There and Back Again: A Bulgarian Tale
- Hey Miss. Slaughter
- Nov 5, 2018
- 3 min read
A whole movie! Now you know good and well when someone is like, yo! it was a whole movie, you know something went down... major shenanigans. Okay so not that many shenanigans, maybe like 7. But that's what you're supposed to do when you're around people that share things with you and you're like wow, I feel you my sistah/brotha. You may or may not understand that, but when I see another Black person my soul comes to life. Literally my endorphins go crazy and my need to play Migos increases. What can I say, I love my people.
This past weekend Fulbright ETA's from the surrounding countries attended a Media Literacy Conference in Sofia, Bulgaria. I shall not bore you with the nitty gritty of what we learned, if you really want to know you can ask... but this post is about what it felt like to have chocolate time.
Chocolate Time: The period in which people of African decent link up in a country where they are a rare sight and get involved in shenanigans.
Let's introduce you to the talent in this movie. #GirlPower #DebateHerIfYouWant Come thru Ta'Mara! Ta'Mara is an ETA in Athens, Greece and honestly when I went up to say hi, we clicked like a seat belt and buckle. Her presence was amazing to have around and gives me all the more reason to take a field trip down to Athens. Then we head north to Zagreb, Croatia to say hey Kahlil! Okay so not the one from Black Lightning, but still cool. lol, he has this quiet movement about him. "Hey y'all where did Kahlil go?" "He's right there!" #Smooth. The hometown favorite, mainly because he lives in Sofia, so makes sense, Michael! Um, how to we describe Michael...
Me: Hey everyone, let me know when y'all get home!
Michael: I'm Home, but then again I was home the entire conference
This is how I will choose to describe him, lol. And lastly we have Dimitri coming to us from Kosovo. Intellectual and Obama like. Was able to explain how diversity needs to be talked about more and make it sound like an inauguration speech. #Yasss
This weekend gave me the boost I needed. Did I meet other Fulbrighters, yes, did I enjoy their company, yes, but it is something different when you connect with your people. I have never met any of these precious souls, Kahlil and I briefly met at the pre-departure orientation, but here we are in a foreign country trying to get in as much chocolate time as possible because who knows when the next time any of us will be able to be with someone who looks like us. I take my chocolate time so seriously. If that is the coffee I had with Kim some time ago, the moments Tammy, Joan, and I had in Skopje, or the pedicure Nikki and I had.
This past weekend was life. We were able to share our experiences about being black in these countries... not with the entirety of the group, but with each other because we know how it feels. We know how it feels to get stared at for just walking... WALKING. We know how it feels to want to make something that reminds us of home, only to find out they don't sell certain things here. We know how it feels to have to choose what to bring overseas, clothes or hair products.. #AintNoSheaMoistureHere Welcome to our lives.
This movie was something else! More will be featured in my tell all because that is what it is... a Tell All hunny.
The day we left it was weird for me. I didn't want it to end. I didn't want the colloquialisms to end. I didn't want to leave seeing melanin every moment of the day to stop, but here we are. Now we are not going to stop talking, we are going to continue this. We are going to lift each other up and encourage each other through the daily struggles of being Black in the Balkans.
You know as we were very American and sat in Starbucks, I couldn't believe that the weekend flew by. From the Mickey D's run to Club Sugar, where did the time go? Well we know where it went but the memories will always be there. And when I say always I mean forever and a day darling.
Despite the various things we have encountered since being on this side of the world, we are some strong individuals. And together, together we can change the world.
What is the take-away? Me + Black People = Happiness
LOL I just saw that we're all wearing glasses!
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