I’ve met this awesome, gorgeous, young woman when I was a Latin-American intern at Freedom House, the place where she had been employed over the past year and a half.Yvonne was working for the Middle East and North Africa team, and I was so curious about women in Muslim cultures, she spoke in Spanish, she was kind, and she was the first to lend me a great report from the organization on women’s human rights issues, so very quickly I found we had passions in common such as our desire to promote women’s rights advocacy in countries that repress rights such as the freedom of assembly, freedom of association, and even the freedom of speech.
I remember one day we had lunch together, during lunch time at work, and it is not very frequent that interns have company for lunch, but we agreed to take our lunch boxes to the nearest park and talk. Dupont circle was pretty hot, it was the middle of 2009 summer, and one of the first things that I found very interesting from her was the fact that she has visited many countries.
(Yvonne) Well, I think about 15. I have visited Mexico, Spain, France, England, Italy, Germany, Greece, Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia, South Africa, Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Israel. I began traveling abroad from a very early age because my father is Nigerian, so my family would go to Nigeria to visit family. I first traveled alone abroad in the 11th grade in high school with a summer Spanish learning trip to Spain for a month. That trip alone to Spain, forever infused me with international travel passion. I then took a family vacation tour of Europe. I then studied abroad during my junior year in college in France and Egypt for 6 months in each location, and while in both places, I took mini trips to England, Greece, Kenya and Ethiopia. Finally, after graduation from college, I studied for two months in Jordan, and took mini-trips during that time to Germany, Syria, and Israel.
When I heard about her trip to Mexico I was curious, because one of my intern duties had been researching on Ciudad Juárez and the murders of thousands of women. Yvonne told me she liked the experience visiting some maquilas in the border and how they advocated regarding women rights and work conditions, but she was more concerned regarding her experience in Egypt and how it helped to see things in a different way.
(Yvonne) The most difficult trip was by far the trip to Egypt. This was my first true experience of "culture shock." It was very difficult for me for a number of reasons.
I would say that the trip to Egypt (and hence the mini-trips to Kenya, Ethiopia, Israel, and Syria) was where I learned the most. But that is merely because I was in Egypt longer than most of the other places (6 months), and was thus exposed to a lot more. Plus the mini-trips were incredibly insightful and eye-opening into the world as well. However the other trips to France, Spain, South Africa, and Nigeria were informative in different ways. So it's hard to compare- it's almost like comparing apples and oranges.
How did your parents take your trips?
(Yvonne) After my first trips at a young age, neither of my parents had a problem with my traveling, as long as they knew I knew what I was doing, where I was going and that I was well taken care of.
I am curious, you’ve mentioned something very peculiar, “to know what you are doing” and where you were going, for example, where you always sure about your career?
(Yvonne) I did not really have a choice. My mom, all throughout my childhood, had already decided that we were going to college. She talked to us as if we were and she taught us in a way that would make our college experience easier (for instance she'd say we should not spend all our money at a particular moment, but rather save it for college). So we did not really picture life without college. It was an automatic assumption that we were going.
This blog somehow is also a spot to talk about relationships with mothers, you’ve already mentioned yours; so, tell us more about her and the impact she’s represented in your life.
(Yvonne) The woman who has impacted me the most would have to be my mother. She has been an inspiration to be from her own life, she has pushed me to be the best and do the best that I can. The struggles that she has overcome have given me the confidence to overcome my own struggles. She is steadfast in her commitments and I think she passed that on to me. And she is very involved in politics and what's going on in the world, and that I think was passed on to me as well.
What are your plans now, where are you heading to now?
(Yvonne) I have a number of passions, and thus career paths that I plan on pursuing at some point in my life. They are African Development, Primary and Secondary domestic education, and civil rights/social justice. I came upon the knowledge of these passions at different points in life, most after significant events that greatly impacted me. The one that I am pursuing now, African development, was definitely a more gradual decision-realization. I think it developed when I visited my father's home country of Nigeria and saw how underdeveloped it was, despite all of the money from oil revenues we as a country had. Another thing was to witness how corruption, in my opinion, infiltrated society at every level. For instance, police stopped us at every turn to bribe money out of us, even for just driving down the street. I later came to realize that the only reason they continually demand money from people is because the government does not pay them neither a sufficient salary, nor what they are due. Thus they have to corruptly force uninvolved people to give them money just to provide for their families. Finally, the way in which Africa is spoken of in the west, particularly America, as if a barbaric and backwards place, inspired me to prove them wrong. However wrongly and insecurely founded the reason, it certainly pushed me to really study, learn more about, and disprove the unfounded and condescending perspective of the west on my African brothers and sisters. It was experiences like this that made me want to help develop my country of Nigeria.
(Yvonne) The most difficult trip was by far the trip to Egypt. This was my first true experience of "culture shock." It was very difficult for me for a number of reasons.
I would say that the trip to Egypt (and hence the mini-trips to Kenya, Ethiopia, Israel, and Syria) was where I learned the most. But that is merely because I was in Egypt longer than most of the other places (6 months), and was thus exposed to a lot more. Plus the mini-trips were incredibly insightful and eye-opening into the world as well. However the other trips to France, Spain, South Africa, and Nigeria were informative in different ways. So it's hard to compare- it's almost like comparing apples and oranges.
How did your parents take your trips?
(Yvonne) After my first trips at a young age, neither of my parents had a problem with my traveling, as long as they knew I knew what I was doing, where I was going and that I was well taken care of.
I am curious, you’ve mentioned something very peculiar, “to know what you are doing” and where you were going, for example, where you always sure about your career?
(Yvonne) I did not really have a choice. My mom, all throughout my childhood, had already decided that we were going to college. She talked to us as if we were and she taught us in a way that would make our college experience easier (for instance she'd say we should not spend all our money at a particular moment, but rather save it for college). So we did not really picture life without college. It was an automatic assumption that we were going.
This blog somehow is also a spot to talk about relationships with mothers, you’ve already mentioned yours; so, tell us more about her and the impact she’s represented in your life.(Yvonne) The woman who has impacted me the most would have to be my mother. She has been an inspiration to be from her own life, she has pushed me to be the best and do the best that I can. The struggles that she has overcome have given me the confidence to overcome my own struggles. She is steadfast in her commitments and I think she passed that on to me. And she is very involved in politics and what's going on in the world, and that I think was passed on to me as well.
What are your plans now, where are you heading to now?
(Yvonne) I have a number of passions, and thus career paths that I plan on pursuing at some point in my life. They are African Development, Primary and Secondary domestic education, and civil rights/social justice. I came upon the knowledge of these passions at different points in life, most after significant events that greatly impacted me. The one that I am pursuing now, African development, was definitely a more gradual decision-realization. I think it developed when I visited my father's home country of Nigeria and saw how underdeveloped it was, despite all of the money from oil revenues we as a country had. Another thing was to witness how corruption, in my opinion, infiltrated society at every level. For instance, police stopped us at every turn to bribe money out of us, even for just driving down the street. I later came to realize that the only reason they continually demand money from people is because the government does not pay them neither a sufficient salary, nor what they are due. Thus they have to corruptly force uninvolved people to give them money just to provide for their families. Finally, the way in which Africa is spoken of in the west, particularly America, as if a barbaric and backwards place, inspired me to prove them wrong. However wrongly and insecurely founded the reason, it certainly pushed me to really study, learn more about, and disprove the unfounded and condescending perspective of the west on my African brothers and sisters. It was experiences like this that made me want to help develop my country of Nigeria.
At your age you have accomplished somehow one of your dreams…you’ve just come from South Africa, where the world have now eyes on for the soccer championship and it’ll be the perfect spot to appreciate diversity and sport values such as team work and giving the best one have to bring glory to their nations. Why did you go to South Africa?(Yvonne) I was there from February 26 to March 14, 2010. I went with my church on a mission trip to serve in an orphanage called Baby Haven. I was able to go because I raised money through a number of fundraising activities to pay for my expenses, and basically I went because it was an opportunity to pursue my dreams. I'm passionate about African development, but I'm also very passionate about people's spiritual lives and their long-term well-being. So this was an opportunity for me to see it in action- a Christian organization who understands the importance of making sure one is spiritually set while at the same time providing for people's practical needs.
What is Baby Haven exactly and what were your duties there, what was the experience like?
(Yvonne) Well, Baby Haven is an orphanage in Johannesburg, South Africa that cares for the needs of abandoned and orphaned infants by providing a home, a loving environment, and the material and emotional needs of those it serves. The only thing that I could expect to happen was that my emotions would be all over the place. I was ready to go from very happy to sad to frustrated to insulted to...everything, simply because of the historical legacy of the country. The similarities (though very different) between the black South Africans and African Americans give us a common point from which we can relate to each other. However, beyond that, I didn't really have expectations; I was excited to be open to experience whatever Baby Haven staff had planned for us. I didn't expect to be able to give anything to the kids of any real substance except for love and attention, and my ears for listening. I really expected to learn more from the kids and staff than them learn from me.
After your experience in Baby Haven, do you dream about becoming a mom?
(Yvonne) Well, I am not currently in love. I would love to be a mother, though I have to be married first. Three important things before motherhood are, first you must have a husband, second, you must be ready to give all of yourself to your child, and third, you and your husband have to be on the same page as to how you are going to raise the child and the roles that each will take in the child's life.
Along with all your passions, dreams, work and activities, you are also a Model, but also a woman of faith, so can you combine both, your beliefs and modeling!
(Yvonne) Well, my body is first and foremost a temple. That is a Christian expression that means that my body does not belong to me. I believe that Jesus Christ loves me so much and I am so grateful for that that I want to do everything in my power to honor him. Well, he has said in the Bible that one way that I can honor him and obey him is to treat my body in a pure way, to take care of my body, and to view it as a temple. I believe God is literally living inside of me, my body, and that's why it's a temple. I also view my body as an artistic expression. My body in photographs, combined with the wardrobe, setting, and the focus of the photo, can be warped and shaped into very beautiful works of art. However, I require that the photos be sophisticated and somewhat conservative, because, again, my body is a temple and I will treat it as such.
This is very interesting to hear, and let me ask you, why do you think is the most important difference in regards to the Christian conception of body to women and the way many other women from Muslim Traditions in Middle East Countries and some Africans countries have in regards to conceal beauty and that any exposure is a sin and may be punished for that?
(Yvonne) Well, my body is first and foremost a temple. That is a Christian expression that means that my body does not belong to me. I believe that Jesus Christ loves me so much and I am so grateful for that that I want to do everything in my power to honor him. Well, he has said in the Bible that one way that I can honor him and obey him is to treat my body in a pure way, to take care of my body, and to view it as a temple. I believe God is literally living inside of me, my body, and that's why it's a temple. I also view my body as an artistic expression. My body in photographs, combined with the wardrobe, setting, and the focus of the photo, can be warped and shaped into very beautiful works of art. However, I require that the photos be sophisticated and somewhat conservative, because, again, my body is a temple and I will treat it as such.
This is very interesting to hear, and let me ask you, why do you think is the most important difference in regards to the Christian conception of body to women and the way many other women from Muslim Traditions in Middle East Countries and some Africans countries have in regards to conceal beauty and that any exposure is a sin and may be punished for that?
(Yvonne)I can't really speak on African religions because I'm not very familiar with their conception of the woman's body and how it's presented to the public. But I think I can speak on Islam, mainly Middle Eastern Islam. I guess the biggest difference between the Christian conception of the body and the Muslim conception is that in Christianity, God in the form of the Holy Spirit actually inhabits the body, whereas Muslims do not believe that God can inhabit a body. There is freedom in Christianity in that there are no hard and fast rules that, if broken, cause one to be punished by God. God is not primarily concerned with what you do with your physical body, your actions, etc. He is more concerned with what is going on in your heart. The same goes for how one treats one's body and concealing beauty. God does not punish us for our physical actions while on this earth.
So when God wants me to dress honorable and treat my body like a temple, I do it not as a rule that is forced down my throat. Muslims who are punished for not dressing modestly have a totally different conception of who God is. They probably view God as the strict, scary, harsh and disciplinarian who is sitting in heaven glaring down at us humans ready to do away with anyone who does not live up to his standard. The ultimate motive for them is fear- for me it’s love.
So when God wants me to dress honorable and treat my body like a temple, I do it not as a rule that is forced down my throat. Muslims who are punished for not dressing modestly have a totally different conception of who God is. They probably view God as the strict, scary, harsh and disciplinarian who is sitting in heaven glaring down at us humans ready to do away with anyone who does not live up to his standard. The ultimate motive for them is fear- for me it’s love.
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