Savannah’s iconic St. Patrick’s Day parade and celebrations are world famous, consistently being listed in the top 10 best St. Patrick’s Day destinations. As someone who has made the pilgrimage onto the cobblestone streets before sun rise for the past 5 years, there are definitely right and wrong ways to conquer St. Patrick’s Day in Savannah, Georgia.

Actually going for the parade?

If you are one of the people that are trekking to Savannah purely for the fun of the parade, there are a few things you should know.

Get there early! And I mean early. To scope out a good parade watching spot, I recommended looking at the official parade route map, which can be found on Savannah.com. There are spots along the route that have bleachers set up, and you can rent them from the city, but it’s honestly easier and more comfortable to bring your own chair.

Regarding when to arrive, I have gotten there before sunrise to snag a good spot, hopefully by a public restroom (which is hard to come by in Savannah). The earlier you arrive, the better. At some point, streets start getting blocked off to prepare for the route, so parking becomes more and more limited as the morning goes on. 

If you can stomach it, wake up at the crack of dawn to get a good spot and bring a comfortable chair. You’re going to be sitting down for a while.

Wanna drink a little (or maybe a lot)?

Drinking alcohol and St. Patrick’s day go hand in hand, and Savannah is no exception. Savannah has a unique open container law, allowing patrons to carry open containers of alcohol, as long as they are in plastic, 16-ounce cup (not bottles, mugs or flasks) and must remain in the parameters of the Historic District. The Historic District encompasses the area from River Street to Jones Street and Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard to West Broad Street.

On St. Patrick’s Day, this rule is taken well advantage of. During the celebrations, a wristband policy is put into place. Wristbands must be worn by those who wish to carry open beverages and drink outside of establishments, so that they are easily identifiable.

Wristbands must be worn in the control zone, also dubbed “party central.” The control zone spans from East Broad Street to MLK Boulevard and the Savannah River to Broughton Street, west of Drayton Street. To the east of Drayton Street, the control zone is only from Bay Street to the Savannah River.

The wristbands are color-coded for each day, so you must get a new one if you are attending multiple days. Wristbands were $10 a day in 2019 and were sold at multiple access points in the downtown area. You must to be at least 21 to purchase a wristband.

You must be at least 21+ to drink alcoholic beverages. 

Don’t know what to wear?

Obviously, something green! There is no need to try and be that “cool guy who doesn’t wear green.” Participate in the festivities! Stores are selling St. Patrick’s Day themed shirts, pants and hats basically a month before, and if you cant snag one of those, there’s always the option of green beads you can wear. 

Also, be prepared for all types of weather. Lately, it has been rainy in Savannah and a surprisingly windy and cold back end of winter, so it’s a smart idea to dress in something comfortable and something that can help you out if it rains, gets hot and humid or cold.

Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in Savannah has become a longstanding tradition for locals and people who come from all over the country. Follow these tips to make sure you can have the luck of the Irish to make the most of out this holiday. 

We get to see if the girls families approve of Peter’s relationship with them and how they react to seeing their family for the first time

Hannah Ann

Hannah Ann got the first hometown date! The pair meet up in Hannah Ann’s hometown of Knoxville, Tennessee. Instead of taking the emotional and dramatic date route, Hannah Ann opts for a fun one!

She takes Peter axe-throwing, as an homage to her father who is in the lumber business. They are both hilarious bad at it, but Hannah Ann does happen to nail a bull’s-eye. After the date winds down, Peter decides to show Hannah Ann a list of reasons he is falling for her, which is a callback to when Hannah Ann did the same for him on one of their previous one-on-one dates.

Now, the time has come for Peter to meet her family.

As is typical for a hometown, everyone starts crying as soon as they see Hannah Ann. Tears are flowing so hard that you would think Hannah Ann is returning from war, even though she has been gone for a max of two months.

Hannah Ann’s dad, along with every dad in Bachelor history, expresses his concern about how Peter is dating other women the same time as his daughter. Which is, like, the whole point of the show.

The rest of the night seemingly goes off without a hitch, with more tears and a heartfelt moment between Hannah Ann and her sister.

During Peter’s farewell, he admits he is falling for Hannah Ann and asks her to stay that she loves him over and over again in a rather steamy send off.

It’s Kelsey’s turn!

Coming in at second in line for hometown dates is Kelsey! Kelsey takes Peter to Des Moines, Iowa.

Kelsey chooses to make their own wine, the two stomping on some grapes.

After the messy part, the pair make their own wine in a winery, which c’mon, Kelsey, didn’t you get accused of being an alcoholic? The Devil works hard, but the Bachelor producers work harder. They name the red wine blend they created after themselves, which is extremely original.

Kelsey and Peters evening with her parents go well, no major drama happening. Kelsey even drops the “I love you,” which goes uncomfortably reciprocated by Peter telling her he appreciates it.

As most families are, Kelsey’s parents are worried about Kelsey getting her heartbroken by Peter. During a conversation with her step-dad Mike, she confides in him about how getting her heart broken is her biggest fear–while on the other hand, she tells her sisters she would say yes if Peter proposed. Kelsey’s mother, Beth, warns Peter not to break Kelsey’s heart.

Time for Madison’s date!

War eagle! Madison takes Peter to her hometown turn college town of Auburn, Alabama. She has very strong ties to Auburn, as her dad works in the basketball department.

The two take things to the court to shoot a few hoops. They seemingly have the entire stadium to themselves until a surprise visit from Auburn University’s men’s basketball head coach Bruce Pearl! He takes them through some drills, and Madison is hilariously better than Peter.

After some more alone time, the two are headed to Madison’s house to meet the family.

Something that has been hinted at in previous episodes takes the center plot point once Madison reconnects with her family: Madison is saving herself for marriage. This doesn’t come as a huge surprise to us, as she has been mentioning her faith more and more during the season.

Madison’s mother asks her in an emotional moment if Madison has told Peter this, which she admits that she has not. During this same time, Peter is having a conversation with Madison’s dad about, guess who, his daughter.

Peter confesses to Madison’s dad, Chad that he is definitely falling in love with Madison. This can almost be seen as a super sweet moment between Chad and Peter, until Chad responds with asking Peter if he is sure that Madison is really “the one,” to which Peter can’t answer. This clearly makes them both feel uncomfortable.

Last but not least, Victoria F.!

If you haven’t noticed, all of the hometown dates have gone off without a hitch, just the usual conversations between the contestants and their family and ones with Peter.

They saved the best for last.

Victoria’s hometown date starts out innocent enough with the two connecting in Virginia Beach. They stroll on the beach, with Victoria’s dog and all seems well.

They take this chance to re-do their live concert date with a performance by Hunter Hayes, who Victoria has NOT dated. This makes it a little easier for the pair to have a good time, both happily singing along to “I Want Crazy.” (Foreshadowing much?)

After the two say their goodbyes to get ready for the meeting the family portion, Peter spots one of his exes who just happens to be there and just happens to also be completely mic’d up.

Turns out she knows Victoria and has come on the show to warn Peter about who she really is! She explains that Victoria is known to have broken up multiple relationships and warns him to be careful.

Once Peter gets to Victoria’s house, he is clearly upset about the conversation he had with his ex and wants to talk to Victoria about it before meeting her family. The two take a seat on the front steps, and the drama begins.

Things go down hill very fast, with Victoria quickly turning the blame onto Peter and talks about how there is always drama. She even lets it slip that she doesn’t want to do this anymore and “just, like, can’t!” Very typical for Victoria.

She runs off into the night, yelling at camera crew to leave her alone. Peter has to take time to himself to get his thoughts together. At this point, Peter doesn’t even go inside to meet her family. He gets into a black SUV and they go their separate ways.

After all the drama of their hometown date and everything that has happened prior in the season, Victoria F. is bound to go home at the Rose Ceremony, right?

The Rose Ceremony

The next day, Victoria goes to Peter’s hotel room to clear the air between them. Peter says he’s not ready to give up on this just yet but worries that they may not have what it takes to make this work, ignoring the million red flags Victoria F. has waved in his face.

It’s time for the Rose Ceremony.

Hannah Ann and Madison obviously get a rose, leaving the final rose to be given between Kelsey and Victoria F. It’s no secret that most people are rooting for Kelsey, seeming as Victoria F. said herself she doesn’t want to do this anymore.

But, the Bachelor being the Bachelor, Peter gives the final rose to Victoria F., leaving Kelsey to be sent home.

This comes as a huge shock to those watching and to Kelsey herself. Peter walks Kelsey out, and they say goodbye.

So that’s the end of the episode right? Wrong!

We are left on a cliffhanger, as Madison asks to speak with Peter after the Rose Ceremony, supposedly to talk about her faith and how she’s saving herself for marriage.

After all, fantasy suite week is next!

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Normani is in a lane of her own in the world of pop music. The former Fifth Harmony singer continues to prove that she is ahead of her peers and is ready to become the next princess of pop. 

Since releasing her first solo single “Motivation” in August, accompanied by a music video that currently has 53 million views on Youtube, it was evident that Normani was meant for stardom. With only a handful of songs under her belt and no album, Normani has accumulated more than 1.3 billion streams on Spotify since starting her solo career. The Motivation singer also has two number one singles at pop radio, won a VMA this year for her song “Waves” with 6LACK and has gained praise from artists such as Beyonce, Rihanna and Nicki Minaj. 

Not long after Camila Cabello left Fifth Harmony to begin her solo career, the quintet turned quartet released one final album before announcing their plans for an indefinite hiatus to pursue solo careers in March of 2018. 

A month prior to the news of the band’s separation, Normani had released “Love Lies” with singer Khalid for the “Love, Simon” soundtrack. Debuting at number 43 on the Billboard Hot 100, the song introduced the world to Normani as a solo artist.

“Love Lies” began to find success after the pair performed at the Billboard Music Awards in May. Normani captivated the stage the moment her silhouette first appeared, outshining her duet partner as she twirled across the stage, accompanied by two backup dancers. If the world didn’t know Normani was a star, they knew after that night. “Love Lies” went on to peak at number nine on Billboard and went number one at pop radio, making Normani and Khalid the first black artists to do so since Flo Rida’s “My House” in 2016. 

Finishing the year by releasing collaborations with the likes of Calvin Harris, Jessie Reyez and Quavo, each song highlighted Normani’s raspy vocals and adaptability to different genres of music. There is no point of putting Normani in a box when it comes to music style because she continues to prove herself as the ultimate music connoisseur. 

Before releasing her Top 40 hit “Motivation,” Normani joined forces with Sam Smith on the sultry track “Dancing With a Stranger.” Once again, Normani found herself at the top of the charts, peaking at number seven on Billboard, and number one at pop radio.

Thanks to the success of Love Lies, Dancing With a Stranger and now Motivation, Normani has not left the Billboard Hot 100 since debuting as a solo artist in 2018. This year also saw Normani open for Ariana Grande, who co-wrote Motivation, on her Sweetener World Tour. Every night, a new video of Normani seemed to go viral. From her Beyonce-esque dance breaks to her intimate Rihanna medley, all eyes were on Normani.

From the Sweetener World Tour to the VMA stage, Normani is bringing back what it means to be a pop star. Pop stars don’t dance anymore. Today, artists just sing at a mic stand with a pretty background behind them. If we’re lucky, they’ll walk across the stage and interact with the audience. The era of performers was seemingly dead until Normani stepped onto the scene. 

Taking inspiration from artists like Britney Spears, Janet Jackson and Jennifer Lopez, Normani has made award shows, and the music scene in general, interesting again. Normani is cementing herself as a pop culture breakout and a major force to be reckoned with. When it came to Fifth Harmony, the “Beyonce” of the group was believed to be Havana singer Camila Cabello, when it was, in fact, Normani all along. 

Whether you’ve followed Normani from her days on The X Factor with Fifth Harmony or recently discovered her as a solo artist, it is exciting to watch her gain success and watch her shine all by herself. She is an artist that the pop scene has desperately needed. Seeing an artist that looks like her make a name for herself in pop music is important not only for her, but also for other artists that look like her as well.

There aren’t many dark-skinned artists in pop, as black artists are often categorized as hip hop or RnB, no matter what their music sounds like. But Normani, along with artists like Lizzo and Lil Nas X, are breaking that barrier. 

Currently working on her debut album and expected to be released in 2020, Normani has already proved that she is already a chart topper and a hit maker. The sky’s the limit for Normani, as she continues to raise the raise the bar and set a new standard for what it means to be a pop star. As we enter a new decade, get ready to see a lot of Normani because she is here to stay, and she has a lot to offer.

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Taking the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for a record breaking 19 weeks, Lil Nas X’s country hit “Old Town Road” should be considered the song of the summer, right? Well, with its short time stamp and questionable lyrical integrity, that is certainly up for debate. Songs like Truth Hurts by Lizzo, originally released in 2017, could also take the coveted crown, along with fiery duet Senorita by Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello. While all of these songs received major radio spins and streams over the summer, there are also some songs that didn’t get the same attention, or are just now gaining traction, that deserve a chance at song of the summer.

“Hot Girl Summer” by Megan Thee Stallion ft. Nicki Minaj & Ty Dolla $ign

After filing to trademark the term “Hot Girl Summer” back in June, rapper Megan Thee Stallion enlisted Nicki Minaj and Ty Dolla $ign on the energetic track of the same name. The term “hot girl summer” went viral thanks to Houston born rapper. After a chance encounter on Instagram Live, Megan was able to get Minaj on the song that has since debuted at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100. Produced by super producer Juicy J and sampling the hit “Act Up” by City Girls, the trio successfully proclaim that it is, in fact, a hot girl summer. 

“Motivation” by Normani

 Before releasing her solo debut single, former Fifth Harmony member Normani has managed to score two number one singles on pop radio thanks to her collaborations “Love Lies” with Khalid and “Dancing with a Stranger” with Sam Smith. Last week, the singer released her fiery single “Motivation” accompanied by a dance-filled video. The song has since been listed as one of the best songs of 2019 by GQ Magazine, and the video has garnered praise from the likes of Bella Hadid, Kylie Jenner, Kelly Rowland and many more. Although “Motivation” was released at the end of summer, it seems to outshine most of the songs we’ve been jamming to all summer, making it worthy of the title.

“Doin Time” by Lana Del Rey

Lana Del Rey covering Sublime is probably one of the best things to happen in music this summer. Del Rey’s rendition of the sleeper hit almost makes you forget about the original as soon as you hear her sing “summertime, and the livin’s easy.” The cover was released back in May to coincide with the premiere of a documentary on the punk band, but Del Rey’s cover seemingly stole the show–and the summer.

“All The Time” by Zara Larsson

After releasing two lackluster singles earlier this year, Zara Larsson finally got it right with the pop perfection that is “All The Time.” The Swedish songstress seemingly channels her inner Daft Punk with this electronic banger as she reminisces about a past romance. Larsson, who is most known for her duet with MNEK “Never Forget You”, released the single back in June, and it deserves to be bigger than it is, as it is perfectly formulated to be a summer hit.

“Ritual” by Tiesto, Jonas Blue & Rita Ora

Although Rita Ora is a major pop star across the pond, she is criminally underrated in the United States. “Ritual,” a collaboration with DJs Tiesto and Jonas Blue, is yet another song by Ora that has been overlooked by the masses. This club banger sounds like a song that would be all over the radio if it had The Chainsmokers attached to it with Hailee Steinfeld vocals. The trio seemingly made the song specifically for the summer, but it did not get the recognition it deserves.

Fox & Fig is Savannah’s only vegan restaurant. It has been in existence only about a year and a half, and it averages between $6,000 and $10,000 per day in sales, with over $1 million in total sales since opening. Ehmke expects that number to go up to $2 million next year.

***

“We’ve been busy since the day we opened,” Ehmke says, sitting at a table in the restaurant’s outdoor seating area facing Troup Square park. He is in his early 30s and wears a flat-billed cap, black-rimmed glasses and has reddish-brown facial hair, cropped close to his face.

Ehmke originally tried to start a vegan restaurant through the event called FastPitch through the entrepreneurial program Creative Coast, which was founded by the Savannah Economic Development Authority. At this event, a handful of aspiring entrepreneurs present their business ideas to a panel of investors/judges, and the panel decides whether or not they will fund the businesses by listening to only the entrepreneurs’ pitches. The event is similar to the ABC show, “Shark Tank.”

“I stood up there on that stage and I talked about my idea, and everyone was like, ‘won’t ever work, who do you think you are to think a vegan restaurant would work?’” Ehmke says, smiling. “And then we are one of the most successful restaurants in town, and so I get to laugh at that in hindsight.”

Ehmke decided to achieve his dream of starting a vegan restaurant by co-partnering with Jen Jenkins, the Savannah-based owner of Henny Penny Art Space & Café, The Coffee Fox and Foxy Loxy Café—all fox-related names, as Jenkins’s mother’s maiden name is Fox. Ehmke was first the general manager of Coffee Fox, and during his interview for the position, he told Jenkins that his end goal was to eventually open a vegan restaurant. He then helped Jenkins open Henny Penny. After a few years of working together, Ehmke and Jenkins went into business together, starting Fox & Fig.

***

Before all of this, Ehmke was from Buffalo, New York, where he was going to college for philosophy before dropping out and moving to Austin, Texas with his then wife. This is when Ehmke started to get into specialty coffee, and his dream to open a coffee shop began.

“I was really into cafes and the role they provide in society,” Ehmke says. “They’re like a meeting ground.”

Ehmke started managing various cafes around Austin. He also became vegan after being vegetarian for a while and started studying the art and science behind making coffee and vegan food. He also began studying about how great vegan restaurants are run in America.

“I got really into coffee, really into management and leadership, and at the same time, I got really into veganism,” Ehmke says. “It started as a health thing for me, and then I got into the ethics of it, and I got into the cuisine part of it, and then obviously the environmental benefits.”

Ehmke studied vegan cuisine for a long time in order to run a vegan restaurant correctly when the time came. He says that starting a vegan restaurant can go wrong in two different ways.

“You can go this raw healthy juice-bar thing, and that’s fine, but you can do that at home,” Ehmke says. “Anyone can blend celery and kale and some apple juice, or some apples, whatever. But also, you can’t go in the direction of fake Philly cheesesteak with the soy patty that tastes like steak and some fake Daiya cheese that’s just chemicals that taste like a cheese, because it’s so innovative now with modern vegan cuisine that you can culture and ferment vegan cheeses, nut cheeses, and you are doing the same processes as old French blue cheese.”

***

Fox & Fig is a coffee and brunch centric restaurant, and its style is inspired by Australian brunch cafés, which are known for having upper scale breakfast foods and strong coffee programs. At Fox & Fig, most entrees are between $10 and $15.

The menu items change seasonally, with the exception of a few mainstay dishes, and the current menu includes sandwiches and burgers made with plant-based proteins, eggless quiches, pizza, breakfast tacos, pancakes, various pastries, coffees and teas, macaroni and cheese and coconut cream milkshakes made with ice cream from Leopold’s, a popular ice cream store in Savannah.

Ehmke said his to sell vegan milkshakes is what influenced Leopold’s to start selling vegan ice cream.

“Two years ago, I met with the owner of Leopold’s, and we had a talk, and they never offered a vegan ice cream, and I helped them to design that recipe for their vegan ice cream,” Ehmke says. “I was like, ‘make this happen and I’ll buy it from you for my spot,’ and they made it happen and now they sell vegan ice cream at their spot. It’s good to see the changes in town that I’ve pushed.”

The menu at Fox & Fig is completely plant-based. There are no animal products used, as in meat, eggs, dairy or honey.

“The reason this is here is for vegan activism,” Ehmke says. “We care. We believe in veganism, but we don’t shout it, because our activism works that way, and if you shout it, it pushes them away.”

Ehmke disagrees with the ways that more abrasive vegans promote their activism, giving an example of vegans who stand outside of grocery stores with signs that read “Meat is Murder.” Ehmke believes that a better way to promote the cause is by making genuinely good vegan food that non-vegans can appreciate.

“Here’s this dish,” Ehmke says. “If it’s really good, and you had a really good experience, well, that happened to be all vegan. That’s where the passion comes from, I think. It’s doing good for the world. A lot of restaurants can’t say that.”

Ehmke plans on writing a vegan food and coffee book within the next year. He also plans to expand Fox & Fig by starting another one in Charleston next year, or by creating a quick-serve model of the restaurant and opening multiple locations across America within the next four years.

“If I’m a doctor, and I’ve been trained in how to give someone CPR, and there’s a dying person right there, it is my duty to do something about it,” Ehmke says. “So it’s like, if we can do vegan food better than anyone else, and no one is taking this nationally, and we have the ability to, then it’s our duty and responsibility.”

***

Apart from running Fox & Fig, Ehmke also works in the kitchen. He employs a few cooks, servers and hostesses, a good portion of whom are vegan.

“As far as the culture here, we have a safe environment,” Ehmke says. “It’s like a family here. A lot of the people have been here since day one. The people that work here are some of my best friends.”

Michele Mobley has been in the food service industry for five years now, and has been employed at Fox & Fig as a hostess since last July. She is wearing clear rimmed glasses and she speaks in a soft, friendly tone.

“I really like it here,” Mobley says, smiling. “I like the environment, the people, the food. This is probably my favorite restaurant that I’ve ever worked in. It’s very relaxing, not very stressful. Everyone just gets along.”

Mobley’s favorite dish is the gunslinger pancakes, a seasonal dish.

“It’s a bit on the sweeter side,” Mobley says. “We do like a cold-smoked butter on top which is really nice and interesting with espresso dust.”

Athena Leondoupoulou has been working as a server at Fox & Fig since last August. She has a long ponytail, speaks confidently and laughs a lot. Her favorite menu item is the fox burger, a mainstay.

“[Fox & Fig is] very family-like,” Leondoupoulou says. “It’s a very nice environment. The customers are pretty good, and I normally get regulars, as well.”

Leondoupoulou is from Greece, and moved to Savannah after learning how to speak fluent English. The Greek island she lived on is small, and is populated by about 800 people. She has been vegan for more than nine years, and she wanted to work at Fox & Fig because it is the only vegan restaurant in Savannah.

Jennifer Miller, a customer, comes to Fox & Fig about once a week. She has been vegan for more than 25 years. Fox & Fig is her favorite restaurant. Miller often brings non-vegan friends to the restaurant and they are always enjoy their visit.

“Tonight we had the cheese board, and that was phenomenal,” Miller says.

Peter Van Brussel, another regular customer, has been vegan for two and a half years.

“It’s a great vegan vibe, there’s not a lot of these kinds of places around here,” Van Brussel says.

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Laila Abdallah, 27, sits near the kitchen in a packed, hustling and bustling Waffle House on King George Boulevard in historic Savannah, Georgia. Abdallah speaks loudly and confidently to the waitress, even while knowing that all of the patrons are staring at her.

Abdallah is the only person in the restaurant wearing a hijab. She says that she is used to this kind of attention.

“This Waffle House is my favorite,” Abdallah says with a pink-lipstick smile. The staff are friendly here, and it’s five minutes down the road from where she used to live at her brother’s house. She used to come here often on Friday nights and Saturday mornings with her sister.

“Michelle is my favorite waitress,” Abdallah whispers. “Her name tag says ‘Awesome.’ Took me like, two years to figure out her name.” She gestures at a middle-aged woman who is busy gathering our menus and silverware, yelling out orders amidst the loud atmosphere of chatting customers, staff, eggs sizzling and the clatter of forks and spoons. Michelle comes over to take the drink orders and compliments Abdallah on her Facebook feed. They engage in small talk, and Abdallah is smiling and laughing throughout the exchange.

***

Abdallah is a Savannah-born Muslim woman. When she was younger, she noticed that Savannah was a bit closed-minded, and she felt like an outcast.

“I was who I am now basically, but as a teenager. I was always very outspoken. It wasn’t that they didn’t like it. They didn’t understand it, and when you’re younger, people kind of use their age and their quote unquote ‘wisdom’ to try to dismiss your thoughts, and you’re just like, I cannot wait until I have some more credibility to prove to you I am right. I’m all about dismantle the patriarchy, okay, but that coming out of a 12 or 13-year-old’s mouth, it’s like, ‘Why do you hate men?’” Abdallah said, exasperated. “I don’t hate men! I’m observing a trend, and I think it’s problematic, and I think we need to address it for what it is.”

This starts Abdallah ranting about feminism, parenting, the Muslim community and what constitutes impactful work, flitting from a seemingly never-ending list of subjects that she is passionate about. She admits she rants often, and her hands are constantly moving as she does so. Her blue-green eyes widen and narrow behind her purple-rimmed glasses, depending on her tone.

“I try to walk into a room with the confidence of an entitled white man in America,” Abdallah said. “That’s the kind of energy I like to channel.”

Abdallah lived in Palestine for five years as a child and attended high school in Savannah. She later earned her undergraduate degree at Georgia Southern University with a Spanish and biology double major. She then took a gap-year to work in Washington D.C., and after that, she moved to Philadelphia to get her master’s degree in public health from Drexel University. She then moved back again to Savannah to help out her family because her parents were aging, and her brothers were having children. Abdallah also became the principal at the Islamic Center of Savannah’s weekend academy program for kids.

“I feel like I did a lot for my family, but I did the most for my community,” Abdallah said. “There’s a lot of young girls that I got the opportunity to mentor and work with, and I’m like hey, that really small fragment of idea that you have? That you want more, you can be more, you want to do more, it’s not crazy. Don’t let anybody dismiss college because no one in your family has ever gone to college before. Be audacious.”

Abdallah mentored younger boys, as well.

“When you are dealing with teenagers or young boys who really think that aggression and dominance is the way to tackle things, like no, it’s collaboration, and I know it sounds crazy and very silly, but let me show you how it can be cool,” Abdallah said, laughing.

Abdallah remembers a time when she was with the ICS kids on a field trip and they stopped at Burger King to eat. She specified to the drive-thru worker that she wanted potatoes with her meal. She even stressed to the worker not to forget the potatoes, as they are her favorite food. Surely enough, the worker forgot to include the potatoes, so Abdallah went into the fast food chain and politely pointed out the mistake and asked for it to be corrected. She turned the situation into a teachable moment.

“She ended up giving me two sets of potatoes,” Abdallah said. “So, I come back to the car, and I tell the students, like, ‘You know what I did,’ and they were like, ‘What, you went and yelled at her for forgetting your potatoes?’ And I was like, ‘No, I was nice, and I politely said that I needed my potatoes, and she gave me two. Everything that I have gotten in life, I’ve gotten from being nice, being kind, being considerate. You really don’t have to be a mean person to get what you want.’”

Abdallah no longer works at ICS, but she trained Hafsa Junaid to take her place.

“She explained my role and responsibilities at the ICS Weekend Academy and made sure that I understood them before moving on,” Junaid said. “She incorporated my opinion as a team member and taught me skills that helped me doing my job well. Laila is a born leader. She is honest, helpful and is not afraid to stand up for what is right.”

Junaid enjoys being the vice principal of operations at ICS Weekend Academy.

“I love it there!” Junaid said. “The environment is really welcoming and great. It’s amazing to be able to see that you are making a difference.”

Abdallah is happy with the help that she provided others by coming back to her hometown, but she wants to leave in order to make an even larger impact on the world, although she is unsure of what that is for her, yet.

***

Abdallah’s birthday had passed recently, and her best friend Tracy Igbwebuike posted a public message for her on social media.

“So, this is what I wrote for her bday earlier this month,” Igbwebuike said. “To anyone who’s had the fortune of meeting Laila, you’re welcome. I don’t think you guys understand how hard she goes for the people, causes, beliefs she cares for, because if she’s on your side, you’re guaranteed to succeed. She consistently gives over 100 percent no matter the task and expects no difference in return. Laila, you are so easy to celebrate.”

After breakfast at Waffle House, Abdallah was off to Blessingdales, a Christian-based thrift store, to donate clothes as a part of her 27 acts of altruism, a birthday tradition she participates in every February. She carries two extremely heavy garbage bags full of donation items to Blessingdales’s donation bin.

“I lift,” Abdallah said.

Abdallah walks into the store to do some personal shopping. Loud gospel music plays throughout the store, and she walks along the aisles until an item catches her attention. It’s a little clown doll that reminds her of her sister, so she decides to purchase it for her.

Abdallah continues to walk around the store and talks about the rest of her family. She said that her parents used to not be as open as they are now, and that she was the child of all of her siblings that was able to change them.

“I was able to argue my cases using logic and facts, and ‘okay well our religion says one two three four five six, 20,000 things about the rights of women,’” Abdallah said, “And I started calling out their BS. I was like okay, these things you are associating with men versus women are not necessarily associated with religion. It’s partially culture, and this culture is also tied onto this universal patriarchal way of thinking, and so, the more educated I became in what our religion says, the more ammo I had to kind of like establish why I wanted to do certain things I wanted to do.”

Abdallah said that her parents keep to themselves and try to keep the peace, even if that means ignoring acts of discrimination. They are legal citizens and have been living in America for over 30 years.

“I’m a little more audacious,” Abdallah said, with her hand on her hip. “I was born here. I’m just as American as the next person. If someone says something racist to me, they’re getting called out. If someone says something racist to you, they’re getting called out. You should call them out, too. We should not let racism live in any sort of circles. It’s like an infestation.”

Abdallah softens her tone a little.

“But I do understand it’s a personality trait of mine to be outspoken,” Abdallah said. “I had to learn that not everyone is like that.”

Abdallah remembered a time where her close friend faced discrimination at the beach. It took a lot of effort for Abdallah to convince this friend to go there, as her friend had made a recent choice to start dressing in more traditional modest garb, and she was nervous about wearing it at the beach. Abdallah wore a typical swimsuit.

“I convinced her to get in the water, and she’s having this moment of bliss, until she realizes that someone on the beach, a father and his family, are recording her and laughing at her, and of course it shattered her,” Abdallah said sadly. “She just got out the water. She didn’t want to do it anymore.”

Abdallah pauses to sigh.

“I mean, I obviously ended up handling the situation,” Abdallah smirked. “We moved camp, so I told my sister, ‘Go grab all our stuff from over there. We’re moving right in front of them, and we are just going to be ourselves in front of them.’ So, I did a whole photoshoot in front of them. It was very annoying, I’m sure. So annoying to them that they packed up their stuff and moved. I was like, ‘Thank you.’ The water doesn’t care what I’m wearing, but you do.”

Abdallah begins ranting about politics and discrimination in the middle of Blessingdale’s. She said that the only way to make real change is for people to be empathetic, compassionate and action-oriented.

“Not being empathetic, not being compassionate and not taking action will be our demise,” Abdallah said in a serious tone. “So, I am like that when I am a part of a team, in my family, when I’m voting, whatever it is like that, I take those three things into consideration. So, who I am in public, is exactly who I am at home.”

A man hears Abdallah ranting and approaches her.

“Are you Muslim?” he asked with a heavy southern drawl.

“Yes,” Abdallah replied.

“Alaikum salaam,” the man greeted her in Arabic – incorrectly, but with sincerity.

“As-salamu ‘alaykum,” Abdallah greeted him right back.

3/14/2019, 10:15 a.m.: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Hafsa Junaid is the principal of ICS and that Abdallah returned to the U.S. to earn her bachelor’s degree, when she had actually moved to Savannah before then.

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When I joined Georgia Southern’s Model Arab League (MAL) team, I was really just looking for a club where I could use some of the material I was learning in my classes and maybe make a few friends along the way. Like most new MAL members, I felt a little lost, between the piles of research and the rules of parliamentary procedure I started to think I had gotten myself into more than I originally thought. But by the time my first conference rolled around I felt confident and prepared thanks to the help of Emily Krout and all the other MAL veterans.

At that first conference in beautiful Tampa, Florida, my partner and I represented the small Gulf nation of Qatar. I knew very little about Qatar before preparing for the conference, but the research I conducted in preparation sparked my interest. Wow! What an interesting and unique State. I had to know more. But, what simple Google searches provide as far as information on the tiny nation truly only scratches the surface.

But wait, I’m getting off track, back to the conference. With the help of my partner, Granville Winkjer, we were awarded Outstanding Delegation for the Representation of Qatar. Cool, right? They gave us a very official certificate, commended us on our efforts, and sent us off back to Statesboro satisfied with our hard work, and ready to get started again next year. I didn’t think much else of it – at least until my faculty advisors submitted our names to the National Council on U.S. Arab Relations, which oversees the MALs across the country, among many other things, and I was given the opportunity to apply for a Study-Visit to Qatar. Which I thought was awesome enough by itself. Unconvinced I would ever be chosen for such an opportunity, I happily applied.

And I was chosen. I think I might have screamed. First I called my mom, who immediately began researching travel tips and, of course, everything she could about Qatar. Then I ran (more of a sad jog or an impressive speed walk) to my professor’s office to tell him the news. Both Professors Salhi and Lubecki were elated. Dr. Lubecki would also be chosen to travel with me as a faculty advisor. I couldn’t wait. But I had to, at least until Thanksgiving Break, when our adventure would begin.

The National Council on U.S. Arab Relations would fly us out to Qatar at the beginning of Thanksgiving break, and we would return at the end of the week. During the visit, we met with dignitaries, government officials, military personnel and many other interesting Qatari individuals. We visited places of business, government facilities, religious sites, historical locations, gorgeous natural spaces and much more. But what would strike me the most about this fascinating nation, far beyond the wonders of architecture, the long and rich history of the country, and the interesting government policies that have been modernizing and progressing the nation through periods of trial, were the people.

This, ultimately, would be the recurring theme of the trip. Every individual I spoke with, personally or in a group setting, wanted me to convey the same message to my community back home. There are many difference between life in Statesboro, Georgia and Doha Qatar, but it is not quite as different as you might think. Really, it’s the minute and often insignificant that differentiates us, like pedestrian crossing signs that feature Qatari traditional dress, as opposed to our business suit wearing pedestrians, and perhaps you might only be able to recognize the local McDonalds by its golden arches and not by its neon sign in Arabic letters.

This is part one the message the people of Qatar wanted me to share; life is life. We are different only in our expressions of self, there is very little fundamentally that separates us beside distance itself. We all pursue the same happiness, we might just achieve it in different ways. All of our other differences – cultural, political, economic, religious – make up the second part of the message: the wonder of diversity.

One question that I asked each of the people I met during my short visit to Qatar was this: what do you want my American peers to know about the people of Qatar? And though each answer contained different features or sentiments, they all expressed the themes of sameness. But what’s more most had another message they found critical I convey back to my community – the importance of diversity.

The general sentiment of those I came into contact with on this tour of Qatar was that one of the defining characteristics of American success in the eyes of the Qatari people is diversity. This is because, according to those who were patient enough to answer our group’s many questions, diversity allows the exchange of human experience. The interacting of people with differing perspectives empowers the progression of comprehensive solutions to complex problems. It allows the flow of ideas to persist past the confines of individual experience and into that of intersectionality. Diversity encourages improvement and demand progress. They caution us not to forget this in our disagreements with one another.

I find this message to be hopeful and encouraging, especially among college students today. The abundance of opinions, perspectives, and experiences are vital to the advancement of not only our nation but all nations. My trip to Qatar opened my eyes in so many ways, many of which I can’t wait to share with my community this year through several activities across campus in the Spring and Fall.

What I learned in one short week has altered my world view, deepened my understanding of and connection with people of another culture, and vastly changed my college experience. I am grateful to the National Council on U.S. Arab relations for such an opportunity, and equally grateful to the people of Qatar for welcoming us so warmly and inviting us to experience Qatar.

The experiences and opportunities that I have received from participating in Georgia Southern’s Model Arab League have completely changed the trajectory of my life. Had you told me that I would travel across the world with other bright students as a delegation from the National Council on U.S. Arab Relations at my first MAL meeting, well.. In any case, you never know what doors you might open, so why not try!

Hannah Johnston is a senior international studies and Arabic major. She is currently serving as the VP of Georgia Southern University’s Model Arab League. She is also a member of the GS Model United Nations team.

We all know by now that global warming is real, right? Right! So if you want to help Florida not sink underwater, check out these five tips to be part of the solution.

#1: Reduce meat/dairy consumption

Okay look, just hear me out. I’m not saying you have to go vegan or vegetarian (although that is a very good way to help the environment) but it has been proven that even so much as reducing when you can is very helpful and can save gallons upon gallons of water, miles upon miles of land and clouds upon clouds of methane from being released into the atmosphere. There is no other way around addressing this major concern, as animal agriculture is THE LEADING cause of global warming by a long shot. Reducing consumption of these products is the most effective way to fight global warming.

#2: Educate yourself about global warming

It’s important to understand why it’s happening and how to stop it in order to be the best possible advocate for our environment. With proper education about global warming, you will be able to recognize harmful habits that impact our environment and be able to make proper changes in your life that correspond to your newfound knowledge. You may also find yourself more motivated and impassioned about the issue, leading to stronger dedication and willingness to share knowledge with others. There are lots of research and documentaries available, and I recommend Cowspiracy, which is on Netflix. I like it because not only is it informative and entertaining, but there is also some drama in it (other than just the drama of the apocalypse due to environmental harm).

#3: Speak up

We all have to work together on this issue in order for our efforts to work. When you hear others spreading misinformation about global warming, correct them. Recommend documentaries to friends and family. It’s important to talk about global warming, as it’s an issue that impacts all of us, the animals and posterity. Don’t be too aggressive about it, as that is not an effective persuasive approach, and if people try to argue with you about it, it’s probably best to save your time and sanity and move on.

#4: Support political candidates who care about global warming

We currently have a president who doesn’t believe that global warming is caused by humans, despite the ridiculous amounts of evidence that state otherwise. This is very bad. It’s important that we strive to elect candidates who will make global warming a priority. Who cares about building a wall when we have excessive hurricanes, tornadoes and arctic winds? Yes, I include arctic winds because research shows that arctic winds may actually be a symptom of global warming, as the Earth is trying to stabilize its temperature. But notice that when America got a serious barrage of arctic winds, our president had this to say about it:

#5: Do the little things you always hear you are supposed to do

You probably thought this list was going to be about these little things, right? You know, take shorter showers. Carpool. Bike to school. Get reusable bags. You know all the little things, as these are the aspects of change that people like to focus on, because they are easier than doing the previous things on this list. The truth is, reducing your meat/dairy intake FAR outweighs any other change that you can make, and doing these little things is just a drop in the bucket by comparison, but you should still try to do them when you can. Every little bit helps. So yeah, turn off your faucet while you brush your teeth or whatever. Easy stuff.

Thanks for checking out my five tips for being nicer to our planet. I hope it has inspired you to do some research of your own, as well as implement these tips in your daily life.

Valentine’s Day is this Thursday! If this comes as news to you, worry not. Here are my top five last-minute Valentine’s Day presents to gift your crush or significant other this 14^th.

#1: Homemade Chocolate

Whether you want to make traditional chocolates, a chocolate cake or chocolate brownies, homemade chocolate is a classic Valentine’s Day staple. There are lots of quick and easy recipes online, and I will be implementing this one this year.

#2: Handwritten Card and Flowers

I am personally not a fan of the corporate-y cards that you can buy from the drugstore. They are cheesy, mass-produced and fail to capture the essence of real interpersonal relationships. You can bypass this issue by making your sweetie a handwritten card that includes all of your inside jokes and favorite things about them. You can also design the card yourself, and even if you aren’t the most artistic of people, your little doodles will surely be appreciated. Oh yeah, and throw some flowers in, too, because flowers are nice.

#3: Something Creative

Are you musically inclined? Write your crush a song and perform it for them. Good at pottery? Make them a mug. Amazing painter? Paint them a canvas piece. Creative gifts are personal and customizable, making them great options for Valentine’s Day.

#4: Make a Nice Dinner

Make your Valentine their favorite meal, unless if that meal is something lame, such as hotdogs or tuna sandwiches. In that case, make lasagna or some sort of pasta. I personally love the lasagna recipe from the Thug Kitchen 101 book. Serve it with wine and light candles, because this isn’t just an ordinary dinner, it’s ~romantic~.

#5: Give a Massage

When I say massage, I mean a nice and long massage. I also must add a disclaimer to first gauge your relationship with the person, as they may not be comfortable with you massaging them if things are still in the newer stages. Also, not everyone likes massages (I know, strange, right?). If you both feel comfortable with the idea of a massage, use some massage oil. You can find this at your local drugstore. There are different scents and sensations available (lavender, warming). Be warned, if you do this once, your person will likely ask for this service every chance they get.

I hope that this list might prove useful to you slackers this love season. Happy Valentine’s Day, guys!

Free Spirit Pottery, a small business on downtown main street in Statesboro, made roughly $45,000 in profit from January to October, said owner Sarah Gearhart.

Free Spirit Pottery is a business that sells mosaics, canvases for painting and pre-made pottery. Patrons customize these products in-store with provided materials where they can hand-craft mosaics, paint on canvases and paint pottery that will be glazed and fired in a kiln.

Gearhart said that the average customer spends about $20 at Free Spirit Pottery per-visit. On weekdays, she said the store hosts about three to four people per-day. Weekends are the store’s busiest days, bringing in 30 to 40 customers.

Gearhart said that her biggest money-makers are her canvas paintings and her canvas painting classes that she teaches. She charges $35 dollars per-class, which is the same price that her competition, the Averitt Center, located across the street, charges.

“A lot of my customers don’t know that we do those classes, and that’s what I’m trying to advertise the most, I guess,” Gearhart said. “I price [the classes] based on what the competitors have, so a lot of times with those, I’ll also do specials where we have, like, 20 percent off or something because it doesn’t affect me too much, but in the eye of the consumer, that’s a big deal.”

Gearhart said that she loads about 50 to 60 items in the kiln about two to three times per-week, unless if she is firing big platters. Young children are her most popular clientele, and because of this, pottery figurines are her most popular items. She said that as it gets closer to Christmas, platters and ornaments become the most-popular items.

Gearhart also said that her business earned around $80,000 for the entirety of last year. November and December were her most profitable months.

The most expensive item in the store is a hand-thrown giant pottery bowl made in Italy, which is priced at $150, Gearhart said. The cheapest items for purchase are the pottery magnets priced between $1 and $2.

Celeste Spence, a retiree, is a regular customer at Free Spirit Pottery. She says that she frequents the store twice every week, and spends a lot of time there.

“The longest time I’ve spent there is about four hours,” Spence said. “I get so involved in my painting project, I can’t stop.”

The most money Spence has ever spent at the store at one time was $65 on a Christmas tree figurine.

Customers on average spend about two hours per store visit, Gearhart said. Melanie Anderson, a mother and a regular patron of Free Spirit Pottery, said that she usually spends one to two hours there when she visits with her children once per-month.

Anderson said that she and her children love painting pottery at the store.

“The most I have spent there just to paint pottery was $180, and also my girls go to pottery camp every year which costs a little more than that,” Anderson said. “We love Free Spirit.”