Relaxation Island

From sandy Hellshire Beach to the reggae beats pumping in Ochio Rios, Jamaica is a county of true relaxation.

For Oshene Sharpe, the last time she traveled to Jamaica was in 2008. She says she will never forget the moments she would walk to the beach.

“The people are very warm and nice, the fresh breeze, variety of food. I just love the atmosphere in general. Extremely laid back environment."

Everyone who travels to the island has a strong memory of how sweet Jamaica is.

Lisa Wilmot says her visit was refreshing and anticipates her next visit.

“I remember standing on my grandfather's porch in the country looking out into the open field. Deep green trees and the sun shining so brightly. It was breathtaking. Dunn's River Falls fresh cold water running on the rocks and hitting my body was very refreshing. The mountains were cool and the breeze was nice and calm.”

Check out this music video “Sweet Jamaican” by Jamaican artist Mr. Vegas ft. Shaggy and Josey Wales. The artistes express just how sweet the island.

         

Hispanic Heritage Month

The United States is a nation strong and rich of the hispanic culture.

This video expresses the voice of those living in the emerging nation of latin beauty.

Hispanic heritage month begins September 15th and ends October 15th.
 

Don’t Make Me Think - Book Review

The growth of technology has enhanced the way we disseminate information daily.

In result, our social culture has morphed into devices that limit face-to-face interactions, letters in the mail and the millennial generation enable to functional without social networking sites. However, this is nothing new to us. In the palms of our two hands, we embrace a world of information. When it comes to information, nearly no one wants to sit and ponder ways to access it. Or worst, wait a good five seconds for a page to load it’s content. When a consumer of the web wants information and mobility, they want it now.

 

According to the book "Don’t Make Me Think, Revisited – A Common Sense Approach to Web," thinking is over rated for those using the Internet, including myself. 

“All kinds of things on a web page can make us think unnecessarily.” 

However, this book focuses on how to allow consumers to use the web without using a depth of knowledge to do so.  

Through research, the book suggests consumers of technology do not like to read. That's why it's important for web designers to cultivate a product where information is easy accessible. It may include easy access to finding more information or booking a plane ticket. The general audience wants accessible information at their finger tips in a timely and effective manner.

The book makes reference our changing culture and ways designers strategically design webpages. The consumer should have easy access to material online where the web page distinguish itself from other web pages but doesn’t completely deviate from the standard webpage where someone is unable to maneuver the site. Indeed, adding creative visuals is the key to setting webpages apart.  

As far as a disorganized cluttered webpage, that is a recipe for the viewer to click the infamous “X” in the corner of the screen and log off. To engage the consumer, according to the book, short paragraphs, bullet list and highlighted terms are all great ways to keep your consumer’s attention on websites. 

The way our social culture access information on webpages is important when it comes to the initial stages of a website. In the coming years, I can’t wait to see how technology is going to continue enhancing the way we perceive the world on the web as an ever-evolving culture. 

Boarder: The line that separates a country

Today students from the University of Florida Chapter of Children Beyond our Borders gathered at the Institute of Hispanic Culture in efforts to bring awareness to children at the boarder between the United States and Mexico by crafting bracelets.

Anna Diakun a sociology senior says during peace service trips the organization provides educational workshops to children affected by social injustices in Columbia, Nicaragua and Ecuador.

“In Columbia, we find a lot of internal displacement, a lot of families loss there home and have to move to big cities.”

She says, "mainly Columbia has the largest percentage of internal displacement. The other countries face a lot of poverty." Often time’s children find themselves selling drugs and prostituting in order to make ends meet.

However, the organization hopes to bring awareness of the issue children may face in different counties where poverty is the overarching theme by making bracelets. These bracelets will be given to not just Mexican children; however, children form other Latin American counties who are at the boarder between U.S. and Mexico as well.

This event, Jueves Sociales, was in conjunction with the month long celebration of the university’s Hispanic Heritage Month 2014.

Benefits of the Process

“Seeing my parents go through the process, being apart of the process, for ten year was really something that made me want to get involved and makes me what to help and advocate for families going through it,” said Sol Ortega.

The process is a process many in the United States are familiar with, immigration. Immigration is a serious political issue many people stray away from.

“But the benefits the U.S. offers me makes me realize that I am very grateful.”

At 8 years old, Sol Ortega and her family, mother and father, traveled to the United States from their native land Peru.

Ortega, the salsa dancing, public relation and international studies major with a Latin American focus student at the University of Florida, says she is appreciative to be in a country where she can get an education.

“My entire life has been revolved around school. I love school and my parents have pushed me in school. So being able to give them that satisfaction of them seeing me graduate with my two-year degree plus with my certification from high school.” 

Graduating from UF will be a dream she will do for herself.

“I value education so much because my dad had to work so hard. He hated what he was doing but did it for his family.”

Ortega’s experiences have made her passionate about studying Latin American studies and continue her education into immigration law.  

The Escape

At the age of 12, Richard Lainez and his mother quested on a trip seeking economical freedom. As a native of Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Lainez and his mother embarked on their dreams by means of traveling to the United States. 

Lainez says, “Here there are greater job opportunities and economical situations.”

"There was a bunch of unemployment."

While shaking his head and reminiscing on his experiences in Honduras he explains, “You couldn’t literally walk on the street without being kidnapped." 

He also says in Honduras, “You’re either really poor or really rich.”

However, leaving behind love ones was the greatest challenge.  It was a matter of finding his way in a whole new world.

Like many other students in the United States Lainez is not alone. 

According to the United States Census Bureau one year ago, there was nearly 300 million residents living in the United States.

Although he had a hard time connecting with others when he first moved here, he is on a path continuing to find his purpose in life as a junior at the University of Florida studying biology.

Sipping tea the traditional way - Yerba Mate

University of Florida Argentine Student Association members sipped on the natural flavors of yebra mate. 

Yerba mate is not your average Lipton Tea bag where any mug will suffice for drinking tea like Kermit the frog and The Muppets. The traditional tea from Argentina is meant sharing. 

This way of drinking yerba mate requires a special metal straw that actually strains the mate leaves. The steps for making the tea is simple. All you have to do is add the leaves, sugar (optional) and water.

The next time you're thinking about having an average cup of basic tea, go ahead and grab a group of friends and try something different like Yerba Mate.