Celebrating Savannah's Culture and Community: From Diaspora Marketplace to the Bananas' Playoff Fever

Well, two things happened on that trip.

One was that I did get a chance to go to West Africa.

I had longed to go there.

And on this particular trip, I had a chance to travel with my minister, the minister of our church.

He had been in the States for about 20 years to get his education.

I had gotten that.

and wanted to go home, told the congregation that he wanted to go home and be with his family for a while.

So he needed more than just a week.

He needed a few weeks.

And however, if there was anyone in the congregation who would like to go with him, he would host them.

He had a home there and he would certainly be glad to have anyone in the congregation.

So I said, wow, look like the stars might align here.

And I decided, yes, I'll go.

I'll travel back with you.

And Reverend Gatte was his name.

And I went with him.

We spent a little over three weeks and I got a chance to live with his family.

And one of the first things I noticed was the people, some of the most diverse.

genuine spiritual people that I had ever met.

They gave me a whole new sense of what happiness was.

It was not materialistic.

And so I was very impressed with the people and they were so welcoming.

And two, I saw things that I'd never seen before, artwork, statues and carvings and clothing and and things that I hadn't seen.

So after that three weeks, I packed up my suitcase with all of these new things that I found, brought them back to the States.

And my family and friends just went wild.