i try not to let school get in the way of my education.

Will I be coming Back to Africa?

In a spiritual sense?

In a physical sense?

Why did I come Back?

I came because my body, mind, and spirit did not like what it was interacting with
in the United States. It needed peace. It needed comfort. Most importantly,
it needed to experience another reality, in order to assess if its previous lifestyle was the healthiest choice.

So much about the American lifestyle is sick. At least I know what makes me sick,
what dampens my spirit and traps my mind.

Materialism. This is different from comfort. There is nothing wrong with having what you need and maybe a little bit more sometimes. Having the things that make you happy. But when you begin to be defined by them, accumulate status by them, that is the problem. If I happen to have "things" that other people could see as "valuable," I want to count them as additional blessings to an internal wealth of health, love, and freedom.

Prejudice. A disconnect from Humanity. I needed to live in an all-Black country and see Black people running things, living ordinary lives. To deepen my ever-so-dwindling faith in humanity, curtailed by the prejudice I've experienced in the US. Of course, Ghana is shadowed by the US and all things West, and I never think I
will be able to or even want to escape Western influence. At the end of the day,
I lived in a Black country, on a Black continent.

Misinterpretation. I came into this world confident in my definition and place. I was educated by society to hate myself or not even exist. As a Black American, you will be isolated, insulted, or ignored entirely. This is the fate of the Diaspora in a racist society. Of course this had an effect on my self-definition. It has
been bounced here and there, ripped and turned and spun around so many times, so
that I could easily lose my way. So the time and connection to my ancestry here
has been key in my process of SELF-definition.

With all of the mixing and interlapping of humans in the modern day and age, it is a mistake to forget and lose the unique integrity, spirit, and tradition of a line of people. One's humanity is preserved through culture, as culture is an articulation
of the spirit of a people. We must not forget where we come from.

WOW

Two girls just left. Emma and Leigh. They got into that van with their bags and LEFT. This is WEIRD. I'm going back. In a week and a half. Where am I going back to? What am I going back to? I am in a state of limbo...Nothing makes sense right now. Home as a definition was already screwed up after I left Silver Spring for DC for Rockville for New York....now add Ghana and growing up to that. Who am I now? Where am I supposed to be? Where do I fit in in this crazy world of ours?

Growing up is TRIPPY. I feel like I can trace different parts of myself through time, space, and friends. All have shaped me, and yet I am just me at the end of the day. I am finding the Crystal that makes me happy, and that's what matters. But the process is a trip. If anything, I've learned that I am a global citizen, a member of the Diaspora, and a resident of the United States. I am a Black American, a half caste, an obruni, a Diasporan, a high yella chick, all of these things. No matter what others call me, they all are a way to name me, Crystal. At the end of the day, the only name that counts is Crystal. I love that name.

My mind is about to be blown in the next two weeks. I will have to keep blogging just o process the differences of being back in the States. It really feels like another world. As I told Emma, I feel like going back is like jumping in in double dutch, just jumping into the middle of all this rhythm and chaos and life that is moving fast whether you like it or not. Except I suck at double dutch and never really learned. So does that mean I'mma fail at this readjusting thing? I HAVE NO oOPTION BUT TO FIND OUT. ONLY 10 DAYS.

WHAT.THE.FUCK.

You dun make me fall in love........Ghana, I'm in love with you.

Katie Is Awesome Playlist:

No One Like You P-square
Could You Be Loved Bob Marley
Three Little Birds Bob Marley
Nwa Baby Flavour
Right Now Na Na Na Akon
Make Me Fall in Love D'banj
Angelina Praye


p.s. i can NOT listen to any ghanaian music for awhile when I'm back because I will CRY.

Kpanlogo!!

We are wrapping up the semester....exams, final performances, parties. Two weeks left. Can't believe it!!!

"Je bo je bwa nye me
Je bo see na mo mo
Kpangolo o daaa kpangolo!!"

It means "give it here, it wasn't me, give it here"

Love what I've learned this semester..whether it was from the professors is another story, but I've definitely grown.

on a lighter note....

Life from the past two months. Enjoy.

It all started with Reparations....

Really, though? We had the most ridiculous Pan-Africanism class today. The guest lecturer, a repatriot originally from Arizona, was as old school racist as they get....literally divided us into questioning by the blacks and "oh you people-the white people" and asked about hometowns for the few ambiguous ones. He wanted to know the thoughts of "our" generation, and so instead of teaching like he was paid to do, asked us about what we think about reparations for slavery, materialism, "black issues" like jail and police brutality, and if the Blacks in the room had decided to stay and live in Africa for good. Basically a whole bunch of assumptions rolled up in one. When we replied that our generation doesn't see things so clearly in "black and white" and that there are economic and infrastructure issues that underlie every major "racial" problem, he was honestly suprised. Clearly, there is racism, duh. But you are telling me as a 50-something year old man, your brain is still divided in half, black and white? This was some of the, to quote Tanesha, cooninish shit I've heard in a while. Then after a half hour break he came to the conlusion that, "we are young and don't know the heat of money...and that economics will be the true test of our 'grassroots' efforts." He then badmouthed Barack Obama, saying he's appointed IMF devils into his cabinet, and then asked "you white people" to explain the difference between Ghanaians and American Blacks. And to TOP IT ALL OFF, his friend in the corner turned to Josh and said, "You are Chinese American, no?" Josh said, "No." He then guessed the gamut of Asia before Josh said he was half Korean. To which the friend replied, "Oh, that makes things even more complicated"....

What I've taken away from today's class is that there is so much more to diversity and "issues" than race. There is diversity of thought, socioeconomics, region, religion, gender, sexuality, and AGE. Never before have I seen the generational divide so clear. I am sick of the older generation's conspiracy theories and hardened, bitter attitudes. I understand that they have the life experience to back up their judgements, but today is a new day. And we as a youth have to be the change we want to see in the world, because some of the older people frankly are too jaded.

no quick fix

so im really frustrated. im feeling so many different things right now im feelin angry hostile sad scared vulnerable and annoyed why do i always have to be the foreigner? the obruni? its been two months since im here and im finally in the hostile phase....no matter how long im here they will always call me obruni i will never fit in, i will never belong and its not even like i can just ignore it because they throw it in my face every day, shouting "obruni! obruni!" honking the taxis and staring at me like im some strange creature that landed on their planet.

i don't know what to fucking do with myself. im sick of feeling foreign. I want to feel at home. Ive already gotten accustomed to the culture for the most part, so what in the world am I going to do for the next 7 weeks?

i can do one of several things. i can maintain the relationships i have with the other students here (and the few Ghanaians who i dont want to SLAP right now)....and basically kill time. Time will surely pass and then ill hop my ass on that plane back. but is this really my style? no. i hate wasting time, waiting "things out," and generally feeling like a punk ass.

other option. dig deeper, and think about what REALLY is ticking me off about being here right now. WHY ARE THEY CALLING ME FOREIGNER???? why did i feel like on spring break in cape coast, there was so much HATE and jealously towards me and Faye??? I feel like I am sick of struggling to ignore the gawking, ridiculous overpriced items, and the haters. WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO DO TO BE A PERSON AROUND HERE?? damn.

i think this is making me realize how uncomfortable things can get when i let my guard down. when i want to be taken seriously and not as a joke, when i just want to be a human instead of a token or a prize or a target or a joke. It's like the first two months...ha ha ha yea im a foreigner in your country, ha ha ha funny riteee? now....its time to MOVE ON. what is NEXT? is there a future for me here, can a foreigner truly stay here and feel happy and comfortable? Because I am just getting resentful.

There's one more option. Push past hostility and resentment and channel my feelings into building new relationships and using my last weeks to figure out what more I can get from being here. I know there's more....I just have to figure out if I want to spend the energy trying to get to it.

kumasi

Spintex Road

My world is a little bit bigger. My heart has accepted some new people in. I love Kwame, Alex, Auntie Gina, Frank Asante and his British wife, and Griffin.


This weekend was our home stay. It took a long time on Friday to get there but after three hours we arrived in Spintex. I was trying to figure out the catch behind Griffin and I (two girls) staying with a single man (Frank), but soon found out. He has a British wife that he married less than a year ago. I think her name is Maureen. I will call her Maureen. The first thing Maureen said when we got out the van was, "Oh my goodness, white people!! I've missed you so much!" To this, Griffin points to me and says, "She's not white." Maureen replies, "Oh, well she's not ....Black, either." At this point in my life, I've learned to accept people's ignorance with grace and usually humor, but let's say we still didn't start off on the right foot. So THIS was my real Ghanaian homestay experience? lol.

However, like most of my life so far, I've been proven wrong on my own assumptions. Maureen came here with AFS on a Gap Year two years ago, and she is a delightful (if somewhat frazzled) woman. On Friday night, to begin our "Ghanaian" experience we had English tea and talked about being big ol obrunis in Ghana. Around the dinnertime I clarified my ethnicity and told them our roots come from Rwanda, and Frank then welcomed me to the Motherland. We then watched Norbit to more English tea and biscuits. LOL. God, you LOVE playing jokes on me, don't you? Anyway, their house is very nice.....Maureen runs a creche (daycare) during the week so there was a playground in the front, and very spacious rooms, etc. I could smell a strange dynamic the minute I walked in. Auntie Jina and her sons, Kwame and Alex, were hanging about the background....and I was scared to assume correctly that she was the help for this British woman. Thank God, she wasn't. Auntie Jina helps with the creche during the week. The situation is no less awkward, however. She lives in an unfinished unfurnished skeleton of a house that a Londoner 'lets' her stay in while they are away....while the Asantes live in a wonderfully furnished, beautifully painted house. The extremes are crazy, especially when they live right next door to each other. Anyway, how does one treat such a situation? When I was younger and around such extremes in my own life, I was frustrated and angry at the lack of money that parts of my family had. I wanted revenge on the world....I could see this cynicism and slight embarassment in Kwame. Which made me love him even more. He is such a smart, caring son and there is nothing more frustrating than to see how he cares for his mother and how little she has. Reminds me of me.

So Saturday we woke up early and went to the Spintex market....where a lady assaulted me with her snails. These mofos were huuuuge and slimy and sticking straight out the shells, coming at me. I was NOT happy. She shoved them right in my face as a joke, which everyone except me thought was hilarious. After the market, which would have been nice except for that, we left for Medina to visit a friend of the Asantes.

It took three hours by tro tro to get to Medina (which really should be a 30 minute drive....but thats Ghana). The family was wonderful and totally worth it. We met David and the other family that initially hosted Maureen when she first came to Ghana. I love the family life here. It makes me miss my family, and want my own. The purpose of the event was that Frank's Best friend Reggie was coming to ask the mother's permission to marry her daughter. What I loved about this was that he sat the mother and the brother-in-laws down and formally asked if they would let him in their family. Of course, the formality is a joke and they all have been planning the wedding forever, but I still love that the respect of the family is so valued here. We had a great meal (although Griffin didnt like the fish....lol) and a great time. I love families. It made me think of how I really want to have my wedding the respectable way. A marriage is more than two people combining. It's two families. (Love you Ellis)

This morning, we woke up early and went to church and the International Action Center in Spintex. Aside from the African accents, I could've been in church at home in Harlem. The gospel music is so soothing to me, it makes me think of Mom, family, home, warmth, God, all of the things that I love. The pastor was talking about faith. How we are all stewards of the life, time, talents, possessions, and money that God gives us, and how he rewards those who are firm in their faith. God will entrust riches to those who prove committed to the little he has given them. All life, no matter how large or small, is valuable. This sermon came at a right time, because I have been questioning if my career path is important and if I'm doing this for me or for someone else. Everyday, I feel God telling me that this is what I'm meant to do....I'm meant to use the talents he GAVE me to serve him. If I follow God's word, I can't go wrong. I feel safer with every day that I grow closer to him. On a sidenote, the pastor said some hilariously blunt things like, "For the singles event, make yourself as desirable as possible and come ready to introduce." Also regarding February birthdays, "do not DARE to exit the sanctuary if it is not your month." (for bday cake)....lol.

We came back home from church (got a ride from a random Ghanaian who was parked outside the sign "THOU SHALT NOT PARK" and who wanted to marry us), and helped Maureen prepare lunch. I love cooking!!! We made a spinach and chicken stew, plaintains, and yam. yummmm. with red wine. (btw im addicted to english tea and bread now....) Griffin and I also went to Auntie Jina's house to make fufu. We pounded fufu like pros, j/k. But it was a really cool experience and I have too much respect for Auntie Jina. That woman can handle a knife. Pounding the fufu (which is a mixture of yam and cassaba) was too fun and made me think of the German documentary from J. Collins' class where the guy is stressing how white people have no rhythm and do not know how to incorporate it into their daily lives....lol. Aside from making (and eating) a second meal, we talked with Auntie Jina and her sons Alex, Kwame,and....20 year old? forget his name. Auntie Jina wanted us to send her an invitation to come to the US, but then said that she wouldn't have the money to come anyway. I am beyond being sad about the inequal opportunities within the US versus abroad, but meeting and loving these people with my own eyes just digs it in...I have people to attach to the international phenomenom of poverty and I'm trying to grasp the all too familiar feelings of frustration and righteous anger from my youth. Auntie Jina could be my mother. In fact, she is my mother, just in another part of the world. And she does not have electricity, plumbing, or walls. Her sons live in shame because they fear that we judge them for what they do not have. If they only knew how much I want to give them everything. And I do not have much of anything myself....EXCEPT opportunity. Opportunity is a blessing. I will never fully come to terms with how blessed I am. I might not have all the money I could need or want, but I live in a country where I can fight for the chance to use OTHER people's money and fufill my dreams. How lucky. Kwame deserves it as much as me. But he was born in Ghana.

Lord, you do everything for a reason. To teach us certain lessons about life and about each other and how to be grateful for what we have. I am soo grateful for what you have given me, and grow in appreciation each day. Lord, teach me to understand the world's inequity and how you want me to make a difference. My world is so much bigger now. My world IS the world, and the people in it.

It's funny how they view Barack Obama. I have a deeper appreciation for what he means to the international community. He is not just my hope, but everyone's hope.

It is also funny how the 20 year old wants to come to America and be a "nigger." He imitated US rappers and then called them the "badmen" who shoot and kill. I don't want to write an essay on the perception of American blacks, but I had to go there.

Kwame came to visit me this past Friday (a week later), and I know he is a spirit. Sometimes God puts people in my life just to ask a question: "So what does Crystal do when she is hungry? What does Crystal do when she gets angry?" Totally out of the blue this question comes. Something about how he said it makes me really want to examine it deeper....

No matter what points I bring up or reflect about, no matter how much more complicated I get, I also fall in love with the Earth a little bit more.

Fun fun fun

A pic is a 1000 words right?









events:

-Elmina/Cape Coast Trip:

"It's coming" So our guide Yao at Kakum apparently has an amazing ear.....we were hiking back from our AMAZING ADVENTURE in the canopy walk (can't believe I did it!! I only made it cuz i didn't look down and I sang the whole way..."Shigome Shigome....BARACK OBAMA") when all of a sudden he says real quiet, "It's coming." Sounded like some Jumanji scarymovie type shit. And then a minute later comes a downpour of rain....we made a run for the bus. But it felt nice. Esh felt like screaming "It's cominnnnnggg!!!" for the whole run back, lol.

"I want to stay here and ask her to marry me"- one of the guides to Christa....we knew she had come prepared for our trip (stacked with a mile high of condoms)so we left Christa to her buisness...lol sike....I wish someone would've taken that mic away from her though....oh what else? playing hand games (Batman and Robin) and push-each-other-over games while waiting in line.

"Me and Kelsey ignite the bedroom"- Emma. No explanation required.

Had a really nice massage from some healer/massage therapists who happen to be from Jazz's hood, South Jersey. They were cool people....but my neck is kind of hurting this week...hmm/

On the FIVE hour bus trip back from Cape Coast, there were exciting events such as 1) stopping at Shell gas station 2) Marta peeing on the side of the road 3) Sonali buying grasscutter (a fancy term for rat).

Drumming with Godwin has been alot of fun!! Faye and I go every week, hopefully we will have something to share by the end of the semester. Classes are in full swing, I'm working on my two community service projects with the Foundation of Contermporary Art and SENDRAC, and doing alot of reading.

VALENTINE'S DAY WEEKEND:

-Thursday night: Me and T went out to Towala beach with some Crescent people...really chill, fun time....the rastas LOVE Tanesha....with their raspy ass Bob Marley songs, lol "One love, one heart....let's get together and feel alright"
Met up with Kareem later at Celsbridge and his FRIEND who is moving to NY to be at NYU!! How cool, so we gave him advice and then dropped him off at the airport. And then....stopped by Afrodisiac and then....partied it up in the car despite the popo. LOL. GOOD GOOD tiess.

-Friday night: Went out with my girls to celebrate Vday....all single ladies, or at least there were no 'boyfriends' around to shower us with attention. But we had a good time at Rhapsody's at Accra mall, ran into NYU alumni (they running things!! One is a DJ for the Ghanaian urban radio station) who hooked us up in VIP....then we went to Tipzzy tipsy and danced our butts off. Very fun. Thanks Kobe for the good time.

-Saturday, Val's day: Convinced T to take a trek wit me to Tema, an hour and half tro tro experience but we met up with Marcia!! And her mom and she made jollof rice and other goodness and we talked about America/African economics, watched a Ghanaian movie called Princess Tyra. LOL. Ghanaian actors=ridiculousness. But it was fun, we got back around 7 and then watched Coming to America with the crew....then Esh and I went out with Kareem to The Office. Robocop/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Dude was really trying to holla so we left....got Eppo's chicken (where I did NOT embarass myself unlike last time), then I chilled and ate with Justice in the security office.

-Sunday: Went to Crescent for a cooking class with Debby!!! What fun...we made kelewele and waakye and mango smoothie....and ate some of Chris' cabbage stew and yam. Cooking in big groups is great. Talking about the roaches in the boys' house, not so much.

All in all, a great weekend.

Goodbye, Elmina

Elmina....what can I say. This was a day of intense vibration where the past met the present.....I heard screams, I saw women in chains, I felt the pain that has traveled down my female ancestors through my mothers stomach to me , I smelled the stench of vomit and blood and daeth.....it is impossible to ignore. The castle vividly transported me back in time, and tears sprung in my eyes in wonder. Horror. I wish for every women and every man to see this place. It is important. Slavery is a tragedy of the human condition, as bad as any other massacres and holocasts in history. We can not forget our history. It was so touching that the tour guide Yao, led us in a minute of silence, and then om saying, "Never again." It heals my heart just a little bit to feel the respect that this event deserves. I also respect Christa for giving us all the time to contemplate and process this experience.

What is crazy is that the beach of Elmina is gorgeous. So beautiful...the Coconut Grove resort where we stayed was incredible. We had such an extreme weekend, moving from deep remembrance and respect to so much fun and good times on the beach and at Kakum National Park.

I thank God for letting me realize how truly blessed I am. It is hitting me more and more that the condition of the Transatlantic Slave Trade is specific to people of the African Diaspora, moreso than any other ethnicity or Africans themselves. Many Africans have the "Walk of Forgetting," where they place slavery in the past and have decided to forget past ones and forge a new future. I believe in forgiving, but never forgetting. And this experience is certainly one that I will never forget.

I like it when it hits me from behind....

Taxi ride to Krokibite:

It begins...."I'm from Boston NIGGA!!!"
the wooing...."I want to wash your dreads in the sea water"
"I want to rub oil all over you"
"I want to wash your underwears"
"You have a Black American boyfriend? You need two."



2nd Bless the Mic Night at Baze
African Dance Class
I love Frank the Dog!!!

Merci and Ama were cool....Joyce of Africa, not so much.

FRANK THE DOG IS MY HOMIE!!!

Joyce of Africa: "Aaaaah!! They already got music over there, why are you all so loud? You sit so streetlike, it's because you don't love yourself." As she lays out her jewelry for us.



Fun in the ocean.....Jackie: "I like it when it hits me from behind" um....
Emma: "It's too salty in my mouth. It's going to give me a
disease."

ELECTRIC SLIDE ON THE BEACH TO BEST MAN WAS TOO FUN!!!


Krokibite......oh what a night



Jasmyn: "I'm just a little bit drunk....not TOO drunk" after 9 shots. Everyone but me and Jackie were done. Uncle Tom had fun with us tho.


Guitar dude with 3 notes, "I'm a fuckin hustla!"

Jasmyn: "I'd rather be shot." Talking about dying by fire or water during our "gospel hour"....Tanesha don't forget to look up Rickey Smiley, Church Hats!!!


I LOVE THE BEACH!!! THE END!!!!

THANK YOU LORD!!! FOR KEEPING US SAFE!!!!

boondockkkkz

Update on this past WEEEKEND to come later......to much for now. But I'll leave with the best of season one of BD....


"Excuse me...everyone? I have an announcement to make. Jesus was Black, Ronald Reagan was the devil, and the government is lying about 9/11. Thank you for your time...and goodnight." Riley's dream

"I'm going to go find a white person to lie to right now." Grandpa

"Like when white people talk...they say the WHOLLLE WorDD." lil bro

"If I'm lucky I'll find a nice white woman with a flat booty who will listen to my problems" grandpa


"Don't trust them new niggas over theaaaah leavin they nigga essence in the airrrr" uncle ruckus

"I tell you it sure is beautiful out heah. Whites folks sure know how to make some nice foliage" uncle ruckus

"skirts dont excite me"

the durbar, pool at baze, naa's license suprise party, drumming at the durbar (I should be getting lessons soon)

YEP never too late for this moment......JASMYN's TIPSY ASS knockin the ping pong table over. A classic moment. I'm dyin over there.

LOL thats my homie T right there.....just got my skirt from the tailor and I am so HYPE. It is beautiful. I feel like I am figuring out what makes me feel beautiful, and thats ALL that matters. fuck tha haters. Anyway so I am LOVING LIFE RIGHT NOW. So much to see and eat and smell and hear and people to meet and FREE DOWNLOADS....


google "neojuice" a blog will come up which lets u download all of the classic neo soul albums....im doing dru hill classics right now....lovin it....


anyway so SO much has happened!!! where do I begin!!!!

OK so we had an eventful night friday (?) baking for Justice (thats my nigga right there) the security guard who was turning 25.....so the ovens here don't have temperature settings and you have to guess how hot the heat is.....but WE MADE IT through and the cookies were decent. I love Justice and Uncle Tiago and alla the security guys.

Thennnnn we played Spades and DJ Butterscotch fufilled her duties...bringing us back wit the old school babymaking music.......guys had so much game back then....."Can we talk for a MINUTE.....I just want to know your NAME????" love it!

Ummm.....ok so Jazz TORE IT UP at Baze on Thursday night!!! She officially kilt it. I'm loving her spoken word.....L....O....V....E.......a search that might take eternity. or some ish like that. lol. anyway so we met some cool people (especially this London chic beauty who is a DJ) and played pool and that was a fun night.

On Saturday we had the durbar at University of Ghana-Legon......they really know how to welcome people here in Ghana. The set up was so stylish, the food so prepared, the drumming/dance group was gettin it.....a great event. Aside from the welcome speech, where the administrator warned us to

"Please avoid quiet and dark places.

Otherwise, enjoy your time here."

I met alot of other American students particularly people from Howard and Fiske.......as well as a group of British girls from Leeds in London. Alot of people performed at the talent show portion.........some not so talented. Ms. Melissa Mc D got up there and didn't really know what was coming out her mouth.....(Faye: "She's singing in English"....after the song is almost over). And another chick and her AWFUL stand up comedy, something about blue bricks and throwing a dog out the window. wow. I realized how cool us NYU kids are....(the guys performed "Desperados" with such heart) and also how fucking spoiled. Like I didn't know that already. We are the only international students with our own "Real World Ghana" like house.....with washers dryers fridges AC the whole shebang. Everyone else lives at Legon and handwashes their shit, no AC, no bathrooms half the time...I'm livin it up more here than at home!! lol....well hey they don't call it "highlife" for nothing. We decided to ease our guilt we are gonna throw a big ass house party at Solomon and invite everyone to do their laundry here.

Wednesday night (clearly this is not chronological) we partied it up at Labadi beach, where Tanesha met the love of her life.......I forgot short dude's name, but basically he stalked her ass all the way back to Solomon (these guys are AGRESSIVE) and said that he was looking for "his best friend." Point is...we're past not giving guys your number.....don't give guys your NAME.

Speaking of creepers..............SATURDAY NIGHT. LMAO. LMAO.

woww.....so saturday night we went out to Karim's friend's party across from Crescent. So we get there and everyone seems chill and theres food and alcohol and brownies. The brownies happen to be by the alcohol and I asked if they were of the herbal variety, to which the host replied "No, they're normal." I ate one, noticing the bits of "spice" in it.....realizing subconciously that i was bout to be fucked up. Fast forward an hour later and me n the girls are GOOOOD as aisha calls it. T had two brownies. Let's examine everybody's high:

Tanesha- giggling at shit, quieter than usual, smiles from here to Kalamazoo

Jasmyn- The true G emerges. She happened to say anything and everything that was on her mind, including cursing out the guy who was asking us to "come with him to Rhapsodys"....Abraham blew his creepass cover when he said "if you were really drunk, you'd come with me".....but Jasmyn responded bluntly, "so is the party nice INSIDE?" lol. then continued with "you are just tryna take advantage of us. step off. asshole." something like that. thats y i fuck with u.

Me- I get loud. Talk alot, sing alot, proclaim how I love people....including Josh, Eric and Mike who came over at like 3 am to see what was up.

Aisha- disappears........Dip Dip!! lol nah she was actually around for the most part, aside from a few bathroom breaks......but live ya life boo.

Faye- WASN'T THERE. "If you wanna be somebody, if you wanna go somewhere, you better wake up at PAAAAAAY ATTENTION" ahem. lol get that ass up!!! wake up!!! i know that youtube video was great though.

We were contemplating if there were "ladies of the night" at the party....all dese girls were up on ol dudes like nothing...and switching around and ish......but I got a ride home from Karim today from the post office, and supposedly thats "just how they flow." lol. oh, and "they were dressed a bit HOT because they were going to the CLUB afterwards." ok Karim, ok. Go remove your documents.

Is that it? let's see.....Sunday I did not leave the house for one second. I made a beautiful collage, watched Juno, and ate a shitton of Italian food that Katie, Emma, and Victoria made. Meatballs and wine was bangin. That's about it. Today I met up with Marcia, an artist friend of Daniel Banks who is very cool. Now I'm watching Babel, the new Keyshia Cole video, downloading Dru Hill, iming Ellis, and blogging. What a multimedia world.

Peace and im OUT

<3333333>

"A full day's supply of Vitamin C"

Boondocks is some shit. Makes me want to join the 5 percenters or some shit, lol....

highlights

"What woman? Dis here a ho" A Pimp Named Slick Back

"It's like a Tribe Called Quest. You say the whole name." A Pimp Named Slick Back, aka Kat Williams

"N-Y-E-A-G-A" mr. stinkmeaner

"You dropped the soap again?" straight-laced tom's wife

"Yall sure you don't want breakfast? I got english muffins and peach jelly" some white dude

"A full day's supply of Vitamin C" everyone after they down the OJ

FILL US WITH THE LIGHT OF DAY!!

ok....week is halfway through and so much has happened already.

"My sista" what I am called when the Ghanians sell to me in Osu. Guess the braids make the difference. One dude got mad and thought Tanesha had called him "black and ugly"....which she didnt (DUH) and ended up going on a tirade about how ppl wit dreads should understand that we are all one.....preaching to the choir.

Also went to 'Papayes'...POPEYES. Chicken and fries. Ain't nothin better. lol.

Soooo this week has been SHOPPING heavy, I've gotten an OBAMA bag, kente bag, ordered for a patchwork bookbag, fabric for a dress and skirt, a namebracelet, not to mention the VA and food at the grocery store. Mangos are ON POINT. :)

What else.....ok so OBAMA!!!! BARACK BARACK....BARACK OBAMA! I wish I could put some audio on here for all the songs they have out here, that one's all over the radio. Yesterday was sweeeet, it was so cool bringing the inaugaration in in AFRICA with the first black president.....so much international buzz. Met some cool other American students from A&T and San Fran State....I should see them tonight at the Labadi Beach Party. Did I mention that I am in school this semester? LOL.

To celebrate Barack, the ladies and I got "GOOD" as Aisha calls it, lol. We decided to play ping pong....Jasmyn by a piece of furniture while tipsy, NOT a good idea....pics to come. We had so much fun yesterday, between that and watching SISTER ACT II!!!!! Throwback, best movie of ALLL TIME, it is official. Official. Not to mention we all knew every line (Jazz knew all the steps too, lol).

"An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth........Come to me and I'lllll set you free!!!!!!" YES

finally, classes!!!

History of the Atlantic Slave Trade with Dr. Perbi, "Cool runners" looks like this will be a very emotional experience. She provides that maternal sense that makes me feel comfortable enough to feel vulnerable in this class, and we will be going deep. Can't wait.

Dance and Music at Ashesi University- THIS CLASS IS BOMB. 8 am yes but so worth it.....the teacher today said that women in Kaneshie walk like "ice cream" and made a girl demonstrate.....I guess sexual harassment is different here lol.......nah it was just appreciation. I met a guy named David who told me I need to eat some fufu pronto. So excited for the dancing!!

"You see the music and you hear the dance"

Finally....Pan-Africanism with Michael Williams...a round-the-way DC guy who moved to Ghana. This class is dope. He is a wise one, reallly really smart....looking out for us youngbulls, lol. Today he warned us against stopping the malaria medication, "if you don't take it, malaria will take you away." Then switches the subject likes its nothing. so Imma stay high like planes on Larium.

Oyiwalladong - "Thank you" in Ga, the lady who sold me mangos said I must learn it

O chale - slang for "you stupid ass" in Twi

The snap handshake-- Ghanaian dap

Akwaaba

I'm here. I got in last Tuesday on January the 12th. For some reason I don't really feel like writing about alot that has been going on wedidthisandthatandthenwenttothemarketblahblah
so I'll put up some pictures instead.

"Let me remove my documents" The girls and I met Karim on the first night out at a club called Bywel. He was talking to Tanesha and was the only one not aggressively approaching the table a la "Samson" who was in search of his Delilah. Anyway after that night (which was $6 shots and with too many 'ladies of the night'), we ran into him Saturday night at Celsbridge after getting our braids in. Still getting used to spicy rice and fish, but, hey. He seems like cool people....and was the extra gentleman.....he hurried to clear out his backseat for us. lol.

"Lafa" A Ghanaian who imitates American swag, specifically all the rappers they see on TV out here. I'm still trying to get over the "Trading Places" and Pussycat Doll Video on replay at the Sunshine Cafe. Anyway they know a Black girl when they see one, and the other day at Kaneshie a group of guys said "Wat's uuup????" My crack up of the day. The little kids at Kaneshie were adorable though.

Artists' Alliance Gallery was the shit.

Saw alot of lizards at Labadi beach.

"Who wants a turkey?" Pookie is my son son lol....this nigga Chris Rock is hilarious. Can't believe I haven't seen New Jack City before, but glad I did. That and Ice T with his "I want to shoot you so bad, my dick is hard." extra. lol.

"I'mma put u to bed"- one of the professors has it on his ringtone....I feel like I got real intimate a little too soon. Anyway, the profs are cool really chill, I can't wait for "History of the Black Atlantic Slave Trade" with Professor Gilba....COOL RUNNERS!

Ok so FOOD is an important thing in my life (hence the title) sooo.....

Jollof rice and chicken is that shit.
Plaintains are good...but I didnt have to travel 18 hours on Emirates Airlines to rediscover that.
Mangosssssss thats all I have to say!!!!

Words of the week:

Akwaaba "welcome"

Ete sen? "How are you"

Maakye "Good morning"

Maaha "Good afternoon"

Maadwo "Good evening"

Me paakyew "Please (excuse me)"

Daabi medaase "No thank you"

Ye fre wo sen? "What's your name"

Classes start this week. So more to come.