at how bright and brilliant the granddaughters were.

1 PM – We had a self-guided tour of the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (https://www.bcri.org/), another phenomenal museum. The facility has a Human Rights gallery, Movement gallery, Confrontation gallery, and Barriers gallery. It provided me with even more information about the Civil Rights Movement and its timeline. Near the end of my time here, I found a station of computers/kiosks where I could watch previous visitors’ clips of them answering questions. The question I chose to answer and record for other people to hear was “Describe a time when you stood up for something.” I disclosed my past history of enduring racism, sexual harassment, and other experiences, and how I have learned to speak up for myself and speak out against injustices. I mentioned how the Internet is a platform for my voice and reaching an audience; I specifically use Facebook. I highly recommend this museum/institute for anyone going to the South.

My friend Kayla and I were lost walking back to our hotel, but we eventually found our way. (We asked Eliza for the address after another peer gave us the wrong address.) Kayla and I had a wonderful conversation the walk back. We processed parts of the spring break trip that resonated with us the most, and how our different identities influenced how we are. One of her majors is Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies, while I have that study as one of my minors. Our conversation was aided by concepts we have learned about in WGSS.

Changing. colorful lights line the ceiling of passageways in Memphis.

Through trial and error, we made it to Residence Inn. I rested momentarily before meeting the ACTION Team in the lobby. To me, Birmingham was quiet compared to other cities we have been to. I also was cat-called while I was walking with Kayla, and sexual harassment is pervasive everywhere. I am unsure if it happens more often in the South, because the weather is warmer and because there tends to be less education there.

6 PM – For our ACTION Team Dinner, we walked a short 10 minutes to Jim ‘n’ Nick’s BBQ (https://www.jimnnicks.com/). I did not try any BBQ here, but got a sandwich and fruit instead to try to be healthy. There, we discussed highs and lows of the trip, and what people have told us in terms of what we can improve. One ACTION Team Member brought up that several people had mentioned suggestions to them, and I got the feeling that people could not approach me to discuss issues, for whatever reason. Looking back on this experience, I would have talked more with other participants. I did get to befriend some people, but there were a handful that I did not hold full conversations with. If I was more proactive about meeting people, perhaps that would have increased group unity. Nevertheless, people seemed to enjoy the experience. People commented on how much they learned and how they were able to talk to others about their life experiences, and how the trip has helped them frame their experiences.

We all got slices of pie for dessert to-go. I am so proud of the work we put in to make this experience a reality. Photo credit: Julius Mayo

Sunday, March 18th, 2018 – “Back to Buckeye Country”

The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.” – Alice Walker

We spent the day traveling from the South back up North. My time on the bus was spent reading, except for the times when I engaged in conversations with friends. We chatted for hours about race and ethnicity still, and it was great that even after the experience, we shared ideas and experiences and connected them with broader sociology forces and historical contexts. There was a stop in Elizabethtown, Kentucky for lunch and I tried Culver’s for the first time. We were back at OSU around 6:30-7 pm, and I was saddened to have had the experience end, but it was time to resume academics. However, I did not try any grits while down South, so I need to return sometime to do so.

Attached is a PowerPoint for readers to view!
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1aRMV2xlRi0Xd87eZXzrTceQYXmThMExxubWBG-j3Kq4/edit#slide=id.p

I hope to continue engaging in experiences like this one, where it was eye-opening and enlightening. I believe I personally developed because I gained greater knowledge about American history and social justice. I found myself slowly becoming more comfortable with having discussions regarding difficult topics like racism. For 2018-2019, it is a goal of mine to plan, and participate in, at least one of MUNDO’s alternative break experiences.

We all have the power in each of us to make change. We can get discouraged, but we must never quit pursuing what we believe is right and just.