#i can stay in brazil if i get reasonably rich | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

thetarttfuldickhead · 1 year

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Like Phil, I’d like to think that Jamie and Keeley still go to Brazil, in spite of the boys’ recent fuck-up, but I’d also like to think that Roy comes with them. Not because Jamie and Keeley can’t be friend on their own or wouldn’t have the best time doing Brazil together – they would! – but because I think Jamie might be conscious, given everything that’s gone down recently, of potentially upsetting what he currently perceives as a rather delicate balance.

Maybe he brings it up a few days later before they head over to Keeley’s for a joint apology, or maybe it happens already at the holy kebab place, once they’ve had a few bites and a chance to settle back into their normal; a little worse for wear, but with no lasting harm done.

And Jamie fiddles with his sleeves and makes little faces as he tries to decide what to say (and Roy notices and waits with some trepidation) and in the end he just comes right out and says it, because that’s what Jamie does, isn’t it?

“I asked Keeley to go to Brazil with me, for that Nike thing I’m doing.”

Roy blinks. He hadn’t known Jamie was doing a Nike thing. Jamie might have told him, but Roy usually stops listening whenever he starts blathering on about brands and clothes and shit, so yeah, if told he hadn’t heard.

“What did she say?” he asks after a slightly too long and awkward moment of Jamie looking up at him, almost through his fucking eyelashes, trying to gauge his reaction.

“She said yes.” And hastily, as if worried what Roy might say or do if given a moment to, he adds: “I didn’t do it to try to get back together or anything. I mean, I do wanna get back together and she’s my friend and I love her and I thought we’d have a great time, yeah, but also, she’s great at PR and all that stuff, so. Yeah. That’s why I asked her to come. Make sure I don’t fuck it up.”

And because you want her to be your girlfriend. Roy doesn’t say it, though. Neither of them want a repeat of what went down at the bar. This isn’t Jamie trying to goad him or hurt him, he’s pretty fucking sure of that, so he’ll listen carefully to everything Jamie has to say, and then he’ll react like a fucking grown-up.

Probably. Possibly.

“Anyway, I think you should, like, come with us.”

Fucking what now? “What?”

“You should come with me and Keeley to Brazil.” Jamie is nodding his head decisively, as if repeating the statement has fully convinced him of its veracity.

“You want me to come with you and Keeley to fucking Brazil?” Roy is aware of sounding like a demented parrot, but he doesn’t give a fuck, does he, because he doesn’t want there to be any fucking room for misinterpretation here.

Jamie doesn’t seem particularly concerned about Roy’s tone. Too used to it, probably. “Um, yeah. Yeah. I mean, probably can’t get Nike to pay for it, right, but you’re rich, so you can just get your own ticket and you can stay with me and Keeley in this villa they’ll set us up in. Can’t mind that.”

Which all sounds very reasonable, of course, but still doesn’t answer the most pressing question: “Why?”

Jamie makes a face. “What do you mean, why? Because I don’t want shit to be weird between us, mate. And I think it’d be weird if Keeley and I went away and you stayed here after what happened, you know. Besides,” he adds, and suddenly he looks slightly shy; younger than he actually is, and vulnerable, “It’d probably be fun, yeah? All three of us going, together. Because we’re friends and all.”

And there’s something sharp and jagged turning in Roy’s gut at that, because underneath Jamie’s claim there’s a note of uncertainty that Roy had no trouble whatsoever guessing the origin of, and he adds it to the long list of things he hates himself for.

He doesn’t know how to express any of that, so what he says is, “Yeah. I guess. I’ll think about it.”

Jamie’s grin is immediate and wide; relieved and triumphant in equal measure, like he’s already won – like he already knows for a fact that Roy’s going to say yes.

Roy can’t even find it in him to mind that the little prick is right.

And then they all go to Brazil and I’m currently thinking that nothing further really happened between them there, because apparently they all need to do a little more thinking and feeling and figuring themselves out, but I’m sure they still had a grand, grand time of it.

#just want to be very clear that i absolutely think that jamie and keeley could and should do things on their own #as should keeley and roy #and roy and jamie #no matter what form their future relationship takes #i just think that RIGHT NOW jamie might be conscious of things getting weirdly skewed if him and keeleys goes off on their own #and he very much wants to get back with keeley but he's not ready to sacrifiece his relationship with roy for it #so FOR NOW it's a little bit of a balancing act #jamie tartt #roy kent #roy & jamie #roy/keeley/jamie #roy x jamie x keeley #ficlet #ish #i am trying to write a serious meta about the bar fight AND answer some asks but i keep getting distracted #whoops innit

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gloombeauty · 13 days

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I discovered something about Lana's show in Fenway Park in Boston. It's not sold out at all. You can Google it and check other sites but here are the tickets for Lana's show for sale at Stubhub. Some are descent prices like $200 and some tickets are almost 3k. But tickets are there to buy and some are being sold by bots. Her fans were complaining on her managers page. His name is Ben. He deleted all the comments but one stan confronted him and I found the screenshot on X. I don't understand why lanaboards and Ben shamelessly lied about the show being sold out. Lana has stayed silent so far. 🤷‍♀️

Okay.

Let me swallow all this in.

So, the official tickets from Ticket Master are 100% sold out.

However, the tickets are being sold at these sites:

1 - Vividseats

2 - Ticketboxofficesales

3- Seat Geek

The prices are ranging from $200 to $5,000.

So technically, it's sold out but not really sold out because ticket scalpers are now re-selling them.

I solely blame this on Lana Del Rey.

If The Cure, Tom Petty, Foo Fighters, Yungblud, Greta Van Fleet, Bruce Springsteen, Nine Inch Nails, Metallica, AC/DC, Radiohead, Pearl Jam and many more artists can stop ticket scalpers, why can't Lana do it too?

All Lana has to do is click on a button online that says "do not allow re-sale of tickets" and that's it. Taylor Swift could have done it as well, but she let that slide through because what does she care? She made her coins. She couldn't care less that some poor dad working 60 hours a week has to pay over 10k to get his 3 daughters Taylor Swift Era's tickets. Taylor is a multi millionairess as is Lana. These people couldn't care less for the common man or how expensive concert tickets are. That's just how rich people are. It's rare when they do care, like Pearl Jam and the other artists I mentioned above.

Lana's manager Ed is an asshole. Always has been. He deletes comments all the time for the stupidest reasons. Of course these are gone. All this just makes Lana look bad because she is basically sitting back and watching her fans spend thousands of dollars on re-sold concert tickets.

Lanaboards - don't even get me started on that dumpster fire cesspool trash site. The chick who runs that page literally looks like a blowup doll.

Anyway, all this drama just to watch a 38 year old woman sing the same exact tired setlist. Adding the fact that she only whisper-sings nowadays and points the mic at the audience so they can sing her songs. She doesn't even do the whole song. She whispers-sings a little, does a little half-ass shimmy move and cuts the song onto the next one. All this while a back track vocal recording is playing in the background with 15 tacky dancers.

People actually are willing to pay for this?

It's one thing to buy the albums and watch the videos, which is all I do - but what else is there to do? I'm not putting any of my hard earned money to see this boring mess. That is where I draw the line.

I won't even buy any of Lana's official merch tees because the designs are so hideous. Overpriced hideousness. No thanks.

Lana is a great singer (in the studio - not in concert) and songwriter. Nobody can take that away from her. In a live setting? Boring as hell and not worth all the money fans are paying to see her whisper and half ass shuffle on stage.

This is the Lana worth every penny to go to:

youtube

This Lana Del Rey is gone. Has been gone for 6 years.

The last time Lana sang with heart and soul was in 2018 for this concert in Brazil:

youtube

That's all I really have to say on this sad subject. I miss the old Lana Del Rey. The Lana who use to sing and made an effort on stage.

Lana was at her best on stage during the years 2011-2016, although that 2018 Brazilian show wasn't bad. It just wasn't her best. It was the last time she actually opened her mouth and sang which is why I added it here.

There is an interesting thread on Reddit about artists preventing this re-selling crap from happening. It's a good read.

#lana del rey #the cure #foo fighters #nine inch nails #metallica #acdcband #pearl jam #radio head #Rage Against The Machine #taylor swift

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hello-nichya-here · 3 months

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not a shipping ask but more a country-based,

i applied for exchange and decided to stay in Europe (for now, purposefully vague for privacy) and there was an option to go to Brazil which some people choose.

i remember you saying in one separate ask that Brazil is truly a country that you must prepare for properly before going there and i am curious about that? if you have already replied please just link me xoxo

Here's the things you absolutely gotta know before moving to Brazil:

1 - Unless you're a literal refugee of war or of a country that is absolutely economically destroyed or you are OBSCENELY rich, you don't actually want to do that. Go live literally anywhere else.

Here's the things you absolutely gotta know before you visit Brazil.

1 - The heat WILL get very close to killing you, or at the very least make you wish you were dead. Yes, even during winter. People end up in the hospital because of it all the time. Unless a brazilian specifically told you "Bring warm clothes when going to this place at this time of the year" assume you'll forget what cold weather even is, and even then you should still bring summer clothes just in case.

2 - Trying to get a tan is suicide. Focus on protecting yourself from the sun, especially at the beach. Again, people end up at the hospital for that stuff all time - severe burns, fever, and anything that touches your skin WILL hurt like a bitch.

3 - Mosquitos. Mosquitos everywhere. Lots of them transmiting diseases that will make all your bones hurt and your guts bleed. Depending on what part of the country you're visiting you might even have to get a ton of vaccines before being allowed there.

4 - If you see literally any animal species you're not familiar with, avoid it. Depending on the region of the country, stay the fuck away from any spider, even a tiny one that looks harmless. If you're going into a forest region, especially the amazon, assume everything there can and will kill you.

5 - If you visit the amazon or the pantanal, do not go on your own. You're not Indiana Jones. You WILL get lost and die. Avoid any and all shady tourist guides, even if you can't really explain why you think they're shady, unless you want to get kidnapped. Do NOT get into any river without double-checking with someone familiar with the region if that particular one is free of any fish that can kill you AND isn't guaranteed to sweep you away until you drown.

6 - Do not walk around wearing anything expensive or talking/texting/doing anything on your phone, and if you have a bag, purse or backpack, keep it very close to you at all times. If someone is trying to rob you, shut up and give them all they're asking for. This tip is extra important if you're going to Rio de Janeiro.

7 - If you want to go to a non-pacified favela: Don't.

8 - If you want to voice your opinion about Brazil's politics to a brazilian you just met: Don't.

9 - If you want to go out at night by yourself: DON'T.

10 - If you go to Rio, trying asking a brazilian stuff like "How much does a taxi from the airport to the hotel usually cost?" or keep an eye on the GPS if you're taking an uber to make sure the driver isn't deliberately taking a longer path. Cariocas are infamous for finding ways of taking a bit of extra money from gringos that don't know any better.

11 - EVERYTHING IS EXPENSIVE AS FUCK. Yes, even if your country's money is worth a million times more than Brazil's money.

12 - If you're going to a beach, specially in the northeast of the country, and there's no one else around, do NOT go in the water unless you want to be eaten by a shark.

13 - If you're not basically a proffesional at surfing and want to go practice in the beaches that have the biggest waves: Don't. If you want to try your luck on amazonian waters: DON'T.

14 - If you're going to São Paulo, prepare to be stuck in traffic for a long, long, long, LONG time.

15 - If you want/need to go to the cops for literally any reason, especially in places like Rio, talk to a brazilian first (friend, host, lady at the hotel check in) and tell them what the problem is. A lot of the police forces here can be useless at best and VERY hostile towards any living at worst, so going to a local first so they can either go to the police station with you or solve your problem without getting the cops involved at all is often the safest choice.

16 - If you've ever been to Argentina before, say you like Brazil more even if it's a lie.

17 - If you went to São Paulo after going to Rio, say to everyone there that you like São Paulo more. If you went to Rio after having already been to São Paulo, say to everyone there you like Rio more.

18 - Brazilians WILL try to trick you into saying obscene stuff while trying to teach you a few words in portuguese. Double-check everything you were taught before saying it to a stranger.

#asks #brazil #brasil

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maxverstepponme · 1 year

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They still went on a blind date. If I’m not wrong she mentioned that on a Q&A long time ago. I think the screenshot was sent here but I’m not sure. // exactly and I think it was Antonio Felix Da Costa who introduced them during the blind date, Kelly said it in a Q&A or replied to a comment, I don't remember. honestly, if Kelly was right now the Kelly of 2017-19, she would be my favorite wag, I really liked her then, her and Daniil were adorable and she was so full of life, I loved her vibe (rich girl but nice and joyful). I unfollowed her around September 2020 because she changed her content so much, she wanted to be a baddie so bad when it doesn't suit her, she became so shallow, fame-hungry, that's saddening 🙁 she looks so much better with her "old" style, colorful dresses (Ulla Johnson/Zimmerman for example) and her genuine smile, which is really pretty.

I maybe go too far but maybe her breakup with Daniil really really hurt her and she decided to be someone else (more confident but we can see it's pretending) and went back to Monaco to get revenge on him? (yk the tiktok trend "I went from dying for you to heartless) she's now trying to be a "bad bitch"/femme fatale who doesn't care about anyone, sexy and powerful (her content was more sexy and suggestive from summer 2020 to 2021 and she was really trying, in my opinion to give this vibe or careless sexy fearless and powerful woman with her photo shoots in Monaco and her way of acting in general) and now she's slowly going back to her true self, which looks way better on her. I feel like she was hooking up with Max as a revenge on Daniil (what could hurt him more than that? except moving on) (unfinished business with Max?) and that both (Max and her) went into a "band-aid relationship" (that's how we call it here 😅 yk the relationship that makes you heal after a long-term one that usually don't last long) but they settled instead because she found a situation that could be good for her (and P). I believe that she manipulated him for her own benefits (and going back to Daniil for dumping her) and we're now in 2023 and being Max' girlfriend isn't enough anymore, she doesn't have an engagement ring, his name or his child (so nothing serious), so she's trying to make a name for herself. I feel like she should have stayed in Brazil or went to Miami instead of Monaco where she has nothing. but as the turning point was 2020, I believe that the breakup is partly the reason why she became who she is and that's sad.

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miraculousdeservesbetter2024 · 2 years

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Miraculous Tales of Scarabella & Onyx Kitty - Original Characters

Christopher “Chris”/Dance Breaker/Omega

A punk, loner and delinquent teen who moved from Britain to Paris to live with his aunt and uncle, to get a fresh start from his problems at home.

Yes, he will get character development.

He just turned 16. He failed a grade.

He has a very blunt and honest mouth.

He has a crush on Marinette, but he dislikes Adrien because of his own dislike for spoiled rich kids.

So you have may guessed, he dislikes Chloe too due to being one of those rich kids.

Though still wary of him, Alya and Chris are on respectful terms.

Alya decides to give Chris the benefit of the doubt due to Marinette’s wishes.

He’s into punk fashion, street art and street dancing.

He’s in Ms. Mendeleiev's class.

He appears in “season 2”.

His akumatized form is Dance Breaker.

He occasionally possesses the wolf miraculous, becoming the wolf-themed superhero, Omega.

Jean Duparc/Magician of Misfortune/Bat Magician

Magician of Misfortune will most likely become an actual episode.

Jean will become a more in-depth actual character that will appear in the series sometimes.

Jean's heart and soul is into magic, but he's not very good at it.

He's in Ms. Mendeleiev's class.

He always tries to impress his parents in anyway that he can.

He occasionally possesses the bat miraculous, becoming the bat-themed superhero, Bat Magician.

Jeanie Raincomprix/Honest Queen/Miss Apex

She's Sabrina's cousin.

She's the same age as Sabrina.

She's the opposite of Sabrina; blunt, thick-skinned, honest, but confident and perky.

She's one inch taller than Sabrina.

Her and Sabrina don't have the best relationship, but ultimately gets close as time goes on.

She's in Ms. Mendeleiev's class.

Though outspoken, she has a hard time making friends.

She has 8 younger siblings. She's the oldest.

Sabrina and 7 of her siblings wear glasses. She does not.

She occasionally possesses the leopard miraculous, becoming the leopard-themed superhero, Miss Apex.

Ronald “Jazz” Martin

He's a close friend to Master Fu.

He's short, but taller than Fu.

He knows that Master Fu is/was the guardian of the Miraculous.

He is gay and has feelings for Fu.

He's really old like Fu, but a bit younger than him.

He’s a retired jazz singer.

He met Fu a few years after he and Marianne was separated.

He has worn a miraculous before. Still deciding which one.

I was thinking about making him the guardian of the fan made miraculouses that I’ve made.

Israel Corbin

He's Sabrina 18 year old half older brother.

He currently stays with his mother in Brazil, but I do plan for him to make an appearance.

He's intelligent, like Sabrina.

He’s sweet, but well-reserved.

He loves and cares for his little sister.

Annabella/Dark Swan/Flaminga

She use to attend the same ballet classes as Chloe, so they’re old acquaintances/classmates.

She’s a professional ballet dancer now.

Though seem prim, she’s anything but in reality. Basically, she’s like another Chloe.

She’s pretty on the outside and presents herself as a sweet and innocent angel, but deep down, she can be manipulative, cunning, brutally honest and snobbish.

Yes, she’s like this, but like with Chloe, she’s not like this for no reason.

Will she get a redemption arc? We’ll see.

She attends the same school as Kagami and Ondine, so she sometimes seen wearing the same uniform as Kagami.

She’s half Korean.

Her Akumatized form is Dark Swan.

In the future, she will temporarily hold the Flamingo miraculous, which will turn her into the flamingo-themed superhero, Flaminga.

((More might be added later.))

#ocs #mlb oc #mlb ocs #miraculous tales of scarabella and onyx kitty #scarabella & onyx kitty #scarabella #onyx kitty #miraculous ladybug #ml #mlb #miraculous tales of ladybug and chat noir #miraculous #miraculous tales of ladybug and cat noir #miraculousbeezcentral #mlb au #ml AU #original character #original characters

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ayejayque · 11 months

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Why Should we be Bullish on Commodities?

Why be Bullish on Commodities? Commodities are similar to stocks and other securities. Their values go up and down over time. Pundits think that now is a good time to invest in commodities. For them, there are many factors that make commodities the investment of choice. I write this blog to list down why this is so. Some of the main reasons for an investor to be bullish on commodities are as under: Population Bang The world is on the verge of a population explosion. All nations have record increases in their numbers. Commodities are indispensable in nature. If the population increases, the demand for crucial commodities also increases. Many studies predict a deficiency of crucial commodities and a subsequent famine. From an investor’s viewpoint, the mandate is pretty high and there is no chance of it plummeting down in the forthcoming times. Commodities are a good investment bet. Even more so if the present estimation is appropriate. The basics are strong, only the estimation needs to be apt. Urbanization Developing countries are urbanizing at an unheard-of pace. Presently, less than 15% of the population resides in cities worldwide. This is anticipated to go to 50% by 2030. Revolutionary new smart cities are being created. The real estate sector is in a boom. This is a very encouraging setup for commodities. Iran and steel will be extensively used in construction activities. Cement is also vital to construction. More and more structures are being built. Subsequently, the demand for these commodities shot up. This is expected to stay for several years. For an investor, this is a steady investment in a stream of growing cash flows. It is supposed to last for years. This will put a lot of pressure on the price of all commodities. Industrialization The 19th century saw large-scale industrialization. This was the creation of the developed world as we see it today. Another wave is already underway. It is transforming all nations. The leaders of the modern-day industrial revolution are the BRICS countries i.e., Brazil, Russia, India, South Africa, and China. China’s growth has been 9% per annum over the last so-many years. With a large number of people in the working age population, these nations will recreate the industrial revolution once again. This is good news for commodities. Most factories are built and only function through the use of commodities. Inelasticity Elasticity is the mark to which the demand for goods swings with its price. If the price change is small and the demand change is big, it is known to be elastic. Commodities are historically inelastic as per demand. They are needed to upkeep good living conditions. Heating and electricity are not optional. Homes and food are also not optional. People will keep on buying them unless their prices become ridiculous. It is a good value proposition to have control of these commodities. This will pay rich bonuses in the future. Safe Haven Gold and Silver are very safe indeed. These metals have been substituted for money for centuries. They provide a safe haven if an emergency breaks out. The quantitative easing of Western governments will cause hyperinflation in developed nations. If this happens, gold and silver would go sky-high. This is the reason why central banks are acquiring as much gold as possible. No Market Manipulation Stock markets can be manipulated by the market. For commodity markets, it is different. No company-specific information can make or disrupt the market. The commodities market spans worldwide. It is difficult to get preferential information consistently. It is impossible to corner the market repetitively. This is why commodities are a fair game. The size or the sophistication of the trader does not matter. Commodities perform well in the late boom and early recession. Experts see this period coming in the future. It is time to get some commodities on your portfolio. Read the full article

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hotelreviews9 · 2 years

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10 Countries With Long Visitor Visas for Travelers

Every country in the world has different guidelines about how long visitor visas can be. There are a couple of complaints where slow travel is easier than others.

A couple of countries are serious. China will require a Explore the world's best hostels point by guide bit by bit timetable of your trip toward stay for north of 30 days. To visit Turkmenistan Explore the world's best inns you really want to seek after a supported visit and book every one of your lodgings somewhat early. In Russia, you really want to go through a marvelous application process.

Then again, various countries make it incomprehensibly easy to visit. You can enter as a traveler with very little limits, and stay for quite a while on extended visitor visas. This permits you a chance to take as much time as is required, travel bit by bit and genuinely participate in your goal. The going with overview incorporates a couple of great countries where getting a visitor visa is by and large smooth and you'll have the choice to stay for a liberal proportion of time.

Compassionately note: The visas I am examining in this post are traveler visas, NOT Working Holiday Visas. A visitor visa is an excellent travel report that you need to need to enter a distant nation (despite your recognizable proof, clearly.)

Assuming you want to find out where you can work abroad, sympathetically see our assistant: Which Countries Offer Working Holiday Visas?

Georgia

long visitor visas in Georgia

Expecting you follow this blog, you could see that I continue forever a LOT about Georgia. I love this somewhat dull Caucasus country for a lot of reasons: the stunning snow-covered mountains, the delightful great meat dumplings, the deteriorating houses with their rich shades, the powerful craftsmanship and culture scene… But another inspiration to treasure Georgia is its unbelievably welcoming long visitor visas.

Right when you enter Georgia as a voyager, you can stay for up to a YEAR. Right, you read that right. You can circumvent this faultless country for quite a while, eating khinkali, washing in regular springs and drinking qvevri wine on rooftop decks. The Georgians have a saying that a guest is a "gift from god" - so perhaps that is the explanation they generously give their guests such a great deal of opportunity to celebrate the good life.

Who is Eligible for This Visa?

Here is the overview of 94 countries whose occupants are equipped for this long visitor visa, including all EU states, USA, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

Malaysia

long visitor visas for Malaysia

Lee and I ended up in Malaysia pretty for arbitrary reasons. We expected to book a ceaseless excursion out of Thailand, and passes to Kuala Lumpur ended up being the most economical game plan on the web that particular day. It's incredible that we did, because we revered it and ended up leftover for the full 3 months the long visitor visas allowed.

Malaysia is one of the most issue free countries to enter as visitor. Only here and there do they ask you where you are going or interest to see proof of resources or travel arrangements. It's truly straightforward.

To stay longer, you could go on an expedient excursion to Singapore or Brunei for quite a while, then, start the multi day clock ticking again.

Lee and I met an individual who had lived in Malaysia for a long while, fundamentally hopping across the limit and back into the nation predictably. (While I wouldn't recommend doing this, it's kind of dumbfounding and it's challenging to imagine something along those lines happening in various countries.)

Who is Eligible for This Visa?

Inhabitants of 63 countries are equipped for this long visitor visa, including each and every European occupant, New Zealand, Japan, USA, Canada, Australia and Iceland.

Ecuador

long visitor visas in Ecuador

Ecuador not simply has rich unsettled areas, wonderful coastlines and unbelievable climbing trails - it in like manner has a splendidly lenient visa procedure. Inhabitants of most countries will not need to get a visa preceding visiting.

Exactly when you appear in Ecuador you'll get 90 days visa free (various limits could apply to the Galapagos Islands). You furthermore have the decision to extend your traveler visa.

Ecuador is an uncommon spot to participate in a drowsy, loosened up speed of development. Whether you want to go through your 3 months riding on the beach front, getting a charge out of city life in Quito or Cuenca or moving in the Amazon - it justifies requiring the venture to explore.

Who is Eligible for This Visa?

Inhabitants of every single country in the world are equipped for this long visitor visa. There are certain countries whose inhabitants ought to apply for the visa somewhat early, including Afghanistan, Kenya, Nepal and Cuba.

Panama

panama long visitor visas

However lengthy you wouldn't worry having the Van Halen tune locked onto your psyche mind during your visit, I'd vivaciously propose focusing intently on Panama.

Occupants of most Western countries can get a multi day explorer visa upon appearance in Panama. Right, honestly. You can walk around Panama and wrap out there for quite a while if you really want to.

Panama City is wonderful, with cobblestone streets and paramount trailblazer plan. In any case, you can moreover go to some place like Bocas del Toro and swing in a lounger in the sea breeze for quite a while. Clearly, don't miss the potential chance to see the nation's most notable planning wonder - the Panama Canal.

Who is Eligible for This Visa?

Here is the full once-over of countries whose occupants are able to stay in Panama for 180 days. It integrates all EU countries, Australia, Canada, USA, New Zealand, Brazil, Georgia and Mexico.

Australia

australia long visitor visa

The Electronic Travel Authority Visa for Australia has superseded the previous more puzzled visitor visa. It is a various entry visa that will allow you to enter the country boundless times during the authenticity season of a year. You can stay in Australia for a constraint of 90 days on each visit. This makes it one of the more versatile long visitor visas on this overview.

The visa doesn't surrender work honors, but you can do "business visitor works out" like making trades, going to get-togethers, etc. Mulling over is allowed on this visa.

If you're underneath the age of 35 and from one of the certified countries, you ought to truly ponder an Australian Working Holiday Visa taking everything into account. This will allow you to stay for 12 progressive months and find another profession while you are there.

Who is Eligible for This Visa?

To apply for the Electronic Travel Authority Visa for Australia you ought to have a certified recognizable proof. Here is the overview of countries whose inhabitants Australia licenses to apply for this visa. The summary consolidates Canada, Ireland, Germany, France, Greece, UK, USA and Malaysia.

Seychelles

seychelles long visitor visas

Seychelles, a bewitching tropical island country in the Indian Ocean, is irrefutably open for travelers. It is a "visa free" country which infers that inhabitants from wherever in the world can visit for up to 90 days upon appearance. It's an interesting decision to consider accepting for a moment that you're looking for protests with long visitor visas.

Arranged around 900 miles off the shore of East Africa, the Republic of Seychelles has 115 unmistakable islands - countless which are uninhabited. Notwithstanding the way that it has long visitor visas, but it moreover incorporates stunning beaches, unsettled areas and mountains. A couple of truly incredible creatures involve these distant islands, including goliath turtles.

Who is Eligible for This Visa?

All new nationals visiting the Seychelles are surrendered visa free access - beside holders of Kosovo recognizable pieces of proof who are not allowed to enter.

Albania

long visitor visas Albania

Albania is another exquisite country with long visitor visas of 90 days. This is exceptional data, since this little European country is surely worth researching.

There's the unique capital city of Tirana (with an exquisite lakeside park), wonderful beaches along the south coast, cool verifiable focuses and craftsmanship presentations and a ton of archeological leftovers. This pursues it a very captivating decision if you're looking for spots to go with long visitor visas. Lee and I were there in the colder season, at this point I'd a lot of need to head back in the pre-summer and check the stunning shore out.

Who is Eligible for This Visa?

Visitors from these 85 wards can enter Albania without a visa and stay for 90 days, including all EU countries, New Zealand, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, USA, Iceland and that is only the start. Similarly, any visitor who has a genuine various section visa from a Schengen country, the USA or the UK can enter Albania without a visa for 90 days (as long as the visa was as of late used something like once.) And clearly, Americans can stay in Albania for up to a year without applying for a residency award!

Peru

long visitor visas

Imagine having a half year to devour new ceviche in Lima, go to a chocolate making studio in Cusco, climb the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu and experience down into Colca Canyon. The liberal visitor visa methodology in Peru simplifies it to travel this country as relaxed as you like. From the Amazon wild to the clandestine Nazca Lines to the floating reed islands of Lake Titicaca, there is adequate to research in Peru that the a half year will simply fly by.

Note: According to Peruvian guideline, new visitors ought to have a forward ticket booked to leave the country. Your transporter could demand to see your booking before you check in. They will recognize a vehicle ticket or a transporter ticket, so guarantee you have it booked!

Who is Eligible for This Visa?

Inhabitants from 99 countries can visit Peru without a visa for up to 183 days, for the movement business purposes. The r

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kinsey3furry300 · 3 years

Text

So how the heck do the Avengers pay for stuff, and how rich are they?

So, in the wake of “Falcon and the Winter Soldier” There’s a lot of debate about why Sam didn’t seem to get paid well for his work in the Avengers (at least in the MCU continuity), and this has got me thinking: we’ve got no evidence that the Avengers are, financially, anything but a hot mess. So lets break it down, Avenger by Avenger, using real-world pay scales for the ones who have jobs.

Tony: a billionaire, so clearly he’s a financial genius, right? Well….. his actions say otherwise. He’s shown to be wildly irresponsible with his money. He inherited a lot of wealth form his parents which was managed by the first Jarvis, Obadiah, and Pepper for him, he buys and then gives away not just woks of art, but entire collections by major 20th century artists on a whim, destroyed his own cars and home without concern, he tanks the value of his own company in the first Iron Man with a bad press interview, gets kicked of his own bord of directors, and ultimately, in Iron Man 2, gives control of his company to Pepper. He’s insanely rich, and insanely smart, but man, he’s not smart with his money. So all the cool stuff, his suits, the Avengers tower, the facility up-state: that’s all paid for by him, but Pepper is holding the purse-stings. So, does he pay the others? We have no evidence for most of them… but we do with Spidey. Peter Parker is in the Stark Internship Program a euphemism to hide the fact he’s training and mentoring him as a super-hero, but I find the wording interesting: he refers to Spidey, his surrogate son and chosen heir, as an intern. I.E., Unpaid. I’m guessing this is Howard’s influence over him, some sort of ‘make you own way in the world, son’ attitude, but if he’s not paying Spidey, is he paying anyone else? He certainly pays for stuff super heroes suits and things, equipment, fuel, the base, but does he pay anyone a wage? No one ever mentions it. You think it would come up.

So, if he’s not paying them a wage, where do Avengers (and thier allies) get their day-to-day money from, and are they rich? Using google and https://www.federalpay.org, lets find out.

Cap: Well, before Civil war, he’s a shield operative, and he presumably still holds his military rank: he’s a US Army captain, with (well) over 40 years service, so USD$88,142.40 per year, with $237.71 drill pay (pay per drill you have to do on weekends, on leave or outside of normal service) and $175.00 per month hazard pay (which I bet is interesting) on top of that. As a WW2 veteran, he’d be eligible for a war pension if he:

Was not discharged for dishonorable reasons; and,

Served 90 days of active military duty; and,

Served at least one day during wartime ("wartime" as determined by the VA); and,

Had countable family income below a certain yearly limit; and,

Is age 65 years or older; or

Regardless of age is permanently disabled, not due to wilful misconduct.

As he’s still receiving 90k per year, he’s ineligible for a pension as his countable yearly income is above the limit. So if shield pays him in accordance with his rank and years of service, about $90, 600 per year incuding hazard pay.

After civil war, he’s a fugitive on the run, so presumably flat broke. I’d asume he gets his pension returened to him after the snap.

He’s also just gone from the 40’s to the present day, so 70 years of inflation probably makes buying things very confusing for him: everything would seem insanely expensive at first. He’d also not know what the correct prices are for anything invented after 45. You might get used to how much more expensive food and coffee is, but how much is a smart-phone worth? $200? $2000 $20000? Who knows? I bet the others have to facepalm a lot when he either refuses to pay for what he sees as clear price-gouging, and at the same time regularly pays insane amounts of money for goods and services because he doesn’t know better. He also has no known assets other than his pay: he rents an apartment making him one of the few American males in his age-group who isn’t a home-owner

Thor: Does Asgard even have currency? It’s depicted like a “Crystal spires and toga” type utopia with no poverty: even working class Asgardian’s like Scourge seem to be pretty well-off and want for nothing, so he’s from a post-scarcity society where actual magic is a thing. His “Another” coffee cup smashing and the fact he doesn’t have a computer of phone in Ragnarök might indicate that, no, he just doesn’t have, need or understand money. Splitting a bar tab with him must be a nightmare. His breakdown post snap indicates he’s got some cash, but not a huge amount, and is probably skiving of Valkyrie and the other Asgardians.

Banner: Okay, so a PhD could make you a lot of money from patents… in pharmacology or engineering. Theoretical physics? Not so good. And if Banner did have any patents, they’ve probably been seized under eminent domain by the US military. At the start of The Hulk film, he’s working a entry-level factory job at a botteling plant in Brazil. The minimum wage in Brazil is 1069.62 Real per month, that’s 12,835.44 Real per year, or around $2437.79 US per year, before everything goes wrong for him! He then runs off to India, works for Tony for a bit and then gets shot into space. Spidey may actually make more in allowance than Banner does, and Banner is a gown ass man with bills to pay: I’d imagine he loses a lot in ripped clothing.

Natasha and Barton: Pre Civil-war, both are government spooks, so how well does that pay? The salaries of CIA Intelligence Analysts based in the US range from $25,838 to $685,701 , with a median salary of $125,340, so let’s assume that Shield pays in a similar range: $685,701 per year for Director Fury, around 125,000 for Natasha and Cliff, which explains Cliff’s nice, middle-class mid-western home. Post civil war, presumably not great: we know that Natasha spends a lot of her savings running and hiding all across the world, and Cliff takes a deal and presumably lives of his savings, pension and his wife’s income.

Rhodes: Full USAF colonel with over 10 years service? $105,562.80 per year, plus $293.23 drill pay per drill and $175 per month hazard pay, and because he’s team Stark and not Team Cap in Civil War, he’d not lose any of that. He presumably also gets an injury pay-out after his accident. After T’challa and Stark, he might be the best paid avenger.

Dr Strange: spends all his money he made as a surgeon on trying to cure his hands: spends literally his last dollars heading to Nepal to train. Wong even jokes with him about their lack of worldly money when asking for a tuna-melt. But, can use illusion to make people think he has money, and his home and clothes etc. come with the job, so in the same boat as Thor in that he has no money, but needs none AKA, he’s a bastard to try and split a restaurant bill with.

Wanda and Vision: No know source of income, just sort of live in Tony’s hose and eat his food, and on top of that Wanda goes on the run after civil war… yet they can stay in fancy hotels in Edinburgh, a relatively expensive city, and Vison apparently bought them a house to retire in, so one of them has some source of money. Maybe Tony gave Vision years of back-pay form when he was still Jarvis, or maybe the vison has a day job, which is, frankly, hilarious. Could you imagine him as a barista? I can, and it makes me very happy.

Scott Lang: I’d assumed he’d be super, super broke, but apparently the average pay for a private security consultant in the Bay area is $85,430 per year. Not bad. Pity he gets sucked into the quantum realm just as his business is taking off, so presumably, flat broke again.

Bucky: no known income, and I doubt Hydra paid him for being the Winter Soldier so he probably has no savings, but he should, technically, qualify for a military pension. As a single veteran, he’d be eligible for federal tax-free pension of up to $1732 per month, or $20,784 tax free per year. Not much for someone who lives in NYC. He may also be eligible for medical benefits over the loss of his arm. Whether or not he got to see any of that money given how confused his life has been over the past 10 years is unclear, but on paper he’s eligible.

T’challa: He is, quite possibly, richer than Stark, and as an absolute monarch pays no tax and has access to his Nation’s vast wealth in vibanium. It’s good to be the king!

Captain Marvel: USAF captain, and a test pilot; the test pilot school only accepts applicants with a service length of less than 9 years 6 months (10 years six moths of helicopters) as they don’t want older applicants. With 8 years service, $79,538.40, plus drill pay and hazard. However, no know (human) pay since 1990. Flat broke.

Guardians of the Galaxy: no data, but I’m assuming “Cowboy Bebop” levels of perpetual never-ending poverty given the way they choose to live. I’d also assume Rocket has taken all their cash into some sort of Ponzi scheme of his own creation, because just look at him, of course he has.

Spidey: he’s got about $10 of his aunts’ money at any given time, so he can buy lunch… which may in fact be more than Banner or Lang, and we know it’s more that Strange or Thor.

So, here the big one: how rich or how broke is Sam?

Sam Wilson: annoyingly, we’re not directly told what rank Sam held in any MCU film. USAF pararescue “Maroon berets” are generally NCO’s (but there’ are officer-ranked pararescue) , and he’s seen working on his wings at one point, where as officers don’t generally work on or maintain airframes. He’s shown wearing a Nation Air guard grey while jogging at one point to confuse the matter further. The general consensus on redit is he’s a former USAF tech sergeant (E-6). But how long was he in the air force? With six years service (the minimum sensible time he could have served to work in pararescue based on his age), that would be $41,464.80 per year, plus drill pay and hazard. As Anthony Mackie, the actor that plays him, was 36 as of Civil War, and assuming the character is the same age, and assuming he retired from the air force that year, and he joined the USAF at 17, the youngest you can join, he’d have served 19 years, giving him a pay of $51,566.40, the maximum pay you can get at this rank before promotion to Master Sergent, but meaning he left just before he’d qualify for the 50% final salary pension you’d qualify for after 20 years. Which seems weird. So let’s assume the character is one year older than the actor that plays him and served 20 years (ages 17-37), that means Sam has a military pension of $25,783.20 per year (20,784 of it tax-free), plus any injury benefits. He councils other veterans, but doesn’t get paid for that. He also chooses Team Cap in Civil War, so would become a wanted criminal, and so lose his income between 2016 and 2018, and then gets snapped and has no income for 5 years, which would destroy his credit rating. Like the rest of Team Cap, he presumably gets his post snap pardon, and goes to work for the US government at his former pay and rank. However, given how Captain John Walker treats him as an equal, it’s possible he’s been promoted to a captain when the hired back, giving him a pay of between $54,176.40 to $88,142.40 (with 20 years experience, depending on if they take into account his prior service or not, and how much prior service he has), but either way, he’s just starting this as a new job after being legally dead for 5 years: no savings, and no credit.

Commercial fishing vessels cost about 10% of their total value per year in maintenance alone. I can’t identify what sort of boat the Wilson’s have, but some quick googling indicates that the cheapest 15m long wooden in-shore shrimp trawler costs around $140,000, so that’s $14,000 per year in maintenance costs alone, minimum. And that’s a lower estimate, assuming the rest of the business is sound, which we know it isn’t.

So, in concussion, yes, Sam is in some serious financial trouble until he can re-build his savings and credit, but the scary bit is he’s not alone in that: he’s probably better off than Lang, Banner, Danvers, Strange, Thor, Bucky, Wanda and Parker. Only Clint (if he gets a full pardon and gets his full pension), Rhodes, Stark and T’challa aren’t in some sort of potential financial problems. That asshole bank teller was right: despite the fact it seems to pay well on paper, with a few exceptions, the Avengers financials are probibaly a mess. EDIT: Rocket is running the Ponzi scheme, if that’s not clear from context. The others know they have money somewhere, but not where it’s gone. And It’s been pointed out to me that as he’s technically a POW while he’s the Winter Soldier, Bucky is owed over 70 years back-pay, equal to over 3 million dollars, details in the notes.

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atalho-s · 3 years

Text

Sweet Sugar

1 | Subterranean Homesick Alien

(gif it’s not mine! let me know if you’re the owner!)

pairing: tom holland x reader / tom holland x brazilian reader (she’s from brazil here, but you can picture her being of any place that you want! Since the story wouldn’t change bc of that)

warnings: swear words, underage drinking (not much tho, nothing like “Skins” lmao), suggestive scenes in some chapters, not smut, but minors be aware. Fluff/angst/drama/ Y/n and Tom being stupid teenagers with feelings.

words: 2.4 k

Summary: Y/n has always been best friends with Harrison and Tom. Since childhood they've always been close, but what happens if after a break up with her first boyfriend, she starts to feel something more about Tom?

A conflict of feelings, the non-acceptance of falling in love and the fear of losing her best friend, all in the head of an 17-year-old teenager. And on top of that, still having to fear of not being accepted for college.

a/n:

This is a series i have in portuguese on my wattpad! It’s kinda long and have 2 parts haha but i decided to translate to post here too :)

It was my first fanfic ever, so be aware lol

I never been to europe, so i’m sorry for any mistake about city features or how school works...

I just want to thank @petesrparker : Gio you’re the best and thank you for always helping me and hype up this series since the beginning! Seriously, you’re the best, this story would be nothing without you 😭❤

She even did a playlist for this! ikr? She’s amazing 💕 you can check out here if you want!

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It was 2 minutes to 7am and I was late for school. Running to put on my warm sweatshirt and getting ready psychologically to go out in a cold weather, I grabbed my keys and tried to lock the door almost dropping my backpack on the floor. It was almost summer, but my town wasn't disappointed in having very cold mornings and hot afternoons.

"Shit," I murmured as I kicked the door, insisting that didn't want to close it. "Why hasn't my mom called someone to fix this thing yet?" I spoke to myself and finally managed to close it hearing a click. Coming down the stairs practically running, I closed the small gate and strode down the street.

I lived with my parents in a town called Kingston-upon-Thames, in a tiny two-bedroom house, very close to the school. You just need to walk about 4 blocks and voilá, I could already see the entrance gate and the familiar faces of the gringos. I was in the last year of high school, just turned 17 and I was born in Brazil, but grew up in London, when my father had to move because of his work, when I was only 6 years old. Obviously we weren't rich, my father worked with woodwork, and my mother currently worked in a small flower shop in the city center. But when my father received an offer to move to another country, he didn't think twice. Learn another culture, a new language and still earn some good money?An offer that cannot be refused.

The first time we arrived it was very strange, only my father knew intermediate English and my mother and I obviously did not know a single word. But we quickly befriended a family that lived on our street: the Osterfields. Jenna and Carter were the parents of two children: Harrison, the same age as me and little Charlotte (newborn at the time). Harrison and I immediately became inseparable, and he became like a brother to me and our families became one.

Obviously with him, also came nothing more and nothing less than: the Holland family. Nikki and Dom had 4 male children, one my age: Tom, Harry and Sam twins, 3 years younger and Paddy who was born 2 years later. So the family just grew, our parents became best friends, and me, Harrison and Tom became an unbeatable trio. There was no Y/n, without Tom and Harrison and vice versa, we're always together.

We went to the same school since always. As Haz lived only a few houses below mine, we meet and go together and Tom, who lived on the other side of the school, met us at the gate every day.

I went down the street and saw Haz sitting on the wall in front of his house, fiddling with his cell phone with a earphone, as soon as I approached he raised his head and smiled.

- Finally, I thought you aren’t going to class today. - He said getting up and giving me a kiss on the cheek.

- Good morning to you too Haz. - I said laughing and hooking my arm on him, while we went down the street. - You know that now that my mom is working on the other side of town she leaves early and then I have to wake up by myself, which is clearly a problem.

- Sleepyhead, - he said and I playfully tapped his arm while he laughed.

- Well, i'm, what can I say? Sleeping is the best thing in the world. - I said. - Did you do the history homework?

- Wich history homework? - He stopped suddenly looking at me in shock.

- Harrison Osterfield, you are not going to tell me that you forgot the work that I talked about it every day for almost a month. - I said putting my hand on my waist scolding him.

- Well ... I completely forgot. - Haz said scratching the back of his head with the face of a stray dog. -I was busy decorating the lines from the play.

- Wow Harrison, that way you will fail and then you'll came crying to me.

- Ok mom, sorry! But was it for today? Can I copy it and give it to you later?

- Ok, but just this time, and do me a favor to exchange practically all the words I used or i'll be in trouble. - I said taking out my briefcase, while he held my backpack and I handed him my work.

- I love you... - he said giving me back my backpack and hugging me, kissing my head afterwards.

- And I don't love you at all, bummer. - I giggled and we rounded the corner of the school.

Tom was already leaning against the side of the gate with his backpack between his legs, talking to a guy who was doing theater with him and Harrison. He was laughing at something, wearing a black hoodie, his hair was a little messy under his hood and his nose was slightly red from the cold. For some reason my stomach did some flips as we approached.

Harrison and Tom were very handsome, there was no denying it, they were half nerds, half bad boys (in the sense of forgetting to study for the exam or not doing their homework once in a while), they did theater, they were nice and got along very well with girls since they started puberty. As for me, I was the nerd who was always concerned about grades and getting into the journalism college, I didn't always have excellent grades, but they were enough to pass or impress the professors when I felt inspired. I wasn't popular, but not a completely ghost too, because being best friends with the boys ended up calling attention in some way.

The only boyfriend I had was a guy named Steven, and also my first kiss, to at age 15, but we broke up last year. Steven was cool, but we had different views on things and use to think about completely different futures, so we thought it was best to broke up. And since then I'm alone and very well, thank you.

But since I broke up with Stev, for some reason I've started to have some weird feelings for Tom. Weird in the meaning of being shy around him, with whatever he does, or whatever words he exchanges with me. Which is ridiculous, because he's my childhood friend, and I never felt any of that with Haz, so why with him I feel? I always saw Haz as my brother, but with Tom it's different, and I never understood why.

Anyway, here I was with my heart beating faster and faster as we approached. As soon as we got close, Tom waved goodbye to the guy he was talking. He grabbed his backpack off the floor and patted Haz on the back, kissing my forehead afterwards, which I immediately feel my cheeks burning with embarrassing, but no one realized.

- Hey mates! Finally! I thought you weren't coming anymore.- he said as the three of us went through the gate towards the school.

- The madam here, was the one who ended up sleeping too much, I was also waiting a long time.- Haz said and I rolled my eyes, making Tom smile.

- I understand Y/n, I also love sleeping... By the way, I said I was waiting a long time, but actually I just arrived. - He laughed - Your mother started working on that flower shop, right?

- Yeah! She started today, so I'm still getting used to waking up just with the alarm without my mom pulling me from under the covers by my hair.- I replied and they both laughed.

- Which class do you guys have now? - Tom asked as we went up the stairs to the first floor where the class rooms were.

-Math- Haz said, rolling his eyes. - Actually, I really have to go, because if I show up a second late again Mr. Jones will kill me. - he said giving us a brief wave and running to the opposite side.

- I have philosophy, thank God, one of my favorite subjects.- I said raising my hands to the sky as a joke and Tom laughed.

- Wow y/n, I thought your favorite subject was biology and English.- he said and I stuck out my tongue, but feeling a little warm inside, these subjects were the ones we had together.

- Anyway, see you later? I have physics now unfortunately.

- Yeah, I'll be at our new favorite place. - I giggle, it had been a week since me, Haz and Tom found a perfect place to stay during the break, which was on the back of the school, on a hill next to a tree, where we had a full view of the students down there. It was perfect, because the warm morning sun was shining and we'd be left on the ground gossiping and watching what others were doing.

- See you there shortie. -Tom said kissing the top of my head, giving me a wink and leaving towards his class room.

- Look who's talking. - I said loudly for him to hear and he showed me his middle finger from a distance, laughing at my face.

I turned around smiling and headed towards my class. The first two classes were normal, nothing new, I was still a little sleepy, so I ended up almost sleeping in the second geography class, where I was almost kicked out by Mr Wilson, who let It pass this time. The alarm hit indicating it was break time and I thanked God, practically running to stay out in the sun.

I grabbed my phone from my pocket and my headphones, hitting play on Radiohead's Subterranean Homesick Alien song and walking outside. I saw Steven with his new girlfriend Lily right on the way out, they were talking, hugging each other and looked very happy, he saw me and gave a smile from a distance where I reciprocated. Our break up went very well, without resentment, which made me happy.

I walked up the small hill and saw Haz and Tom already at our meeting place. Tom was lying down looking at the sky while Haz was sitting propped up in the tree.

- Did you guys miss me? - I said sitting next to Haz.

- Yeah, we were even thinking about how we could handle living without you y/n- Haz said and Tom chuckled.

- I know you two love me. - I said shrugging.

- In fact, we were arguing when you're going to have a new boyfriend. - Tom said and I froze.

- And who said I want a new boyfriend? I asked raising my eyebrow.

- We know you y/n, you starting to have your head in the clouds lately, always retweeting couple things and posting romantic songs, I can see that you're falling in love again.- Tom said, still looking at the sky.

- I agree. - Haz said taking the side of my earphone and putting into his ear. - She's even listening to Radiohead! And you always listen to Radiohead when you're in love. - I gave them a sarcastic laugh and pulled the earphone of his ear turning off the music making Haz laugh.

- You guys are idiots, I'm fine alone thank you, I just want to focus on my studies from now on. - I said and they both made a "hmm" in unison, making me roll my eyes.

- Actually, we were discussing where we're going to celebrate my 17th birthday tomorrow.- Tom said changing the subject, turning his head and covering the sun with his hand to look at me.

-Tomorrow is your birthday?- I asked pretending to be surprise and Tom rolled his eyes playfully.

- I know you two always look forward to my birthday, because you love me and want to surprise me.- he said and Haz and I laughed ironically. - But Marcos offered his house, because his parents are traveling, so we could make a cool party there! So I was thinking about calling the theater people and some of our friends like Julian, Tuwaine and etc, maybe getting some drinks too... - Tom said sitting down and cleaning some leaves that were stuck on his hoodie.

- I think it's a good idea, I'm not much of partying or drinking, but with you both I always have fun.- I said and Haz rested his head on my shoulder.

- Good to know we make you happy Y/n. - Haz said and I giggle patting his head.

- So we meet tomorrow? You guys want to stop by my house so we could go together?

- Actually, I have to go to my granny first, so I'll go from there.- Haz said and Tom gave him a thumbs up.

- Y/n you can go? Around 7pm it's ok?

-Of course Tommy. - I said and he smiled at the nickname.

- Okay, I'll wait for you at 7pm and I'll send you the address, mate.- he said to Haz as we got up listening to the bell ringing indicating the break was over.

- Deal!- Haz said.

- Deal. - I also said as we went down back to class.

The last classes were history, the subject I had with Haz and he returned my homework, assuring me that he had changed the words. We spend the whole class sending notes talking about nonsense and making jokes. Haz and I were pretty good at sending notes without the professor seeing.

But I confess I was puzzled by what the boys had said earlier, how did they have the impression that I was in love? I wasn't, was I? Was I showing too much that i had feelings for Tom? I don't know, I just know that the whole story had left me with immense anxiety.

The class was over and I said goodbye to Haz, because he had theater with Tom and I didn't have any extra activities that day. The only days that i had something was on monday, tuesday and thursday, when I have a school reinforcement to improve my notes to enter college. Which was a relief, since I had to run to the mall to look for a gift to give Tom for his birthday. I had been looking for weeks and I didn't find anything interesting to give to my best friend. Best friend isn't it? Nothing more than this...

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a/n: if you liked and want to be tagged on the next chapters let me know! 😊

#tom holland #tom holland fanfic #tom holland imagine #tom holland x reader #tom holland x y/n #tom holland x you #tom holland friends to lovers #tom holland angst #tom holland fluff #tom holland series

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lara635kookie · 3 years

Text

Ranking the best The 39 Clues books(First season because the other ones just aren't canon in my mind).

SPOILER ALERT!

If you're a Clue Hunter and is reading this post, when you finish it reblog it and do your ranking of The First Season books(please I need to know I'm not alone on this fandom)(Please someone tell me I didn't get to this fandom too late). Also this is only my opinion. If you think different feel free to share your thoughts(respectly). So let's go:

My Personal Favorites:

10-Beyond The Grave(Book Four written by Jude Watson):

Honestly this book is overall good and I really wanted to go Egypt but that's only in this place because Ian and Natalie don't show up in person, they're only mentioned by Amy and Dan sometimes. It may seem like a stupid reason but Ian and Natalie were the biggest enemies of Amy and Dan, arch-enemies since the two understand themselves by person and their appearances have always been so iconic, the chases, the talks, the fights, the teasing so the fact they weren't in this book just didn't feel right. The Cahills and the Kabras have a lot of chemistry, both as enemies and as much something more(if you get me, lovers cough cough), and the Kabras have been sorely missed in this book(at least by me).

9-The Emperor's Code(Book Eight written by Gordon Korman):

I don't know compared to the other ones, this one just look kinda forgettable. Maybe because Amy and Dan spend a good part of this book apart. But of course the story has its good moments which are when Dan gives an autograph for a girl (D. Cahill is priceless), when Dan tells the Wizards that he is a Madrigal (as we say in Brazil: Iconic, Memorable and Timeless) (Dan was very amazing in this book, if you disagree, disagree in silence) and when Amy saves Ian(aka Love of her life) from falling off Mount Everest.

8-The Viper's Nest(Book Seven written by Peter Lerangis):

I love that one but the other ones are just better. I like the ending with Isabel(and everyone) thinking that the Clue was Diamond and It wasn't. I also like the scenes with Kurt because I wanted Ian to meet him and Kurt make Ian jealous of Amy(don't judge my dreams). Another thing that I really like is the history. I really like studying history and I learnt so much about Shaka Zulu. And was also with that book that I realized that Isabel had arrived to stay and that she would be the Main Villain in the end somehow. Maybe That's another reason why I don't like much The Emperor's Code:Isabel didn't show up and I thought she would appear in all the other books after In Too Deep. Natalie on Storm Warning said that Isabel didn't trust Ian and her to handle the Hunt without Isabel anymore since Russia so that just doesn't make sense. Maybe she didn't appearead to give Cora Wizard the spotlight but anyway let's continue.

7-The Black Circle(Book Five written by Patrick Carman):

I love this one so much. Probably because in this book we see that Ian is also in love with Amy. On Book three he seemed to like her but then he and Natalie let Amy, Dan and Alistair locked on the cave and we only see Amy Side of this story. Her sadness. But we didn't know if Ian was sorry, if he regreted his actions. And when they come back on this book we see Ian still likes Amy and the fandom goes crazy. I mean even if you are a Jamy/Carian shipper or shipps another shipp you probably shipped Amyan before because they were the only promising couple on the series(at least on series one). Back to the book I Love The Holts defeating the Kabras and Amy and Dan doing an Alliance with Hamilton(Dan envying Hamilton for driving a Kamaz will be Forever iconic). Also this book was when I realized Irina wasn't bad. I didn't like her in the other books and I didn't notice much of her but everything changed on this book and I started to love her. * sad sigh * Moving on!

6-The Maze of Bones(Book One written by Rick Riordan):

Uncle Rick(we call him like that on Brazil, in portuguese is Tio Rick) did a really great job on this one. For a series that has several authors writing, the beginning is very important and it is a great responsibility for the first author because those who will write later have to understand what you wanted to convey in the beginning to make a coherent continuation. Rick Riordan did it flawlessly. We can identify ourselves in the characters and we get really connected to the plot, the history, the riddles about Benjamin Franklin and after finishing the book we wanna know more about what happens next. So Rick Riordan absolutely slayed this introduction and no one can tell me otherwise.

5-One False Note(Book Two written by Gordon Korman):

This book is just unforgivable. I love this with all my soul. Probably because It talks about Mozart and his history and I really love arts. Also because the writing of this book is so satisfactory and so well done. I mean I really thought Fidelio Racco was a real person. What I also love about that book is the fact that every character get to shine. Amy and Dan are the Main characters but the appearences of all the other characters are really remarkable so yeah That's it. Deserves this spot on the Top 5 for sure.

4-In Too Deep(Book Six written by Jude Watson):

Going now to the four horsemen of the apocalypse from the best books of The 39 Clues. In Too Deep It's just something so perfect It's inexplicable. Something I don't like much about In Too Deep is that when Isabel was fighting to Irina and Ian and Natalie were watching Natalie was like:Irina is going to get Shoot on the head, That's gonna be so good. Like she wanted Isabel to do this, like she would be disappointed if she didn't, like she was used to seeing this type of thing. Then, In Storm Warning she was soft like:Not blood. It's so repulsive(several authors series problem but the series is good anyway). About that book I love the start, I love the middle, I love the apex and If It wasn't for Irina's death in the end this would probably be even higher than already is. Why Irina, Jude? Also:Why Pony? Why Erasmus? Why McIntyre? Why Alistair? Why Lester? Why Natalie? Why Evan? Why everyone? Why not Jake or Cara? Back to the story Jude Watson is Just a genius for transforming a dream(or a nightmare) in Isabel Kabra and adding her to the book. I don't wanna cry today so I'm just going for the next one.

3-The Sword Thief(Book Three written by Peter Lerangis):

If this book was a part The Plastics of Mean Girls, The Sword Thief would be Karen Smith of The 39 Clues, because let's face it:Amy and Dan were really dumb of accepting an alliance with Alistair and the Kabras. Principally with the Kabras. I mean they already were kinda used to temporary alliances with Alistair but not Ian and Natalie but they should have expected that It would have been bad on the end. I mean yes they needed Ian's coin to open the cave to find the clue but they look so surprised when Ian and Natalie leaves them on the cave and they shouldn't because that was obvious that they were going to betray them in the final. So they should have accepted the alliance but being more distant to the Kabras and preparing themselves in case they try something(which was obvious they would). But at the same time, I'm glad they didn't because AMYAN IS JUST MY ENTIRE LIFE(And even a little bit of Danatalie this book is Just a masterpiece). Just like In Too Deep, I love everything about that book, except the end. And I am a Kpop fan(not the cringe obssessed type) and I really like to study about North and South Korea and their history but South Korea's caves just left me depressed. I'm gonna cry so let's change the subject.

2-Storm Warning(Book Nine written by Linda Sue Park):

I love everything about this book. Literally everything. The start, the middle, the apex and the end. I love this book mainly because Natalie got the spotlight that she deserved. I don't know why I like Natalie so much since the start. Maybe because when I started Reading the books I was eleven, just like her. And Maybe because she was pretty, rich, savage and sassy wich I always wanted to be. But there is something more that I don't know how to explain that is really relatable about Natalie even with my reality being too different from hers and this book was the confirmation I needed that Natalie would be my favorite character Forever. I Also like it because it happened on Bahamas and Jamaica(two places I really want to go in the future) and It got a lot of revelations and twists in the end(wich I love more than everything on a book). If Storm Warning was a person and slapped my face I would probably say:Thanks, Could you do that again?

1-Into The Gauntlet(Book Ten written by Margaret Peterson Haddix):

I usually don't like the endings of books because I'm sad that it's over and as all the other books were good I usually demand a lot from the endings, even more than the beginnings (for me the final impression is the one that stays, not the first). I generally like the endings but I've never looked at a ending book and said: This one overcomes all the other books. I normally like more the start or the middle books. But man Into The Gauntlet caught me off guard. DoD is already a trash ending, comparing to Into The Gauntlet, DoD(fanfiction-forced-canon) seems even worse(if That's even possible). Everything about that book It's just top-notch, high quality, god tier, flawlessly perfect. Stan Haddix. We believe in Into The Gauntlet Supremacy.

It's going to have a part 2. Bye.

#the 39 clues #39 clues #39clues #book ranking #season 1

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princessofmerc · 2 years

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Do you think that if George does well with Mercedes, he will become the villain of F1? I'm seeing so many comments saying this and saying that he will get an ego if he starts winning ect. I do think that George does have an ego, and it's one of the many things I love about him, and why shouldn't he? he's talented! and as long as he doesn't start lashing out at other drivers again.

I can see him becoming the villain if he becomes a little shit and gives people reason to make him one & lets face it he's not as popular as Norris & Le Clerc and becomes dominant like Lewis has been - although as much as id like that to happen I don't think thats going to happen under the new regs.

He's the villain as in he will call out the FIA and the stewards on their bs especially if they continue the way they have been. And he will be more listened to than a 7 or by that time rightful 8 time world champion. Because he's British, White and by that point stead of rich REALLY richy. And we all know why. But that's another topic and he isn't to blame for that.

I hope he plays the villains and challenges the decisions of the FIA. Especially if u look at what happened in Brazil and after. I hope he's the one who openly criticises the stewards decisions. Y'know Seb has, Lando has.

But George as a director of the GPDA has a future in the sport and the other drivers recognise that and I believe it's not just down to the Mercedes ties.

people are asking for a strike and we've all been joking about it but George is more neutral than any of us (see his Abu Dhabi tweet). He's the right person for this. And it would not be a funny or wholesome or memey kind of thing.

George Russell is the future of the sport in more ways than MV0 or anyone else his age is. And if he stays realistic/a villain the way he is now, he might be the villain, but he also might change things for the good of the sport.

(also i dont think MV0 could do what he or nicky did in the williams the past two years but thats another discussion)

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jusvibbbin · 3 years

Text

Desert Dessert

Hoshi Sato x Reader

//For my dear friend @kawaiibandlover

//Also sorry for not writing since November. I am ashamed

“Helloooo?? Earth to (Y/N)”

You looked up from the book you had your nose buried halfway into and locked eyes with none other than Hoshi Sato.

“Hey what are yo- Oh no.”

Hoshi flashed you a playful grin and you groaned.

“I missed lunch again, didn’t I?”

You tried not to groan a second time when you looked at the clock to see you had missed lunch by an hour.

“It’s alright,” Hoshi laughed. “I ate lunch with some friends. You’ll remember next time… maybe.”

“I’m sorry. I’ve just been so busy with my work,” you said, rubbing the back of your neck awkwardly. “But I’m so close to a major breakthrough and then I can make it to lunch everyday.”

God it’s a wonder how such a klutz like me got to date someone like her.

As you smiled at her, Hoshi’s smile faltered.

“What’s wrong?” You knit your eyebrows together in concern. Dating Hoshi for almost two years made her easy to read. There wasn’t a secret between you.

“I got it… The position, teaching in Brazil. I leave in two months”

“Oh...” you looked deep into her eyes. You knew this was coming. She had told you from the moment you started dating that she was trying to teach down there. Not to mention she had always been in Starfleet, active duty or not.

I thought we’d have more time together.

“OH! Congratulations Hoshi!” You stood quickly and grabbed her hands.

Hoshi laughed out a ‘thank you’ and pulled you towards the exit of the library. All the while you were thinking of a way to celebrate her success before she had to leave.

It took you two weeks to plan the getaway, mostly because of how busy you were. Vulcan was new and exciting, and although they seemed to loathe humans, the Vulcans were interested in observing them enough to let a few Vulcan cargo ships full of tourists come once and a while. You thought about how lucky you were to get the tickets as you knocked on Hoshi’s door.

“Hey you! I figured you’d be hard at work. Come on in.”

Hoshi’s place was cozy, filled with interesting objects from dozens of different places. You weren’t much of a traveler, preferring to stay home and travel back in time with the books you studied in the archives. But for Hoshi, you’d go just about anywhere.

“I figured you’d be busy brushing up on your Portuguese,” you said taking a seat on her sofa. Hoshi gave you a look that said she never needed to ‘brush up’ and sat down besides you.

“So why the surprise visit?” she asked.

“Do I need a reason to visit my girlfriend?” You grinned at her, excitement for the trip taking over.

“No! It’s just you’re usually busy with work.”

“Well for two whole weeks I won’t be busy with work.”

Hoshi looked at you surprised.

“You won’t? What will you be doing?”

“You mean what will we be doing..?” you say as you pulled the tickets from out of your pocket.

Hoshi gasped and snatched the tickets from you.

“No way! How did you get these?!”

You grinned at her and just shook your head. “That my dear, is a secret.”

Hoshi hugged you before rushing into the kitchen. She returned after a few moments with a large bottle of champagne, opening it and pouring two glasses. You drank yours quickly, letting her know you still had a lot of work to get done before you went.

You kissed her softly at her apartment door.

“I will leave the itinerary in your capable hands,” you said before jogging home to finish your work for the night.

The ride on the freighter was decent enough. It took a while to get to Vulcan but you couldn’t complain considering how long it would’ve taken if you had been on an Earth ship. Hoshi was a bundle of excitement from start to finish. Having her plan the trip was both a blessing and a curse. You knew that she would get to see all she wanted to but that also meant that you would be all over Vulcan for the next two weeks. So much for a relaxing, romantic time.

Finally, you had made it to Vulcan. You had tried to look out the window but everyone else beat you to it. You didn’t mind, you’d see it soon enough. The ship started its descent and Hoshi grabbed your hand and smiled.

“Thank you for this. I can’t remember the last time I was this excited!”

“Anytime I get to spend with you is wonderful, you don’t ever have to thank me for that. Besides, who doesn’t love a good vacation?”

Famous last words…

“It’s a desert!?!”

You had come off the shuttle to make a shocking discovery. You were in fact not in a luscious utopia or a sandy beached paradise. You were just surrounded by sand. And rocks. And brush. And Vulcans looking rather frustrated at your foolish outburst.

You flushed, embarrassed, and pulled a cackling Hoshi to the side.

“When were you gonna tell me this place was dry, hot and dusty?”

Hoshi’s eyes widened as she looked at you.

“Seriously? I thought you were joking over there. Did you not know? Why did you buy tickets and not do any research? Research is like your whole thing.” Hoshi was right of course and you couldn’t blame her for your lack of knowledge.

“Correction. I do research, but I research the past. I had no idea we were booking a very expensive trip to the Gobi Desert.” You looked around at the vast emptiness again and internally kicked yourself.

“(Y/N), relax,” Hoshi said as she grabbed your hand and squeezed. “I know it looks like just a desert but there’s a lot of beauty everywhere you look. Not to mention a rich culture and history that some Vulcans are eager to share.”

You perked up when she emphasized history and Hoshi smiled.

“I planned plenty of things for both of us to enjoy and some time to just chill out with some cool water and ice cold baths.”

Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad

After two weeks of exploring ancient caves, trying Vulcan dishes and learning to see the true beauty in the fiery, red planet, Hoshi and you were relishing your last dinner on Vulcan.

“Alright, I think I’m warming up to the plomeek soup. But it just can’t beat your soba noodles,” you said with a chuckle.

Hoshi rolled her eyes as you kissed her head, getting up to grab a cake from the small kitchen in your rented room. You gingerly set it in front of Hoshi, eyeing it for a long time before settling in your chair. Hoshi barely looked at it, or the interesting centerpiece, as she blew out the candles marking your two year anniversary.

“We haven’t talked about me leaving,” Hoshi said awkwardly.

You looked up at her as she began to cut the cake. “No I suppose we haven’t. What did you want to discuss?”

Hoshi stopped her cutting and thought about her next words very carefully.

“(Y/N), I understand if you want to break up. It doesn’t feel right for me to ask you to stay with me if I’m that far away.”

You looked at Hoshi incredulously as she began cutting again, her eyes never leaving yours.

“Hoshi, I love you. I’ve loved you for two years now and a little distance isn’t going to change that. Besides...” you looked down to see Hoshi was almost done. “You might want to look at your dessert before you try to convince me to break up with you.”

As she took her piece, Hoshi looked down to see a simple gold ring on a frosted flower in the middle of the cake.

#hoshi sato #enterprise #star trek #hoshi x reader #star trek enterprise #oneshot #ent

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fedeipox · 3 years

Text

The Way of Time (Rdr2 fanfic) - Chapter 3 (1/2)

I don’t think you actually care about it, but I’ve chosen to write my Bachelor’s Degree Thesis about “Anglo-American Travel and Travel Writing in Italy”. Anglo-American folks, do you see? This is how much I love you guys!

Previously on TWoT: The thaw finally gives the VdL gang the possibility to move from Colter. Emily jumps on a wagon and enjoys the ride southward. In the meantime she gets the chance to know some of the members better. She finds more about their past, about their personalities, she is more and more interested in Arthur, the grumpy cowboy with the fairytale name, and she starts to appreciate them despite the fact that they are criminals. Now it is time to understand how things in their camp work.

Chapter 3 (1/2) - On the road

Words: 3k

On the road to Valentine, Emily found more than her love for the country, she found out she had new friends, some new kind of family, an uncommon family, a crazy family, a family of outlaws. She didn’t see it in these terms, of course, but we all know how it works with the Van der Linde gang: once you start getting attached, you’ll never let them go.

Anyway, at that moment, she couldn’t believe her own feelings. She had alway despised criminals: she believed laws were made for a reason, which is being followed, she hated thieves because she thought they took away the product of honest people’s work, not to mention murderers, who were nothing more than the worst kind of thieves, because they stole our most precious thing, our life.

So, how could she feel that way? She felt pity for them, for their stories, she felt emotionally attached to Hosea, who talked to her like a father, even better than her real father actually, she had to admit shamefully, because she had never had that kind of talk with him and he had never made her feel that way. In her house, her mother was the backbone of the family.

And then there was that Mr. Arthur, with his sarcasm and “tough and rough”way to do things, and handsome, again she had to admit that too. And Mary-Beth, she looked like the perfect friend, when she would open up a little - she probably was a little shy. And little Jack, she liked that kid too.

So, on the road to Valentine, Emily found more than her love for the country, she found out that people are people, no matter what they’ve done in their life, and that good and evil sometimes overlap.

“What’s this place called again?” asked Arthur.

“Horseshoe Overlook” answered Hosea.

“It’s a good place to lie low?”

“It’ll do for now. And how long do you think Dutch is going to lie low?”

“W-wait, I though you said we were going to Valentine” Emily stepped in.

“It’s a place near Valentine, yes” replied Hosea.

“But… we won’t stay in the city?”

“How do you think we can make twenty people stay in the city?” asked Mr. Morgan.

“And we have to hide, the law is still looking for us, we can’t risk to catch too much attention” added Hosea.

“I don’t understand, why are they looking for you?” she asked.

“On the left here, Arthur. Up the hill” Hosea said pointing at the left path at the crossroad. Then, he sighed and made a little pause before he explained her their situation.

We all know about the ferry job in Blackwater, how it all went to hell and how Dutch killed an innocent girl “in a bad way”, how Javier tells it. And we know how they had to flee from Blackwater because of the Pinkertons, and how some of them didn’t make it.

Emily remained silent after Hosea told her all this. She was thinking not about the fact that they had stolen a lot of money from that ferry, but about the amount of people who died for that theft. That girl on the ferry, that Davey and that Jenny in the mountains, not to mention all the people they had to shoot to get out of Blackwater. And from the way Hosea was talking about it, she could tell he wasn’t proud of how things had gone.

“Why you do that? Why are you criminals? Can’t you just… change your life?” she asked.

“That’s what we’re trying to do. Make enough money so we can buy some land out in the West and start a new life” answered Hosea.

“But why you have to steal it, can’t you take a loan from the bank or something like that?”

Hosea and Arthur chuckled.

“You’ll soon learn Dutch isn’t fond of the American government, and the bankers, and the industrialists, and everybody else who has just a little power on this land.”

Emily couldn’t understand what Hosea was telling her, she couldn’t understand what Dutch really wanted. He wanted a new life? He wanted to be a criminal? He wanted to fight the government? He reminded her of Robin Hood, but instead of taking from the rich to give to the poor, he took from everybody to give to his family.

After the climb up the hill, they found themselves in a plain ground where the path was surrounded by trees, and the more they followed it the thicker the trees became, until Arthur pulled the reins and made the wagon stop.

“There you are brother.”

Emily raised her head and looked at the man who had spoken, the one with the parted mustache and bowler hat, laying his back on a big rock at the edge of the road.

“Head in there and follow the track for a bit” he said pointing to a little side path among the trees.

Then, he reached the back of the wagon and hopped in.

“Okay, let’s go” he said with a gesture of his hand.

Emily looked at him and smiled. From close up, she could perfectly tell he came from some place in the South, like Colombia, or Mexico, or maybe Brazil. He also had a strange accent when he spoke, so she was pretty sure he wasn’t from there.

“Where do you come from, Mr…?”

“Javier, Escuella. Mexico.”

“Oh, I would’ve said something like Cuba. Do you like in here?”

“Yeah, I do. It’s a good country.”

“Are you gonna ask everybody about their lives?” said Mr. Morgan with annoyance.

Again, Emily couldn’t understand why he had to be so grumpy. She was just trying to have a conversation, know better the people she was gonna spent some time with.

“Why do you care, Mr. Morgan?” she laughed.

“I’m just afraid you’ll start make me insistent and annoying questions” he replied.

“Don’t worry, from now on I’ll avoid you like the plague” she joked.

Both him and Hosea chuckled.

“So, any trouble getting in here, Javier?” asked the latter.

“No, it went well. This is a good spot” he replied.

“Excellent. I think this will work for us, for now anyway.”

“Were are we going to sleep?” asked Emily as the thought of another night on the ground was starting to worry her.

“We got tents. It’s not like sleeping in the best hotel in town, I know, but it’s not the worst, either. You’ll get used to it” answered Hosea.

“Tents like… like camping?”

In that moment she understood what Dutch meant by “camp” when they had rescued her the day before. And yes, her fear had just been confirmed: she had to sleep on the ground, again.

“See for yourself. Here we are, home sweet home” Hosea said and at the same time the path into the woods ended and a clearing opened at their sight.

Mr. Arthur made the wagon stop again and Emily took a deep breath before standing up.

Javier was waiting for her, with his hand ready to be taken to help her getting down. It was the most courteous thing anybody had ever done for her and she looked at him with surprise for a moment before taking it.

“You weren’t wrong, Hosea. This place is perfect!” she heard the loud and thundering voice of Dutch saying.

“I hope so” replied Hosea.

“Hey, were have you been?”

She had just jumped down the wagon and she turned around to meet Mary-Beth’s eyes: she had removed the heavy coat and headscarf and she was wearing a pink shirt on a mauve long skirt.

Actually, the weather there was way better, the temperature warmer, and Emily didn’t felt anymore in need to wear that bottle-green woolen coat.

“I stayed behind with Hosea. You’ve already settled the camp” she stated looking at the tents around her.

“There’s still a lot to do. Come, I’ll show you around” said Mary-Beth taking one of the crates from the wagon and leading the way.

...

They walked through the tents, passing right in front of Abigail, who was bringing another carpet inside of hers.

“Hi Abigail!” Emily exclaimed.

Abigail answered with a smile before entering her tent, where she opened and left the carpet among the others on the ground next to John, sleeping on the cot thanks to the reverend’s morphine.

“We’ll sleep here” said Mary-Beth showing her their place, with the four bedrolls on the two big carpets.

“What, here?” she heard Emily ask as she left the crate under the tent.

“Yes.”

“We don’t have a tent?”

Mary-Beth looked at her and then pointed at the large piece of cloth above their heads.

“This is our tent.”

“I mean a real tent. Like that one” Emily said pointing at John’s tent.

“Only Dutch and John have those.”

“Why?”

“Because they are… they are…”

Emily and Mary-Beth looked at each other in the eye, exchanging a meaningful look. They both knew it wasn’t exactly right to leave the women sleep on the ground and out in the open air while they had all the privacy and comfortable cots they wished, but there were rules.

“So there is some kind of hierarchy here, like… they are on the top and all of us down here?”

“No, Dutch is the leader, and then Hosea, Arthur and John, then the men, then Miss Grimshaw and then us.”

“So it’s a patriarchal totalitarianism?”

Mary-Beth frowned, not understanding what she wanted to say with those big words.

“Never mind. There is a place I can wash?” Emily asked taking off the coat she had given her.

“If you want to have a bath, we have to go to town, or if you aren’t squeamish you can wash in the stream, but you won’t have much privacy there.”

Emily opened her mouth in astonishment and Mary-Beth was pretty sure she was about to say something outraged, but right at that moment Dutch called them all.

“Come it’s time for the speech” she said to the new girl.

“The speech?”

“I know that things have been tough, but we are safe now and we are far too poor” was saying Dutch as they both reached his tent quickly, where the rest of the group had gathered.

The speech was the same as always: we all need to work, no more passengers, bring some food, share what you got with the gang, be careful, don’t catch too much attention.

They had almost finished with the usual bunch of encouraging words when Mary-Beth felt the sleeve of her shirt pulled and turning her head she saw Emily looking at her with an expression she couldn’t make out.

As the speech ended and the people scattered, going back to their works, trying to make that place livable, she turned to face the new girl.

“What?” she asked.

“I have to pee.”

...

She hadn’t drunk a single drop of water, and the extreme cold of the mountain had forced her body to keep all on the inside, but when she removed that coat it was like every single muscle relaxed and it came altogether. She needed a bathroom.

That speech was nothing more that a series of rules they apparently had to follow: go around, make some money - even though she had no idea how to do that - put some in the box, bring some food…

What the heck did “bring some food” mean? Couldn’t they go to the market and just buy things like all normal people do? It was 1899, so she supposed markets and stores already existed.

She couldn’t restrain herself anymore, so as soon as they finished with that dictatorial shit, Emily pulled Mary-Beth’s sleeve.

“What?”

“I have to pee.”

“Well then, go in the woods.”

Emily widened her eyes and for a moment she was about to laugh, but then she understood Mary-Beth wasn’t joking.

“But…what about a toilet? Don’t you…” but she stopped halfway of her sentence.

How were toilets in 1899? Did they have them?

“If you have to go, go in the woods” repeated Mary-Beth.

“What about toilet paper?”

Mary-Beth raised her eyebrows and nodded.

“Yes, come” she said and leaded her back to her tent, their tent, how she had to call it from now on.

She went to the back of the wagon right behind the place they were going to sleep and opened a box from which she took a roll of paper very similar to the one they used in 2020, just a little different in color and consistency.

“Here, don’t use too much, this thing is expensive” said Mary-Beth as Emily took a couple of sheets.

“Are you sure you have no toilets?” she asked still full of hope.

“I have no idea what that means.”

Emily looked at her freckled face trying to find another word to make her understand, when it suddenly came to her mind.

“Restrooms” she exclaimed with a snap of her fingers.

“Restrooms?” asked a voice from behind her.

She turned around and met Karen’s bewildered expression.

“Where men go to make their things?”

“And women don’t?” asked Emily.

“I’m afraid not. Only men can use them” Mary-Beth informed her.

“And we don’t have one, you can find it…”

“In town. Yes, I got it” Emily said with a puff.

There was one reason why she never went camping with her friends: lack of bathrooms.

Sleeping on the ground for a couple of days, she could endure that. Cooking things on a campfire, that could be fun. Bugs and wild animals, unless it was something extremely disgusting like cockroaches, it was fine. But bathrooms… No place to wash properly, no private space to do her things, she couldn’t stand that, and yet there she was.

“I can’t believe I just did that” she murmured to herself walking out of the woods.

As the shadow casted by the trees ended and she stepped in the sunlight, Emily looked at the camp in front of her standing against the endless background of the Heartlands. She had heard of that place, one of the most beautiful of all the States, but she didn’t expect it to be like that, and the tents they had settled fitted perfectly with the general view. The rurality and simplicity of that sight made her feel like she was in some kind of movie, and made her curious to see how those people lived their everyday life.

She started wandering around: she exchanged a smile with Javier Escuella, asked to Mary-Beth what she was reading, peeked inside Dutch’s tent, the most articulate and comfortable of all the tents, which sight made her a little angry, then she stopped for a while to watch Charles Smith chopping the wood for the campfire, and in the end she approached a table, where Uncle and the big man with the long brown beard were seated.

“Hello” she said sitting next to them on one of the upside-down barrels, and noticing they both had a bottle of what seemed to be beer in their hands, she thought it was a little too early for drinking.

“Hello, dear. Oh! I got something for you” chuckled Uncle standing up and leaving.

“W-what…” she stuttered moving her eyes from Uncle’s back stumbling away to the other man, who shrugged.

“Isn’t it a little too early for that?” she asked pointing at his bottle.

“Mind your business!”

He had a growling angry voice that made her jump on her seat when he snapped in that way.

“Hey, I was just saying. Sorry if I offended you.”

“Your the one who says you come from the future, right?”

Emily sighed and looked away.

“Yes” she murmured.

“So you know how things will go? Like, what will become of the West?”

Emily fixed her eyes on the man’s face, asking herself what were his intentions, if he was just playing with her, or if the beer he was drinking had already gone way up to his head.

“I mean” he whispered leaning forward on the table and as a reflex Emily did the same so that now their faces were really close and she could smell the alcohol in his breath.

“Will it stay untamed?”

Emily considered what she had to reply to him: the truth, the hard truth, or a lie?

“We’ll we have the chance to live free?”

He looked like he was truly believing in the fact that she came from the future.

“For the first question: no, the West will be tamed in the end. For the second, I don’t know what to tell you, I’m not a fortune teller.”

The man withdrew from her, looking at her with wary eyes and the same did she, still not sure if he was drunk or anything else.

“Here, my dear.”

Emily turned to Uncle as he sat down again.

“You forgot these on the wagon this morning” he said giving her the oatcakes tin box. “What was Mr. Williamson here telling you?”

“I’m not sure” she replied narrowing her eyes to look at the big man, while he took a sip from his bottle.

“Anyway, thank you for these, Uncle” she said standing up.

“No big deal, no big deal at all.”

Emily headed to what she supposed to be the camp kitchen since Mr. Pearson the cook was there with a big pot on a table putting things inside it. She smiled as he noticed her, but she didn’t stop to talk and opened the tin box to take an oatcake from it.

Chewing happily for the recover of her source of nourishment she kept walking around the kitchen until she found something that took her smile away. There was a man, someone who she had never seen before, tied to a tree like he was some kind of prisoner. She walked closer, pushed both by the curiosity and the pity for that figure.

“Please, please, water” he whispered without looking at her and she immediately turned around looking left and right and asking herself where could she find water.

Then, she stopped, thinking about the reason why that man was tied, why he was a prisoner. Maybe he was a bad man, a dangerous man, and the fact that she was in a camp of criminals could only make her wonder how dangerous he had to be, if they were so scared by him that they had to tie him up. Emily decided that she didn’t want to find out and taking another bite from her oatcake she walked away as fast as she could.

#rdr2 #red dead redemption #red dead redemption 2 #red dead redemption fanfiction #arthur morgan #arthur morgan x female oc #hosea matthews #Charles Smith #javier escuella #dutch van der linde #mary-beth gaskill #abigail roberts #karen jones #bill williamson

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everydayanth · 4 years

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American Beauty Standard: A Brief History and Modern Application

I learned this in an anthropology class and I don’t remember the resources, but I know one of them was Tocqueville talking about the American obsession with committees and associations as a way to accomplish tasks with people from tons of different cultures and backgrounds and no formal aristocratic class.

So, back in the day of colonial America all the way through like... probably modern day if we’re honest, wealthy families that came to America kept strong ties with relatives or positions in their home countries. When their sons came of age to marry, they would often find a wealthy upper-class woman from their home country or ethnic background to wed, which meant that wealth circulated the culture it was coming from. A wealthy English lad would go to London and find himself a lady to bring to the US, a wealthy Frenchman would stay with his family in Paris or wherever, the would tour the continent blah blah, and come home with an upstanding lady of the gentry.

UNLESS an American girl could catch their interests first. This was why American girls were taught independent skills (homemaking rather than the class skills of entertaining), why they were allowed to marry for love (lack of a gentry class and singular cultural/social rules to follow), and why, at the end of the day, beauty became the most valuable tool.

Because a poor American girl who was beautiful and useful could out compete the European class rules of etiquette to secure herself a wealthy husband. And if you start there and work your way forward, our obsessions with smart or pretty girls (but watch out for too-smart or too-pretty), our beauty pageants and cosmetics advertising, our taboos and traditions, our girl vs. girl competition, it all starts to make sense.

Because being beautiful, witty, and useful meant you could be noticed and loved or admired, and married to a wealthy man. Wealth meant comfort and comfort meant safety and safety meant security and security meant freedom. Isn’t that what we all want? Isn’t that what we still want? Aren’t we still just competing for independence, for respect and freedom? Same tools, in many ways the same world. Girls fighting over college admissions, internships, medical research funds, they aren’t any different from girls competing in beauty pageants or arts, it’s always about freedom and for some, beauty is a way to get there.

There are a lot of socially aware people on the internet and I just wanted to add this nugget of history to the conversation about beauty standards. We seem to be aware that being able to follow trends is a sign of wealth, we seem to easily discuss that beauty standards themselves are an impossible oppressive tool to control and manipulate, and we are perfectly blunt about the wealth of industries capitalizing off insecurities. I wanted to bring this history into the conversation as well. Because like it or not, competition and our ability to be “wives” has historically been part of “American” culture since colonization, and that includes an incredible amount of isolated puritan and protestant extremists coming to the “new world” because their countries called them out on some bullshit or maintained economically exclusive advantageous relationships with their leaders.

Anyway: American [white] female beauty standards begin with competition for wealthy husbands and the illusion of comfort and freedom they could provide (with plenty of truth to the illusion) and still exists today. American girls were taught to “make” a home as a resource for their husbands while their European counterparts (of the same [similar] class) were often taught to entertain and host within the home as an accessory to her husband’s success, as expected by their class and/or station (often equally oppressive).

There are so many other interesting components to the conversation as well and I just figure that if we’re interested in having it at all, I might throw some other things out here:

WARNING: Long geeking rant about individual body adaptions and why they are incredibly beautiful follows:

Like how male beauty also evolved, with Americans emphasizing the fitness of a laborer or farmer, becoming the independent middle class, while their middle class European counterparts were often more slight and “intelligent” (relative, as perceived by access to education) businessmen, lawyers, doctors, etc., as they retained the inherited gentry and the American self-made man became more desirable to American women who had no single cultural courtship ritual and so relied on love and picking out a reliable husband based on their own choosing (which leads to its own conversation on American victim-blaming in assaults on females, especially when combined with that puritan past).

Which is then complicated further when looking at pockets of immigration where different adapted physical male bodies are living next to one another in America (the Dutch and Polish of W. Mich are a great example). They are separated by countries in Europe, so their different builds are suddenly compared in an entirely new environment that doesn’t necessarily fulfill their previous adaptions (MI isn’t as cold as Poland, so the shorter stature isn’t as useful, while the sexual selection of the tall Dutch male remains, it isn’t as differentiated from other larger Europeans (like lowland Germans and Scandinavians), and so isn’t as genetically insulated.

Anyway, these are all focused on “white America,” other cultures and ethnicities will also have changing and adaptive standards for different reasons. There are also some we will share as a whole culture. We’re having smaller families so each child will want to be the most healthy available. Guess what big booties are a sign of? Healthy babies (the type of rich fat stored in the butt is used to help form baby brains and shit), so as a general correlation, humans tend to figure out that curves = healthy babies. As our family-size expectations get smaller with the lowering of infant mortality and rise of individual life expectancy/health/comfort of average citizen, and as we push the age of first conception, we want to make sure that one-shot kid is healthy af.

Being black anywhere but the American South is hard, and even that’s muggy and wet as opposed to the drier conditions of the west coast of Africa many African Americans were adapted for when brought as slaves. Which means the likelihood of being vitamin D deficient is higher, without being too crass or negating to address social racism issues, I’ll round it out and say we’re all going to eventually have a Brazil effect, where people living in areas for a long while will adapt to them or “breed into” them and we all become a similar middle skintone. The SW US is going to be more “Mexican” because that’s the “proper” (ie most useful) adaptive skin tone to protect from the changing climate there, while those in a place like the Olympic Peninsula in WA are going to be a bit lighter as an adaption to the weather, but probably not as white as Europeans.

What is natural for an area’s skintone is also based on diet. The Inuit and Sami live at a similar parallel but the Inuit are much darker skinned on average. Why? Well, they eat more fish and seafood with Omega3s and Vitamin D (therefore needing less of the Vitamin D to enter through skin from sunlight) and live often on open plains (therefore absorbing more sunlight when it is there), while the Sami eat more red meats from reindeer herds with less Vitamin D, and travel through fields/forests (therefore needing more Vitamin D to enter through skin which results in lighter skin).

My favorite statistic I ever learned was that on average, an African’s skin can absorb NINE TIMES more sunlight than their European counterpart without getting burned. Nine times! For one hour in the hazy European sun, a black person would need to spend nine (+) to get proper Vitamin D amounts, while in Africa, a white person after ONE HOUR would begin to burn from too much uv. That’s so cool! Bodies are crazy awesome!

That applies to hair texture as well, black hair is often coiled to protect the head (you know, cus we stand on two legs and it’s in the sun all the time). Two inches of coiled black hair can dispose of that 9x uv by holding onto water and a bunch of other crazy amazing processes, while two inches of white hair generally dries quickly and lies flat against the head to insulate and keep warm, not expel heat.

Hair, eye, and skin color are all affected by melanin counts in the body (or melanocytes, which is where melanin is created, including collections of melanin at melanocytes which cause freckles and moles!), lots of melanin produced by the body makes someone darker skinned, but that doesn’t mean they need the coiled hair protection from the sun, which gives us so many varieties of follicle shape (which is what defines the curl tightness or looseness of a hair, with round holes producing straight hair and curved/slanted holes producing curls and coils like how you curl a Christmas ribbon with scissors, which means yes, you can have curly patches on your skull, your hair will change as you grow and based on your diet, hydration, products, etc.).

Having little to no melanin makes someone “albino,” or extremely light (which affects eyesight as having little or no pigment in the iris doesn’t shield the retina from light, though some may simply have extremely low pigment with light blue eyes). There are in-between colors like red hair, hazel/green eyes, and highly-freckled skin that result from different concentrations of melanin in different parts of the body, and there are things like heterochromia (different color eyes) which result from different concentrations of melanin in the same body part, and other things like Vitiligo (what Michael Jackson had), where concentrations in melanin change overtime, in this case from the shutting down of melanocytes which then produce little or no pigment for the skin, causing patches of whiteness.

There are so many ways for bodies to be different from one another and it’s incredible when you start to understand how unique our individual combinations are! Nose size is a direct correlation to air humidity, as are our sinuses. Face shape can often be the result of language, people from the American midwest accent will have rounder cheek apples from pulling their mouths wide and working different muscles than those with say, an RP British accent who pull their jaws down and cheeks in instead of wide on many vowels, resulting in more defined cheekbones. Jawlines are a symbol of genetic diet, if you have a less defined jaw, your ancestors were probably coastal people, more adapted to seafood proteins, which requires less chewing than those in higher altitude and mountain regions, which would require herds of red meat or poultry for protein, which is more chewing, plus the different textures plants must have to grow at different altitudes and climates. This is a loose correlation and there are plenty of other factors that combine to make different results, but they always fascinate me!

Why are African men often stereotypically faster than Europeans? Because their adapted environment is often flat savannah and adaptions for running long distances and fitting the climate generally involve being tall to expel more heat through the skin (while a cold-adapted person is generally more stout and short to keep more heat in with less skin surface area – there are always exceptions for other reasons, the Dutch are tall due to sexual preference of females, the African Baka people are shorter due to reasons still being discovered, most recently it is thought to due with denying puberty growth hormones because denying them retains immunity to certain dangers found in the environment or provides some advantages over niche environments). Part of being adapted tall and slim to dispel heat (Allen and Bergman’s laws for you curiosos) is that pelvises are more narrow, males even more than females, and narrow hips mean more straight femurs rather than the slight bow of wider/rounder hips, which means, if you go to physics, a faster turnover with no need for overcorrecting the bow, and less strain on joints. While a European body adapted to its environment would require different survival adaptations, the bow of the femur allows for less speed, but often more agility for moving through forests and up and down highland slopes and rocky craigs. Again, there are always exceptions, which is why you cannot identify race by a skeleton, though there are probabilities.

Adaptions to altitude are their own category and they begin from birth and before. It’s so cool! Being born in high altitudes develops larger lungs for taking in more oxygen in the less oxygen-dense atmosphere, which can develop into barrel lung, where the chest is nice and round like a barrel to allow the lungs full expansion. That’s so cool! When I go to higher altitudes, my sea-level coastal body is just like... wheeze. I also broke a bunch of ribs and they don’t expand easily due to complications, so it’s even harder for me to be at a higher altitude now, being adapted to it if I have to live there sounds ideal.

We seem to understand things like race are a result of biological adaptation to environments, but we don’t often carry on the conversation past that. What does adapting to climate change look like? What about colonization and immigration? What about pollution? What adaptions happened in the past, did we lose them when they were no longer necessary? How long does it take for people to become adapted to a new environment? Generations? Why do we socially present some things as more desirable than others? Why do we create beauty standards at all? How does a shared culture of diverse backgrounds even have a “standard?”

Everything comes down to predicting health and trying to live longer, to protect ourselves from danger. Whether that’s trying to be accepted by an outsider community or blending in with the “standard” at large, our understanding of beauty will continue to change as our social, political, economic, and climate/environment aspects of our shared culture change as well. For me, learning about why my body is the way it is was endlessly enlightening. Any doubts about my big nose (which was also broken, so bigger than my relatives’) are quelled by understanding that it helps humidify and avoid that horrible feeling I hate in dry air where it feels like my nose is going to start bleeding (I’ve only gotten it in saunas though). Moving around the country helped too, I understood a lot more about the purpose of those adaptions and saw how different localized beauty is marketed.

In Southern California, along the coast, the ocean spray makes everyone’s hair a bit curly, the humidity is high and I loved it (Jake, not so much). But the sun got to me. I got so many new freckles and my skin was always a bit dry, I had to work extra hard to stay hydrated and moisturized (even though my Polish side tans really well and I don’t burn easily, I was always dehydrated). Then we moved up to Seattle and I loved it even more! My hair stayed curly (though I’ve since learned that shower water and products make the biggest difference), I got more freckles as my skin adapted to not needing so much melanin and my hair got a lot darker for a while, my eyes seemed to get lighter in San Diego, which was crazy (and kinda cool). Then we moved to the desert-desert, the straight Mojave, and my body did not love it. I smelled all the time (dry air, my sweat is made for humid, but not too humid lol, that’s why I think white people smell in Asia and it’s not just a stereotype), my hair got sun-bleached and I lost a lot of the curl, it wasn’t the worst, but I was only there for a few months. Then we came to New England and I started to notice the change in trends and how my own preferences had changed in beauty and fashion. Marginal peripheral influence will do a lot and I can’t imagine living in that with none of the “qualifying” standards.

So basically, I’m writing this book of a post to say that if we step back and look at all the pieces, they have reasons, some of them shallow, others valid, but that they are changing and will always be changing and so is all of humanity. Your body is doing amazing things to protect you every single day, beyond digesting your food and feeding you dopamine. Every single thing about it has a purpose and a goal or a reason, except for maybe genetic mutations. I’m not going to go stand on a hill and say you’re missing an arm or your body hates you for a reason, my body built my stomach outside of me during fetal development and I promise that was just a fuck up, there was no reason (but my mom will tell you there was and it was God).

Bodies are crazy cool, sometimes they mess up and make cancer and don’t notice and it gets too big and we need help. Sometimes they only have one red-haired gene and we get blonde and brunette men with confusing bright red beards (lol, Jake), sometimes we’re in the middle of an adaption and we get patchy beards while living in a society that values them (looking at you, boys from genetic lines of men adapting to humidity where beards kinda suck or cultures that don’t like them). Sometimes we have been moved to a place where our genes aren’t as advantageous or actually hurt us and we don’t know about it or have to work harder than others to stay healthy, and sometimes our native or natural diet isn’t available to us and we work really hard to stay healthy but our bodies just don’t respond because they can’t or won’t.

For some people it feels overwhelming, or blasphemous, to talk about humanity as a whole, to look at ourselves as a single version of all the endless possible combinations of changes that can happen in a body, but I find it incredible! There is no one like you, but there are people who are similar, there are places where you’re perfect and there are cultural adaptions to help you when you’re not. Understanding the reason or purpose behind the body’s reasons for selection or change, combined with the lottery of your localized DNA options from your parents and potential genetic mutations during development and later in life, understanding that the body is always changing and adapting to what is best for you or catching up from past changes can explain so much of ourselves!

I just think it’s really cool!

I used to geek out about it a lot more and Jake would play a game where he would point at a face and ask me to guess their genetic heritage or combination of peoples/geographies. He still does it sometimes, I’m pretty good at it, but it’s more fun to be wrong and surprised, if I’m honest. Humans are just cool.

That being said, if there’s a thing about yourself you don’t like or don’t understand, that you feel doesn’t fit in to beauty standards and never will (for me, it was my nose and freckles, why so many freckles?), shoot me a message and I’ll do my best to tell you why it might be a thing so you can appreciate the incredible diversity of your own body as it adapts to your ancestors’ forced or willing migrations and changes to fit its new environments!

American beauty standards are complicated, but if there is one thing they always revolve around, it’s a humble confidence in your own value. I found that value in others, in seeing how intricate and unique humans are from each other, which lead to an appreciation of my own unique pieces. No industry standard or media pacification can take that or change it or judge it, because it’s your body doing its absolute best with the tools it has to protect you and make you the safest and most comfortable you can be in any place of the world. <3

#thanks for coming to my ted talk #sorry for the book #sorry not sorry #adaption #humanity #beauty standards #american beauty standards #anthropology #culture #society #beauty #beauty trends #diversity #unique

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orbemnews · 3 years

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Uprooting Colonialism From the Fossil-Finding Field In 2019, Mohamad Bazzi, a doctoral student at Uppsala University in Sweden, launched an expedition to Tunisia in search of fossils. He and his colleagues traveled to the phosphate mines around the city of Gafsa, where 56 million-year-old rocks record a time of rapidly warming oceans and mass extinctions, particularly of apex predators like sharks. Mr. Bazzi made some distinctive choices for this paleontological expedition. For starters, his team hired Tunisians to help dig, rather than bringing students from his university. Mr. Bazzi and his colleagues also chose to reach out to the residents of Gafsa wherever possible, holding impromptu lectures on the area’s fossil history to interested onlookers. This was a contrast with the secretiveness of many paleontologists in the field, who might worry about their sites being raided for the fossil black market. The fossils the team collected from Gafsa are important for learning more about how animals adapted to the hothouse world of the Eocene, a period that may foretell what’s in store for the planet in coming years if carbon emissions don’t slow. But while Mr. Bazzi’s team removed the fossils from Tunisia, they did so under an agreement with local institutions that Mr. Bazzi himself insisted on: After he finished his research, the remains would be returned. Historically, these specimens are seldom returned, and locals may never see them again. But Mr. Bazzi and his colleagues are part of a movement among the next generation of paleontological researchers, one attempting to change scientific practices that descend directly from 19th century colonialism, which exploited native peoples and their natural histories. Over the last few decades, multiple countries have demanded the return of looted art, antiquities, cultural treasures and human remains from museum collections in North America and Europe. Countries such as Mongolia and Chile have likewise demanded the return of collected fossils, from tyrannosaur bones to the preserved remains of giant ground sloths. “There’s a consistent pattern with these specimens of high scientific or aesthetic value, where they’re taken out of the developing world and shipped abroad to be displayed and shown to a wider audience elsewhere,” Mr. Bazzi said. “There should be some balance so that local parties have a say in what happens to them.” Many countries with less money to spend on funding their own scientists are home to important fossil deposits that could drive major advances of our understanding of the prehistoric world. If the field of paleontology is to move forward, these researchers say, it’s important to figure out how to study specimens in these places without extending colonial legacies. That will take the development of a different approach to the field, more like the ones being tried by Mr. Bazzi and other scientists that rely less on extraction and more on collaboration with and the development of local institutions. While many cultures throughout human history have long traditions around collecting or studying fossil remains, the discipline of scientific paleontology — as well as the formation of modern natural history museums — arose in the 18th century, when European powers were actively colonizing large swaths of the globe. According to Emma Dunne, an Irish paleontologist at University of Birmingham in England, European scientists were part of a colonial network that sucked natural wealth — including fossils — into imperial capitals. In the 20th century, some countries pushed back. Brazil and Argentina provide government funding of paleontology. Those countries and others, such as Mongolia, established laws forbidding the export of fossils from within their borders. The two South American countries also mandate that foreign researchers work with local paleontologists for research on fossils found in the country. “You still do have non-Argentinian researchers working with local ones, for example,” said Nussaibah Raja-Schoob, a Mauritian paleontologist based at Germany’s University of Erlangen-Nuremberg. “But you definitely see that there is a bigger local influence.” Even in the aftermath of colonialism, however, fossils from across the globe still tend to end up in American and European museums. Some are collected through approved scientific expeditions. But because fossils are also traded privately, fossil-rich countries with fewer resources and legal protections often see interesting and potentially valuable finds put up for auction in Western markets. Questions about where fossils belong and who is best suited to work on them have sparked sharp controversies in recent years. In some cases, researchers have raised concerns about the ethics of working on such privately collected fossils — particularly those which may have been exported illegally. At the same time, paleontologists in Western countries have bristled at the rules required by countries like Brazil. In one case in 2015, David Martill, a paleobiologist at the University of Portsmouth in England, dismissed questions about his team’s lack of collaboration with Brazilian researchers on a specimen found there. “I mean, do you want me also to have a Black person on the team for ethnicity reasons, and a cripple and a woman, and maybe a homosexual too just for a bit of all round balance?” he said in an interview at the time with Herton Escobar, a Brazilian science journalist. Dr. Martill said in an interview in December that he chose his words poorly. But he said he remains opposed to laws that dictate where fossils go. In 2020, he was a co-author of a paper on another find exported from Brazil and described without a Brazilian co-author. “I do not think governments should dictate who works on fossils,” he said. “I think scientists should be able to choose who they work with.” These sorts of controversies are one example of the way the discipline’s colonial history lingers, Ms. Raja-Schoob says. But there are others. Much of global paleontology is still conducted in languages like English, German and French. And according to an ongoing research project by Ms. Raja-Schoob and Dr. Dunne, countries with higher G.D.P.s — places like the United States, France, Germany and China — tend to report more fossil data, in part because they have the money to invest in academic paleontology programs. Many institutions around the world have neither the tools nor enough government support for sophisticated studies of fossils. But that is something scientific institutions from wealthier countries can help with. “We have to ask why we’re bringing this knowledge to the centers, rather than spreading it out,” Dr. Dunne said. “We can work with things like 3-D scans of fossils, we can work with digital data sets. The problem obviously is getting funding for museums to do this for themselves.” Ms. Raja-Schoob said that academic funding could promote geology and paleontology in more countries. “Why not put that money into local people doing something?” she asked. “At the end of the day we are all going to be using that data. So why should they not also benefit?” While the fossil riches present in the rocks of North Africa and the Levant have long drawn fossil hunters and scientists, Mr. Bazzi said, the majority of fieldwork has resulted in fossils being exported to European or American institutions. Mr. Bazzi’s parents are from Lebanon, while his colleague Yara Haridy — a doctoral student at Berlin’s Museum für Naturkunde — was born in Egypt. Because of the lack of opportunities, neither can find steady academic work in paleontology in the Middle East. As part of their trip to Gafsa, both wanted to try to start building up paleontological resources instead of just removing them. That was part of what led Mr. Bazzi and Ms. Haridy — after many careful conversations with local participants over coffee and tea — to the ruins of a museum in the small mining town of Métlaoui. The museum had been burned down during the protests of the 2011 Jasmine Revolution that helped trigger the Arab Spring. It had not been restored, and on their third day in Tunisia, a mining engineer told them it might be worth visiting. Stepping carefully through the ruins, they found an unexpected wealth of fossil material: immense turtle shells, crocodile jawbones, dinosaur vertebrae and even ancient human remains, all scattered across dusty floors and charred rubble. The collection had to be salvaged, the team decided, but not taken out of the country. “Every other question we got was, ‘Oh, are you guys going to take this stuff?,’” Ms. Haridy said. “And we told them, no, it’s yours. It should stay here. It’s part of this region’s story.” Instead, they partnered with the people of Métlaoui to help them save the remains. Within a day, the town’s mayor and other community authorities had assembled local workers and students from Gafsa University. Mr. Bazzi’s team handed out gloves and masks and a stream of Métlaoui residents went to work pulling fossils from the ruins. “It was a pretty big operation,” Ms. Haridy said. “Everyone got really excited.” The team cataloged the bones before boxing and sending them to a government facility in Gafsa. The hope is that the museum remains will provide the nucleus for an ongoing paleontology program at Gafsa University; Mr. Bazzi has been helping to supervise interested students. One such student, Mohammed Messai, said that he didn’t know much about paleontology before meeting Mr. Bazzi, but that he’s now made identifying the fossils recovered from the museum part of the research for his master’s degree in science. It’s important for paleontologists to build genuine partnerships with local researchers, Ms. Haridy said. Not only does this create community engagement and prompt people to regard fossils as worth protecting, it also helps ensure that specimens are properly studied when they are returned to their country of origin. “There’s this problem where even if a country demands fossils back, like Egypt did for a long time, a lot of the paleontological knowledge doesn’t necessarily return with it,” she said. Without investing in independent paleontology programs in the countries in question, fossils can end up “consigned to a dusty room, where nobody knows what to do with it.” But efforts to create more inclusive and distributed paleontological networks face considerable headwinds. “Funders don’t necessarily put any emphasis on the ethical side of the research,” Dr. Dunne said. “We do rely a lot on other countries for their data. Fossils are worldwide, they’re global, they don’t respect political boundaries. But we should be identifying these patterns of colonial bias in our research and stopping them.” To some extent, the presence of these conversations is itself a sign of change. “When I began paleontology some 45 years ago these issues were of no concern,” Dr. Martill said. “Today, they seem to be dominating paleontological discussions. Perhaps it is me who is now out of touch.” He added that, “a fantastic new generation of paleontologists emerging and they are flexing their muscles and demanding different things.” For now, Mr. Bazzi’s team hopes to drive funding toward local paleontology in Tunisia. “Ideally, the Tunisian government would just believe these people on their own and agree that their fossils are important and worthy of preservation, and is of international interest,” Ms. Haridy said. “But they tend to get interested once scientists are actually actively trying to visit and actively trying to work with people.” “You now have local people starting to drive this themselves,” Mr. Bazzi said. “Eventually there will be no need for others to come and do it.” Source link Orbem News #Colonialism #field #FossilFinding #Uprooting

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