I'm in Africa y'all!

Flying into Accra, Ghana

So....I'm in Africa. Hell Yeah!!! I have just arrived to Ghana two days ago, but I've been in Nigeria for a little over a month. I thought about writing a blog about my experiences and didn't commit to it. Now after a month of being in 'Da Motherland' and having such rich experiences I am dying to share them. Now, working on serious "cp time", I present to you...this travel blog.

 You may be wondering who the heck I am.  Welp...uhmmm...good question.  I'm a black chick from America....with a very black name. Yes... all prospective employers will know I'm a black candidate before the interview ( that's if they decide that they want to interview me) And I'm proud of it. Pride is a big part of who I am and big a reason why I've always dreamt of coming to Africa.

We all know the story of how blacks were brought to America right?  Our ancestors were  stolen from their home in Africa, packed tighter than sardines on slave ships and shipped to this new land as slaves. These Africans and their descendants were to be permanent fixtures in the American economy. That was the plan. That plan,  however,  died in the late 18th century R.I.P sucka! because those Africans never stopped fighting for freedom. This spirit of resistance which continues  today is  what makes me so proud.

I was born in Camden NJ an inner city ( for non Americans, this is the politically correct name for black american slums. Some not so P.C. words are Ghettos and 'the hood'. I personally like calling it 'the hood')  and was raised in both Camden NJ and Philadelphia PA. This pride of my history and heritage  was spoon fed to me by my community.

 In my underfunded , still very segregated public schools, I learned about slavery, the  civil rights movement and the black power movement. I digested story after story of black Americans fighting for better despite the awful circumstances and experiencing victory in the end. We sang negro spirituals and  recited Langston Hughes poems  for Black history month assemblies. We dressed in kente cloth and learned complex African dances step by step. In these overcrowded class rooms, filled with poor and working class children,  my educators taught me to love my heritage and myself. I ate well.

I was obsessed with my older sisters and big cousins. In my mind, they were the coolest girls ever.  They were confident,  tough and beautiful. I wanted to be just like them. I still do. They loved this music called "hip hop" and would blast it from boom boxes in low income housing windows so loud, that I could feel the bass deep in my chest. I would dance to the sophisticated  beats and scream the rich lyrics through buck teeth. "Fight the power".  They'd laugh and cheer me on.

My mother took me to the Black bookstore  when I was a child, and every time she picked up the newest J. California Cooper or Terri McMillan Novel, I was allowed to pick one book from the children's section. I chose books with titles like "Thank you Dr. Martin Luther King" , and stories of self love, books with brown faces and kinky hair and I'd read them from cover to cover.
My mother was also a big movie fan. We had the biggest collection of vhs tapes in the family. On weekends my mother  and I  would have movie  marathons. Our favorites were the Color Purple, Tina turner's biography "What's  love got to do with it " and " Waiting to exhale". All three movies featured strong black women who beat all odds and survived.  The 90's was actually a great time for black cinema and TV. Now,  we only have few options Spike Lee , Tyler Perry, and the no longer black owned BET are the only major options we have.

 Africa was a common subject in church, the laundromat, and even the nail salon especially during Black history month. There were those who'd say things like " we were once Kings and Queens and look at us now" or " Africans sold us to the white man, so I don't trust them" and everything in between. What was universal was a certain respect of this Continent where we came from and a curiosity of what it would be like to "return to your roots".

The experiences above are just a few highlights that created this Afrocentric dreds wearing, College educated, slang slinging, black chick ( with a black name) who is currently in Ghana. Its really a dream come true. I'm so very grateful. So that's a loooong intro into who I am and why I'm proud.

A few other things about me...hmmmm...I'm kinda quirky,  all of the studying of my cool sisters and cousins has not helped me at all. I'm awkward as hell! I live in the amazing  city of New Orleans. I'm 29 years old ( yes I'm frightened of 30) no kids, no significant other (that will be another blog entry). I work two jobs in the service industry and I'm trying to find my footing in this world.

This blog will be a culmination of my experiences in West Africa. Maybe this blog will help someone who always wanted to visit finally buy a ticket. YOLO! Please feel free to send any questions or feedback. I hope y'all enjoy.