STUDY ABROAD JOURNAL - FALL 2012.

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Day 1 (Sept. 5th):

I arrived to Victoria, B.C., safely! I would love to express my gratitude to God for carrying me across the air, and oceans. When I arrived to the ferry terminal in Victoria, I was questioned by immigration officials of Canada because they wanted to verify and ascertain the authentication of my travel documents. Also, they wanted to verify that I have enough finances to support myself, while away from America. Due to the numerous amount of people in the immigration office, it took me over five hours to go through with the entire process. But, by God's grace, I was able to finish-up at the immigration office and head over to my residence, for the next few months of my life.The entire day was tiring, so therefore I decided to spend the rest of the evening resting and recuperating from the long journey.

2 (Sept. 6th):

After a long immigration process, yesterday, I had to sleep-in to regain myself - my circadian clock was totally off! Just like any college student, I decided to take half of the morning, off, to myself. I woke up at about 11:30am and decided to head over to the University of Victoria campus to get a complete tour of the school campus, in order to get myself familiarized with the locations of my classes, labs, and other sites on campus. During the tour, i got the shock of my life when i went into what i thought was the Men's Restroom (they call it "washroom" here), but it was a 'gender neutral' restroom! I was EXTREMELY SHOCKED when i saw a female come out of the bathroom stall right next to mine - i thought to myself, "oh, boy! What was i thinking, going into the ladies restroom?" I didn't feel like that anymore when i saw two guys walk in as well. At this point, i didn't know what to think anymore; i just washed my hands, ran out of there and vowed to tell everybody back in America about what just happened. Gender neutral? Oh, c'mon! Well, the tour ended at about 4pm with me having lunch with someone very dear to me and catching up on old times :). At the end of the campus tour, i rode the bus back home, using my. Student identification card - which made it fast and easy to ride the bus. This bus ride was about 5-minutes bus, to my apartment. I got home, rested for a bit and then I went to Walmart for a little grocery shopping. Afterwards, i went back home and called it a night (after all, most things close after 9pm, on this island).

Day 3 (Sept. 7th):

I should tell you, one of the main means of transportation, for students in Victoria, BC, are bicycles. Bicycle riding is a BIG DEAL here! There are separate lanes on the main road for bicycle riders (i know there are bicycle lanes in America, but not on every major highway) and it's against the law to ride a bicycle on the sidewalk (this made me miss America, a bit). Another very illegal thing to do and will land you fines over over $200, by the police, is riding a bicycle without a helmet. I never knew that i'd ever be obligated to ride a bicycle with a helmet on; i guess all these laws are set-in place to keep everyone safe and secure from harms-way. Well, i rode my bicycle to school today, with my helmet on, ofcourse. It felt weird and very uncomfortable, but i know i will get used to it very soon. I live less than 15 minutes bicycle-ride from campus, so therefore the ride this morning was relaxing - thanks to the sea breeze from the Ocean.

My first class of senior year was Physics. Coming from a relatively small university, i was shocked to walk into a class of almost 50 students (a "full" classroom at my university is about 20 - 22 students). My professor seems really laid-back and cool, but his handwriting is very difficult to understand - i will have to go see him during office hours, for more explanations. The class went by very quickly (50 minutes felt like 30 minutes). Afterwards, i headed over to my 3-hour long physics lab, but to my amazement, it was canceled and postponed to next week Friday. That cancellation of lab made my day and weekend because to be honest, i was dreading a 3-hour long lab on the first week of school.

Finally, i biked back home, took a chill afternoon shower and kicked back for the rest of the afternoon/early evening. Later in the evening, i was invited to the beach, to hang-out with friends. One of the perks of living on this island is that you could look North, East, South or West and nature salutes you like a general of an army! Chilling at the beach this evening helped me to unwind and get in-tune with my new surrounding and new friends. If the weather continues to be nice, i would love to go to the beach/lake some more. Some time this weekend, i intend on going mountain climbing with a very special friend of mine, i know that it's going to be a blast of a lifetime. I am very much looking forward to standing on one of the highest peaks of Victoria and marveling at the wonder and beauty of God's creation, nature. Look-out for photos of my mountain climbing and many more others.

All in all, my first week of classes, outside America, went very well. Thanks to my AMAZING support team who made it possible and has continued to do so, for me to experience this life's adventure. I am loving my experience, so far. Stay tuned for many more accounts of how the next four months of my life pans-out, on this island. Never forget, God is great and the wonders of his creation surround us, everywhere. Cheers, World :)

I had an Amazing time to unwind, with friends. It was Fun!

Friday evening hang-out, with a break-taking surrounding.

Jogging down the trail of Mout. Doug. It was such an Awesome work-out.
Photo Credit: Jasmine Nagra.

My favorite person and mountain climbing partner and I, hanging from the Peak of Mout. Doug, Victoria, B.C.

My favorite person and Mountain climbing partner and I, on the Peak of Mout. Doug, Victoria, B.C.

Our View from the top of Mout. Doug, Victoria, B.C.

It's the Climb!

Marking my territory, as the Chief of this Land - on Mout. Doug, Victoria, B.C.

PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS, COSTLESS.

I seldom discuss this type of topic on this blog, but as times change so do people. Being able to attain financial security is not just an issue for adults to worry about any longer; nowadays, eleven year-old kids have began thinking about money for college and how to go about raising such needed funds. It's an exceptionally great way of raising a child, to teach them the importance of being financially secured, both for the present and the future.
According to federal estimates, about 8 million jobs have been lost in this recession, across America. Due to this heartbreaking period, many individuals have started their own home-based business as a perfect alternative. Many have had to transition from suit-and-tie jobs and less family time to shorts-and-t-shirt job, in the comfort of their homes; i'm sure many families are happier because it means more time with family members. Compared to expensive start-up costs of traditional businesses, home-based businesses can be started from just a corner of the house, where old or unused home appliances are being sold on Ebay.com or Amazon.com, for profit - that's just an example business idea, people.
With increased levels of competition among new entrepreneurs, being able to showcase your business to targeted consumer has never been more crucial. Most times, people spend all their time and money developing ''the perfect" business, only to fall short when it comes to building a brand and creating awareness. Creating awareness for a venture is THE MOST important aspect of venture/business enterprise. No awareness = No consumer and No consumers = No Sells and No sells = No money. I've made a short video that explains the steps of how to create awareness and promote your business, without spending more than necessary. Please comment for the link to the video.
In order to promote your business, costless, you MUST follow these simple steps:
1. Have a brand - a brand could be a logo, a phrase, a photo, etc, that consumers can see or hear  and trace it back to your venture. Also, a brand sets your venture apart from the crowd. A brand could range from a simple pencil sketch to a professionally made logo. Look for a friend who is artistic and is willing to do you a favor, in exchange for lunch.
2. Always socialize - if you're not the talking type, you might want to start right now because a significant level of success of your business will depend on people you meet and introduce to your venture. Thank God for the robust social media, there's no excuse for not socializing and letting the world know what your business venture is all about and how they can help you with it. Principles of Entrepreneurship 101: small businesses must utilize social networks like Facebook, WordPress, Twitter, YouTube, and other social media avenues in order to generate customer awareness and/or loyalty.
3. Promote yourself- be sure to take things into your own hands, don't wait for friends to help you! Go on Microsoft word, make free fliers, spread the word about your business and what you have to offer to customers. In addition, find ways to connect with the appropriate reporters at your local newspaper (in school or in your city) - Also consider talking to family and friends as well, but don't be annoying about it or else.....
4. Establish an online presence - this is THE MOST VITAL step to follow when promoting your business. The world today has become a globalized haven, whereby business ventures such as, KONY 2012, could spread across the planet in less than an hour. Establishing an online presence means creating a place, online, where potential customers could visit, to learn more about your business ventures. Online presence could be a website (for free website setup, visit www.weebly.com), a blog, like www.choicemovement.blogspot.com, or a Facebook account that is solely dedicated to your business, etc. For more information on how to start-up an online presence at little or no cost please email: eobasiolu22@gmail.com.
All in all, being financially secure is essential to everyone! People, you can start businesses such as: reselling products online, buying and selling stocks, website creation, business-venture referrals, commission sales, etc. Use the internet to unlock the secrets of starting small businesses and be sure to comment on this blog for lists of federal grants for small business owners who are: minorities, college students, teenager, single mothers, and senior citizens (this service will cost you, but will be priceless in the future).
I want to give a shout-out to: www.wafflesafterclass.com for their amazing example of young minds coming together to create a potential explosive in urban culture. Feel free to check them out, say hello, patronize them and be sure to Tell them that Ebenezer Obasiolu referred you. Keep striving for great, friends.


We're in this together, World :)

THOSE MOMENTS THAT COUNT.

They say, "out of sight, out of mind," but I beg to differ. Perhaps, let me be the first to rephrase such statement, "out of sight, constantly in mind." We tend to take the people, the thing, the environment that we see everyday for granted because we think they will always be there, forever. As I've advanced in age, I've come to the realization that those whom we barely see, due to circumstances beyond our control, are usually the ones who mean more than the world to us. Therefore, it is highly imperative to cherish every second with those who mean more than the world to you because those are the moments that count. Moments that count could very much be that weekend or week-long visits across the world to spend time with that special person who keeps you going when everyone else around you lose faith in you, or an international student studying thousands of miles away from home and every time a friend's parents and siblings come around, you just want to call your family for the fun of it, or a mother who misses her children because they are all grown up and barely are around the house, etc. We can all think of a time in our lives when we had a limited time to make something count because it was a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Unfortunately, we tend to get accustomed to that special person, after spending a little more time with them; all those sad days and nights spent wishing they were there, all those jokes you've always wanted to share with them because only them understand your jokes, those events whereby you dress really fancy and wishing you were dressing up and attending fancy occasions with them, etc, all those moments fade away. I have learned to cherish every single moment with those who mean much more than the world to me because tomorrow is not promised to anyone. In that case, i will love you as though I was dying today, I will laugh with you because all that matters to me is your genuine happiness, I will cry with you because whatever affects you also affects me, I will rejoice and celebrate with you because your success is also mine, I will always be on your side, even when the world is against you, I will cherish those moments that count.

When all has been said and done, I can boldly proclaim that I came, I lived, I learned and I loved without reservations - Life is worth living, so therefore let us all sit back and learn to cherish those moments that count.

Swag, Out!

LONG GOODBYES.

It was a cold January night, January 21st to be precise, after such a well-restful Christmas break from school, it was back to the same routine - classes were to begin again, homework and projects were to start knocking on doors, yup, school was in session again. To be honest, I reluctantly flew back to Springfield; I just didn't feel like doing it all over again. But everything changed when I met the new internationals, whom I learnt were just visiting for a semester. Everything changed because I finally met someone whom I could talk politics, business, and philosophy with, at social gatherings. I met another whom I could talk European pop-culture with, talk about traveling around Europe, while testing my geographical knowledge.

At first, I made sure that I didn't get too comfortable around them because I thought "why invest in friendships that will just end in a semester?" Unbeknown to me, meeting these new friends would save me from boring Friday nights, save me dinner payments, teach me something new about their culture, and most of all, sit with me until 3am and talk about everything we could think about. When I say everything, I mean EVERYTHING! It seemed as though the more time sped up, the closer everyone got to each other; I have to admit that sometimes I forgot that these new friends of mine were deemed to head back to their respective countries, at the end of Spring semester.

I made it a point not just to get to know the new international students, this semester, but also other students around campus. I believe in expanding one's network because the Michael you know today might be the Senator Michael you'll be thankful you knew. I'm very glad that i did make an effort to get to personally meet and know new people, this semester, because it opened up my eyes to the innate nature of each and everyone i talked with or spent time around. I learned that the "innocent-looking people" are not always or necessarily innocent, i learned that not everything i hear about someone describes that person, i learned that as our faces are different so are our life stories, i learned that some people who are more upfront and outspoken about everything  are not so because they are full of hate, i learned that the derivative of (ln(x)) is equal to (1/x) - still in school mood, why?

The none-anticipated day has arrived, when everybody have to go their separate ways, in this journey of life. Sometimes, God makes different peoples' path intersect in order for them to learn from each other. I definitely learned from every single person I got the privilege to meet and know, this semester. Some lessons weren't always positive ones, but they had to be there to teach me that this world is made up of two people (those who subtract from you and those who add to you). Even though many of those who have added to my life this semester may not read this, even though our paths might never cross again, but I want you all to know that I am thankful to God for your lives. He knew what he was doing when he sent you guys my path. An intellectual man ones said, "true friendship withstands the test of distance and time." There are friendships that will remain forever and I'm proud to say that this semester was filled with them.

As we all continue on this journey called, Life, I want to leave us all with a quote from one of those friends who've added to my life, this semester, Yasmeen AlTamimi, "As we grow up, we learn that even the one person that wasn't supposed to ever let us down, probably will. You'll have your heart broken and you'll break others' hearts. You'll fight with your best friend or maybe even fall in love with them, and you'll cry because time is flying by. So take too many pictures, laugh too much, forgive freely, and love like you've never been hurt. Life comes with no guarantees, no time outs, no second chances. You just have to live life to the fullest, tell someone what they mean to you and tell someone off, speak out, dance in the pouring rain, hold someone's hand, comfort a friend, fall asleep watching the sun come up, stay up late, be a flirt, and smile until your face hurts. Don't be afraid to take chances or fall in love and most of all, live in the moment because every second you spend angry or upset is a second of happiness you can never get back." Good luck in life: Soong, Hilario, Christine, and Coralie.

It was a long goodbye, World :(

THAT EXTRA KICK...

I need motivation! Something to give me that continuous push that I yarn for at the verge of every big outcome. If my mama reads this, she might say, "read your bible, pray everyday, if you want to grow." Having nothing against reading the bible, praying, and of course growth, but sometimes a person needs to look into themselves, into nature, into patterns, into people, for that continuous push which we call, motivation.

Sometimes I ask myself whether coming to Springfield was a bad decision because I long for those types of motivation that stems from an early morning jog along the sea shores of sun rise California, or the crowded streets of Beijing, where every man is for himself or the artsy towns across Accra, where the people strive to communicate the words of our dear ancestors who navigated through life the way we wish to do, or the chill motivational vibe that tends to grasp my soul whenever I touch down in Seattle - maybe it's the feeling of being in the fun-filled West Coast, where the mountains salute you from every angle and the breathe of technology innovators linger in the atmosphere,  maybe it's the sense of security, knowing that I'm only a few 'Michael Phelps breaststrokes' away from Beautiful British Columbia.

I guess the world categorizes people like me as "dreamers." That's good because I'm proud to be known as someone who believes in life beyond present circumstances, life outside Springfield, life full of empty memory spaces, needed to be filled with stories to be shared with my offsprings.

Will I find the continuous push that I yarn for at the verge of every big outcome, motivation, in my present habitat? I just have to continue in such search because for now, I guess Springfield is mine and I am Springfield.

PLEASE, PAY ME IN TIME.

"The only constant in life is time!" The concept of time has been one that has existed and will continue to exist, even after homo-sapiens have come and gone. We live in a world that is being controlled by time: there is a time to be born, there is a time to learn how to live, there is a time to learn how to stand on one's own feet, there is a time to teach someone else to stand on their own feet, there is a time to hold-on and a time to let-go, there is a time to rest and rejuvenate, and there is a time to pat yourself on the back, like Rohan Nagra, knowing that you've given life your best shot. At times, we give life our best, there are some successes and some fails. It's very unfortunate that we ignore all the successes and focus all our energy on the fails. Man will never be contented! I guess, it's human nature. Although i may fail in some aspects of life, but i refuse to recognize my successes because those successes strengthen me and help encourage me to do better. Some people get motivated by success while some by failures - do whatever gets the ball rolling.

Unfortunately, there are only 24 hours in each day and any second that is lost can not be relived or brought back. That's another reason why we should always live life as though tomorrow will never come. That's another topic to talk about, later on. To me, no time is lost, it might be mis-spent but it goes into getting something accomplished. If so, then why not make such accomplishment something that could be written home about?

In the days of our youth, we tend to forget that our abilities are limited. You may be Chuck Norris today, but one day, time and age will get the best of you. You may be Michael Jordan today, but one day, time and age will get the best of you. Sometimes, we tend to forget that when all is said and done, the most important things that will be remembered are the impacts that were engraved upon the hearts and minds of people or the lack thereof. Anybody can start strong, but the race of life ends at the finish line, where most people tend to disappoint and fall short. A highly celebrated athlete can enjoy fame, pride, lights, cheers, etc., during the highlights of his/her career. The final moments of such career goes a long way in determining and measuring the success levels accomplished. 

Regularly, people see me walk into the lunch room, grab my food, and leave. They all look around and ask themselves: "Why's Eb not eating here?" "Why does he always grab a to-go box?" "He acts as though he's the only one who got something to do." I hear the silent whispers, i can only smile because i know that i'm A Man On The Move! My goals and dreams ahead are greater than the pleasures that loom around, today.

All in all, we only live once. My mother used to always say, "life has no duplicate." It is very imperative to emphasize the importance of living life to its maximum, while being a good example and fostering life-long relationships. When you have the time and strength, work. When you have the money and time, travel the world; explore the wonders of the world. Sail across the Cyprus Islands, drive across the wild Alaskan forest, watch some of the last ice caps melt, take that skii trip on the Whistler plains, take part in that marathon, find someone and give them your heart without any reservations, spread love at all times, give whenever you can. And when all is said and done, even though you may not be celebrated by the world, nature has taken note of you. For nature rewards every act of goodness and handwork that was put forth. Cheers, world.