HOLA AMIGOS

Is this still Yankee or did I go to Mexico


Kontri Peeps!!!

What's Gwan? Na wa oh. A week ago I didn't know how I would transport myslef to this California, but here I am. It goes to show that where there's a will there's a way. Didn't get to sell my car yet, but a family member (not in Charlotte) has decided to buy it on behalf of another family member also in search of the American dream. See that's the kind of coorporation that needs to exist in families and communities. Everyone joins in to lend a hand in elevating one another not tearing down, back biting and back stabbing. As in if you have the resources or the knowledge and are able to help your fellow man without neccessarily spoon feeding you may never understand how great a good or an impact you have made in changing not just that one event in that person's life, but their whole life entirely.

Anyways enough of my 'Socratizing'. I got to Santa Maria Thursday afternoon, Des and Ndidi took me to the Airport at around 5 am. My flight was at 6.30 and when It was time to go through security, not a dry eye in the room. Got to Cali and drove up from LAX airport. Hmh trust your sister to have her eyes bulging wide open just in case a Hollywood superstar like Jessica Simpson or J-lo in that their airport. Anyone who spotted me out would have suspected my identity with the way I was lifting 70 pound suitcases, all three of them and all my hand luggage.
I had reserved a compact, the cheapest and the most gas effecient, but they had to upgrade me to this long Impala because my suitcases could not fit in the tiny Aveo. One suitcase alone took up the whole back seat.
As I was just driving north on Highway 101, the scenery was breath taking. I was grinning from ear to ear and screaming ' water' like a mad woman at the sight of the Ocean. It was similar to the feeling I used to get when one of our parents decided to treat us to a trip to Bar-beach way back in the day. I think it's got something to do with my mental state that the sight of a massive body of water gets me elated and raises my spirits. If nothing else, this is what always has me in awe at the power of God and his awesome wonders of creation. Reminding me of how tiny I am in His presence. I am yet to go to the beach, I know when I do I will probably break down in tears like I did when I first went to Myrtle Beach (crocodile tears, the kind where you cry and laugh at the same time).

Got to my hotel around 3pm, settled in and drove around town and found some food, newspapers, car ads, made some runs to car dealerships, looking at 'rooms', watched the various newscasts before calling it a night. The next day I headed to the station armed with my 'Thanks for Hiring me Cards'. Filled out my paper work and voiced out the fact that this move was not easy at all for me o. I don't know if it was the cards, that my new boss is always in a Santa Claus mood or they really want me to feel welcomed. Lets just say that from now on I need to change my middle name from 'Agnes' to 'Favor'. The initial memo signed as part of my relocation package became null an void, only to include a lot more than I expected. My people helep me sing this chorus, 'God You are so good... God You are kind.. God you are wonderful... my God you are Excellent....(excellent) Excellent is your name.... etc etc.'

Continued searching for deals on cars. Got bored and decided to stop by their mall. All Ya'll who think you have limited shopping options in North Carolina, wait till you come to 'Santana-Maria' where Walmart is the mall. By the way, I saw my first black person 24 hours after I had been in the town and soon after they all started popping up. At first I had begun to worry. It was kinda funny how whenever one showed up, they always smiled and said an audible hello. There eyes, like mine, would also light up as if to say 'Yee!! Black person!!' . Then I also begun to notice how I was getting stared down every where I went. People would shamelessly look me from head to toe as if I was a rarity in these parts. Well I guess I was and since most of the population here is of Hispanic origin ( a lot of migrant workers) it sort of explained it. This one chick at the Walmart (not just Walmart o... but the Walmart) looked me from the head to eyeball to toe not minding that I was a hairs length away. Haba!! May be I am also paranoid because I am obvioulsy different or because I have my own personal prejudice, which I won't deny because I have never been around this many spanish speaking people. You think you are foreign in North Carolina, you never jam. I feel like I am in Mexico..there's nothing more culture shocking than a West African in Mexico. Imagine that. Actually I think this is the same way I felt when there were just a bit too many black people for me in Atlanta and a bit too many White people in Sarasota. May be it's a bit too much to ask of every city, and perhaps unrealistic, but darnit give me a melting pot, where there's every blend of coffee and there I shall be at my most comfortable (Africa doesn't count...well I am sure white people visiting there too will experience some of this stuff)

I finally found an apartment which is walking distance from my job so that knocks out the getting a car right away plan. What the heck if I need to go hang with peeps in LA, all 'one' of them, I'll rent a car. Turns out I was initially going to pay $500 for one sardine box disguised as a room in some lady's house. The house and family was nice but that room get as e be. I stalled until finally last night I checked out this town house that some Vietnamese dude and his friend had bought. They spent half a mil on that crib and are renting out the rooms. Must be nice...My time is coming soon and very soon. The closet in my new room is twice the size of the first room I saw for $500. As in only a twin bed could fit in that one but in this closet you could fit in a full size bed sef, and it was just a $150 more. I'ld rather that than pay $1200 for an apartment around here. Abeg I need to save and pay FAFSA back.

Sunday came around and I decided to drive to this baptist church that's walking distance to my new place. Just perfect....but one problem though. The church service they had on Sunday was more like a funeral or a b-rated concert performance at a retirment home. I apologised to the Lord but I had to leave to maintain my sanity especially considering the fact that this would be my church home for this first two months that I shall be carless.

Drove around town a couple more times trying to find another church to save my Sunday, after all it was just 11:30. I forgot that these churches were American churches that worked on American time, not Jubilee Christian Church that works on African time with the sermon going to 2 O' Clock sef. As in by the time I got to my next church destination I felt like an idiot when as I started walking in, wind blowing my weave and exposing my tracks and balding temple, people were walking out. I just had to ask to make sure that service was over and that was why they were coming out of the church. DUH!!

My first day at work today, was 'OK', the assignment desk computer system is not very user friendly. Anyways I have over stayed my time at work because I do not have anything in my room, no bed, no curtains nada. I shall be sleeping on an air mattress till I can find an affordable bed on craigslist. Life's a hustle sometimes but it's only a means to an end. I shall continue this gist at another time. Once I settle down and get my internet up and running I will attempt to stop talking too much about myself, It can be 'annoying' sometimes (imagine if you were me right now having to listen to me sing because there's nothing to do and no one to talk to cos everybody on the east coast is sleeping by 8pm).

Oh by the way...I'M PAYING TAX IN THE SAME COUNTY AS OPRAH...WHOOOOPPIIEEE!!!! LOL (she probably owns property in several..but allow me to bask in this knowledge)