Phew! What a year it has been. So much is going on in my life and I’d like to share some of it with you. I especially would like to share because I’ve received so many emails from this community and I recognize that you’ve been a gift to me. Yes, I have shared a few articles on here in the past few years, including my journey to Mount Everest Basecamp, but these articles have been few and far between.

Many of you noticed that I left my almost 80k followers behind on Twitter about three of four years ago. I deactivated the account because it just was not fun anymore. Twitter used to be so much fun with a little bit of poison and then it became full-blown poison. I told myself that there was no way I would continuously stay in such a place in real life, so why would I do so in my virtual life? I took the bold step and left.

Then, with all my expertise with TVP, Dusit, my FIFA experience, and global tourism and hospitality, I was hired as the Director of Signature Events at a 140-year old hospitality company in middle Canada, bearing responsibility for multiple departments including signature events, marketing, sponsorships, agriculture, and even a large sports restaurant and bar for a while. To get some context, one of our annual events had attendance of 230,000 people over 6 days. I was the director in charge of building our sponsorships and partnerships for the organization, all our marketing and communications and all our self-produced events. It was such an experience and I thoroughly enjoyed doing something so up my alley but also so different. I have been busier than ever in the last 3-4 years. Now, I have taken a short sabbatical to soak in this life I’ve lived, and power up for the next decade of my life.

What’s next?

Games: Last year, I launched my first digital game called Boju Boju. It is an exciting daily crossword puzzle and the first edition is the Naija Edition. Everyday, I look at the backend and I see hundreds of people playing it and I smile. Thank you to Zikoko for including the puzzle on their daily newsletter so more people can find it! This year, I am hoping to build out an app for Boju Boju and eventually have the entire world playing digital games across different categories inside the Boju Boju app.

Show Me One Thing: Remember when Show Me One Thing used to feature weekly videos and articles that share a fascinating discovery from around the world or explain a curious topic? Yea, we’re bringing that back and better than ever. Please follow Show Me One Thing on Instagram, TikTok, and subscribe on YouTube. This year, I am going to travel far and near, exploring the world and sharing the stories of the most fascinating people, places, professions and topics I find.

Social Media: I am back on Twitter and starting from scratch (0 followers). I need to write, I need to engage with the world in order to use this gift of storytelling that God has given me, and it still remains the best platform for microblogging. So, I hope I am able to carefully curate who and what I consume on there because I simply want to share my work with games, travel and tourism, global marketing, and whatever else I am putting out into the world. God abeg o. Please follow my personal Twitter.

My Next Job: I have not yet decided what I will be doing after my short sabbatical is over but I really want to build. I have excelled in operations, administration, global partnerships, events, hospitality and travel and tourism. I want to work in an organization that has a global outlook and preferably one that is doing something bold and innovative. I am keeping my eyes open but making sure that it aligns with where I want to go and who I want to be.

What I need from you: Just three things, my people:

• Play Boju Boju for 3-5 mins every day

• Watch Show Me One Thing shorts everyday on TikTok and IG and our my long form videos every week on YouTube

• Follow and Subscribe

That’s it! My promise in return is that you will come with me on the adventure of a lifetime, exploring the fascinating places and people on Earth. And you will feel more knowledgeable and more connected to the world.

Remember, my mission is to help people discover the world better, to help people connect with each other better, and to deepen our understanding of our shared space and humanity. Right now, I am doing this with games and Show Me One Thing. I want to do so much more.

Thank you so much!

My warmest regards,

Funmi Oyatogun.

How are you doing? If you have a moment, please reply this e-mail telling me about what’s new and exciting in your world. I would be honored to share in it.

Also, if you missed last week’s newsletter, I shared information about my upcoming World Cup and Middle Eastern tour to several countries. Like I mentioned, this will be a huge platform as I will be working as a hospitality volunteer for the World Cup in Qatar. I would be spending a month curating content around the region and would love to represent your brand while I do so. It can be one of the most creative and fun ways for your brand to reach a vast audience. If you’d like to sponsor me, simply reply this email or contact me directly at funmi@tvpadventures.com. Let’s make magic!

Now, to the topic for today. Did you know that it is illegal to change your name due to marriage in Québec?

This is something really interesting, especially coming from a country like Nigeria where women are expected to change their surnames after they get married. So, when I saw this tidbit in a news article, I decided to dig deeper into it. Here’s what I found.

When you get married in Québec, you are required to keep the name on your birth certificate for all things legal. That means, your driver’s license, signing documents, etc. In the words of the province, “both spouses must use their birth names to exercise their civil rights.” This is only expected for legal matters. You can refer to yourself however you like in social interactions and activities.

So, how did this come about?

Sometime in 1981, Québec passed a law that bans a woman from taking up her husband’s last name to help reduce the enormous societal pressure that women face to change their names after marriage. Many people have argued that in a bid to give women more civil rights, their personal decisions have turned political. Many argue that it restricts a woman’s right to choose her husband’s surname or a different one altogether. The exception is for marriages older than 1981. If you were married before April 2nd, 1981 in Québec, you can use your married name because you had it before the law was passed. However, even if you got married outside of Québec after 1981 and you’re domiciled now in Québec, you will be required to use your birth name.

Now, you’re probably wondering how children are typically named in Québec. I found out about that too. According to provincial law, two parents of a child must agree on the name for that child. Each child’s surname must have no more than two parts and can combine any parts of the mother’s name and father’s name. For example:

A woman called Funmi Oyatogun-Judah and a man called Lagbaja Star-Inyang can give their children any of the following surnames:

• Oyatogun

• Judah

• Star

• Inyang

• Oyatogun-Star

• Oyatogun-Inyang

• Judah-Star

• Judah-Inyang

• Or any other derivation or combination of both parent’s names.

Pretty interesting, right? So tell me, what’s your culture of names after marriage and what names do children typically take up in your culture? Did you stick to the norm or did you do something different? Tell me.

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Before you go, please share this newsletter with other curious minds. There’s something pretty cool to discover (almost) every week!

Love,
Funmi.

Thank you so much for joining our Business of Play Live Twitter Space last week. Our monthly sessions will discuss topics on tourism, travel, games and entertainment. It was such a good conversation and you can get the recording here. Also, now is the time for you to start planning your Christmas trip. To do so, you can fill this simple form and we will create the trip of your dreams (and budget) for you! Finally, don’t forget that you can still get any of our games for 5,000 Naira. This deal will end soon. You can send an e-mail to info@tvpadventures.com or reply this e-mail to order.

Alright! Here’s a list of characters you meet on any flight into or out of Nigeria:

People on a plane fascinate me. Conversations on a plane intrigue me. Time spent on a plane can be tiresome but for me, it is an opportunity to work, sleep, watch a series or just observe. Whether I am travelling for leisure or leading a TVP Adventures excursion to Mauritius, I have noticed that these travelers are a staple. Without each of these, a flight into or out of a Nigerian airport is incomplete.

1. Hungry Traveler — As the hostess wheels her trolley down the narrow aisle, the hungry traveler peeps overhead towards the rows she has served before his. He is trying to catch glimpses of the bite-sized plates of aircraft nourishment. He’s checking for which option looks like jollof rice, which looks inedible and which has the largest piece of cake or fruit salad. The attendant approaches and asks, “Would you like chicken, beef or vegetarian sir?” He coughs into his rolled-up fist and whispers, “Give me chicken, beef and vegetarian.”

   

2. Ignorant Troublemaker —Her loud voice pierces through the hot and humid room where 250 antsy travelers await their boarding announcement. Half of the room is laughing at her but she mistakes it for a cheer. “In my own country? Is it because they look rich? How can you allow them board first?” Most of her neighbors have given up trying to explain to her that the business class passengers paid more and therefore, should receive preferential treatment. She eventually calms down when she sees the micro pod that is her seat compared to the large cubicles that are theirs.

3. Summer in Houston Family — They could be going to London or Houston or Atlanta but this is their fourth trip of its kind. They will visit the same kinds of places — zoos, theme parks and statues — with their cousins who live in the city. The children who are dressed colorfully — the girl in purple and the boy in blue — eagerly ask their dad if they can watch Encanto…again. As their dad attempts to answer their unending but intelligent questions, their mum digs into her gigantic tote bag for her iPad…it is loaded with an array of games that will save her once Encanto is over and the kids become restless again.

   

4. Pregnant Woman — Her eyes are tired and she has eye bags from all the sleep she has lost in the last few weeks. She is so pregnant that in one more week, she would have become ineligible to fly. As she settles into her assigned seat and struggles to find comfort, she dumps her bags and coat on the seat beside her in hopes that it has not been assigned. In minutes, she has requested for three cups of water. Instead of a fourth cup, the attendant brings her a large bottle and an empty cup. “Thank you”, she sighs in relief, knowing that it will all be worth it when she returns home with her child and his American passport.

5. Prophet TB Joshua Pilgrims — There is no group more diverse than pilgrims to Prophet TB Joshua’s Synagogue in Lagos. Among them are blonde-haired women, dark-eyed men, curly-haired teenagers, two or three retirees and eight children. They are of all races and classes wearing uniformed t-shirts branded with ‘Miracle Crusade’. “We are going to see the prophet”, one woman mentions as she sees the curious look on her neighbor's face. “Do you know him?” She eventually names prophet T.B Joshua after receiving a stern retort that Nigeria has hundreds of prophets — some miracle workers, most famous, and all rich. After unsuccessful attempts to engage in proselytizing conversation with other passengers, the pilgrims hold hands to form a prayer chain as they wait for their boarding call.

   

6. Fussy Returnee — He has only been away from Nigeria for 5 weeks but is seated beside a family returning home for the first time in 17 years. It is his opportunity to prove that he is well traveled and unaccustomed to the faults around. “This is unacceptable, this cannot happen anywhere else”, he says at every given opportunity. Standing in line on the immigration queue, he complains about the faulty air conditioners while still wearing a sweater and winter jacket. Then he protests loudly so that the entire hall can hear his story — “this can never happen in Europe or in Texas. Even Ghana here cannot have this. Our leaders have failed!” By the time he clears through security and picks up his suitcases, everyone knows that he lived in Austria for ten years in the ‘80s, got his seventh degree in South Africa and is returning from a ‘round-the-world’ tour to Ottawa and Okayama.

7. New Grandparents — Her daughter had a baby two weeks early so she missed the birth. She excitedly shows neighbors photos of the baby while explaining the origin of its native and English names. Her husband argues with the air hostess as she offers to help him place his suitcase in the overhead cabin, insisting that he paid for the slot above his head and wants his suitcase in a particular spot. He is eventually convinced by the other passengers that his suitcase is safe wherever it is. As the plane taxis, he hurriedly speaks loudly to someone — presumably his daughter — on the phone. “we are coming o…we are about to fly!”

8. Importer Business Man — “Is this your first time travelling”, he asks as he nudges the woman sitting next to him. She is tired and has barely settled into her seat but replies that it is not her first time. He continues with enough words to allow him practice his accent of confused origin — rolled ‘rs’ and missing ‘ts’. He will go on to introduce himself with his given name as well as the name his friends call him (Mekky D), how many shops he runs in Alaba market and how many times he has been on this route to purchase his imports. For each shopping trip, he tells a story and flips to the page on his passport where the corresponding visa is stamped.

9. Drinker — “Would you like coffee or tea, Sir?” The extremely bubbly attendant asks as he makes his way down the aisle for the third time. The drinker asks for champagne or beer. “Sir, we only have wines — red and white” the host responds. Reluctantly, the drinker settles for red wine but is shocked when he is presented with a mini bottle. As the host attempts to pour the wine into a cup, the man taps his arm rest and remarks shyly “just give me the bottle and three others for later.”

10. Middle-Aged Professional — He has paid a little extra to sit on the roomier exit row and whips out his laptop as soon as he is able to do so. But for a short window during which he watches a film and takes a short nap, he works on reports and reads business magazines throughout the flight. He caresses his face from time to time and makes minimal contributions to political conversations going on around him. He will eventually be picked up by his chauffeur who nearly tumbles to the ground as he greets him, “Welcome, Sir. how was your trip, Sir?”

    

11. Impatient Travelers — They have been sitting on the plane for 13 hours but cannot wait 10 more minutes for the plane to come to a complete stop. The air hostesses are prepared for this moment and their lines are ready — “please, sit down until the plane has come to a complete stop!” But, they are speaking to themselves because at that moment, six more people stand up pointing to their crotch areas indicating that they need to pee. After a few futile efforts, one hostess unbuckles herself from her seat, walks to the cockpit to raise a complaint, and returns to her seat. The passengers will only sit again after the co-pilot makes his announcement, “Ladies and gentlemen, for your own safety, please return to your seat until the aircraft has come to a complete stop and the engine has been switched off.”

12. Prayer Warrior — At every turbulent turn, she holds her hands together and screams ‘Jesus!’ She exclaims at takeoff and whenever the plane makes a sudden descent. “We will not die, I cover this plane with the blood of Jesus” she prays intermittently. She eventually leads the resounding applause from majority of the passengers when the pilot lands successfully.

Did I miss someone? Share your experiences with ‘people on the plane’ by leaving a comment below.

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Before you go, please share this newsletter with other curious minds. There’s something pretty cool to discover (almost) every week!

Love,
Funmi.

This past Easter holiday was so restful for me and I hope it was for you too. We successfully hosted two trips to Badagry and Abeokuta, and if you missed them, you can explore photos on our Instagram and Twitter pages.

Also, I’ve got some great news for you. All our games in Nigeria are now heavily discounted to ₦5,000! Yep, that’s right. If you would like to order the games for adults or kids, send us a DM to @TVPgames_ on Instagram or Twitter or reply this e-mail and I’ll sort you out.

One more thing…we are going to Ado Awaye next week during the public holiday. This day trip is one of my favorites because the views of the mountain are spectacular and the only suspended lake in Africa is located on the mountain. You can book the day trip for only ₦29,000. We’ve got limited slots and I want you get some if you want.

So, let’s go to the topic of the day. What’s the difference between the ocean and the sea, a mountain and a hill, the forest and the jungle? Basically, do you even know what an island is, what makes Lekki a peninsula? Let’s learn about landforms today!

First, take a look at this colorful image:

If you look closely, you’ll be able to observe some terms we use every day. So, I’ll explain some of the landforms that people often get wrong or misuse.

So, here are some major differences:

1. Ocean vs Sea: Many times, we use these words interchangeably but there’s a technical difference. There are only 5 oceans on Earth (the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Arctic and Southern Oceans). Oceans are vast bodies of salt water that cover more than 70% of the Earth’s surface and are only interrupted by continents. Seas are also large salt water masses, but they are much smaller than oceans because they are portions of the ocean that are partially surrounded by land. Usually, when you’re coming out from the land, you pass through the seas before you go out into the wider ocean. So, in summary, seas are smaller parts of the ocean that come in contact with the land and are almost entirely encapsulated by the land.

2. Island vs Archipelago: An island is a piece of land that’s entirely surrounded by water. When we think of our favorite holiday destinations, we think of island countries. However, most of them are actually archipelagos - a collection of islands. If there’s one piece of land surrounded by water, it is an island. If there are many pieces of land (or a cluster of land pieces) surrounded by water, then it’s an archipelago. Yep, Zanzibar, Seychelles and Maldives are all archipelagos.

3. Mountain vs Hill: When I climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, I truly understood the difference between a hill and a mountain. Yes, mountains are much higher than hills (we can’t exactly give a height limit) but also, mountains typically form peaks while hills have rounded tops. In addition, most hills tend to feel like a natural bump in the area, while mountains are sharper and steeper protrusions.

4. Forest vs Rainforest vs Jungle: Any large collection of densely-packed trees is called a forest. A rainforest is a type of forest that grows in rainy, tropical areas. Because of the nature of the environment, rainforests are mostly evergreen which means that their large wide leaves never turn brown or red and they stay lush green all year long, unlike some other forests which have smaller or spikier leaves and shed them in the fall and winter. A jungle typically refers to the undergrowth of rainforests (the shorter, more entangled layer of rainforests), even though sometimes, the word is used to simply mean ‘forest’.

5. Glacier vs Iceberg: Most people know that an iceberg brought down the Titanic but what is an iceberg? It is a large piece of ice that’s floating in the ocean. But where do these icebergs come from? Well, most of them fall off glaciers, which are large mountains of ice in colder regions. As the region warms up, pieces of the ice mountain (glacier) falls off into the sea and depending on how large it is, it could be a huge obstacle to ships.

Now, take one more look at the image above. Is it clearer?

How do you feel about landforms? Do you think you’ve learned something today? Please, share as a comment or as a reply to this e-mail.

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Before you go, please share this newsletter with other curious minds. There’s something pretty cool to discover (almost) every week!

Love,
Funmi.

I am so thrilled to announce that we have resumed our trips within Nigeria and will announce packages around the world soon. We have a very long public holiday coming up soon so you can take advantage of this to explore Badagry and Abeokuta with us. These day trips cost as little as 29,000 Naira and will give you an unusual appreciation for the tourist sites we have in Nigeria. Send me an email at funmi@tvpadventures.com or call 0805 964 8876 to book a slot on any of these trips.

P.S: consider this for your team or company too. Show them you appreciate them with a gift like this!

One more thing, you can get a copy of Fill in the Map puzzle for your kids and a copy of Fill in the Black for your parties and game nights. You’ll love both games. If you live in Nigeria, you can order the games here (card games) and here (puzzle games). Also, check out our TVP Games newsletter called Business of Play, where all our team members write about our process designing toys and games for the world!

Alright, let’s do this! Here’s a list of hilarious characters you meet at the embassy:

Time is surplus at the embassy. Applicants are often kept waiting like chickens queuing up to be slaughtered. While I await my turn to be called up and asked a bunch of largely redundant questions, I watch people. After 30 years, the clothes are different and the way the interviewers phrase their questions have changed but the people at the Embassy are still the same.

1. The Applicant with 100 Cheat Sheets: She is incredibly nervous and might have to read through a list of documents to remember her own name. She has crammed a list of responses recommended to her by her brother ‘in the abroad’ and she reads out the responses like a formula. When she is asked what she will be doing in New York, she retorts: “Ever since I saw America on TV, I have wanted to visit. I will visit the Statue of Liberty and Central Park. America is God’s own country and my senior brother has told me about Times Square.” And what she does in Benin? “I am a beautician and cosmetologist running the biggest beauty parlor on Ekehuan Road in Benin City. I am only visiting my brother and his family for three weeks. My brother has been abroad for more than fifteen years but I will come back because I have to stay and develop my country. I don’t even like cold so I cannot stay for too long.”

   

2. The Desperate Applicants: “Please ma, please sir, we have spent so much money and traveled all the way from Bayelsa for this visa. Please, I cannot go back home without this visa.” As they wail at their denial, the woman pulls her husband to the ground, “let us kneel down and beg them.” The interviewer coldly calls for security to assist them out of the building and closes his interview window. As they realize the horror of their denial, they pick their stack of documents and follow the security officials towards the gate all the while shouting, ‘I am finished o. I am finished.’

3. The Professor: His list of qualifications is lengthy and seems to impress the interviewer. His visit to the embassy is simply a formality. “So, you were awarded a national award last year?” He nods quietly, like it is no big deal. “Congratulations”, the interviewer says. He is granted his visa in 35 seconds.

   

4. The Shady Businessman: He swears that he an importer / exporter worth 60 Million Naira and that his goods from Austria and China are authentic. But he cannot specifically say what these goods are. “My business is in imports and exports” he says, producing a statement of his last dollar transaction. “Spare parts,” he continues, when asked what kinds of things he imports and exports. Dissatisfied, the interviewer asks him to specify what these spare parts are. Instead, he defensively produces another receipt for the last house he built for his mother in his hometown. “Just yesterday, I sold 1 million Naira worth of parts. Just yesterday.” Fed up with his poor responses, the interviewer denies his visa and welcomes him to apply again at a later date.

5. The Over-prepared Student: “So, what program are you admitted to study?” The question is an opportunity to regurgitate information from Wikipedia: “I am admitted to study Business Management at Northwest Iowa Community College. Northwest Iowa Community College was founded in 1966 and is fully accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. The college is located on a 269-acre campus one mile west…” He is cut off by the interviewer’s next question: “Do you plan to return to Nigeria when you have received your degree?” He smiles and presents his manifesto to the interviewer: “No Sir. It is my dream to live and work in America and I will not come back.” The heartbreak is felt by the entire hall when he is denied his visa for not wanting to return.

   

6. The Frequent Travelers: They are confident in their responses and answer to only what they are asked. Some questions irritate them like “how many times have you visited the US?” Before they have a chance to respond, the interviewer chips in: “I see you’ve visited a number of times.” They deviate from the interview and have a conversation about the beautiful Smokey Mountains and the Houston heat in the summer. After giggling together for a few more minutes, the interviewer asks them to return to pick up their visas in two days.

7. The Fake Couple: She produces an album of photos in which a man is poorly photo-shopped into her family photos. She is requesting a visa to meet her husband. “Are you married ma? You know how important it is for a man and his wife to be together” she adds, attempting to imitate the interviewer’s accent. When the interviewer tells her that there is not enough proof that she has a husband in the country she would like to visit, she flashes her brand new wedding ring set and calls out his house address — one she likely found during one of her internet searches. She is eventually denied the visa even though she calls out a phone number and asks the interviewer to call to confirm.

   

8. The Man with Two Birthdays: He visited the embassy ten years prior to this visit and came under a different identity and birth date. He claims to have never visited the embassy and swears that he is 21 years old. But when the interviewer flips her screen and shows him information from his last visit, he breaks down in tears. “Please, help me ma. My people are chasing me, they want to kill me. Ever since my father died, they have taken all our properties and my father’s wife is a witch.” As he continues his heartfelt story, the interviewer types away ruthlessly and sends for someone through the intercom. He continues, “I changed my birthday so that they will not find me. Help me ma, I am only safe in America.” When two security officials approach, she hands him his documents and announces, “I am sorry Sir. You have been permanently banned from entering the United States.”

Have you experienced interviews at the embassy? Share your experiences with ‘people at the embassy’ by leaving a comment below.

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Before you go, please share this newsletter with other curious minds. There’s something pretty cool to discover (almost) every week!

Love,
Funmi.

Today’s story explains what happens when a baby is born on a plane. Before you go on, get a copy of Fill in the Map puzzle for your kids here and a copy of Fill in the Black for your parties and game nights. You’ll love both games.

Okay, let’s go!

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What is the nationality of a baby born on a plane? Is the nationality of the baby’s mother or that of their father? Is it the nationality of the plane (yes, planes have nationalities)? What if the plane makes an emergency landing, will they get the citizenship of the country the plane lands in? Or is the country that the plane was flying over when the baby was born?

Here’s the answer you’re looking for in the short animated video:

So, tell me. What did you learn? Are you surprised?

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Before you go, please share this newsletter with other curious minds. There’s something pretty cool to discover (almost) every week!

Love,
Funmi.

Happy New Year! I’m thankful for every new day, month and year. This year, our team at TVP Games is looking forward to launching new games and showing you the world in exciting ways. This is also a World Cup year so there’s a lot of footy excitement in the air. You tell me: what are you particularly excited about this year?

This year, we will continue feeding our curiosity about the world. If you have a question you’d like us to answer on this newsletter, please leave a comment and I just may add it to the roster. If you have a question, we will answer it :) Don’t miss out.

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So, let’s start! How many people live to 100 years and what’s the secret?

Remember Betty White? Yesterday would have been her 100th birthday and the world of entertainment was looking forward to this celebration. However, on the last day of last year, Betty White passed away at the age of 99 years. Ms. White was much loved so her death was a shock. In reality, she lived much longer than the average person. On Earth, there are only about 573,000 centenarians (people who are 100 years or older). That’s only 0.008% of the global population. Talk about an exclusive list.

In the USA, where Ms. White lived, there are 97,000 centenarians. That makes the USA the country with the highest number of centenarians on Earth.

Some more cool facts about old people:

• Kane Tanaka from Japan is the oldest person on Earth at 117 years.

• Japan has 79,000 over 100 years of age, making it the country with the largest percentage of centenarians (0.06%)

• Saturnino de la Fuente from Spain is the oldest man on Earth at 112 years.

• The oldest verified person to have ever lived was Jeanne Calment of France, who lived to the age of 122.5 years from 1875 to 1997.

• On average, women live longer than their counterpart men.

• This portfolio by Czech photographer Jan Langer shows some centenarians while they were young and now that they are old. Pretty cool.

Blue Zones are special places with more old people than usual.

Have you heard of a Blue Zone? That’s any area of the world that has more people living longer than other places. Right now, there are 5 places in the world that are considered Blue Zones. These places are:

• Loma Linda in California, USA

• Nicoya in Costa Rica

• Sardinia in Italy

• Icaria in Greece

• Okinawa in Japan

So, what’s special about these Blue Zones and what do they do to live long?

1. Move Naturally

   • People in Blue Zones tend to move naturally with regular walks, outdoor activity and continuous house activity. Interestingly, they don’t power through marathons or unnatural movement routines in the gym.

2. Have the Right Outlook:

   • Have a Purpose and Down Shift - these people have a reason to wake up in the morning and this knowledge of self and purpose adds longevity to them. You may have come across the Japanese term for this - ikigai. Everyone, even centenarians, experience stress. However, Blue Zoners have a routine that helps them regulate this stress. For some, this is prayer, for others it is a scheduled nap time or Happy Hour.

3. Eat Wisely:

   • Eat Plants, Eat Early and Drink Wine - instead of following fancy fad diets, Blue Zoners simply eat until their stomachs are about 80% full and they tend to eat their latest meals either late in the afternoon or early in the evening. Their meals are predominantly plant-based with few meat features throughout the week. They also often drink wine moderately.

4. Connect with Community:

   • Building life around a strong community has proven to be critical to longevity. Blue Zoners are mostly associated with a faith-based community and live close enough to their children and grandchildren. They are also part of social networks that encourage healthy lifestyles.

Here’s a clear chart that shows this:

We know that the first person who will live to 200 years may have already been born. Are scientists correct about this? We may never know.

So, would you like to live to 100 years? Of course, no one has a clue when they could die but if your lifestyle could make a significant change to your longevity, what changes would you make today?

Also, who is the oldest person you know and how old are they?

Let me know!

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Before you go, please share this newsletter with other curious minds. There’s something pretty cool to discover (almost) every week!

Love,
Funmi.

I’ve missed you because I have been working on this. How have you been?

Today, I’d like to share some common facts about Africa that many people get wrong (including Africans!) Yes, we know that Africa is a continent (not a country) with 54 or 55 different countries (depending on who you ask) and thousands of languages and cultures. The continent is vast and like every other continent, there’s so much diversity here. But do you really know this continent?

Last weekend, our team hosted a ‘play and shoot’ event for our new map of Africa puzzle called Fill in the Map. This large floor or table puzzle allows children discover the continent with colorful puzzle pieces, and have a lot of fun while doing it. We designed every bit of it with a lot of love and a lot of enthusiasm for the world. As a trained geographer, it is my mission to help people discover the world around them so that we can bridge cultures and shrink borders. This is our team’s dream for everyone who plays this puzzle. We also made sure that the puzzle includes the country names, capital cities and flags of each country as well as interesting cultural landmarks. The best part of this puzzle is that the adults love it too! The play event was full of much laughter because even the well-travelled adults were surprised by all the cool things they did not know about Africa.

Here are 7 cool Africa facts you may be getting wrong:

1. The capital city of Tanzania is Dodoma, not Dar es Salaam. That’s right! The story goes that in 1974, the Tanzanian government announced that the capital will move from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma. However, it was not until 1996 that the declaration was brought to life. The change was resisted and many government offices and embassies stayed in Dar es Salaam and have refused to move. So, in reality, Dar es Salaam operates as the commercial and ‘de facto’ capital even though on paper, Dodoma is the official capital of Tanzania.

2. There are more pyramids in Sudan than in Egypt. This is a testament to the power of PR and the importance of storytelling and history preservation. The 110+ pyramids in Egypt are much larger and much more popular, but in Sudan, there are over 200 hundred pyramids left over from ancient Nubian civilization.

   

3. There are penguins in South Africa. The colony of African penguins are mostly found at Boulders Beach in South Africa and stretch all the way up to Southern Namibia. These penguins are becoming more and more popular and attract almost 60,000 visitors each year. They are also endangered and the beach now serves as a conservation area to protect them from extinction. It was reported widely when dozens of them were killed by bees last month. Oooh, there are also ski resorts in Africa in South Africa, Morocco, Lesotho and Algeria. Yes, you can hit the slopes on the continent.

4. Seychelles is a very tiny island. Yes, the popular island is gorgeous and full of spectacular resorts. However, most people do not realize that the smallest country in Africa is only 459 square kilometers and is an collection of many islands (archipelago) rather than one island. There are less than 100,000 people in the entire country. That’s the size of the population of some small towns in other countries.

5. Mount Kilimanjaro is in Tanzania, NOT Kenya. I was surprised when lots of people mentioned Kenya when we started leading group hikes to Kilimanjaro - Africa’s highest mountain. I am not sure why lots of people make this mistake but it could be because the best and most popular photos of the mountain actually come from Kenya, where visitors to Amboseli National Park can see the majestic mountain and the the snow-capped crater in all its glory.

Look at that view! Cool, right?

Get the puzzle now in Nigeria, Canada, the UK and the USA. This is the best gift for the holidays for kids this year. Let them discover the world with a fun puzzle and get their minds opened to all that there is. You’ll love it too! You can either order online on our website or send a reply to this email if you’d like to order by bank transfer.

So, tell me: what’s the most surprising fact on this list? If you’ve travelled across Africa, what was the biggest surprise?

I’d love to hear all your stories. I’d also love for you and your kid(s), nieces, nephews and friends’ kids to own a copy of Fill in the Map puzzle.

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Love,
Funmi!

How are you doing? Are you staying safe in these streets, with the new COVID-19 Delta variant? I’m wishing you safe health and lots of joy.

Some of you pre-ordered our large kids Map of Africa puzzle last week and I am so thankful. We still have the early-bird price available and it would bring me so much joy to see 1,000 orders come in before we close this. It is $25 or £18 or 31 CAD (click here) if you live in the US, UK or Canada and it is 13,000 Naira (click here) if you live in Nigeria. This puzzle is fun and colorful and is large enough for many kids to play at home or at school, while learning about the amazing continent of Africa. Soon, you’ll be able to do more than just play a puzzle because we will have our website full of travel deals to all the countries in Africa, as well as Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Everest Base Camp, the Olympics, the World Cup, and so much more!

In fact, if you tell us what you want here, we will design it for you for the World Cup in Qatar, 2022. Fill this short questionnaire out so that we can design the perfect World Cup package for you!

Now, to the question of the day: ‘what’s the largest sporting event in the world and how many people travel to watch it?’

Folks, the answer may surprise you.

The most watched sporting event in the world is the FIFA World Cup. According to Statista, In 2018, the World Cup reached an attendance of 3,031,768 people in Russia. This was less than the 3,441,450 people who attended Brazil 2014, the 3,167,984 people who attended South Africa 2010 and the 3,367,000 people who attended Germany 2006. Many more millions watch the Football World Cup each year. “According to FIFA, the 2018 World Cup final between France and Croatia reached an average live audience of 517 million viewers, with more than than 1.1 billion people tuning in over its 90 minutes.” - Statista.

Wondering which countries have the largest number of spectators travelling to see the FIFA World Cup?

Football is not all that’s popular. In fact, the most attended sporting event in the world is Tour de France with 12-15 million spectators spread out across the duration of the event. And the multi-sport Summer Olympics bring millions to the host country every 4 years.

The just-concluded Tokyo Olympics was expected to attract 40 million visitors to Japan in 2020. This expected number of visitors was not far-fetched at all given, that in 2018, Japan had over 31 million visitors. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, foreign spectators were banned from attendance and 11,000 athletes performed in empty stadiums. Let’s see what happens at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics.

For many people, the next upcoming big sporting event is the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. This event will hold in Qatar from the 21st of November to the 18th of December, 2022. I’m looking forward to this experience and I bet you are too. If you’d like to attend this event, tell us exactly what you need here and we will create the perfect package for you.

So, tell me:

1. Have you attended any sporting events before? If so, which ones?

2. Do you plan to attend the World Cup in Qatar next year?

3. Have you ordered the Fill in the Map large Africa puzzle game for kids? I’m looking forward to your order.

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Love,
Funmi!

It is that time of the week when we satisfy curiosity about the world and learn something new. Before then, I’ve got news. Our second game at TVP Games is now available for pre-order. Fill in the Map (AFRICA) is a large puzzle for kids that helps them learn and discover the continent of Africa. We’ve got puzzles for more continents, countries and regions coming soon. For now, Fill in the Map is a JUMBO PUZZLE that’s as big as 2.5f x 2.5ft and contains all the African countries, capital cities, flags and the surrounding oceans. It is perfect for kids and kids at heart because to be honest, all of us should be discovering the world around us! If you pre-order this game now, you only need to pay $25 or £18 or 13,000 Naira or 31 CAD. It will be delivered to you in November, before the general public (of course, there’s FREE shipping). I’m so ecstatic about this new game and apart from being fun, it is a hands-on learning experience. Feel free to pre-order it for as many kids as you know and love!

Pre-Order Here:

• Nigeria - Here.

• US, UK & Canada - Here.

Now, let’s find out how many actual countries we have in Africa.

There are 54 undisputed countries in Africa. That means there are 54 countries that are fully independent and recognized by most of the world. All the African countries that come to your mind are part of this list: Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, South Sudan, Guinea-Bissau, Central African Republic, Ethiopia and Morocco are all part of this list. See all the countries in color below:

Yes, the islands are part of this country list…since the islands are on water but close to the African continental land mass, they are part of Africa. The 6 African island nations are (from West to East):

• Cape Verde

• São Tomé and Príncipe

• Madagascar

• Comoros

• Seychelles

• Mauritius

Now, why do some people say that there are 55 countries in Africa? The answer is simple and yet complicated. There is a country called Western Sahara that wants to break off from Morocco but which Morocco does not want to let go. Some of the country is ruled independently and the other part is ruled by Morocco. See the map below…sometimes, the dotted line is drawn to separate the two countries and sometimes, it is represented as one country of Morocco.

This means that, depending on who you’re speaking to and in what context, the answer is either 54 or 55 countries in Africa.

When listing out African countries, it is never correct to mention the islands that are territories of other NON-AFRICAN countries but are close to the continent of Africa. This map shows some of them including Saint Helena, Mayotte and Réunion. Because these countries are overseas territories of England (Saint Helena) and France (Mayotte and Réunion), we cannot call them African countries. If you notice in the full Map of Africa above, you’ll see that these territories are in grey not color. They are our neighbors, though.

We’ve included Western Sahara on our Fill in the Map large African puzzle for kids because more and more international countries have begun to recognize the sovereignty of the country, even though their autonomy is not complete.

Did you learn something new? Tell me in the comments or as an email. Also, when you pre-order the game now, let me know so that I can thank you personally.

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Love,
Funmi!

Did you know that the price of bread says a lot about the economy of a country? Because of the staple ingredients in bread (wheat, sugar, salt and oil), bread is common in pretty much every country. Of course, each country has its own variations of bread but it has become a great way for economists to study what’s going on in the economy.

Food economists (or bread scientists, as I like to call them) have lots of insights about the growth (or shrinkage) of a country’s economy based on some indicators including the price of bread. Pretty interesting stuff!

So, what’s the price of bread (500g) in each African country? I created this map infographic to show you which countries have ‘cheap’ bread and which ones have ‘expensive’ bread. Remember, ‘cheap’ and ‘expensive’ are relative terms because each country has a different standard of living and purchasing power. I used data from Numbeo’s Cost of Living reports for 2021.

In countries like Algeria, Comoros, the Gambia and Tunisia, bread costs as low as $0.20. In other countries, bread is very expensive…as high as $3.50 in Equatorial Guinea, $3.60 in Angola, $5.00 in Eritrea and $6.10 in Mauritania. The country with the priciest loaf of fresh white bread is…CHAD! In Chad, bread costs $8.00 on average.

Incredible! Some of these prices are surprising and others are as one would expect them to be. In Nigeria, for instance, because of food inflation, the average price of bread has almost doubled to $0.80 or 400 Naira in July of 2021.

So, before you share this graphic, tell me: what’s the average price of bread in your country? Do you think it is affordable or expensive?

I’d love to hear all your bread stories.

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Before you go, please share this newsletter with other curious minds. There’s something pretty cool to discover every week!

Love,
Funmi!

It has been a few weeks since I’ve sent a newsletter as I took a break to refresh and recharge. Some people reached out in the community and I am thankful that overall, we are doing well. If you live in Nigeria, you know that the Twitter ban is still in effect and our tweets continue to be our resistance towards frivolous and unlawful policies. I’ve also got some great news (I’m telling only this community for now): we have a new fun discovery game for you in a few months. It is exciting because it is for kids (and kids at heart), it is fun, it gives the kids an opportunity to explore the world at home or at school, and adults would love it too! Can you guess what it is?

The curious newsletter is back as usual, every week, as our community grows stronger and stronger. Thanks for being a part of Show Me One Thing. Now, let’s get to the topic for today:

What is the difference between Holland and The Netherlands? What is the difference between Dutch, Deutsch and Deutschland?

First, take a look at this map:

There is a country in Europe called The Netherlands. In this country, there are 12 provinces. One of the 12 provinces is called North Holland and another province is called South Holland. Collectively, these two provinces are called Holland.

This happens in other countries too. If you are familiar with the US, you’ll know that it is common to call North Dakota and South Dakota by the collective name ‘The Dakotas’. Similarly, North Carolina and South Carolina are collectively called ‘The Carolinas’. And so on. Now, back to the Netherlands.

However, ‘Holland’ is such a popular, cool and even more memorable name than the Netherlands so over the years, people have used the term ‘Holland’ to refer to the whole country of The Netherlands. In fact, The Netherlands often brands its tourism platforms using the term ‘Holland’. Also, the capital city - Amsterdam - is located in the province of North Holland so when most people fly into Amsterdam, they fly into Holland first and so as they travel around the country, they carry that name with them. If you say ‘Holland’, everyone will know which country you’re referring to but technically, it is only correct to say ‘Holland’ when referring to the North Holland and South Holland provinces. The correct term for the whole country is The Netherlands.

The main language spoken there is Dutch.

So, what’s the difference between Dutch and Deutsch? Well, Dutch is the language of The Netherlands and Deutsch is the language of Germany. Essentially, Deutsch is the German word for ‘German. Did you get that?

• Deutsch = German

Consequently, Deutschland is the land of Deutsch or ‘Germany’, another country in Europe.

• Deutschland = Germany

Let’s recap:

• The Netherlands = European Country

• Holland = Collective name for only 2 out of 12 provinces in The Netherlands (North Holland and South Holland)

• Deutsch = German

• Deutschland = Germany

So, tell me. Did you know the difference? What did you learn? Also, remember what I asked at the beginning of this newsletter…can you guess what our new game for kids is? Tell me what you think and what you’ve learned.

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Love,
Funmi!

Alright, so let’s get to the ice cream story.

Everybody loves ice cream, except you’re DJ Cuppy, in which case you love gelato. So, do you go to Pinkberry when you’re craving some delicious ice cream? Errr…well, that’s frozen yoghurt. So, Hans and René? No, that’s gelato. Coldstone, then? Yes, that’s ice cream. So what exactly is the difference? Let’s find out!

All three frozen treats are delicious but their differences start at the preparation stage. Ice cream, frozen yoghurt and gelato are all prepared differently and this impacts the flavor, texture and the health benefits of each one. In fact, you may be able to tell the difference just by looks alone even though most people cannot tell.

• Ice cream is simply cream that is iced. Cream is the fat of milk that has accumulated at the top. The higher the fat content of cream, the richer and smoother the texture. Ice cream must contain at least 10% milk fat for it to be considered ice cream. The ingredients for ice cream are water, milk, cream and sugar. Of course, you can also add whatever flavors you’d like. When you whip all these rapidly together, air enters the mixture, making it light and fluffy, and giving you the smooth creamy texture. Once it is frozen, it becomes ice cream.

• Gelato is the Italian word for ice cream, but the process of creating it is slightly different. There is no minimum fat content required for gelato so it often uses much less cream. The ingredients are also water, milk, cream and sugar but this time, they are whipped together more slowly, to allow less air and fluffiness. Also, this slower process makes gelato more dense and rich in flavor. It also makes it a choice for people who prefer less fat content in their frozen treats.

• Frozen Yogurt does not use cream at all. It is simply yoghurt that’s flavored and frozen. To make “fro-yo”, milk is pasteurized (heated) to remove bad bacteria and then cooled down. Then, ‘good’ bacteria (known as cultures) are added to the milk to cause fermentation and bring about the characteristic tart flavor of yoghurt. The frozen yoghurt is then served in different flavors and with a variety of toppings. It is also often much softer and much less creamy than either ice cream or gelato. Because any milk can be used for yoghurt, it also allows for vegan options made from almonds, soy, oats, coconuts and others.

To recap:

• Ice Cream = Water + milk + at least 10% cream + sugar (whipped quickly together)

• Gelato = Water + milk + less than 10% cream + sugar (whipped slowly together)

• Frozen Yoghurt = Pasteurized milk + cultures

What if you like your desert without any milk at all? Well, that’s sorbet and that’s story for another day.

Delicious.

So, tell me. Did you know the difference? Which is your favorite? Ice Cream, gelato, frozen yoghurt or none at all?

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Love,
Funmi!

Welcome to a new month! May the month be kind to you. As you take some time out for family and friends, check out the game Fill in the Black. It is guaranteed to be the most hilarious game you’ve played so far. The hilarious guessing game celebrates blackness around the world and is a fun way to share our stories. If you’re part of this community, use the code MYPEOPLE to get 10% off when you order here!

Now, let’s discuss today’s topic. I promise you, geography is not scary. I will break it down in a way that is easy and fun so you can feel more informed about the world.

What is the difference between England, the United Kingdom and Great Britain? Before I explain, here’s a fun and colorful map.

There are 195 official countries around the world and 44 countries in Europe. Each country is a distinct territory, has a government and can make decisions for itself. Depending on the nature of the political arrangement, some countries may have greater autonomy than others. In the continent of Europe, there are four countries that are important for today’s conversation…England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.

When three of these countries (England, Scotland and Wales) operate as an entity, they are referred to as Great Britain. When Northern Ireland is added to that group and all four countries (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) operate as an entity, they are referred to as The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Most times, this long name is simply shortened to the United Kingdom or the UK.

Confused? Check this out:

England - a country

Scotland - a country

Wales - a country

Northern Ireland - a country

• England + Scotland + Wales = Great Britain

• England + Scotland + Wales + Northern Ireland = The United Kingdom

It is important to note that Northern Ireland (the one that’s in the UK and with a city called Belfast) is different from the completely autonomous country of Ireland (not in the UK and with a city called Dublin). To make this easy to remember, your UK visa takes you into Northern Ireland but not into Ireland.

It is also interesting to see how the UK flag represents the entities inside it. Well, as we explained above, there are four countries inside the UK and we expect all four of their flags to combine to form the union flag. However, because of some historical drama, the flag of Wales did not make it to the flag. In essence, the UK flag represents all four countries, but only the literal designs of three are seen on it.

So, you can choose to specifically refer to England if the subject of discussion is only the country of England. The same is true for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. If you are referring to a larger cluster of these countries, you can use the term Great Britain (to exclude Northern Ireland) and the United Kingdom to include them all.

London is only one city in England, so you can’t say ‘London’ if you’re actually going to the Welsh city of Cardiff that’s 150 miles away.

Phew!

There’s so much to unpack about British geography, the British Isles, the British territories and political power, but let’s end this here. Now, it’s your turn:

1. Did you know these differences?

2. Have you learned something new today?

3. What other topics would you like explained on Show Me One Thing?

Leave a comment or send me an email.

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Love,
Funmi!

Long time, no see! I have been working very hard and living simply as I like to do and I am happy to be sharing a letter with you this week. If you’ve been following our story since last year, you know that we have been working on the Fill in the Black app and this will be ready soon. You also know that we are giving a 10% discount and FREE SHIPPING across our game store when you use the code MYPEOPLE for Black History Month. The hilarious guessing game set is the perfect gift to give someone this month. I am also giving away a few money management journals from Money Africa to you. If you’ve never won something before on here, now’s your turn. Just send me a reply to this email telling me about your experience with Fill in the Black game and I’ll send the journals to the first few respondents in Lagos.

Now, let’s talk about immigrants!

Have you ever wondered why some people are called immigrants, some are called refugees and others are called expatriates? Can these terms be used interchangeably or are there political, economic or historical differences? Is there a real difference between these terms or is it just an artificial divide? Well, let’s find out!

An immigrant is a person who moves to another country permanently or for a long term. When applying for visas, this definition becomes clear because embassies typically regard long-term travelers as immigrants (Green Card, etc) and short term travelers as tourists (Students, Business, Tourists, etc).

A refugee is a person who has been forced to leave their home country because of oppression, war, hunger or another political or natural disaster. This means that all refugees are immigrants but not all immigrants are refugees. Interestingly, when people think of refugees, they first think of Africans or Middle Easterners fleeing war into Southern Europe. This is merely a perception since Turkey has the largest number of refugees in the world (3.6 million). Also, Lebanon has the highest percentage of refugees (about 21.8% of the population or 6 million people are refugees from Syria). The next four countries hosting the largest number of refugees as a percentage of their population are Jordan, Turkey, Liberia and Uganda. This table from the Norwegian Refugee Council shows the top 10 refugee-receiving countries by percentage:

In the year 2020, more than 67% of refugees came from Syria, Venezuela, Afghanistan, South Sudan and Myanmar, due to war and political instability. One more thing about refugees…if a person is displaced from their home but they flee to another part of their country, they are referred to as Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) instead of refugees. You have to cross an international border to be called a refugee.

An expatriate is a person who is living outside their home country either as an independent professional or as sent by a company in their home country. In today’s language, this is often used to refer to people who have not settled permanently in the new country and who receive special benefits, tax adjustments, allowances and ‘foreign worker’ status by their companies.

Even though these are the official definitions by the dictionary and the United Nations, it is also common for people to be called either immigrant or expatriate, depending on the country of their birth. Often times, migrants from wealthier countries who are coming to work in another country are called expats whereas those from poorer countries are referred to as immigrants, no matter how temporary or permanent their stay is in the new country. It seems like the expat-migrant divide has been fueled by the media and subsequently by our socio-cultural orientation. In fact, this use of language is so common that even among two poor countries, the person moving from the country that is perceived to be richer, is likely to be called an expat and the reverse would be called a migrant.

For example, when a Nigerian moves to London or Toronto, they will typically be referred to as a migrant. On the other hand, a Canadian or Brit who moves to Lagos or Kuala Lumpur would be called an expat, whether they are moving on behalf of their company or as freelance English teachers on an ‘eat-pray-love’ journey. A Kenyan moving to DRC may also be called an expat, but it unlikely that a migrant from DRC in South Africa would be called an expat. Despite the typical uses of these terms, many people have either reclaimed the technical definitions of the words or done away with them altogether.

So does it matter to you? Do you unconsciously call some people expats and other immigrants, or do you have clear definitions in your mind? Did you know that there were technical differences? Leave a comment or send me an email.

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Love,
Funmi!

Before we go into today’s cool topic, I’ve got some great news! Our ‘Fill in the Black’ app is almost ready and we want you (our TVP / SMOT community) to be part of the earliest testers. We are still in testing phase so please keep this to yourself; don’t share with the wider world. You’ve kept big secrets before so I trust you. Here’s the link to the form where you can download the app on Android or iOS and then give us quick feedback about what you liked and what needs to be fixed. I treasure you and your feedback so much. Don’t forget to contact us at TVP Adventures if you would like to travel safely as an individual, as a group, as a company or even just to ask questions.

Now, to the question…why must you turn off your cell phone on a plane?

Many decades ago, aviation authorities required that phones were switched off on flights because they could interfere with signals on the plane or on the ground. Some crew members noted that when a passenger switched on their phone, there was a loss of signal in the cockpit or some instruments malfunctioned. There were also concerns that cell phone signals could interfere with systems on the ground (at the airport) which could affect aircraft communication. Sometimes, these claims were confirmed by studies and other times they were not. In 2016, the US Federal Aviation Administration commissioned a thorough study of cell phone interference. The summary of their study was:

• There is no proof that cellphones cause any interference on the aircraft or on the ground.

This also meant that there was no proof that the cellphones DID NOT cause any interference. The authorities decided to err on the side of caution and retain instructions to passengers to keep their phones off, especially during the most critical times of take-off, landing and taxiing. Afterall, in the rare occasion that a plane accident occurs, almost 63% of accidents will happen during the take-off or landing phase.

I’m sure you’re rolling your eyes because there are times when you forgot to turn off your phone and nothing happened or for those of you who don’t like instructions, you may have left your phone on just to see what happens. For others, you may have queued up your favorite shows on Netflix or YouTube while looking forward to binge-watching on your flight. Well…

In the last few years, more and more authorities have certified that cell phones do not pose enough of a risk to be turned off during flight. For instance, in 2014, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) gave airlines permission to decide whether or not to allow the use of cell phones during take-off, landing and taxiing as long as the phones are on airplane mode. Airplane mode effectively shuts down the transmissions that may or may not cause interruptions in aircraft communication. However, because of how crucial flight safety is, many airlines have kept the century-old practice of asking passengers to turn off their cellphones or use them in airplane mode. If an airline has the authority to determine the rules onboard, you do not want to disobey the instructions of the crew or you could be kicked off the flight. Also, many airlines provide in-flight entertainment for long-haul flights to keep you busy. You may even have access to free or paid in-flight WiFi to help you stay connected to the world, once your craft has reached cruising altitude.

For most airlines, these rules allow them comply with federal, regional or other safety authorities. For others, it is good practice to ensure that passengers do not interrupt the flight experience of their fellow passengers due to loud and long calls over the phone. So, either way, you’ll either enjoy a silent flight, a safe flight, or both!

Whatever you do, and no matter how often you fly, make sure you listen to the instructions before each flight and do exactly what the particular airline tells you to do.

Have you ever wondered why these rules were in place? Will you be keeping your phone on (on airplane mode) where it is allowed or would you rather stick to the in-flight entertainment?

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Love,
Funmi!

Welcome to the new year, 2021. We made it through the ups and downs of 2020 and I am incredibly thankful for you. The Show Me One Thing community has become my e-family and I would not trade you for the world. Last year, despite the pandemic, we fostered learning and community with our game - Fill in the Black. We sold thousands around the world, got featured on the world’s biggest news channels and received so much feedback on how the game has contributed to the celebration of blackness. In this new year, we will continue to satisfy our curiosity and celebrate the diversity and colorfulness of our world through our weekly newsletter and our animated short videos. You can still get the game in Nigeria, Canada, the US and the UK here.

Now, to the awards…

Every year, the world stops for the Grammy Awards in January. This year, the famous ceremony has been moved to March due to the pandemic. Throughout the year, we will see the Emmys, the Oscars and the Tonys. But what’s the difference between them all? These are some important details and major differences between all four awards:

1. Academy Awards (Oscar) - celebrates film professionals and excellence. Since the first Oscar was given in 1929, it is the oldest of the four EGOT awards. There are few theories on how the Oscar got its nickname including this one that says that future Director of the Academy, Margaret Herrick, first saw the statuette and noted that it looked like her Uncle Oscar.

2. Recording Academy Awards (Grammy) - celebrates musical excellence. The ‘Grammy’ is named after the ‘gramophone’, which was the original name for the awards and is the inspiration for the gold-plated award trophy.

3. Television Academy Awards (Emmy) - celebrates TV professionals and excellence. This includes shows and programs that are made for TV either on Daytime or Primetime. The nickname “Emmy” comes from the "immy", a term for the image orthicon tube commonly found in early TV cameras.

4. Tony Awards - celebrates excellence in Broadway theatre. The esteemed theatre awards are named after Antoinette "Tony" Perry, an actress, producer and theatre director who co-founded and secretary of the American Theatre Wing.

So, who’s won the most of any of these awards?

Grammys - Well, even though Stevie Wonder has won 25 Grammys and Jay Z and Kanye West have both won 21 Grammys, they are still trailing behind Beyoncé who has won 26 and Quincy Jones who has won 28! The person with the highest number of Grammys is Georg Solti; the late classical composer and conductor who won 31!

Oscars - Is it no surprise that with 22 wins, Walt Disney has the highest Oscar wins by a single person. Three films have won 11 Oscars - the highest won by any single film (Ben-Hur in 1959, Titanic in 1997 and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King in 2003). The Lord of the Rings won all 11 categories for which it was nominated.

What’s better than one Oscar? Two Oscars! What’s better than two Oscars? Maybe an Oscar and a Tony? Together, the four awards are referred to as EGOT. It is an incredible honor to win just one or two of these and so a winner of all four is considered entertainment royalty. Only 16 people have received all four EGOT awards including Audrey Hepburn, Mel Brooks, Whoopi Goldberg and John Legend. Some people have achieved EGOT status due to honorary (non-competitive) awards or special lifetime awards including Barbara Streisand (EGO plus special Tony), Liza Minnelli (EOT plus special Grammy), Harry Belafonte (EGT plus special Oscar), Quincy Jones (EGT plus special Oscar) and James Earl Jones (EGT plus special Oscar).

Some people have extended the EGOT designation to a PEGOT, to include the coveted Pulitzer Prize for journalism and the arts. The first person to win the EGOT (and PEGOT) was Richard Rodgers; the American composer famous for musicals like The King and I and Sound of Music. The youngest EGOT winner (and the only person to win each of the awards twice) was Robert Lopez, best known for his work on The Book of Mormon and Frozen. There are 82 people who have received at least one EGOT nomination and hundreds of people who are one award away from EGOT status.

If President Obama can win two Grammys for his memoirs, Magic Johnson for his audiobook on AIDS, and Steve Jobs for the impact of the iPhone and iPod on the musical experience, you can too!

Did you know the difference between each award? What other cool facts do you know about the entertainment world?

Which award do you dream of winning?

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Love,
Funmi!

In the last few weeks, our game - Fill in the Black - has been featured on international news like Reuters, SBS Australia, France 24 and Aljazeera. We’ve even had companies like Tik Tok (UK) and Celebrations order the game for their customers. The game is a box of cards that you can play with friends and family by trying to describe or act out a word without using any of the ‘buzz’ words listed underneath. What’s special about Fill in the Black is how it references and celebrates black people, places and cultures from around the world. It truly is fun and the perfect gift for the holidays. We’ve seen lots of successes with the game (thanks to you) and in order to answer a very common question, I would like to share something I learned while designing this game - what is the difference between a trademark, a patent and a copyright?

You ready? A trademark, patent or copyright is protection for your intellectual property. All three categories ensure that the work of your mind is protected from unfair use by anyone else and allows you earn when others make use of your brain work. Here’s insight into definitions and the major distinction among all three:

A trademark is a word, phrase, design or symbol that distinguishes a product or service (service mark). Many companies have trademarks for their brand names, logos, taglines and even catch phrases. It ensures that no one else profits off your brand identity. That’s why you may have noticed the symbol ® when a mark is registered or TM or SM when it is not registered but has been in use by the owner for some time. Trademarks could last forever as long as you pay the required fees from time to time and continue to use the mark that was registered.

A patent is protection for your invention. If you created a new design, composition, combination or process that has never been done before, a patent license is what you’re looking for. There are two kinds of patents:

• Design patent - this registers the design or structure of an invention.

• Utility patent - this registers the usage or functionality of an invention.

If you created an original piece of literary, musical, artistic or dramatical work that classifies you as an author, what you’re looking for is a copyright. When you think of copyright, think of a book, a play, a computer software or even architectural pieces.

• Lasts for the lifetime of the author plus 70 years (if it is created by an individual)

• Last for between 95 and 120 years (if created by an anonymous or hired person)

Note: Coca Cola has a design patent for their bottles, a utility patent for their formula and a trademark for their logo / name.

Most people have heard of all three terms but most people use them interchangeably and possibly wrongly. But it is important to know what the differences are so that you can make informed choices and even identify when it is necessary to apply for one yourself. Apart from the cool factor of having your own registered trademark or patent, the success of your business could actually depend on one or more of these. If you watch Shark Tank, you may have seen investors pull out of investments because they realized that a cool product was not patented and so in practice, anyone could simply replicate it. You could have created something that could earn you and your generations a lot of money and put you in the 0.05% of people who filed for patents in the year 2019. According to the World Intellectual Property Organization, there were 3.3 million patent applications in 2019 and 14.3 million trademark application in the same year.

There’s a whole lot more about different countries and what they require for each of these registrations. In fact, some programs even allow you register in multiple companies at a time. There’s also a list of requirements you have to meet to successfully apply for either a trademark, patent or copyright. And they take quite some time.

So, we applied for one of these for the game FILL IN THE BLACK; a decision that has served us incredibly as we distribute the game to the world. Based on the explanations above, I would like to hear from you:

1. Can you guess which one we applied for?

2. Is there something you’re sitting on that you probably need to apply for? Let me know (you can provide just a general description, nothing too detailed) and I could put you in touch with lawyers to get started. You could be sitting on a bag of gold.

Share with us as a reply to this email or leave a comment below.

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Have you got a copy of the game? If you live in Nigeria, the game is available here and if you live in the US, UK or Canada, the game is available here. There is FREE SHIPPING in all four countries.

Before you go, please share this newsletter with other curious minds. There’s something pretty cool to discover every week!

Love,
Funmi!

Before we share today’s insightful #showmeonething topic, I would like to remind you to subscribe to our YouTube channel. We are growing the channel again from scratch because it was deleted accidentally. Every view, every sub, every comment helps us get back on track.

So, what is travel insurance and is it worth it? When planning to travel, you often think about all the beautiful memories and exciting places. Many times, we forget to plan for the unexpected. There are many things that could go wrong - a delayed flight, lost suitcases, the flu, food poisoning, an accident or any other sickness, really. If it doesn’t happen, that’s great! But what if it happens? Are you prepared to pay up to $25,000 if something happens to you abroad?

What if you simply paid 3,000 Naira or 5,000 Naira depending on where you are going and then if anything happens to you, your expenses will be fully covered? That’s insurance! Is it worth it? I break down the numbers and explain the reason why affordable travel insurance premiums (using examples from my insurance company - AXA Mansard) are worth it compared to expensive emergency. I share a full explanation in this simple and easy-to-understand animated video:

Some interesting facts about travel that should make you consider travel insurance:

1. In 2019, about 21% of flights around the world were delayed or cancelled and this led travelers to pay millions of dollars in unplanned expenses.

2. In the same year, 25 million bags or suitcases were lost or misrouted. Think about your last trip to paradise and imagine if your suitcases with all your precious jewelry, valuables and clothes were lost. How would you pay for your items?

3. Anyone can fall sick at any time. It could be the flu, an infection or even an accident. The average cost of emergency evacuation abroad is $25,000. How would you pay for this?

I recommend travel insurance, because like I explained in the video, if a small premium pays for an expensive emergency, then it is worth it. At AXA Mansard, you can get insurance for as low as 3,000 Naira! That’s an affordable amount to pay compared to how expensive emergencies can be.

Now, I have three questions for you:

1. What new thing did you learn from today’s video?

2. What is the most unfortunate thing that has happened to you while travelling abroad?

3. Have you ever used travel insurance or have you been working on ‘God forbid’ and ‘not my portion?’ This is a safe space :)

Share with us as a reply to this email or leave a comment below.

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Before you go, please share this newsletter with other curious minds. There’s something pretty cool to discover every week!

Love,
Funmi!

Today’s story answers the question: is Egypt in Africa or the Middle East. I also explain why some countries are found in two different continents and the proper way to refer to them. I must also mention that we are on the 12th day of #EndSARS protests against the extra-judicial killings of a rogue police unit called SARS in Nigeria. It has been a long road to get here but I truly believe that we are very close to a new Nigeria where killing of innocent citizens by the police is not acceptable! Thank you so much for standing with us at this difficult time. If you need a break, which we all do, join our exciting boat cruise and beach getaway to the Private beach house of La Casa in Ilashe on the 31st of October. Let’s spoil you a little! Send me a message to book one of the last few slots.

Okay, time for our story!

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Growing up, Africa was used to refer to every country on the continental African block as well as the islands that surround the block. Then, one day, I was playing volleyball in college during the summer holidays with a group of high school students who were visiting our university on tour. Our university and town were both white as a snow avalanche so it was always exciting to see anyone who was different - black people, African people, other people of minority populations. As they introduced themselves, one of the boys mentioned that he was from Tunisia. My friend, an Ethiopian-American woman blurted out ‘yaay, an African.’ His response was interesting: ‘'I am from the Middle East, not Africa.’' He is not the only one. Many people consider North Africa ‘not African enough’. Others distinguish between Africa beneath the Sahara Desert (Sub-Saharan Africa) and the North of Africa (Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Mauritania and co.)

So which is it? Is Egypt in Africa or the Middle East?

The short answer is that Egypt is in both Africa and the Middle East. One is a continent and one is a smaller region. Let’s go through the story of continents and how countries are divided along geographical and political borders. Some times, political and geographical borders align and other times, they do not.

The Earth is a huge ball of water that has 7 big land masses called continents - Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe and Australia. There’s even a cool kids’ song that helps you remember the continents. Some of these continents are big (Asia), some are small (Australia) and some of them are mid-sized (Europe). Some of them touch each other (North and South America) and others are far from each other and can only be connected by the ocean (South America and Australia). Most countries fall into these big chunks of land masses, but not all of them, since some small islands are scattered around the huge round ball of water called the Earth.

So, if two continents that are near each other do not touch, it is easy to have countries that fit neatly into each one without confusion. Most countries fall under this category…they fit nicely into one continent and there is no confusion. However, when two continents touch, there is usually a region that marks the junction between the two continents and that region commonly takes on a name of its own. That region is not a continent, just a smaller area (sub continent) and it is common for countries to identify with both that sub continent as well as the whole continent. For instance; Egypt is in the Northern part of Africa (Africa) and it is also in the region around the Red Sea and Persian Gulf that joins the African continent to the Asian continent (Middle East). In the case of Middle Eastern countries, the ones closer to Africa are often referred to in politics as Africa (Egypt) and the ones closer to Asia are often referred to in politics as Asia (Oman, Iran, Iraq, etc). Together, they are referred to as the Middle East.

This is quite different from those countries that are so big, they fall into two continents. Look at Russia - some of it is in Europe and some of it is in Asia. To be fair, the two continents of Asia and Europe are not really separated by an ocean so at some point, Europe simply becomes Asia. Think of a long road that bends a little and then becomes another street with another name but you don’t really change roads.

So, what happens when world leaders meet and they have to break out into small groups? Does Russia go to the Europe group or the Asia group? What group does Egypt go to? Well, Egypt might find itself in the small group for Middle East and North Africa (MENA) which is whole new story for another day.

Fascinating, isn’t it?

Tell me. Have you ever wondered whether Egypt was really in Africa? Did you know that Russia is on two continents? What other strange questions about the world would you like to ask?

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Before you go, please share this newsletter with other curious minds. There’s something pretty cool to share every week!

Love,

Funmi!