UNPACKING BEFORE PACKING

After not having a device to document my ka’a antics for a while, preparing for this trip to Japan (trippy that I’m even saying that) has taught me a lot bout myself in relation to cultural appropriation. Travelling to another country is a privilege that I don’t wanna take lightly because not everyone gets that opportunity. However, the condition of having to vlog everyday of the trip in Japan is taking me for a trip of its own because I’m still in that process of making sure that aspect doesn’t clog my energy. Living through experiences behind a camera is such a western (aka gross) mannerism that is so easy to fall into the trap of if you don’t actively check urself. That ish can leave u under appreciative of who/what is in front of you in the moment. And frankly, you can be disrespectful as heck. Like damn, every country has such a rich culture, history and customs and to degrade it by Logan Pauling everywhere and treating it like a playground for my pre-conceived perceptions and expectations is WHACK. And not something I wanna do, especially when Japan and it’s people are so fetishised by weebaboos smh. Issa real wake up call to ask yourself if your goals/dreams/achievements are relly YOURS or just something you want to attain to impress others, even if u ain’t aware of it until u take the very thing that exposes what you tryna flaunt outta the picture. Pull up a chair for it and sit with/in what is making that part of you less genuine. Whether it be a conditioned need for validation, subconscious insecurities, or just plain not trusting yourself enough to know you gon be more than aight without whatever you’re dependent on right now.
Catch me tryna unpack that before I pack my bags🌊🌸🍂

Poet in 3rd picture: Nayyirah Waheed