I Was A Victim Of The Happy Slap Craze.

This is what I should have done after he slapped me...

Remember the 'Happy Slap' craze? It went on for years. Basically, people would 'sucker slap' you and record it with their mobile phones and share the footage with one another via Bluetooth. It was supposedly funny. 

To me, it wasn't funny. Ever. 

Sadly, I was a victim of 'happy slapping' myself.

In Year 8 (when I was about 12) I was sitting in PSHE (personal, social and health education) class.

My form teacher was one without authority; the class was noisy, messy and everyone was up and about. It was out of control. 

I was at my desk reading through my work or listening to the teacher. Either way, I was minding my own business so... this didn't warrant what happened next.

A hand hit me hard on the side of my head. I got happy slapped. I got up, feeling furious but also quite sad and confused, 'Why did you slap me? What have I ever done to you?'. 

The perpetrator, a 5'9''-ish boy, said nothing, did nothing and went about his day. He showed absolutely no remorse. He was a problem child. He was in and out of the 'unit' (where all the naughty kids go to) and didn't do so well in school. 

I felt embarrassed. The hit wasn't just hard… it was humiliating. I was doing nothing and I was attacked for other people's entertainment.

I haven't been attacked by any boy since. 

Do I forgive him? I forgive him for myself. Considering the boy's circumstance, he really didn't and doesn't stand a chance in life. His life is karma. Who's laughing now?

Maybe I'll Stop Writing.

And you will try to stop writing...

You will try, try and try... until one day something compels you to start writing again. The hunger to write never leaves a writer. You will still find a way to write... whether it's telling yourself what should be written or... whether it's in a notepad, on Facebook or Twitter, you will still write because it's so natural to you. It's innate. It's something you do, like breathing.

Life can take over. Time constraints can crop up. But that will never fully stop you from writing.

Imagine what all other writers who attend school or have a non-writing jobs do? They're making some kind of time for writing. It's all about balance.

To write does not always mean you have to produce work everyday, or weekly... at times you can just produce a great piece of work and let it float around the internet for all to read, before you move onto the next one.

Writing also brings some stress-relief to the writer. To have put your thoughts onto paper... to have shared it with people who will praise it or feel compelled to share it with others and all the other rewards that come with it, will uplift you on that bad day at work. It will uplift you when you've done not so well in school. It will uplift you when you're down.

The talent and skill that you have should continuously be nurtured. If it's great enough, if you're persistent enough, it becomes a plan B when all that other stuff in life isn't working out.

So everyone writes. It's a saturated 'market'. Some writers get a lot of proclaim for their work, others not so much. But why? You just have to find the people who will read your work and say 'this speaks to my heart'. You will have to tell others about it... and if they really love it, they will tell others too.

Don't change your writing voice. Don't change your topics. Write what you're passionate about. Write what matters to you. Be unique. Don't replicate what is popular. Your uniqueness is what will draw people to you... it is what will make people believe you're sincere and love you for it.

The Day Someone Said I Had Chicken Thighs.

I will never, ever forget.

I was in Graphic Design class in year 10. This fellow pupil came up to me as I stood waiting for the teacher's help. He then said the following: ''you have chicken thighs''. This boy then proceeded to look at my thighs and I did too... that was the day I decided that my thighs were big...

For those last 4-5 years of my teens, I lived life thinking that I had to slim down. I would aspire to have the thighs of Asian girls because theirs were the same size as their calves. I thought that was beautiful.

South Korean pop-group SNSD... their thighs...

I'd often tell my younger sister about my thigh insecurities and how desperately I wanted my thighs to be like those of Asian girls but she would quickly embarrass me by telling me it was unhealthy and that I was overreacting... of course I did not believe her.

Over time my sister really drilled it into me that it was simply impossible for me to get those thighs. My body type was going to remain the way it is. I was never going to have smaller thighs than an Asian girl unless I decided to go for the emaciated look.

It was when I hit my 20s when I finally accepted my thighs for what they are... they aren't extremely big, they don't need to change and most importantly, what I have is all a part of me.

Love thigh self.

Being Third Wheel.

Ever been the third person in a group consisting of a couple?

Awkward.

There have been a few times when I was the third person. For the most part it was ok because my friends managed to control their PDA.

But just imagine you're in that type of group and the couple start getting into an argument and you're just like:

And then the argument begins to escalate:

Arguments between a couple is probably worse than the PDA bit because any kind of conflict right in front of you is just an unpleasant situation. It's even worse when the couple involve you in that argument; you don't want to get involved in the dynamics of that relationship.

If you're ever third wheel, stay out of the arguments and don't pick sides!

The Tipsy, The Drunk And The Sober.

The Drunk: His birthday is next year.

The Tipsy: It's actually this Thursday.

The Sober: What if... what if our birthdays, weren't actually our birthdays? What if we were born and our parents lied to us about our birthday? We don't know when we were born, we only know what we've been told.

The Drunk: Yeah, what if we were lied to!

The Tipsy to the Sober: You're the sober one here and you're acting like the drunk one!

The end.

For You, Because I Care.

If you're scrolling by and...

... you're afraid:

... you want to run away:

... you want to give up:

... you're overwhelmed:

... you're worried:

... you don't think you can't do it:

... you don't know what to choose:

... you've encountered a roadblock: 

... live life and love it because...

Happy Independence Day South Sudan!

It's been a quiet celebration and not as major as the actual independence day or the first anniversary, but the jubilation was comparable.

I was looking back at what I wrote about last year's Independence, not much has changed in South Sudanese politics. I also noticed I hadn't written a post about South Sudan since last November. I guess I got so caught up with life that I didn't have the time to express my thoughts and feelings on the country through an article.

Nonetheless, I am much more optimistic about the country in comparison with last year. People are aware of what needs to change and the steps we need to take to get there. I'm also a whole lot more forgiving; South Sudan is a brand new nation, we can't expect it to be poverty and corruption free in only just a few years.

The country is a seed that needs to be nurtured in order for it to grow into a tree with strong roots and branches.

Happy Independence Day South Sudan.

South Sudan Oyee Live!

July 9th 2013 represents the 2nd anniversary of South Sudan's Independence. What a whirlwind two years it has been.

There's a huge sense of national pride when I say 'I'm South Sudanese'... and that pride is definitely backed up by memories of our journey towards independence from Sudan.

In celebration of the 2nd Independence anniversary, there's a great event (nothing like this has ever been done before) on Saturday the 13th of July.

This event is especially unique because we will have three popular and talented South Sudanese artists performing for us in London. The event will also support THE JUBALINK charity. JUBALINK aims to improve healthcare services in South Sudan by training healthcare professionals and medical students. This is crucial because there is a lack of skilled healthcare staff in South Sudan. 

After a wonderful evening of performances, there will be an after party at Nile Bar and Restaurant, Turnpike Lane. 

The three artists who will be performing are Dynamq, Yaba Angelosi and Emmanuel Jal.

Dynamq is an artist who loves reggae (having first performed at age 14 at the Bob Marley day Festival). Dynamq has performed alongside the legendary Wailer's Band (Bob Marley's Band), Wayne Wonder and more. Dynamq is also the creator of RUKA MUZIK (a new style of music which is currently taking East Africa by storm). 

Emmanuel Jal, also known as the 'Peace Soldier', offers a unique style of hip hop to the music world. Emmanuel is also a writer and a public speaker, speaking often about his experiences as a child soldier. His most recent album is Warchild (2008) and one of his live appearances includes performing live at the Nelson Mandela 90th Birthday Concert. 

Yaba Angelosi is a 6'2'' talented singer, lyricist, multiple instrument player and CEO of Assida Productions. His genre is Afro-Beat, Zouk, Soukous and R&B. He is passionate, prodigious (noted by the number of instruments he plays) and multifaceted. He has also worked with flavour. 

For discount tickets to this event use these codes: 

Yaba Angelosi's code: YABAFAN01

To purchase tickets visit: 

Tamam Global

Who's World Is This?

A poet shared his article with me.

I was impressed with the article because it came from a very mature and prospective viewpoint. I had to write a response.

I've always viewed the world as my home. I've never felt that anyone should be restricted by artificial borders carved out by wars, colonisation or amicable land divisions. I have always viewed Mother Earth as our home and being born in one country and living in another was never going to stop me from exploring it.

I have already traveled to Egypt, United States, Germany, France etc., nothing too fancy or culturally awakening; just the regular travel destinations that most Europeans do nowadays.

Despite this, I have always taken pride in going on holidays abroad with my parents because I was exposed to something different from what I was used to.

I suppose also coming from South Sudan, a country which is so culturally, linguistically and ethnically diverse, I had parents who taught me to have a worldwide view and perspective.

For some time, particularly at university, I wanted to be a nomad.

While desperately trying to get my assignments handed in on time and trying to stay awake during my  lectures, I was consistently thinking of what I wanted to do after my degree. One major thing I wanted to do was travel and explore the world.

My desire became so strong, I felt that perhaps my desires were innate because of the fact that my tribe is kind of a nomadic tribe (the Dinka travel to the riverside to create camps during the dry season and have fixed settlements during the rain season). So with this fact, I made that connection; I want to travel the world, wherever is richer in culture, because I'm drawn to that.

So traveling? I want to do it more and more. I'm saving up money on the side. I want it to be a regular thing; travel, return to the family, travel, return to the family.

I have no plans to pack up my things and move for the long-term, but it's a future possibility.

I don't want to just read about the world or watch documentaries about the Savannas of Africa and the icy glaciers of the North Pole. I want to experience it; feel it, see it, touch it, I want to be there.

The world is our oyster.