Meet the Woman Showing Black Girls the World

Originally PUBLISHED for travelnoire.com: MAR 1, 2019 5:04 PM

Written by Cameron Thomas-Shah

Martice Sutton can easily brighten a room with her smile. As the founder of Girls Going Global Inc., an NGO that exposes teen girls of color to international experiences, she is a self-proclaimed regular person. But her story is one of cultural awakening and persistence — very far from regular. Her goal? To empower young black girls to follow their dreams (no matter how big) and travel the world.

Born in West Philadelphia, Martice became motivated to create social change after spending a year in India and graduating from Spelman College as an international Fellow for Jagriti Yatra Social Enterprise. There, she worked with civil society organizations to address the disadvantages faced by women and girls in South Asia.

She quickly developed her long-held passion for women’s issues by traveling across India and learning how social entrepreneurship creates impact in urban communities. Martice describes the experience as life-changing, and alongside TravelNoire founder Zim Oguchukwu, came to the realization that fearless pursuit of one’s goals is best done while still young.

In 2013, she brought her social enterprise acumen and passion to uplift women and girls back to Philly. “I wanted girls who looked like me, who came from where I came from, to see that there was more to the world than what they saw every day” Sutton remarked.

Girls Going Global, Inc began exposing 13-17-year-old girls to the culture around their city and soon blossomed beyond the border. “I realized that many of the girls didn’t even have a passport, so we fundraised for passports, we got the passport, then they needed stamps.” Sutton sought to dispel belief within the black community that travel was a luxury by pushing more black girls to travel. To date, Martice has conducted cross-cultural understanding programs called “Passport to the World” Workshops across the country. She has raised money for passports for more than 300 girls and hosted half a dozen GGG cohorts on trips to Canada, Costa Rica, Belize, Peru, and Italy.

Martice admits it hasn’t always been easy, there has been difficulty in building teams of committed partners, securing funding, and making personal sacrifice, but attributes her ability to stand as a model in her own community to “make a difference and a dollar.” As she explored expanding the brand, she participated in an Accelerator in 2018 to work on scaling GGG. As a result, she won $50,000 in seed funding. When service is the forefront of your aspirations and influences your leadership, then you’ve already set yourself up for success” Sutton says.

Martice is acutely aware of the challenges faced by black women who travel. From Barcelona to Bangalore, she has attracted unsolicited stares and touching by the unwitting, but remained open-minded and grounded in learning from her international experiences. Remembering the mantra of Spelman, “A Choice to Change the World,” she kept in mind that her experiences were much greater than herself and continued forward.“ Martice is inspired by black travelers like @OneikaTraveller, @thecatchmeifyoucan and @GloGraphic looks to make her GGG cohort love travel just as much.

For those who seek to make a difference through social enterprise, Martice advises aspirants to “Be attached to vision and not the path.” GGG was not always envisioned to be what it is today, but through her own flexibility she has been able to touch the lives of 500 black teenaged girls.  

24 Hours in Bucharest

Written by: Cameron Thomas-Shah
Originally published on TravelNoire.com: March 7, 2016

I arrived in Bucharest, also known as the “Paris of Eastern Europe,” by land after a weekend in Bulgaria for the wedding of very close friends. Several guests and I had taken a taxi from Veliko Tarnavo and reached the Bucharest train station by mid-morning. While my travel companions departed to the Romanian countryside for 3 days, I embarked on a 24-hour solo trip into the city.

And so my adventure began…

Hotel Capsa

Casa Capsa

This splendid hotel is in the city center, only a stone’s throw from the University Plaza. During the 19th century, it was wildly popular among western Europeans visiting Romania as well as a gathering place of some of Romania’s great literary minds. The Casa Capsa was known best as a French style restaurant and confectionery. In the early 20th century, however, it became a meeting place for government officials and those particularly politically opposed to the freethinkers of its former frequenters. The hotel, complete with simple and well-designed rooms, was established in its present form more than a decade ago. Downstairs, the lobby was connected to the dining room of the famed Capsa Restaurant. There, I lunched on grilled fish, spinach and one of their famous confectionaries.

Casa Capsa is within a 10-15-minute walk to most tourist attractions on my itinerary like the Romanian Athenaeum, the Palace of Parliament and Cismigiu Gardens.

Statue of Mihai Eminescu in front of the Romanian Athenaeum

A Walk down Calea Victoriei

Calea Victoriei is one of the main avenues in Bucharest. Along it stands striking buildings with some of the most beautiful architecture you’ve seen in this part of the world. Head south on Calea Victoriei and you will make your way to the city center, toward the Romanian Athenaeum, then the National Museum. On the steps on the Museum stands the iconic Trajan and the She-wolf. Even further will bring you to the Dambovita River, and just beyond stands the gargantuan Parliamentary Palace. The Palace is the second largest office building in the world, it has 1,100 rooms and hourly tours take place from the back entrance.

If on Calea Victoriei, head north and you will stumble upon municipal buildings, churches, stores, parks and museums: each with a distinct style, but they blend together to present a baronial cacophony of architectural elegance.

Bronze statue of Trajan and the She-wolf

Old Town

Old Town houses can be found punctuated by bars, clubs, and cafes. It is just outside the University district so you will find yourself with a mix of expats and local co-eds, which may prove to be a fun experience. Whether you’re looking for booming electronic dance music (EDM) haunts, or just a place to have a cup of coffee, Old Town is the place to be. My final hours were spent people watching at Van Gogh Café, which has great sandwiches and is ideal for people watching.

Cismigiu Gardens

Probably the highlight of my day trip to Bucharest was the few hours I spent in Cismigiu Gardens. It’s the largest park in central Bucharest and reminds visitors who have been to New York of a mini Central Park, except with a splash of nationalism. Starting from the rivers’ bank in the park, each winding Trail leads to a small garden, surrounded by the busts of great Romanians from national poets like Mihai Eminescu to journalist, politician, and literary critic like George Panu. I was delighted to learn that in 2002, the US Embassy and the Romanian Government inaugurating a memorial to American WWII soldiers who lost their lives in Romania.

La Mama

“Food is the indication of whether a country is worth returning.” – Me

A few of my Romanian friends without question would debate this, but I found La Mama Restaurant ideal. The menu gave a wide selection of Romanian dishes. I ordered the tigaie picanta (Hot Pan) and ciorba de burta (tripe soup). It was a simple meal, but I have every intention of returning to try other meals.

“Hot Pan”

Bucharest is enchanting, and it will speak to the dreamer in you. Nothing was hectic or even offensive during my short stay, and it was a warm experience anywhere I went. Whether traversing the city by metro or checking out the city courthouse, I found that being a wanderer in this jewel of Eastern Europe was both safe and enjoyable. There were times in the Garden’s I just felt compelled to sit under the busts of famed Romanian artists and sketch out my own work of art.

Bucharest is a recommended destination and, like any incomplete story—it deserves more time than what I was able to give it, but I’ll return to it.

Top Things to do in Vietnam

Written By: Cameron Thomas-Shah

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON TRAVELNOIRE.COM: FEB 13, 2015 10:08 PM

Vietnam is one of my favorite places to travel, so much so, presently, I temporarily call it home. I gloss the guide for the region nearly as much as the next person, but there are some must-see places for westerners that will both garner an acute appreciation for Vietnam and respect from Vietnamese friends. By no means is this an exhaustive list, but it will whet your apetite to venture throughout Vietnam. 

North

Sapa, Vietnam – Cradled in the northern Vietnam’s Lao Cai province, Sapa is a cool and crisp getaway from crowded, hot and dusty Hanoi. An overnight train and a short bus ride will bring you to this princely mountain town situated at the foot of Southeast Asia’s largest mountain, Fan Si Pan. The Hmong people call this area home. Gander at the artisan rice paddies, do some hiking, and try your luck at the love market.

Halong Bay, Vietnam – Quang Ninh province hosts one of Vietnam’s most famous sites in Halong Bay. Here, limestone juts out of a beautiful bay on the inner coast of  Northern Vietnam. The best way to arrive here is by bus from Hanoi. Book a three-day junker boat to have a full experience, including kayaking, visiting monkey island, and Sung Sot Cave.

 Tam Coc – This day trip from Hanoi can leave you awestruck and reeling for more of Northern vietnam. Tam Coc is known as the Halong Bay on land. Standing among rice paddies are limestone rocks, similar to those described above, yet cutting through the area is a lake that has eroded three caves, Tam Coc, a treasure of Ninh Binh province. Local women both peddle the boats with their legs while peddling handicrafts to you. Travel tip: Don’t buy the snacks at the end of the boat trip.

Central 

Vinpearl Land, Nha Trang, Vietnam – Perhaps it’s not exactly the Disneyland of Vietnam, but it’s close. In lieu of happy kids and Mickey Mouse, there are a bevy of stoic Russian tourists. Instead of Minnie and Daisy icees, there are daiquiris and mojitos. But, with all the differences, Vinpearl Land island has a luxury resort, growing water park, an aquarium that is akin to the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta and an impressive gondola that delivers you from Nha Trang beach over the pristine waters to Hon Tre Island (Vinpearl Land).

Bana Hills – Vietnam’s central region is romantic. Aside from Dalat, many Vietnamese people love to make a romantic weekend from going to Bana. Bana is a mountain resort located in Danang, resembling something out of a Czech novel of nobility. With a castle perched facing east on Truong Son Mountains, the fairytale writes itself. On the way up guests ride the world’s longest and highest cable car. Once atop, you’re graced with hours of entertainment, near free flow libation and perhaps the highest concentration of those silly selfie sticks in the region. $24 gets you a round trip ticket.

Travel tip: Go early and review the schedule, nothing is worse than spending $24 on just a cable car ride.

South

Bitexco Tower  – Ranking among one of the tallest in Southeast asia, a few hours here will give you more perspective into the impressiveness of Saigonese ingenuity. Atop, there is a impressive gift shop and the view is exquisite, you can see for miles (read: kilometers) and the interactives display provide more understanding into what is yet to come in the rapidly developing Ho Chi Minh City. $10 entrance fee with free water.

Mekong Delta, Vietnam – The seafood basket of Vietnam. A productive region of agriculture and aquaculture, the Mekong Delta is a delight in various ways. Whether you are traveling from Saigon to Can Tho, or just lazing through Vinh Long to see the floating markets, the Mekong Delta should not be missed. If you get the opportunity try a homestay in the Mekong by booking with a Saigon-based tour guide, you’ll get a great perspective of the lifestyle.

Cam in Cambodia

In August 2014, I took a few days to visit Cambodia. I, now living in South East Asia, had alwayd heard about the beauty that this country offers. In graduate school one of my best friends was from just outside of Phnom Penh. She'd always encouraged me to learn more about her culture, and that exactly what I did during my four day trip. Instead of a journal entry I decided to make a video. Since it's been so long since my last post, hope you enjoy this treat.

A Weekend in Napa Valley

Written by Cameron Thomas-Shah

Originally published on TravelNoire.com: July 7, 2014

“…on top of a hill that looks down low and across the bridge there lies lovely Sausalito.” -Gwen Thomas

Visualize yourself driving on a highway with the wind blowing through your hair, the warmth of the sun dancing on your brow, foggy bluffs on the horizon and the smell of moist air rising off a freshwater bay. These are the sensations one experiences on the way to Wine Country California.

Breaching the bay, Sausalito is a cute little town that presented a pleasant getaway en route to Napa Valley.   Boats lined the harbor framed by a series of waterfront restaurants and wine bars. Picturesque from both the hills and from the bay, Sausalito is touristy, yet familiar. Visitors can window shop while enjoying cones from Lappert’s Ice Cream, a local favorite. Sausalito has an impressive number of small art galleries, notably Studio 33 and Petri’s Gallery, that sell an array of works from artful sketches to edgy sculptures. However, the most worthwhile activity was sitting on the rocks and watching yachts enter the pier.

After a scenic hour drive, through rolling hills filled with neat rows of grapes and rose bushes, we arrived in the heart of Napa. The city itself starts to shut down around 10pm, with the exception of some bars and restaurants. Downtown Joe’s Grill is one well known Napa establishment that garners mixed reviews from locals. I’m not sure if it was the DJ blasting Pitbull and 2Chains that made it uncharacteristically Napa, or that Joe’s is famous for its beer, not wine, but in either case, I recommend their stouts. The next day we rode the Napa Valley Wine Train, celebrating it’s 25th year in service.  The old style locomotive serves lunch and dinner while passing through the beautiful vineyards of Napa and its surrounding towns.  The staff was very knowledgeable and pointed out different estates, citing their histories along the way. The train stops at some of the most famous wineries in California. We toured Grgich Hills and learned about the history and lore of its Croatian born founder and sampled his famous Chardonnay. On the ride back we toured the train and enjoyed wine flights in the lounge car. Napa locals consider this a must do if you visit.

Our next stop was at the famous V. Sattui Winery in St. Helena. V. Sattui is described as the most popular and most visited winery in California. Their grounds feature an open picnic area, a retail store featuring a delicatessen, a huge tasting room, and an impressive cellar. Among its many award winning wines, V. Sattui is known for it wide variety of Zinfandels, Gamay Rouge, the Sattui Family Red, and the 1998 Vintage Port (my personal favorite). After tasting about six wines, we purchased our favorite, grabbed a picnic lunch from the deli, and enjoyed the scenery on the grounds opposite acres of vineyard.

Traveling to Calistoga was the perfect wrap up of our trip. Just a half hour north of Napa, Calistoga was the perfect place to detox and refocus after an indulgent weekend. Despite arriving into town late and without a reservation,  a stroke of luck landed us at the Golden Haven Spa Hot Springs Resort. While you wait, Golden Haven offers guests the option to roam its grounds playing Bocce ball, corn hole, or simply relax in a hammock. However the highlight of a stay at Golden Haven is their luxurious mud bath. A staff member brings you into the fitting room to disrobe in preparation for your mud bath. You’re brought to two concrete tubs filled with sulfuric mud. The sludge looks horrid until you sink into it, pile it on and allow the toxins to escape your system. Following the sticky and sweaty experience of the mud bath, is a shower and a long soak in the jacuzzi filled with hot spring water. Ice cold cucumber water was provided, but take care to pace your hydration. Feeling fully refreshed, we were wrapped in blankets and left alone to nap while we cooled down. Golden Haven’s mud bath treatment left us silky smooth and refreshed after a wonderful Napa weekend.

You can definitely feel the charm that Napa has to offer no matter how brief your stay. Good planning, such as speaking with your hotel or B&B about recommended wineries and special offers, will help to make the most out of your experience. There are also plenty of non-wine related activities such as biking, golfing and spa indulgences. You’ll be pleased with doing as much or as little as you want.

Happy Tasting!

A Language Learners Manifesto

Written by: Cameron thomas-shah

originally PUBLISHED on travelnoire.com: MAY 7, 2014 9:46 AM

As we continue to travel the world and engage with other cultures, we often encounter difficulties communicating. As someone who has formally studied four foreign languages and claims proficiency in two, I can say language learning is no easy task. Technology such as Rosetta Stone, Google Translate, and DuoLingo have certainly made it easier, but considering that most of the places we travel don’t have widespread wifi, a more systematic approach to language acquisition should be used.

Here are my top 5 tips for efficient language learning:

1 – Learn the common verbs
Go, be, have!  Think about all of the conversation you have everyday. When you gossip and chit chat it’s generally about someone DOING or something BEING. Make an effort to make a list of all the common verbs you use and practice them in the target language. Even if your vocabulary is limited, you can get your point across by conveying the action of an object.

2 – Practice pronunciation based on region
No one learns English as a second language to sound like a New Englander or Southerner because twangs and obscurely elongated vowels complicate one’s ability to communicate effectively in the target language. If you are learning a language that has varying regional dialect, elect to learn the most widely spoken form of that language. That way you can communicate with both street vendors and diplomats. If your target language involves tones, be sure to stress every low tone in the depths of your throat and sing the high notes as if a lofty hymn.

3 – Listen for keywords
Listening, I have found is the most difficult part of learning a new language. Native speakers tend to speak the target language much quicker than you’d expect. When listening, try to catch keywords and use context to understand what is being said. If you’re in a mall and someone says shirt and a bunch of numbers they’re probably giving you a price. Don’t stress out over catching every word.

4- Write to read and read to write
This is an old adage told to writers, but it rings true to learning how to read a new language. Often, newspapers in the target language are tough but if you practice writing small passages about your day or current events, before you know it you will understand syntax and grammar on both the beginner and intermediate levels. Make sure to have a native proofreader.

5 – Be confident
The biggest hurdle in learning a language is using what you’ve learned. Take every opportunity to launch into the language despite your limitations. Even if you just know “Hello” and “Today is rainy” a few key phrases can boost your confidence exponentially. Native speakers will also be pleasantly surprised by your efforts, and may take it upon themselves to teach you more. So greet the waiter at your favorite food spot, you never know where it may lead you.
Check out these resources to further your language conquests:

Quizlet is an online database for flashcards. It allows users to create digital flash cards and provides options for their use. It’s a great resources. Even if you don’t want to take the time to type in your vocab list, it’s likely a similar list already exists. Just use the sites search feature to find subjects from Hungarian health terms to physics 101 equations.

Byki is a freeware and fee-ware software that is similar to Quizlet, in that you can access a database of user created content, but also offers lesson based flashcards. They use a method called declarative learning (read: rote) to help the user learn vocabulary words and phrases, while using the voice of native speakers for pronunciation practice.

BestDict is a convenient offline dictionary that includes both colloquial and standard definitions. Available in over 15 languages, including Indonesian, Urdu, and Vietnamese, it is the most comprehensive non-web based platform I’ve encountered.

Happy Language Learning!

The 5 Travellers

Written by Cameron Thomas-Shah

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON TRAVELNOIRE.COM : DEC 23, 2013 4:00 AM

Whether you’re nestled in a cozy hotel bar in NW Washington, DC or staggering into a busy Macedonian Hostel escaping the biting Balkan air, you are bound to meet interesting people. One can always recognize fellow foreigners, but who are these folks?

1. The Wandering Soul

Having ascribed to Tolkien’s Wanderers Manifesto, “Not all who wander are lost,” this character is generally what we would regard as over-educated, under-groomed, and displaced among his/her generation. Whether bankrolled by mom and dad or a hefty savings account from yesteryears 9-5, this traveler cuts no corners in exploring where they belong on this rock we call earth. They are commonly seen with their Patagonia backpacks and a host of beaded hemp bracelets in hostels exchanging stories about their 3 months living with Buddhist monks in Bhutan or studying Uighur poetry in an Oxford Extension program. They may have lived an interesting life but they characterize their past as lacking meaning.

2. The Adventurer

Fresh from skydiving in Macau, this traveler will regale you with tales of dipping their toes in life’s rushing waters. The Adventurer doesn’t let life pass them by; rather they grab it by the horns, do a handstand and worry about the consequences later. He/she is a mainstay at international music festivals, wind surfing competitions, and considers the Hash House Harriers as gods amongst men. When you meet an Adventurer ask them about the best place to watch a sunset, odds are that they have already hiked, biked or camped there and experienced such a sight.

3. The Perennial traveler

The perennial traveler is akin to the Wandering Soul in every aspect but want. He/she expects nothing more than to drink in an experience and is more than content with partaking in the local fare and dabbling in linguistic feats before retreating back to the comfort of their inner self to reflect. The perennial traveler is selfish with their experiences because it has become a habit they think no one will understand. They fear sounding aloof to old friends and parochial to new ones. You can spot a perennial traveler by their hermit personality, penchant for bazaars, and propensity to wake to see the sunrise while he/she ferociously pens their thoughts on the leaves of a crumpled Moleskine.

4. Faded Passport Holder

This person has traveled for so long they can’t even tell you the mayor of their hometown. At some point in the not so distant past he/she bought a one-way ticket with no intention of returning. They have the best stories and probably have run out of money a few times but have been fortunate enough to do odd jobs like bar-backing in Berlin or promoting nightclubs in Shibuya.  This person could have been, at some point, a Perennial Traveler, and at some point, become a Wandering Soul. He/she has mistaken the Moleskin for their bluebook before approaching immigration control on more than one occasion, on account of them being both tattered from reflective scribbling or entry and exit stamps. This traveler knows that they are teetering on the brink of responsibility, with the full understanding that at some point in the next 100 miles he/she must return home, find a job, and leave the transient lifestyle behind.

5. The Tourist

Any serious traveler loathes the tourist because they see themselves in this camera toting, traveler check-carrying novice. We have all once been this person. He/she is always considering seeing the sights in proximity to the hotel and electing to take the recommendation of the concierge rather than that of the cabbie. The Tourist is an unrefined and primitive observer of culture. Simply whetting their appetite for what could one day become a habit or an outlet. Captivate the tourist, lure them into pushing their limits and busting into the unsettled planes of the world. And if you are a tourist, engage with fellow travelers and lose yourself.

Whether you are embarking on your first overseas experience or have found yourself adding new passport pages, embrace the evolution of your travel experiences. These 5 archetypes of travelers are not to keep you or those you meet in a box but to provide a spectrum of where your travels may take you.