West African Travel Log Daily Updates For Trip 2008 (including pics)

[TraceOneInfinite]

I'm leaving for West Africa again this year.  I will leave in two days and spend the whole month of November there.  I kept a log here last year and will do the same this year.  I'm also opening up a keystyle log in the keystyle section of the forum with some rhymes inspired by the trip.  This year I'm bringing my camera phone and will try to include pics in my posts (I can upload my entries, updates at internet cafe spots while I'm there).   So check back here and holler at me with any questions, etc.  Appreciate any feedback. 

Short recap of my visit to "Roots Island" during last years trip.

Juffereh James Island  (Roots Island)



Back when I was in the 5th grade we watched the movie Roots in school.  Roots is a story losely based on the history of Alex Haleys family.  He begins with Kunta Kente, an African tribesman living in Juffereh, Gambia.  Kente is later captured and sold into slavery in America.  I remember the movie had a profound affect on me at age 11.  There was only one black student in my class and he was crying so much during the movie his parents were called to take him home early.  I think at first I didn't realize how special this movie was.  All the opening scenes in Africa I paid little attention too.  It wasn't until  seeing the conditions of the slave ship, until seeing how tightly packed the slaves were that I began watching in awe.



I remember the questions we asked the teachers after watching the first video of the series...

"Why were they having the slaves dance?" was one of them.  The teachers of course responded that they had to get exercise.

"Why did that woman jump in the water"..."because suicide was preferable to many over a life of slavery" they responded.

Then in the later episodes detailing life on the plantations, our teachers were asked, "why were the slaves nice, then suddenly mean to eachother.

The teachers explained that the stress of slave life they often took out that stress on each other.

I think the lasting affect the movie had on me after that day was it made me root for black people, it made me want to see blacks have success in life.  I did see some truth to the black nationalist claims of "post-traumatic slave disorder".  many scoff at this idea in America but I saw some truth to it.   The people I had met in Gambia were the most sensitive, softest, nicest people in the world.  Gambia's nickname is "the smiling coast".  When I got back to America I watched the movie again.  And Alex Haley must have noticed the same thing I did, because you see much more pleasant and well-mannered exchanges amongst the blacks in Africa.  More peace, ease and free flow in their interactions with one another.

[Rugged Monk]

interesting i shall peep

[LONDON!!]

good luck wit your trip

[Þŕiņçë]

Taking a wild guess here, your the white one?

[.:DaYg0sTyLz:.]

Orlando Magic?

[TraceOneInfinite]

Taking a wild guess here, your the white one?

lol... bingo!

[TraceOneInfinite]

good luck wit your trip

thanks.. I will need it, but I do feel that luck is on my side, I just have to do my part.

[TraceOneInfinite]

Orlando Magic?

you know I never even noticed that hat until you said that.  That was my friends hat, not mine.

[Þŕiņçë]

Have fun im sure it will be a blast. My parents went over there before they had us kids and had fun. And my uncle just recently spent a month in Australia rented a like van type shit and drove all around. Yeah, traveling runs through my blood. I myself am a traveling performer!

[TraceOneInfinite]

I'M just checking in from africa, i'll post something later... peace

[virtuoso]

Stay safe infinite 

[TraceOneInfinite]

11-8-08


The computers here wouldn't recognize my camera phone so I will have to post up the pictures when I get back and give descriptions of the things I was doing.

More later.. peace

[Ali Tha Great]

Stay safe infinite 

[Doggystylin]

Infinite is the shit, keep at it dogg

[TraceOneInfinite]

I just got back into America yesterday.  I am working on getting my pics organized along with a journal of my trip.  I have nearly 200 pics and 100 short video's.  Here's just a couple of the pics, I will continue posting more throughout the month as I get organized...



1rst day in Senegal, dropped my bags off at a friends house, ate lunch



1rst day, hanging with some Rasta's at Senegal's historical Goree island