Parenting Around the World

Babies are such a nice way to start people.
~Don Herold

If you know anything about OneBrownGirl.com® (OBG), you know that one of the goals I have is to find a unique way to document the lives of Brown Girls across the globe.  So when I was flipping through a magazine and saw a little blurb about French documentarian Thomas Balmès’ new film Babies (opening in theatres May 7, 2010), I saved the article just so that I would remember to write this post. I was instantly intrigued by Balmès attempt to "follow the vastly different first year of four infants from Mongolia, Namibia, Tokyo and San Francisco" because (1) I absolutely adore little honey buckets of baby joy and their honest and simple no-nonsense approach to life, and (2) because I find it terribly fascinating that someone is putting together a really cool piece about how parents from different cultures around the world raise their children.  "It's disturbing, it's funny, it's entertaining," says [Balmès].  "I didn't want the film to be cute," he explains.  I wanted to offer a reflection of the different ways of parenting around the world." To view the trailer, click here.   [Source: Entertainment Weekly]  

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It's Passover!

Pictured above:  Box of Matzo crackers.  Matza (also Matzah, Matzoh, or Matsah) is a cracker-like unleavened bread made of white plain flour and water. It is similar in preparation to the Southwest Asian lavash and the Indian chapati.  Matza is also the substitute for bread during the Jewish holiday of Passover, when eating chametz—bread and leavened products—is not allowed.  [Source: Wiki] QUICK FACT:  My mother is a matzo cracker addict and definitely recognizes this box.

What Angelenos call the "Pico-Fairfax" area of Los Angeles is now referred to as Little Ethiopia, but when I was a kid, it was the Jewish neighborhood where I lived, grew up and even started pre-school.  In fact, the first song I ever learned from Mr.& Mrs.  Fine - owners of Kiddie Park Pre-School - is a song I still hum to myself from time to time: "I have a little dreydl, I made it out of clay, And when it’s dry and ready With my top I’ll play. Dreydl, dreydl, dreydl, I made it out of clay, O my little top, Now with you I will play. It has a lovely body With a leg so short and thin; And when it’s very tired It drops – and then I win!"  Even after all of these years, it never fails to make me smile when I hear that song.  My neighborhood bestfriends were sisters Tina and Susan Leisner and my best (ballet) friend was Leah Klein.  In fact, it was while visiting Leah's grandmother's house that I heard someone call me Shvartzer for the very first time.  Leah and I just shrugged our shoulders at the epithet and jeté-ed giggling down the street. 

Needless to say, I have a respect for Jewish tradition and culture (among others); so when I read Jodi Kantor's New York Times article about Passover Seder at the White House, I thought it was pretty cool that President Obama continues to show the world what I perceive to be his genuine interest in culture.  I imagine that some presidential critics might think the Obama Seder is strictly a political strategy, but I prefer to believe otherwise and opt instead to shrug my shoulders and jeté giggling down the street - before sundown, of course. ;-)

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It's Foodie Friday! Ice Cream Anyone?

From the moment I saw Althea Chang's post on Facebook a week or so ago (about eating Japanese sesame ice cream), I've been thinking about and researching ice creams from around the world.  But before I tell you what I learned, let me make it clear that I lovvvve frozen delights!  Hawaiian shaved ice, Foster's Freeze softserve, rootbeer popsicles, Pinkberry's frozen yogurt, and French vanilla ice cream on apple pie are my absolute favorites.  (And it doesn't even have to be summertime!)  So as you can imagine, this research project was quite a treat...

So here's a smidgen of what I've gathered:

Dondurma is the name for ice cream in Turkey.  Wiki says that it is resistant to melting and its texture is tougher and chewier than the ice cream we might be accustomed to eating due to the addition of two thickening agents: salep, a flour made from the root of the Early Purple Orchid, and mastic, a resin.  It's sold from carts (see photo to the left) as street food, where the mixture is churned regularly with long-handled paddles to keep it workable.  I'm not sure I want to chew on any ice cream; but I would definitely try it.

Kulfi is an Indian and West Asian ice cream dessert. It comes in many flavors (most traditional is saffron flavored) and is often molded into conical shapes and served in a bowl (see picture at right) or like a popsicle, with a stick. All of the articles I read say that it's relatively easy to make. Unlike Western-style ice creams, kulfi does not need to be churned in an ice-cream maker. Instead, the liquid components are often boiled like a custard before freezing or simply frozen solid. As such, it is much more dense than regular ice-cream, as churning adds air into milk mixtures. It is normally classified as a frozen custard instead of an ice cream.  [Source: Wisegeek.com]

Gelato (pictured  left), as you probably know, is Italy's version of ice cream, but with 3 major differences.  First, gelato has significantly less butterfat than ice cream's typical 18 and 26 percent.  Second, gelato has a much higher density than ice cream.  That means that no air is added to gelato like it is added to ice cream (to double the quantity) which makes it a higher quality dessert with a richer, creamier taste.  And third, although both ice cream and gelato are served well below freezing (32 degrees Fahrenheit),gelato is served slightly warmer than ice cream, about 10 to 15 degrees warmer, which means that the taste is supposed to be further enhanced as it melts in the mouth.  Yummm. [Source: Caffegelatto.net] 

Sorbetes is a Filipino version of ice cream usually peddled from street carts (by sorbeteros; pictured right) in the Philippines and served with small wafer or sugar cones and recently, bread buns. They are also served with sticks as a pre-packaged frozen treat.  Although the name is similar to sorbet (a frozen dessert made from sweetened water flavored with iced fruit (typically juice or puree), chocolate, wine, and/or liqueur), it is distinctly different because sorbetes originally used the milk of the carabao, a kind of water buffalo, (instead of a cow) although both kinds of milk are widely used today. It is also interesting to note that coconut milk and cassava flour are two other ingredients used that make sorbetes unique from ice cream made in other countries.

FanMilk Limited, the number one ice cream company in Ghana, has two product categories in its repertoire:  A wide range of milk-based ice cream and yoghurt products and fruit based frozen products called iced lollies.  Just like Baskin-Robbins 31 Flavors' long term popularity in the United States, the name FanMilk has become a household name in Ghana, and is a common sight to see FanMilk ice cream carts and bicycles on beaches and the streets (see photo to the left).

Truth be told, I learned more about the world's ice creams than I ever imagined.  I learned that an Eisdiele means ice cream parlor in German and that Helado (which means ice cream in Spanish) is an ice cream company in Venezuela.  I learned about sweet corn ice cream, olive oil ice cream (gag!) and even found a wild blog that boasts the most frightening ice cream flavors in the world!  All in all, it was pretty doggone cool (pun intended) to check out the world's frozen delights!  I better go.  I think I hear the ice cream man... 

P.S.  Here's a little ice cream trivia.  Without peeping at the link, what countries do you think are the Top Ten in Ice Cream Consumption?

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One Brown Girl in Sweden

Rainbow Child

[Photo source: http://ja.treklens.com/gallery/photo116149.htm]

You have no idea how delighted I feel when I get emails from people (mostly Brown Girls) in countries outside of North America (well, maybe you do)! The whole idea of OneBrownGirl.com® is to share our stories and to consider how similar all of our experiences are, no matter where we live. So as you might imagine, when I received Jennifer's email, I was intrigued and excited: "Hi! I'm a big fan of the [OBG] site, and wanted to share my story with you," she wrote. Jennifer is a Brown Girl in Sweden. Cool.

I don't think I ever thought much about the color of my skin, since what mostly set me apart from others has been the languages that I speak – and my different cultural background. I am the product of at least two cultures – Argentinean and Swedish.
But I've never felt fully comfortable just classifying myself as white.
These last few years I’ve been thinking more and more about my heritage. I’ve studied, and still do, the history of América Latina. I’ve started to become aware of what I read – trying to focus more on female, Latina writers. All of this in a search of my cultural identity, of a label – perhaps – that I feel comfortable with.
I’ve been called so many names that I forget … Most of them are too ugly to remember anyway – and they have all had to do with me not being Swedish. I guess in this country we focus more on the countries than the skin color – although the color of one’s skin often tells that you are not from here. And I’ve often been reminded that I am not “from here”. That I don’t belong to the white, blonde ideal.
But look at me. My skin is a rainbow in itself – light beige, and green, and yellow and bronze. I carry within me different sets of cultures – stories from all over the world sleep inside me. I’m a part of this new world, where we have melted together into one great pot of differences and similarities.
Brown. Such a beautiful color - what a rainbow of nuances!
From the darkest chocolate, to the café con leche, to the beige.
No. I’m not white. I’m brown. I’m part of the cultural rainbow.
-Jennifer Turano Larancuent
****
Thanks for sharing, Jennifer!
With love from One Brown Girl to another...
Tracey =)

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Spotlight on One Brown Girl

Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah

Married to King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein of Jordan, Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah is not only a mother, a wife, a college graduate, a former (traditional) career woman, an Eminent Advocate for UNICEF and Honorary Chairperson for UNGEI, but she is likely best known as a global advocate for education and "spearheads efforts in Jordan to adopt a holistic approach to national education, encouraging agencies and organizations to work on classroom quality, teaching standards, computer access, family involvement, community investment, and health awareness. Through initiatives, like Madrasati and the Teachers Academy, Queen Rania is helping Jordan’s children get the best start in life by repairing and revamping local schools, while inspiring teachers to be their best. She believes that the power of partnerships between the public, private, and non-profit sectors is a source of great potential for change in Jordan’s education system."  Loved by many, Queen Rania participates and has started a number of community initiatives, including (but not limited to) the establishment of the Jordan River Foundation (JRF), a non-governmental organization, which has initiated socio-economic projects to enhance the livelihood of families and communities, through empowering women and developing their knowledge and skills in handicraft production and entrepreneurship.  Considered by some to be one of the world’s most powerful women, Queen Rania is a brilliant example of class, style and most importantly being of service.  [Sources: QueenRania.jo & Wiki]

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Clean Water for a Healthy World

The United Nations doesn't take water for granted.  Thank goodness...
Although it might be obscure to some, today is World Water Day, an international observance and initiative that grew out of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro that advocates for improving water, sanitation and hygiene provision around the world.  Water is a basic requirement for all life, yet water resources are facing increasing demands from, and competition among, users.  UN-Water has chosen ''Clean Water for a Healthy World" as theme for World Water Day 2010. The overall goal of the campaign is to raise the profile of water quality at the political level so that water quality considerations are made alongside those of water quantity. "Many millions of people around the world face water shortages and a daily struggle to secure safe water for their basic needs.  Millions of children continue to die every year from preventable water-borne diseases. Water-related natural disasters such as floods, tropical storms and tsunamis exact a heavy toll in human life and suffering. And all too regularly, drought afflicts some of the world’s poorest countries, exacerbating hunger and malnutrition."  Kofi Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nations.  To read the United Nations booklet for the International Decade 'Water for Life," please click here. [Source: WaterWorldDay.org]

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It's Foodie Friday! Mexican Pan Dulce, Japanese Melonpan & Hong Kong's Pineapple Bun

[Pictured above:  Pan Dulce Image (c)2009 Chelsie Kenyon licensed to About.com]

Pan Dulce (also known as “Conchas” - meaning shells - referring to the shell-like pattern on top), a traditional and delightful Mexican sweetbread, has absolutely no preservatives and is a definite yummy for the tummy (especially with a cup of coffee)!  Visit any local panadería (bread shop) in Mexico (or in North America for that matter), and you'll be sure to get pan dulce.  In fact, Casa Pan Dulce Bakery is the largest bakery in San Pedro, Belize, where the residents are mostly of Mexican descent and speak both Spanish and English.  California resident and OBG Advocate Sherry Trujillo has this to say about this chewy Mexican delight:  "My daughter would often complain of missing [authentic] Mexican food while living in Texas. Her boyfriend brought her to many "Mexican" resturants in Texas trying to alleviate some of her homesickness. It didn't work. He is now visiting California for the first time, so I brought him to a panadería. He had never seen pandulce.  Now he understands what his girlfriend was missing from home!"

Not to be confused with Mexican pan dulce, melonpan - also known as melon bread - (pictured above) are sweet bakery products from Japan, but also popular in Taiwan and China. They are made from an enriched dough covered in a thin layer of crispy cookie dough. Their appearance resembles a melon although they are not traditionally melon flavored.  Melonpan is so popular in Japanese culture that (1) there are melonpan competitions; (2) a Japanese children's character - Anpanman - has a sidekick named Melonpanna who is a heroine with a melon bread bun for a head; (3) a Japanese game show has melon bread that accompanies the prize; and (4) a Japanese video game has a character called "Melon Bread."

A pineapple bun (pictured above) is a kind of sweet pastry popular in Hong Kong, Macau, some other areas in southern China, and in Chinese communities in North America. They can also be found in bakeries in Taiwan. It is known in Cantonese as bo lo baau, in which "bo lo" means "pineapple", and "baau" refers to a kind of bun-like item in Chinese cuisine. It is commonly found in Chinese bakeries, and is mentioned quite frequently on TV, radio and films in Hong Kong.

Melonpan and pineapple bun from Hong Kong are very similar. By comparison the Japanese style is lighter in weight and taste, slightly dryer and has a firmer outer layer (including top cookie crust) which resists to flaking unlike its Hong Kong counterpart which should be treated with care as the top cookie crust tends to flake easily. The Hong Kong version is also more moist and is generally soft on the outside and inside and has a stronger butter flavour.

[SOURCE: Wikipedia & see links]

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SWAK: Sealed With A Kiss

Dubai, located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula, is one of the seven emirates of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) lying directly in the Arabian desert.  And so it makes sense that the hot arid climate would attract sun worshippers and go hand in hand with one of the emirate's main revenues - tourism.

It is interesting to note, however, that "85% of the population [of Dubai] hail from somewhere else, demographics unheard of anywhere else in the world.  And although the unusual co-existence [of an Islamic world with a non-Islamic world] is largely peaceful, friction can bubble up, like in the recent case of a British couple facing up to a month in jail for kissing in public.  The couple, a British man living and working in Dubai, and a British female tourist visiting the Persian Gulf city-state, were arrested in November accused of kissing and touching each other intimately in public -- violations of law against public indecency -- and consuming alcohol."  See the CNN article in its entirety here.  This is another interesting case of a culture clash...and all because of a kiss.  When in Rome...?

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Brown Girls Are In (And On!) Vogue

"in vogue" (adjective) - in the current fashion or style.

Pictured above:  18-year-old Brown Girl model Rose Cordero (of the Dominican Republic)

on the cover of the March 2010 issue of French Vogue.

Pictured above:  Brown Girl actress Freida Pinto, star of Slumdog Millionaire,

on the cover of the March 2009 issue of Vogue India.

Pictured above:  Brown Girl actress/model Donyale Luna (born Peggy Anne Freeman) on the cover of the March 1966 issue of British Vogue.  NOTE:  Luna was the first African American model to appear on the cover of British Vogue.

Pictured above:  Latina Brown Girl actress Penelope Cruz on the April 2009 cover of Vogue España.

 

Pictured above:  July 2008 Italian Vogue covers featuring Brown Girl models

(from left to right) Liya Kebede, Sessilee Lopez, Jourdan Dunn, and Naomi Campbell.

Pictured above:  French model & actress, Brown Girl Noemie Lenoir

on the cover of the June/July 2008 issue of Paris Vogue.

Pictured above:  Look who's gracing the front cover of the collector's supplement of

Italian Vogue's Black Issue (July 2008).

Pictured above:  Vogue India's first issue, October 2007

Pictured above:  Korean & African-American Brown Girl model Chanel Iman on the cover of Vogue Korea;

INTERESTING NOTE: It is unusual in Korea (where lighter skin is considered a sign of the ultimate in beauty) to feature a model with Brown skin.

Pictured below:  Let's not omit some of our Chinese sisters that have also graced the cover of Vogue!

Pictured above:  Chinese actress Zhou Xun.

Pictured above:  China Vogue cover, September 2005

Pictured above: Chinese model Du Juan is the first Asian model to appear on the cover French Vogue.

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The Price of Beauty

VH1 TV Shows | Music Videos | Celebrity Photos | News & Gossip

American singer Jessica Simpson and her two best friends (Ken and CaCee) travel the globe to explore how different cultures define beauty and the extraordinary lengths that women will go to in order to achieve it on VH-1's new series "The Price of Beauty."  Journeying from Tokyo and Thailand, to Paris and Rio, to Uganda, Morocco and India -- the cast is met in each city by a "beauty ambassador" who helps them tackle topics revolving around fashion, fitness, diet and outlandish spa treatments. In each country, Jessica, Ken and CaCee experience firsthand some of the local beauty rituals, from drinking cow urine in India, to being buried up to their necks in Tokyo, to drinking gourds of ghee in a fattening hut in Uganda. But it's not all fun and games -- Jessica also explores the high price that some women pay to feel beautiful. Imagine the plight of women in Northern Thailand, who wear 20-pound rings around their necks, crushing their clavicles, to a mother in Rio who cannot afford electricity, but is secretly saving for butt implants. After a brutal twisting by their massage therapists in Thailand, the cast is off to meet Sonia, their beauty ambassador. Sonia leads the gang through the open market where they learn that Thai women like their skin to be as fair as possible.  And there's more....  Premiering March 15 on VH1.

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It's Foodie Friday! Guyanese Pepperpot

Discovered by Europeans in 1498, Guyana, South America's only English-speaking state, has been struggled over for 500 years by the Spanish, French, Dutch, and British and as recently as 1966 achieved independence from Britain.  It's fair to say that anytime there is an ethnically and culturally diverse group of people (think Aboriginal, African, Indian, Irish, Dutch, German, Portugese, Chinese, British, Spanish, etc.) fused together by a common language (think English and Creole), ethnic and culturally diverse culinary delights are just waiting to happen!

Guyanese Pepperpot (pictured above), an Amerindian dish, is Guyana's national dish and is traditionally served at Christmastime and other special events.  Typically a stewed meat dish strongly flavored with cinnamon, hot peppers, and Cassareep - a special sauce made from the Cassava root - beef, mutton, and pork are the most popular meats used, though some have been known to use chicken. Pepperpot is popularly served with dense bread and butter, though it is equally as good with rice or roti. And just like there are different versions of just about every dish in the universe, there are different versions of Guyanese Pepperpot as well (See here, here and here, just for starters).  In fact, versions of the dish are also served in several other countries in the Caribbean, including Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada and St. Vincent.

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The One Brown Girl Challenge

Think Global.  Act Local.

Consider the health and welfare of the entire planet and then take action in your own community, wherever that is.  Whether you recycle or use less electricity to help save the environment or you are starting or run a local business with a global outlook, change begins at home and affects the world.

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The Brown Girl World: Ayaan's Story

In this profoundly affecting memoir from the internationally renowned author of The Caged Virgin: An Emancipation Proclamation for Women and Islam, Ayaan Hirsi Ali tells her astonishing life story, from her traditional Muslim childhood in Somalia to her intellectual awakening in the Netherlands, to her life under armed guard in the West.

Ayaan Hirsi Ali is one of today's most admired and controversial political figures.  She burst into international headlines following the murder of Theo van Gogh by an Islamist who threatened she would be next.  An international bestseller, Infidel shows the coming of age of this elegant, distinguished - and sometimes reviled - political superstar and champion of free speech.  Raised in a strict Muslim family and extended clan, Hirsi Ali survived civil war, female circumcision, brutal beatings, an adolescence as a devout believer, the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood, and life in four countries under dictatorships.  She escaped from a forced marriage and sought asylum in the Netherlands, where she fought for the rights of Muslim women and the reform of Islam, earning her the enmity of reactionary Islamists and craven politicians.  Under constant threat, she refuses to be silenced. 

Ultimately a celebration of triumph over adversity, Hirsi Ali's story tells how a bright, curious, dutiful little girl evolves into a pioneering freedom fighter.  As Western governments struggle to balance democratic ideals with religious pressures, no other book could be more timely, or more significant.

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Spotlight on Global Barbie!

Photo Credit

Barbie, an iconic fashion doll manufactured by Mattel, Inc., made her debut at the American International Toy Fair in New York on March 9, 1959, the date that has become Barbie's official birthday.  Since Barbie's birth 51 years ago, Mattel has introduced a number of companions for Barbie, a few of which have been Barbie's [Brown Girl] companions; namely, Christie (1968-2004) and Teresa (1988-present), Barbie's current bestfriend.*  But Barbie isn't merely an American icon; she's gone global!   Not only did Mattel award a business group from Buenos Aires the exclusive rights to the world’s first Barbie Store in Argentina in 2007, but there is also a Barbie Shanghai store in Shanghai, China, Mattel's first Barbie flagship retail store ever!  Since 1959, Mattel has sold more than a billion Barbie dolls.  In fact, it is said that if all the Barbie dolls sold since 1959 were lined up head to toe, they would stretch around the globe seven times.  And you can't get more global than that!  You've come a long way, Barbie.  Do you have a Barbie doll?

*It is also interesting to note that "Colored Francie" made her debut in 1967 and "Black Barbie" launched in 1980.  Mattel also introduced an African American Midge in 2003, although Midge was originally created as Barbie's first best friend with red hair and freckles in 1967.  In September 2009, Mattel introduced the So In Style range, which was intended to create a more realistic depiction of black people than previous dolls.

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Today is International Women's Day!

As a brand and social movement dedicated to the celebration of women worldwide, OneBrownGirl.com® is pleased to join the world in acknowledging International Women's Day, a global day first celebrated in 1911 that celebrates the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future. In some places like China, Russia, Vietnam and Bulgaria, International Women's Day is a national holiday.  In fact, in many parts of Europe men wake up early in the morning and purchase flowers for their wives, daughters and loved ones.  What will you do to celebrate International Women's Day? 

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Self-Identification & the 2010 US Census

From USA Today:  This month, the Census Bureau will remind Americans that racial classifications remain an integral part of the country's social and legal fabric while, at the same time, recognizing that racial lines are blurring for a growing number of people.  Jennifer Harvey was raised by her white mother and white stepfather in what she calls "a Caucasian world." Harvey never met her father but she knew he was black and Cuban. That made her Hispanic, white and black.  "Blacks think I'm black," she says. "Hispanics think I'm Hispanic. Honestly, I don't identify with either bucket wholeheartedly — Caucasian, black or Hispanic."  Read the story in its entirety here.

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Earthquake in Chile

From the LA Times:  One of the biggest earthquakes [magnitude 8.8] in recorded history rocked Chile on Saturday [February 27, 2010], killing more than 300 people, toppling buildings and freeways, and setting off sirens thousands of miles away....  Some observers...worried that international relief efforts could be stretched thin by the continuing response to the Haiti earthquake, which left more than 215,000 people dead and a million homeless.  "This earthquake has delivered a tremendous blow to Chilean society," [President-elect Sebastian] Pinera said, adding he would request emergency funds totaling 2% of the budget to help rebuild. "Our government will do everything for the recovery and to accelerate reconstruction."  Read the story in its entirety here.  Text “CHILE” to 25383 to donate $10 to support Chile relief efforts through Habitat for Humanity. Text “REBUILD” to 50555 to donate $10 to support Chile relief efforts through Operation USA.

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Shoes, Glorious Shoes!

OBG Advocate Lily Curtis (pictured above) took The One Brown Girl Challenge (as did many others) and facilitated a shoe drive in her community to help the victims of the Haiti earthquake.  With the help of her friends, family, neighbors and some folks she didn't even know, Lily was able to fill up the back of a pick up truck!  "We had everything from psychadelic high heels to barely used boots to light-up Sesame Street shoes. We had some shoes that had never been worn!  People were so appreciative to have an outlet for their desire to contribute to the rebuilding and healing in Haiti."   Just goes to show that it does indeed take a village.  Please.  Do not forget about Haiti.

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