Hey folks,
You'll have to excuse me as I worked on improving this site- A LOT has happened!!
For one, I realized that writing in a blog every day is harder than I thought it would be, and that I needed to allow myself some time to plan and decide all the places I wanted to go and things I wanted to do a little better. I hope to, in the near future, to release a schedule so that you may join me on some of my adventures.
Secondly, [thanks to Expedia and Amtrak, and Student Advantage], one of my Wishlist Wednesdays posts became a reality when I arrived in Charleston, SC last night...LOWCOUNTRY! Tasty Tuesdays will be spent at Gullah Cuisine in Mt. Pleasant, SC, and Wednesday I'm going on a tour of the Gullah/Geechee islands!
A quick recap of what I was able to write on the train...
"I am less than two hours outside of Charleston, SC, my excitement on hold until I get some food in me. I refuse to go to the food cart, where “expensive” and “mediocre” collide. I mean…no disrespect…I’m sure as far as trains go, it’s top-of-the-line cuisine. I also know that if I eat it, I’m just going to be mad until I find some real food. The guy I sat next to, Keith, must have been hungry because he stayed in the food car, lol. He had been riding since 6:15 in the morning, coming from New York. That’s where he’s from, but he’s found home in North Carlina. Night and day if you ask me. He thought so too, and said that after he went to school down there, he lost his taste for living in NYC. I don’t know where I find all these cool Amtrak buddies, but I’m not complaining. Keith, do try to enjoy being home, even if the break was too short ☺
I was highly amused an hour or so ago when the attendants made us switch cars because they discovered ants. A guy stood right in the middle of the aisle as I tried to lug my suitcase behind me and into the following car. I looked at him for a minute, thinking for sure he would see me struggle and at least attempt to move over some. He wasn’t a large man. Then, I thought maybe he was looking for an invitation, so I politely said “excuse me.” He didn’t move. With people behind me, I knew I had to make some kind of executive decision around the fact that this dude was not going to make it any easier to get by him. A woman some rows down spoke up. “It’d be easier for people to get by if you’d MOVE out the way!” There was some talk, and then I heard the guy say “I know she wasn’t talking to me.” I decided that maybe he hadn’t heard me say excuse me so I said it again as I was forced to squeeze past him. Now, I’m not naïve. I’m just choosy on what I cloud my brain with. I have no space for rudeness ☺
I’m les than an hour outside of Charleston now, feeling even more blessed than when I first stepped on this train. My friend Edek reminded me of a quote from Marcus Garvey, which I think it most appropriate for this journey:
I may not come back knowing as much as I would like to about my origin, but the journey is far more important. "
When I got in last night, I ordered food, watched "Last Holiday" (which seemed so appropriate for the adverture I find myself in), and fell asleep.
I woke up this morning around 5:30 in the morning. I don't know why...I don't get up then at home...I'm on vacation...whatever, I couldn't fall back to sleep. A couple hours after watching a few episodes of "Saved By the Bell," I decided to get change from the lobby so I could get some snacks.
I went to the lobby this morning looking for change. The woman at the front couldn’t find the key to the register, but said that there was a Scotchman next door. I didn’t know what a Scotchman had to do with change...but figured it was a dude who made change. I hoped he wasn’t a drunk (hehe). Come to find out it’s not a dude at all, but a convenience store chain.
Should I have known that? Maybe...I had never seen a Scotchman before...
After talking with a friend of my Uncle's (who lives down here), it was recommended that I visit the Avery Institute, where they have tons of information regarding African American Culture, specifically in this region. While I received so much valuable information in only a couple hours, the best advice came from a Ms. Leila Potts- Campbell, who was kind enough to sit with me for a long time and go through the information I did have (which was hardly any). She told me that it was imperative that I find the plantation that my great grandfather was a slave on, a plantation named after the family that enslaved him. Mind you, this is, of course, how I acquired my last name as well.
Anyhow, tomorrow I will call my Grandfather and and Aunt to get any other information they think might help me. Then, I will go into town, where I plan to visit The Historical Society, The Slave Market Museum, and some other places that have been recommended to me. I'll finish off the night with Gullah Cuisine at a local restaurant and...Wednesday I'm going on a Gullah tour.
Words cannot express how blessed I feel to be on this trip, and how glad I am that I can share it with all of you.
Stay tuned!
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