Less than a complete day away before hitting the deep blue. This has been pretty cool so far. Since I am a work-study student I along with 20 other students the ship 2 days before to maek sure that learned our jobs and become acquainted with the ship. For the record, I will be on a ship - NOT A BOAT! Ok, just letting you know. Ok.
I am standing at a bar top table outside of a bar (that is closed for the evening) named Da Junkanoo Shack. The weather is nice and cool. I have on a sleeveless shirt and can feel the breeze running through my hai-...scalp. Since internet access is so limited on the ship and I am going to preserve my little 250 minutes - yes, for 4 months. So I was pumping through downtown Nassau trying to find wirless. Low and behold, I surely did. Come one now, you didn't think I would? I am from New York, son. I have been an assistant and Production Assistant for over 2 years which means that there is no such thing as not being able to do or find something. It should become even more interesting as time goes on and I arrive to other ports and am on the search. Can you see my pumping through Malaysia asking for an internet connect? WORK!
But things have been great. My work study job is in Student Life. It wil be fun. The job basically entails being in charge of student activities and interacting with the Residential DIrectors and making this as pleasant of a trip for everyone, as possible. While working with my other three SL folks - Izzy, Kedero, and Stacey, we thought about how it feels like we are student council, ASB, or The Prom Committee. Today just consisted of inventory. We played my ipod while we cleaned. I am so glad, right now. Honestly, all of the drama from health, stressors from school and work, $$$ issues, etc. were all worth it. I am here. Tonight as I ate dinner on the deck and overlooked the ocean in the Bahamas I just reflected on all of this. I applied in August
:::Please, pardon the interruption, you'll get used to them - But, I am also listening to my ipod as I type and stand and a song by Chaka Khan, Angel, has come on and it reminds me of my mother and grandmother. I LOVE THIS SONG! Oh goodness. I digress:::
and I was accepted on Sept 11 and from there I hit the ground running. I lost so much sleep, I didn't eat, I fucked up at school and work at times, and literally the list goes on. God, I can remember crying myself to sleep and being frustrated with being stricken with cancer and dealing with the residuals of chemo - years later. I felt so alone. There were folks that were so against my pursuit. However, I knew that this is something that I really want(ed) to do. It has been an intense several months. But when it's all said and done I AM HERE! I AM HERE! I AM HERE! I am about to embark upon something so amazing I can't articulate it. And I am not traveling with a sense of exoticizing and/or carnivalizing the countries, cities, people, etc. Instead, I am voyaging (notice VOYAGE AND NOT TRIP - hell, I take weekend TRIPS to DC and Boston, this is a VOYAGE, an ODYSSEY!) with a true sense of vulnerability and penetrable. Overall, this trip in so many words is about identity and how complex identity - and especially my identity is. Traveling as a black man from America, from Kansas City, MO and San Diego, CA, a fighter, a survivor, a queer person, college student, cultural commuter, spiritual, loving, delightfully naive, a son, a grandson, a brother, a New Yorker...the level of agency is infinite. The bottom line is that I am here and I am going. I will be - and as a professor told me "Andre just be sure to use all 5 senses" that is what I going to do. Child cheese (get used to me saying that - or nino queso or petit fomage; just means "child please." I say it randomly. Why? Because I am random. And that's okay because it's MMMMEEEEE!).
My roommates have not come in yet. Yes, that's plural. I know, I gagged, too. Well, I was hell bent on having a window, because I need to see the world. So I got an email earlier in the semester about having the opportunity to have a discounted rate on my room if am okay with an extra roommate. Inititally, I wasn't down with the movement. But I come on now, I live in NYC, I lived with my landlady for almost 2 years. It will work out. Though, I must admit that space is super tight. Again, it's not the end of the world. What is beyond cool about all of this is that because of health and sanitary reasons our rooms are cleaned for us. Well, our beds are straightened, cleans towels are replaced, and trash is emptied EVERYDAY! Chhhiiillddd, I am getting used to this, already. lol. It's really cool. Oh yeah, but I do need some air freshner and Febreze. So if you can help supply then drop me a line or hit up Semester at Sea and they can tell you the address for the port and how to go about sending it. Funds are still tight and everything is by DEBIT/CREDIT card. Oh no, I don't have it like that. So drop me a line if you down for routing some $ so I can get through singa816@yahoo.com. Semester at Sea - 1.800.854.0195.
I don't know how this will be tomorrow with the other 700 student boarding. And the fact that there are 3 black guys, including me - that I have seen from our listing of pics and named on a bulletin board, will be interesting. But it's all good, seriously. I am sure that they are just as happy to be here as I am.
:::Pardon the interruption - Kanye West "I Wonder" is my THEME SONG! And it just came on *bobbing head ridiculously hard*:::
Oh yeah, I was blown away when I realized that Bahemians drive on the left side of the road. So much to see in the world. Also, I am keeping my fingers crossed for everything to work out and be apart of program in Paris, France this summer where I will study Art, Literarture, and the Contemporary African Diaspora. Traveling and learning is so important me.
There really isn't too much more to say. Next on our agenda is Puerto Rico! QUE LINDO!
Well, I must end this. Folks are meeting up and this restaurant/night spot named Senor Frogs which is right by the port. I figure I can make it down and make an appearance *bats eyes.*
Damn, this is about to happen.
Until next time...
