Thank you guys for showing an interest and asking questions about my African excursion. The questions I got were oddly close to some of my biggest take aways from this deployment. All three of these questions are experiences that will forever stay with me long after this deployment ends.
How many of you earned diving certifications?
- There were quite a few of us that got their SCUBA diving certificate. I am very proud to mention that I am a certified advanced open water diver!!! I can dive to something around 120 feet below the waves and flourish in the aqua blue yonder. I am VERY happy that I had the opportunity to dive and dive often while I was here. The ocean really is amazing! I was blessed to live next to a beautiful beach with an amazing coral reef and crystal clear waters. I saw octopuses, sting rays, star fish, sea cucumbers and incalculable varieties of fish! A group of us even saw a maco shark... Thank god I didn't see that, I probably would have soiled myself.
SCUBA diving was really an eye opening experience for me. I honestly think that if I had been exposed to this as a child I would have studied marine biology in college! However, I will warn you that the ocean is a HORRIFYING place to be after dark. Biolumesicent organisms are pretty cool, but the rest of the ocean feels like a death trap!!!! Oh and try not to have a panic attack under water because your ears aren't equalizing and the pressure is getting to you, and you forget which way is up, and you forget to breathe.... Not that anything like that has ever happened to me of course.
What are your thoughts on payday PT with the new Battalion?
- Now you know that I would never criticize or speak ill of our leadership. They are doing the best they can to not be completely, wholeheartedly, mind numbing retarded. I think they are fighting the good fight.
How does it feel emotionally and spiritually to be there overall? Being the motherland and all.
- Emotionally, it has been such a beautiful feeling. Being around the original people, the genesis for all mankind. When I saw this I am not using hyperbole, I have looked upon the bones of the earliest human "Lucy" that we know existed. Further than that seeing so many people who look just like me (ESPECIALLY IN ZAMUNDA!!!) being so successful and doing such amazing things. I really feel as if I met kindred spirits in Zamunda, who look out for their communities and sought to elevate their people just like I want to do. Emotionally, it made me feel so much better about my people both members of the diaspora and not.
Spiritually, Africa affected me much more. I think I am going to wear the lessons that I learned in my heart long after the memories of the deployment has faded. The largest spiritual effect that I take away from this is how I view African Americans. First off, I no longer say "nigga". When I got to Africa and I saw how our brothers and sisters acted and carried themselves, from the beggars to the businessmen, I did not see niggas. I saw black people striving for success. This will stay in my heart of hearts. I saw a group of people who were never colonized and the PRIDE that they took in themselves and their actions. I intend to take these lessons back to America. Their ancestors were not slaves, or second class citizens and I saw people that carried themselves as such. We aren't niggas, we should not even think it much less use it to address or describe each other. I encourage you to stop saying it. If you don't want to , I encourage you to come to Africa and ask yourself if you see niggas walking around. Don't worry, I won't be one of the Dr. Cornell West type brothers who chastise you for saying it, this is a decision I made for myself based off of what I have seen.
How many of you earned diving certifications?
- There were quite a few of us that got their SCUBA diving certificate. I am very proud to mention that I am a certified advanced open water diver!!! I can dive to something around 120 feet below the waves SCUBA diving was really an eye opening experience for me. I honestly think that if I had been exposed to this as a child I would have studied marine biology in college! However, I will warn you that the ocean is a HORRIFYING place to be after dark. Biolumesicent organisms are pretty cool, but the rest of the ocean feels like a death trap!!!! Oh and try not to have a panic attack under water because your ears aren't equalizing and the pressure is getting to you, and you forget which way is up, and you forget to breathe.... Not that anything like that has ever happened to me of course.
What are your thoughts on payday PT with the new Battalion?
- Now you know that I would never criticize or speak ill of our leadership. They are doing the best they can to not be completely, wholeheartedly, mind numbing retarded. I think they are fighting the good fight.
How does it feel emotionally and spiritually to be there overall? Being the motherland and all.
- Emotionally, it has been such a beautiful feeling. Being around the original people, the genesis for all mankind. When I saw this I am not using hyperbole, I have looked upon the bones of the earliest human "Lucy" that we know existed. Further than that seeing so many people who look just like me (ESPECIALLY IN ZAMUNDA!!!) being so successful and doing such amazing things. I really feel as if I met kindred spirits in Zamunda, who look out for their communities and sought to elevate their people just like I want to do. Emotionally, it made me feel so much better about my people both members of the diaspora and not.
Spiritually, Africa affected me much more. I think I am going to wear the lessons that I learned in my heart long after the memories of the deployment has faded. The largest spiritual effect that I take away from this is how I view African Americans. First off, I no longer say "nigga". When I got to Africa and I saw how our brothers and sisters acted and carried themselves, from the beggars to the businessmen, I did not see niggas. I saw black people striving for success. This will stay in my heart of hearts. I saw a group of people who were never colonized and the PRIDE that they took in themselves and their actions. I intend to take these lessons back to America. Their ancestors were not slaves, or second class citizens and I saw people that carried themselves as such. We aren't niggas, we should not even think it much less use it to address or describe each other. I encourage you to stop saying it. If you don't want to , I encourage you to come to Africa and ask yourself if you see niggas walking around. Don't worry, I won't be one of the Dr. Cornell West type brothers who chastise you for saying it, this is a decision I made for myself based off of what I have seen.
