Hei alle sammen!!

Hope everyone is as excited as I am! 

                  Photo by John Arvid Johnsen

I was over the moon with excitement when it was confirmed that I am going to be interview by a journalist from Trd.by. This was mainly because this is my first time being featured in the media about something other than my birthday. Getting a feature in the media for your birthday, is common in Liberia (where I come from, originally).

 On Wednesday, January 16th I got a call from a kind journalist (Elise) asking if I had the time to go in for an interview, unfortunately, we had to change in-person interview to an on-the-phone interview instead. Ms. Elise asked, “why the Miss Norway 2019 competition is more than just a competition for me?”; she also asked questions about the details of the competition, about my background, and my personal story.

 The social justice focus I choose for my Miss Norway 2019 journey is “Domestic Abuse and other forms of Domestic Violence.” To everyone who has experienced or witnessed any form of domestic violence and/or abuse, like myself, I want you to know that YOU ARE STRONGER THAN YOU KNOW. You are more than what you have been or may be going through. Don’t EVER let your past or current situation determine your future. NEVER stop believing in your dreams, and don’t take ‘’no’’ for an answer. Believing that my life could be better is how I got here today!

To think that a simple lady, who is a nobody like me, is worthy of a whole page feature in any publication is so unreal. MAMA WE’VE MADE IT! I’m sooo grateful to Trd.by for the feature and look forward to the next one (in the TIMES Magazine)! *wink*.

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I wish you all a lovely week ahead! 

Winnie Tenne Cooper  

It is almost the end of January; you have restarted the clock and started doing resolutions you have written down and you are trying to stay motivated in the process.

Resolutions like: getting a better job, start a fitness journey, make better decisions, make more money, and travel more, maybe? However, I feel like we all live in is this bubble, where we are ought to make new resolutions because it is a New Year.

The truth is, most of us will do the same thing we always do: set some goals that will be forgotten about by the end of January, or thereabouts. We’ve all been asked the question before, around the end of the year; “What are your resolutions for the coming year”. And if you say you don’t have any, you get the “are you kidding me” look. I’m starting to think people expect that now. It is great if you are one of those who does resolutions. But personally, I see “resolutions” as a change and I don’t believe that I or anyone else should wait for a “New Year” to make a change. I’m not here to discourage you about what you do as a person because we all have our reasons as to why we do anything for that matter. But have you asked yourself this question; Why is it that for all the motivation you have before the 1st January, you get more unproductive as the year goes on? Perhaps you are doing resolutions because of societal norms, or it is probably based on the expectations of others, or maybe because your heart isn't even in it. There is no point in setting resolutions you have been setting for years, only to end up feeling disappointed in yourself for not achieving them.

It can be difficult to stay motivated even when you've chosen one well-reasoned goal, and as we all know a New Year doesn’t make staying motivated any easier. Therefore, it is better to make specific goals that you feel you can achieve and goals that have concrete results, instead of making too many changes at once. 

The moment you start turning the search inwards and start truly understanding ‘’YOU’’, stop pilling pressure on yourself to undertake resolutions you won't be committed to, stop making empty promises (resolutions) to strangers, and have an open mind about life in general; you give yourself time to breathe- be present.

This year, let go of expectations from others for once while letting your intuition take the lead. Do things that feed your soul and things that make you want to wake up in the morning with a smile on your face, instead of making promises (resolutions) to strangers who don't care what happens to you in the next few months! That way, you attract the abundance of positive energy into your life.

Følg me på Instagram og gjerne lik og del min Facebook , for hold deg oppdatert med reisen min. 

Jeg ønsker samarbeidspartnere så hvis dette virker interessant for deg, gjerne ta kontakt med meg på e-post Denne e-postadressen er beskyttet mot programmer som samler e-postadresser. Du må aktivere javaskript for å kunne se den. 

I wish you all a lovely week ahead! 

Winnie Tenne Cooper  

Hi everyone! 

I wrote this blog post some months ago when I watched a documentary about girls being raped by one of the employees of an organization called ''More Than Me'', which was created to save vulnerable girls from sexual exploitation in my home country Monrovia Liberia. Let's dive in!

October 11 was declared as International Day of The Girl Child in 2012 by the United Nations and has since been observed by people around the world.  The International Day of The Girl Child is a day set aside to highlight the successes of the girl child in a family. On this day, it is also an opportunity for global institutions to address the needs and challenges that girls living in developing and undeveloped countries face on a day to day basis while promoting girls empowerment and the protection of their rights.

People often wonder “why is there a special day set aside to celebrate the girl child?” Hence, I list some reasoning behind the need to have a day devoted to the girl child:

• School-aged Girls Are Not in School- There are millions of girls around the world who are not in school as of today’s date. Lack of funding, poverty and gender discrimination play a major role in this;
• Forced Marriage - Every day nine out of ten girls are forced into marriage. Child marriage is rooted in gender inequality, harmful traditions, poverty, religious beliefs and sometimes insecurity;
• Child Labor- Girls in most third-world countries become breadwinners for their family from an early age, which result in them not experiencing a healthy childhood;
• Child Pregnancy- this often results from forced early marriage, sexual abuse, and lack of proper Health Care or sexual education;
• They are Girls- Around the world, there are legal, religious and traditional practices that discriminate against girls having access to basic needs because of their gender.

In a country like Norway, we girls are privileged not to face these difficulties. However, let us remember that there are millions of girls outside of Norway who would do anything to live with the privileges we have as Norwegians.

The documentary

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Winnie Tenne Cooper

Drømmen til hver kvinne er luksuriøst hår, som i reklame.Ja, for å oppnå eit slik resultat må vi bruke mye arbeid og kostbare midler som ikke alltid blir effektive som forventet. Selfølgelig er det ein ting å vaske håret med ein «supersjampoo», som vill gi håret styrke, volum, glans.

Hei alle sammen! Today's post is about where I am from originally, Liberia West Africa. 

                                                           Photo by John Arvid Johnsen

Liberia is not a country that is heard about regularly, like South Africa, Ghana or Nigeria. However, those who are interested in football know about Liberia only because our current president George Oppong Weah, was a former World Best football player. And If you are interested in politics, then you certainly know about Liberia. You may have read about Sierra Leone’s Blood Diamonds and Charles Taylor, the First African Head Of State to be convicted of War Crimes at the UN International Criminal Court; or you may have heard about Madame Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the First ever African Female President (Second in the World).

You may not have followed politics, but if you follow world news or health science, you might have heard about Liberia’s of the fourteen years of Civil Crisis or the Ebola Virus Disease took over a global headline from 2014-2015. Yet Liberia is so much more than the people mentioned previously or the stories you may have heard!

 

Liberia is a small nation, located on the West coast of Africa. Bordered by Sierra Leone, in the West; Guinea, in the north; La Cöté d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), on the east; and the Atlantic Ocean, in the south. Liberia has a population of 4.7 million people. This small nation has a rich history and complex cultures.

Here are some amazing Facts about Liberia:

• English is the official language spoken in Liberia; however, the country comprises of 16 major tribes and there is a common tongue (unofficial language) that is made up of phrases from all the tribes and other foreign languages called Koloqua.
• Liberia is Africa’s Oldest Republic; it was never colonized, but Liberia declared Independence on July 26, 1847 (about 100 years before any other African country).
• About 12 percent of the world’s ships fly the flag of Liberia; Liberia has the largest shipping registry in the world, but only has 3 ports.
• About 60% of Liberia is covered in the natural rain forest; Liberia is home to the largest remaining part of the Upper Guinean forest ecosystem, one of the rarest natural biodiversity in the world (It’s made up of 10 national parks, and 2 nature reserves).
• Liberia was founded to be home for freed slaves from America and the West Indies; it was founded by the American Colonization Society, a group of slave abolitionists.
• Royal Caribbean International, which has the three biggest cruise ships on the planet, is incorporated in Liberia, along with 12% of the world’s entire maritime fleet.
• Nelson Mandela, one of the most admired world icons, was born in Monrovia, Liberia.
• The longest river in Liberia is named after a fish. The Cavalla River emerges north of the Nimba Range in Guinea and flows south, forming part of the Liberia-Ivory Coast border.
• Oprah Winfrey has traced her ancestry back to the Liberian region of Kpelle.
• George Weah, the current President of Liberia, was the only person in the world to hold three prestigious sports titles in one year. In 1995, he was named African Footballer of the Year, FIFA World Player of the Year and European Footballer of the Year. 
• In 1960, Liberia was elected to the Security Council of the United Nations, making it the first black African country ever to occupy a seat in this body.

                              LIBASSA ECOLODGE, MARSHALL MARGIBI COUNTY

MOUNT NIMBA, YEKEPA NIMBA COUNTY 

KPATAWEE WATERFALL, BONG COUNTY

RLJ KENDEJA RESORT AND VILLA 

                                              Wearing a Liberia map and flag necklace

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Winnie Tenne Cooper

Far too often, we all get so consumed in this routine life that we forget how important it is to take a break or vacation. It doesn't matter what kind of break you take, it is important to take a vacation from the job, the daily routines, and the general demands of life in order for our minds and bodies to keep functioning well.  

Few benefits of taking a vacation includes:

• Taking a vacation can lead to sharper thinking, and increase creativity. This makes us better at our jobs, more available in our relations, and more supportive.
• Environmental psychologists have observed that the good vibes you bring back from vacation, rub off on the people around you.
• It strengthens relationships (family, friends, and etc.). A vacation with loved ones is a great way to spend time together and create memories.
• It is a great opportunity to meet new people, have fun and enjoy some of the things you love.
• Vacations interrupt the cycle of stress that can cause being overwhelmed.
• Vacations make you happy with life in general.

Instead of relying solely on vacations for breaks all the time, we could also distract ourselves temporarily while dealing with daily challenges, when we cannot afford to go on a vacation. By distraction, I mean engaging ourselves with something that truly takes our minds off. There are lots of options out there for taking a break or things we can use as a distraction. Some activities you don’t even have to spend a dime on.

For instance:

• A walk
• Bike riding
• Enjoying a movie
• Reading a book
• 5-minute meditation session
• Even a day at home without social media and electronic devices.

Taking breaks may sometimes feel like running away; however, it is a way to refresh ourselves enabling us to take on the world again. You owe this to yourself and remember, your physical and mental health should ALWAYS be a priority. 

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Winnie Tenne Cooper