Mia Now and Here

Tuesday, August 7, 2018

Mia Now and Here

Hey guys, it has been a long time since I shared my last trip. Although my travels have not ceased, I’m still just as excited to share with you all my many adventures. During this break I encourage everyone to continue to subscribe. Trust the wait. Embrace the uncertainty. Enjoy the beauty of becoming. When nothing is certain, anything is possible.

Day Trips: Tusayan, Arizona

Today I have traveled to Tusayan, Arizona with my cousin/best friend Roxy. We are on our way to behold one of the worlds greatest wonders. Without any expectations we journeyed north from the sky harbor airport to feast our eyes on a spectacular sight. How lucky I felt to be apart of this expedition. Gazing out at the edge of this massive rock was so surreal. It left us breathless as the sun rose high above the canyon. I recommend my followers to experience all the magic that is Arizona. The splendor of this desert has left me intrigued and ready to discover more.

Havana, Cuba

Today I have traveled to Cuba in the spirit of Aloha! Roughly 24 hours from this point, my family would participate in a cultural exchange. Do all cultural exchanges end in persecution or have we just forgotten our roots. We answered that question as the orange sails of the Hokulea quietly appeared on the horizon, their origin or purpose unknown by most until now. When I arrived at Jose Marti International airport, I was greeted by an assortment of family members. Outside the terminal a crowd larger than expected awaited new arrivals. Havana was buzzing. For the next three days, the country would prepare for the arrival of President Barack Obama. He would attend a huge baseball game between the Cuban national team and the Tampa Bay Rays and later on tour the island with the first family. Within the same week a Rolling Stones concert was slated. Cuba was the center of the universe. As my family and I exited the airport we were trailed by two young reporters looking to capture our reunion. They wielded a humble recording device that would shortly after broadcast my entrance into what initially felt like a time warp, across major French media outlets. I loaded in to a newer model taxi van that was unlike the majority of cars on the road and headed to my Bnb. I stayed in a humble apartment building centrally located. The streets were fairly busy with pedestrians some lounging outside of there dwellings others going about there day, many times breaking out into song, African song. The Yoruba verses rang through the noise in beautiful tones and harmonies. I captured all of the amazing sights from Chinatown to my families native town Guanabocoa, Hemingway marina, the malecon, the cannon and of course the gorgeous and colorful people of Cuba. For video footage of the full Hokulea ceremony checkout my YouTube channel. Miawalesworldwide Youtube

Mental Health Awareness Month

Living with someone who has a mental illness is emotionally draining and without the proper balance detrimental to your own mental health. for the past few years I have had to experience this struggle. I never thought that I would be faced with such a challenge. Reluctant to share, I kept the ups and downs a secret. Only speaking about it with close family members who knew to ask me how Things were. I didn't know at the time how common mental illness was because people don't discuss it enough. I hope if I open up about this truth, it can help others who are going through something similar. I myself felt less burdened by telling my truth when it comes to mental illness. I now feel mentally more healthy and I feel the support that is literally all around us. Nearly 1 in 5 Americans suffer from mental illness although it can be difficult to talk about it we should.

Delhi, India

It is hard to summarize my India vacation. From the moment I arrived I experienced many different emotions. There was a since of disbelief that both my friend Maria and I made it there after such a long journey, there was a since of shock at the difference in culture and a since of awe at the beautiful sights. India was truly epic and It took the entire trip for us to get accustomed to the way of life. Only there for a short time, we managed to visit 3 cities in three days. Day 1 was India's capital Delhi. While in Delhi we saw the Lotus Temple, India Gate and Spent time at Grudwara Bangla Sahib Sikh temple where we toured the grounds and prepared food for those in need. Humayun's Tomb was one of the most impresive sites in Delhi. The monuments at this site were grand and the grounds were peaceful. Our driver Manoj was amazing he helped us to get a truly local experience including guiding us to the best food and giving us information about navigating each site. To hire our driver for your next trip to India you can visit this link at Trip Adivsor