IRepCamer's "IT Takes TeN" : IT's A FAB CAMER BLOGGERS MIX

Hello People."It Takes Ten" is back.  The first post featured 11 Fab Camer (Fashion) Bloggers & Publishers.

Editor #2 is a  Fab Bloggers Mix..13 Ladies, 10 Questions. Let's Go!!

 A la Mode FABA

De Braun Hill

   1)      Your Names?

Ngum Braunhilda Attangeur. 

   2)      City, Country of Residence? 
       Abidjan, Cote D`Ivoire since Jan 2014. Could change ..yet again!

   3)     When  &Why did you start blogging? 
     I started in 2013 but stopped and have decided to re-start in 2014.  I started blogging because I realized a lot of people were too ignorant about Africa, what’s happening in Africa . Africa is on the fast lane and bolting forward in terms of development, fashion , music and art and daily life! Some people in the Diaspora ( especially fellow Cameroonians and Africans) don’t know this fact and keep living in the ‘ New Dark Ages” . My intentions was to show that we are doing great in Africa, through my personal experiences and those of others. Being in the technology field I wanted to expose the world to technology advancements and innovations coming from Africa as well. I also post my experiences in Africa and as I travel to add a personal touch and let others know the Africa of Old is long gone. This is New Africa. Be part of the rebirth!

4)       2 line version of the story behind the blog name?  
De Braun Hill -  When I was younger  there are 2 places I loved being – Ontop of Station
Hill in Bamenda and ontop of GBHS Bamenda; those two locations give you a great view
of Bamenda. That was my Braun Hill. This Blog should do likewise for anyone visiting –Sit
up Here , Enjoy the view of Africa and then make that move to come down and enjoy it.

5) 3 words to describe your blog?
 Information, Innovation, Fun.

6)      What is your blog about?

FABA- Creations , especially in technology for Africa by Africans. Seeing Africa through a difference lens- a Pink one! Being optimistic and no longer pessimistic. Portraying Innovation not War, Living the Good African Life as against poverty and disease. Our Very own media outlet of Positives from the Continent. Showing Success stories so we and others should believe in Africa again .

7) Inspiration for one of your fav blog posts?  
One of my fav blog posts is #Fabamode: Pokou:  Thefirst 3D Cartoon from Africa . It teaches us the history of Ivory Coast that was founded by a Princess from Ghana who sacrificed being with her family so that peace can reign.  Immediately I saw this in an article on a flight, I  knew I had to blog about it .  It embodied every message I am trying to pass across in my Blog: Ingenuity is African, innovation is here to stay, creations for Africans, portray Africans in a positive image, educate the youth, make money while doing  what you love, We are the New Africa,  and we have fun while doing it. That’s TRUE FABA!!

8)  3 Fav colours for Spring/Summer 2014?

This dry season ( summer na which one ? I dey na Abidjan ..lol)   you will see me in a lot of  RED! BLUE! Or  ORANGE. I am either a Nkumchi or just too confident because you almost never see me without a touch of Red- The colour of confidence ( or arrogance, whatever  sweetens your tea) .

9) 3 Must haves  and/or dos for you this summer?     

“Must dos”. I don’t do “must haves” .
 Going to Bassam and Aseni – the beaches  around Abidjan .  
Register at a local gym ( already started jogging the streets of Cocody, me likes!) , 
 Update my blog at least every fortnight.                                         

10) Advice/tips for new bloggers? 
I still need tips myself . lol…But hmm. If you want to start a blog, START A BLOG. Use Wordpress. It’s a lot easier than Blogspot. Blog about something you are passionate about.

 Make your articles interesting and easy to read. Have your niche. And don’t forget to give it a personal touch. People relate more when they can relate with the blog owner. Most Importantly, HAVE FUN WHILE BLOGGING!

....A Taste of Arts and Culture Away from Home

A Sister in Germany

1) Your Names?
Susan Enjema Aweh aka Dr. SEA

2) City, Country of Residence?
Duesseldorf, Germany

3) When & Why did you start blogging?
2009. I got frustrated by the press image of Africans in the German mainstream media and some of the questions people, even Cameroonians, will ask me when I travel to other countries like the USA

4) 2 line version of the story behind the blog name?
The friend who encouraged me to start a blog, ran one at the time called "a brother in Oslo" so I became his "Sister in Germany"


5) 3 words to describe your blog? 
Inspirational, Fun, People

6) What is your blog about?
We tell success stories of Africans in Germany to inspire others. In so doing we automatically put a positive limelight on the African, thus bring a balance to the mostly negative image in the mainstream press. 

7) Inspiration for one of your fav blog posts?
Chin-chin lol.. That was my inspiration for my post last December "A Cameroonian Christmas feeling for children in Essen ..." That post had a lot of nostalgia !!


8) 3 Fav colours for Spring/Summer 2014?
Orange, Beige, YellowGreen

9) 3 Must haves and/or dos for you this summer? 
More outdoor exercise, organize a cookout, swimming 

10) Advice/tips for new bloggers?
Maintaining a blog is time consuming and demands devotion. Don't be discouraged, especially when you can't post regularly or your blog doesn't seem to get much attention. Stay true to your message and keep it simple.

And We Love to Eat..

Cuisine Vogue

Your Names?

Brenda Edwards Bicharr.

2) City, Country of Residence?

Alberta, Canada

3) When  & Why did you start blogging?

I started blogging in mid July 2010. I was a university student and I found myself cooking almost everyday. I used to have friends over and they really enjoyed my food; making the food look pretty came naturally to me. In July, I found another african food blog on line and I thought, I want to share my kitchen plates as well. I started blogging and it was a lot of fun.

4) 2 line version of the story behind the blog name?

Well, the Blog name is Cuisine Vogue; Food Fashion. To me it felt like the most honest  name. Fashion is my first love, I am a fashion designer & dress maker in my other life and I think that greatly influences my pretty food Plating.

5) 3 words to describe your blog? 

Food, Etiquette and love

6) What is your blog about?

My blog mantra has always been spreading love through food. I think food is a significance of love, mother to child, serving food at a shelter, cooking for your family or your significant other. It’s all in LOVE. My blog is about making that experience a little better, making eye appealing food, sharing free recipes, and learning a lot about etiquette to take your cooking to another level. Recently I also see my blog as an opportunity to shine the light of my faith in God; this I am now incorporating. 

7) Inspiration for one of your fav blog posts?

I have quite a few favourites so it’s hard to choose. I love all my Cameroonian dishes; but recently I'm really into exploring healthy food options and so i’ll say my most recent post is my favourite. It’s healthy, tasty and fresh. “Grilled Wild Salmon & a radish salad”

8)  3 Fav colours for Spring/Summer 2014?

Well, I have not gone shopping in a while but for spring I am really feeling white, pastels and metallics. However, black stays in my closet all year round :)

9) 3 Must haves  and/or dos for you this summer?

Travel, bathing suits and a lot of hard work 

10) Advice/tips for new bloggers?

Start blogging about something that you’re passionate about first and you can expand later. Be true to your personality when you blog, don’t try to be or sound like anyone else. Lastly, time management is key; I still struggle with it.

End Note: Thank you for featuring me on your blog I Rep Camer; it’s such a great opportunity.

Inspirational - Words for the Soul 

Destroying Hell In Stilettos

1) Your Names? 
Limunga Besong Yaya Ekeke

2) City, Country of Residence? 
Los Angeles, California U.S.A

3) When  & Why did you start blogging?
Started my blog December 2013.Specifically geared toward the woman of God, i got inspired to start writing this blog after a friend on facebook (Olivia Meyia) said she enjoyed my facebook status updates and wanted me to expand more on how brilliantly i expressed each status.

4) 2 line version of the story behind the blog name? (cont.) Eventually i started praying about it in November and i read Proverbs 31 and it dawned on me that i could write this blog and then i saw in my mind, the vision of a proverbs 31 woman standing tall and conquering hell. What better way would we stand tall if not in our stilettos? Thus "DESTROYING HELL IN STILETTOS"

 5) 3 words to describe your blog? 
Spiritual~Woman~Stilettos

6) What is your blog about?
Empowering women to overcome every and any kind of daily obstacles that they face.I use my blog not for fashion and style columns but with everyday examples, i incorporate what i know and have learnt as a gadget to wake every woman who feels like staying down because of one loss, one failure or one blockage. My blog is simply about the ways in which i can use the word of God mixed my daily inspirations to tell every woman that as sassy as we can be, let us destroy hell while staying fabulous because we have in us, everything that we need to destroy hell.

7) Inspiration for one of your fav blog posts?
My favorite post has got to be the one on "SERVICE~Doing so with Joy"
I had just come out of a two day online live stream conference with all women in January 2014 and i had come to realize that being able to serve others (especially women), without expecting anything in return is one of the greatest qualities of a woman of God. I decided to pray for someone other than myself all week and when God answered their prayers through my intercession, i decided yep i had to write this post and remind my girls that being of service and doing so happily is the way to destroy hell.

8) 3 Fav colours for Spring/Summer 2014?
White, Yellow and Purple. (always will be my top three).

9) 3 Must haves  and/or dos for you this summer?
This summer I must have
-a blog give away for one of my readers
-a trip to another state with a fun resort
-must do a fundraiser and surprise any one anywhere in need and to any
organization particularly...maybe children's hospital Los Angeles

10) Advice/tips for new bloggers?
Hmm new bloggers, i am very new and not the typical blogger writing on current events and trends. But, for everything you put out there, all i can say is take time to write and re-read and re-think before publishing. Honesty is key. Keep your blog honest and do not expose someone's life or story without their permission. Else you are not a blogger but a gossip column. pray over your blog that readers will come and not leave empty.


Pearls of Our Lives

1) Your Names?
Mah N Mekolle, formally Mah N Asobo.

2) City, Country of Residence?

Houston, TX. USA

3) When  & Why did you start blogging?

I started blogging by necessity, I had to give a voice to my feelings, my thoughts, my emotions, and my spirit. My soul was begging a release for the messages that were within me that I needed to share with the world, regular every day messages, but only in a way I can tell. It started as my catharsis to heal and to discover my voice within, then my mission to share that voice. I published and announced my blog to the world in January 2013, and I have not looked back

4) 2 line version of the story behind the blog name?

The story behind my blog name is simple. I knew I wanted to talk about motivating, inspirational and uplifting things, I knew these stories and lessons had to do with life, our daily experiences, then I thought about pearls of wisdom. When I connected it all, I came up with PEARLS OF OUR LIVES….Life is a story, what’s your story?

5) 3 words to describe your blog? 

 Motivating, inspirational, healing

6) What is your blog about?

My blog is simply about the use of words in different themes to bring about healing, motivation, inspiration, and delve into the world of poetry. When you visit my blog you will read short stories with a lesson to it, daily motivational stories, anecdotes or paragraphs. This year I introduced an element of words leaning towards social activism through the writing of articles giving voice to some social injustices, mainly suffered by women and children, a touch of the ugly realities of life. I have a Poetry Lovers Corner, where I post some of my poems and a guest writer’s corner where I invite certain poets to contribute their writings as well. I thoroughly enjoy my food for thought and Dear Diary sections, where I basically share my musings on life. This year I will be adding more themes and different content to revamp the whole blog, stay tuned!

7) Inspiration for one of your fav blog posts?

Oh my goodness I can think of a good 3 posts that I had that touched me so dearly, to choose one, is difficult, so randomly I will mention the Food For Thought I did on 09/13/13 called BAGGAGE CLAIM. I was inspired by the carousel at the baggage claim, everyone picking up their luggage, different sizes, filled with different things, and I thought of our lives as human beings, and the baggage we carry around. Some bags are expensive with wrinkled messy stuff within, some small, some big and empty…….you have to read it, yes, oh how much stuff we carry from year to year, and don’t let go, dragging it along. I also remember my poem PLIGHT OF THE FATHERLESS.

8)  3 Fav colours for Spring/Summer 2014?

Oh my favorite colors all year and for spring are Green, yellow and white. I must add pink though

9) 3 Must haves  and/or dos for you this summer?

My must-haves for the summer are my Notebooks, iPad, pen and camera.

My must-dos are love my husband and 2 sons with all the love of God in the world. I must write, read and experience new things

10) Advice/tips for new bloggers?

My advice for new bloggers, oh well, in my opinion, be passionate about your reason for blogging. You can always expand your theme, content and grow, but initially, there must be that one thing that drew you to want to share with the world.  Do not give up on your blog. You are not always going to be motivated daily but hang on till your next motivation. Enjoy and have fun blogging!

Fashion & Beauty Hang Out with Style

The HotJem

1) Your Names?

Mbole Ekaney 

2) City, Country of Residence?

NJ, USA

    

3)  When & Why did you start blogging?

My very first blog post was in January 2011 but then I stopped after a couple of posts. I picked up again at the end of 2013. I started blogging as a way to express myself and my interests. It gives me a voice to showcase my personal fashion and style and enables me to help others who need advice on style tips, weight loss and many other things that I blog about. Blogging for me is an outlet to link with people who also share common interests (you would be surprised at how many people share your interests and want to hear what you have to say). When I started blogging, there were not many Cameroonian female bloggers that I knew off that talked about fashion and general lifestyle topics as seen on my blog. This bothered me as I saw a lot of fashion bloggers from other African countries and I know Cameroonian girls have a great sense of style. This encouraged me to start my own blog. I also wanted to encourage young African girls to blog about things that interested them as it might be their only way to express their thoughts and to follow their passion as blogging can open doors to opportunities.  

4)  2 line version of the story behind the blog name?
HOTJEM is my alter ego. It describes a confident woman with her own unique style, who is a trendsetter and embraces her beauty. She is HOT and is a JEM (like the precious GEM stone).

5)  3 words to describe your blog?

Fashion Savvy Trendsetter           

6) What is your blog about?

THE HOTJEM is a fashion and lifestyle blog that talks about my favorite fashion styles and trends (and my love for mixing African prints with a twist today’s Western styles to show the world that we can incorporate our fashion heritage in our everyday life) and styles that are trending in the fashion world. It also provides fashion and beauty tips. My blog has something for everyone as it also provides tips on What to Wear for various occasions, it highlights current popular hot trends for those interested in keeping up with today’s trendy styles. THE HOTJEM also provides a glimpse into the lives of some of our favorite celebrities around the world and due to high demand, THE HOTJEM blog will soon also include topics on healthy living such as fitness, healthy foods and some of my favorite African and non- African cuisines (coming in April).

7)     Inspiration for one of your fav blog posts?

One of my favorite blog posts is the “S” Stand’s for Sunny, Silky, Sensational, Sweet, Simple… which was inspired by my recent trip to South Africa in December.  All pictures were taken while in South Africa. Nelson Mandela has just died and it was hard to ignore how much the South African people loved him and the feeling of togetherness they had even after the loss of their favorite ‘leader”. I also saw in their eyes the pain from many years of suffering due to Apartheid. Even with all that they've been through, most of the black S. African’s still tried to enjoy what life has given to them. The beautiful South African weather and scenery plus the spirit of the South Africans during my stay there made me feel like embracing nature more and to be thankful to God for all my blessings and appreciates the things I have. It also made me decide that as of that moment I will live my life to the fullest, do the things I love now and not wait until tomorrow as you never know what will happen tomorrow and to spend more time with those I love! It gave me more confidence. You can see that confidence and happiness in the pictures of  this blog post. 

8)     3 Fav colours for Spring/Summer 2014?
Yellow (in any shade)
Pastel green
Pastel Pink

9)     3 Must haves and/or dos for you this summer?  

Travel to Europe (to experience the culture that influences their fashion)
 A chunky floral pastel colored necklace that makes a bold statement

I must try bold lipstick/eyeshadow colors and stay in shape this summer with outdoor exercises

10)  Advice/tips for new bloggers?

My advice to new bloggers is that Blog only about the things you love that you would happily do regularly without a thought as a hobby and/or without getting paid for it. It takes a long time to build a regular audience and followers so you have to be very patient and just keep being motivated and keep posting. Do not try to duplicate another blogger’s blogging style. Just be yourself and be as original as possible. People will see that you are putting a lot of time and effort and will eventually read what you have. Lastly, blogging is not easy. It takes a lot of time and commitment to maintain a good blog (such as searching for relevant content, taking pictures, investing in a good camera, interacting with other bloggers etc). For those interested in Fashion blogging, the life of a fashion blogger is not as glamorous as it seems and it can get very expensive so be smart about it and shop only if you really wanted to get that item. Keep Calm and You will Succeed 

Enrich Your LifeStyle with Trends, Faces & Spaces 

Les Marches D'Elodie

    1) Your Names?

Elodie NONGA.

    2) City, Country of residence?

Douala, Cameroon.

  3)When & why did you start blogging? 

I start blogging 3 years ago, but I’m actively blogging since last year.

I started blogging (because I wanted) to show and share beauty and good things of my country to the world.

  4) 2 Line version of the story behind the blog name?

“Les Marches d’Elodie” is all about walking around new places, discovering, enjoying and meet nice people with great initiatives and good influence in Cameroon. There was a period when I was always out, hanging out with friends, having fun, so my friends started to say that I was walking too much and began to call me “La Marcheuse” (The Walker in english), which means somebody who is always out, walking, hanging out. It was the same spirit that I wanted to keep for my blog, the name came easily as “Les Marches d’Elodie”.

    5) 3 words to describe your blog?

Cameroon - Tips - Discovery.

    6)  What is your blog about?

The blog is all about promoting my country, the Cameroon. It’s talk about tourism and Lifestyle in Cameroon. I’m talking about places, things, and people that helps promoting the country and it’s image. I also show that life is good here and that we have potential to make our cities (Douala especially) listed among the best cities to live in Africa.

    7)   Inspiration for one of your fav blog posts?

Hum… It’s complicated to choose a favorite post among all of them. I drop them with the same excitation, envy and love so I can’t really have a special fav blog post. But for all of them my inspiration is to search and show beauty or value depending on what I’m talking about. There is a post when I give a shout out to black men that show openly love to their woman, some posts when I show beauty of Cameroon, then most of the post where I value places or initiatives in Cameroon to encourage or at least show what is wrong so they can get improved… But actually, my most popular post which is the most read by viewers on the blog is about Wizkid and other young and popular Nigerian musicians. Nigeria is next to Cameroon, and it’s fascinating how fast that country is growing and takes step and place in the world especially in terms of entertainment’s influence with their music and film industry. It can be easy for us to watch them, since we are neighbor and try to do the same with our own culture and people. So through that article, I wanted to show that the New Africa is trending with guys like Wizkid, Davido, etc, which are under 30 but yet are already billionaires and good ambassadors of their country and african music of nowadays. They show that we, Africans can keep our originality, succeed and also export our culture and entertainment domain to the world. They are inspiration for youths, for our generation, they can send a message to our old men in the government that we can do great things if only they can give us the opportunity or recognize our potential. That symbolize my inspiration for every of my blog post.

    8)  3 Fav colors for spring / summer 2014?

For this summer (2014), I think about pastel and/or neon colors in Yellow, Fushia and Orange

    9)  Must have and/or do’s for you this summer?

For the ‘Must have’ they are so much lol, so I will go on just with the ‘Must do’:

Trip discovery Tour (inside and outside the country);

Organize a social event

Launching a new (personal) project.

   10)  Advice / Tips for new bloggers?

My advice for new bloggers will be first to have passion not only for what you’re talking about or want to talk about on your blog, but also have passion for sharing, promoting, encouraging and inspiring others on what you’re talking about. Secondly, blogging is a project for itself. It’s not just dropping a post here and there, otherwise you won’t go far. Everybody wants to blog or have a blog but few stay active or get recognize as influent bloggers. Blogging as a project means define your blog: What is the subject? The aim? For what? Why? What is your “plus” or personal touch? Why people should consult your blog? What is your project behind the blog? Your vision? Etc… Then thirdly and finally, when you start blogging, do not think about money first. You have to be good and great to be an influent blogger and start thinking about making money from your blog. For those in other countries it’s quite easy now to generate money from blogs or at least to have “something” such as gift or special invitations, but you have to create traffic on your blog first and that traffic can only be created by good contents and contents of quality.

Thanks Yefon/I Rep Camer, for the opportunity to figure on your blog, and keep it up with it and such initiatives for others. You’re doing a great job and think new bloggers can start by getting stuck here ;-). Cheers!

It's All About Women - Be Heard, Engage, Exchange 

Sisterspeak237 

1) Your Names?      
Comfort Mussa

2) City, Country of Residence? 
 Bamenda, Cameroon

3) When & Why did you start blogging?
 Started blogging February 2014 . I believe that communication is at the heart of social change.I have been a journalist for  seven years and wanted to create a platform for engagement and exchange with other women.

4) 2 line version of the story behind the blog name? 
 Sisterspeak237 is a blog born out of a desire to bring to an open space engaging
discussions about women’s issues in Cameroon and Africa. So,
Sisterspeak refers to women’s voices/stories ,  from/in  237
(Cameroon)

5) 3 words to describe your blog? 
Women, Voices, Development

6) What is your blog about?  
My blog is a platform for advocating for women’s rights, share news, opinions and analysis of women’s–obstacles and victories, setbacks and head starts. On Sisterspeak we talk about issues that are often ignored on mainstream media

7) Inspiration for one of your fav blog post?  
My fave blog posts have been inspired by my personal encounters

8) 3 Fav colors for Spring/Summer 2014?

  White, green  & turquoise

9) 3 Must haves and/or dos for you this summer?
hmmm.. for  Sisterspeak, this year  i plan to host two workshops with young women in my region, to train  on being assertive and also on sex and reproductive health issues

10) Advice/tips for new bloggers? 
Identify the topic you want to blog about . Be specific and then be prolific

It Gets Personal - Enter  the world of a MomPreneur 

No Mami Pikin Left Behind

1) Your Names?

Eurykah Veranyuy Fon Ndumu 

2) City, Country of Residence?

 Germantown MD, USA 

3) When  & Why did you start blogging?

Started blogging last  year when i realized that raising kids and running a business was a potential reality TV show and since no one is calling i might as well write about it. I also started because i want to empower and encourage other women who have kids and tend to give up on themselves mostly because of the pressures that come with raising the kids. 

4) 2 line version of the story behind the blog name?

I decided to start this blog "nomamipikinleftbehind"meaning ( No mother will be left out of the fun times happening in todays world ) because I needed to share the reality show of what being a mother is, and the fun that comes along with it. 

5) 3 words to describe your blog?
Fulfillment, Motherhood, Fun

6) What is your blog about?
This is a fun blog.....we  laugh, cry and are able to show off how Awesome it is to be a MOTHER in today's world. I also share fun stories about our kids and talk about God with no regrets. 

7) Inspiration for one of your fav blog posts?
I went to see Sarkodie end of story... I cannot even to explain the fact that he sings and raps in " Twii " and it gets me more excited than a cat eating a mouse. As you all must know i grew up in an environment where you got spanked for speaking English at home. 

8)  3 Fav colours for Spring/Summer 2014?

 Turquoise, yellow and lime green for this spring... even though i am a bright colored girl all year round...( to be honest ) 

9) 3 Must haves  and/or dos for you this summer?

Travel a lot this summer, I pray its work so it makes it even better.

Wear a CROP shirt this summer ( haha its a must).

I must be extremely happy this summer, so i am not letting anyone steal my joy.

Expand my business.

I pray for health, as long as there is good health i will be up and about. 

10) Advice/tips for new bloggers?

To new bloggers.. Be yourself. Speak from the heart. Every blog has its audience.

I Blog You -  Get to know Your Entrepreneurs, Movers & Shakers.

Interviews With Jodelle

1)Your Names?

Jodelle Mayoda

2) City, country of residence
I am some kind of nomad. I live between three cities for now: Bamenda,
Bafoussam and Douala, Cameroon

3) When and why did you start blogging?
I started blogging four years ago with a fashion blog then I created
“Interviews With Jodelle” in 2012 because I am fascinated about young
entrepreneurs and people capable of making something out of nothing.

4) 2 line version of the story behind the blog name

My blog is exactly what the name states: Interviews With Jodelle. I wanted something simple and straight to the point.

5) 3 words to describe your blogCurious, witty, passionate

6) What is your blog about?I interview under 30 African entrepreneurs. They share their journey in entrepreneurship to inspire others to take the first step towards their dreams and possibly spark some change in their communities.

7) Inspiration for one of your fav blog post?One of my fav is the interview of Andréa Bomo; she is like sunshine. I was very inspired by her personality and her style. She has character and I like that.

8)3 fav colors for spring/summer 2014?
Prints, prints, prints and more prints.

9)3 must haves and/or dos for you this summer?
Your confidence; you can never be wrong with that one.

10) Advice/tips for new bloggers
Do it with passion. And be consistent. Be ardent.

OP-ed - Savory Words  - Musings, Thoughts & Rants

Ama Njodzeka

Your Names?
Amabel Njodzeka

2) City, Country of Residence?
Columbus, Ohio,USA

3) When & Why did you start blogging? I started blogging because first, my thoughts couldn’t fit on the 150 requirements on twitter and my Facebook posts were too long. There seemingly is some unspoken rule about the length of your Facebook posts, and I got the memo eventually. Seriously, I started blogging to move the train of rants for the sake of ranting, to a solution-focused-rant movement. 

4) 2 line version of the story behind the blog name? Leave each post thinking

5) 3 words to describe your blog?  Mind-provoking, fun, and progressive rants

6) What is your blog about? I want to tell stories and dare young Africans like myself to think outside the box

7) Inspiration for one of your fav blog posts? I was watching tv randomly someday, after deciding that I was going to start blogging. As I was flipping through the channels, I stumbled on a commercial, one of those soliciting people to donate money for hunger in Africa and other under developed countries. Granted, those have always annoyed me, but right there I figured that will be good segue to introduce me into the blog readers world, hence the blog “Specks on my home country: Le Kmer.” In this post, I comically present my nationality and give my insights on the beautiful Africa that I know of it to be. 

8) 3 Fav colours for Spring/Summer 2014? I think turquoise, orange, and brown are safe colors for this upcoming spring; if and when the spring finally gets here (long winter, I am just sick of the cold).

9) 3 Must haves and/or dos for you this summer?  I pondered upon this for sometime—lol, I guess given where I am at the moment, must have a good internship or paying job; must have a long chilling at a beach weekend and must work run at least 10 miles each week this summer. 

10) Advice/tips for new bloggers? Always stay true to yourself and be opinionated but with reservation. Be realistic on your deliverables, I have only three blog posts so far—I have so many that I have written, but I need to edit them and do some clean up reseach before posting, I just haven’t had time to research, so I am still on count three.
Few words to Yef: Thank you grandsoeur for actively putting Cameroon on the map. You rock and keep rocking!



Find Palava Woman

1) Your Names?

Helen Nde

2) City, Country of Residence?

Chicago, IL, USA

3) When & why did you start blogging?

When? January 2014. Why? I felt sorry for my Facebook friends who had to endure my rants. Hahaha! Seriously though, I got into blogging because I like to talk about the things that matter to me. I process externally which means if I have something on my mind, I prefer to talk about it with someone and work through the intricacies, with feedback from them. This sometimes ends up in arguments but I believe that the process of sharing ideas, hearing what other people have to say and either discarding them or integrating these ideas into my own worldview makes me a better person. Also, I am not one to shy away from controversy. I feel that as Africans in general and Cameroonians in particular, we have too many issues within our communities that we act like are not there or try to gloss over and make excuses for. My blog tries to take on these controversial issues with the proper amounts of humor and gravity.

4) 2 line version of the story behind the blog name

While discussing the idea of starting a blog and what I would write about with one of my sisters, she laughed and said “You too like palaver.” (You’re such a troublemaker). The light bulb went off!

5) 3 words to describe your blog?

Palaver-finding

Tongue-in-cheek-humor

Thought-provoking (I hope)

6) What is your blog about?

I like to think write about the African woman: her life, her story as told by myself and the African women in my life, both those I know personally and those whose lives I witness through the media. By extension, I try to touch on all the spheres of life within which she operates, so that’s politics, society, health, art etc. A find palaver woman is the one who tosses aside convention and voices her opinion whether or not it is popular, that is what I strive for.

7) Inspiration for one of your fav blog post?

Hmmmm… favorite blog post. That would be the post “Weavesvs. Whitenicious vs. All Things Western: The Flip Side of the Coin” I’m a journalist at heart so I try to present both sides of every story. This post was in continuation of the post where I commented on the skin bleaching and natural hair conversation that is going on.

8)  3 Fav colours for Spring/Summer 2014?

I can never choose a favorite color! They are all so pretty!

9) 3 Must haves and/or dos for you this summer?                                                        

Get back in shape. I’m an outdoor runner. I can’t do gyms. Winter this year made working out literally impossible.

10) Advice/tips for new bloggers?

Speak your truth and invest in body armor.

Monique's Musings

1) Your Names?

Monique Eleanor Kwachou Tangah

2) City, Country of Residence?

Buea, Cameroon

3) When & Why did you start blogging?

I set up my blog with some help after attending Chimamanda's Farafina workshop in Lagos in august 2012. A friend I met in Nigeria pushed me into it.

4) 2 line version of the story behind the blog name?

I already had a newsletter publication "The Muse" referring to inspiration. I just turned that into Monique's Musings, for my blog title referring to whatever inspires me to write (or rant lol!)

5) 3 words to describe your blog? 

Discursive, Inspirational, Womanist, Afropolitan (yeah 1 bonus!)

6) What is your blog about?

Everything that catches my interest. With Musings, I try to share my perspective or a different, objective view on anything that's trending. 

7) Inspiration for one of your fav blog posts?

I have yet to publish any blog post which I can consider a personal favorite. So for this question i'll use my most popular. My most popular blog post which raised my viewing to over 2000 is "An Open Letter to Cameroonians" It was inspired by the recent (and in my opinion) ludicrous celebration of the 50th anniversary of reunification in Cameroon.

8) 3 Fav colours for Spring/Summer 2014?

My favorite colors no matter the season are gold-brown, the various shades of blue and olive-green

9) 3 Must haves and/or dos for you this summer? 

Do travel,

Do sew more Ankara designs

Do go further to finding your fulfillment

10) Advice/tips for new bloggers?

 Write what you know. When you're passionate about something. It shows in your writing. It also comes to you easier, I think. 

Thank You soo Much Ladies..Keep Doing what you do best!!

Your Bloggers have said it all..Blog about something you love and are passionate about, be true to yourself, Find your niche and add your touch..i.e. make it personal, research research and more research, be realistic, be consistent, keep it simple and have a vision!

 Any bloggers you will love to see featured? Please let me know.

OK people, Get Blog Lovin'. Have a nice weekend. Happy Easter in advance. 

Y.M.
IRepCamer