After spending some more quality time on SL, I definitely realized that if you want to get people to talk to you, it often has to be on their terms. You can’t expect to stay in one place and get one generic answer, and I think this is  but one of the aspects that makes SL such a cosmopolitan place: you can start out in one place and in the blink of an eye find yourself elsewhere,with a whole new group of people who are all welcoming you to this new place.

First off, I journeyed once more to Africa Live to try my luck. I took advantage of the map feature and luckily found a group of a few people nearby who ended up having a lot to say! I met Aicha and Roby at “la cave sous marine” which Aicha explained was near an African beach. Here we all started dancing and I learned later that Roby was djing while Aicha was controlling the dances. This locale was actually underwater, and as we danced colorful fish surrounded us. It was very visually interesting, with paintings lining the walls of this oceanic venue, and I found myself wondering what exactly it was. I told Aicha about my project, and while she feared I was a “ghost” at first, someone she explained to me as something I’m thinking is a type of troll, she finally realized that I just wanted to talk and we actually engaged in quite a lot of  conversation. However, while she does spend a lot of time in Africa live, she is not actually African herself, but french. However I think that our interview speaks a lot for the cosmopolitan outlook on life.

Here is a snippet of our conversation.(the whole thing is much too long but this is the highlight!)

[2014/03/03 13:35] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): here is gallery

[2014/03/03 13:35] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): and disco

[2014/03/03 13:35] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): and my house

[2014/03/03 13:35] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): and workshop in sky

[2014/03/03 13:35] eaco238: ahh 🙂 that’s so cool

[2014/03/03 13:36] eaco238: workshop to make paintings?

[2014/03/03 13:36] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): lol

[2014/03/03 13:36] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): no

[2014/03/03 13:36] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): stuffs

[2014/03/03 13:36] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): my paintings

[2014/03/03 13:36] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): i make them in real

[2014/03/03 13:36] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): on a program on a computer

[2014/03/03 13:36] eaco238: Oh, so then you’re able to share them here?

[2014/03/03 13:36] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): yes

[2014/03/03 13:37] eaco238: so you’re an artist?

[2014/03/03 13:37] eaco238: I didn’t know you could share things like that on here 🙂

[2014/03/03 13:37] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): i am not really an artist in paintings

[2014/03/03 13:37] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): I am a poet indeed

[2014/03/03 13:37] eaco238: still that’s a kind of artist 🙂

[2014/03/03 13:38] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): yes

[2014/03/03 13:38] eaco238: are the other avatars here your friends?

[2014/03/03 13:38] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): no

[2014/03/03 13:38] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): only AnA and Bosshinho

[2014/03/03 13:38] eaco238: ah ok 🙂 so are most people who come here french?

[2014/03/03 13:39] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): no

[2014/03/03 13:39] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): today yes

[2014/03/03 13:39] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): but not always

[2014/03/03 13:39] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): all people are coming here

[2014/03/03 13:41] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): its my place to hang and make a lot of things

[2014/03/03 13:41] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): i have my true gallery near

[2014/03/03 13:41] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): on the sea

[2014/03/03 13:41] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): not under

[2014/03/03 13:42] eaco238: So these are real paintings that you make through graphic design and then share here?

[2014/03/03 13:42] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): yep

[2014/03/03 13:42] eaco238: They’re really beautiful 🙂

[2014/03/03 13:43] eaco238: Can I ask why you decided to join SL?

[2014/03/03 13:43] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): first i was curious

[2014/03/03 13:43] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): now I am addict and fan

[2014/03/03 13:45] eaco238: How did you first find out about it? And did you have a main reason for trying it out?

[2014/03/03 13:46] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): the concept is fantastic

[2014/03/03 13:46] eaco238: What do you think it brings to people’s lives?

[2014/03/03 13:46] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): this is something absolutely new, different that other internet social reseau

[2014/03/03 13:47] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): this is an add to real life

[2014/03/03 13:47] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): we live really a second life

[2014/03/03 13:47] eaco238: very true! I’ve never seen anything like it

[2014/03/03 13:47] eaco238: Do you think people here are generally open to all kinds of people?

[2014/03/03 13:47] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): like in real

[2014/03/03 13:47] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): nothing more

[2014/03/03 13:48] eaco238: So you don’t think people are more willing to talk to people here since you can be whoever you want to be?

[2014/03/03 13:48] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): the difference is

[2014/03/03 13:48] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): all avatars are often beautifull and young

[2014/03/03 13:49] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): so

[2014/03/03 13:49] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): they speak more together

[2014/03/03 13:49] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): and

[2014/03/03 13:49] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): mmmmm

[2014/03/03 13:49] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): we have a sl culture

[2014/03/03 13:49] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): something like that

[2014/03/03 13:49] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): but

[2014/03/03 13:49] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): sl is hard sometimes

[2014/03/03 13:49] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): as the true life

[2014/03/03 13:50] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): i think virtual is real

[2014/03/03 13:50] eaco238: That makes sense. So this is a place where a virtual world has a lot of aspects of the real world?

[2014/03/03 13:50] eaco238: What exactly is SL culture like for you?

[2014/03/03 13:50] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): some aspects

[2014/03/03 13:51] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): all we need to move

[2014/03/03 13:51] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): dance

[2014/03/03 13:51] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): speak

[2014/03/03 13:51] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): all tools

[2014/03/03 13:51] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): are like a culture

[2014/03/03 13:51] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): we all know how to use it

[2014/03/03 13:51] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): or when we dont know

[2014/03/03 13:51] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): this is normal

[2014/03/03 13:51] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): some are dj

[2014/03/03 13:51] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): some are builders

[2014/03/03 13:51] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): some are artists

[2014/03/03 13:51] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): etc

[2014/03/03 13:52] eaco238: So basically anything you can do in RL you can do here?

[2014/03/03 13:52] eaco238: And everyone has their own jobs, friends, social events etc?

[2014/03/03 13:52] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): a bit difficult buy yes

[2014/03/03 13:52] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): in a different environment

[2014/03/03 13:53] eaco238: Do you think different cultures are better accepted here?

[2014/03/03 13:53] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): yes

[2014/03/03 13:53] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): i think

[2014/03/03 13:53] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): really

[2014/03/03 13:53] eaco238: For example, do you talk to people from all over the world?

[2014/03/03 13:53] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): I often go on a brasilian sim actually

[2014/03/03 13:53] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): yes

[2014/03/03 13:53] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): yes oh yes

[2014/03/03 13:54] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): I am helped because i speak english a bit

[2014/03/03 13:54] eaco238: So it really seems like this is a cosmopolitan place 🙂

[2014/03/03 13:54] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): yes

[2014/03/03 13:54] eaco238: yes your english is very good!!

[2014/03/03 13:54] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): but french are often together

[2014/03/03 13:54] eaco238: I didn’t know you could change your sim, what does that let you do exactly?

[2014/03/03 13:54] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): because they are not in the habit to speak other languages

[2014/03/03 13:55] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): ???

[2014/03/03 13:55] eaco238: right, so you would say language barriers are a problem in SL as well?

[2014/03/03 13:55] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): mainly for frenchies

[2014/03/03 13:56] eaco238: But you like to reach out to all kinds of people? Is that why you go on the brazilian sim?

[2014/03/03 13:56] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): not only

[2014/03/03 13:56] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): i am here to see others than frenchies

[2014/03/03 13:56] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): even if i see frenchies

[2014/03/03 13:57] eaco238: haha of course bc at least in SL you can go whereveryou want!

[2014/03/03 13:57] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): yes

[2014/03/03 13:57] eaco238: So what kinds of things do you do here on a regular basis?

[2014/03/03 13:58] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): paintings

[2014/03/03 13:58] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): dance

[2014/03/03 13:58] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): djing

[2014/03/03 13:58] eaco238: I can do the basics by now, but i think there are still a lot of things i don’t understand haha

[2014/03/03 13:58] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): sure

[2014/03/03 13:58] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): and i am not the best for that

[2014/03/03 13:58] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): i build a bit

[2014/03/03 13:58] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): paint a bit

[2014/03/03 13:58] eaco238: how were you able to get started here? Did people help you start djing and painting for example?

[2014/03/03 13:58] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): oh i am strong for lights

[2014/03/03 13:58] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): djing yes

[2014/03/03 13:59] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): i did not know how to use the sofware virtual dj

[2014/03/03 13:59] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): paintings no

[2014/03/03 13:59] Aïcha (tubal.amiot): i found by my self

[2014/03/03 13:59] eaco238: you must be good with technology

I think my interview with her was enlightening because it showed how SL really is another life.  In her words,”I’ve never seen anything like it.” She explains how she didn’t come to SL to only meet people like herself, and how she uses her english ability to reach out to many types of people. However, she did seem to think language barriers are still a problem in SL, so we can see that this is a similarity that exists between SL and RL. It can sometimes be hard to surpass these sorts of barriers, but at least in SL people do seem to make an effor to reach out to all kinds of people. She also brings up the point that people can easily change their identity in SL by using a “young and beautiful” avatar. In a world where one can look however they choose, people are less likely to judge others because of how they look, making conversation easier. She also led me to understand how SL can further one’s ambitions in RL; she has several galleries in SL that actually portray her real life work, making her art known to a wide array of people. Also, opening her own personal SL home to others and participating in other sims such as the one she describes in Brazil,makes her a very cosmopolitan individual.

After this initial conversation that we shared, I asked her a bit more about Africa sims and she delved into the task wholeheartedly. She knew of a party that was going on in Brazil, a locale called”Crossing Culture, Ambere” and so proceeded to teleport me there. Here there was a lively Mardi gras-like party with people dancing in conga lines in festive colorful outfits of feathers and beads.  She said that this was a popular place for many African users and told me that I should especially talk to “Bafana.” Af first I didn’t realize who this was, but upon inquiry I discovered him to be the creator of Africa live!

(The avatar adorned in blue plumage is Bafana!)

I couldn’t believe how people I’d met could be interconnected with so many different people and willing to introduce me to their friends. As I began my conversation with Bafana, I mentioned that Aicha was a mutual friend, which I believe made it easier to begin a conversation between us. Bafana is from Africa, and told me that that Africa live was actually his own personal project. The description of the land he founded is the following:

Africa a meeting point for all africans and for those who love Africa ! Friendly atmosphere in a savanah & sahelian environment.Ebony,Arab.White,Asian,Black skin, Métis Salsa, reggae-afrobeat /*Windlight Sky @19m to 250m: “[TOR] BIG SUN – Safarion”*/

I can personally say that Bafana is a very fun individual who introduced me as his friend straightaway! He definitely embodies the friendly atmosphere that he describes as embodying Africa live as a place where people of all cultures come together to have a good time. He also told me that there were various people from Senegal, the Ivory Coast, and Congo that were part of his group and that he could introduce me to them as well. He explained that many of them would be coming together March 8th for International Women’s Day, where they would all celebrate together. I really liked this concept because it showed how people come together not only for parties, but also to celebrate important rights gained throughout history, such as women’s rights. Sadly, I caught him late at night his time, around 3:30 am and our conversation was cut short. However, he did offer to talk to me later this week, and I think I’ll take him up on the offer for my own personal interest. The more I learn about people on SL, the more I want to know!