Some may call it a city within a city, where drugs and other sellable items are passed through tiny bars from the outside world, where there are businesses, children and a unique democratic system. Passing this prison, it seems secure, normal even, like any other prison in any other country. La Paz’s Plaza de San Pedro […]
What does an earthquake feel like? A look into the aftermath of Mexico’s subsequent earthquakes
Georgie Bolam, Foreign Correspondent in Mexico, discusses the first-hand aftermath of three earthquakes within three weeks on the most seismic- prone country in the World. Phantom earthquakes strike in the middle of the night forcing the dreamers out of bed and into a state of panic. Others, their bodies running on five days of adrenaline, […]
Red-faced over ‘blackface’: Racism in Malaysia
If you’re searching for the latest national embarrassment hot on the heels of a ridiculous campaign funded by the Health Ministry to “prevent” gayness, look no further. Malaysia has got you covered with a Raya (the Malaysian term for Islam’s Eid holiday) video of such high production value and big names, that you have to wonder… how […]
Appreciation or appropriation? The cultural trends infiltrating the fashion industry
Go to any festival this year, and you’ll be confronted by hordes of white, middle-class youth rocking bindis and faux-Kente-printed shirts. The vast majority have probably never been near India or Ghana. I doubt they’re clocked on to black history or pan-Africanism or are well versed in Hinduism. But does that matter? Well, increasing numbers […]
Growing by shrinking: the beauty of minimalism
We live in a consumer-driven society with a rapid cyclic need to constantly upgrade our stuff and ourselves, and with the new year behind us, gyms are packed and our days start with a new sense of desire to become better versions of ourselves. But inevitably, we fall into our old ways within weeks, if […]
How to travel solo as an introvert
Recently I did the Myers-Briggs self-questionnaire. This indicates your psychological preferences; and yes, to my surprise, I am in fact an introvert. There’s a common misconception that introverts are antisocial. However, being an introvert simply means that you get most of your energy from being alone – you might love seeing friends and going to […]
Sex, drugs and… Netflix – “narco-soaps” in Mexico and Colombia
Eccentric tales of shady drug bosses and glamorous women assassins are the staple of Mexican and Colombian primetime television. But the latest “narco-soaps” about the countries’ drug gangs have sparked a debate about just how much of that dark reality should be broadcast into living rooms night after night. The latest narco-show to air is […]
Everyday Sexism with Laura Bates
Polite and softly spoken, Laura Bates seems reserved, almost quiet. But ask her about any of the women’s issues she’s passionate about and Bates has much to say. What else would you expect from a woman who has engineered a social media movement so successful it now has a platform in 25 different countries? The […]
Making sense of the Black Lives Matter movement
The least disputable measure of a bad week is any seven-day period that requires a body count at the end of it. More common than the deaths of Dallas police officers are the unwarranted killings by police of two black men, Philando Castile in Minnesota and Alton Sterling in Louisiana. I’d like to think that […]
What to expect from Theresa May
The Tory leadership contest has come to a shuddering halt. How a relatively new and completely untested MP could effectively end up going head to head for the most senior position in British politics, seemingly unprepared for the battle ahead, is beyond comprehension. On Monday night, Tory MPs did not raucously celebrate Theresa May’s elevation […]