Can we make our own 'from our own correspondent'

[teafortwo]

I love love love this radio show...

news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/default.stm

Can we please please please have a thread that has a vibe a bit like this?

We can have a bunch of parents who live all over the World in all kinds of countries (including Blighty), with all kinds of neighbours and themselves living in all kinds of situations (rural, city, suburbs and anything inbetween) explaining what is happening where they live. Day to day things (what is on sale at your local market, what you ate for lunch), portraits of figures in your community (e.g a lovely old village character), big news stories (e.g student riots), little news stories (a much loved dog has died that used to wander around the town centre), arguements in the cafe (sport, politics, religion), music and dance (e.g I notice all Parisian teenagers like to do this weird wiggling dance and they even have lessons for how to do it on national telly), observations on things that are different from where you come from (I don't know...e.g a New Yorker's take on living in the Lake District), interesting discussions on languages spoken... etc etc... I think it could be fun!!!

So tell me...

Am I making sense?

and..

What do you think? Shall we give it a go?

Ihave been musing on mysterious use of henna in Middle East and Asia.
Here in Bangladesh, middle aged men dye their beards and hair a bright red carrotty orange or sometimes magenta/purple.It is absolutely bonkers!

They also dip their fingersin henna like Turks do (we lived their before here). Turkish women would also henna soles of feet.

Now, delicate filigree henna patterns on limbs and extremities I can get. Turning your fingers and feet a splotchy red/brown that looks like you had a fight with a bottle of ink, I cannot.

not read that Sue - but will look out for it.

MrsSpratt I have wanted to read that - is it good?!?!

Sue - the youngest Anzacs mother wishes she had done that or told someone that he was too young in the hope that they would send him home but then she thought she would lose him forever - which she did in the end.

Hi everyone I'm the new fooc around here.
As Tea for Two says I'm an author which is no where near as exciting as it sounds.
In fact I've spent all today chained to my PC, editing my latest book, ignoring my DCs, and eating peanuts.
Bloody editor mailed the mss last night and expected it back by tomorrow.
The trouble is I never dare say 'can't get that done for you, the kids want to go to the park/burp the alphabet/eat,' as everyone in publishing seems to be a young single glamourous thang.
Any ways...I got it done...and tomorrow we have family arriving from oop north so the wine and the 'alright our kid' s will flow.

Eidsvold - the rigs book is a good laugh and quite traveloguey rather than literary genius and a very quick read, but then it's not a testo-fest a la Andy McNabb & friends either, IYKWIM! He goes to some interesting places and has some shall-we-say 'earthy' experiences. IIRC, he is Australian from Perth area.

Hello Litchick, where's home for you?

I laughed like a drain at that book, MrsSprat, very funny indeed. He has a new one out now.

We've mostly lived in Scotland but have had a stint in Indonesia about 5yrs ago and have been in Nigeria for over 2.5yrs.

LOL teafortwo

I had heard about Trumps venture in Scotland. I think my Dad was ranting about it. I wonder what will happen.

I always love the intricate henna patterns on feet. Not sure about your entire foot being red though. I remember being in Poland and almost all the women having Hennaed hair. Here they bleach it. You can spot the Pole a mile away. Actually, someone stopped me in the Library the other day and asked me if I was Polish. When I said I didn't, he went "Well, you look Polish so I thought you would." I explained that my Grandfather was from Poland and apologised profusely. It would actually be very useful to speak Polish here. I wonder if I could learn.

Welcome litchick

I love reading this thread, thankyou!

I should add, I do not have hennaed hair nor is it bleached. But I have dark hair and a pointy nose. Very witch-like in fact.

might put that rigs book and its follower on my christmas list.

Chicklit - Welcome!!! I am glad you joined us. So tell us about where you live!

Day to day things, portraits of figures in your community, big news stories, little news stories, arguements in the cafe or at the school gate, music and dance, observations on things that are special in your area, interesting discussions on languages spoken... etc etc...

oooops I meant litchick

I find the subject of beauty ideals facsinating too, moondog.

Due to the path recent history has taken in Paris black people are rarely Carribean, as in London but, often from or decendents of people from the French African colonies.

I walk round Paris dressed in M&S ("What that coat is M&S? No!!??!! It looks like something in Prada this season!") and Next clothes because this is what, because of my life experiences, I am comfortble with wearing.

With this same mentality African women often dress in beautiful highly patterned African dresses with matching baby slings. The first time my daughter saw a group of women dressed in such a way, it was on the metro and one lady sat down beside us, my daughter lent over me and hugged the surprised lady. She looked so beautiful to her newborn eyes.

It is also not unusual to see a woman on a busy metro with perminant tribal marks either tattooed (actually I think this is New Caladonian)or scratched (Is that the right word or would you say cut? They are deep scars you see.) on her face. These I find curious and rather unpleasant (like body piercing and any other tattoos) because I find myself thinking of the pain she would have felt having these marks put on. But, I suppose for people in general and women inparticularly whatever culture or cultures we belong to we seem to have to suffer sometimes just a little bit but often quite a lot to shape our bodies to cultural ideals!

Moondog, when my SIL from Bangladesh came to see us she had done that with her finger tips - dipped them in red henna that is. She said she wanted to pray and you're not supposed to put make up or nail varnish on when you pray but henna is allowed and she wanted to look beautiful for the arrival in Europe!

Teafortwo, ime women in Lagos almost never dress like that unless they're going to a wedding etc! On the plane from Nig to London the women disappear into the loo near journey's end and then emerge in full tribal gear, having discarded their designer jeans and the latest trendy tops. They were devastated at the One On-Board Bag rule when it was implemented because it meant they had to sacrifice the costume changes. It did make it easier for the rest of us to go to the loo, though!

The tribal scarring tradition is gradually dying out nowadays with fewer and fewer people wanting it done.Tribal scarification debate Warning graphic photo.

We're well over the half-way mark on this lovely thread, how do people feel about a roll-call for jumpers-on and hopefully to lure back previous posters who've gone quiet on us ? I typed one up in a very idle moment yesterday evening...

Spit it out then, MrsSprat! I want to know who's here.

Okay, here goes FOOCs and lurkers:
(usual caveats on missing persons, typos and misattributed locations)

Tea for two ? Paris
Suedonim ? Nigeria
QuintessentialShadows ? Norway
Califrau ? California
MmeLindt ? Germany / off to Geneva
ClaudiaSchiffer ? Adelaide
BrownSuga ? Montreal
SuperBunny ? Chicago
Sakurarose ? Tokyo
Cies ? Galicia
suzywong ? Perth
shells ? Wellington, NZ
SittingBull ? somewhere in US
Moondog ? Bangladesh
brightongirldownunder ? Sydney
Berolina- Berlin
Pollylogos ? Athens
WelliesandPyjamas ? Serbia
AuldAlliance ? Luberon, France
Scouserabroad ? Southern Brittany
MrsSprat ? Toronto
MrsJohnCusack - Christchurch, NZ
Taipo ? Black Forest, Germany
Zazen - Dublin
Longwayfromhome ? Buenos Aires
Themadhouse ? North Yorks
Alipiggie ? Colorado
Ghosty - Melbourne
Eidsvold ? Brisbane
Frodosgirl ? Luxembourg
Albert ? Brazil
Themasterandmargaritas ? Nairobi
Meowmix ? Qatar
Cocobear ? central California
Ninedragons ? Shanghai
Sssandy2 ? somewhere in Germany
Anorak ? Bermuda
Arfishy ? Sydney
Gipfeli ? Basel
Briochedoree ? Paris?
CotedAzur ? S of France
Mangolassi ? Thailand
EffiePerine ? North London
Hellish ? Ottawa
4gotoindia ? Tamil Nadu
CSLG ? Zurich
Tinto ? Sydney
Litchick ? somewhere in UK

and the various UK lurkers of couse, if you're still here

To reiterate Teafortwo's point, if you've not been around in a while - do come back and tell us what's new, short posts are also very welcome!

apart from spoil-sport Cod of course

Still lurking. I've been lurking since you started the thread 'FOOC in Sunny old Birmingham, England' just doesn't sound the same as 'FOOC in Japan.' Great thread though. I really enjoy reading it.

Oh well, off to lurking again.......

Oooops, apols on the Balkans mix-up if there is one.

Yes I think Wellies is in Croatia, Cocobear is ex Ghana, on her way to Brasilia via an extensive North America tour I think??

WOW - what a list - I am really proud of this thread we have created! YES - people who have not posted for a while please post post post!!! The success of this thread is the variety of places people are reporting on and also the different writers.

Sue - thanks - that is really very interesting for me. Of course most Africans I see are similarly dressed to myself (just a bit trendier and more polished - I am a bit grungy at the best of times) but I also often see women in more traditional clothes. What is noticable is they are not always but usually in big groups too. So, from what you have said, My educated guess is they are either on their way to a celebration or visitors to Paris!

Oooh - and lastly Sue - I am interested - why do the ladies change on the plane??? - what do you think their thinking is behind that? It seems quite sereal to me!