Below the Mason-Dixon Line

I have spent the better part of the last 3 weeks in what is commonly referred to as the "Deep South". That would mean - as far as I know - Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia (although I am not sure that Atlanta really qualifies). It has been...well...enlightening... strange ...and ...delightful. I am becoming increasingly aware of how generalities and stereotyping has impacted my thinking. In Nov. of 2006 I went to spend time in California - the Los Angeles area - for the first time and received quite a shock. What was so shocking - the fact that there are actually real people who live out there and the whole state isn't characterized by Hollywood. Yes, I know how sad that I even have to admit that but it is true. I was amazed at how - well - regular most places and people were and it was a welcome revelation. Not to mention how beautiful California is. Driving up highway 1 from LA area to Monterey was simply incredible. That shimmering, deep blue Pacific Ocean...well there are no words to adequately describe it. It was mesmerizing and let's just say it was a good thing I wasn't driving or I might have really become one with the ocean on that drive. And it was really interesting to see the cows up on the hills, oil rigs and those drilling things that bob up and down and then the ocean all within the same view. No wonder they have happy cows. They get to eat lush green grass on a hillside while looking at the ocean! Wait, what was my point? Oh yes, the south...similar reaction to what I had in California. I had always heard that Mississippi was one of the poorest states in the union and of course most of us have a stereotype about people who speak with that kind of drawl but I have been pleasantly surprised being down here. Again, I am sad to admit that I expected to see miles and miles of broken down houses with junk all over the front yard and people out front in their bathrobes - cringe - but it hasn't been true. I have driven over a fair part of the state while being here and I have seen very little of that - very little. What I have seen is miles and miles of really beautiful countryside. Did you know that Missississpi is so beautiful? I didn't. Rolling hills, trees and forests all over interspersed with acres of farm land, lakes and small towns. I mean yes, they have their share of poor sections and run down areas but so does every other state I have been in. And maybe I haven't seen the worst of it down here but I do know that it isn't as rampant as one might think. I am happy to say that having spent this time in Mississippi my preconceived notions have been dislodged as they were when I went to California.

What am I doing down here? Good question. Margaret, one of my roommates from Ghana, asked me to come down and help her do some video work at her mission agency. She wanted me to run a second camera. So I thought about it, prayed about it and decided it was a good thing. And it has been a good thing. Not only to see Margaret, which I will get to later, but just to see more of the US and to learn something new - like running a camera. This isn't just a little camcorder thing. It is a "real" camera for professional people. On the other hand it isn't a giant camera that you see on TV but a similar albeit smaller version. I wasn't too confident of my creativity and ability with this thing but Margaret seemed to have faith in me...or maybe she was just desperate...I don't know. I think I'll go with the "had faith in me" view. I flew into Memphis - for the first time - where she picked me up and we drove to her parent's place in Starkville, MS (pronounced Stark-vul) after a brief stop in Oxford, MS. We were in Oxford just days before the first presidential debate so needless to say I wasn't able to get a really good tour of the Ole Miss campus. Oh well. I did see Elvis' birth place in Tupelo so that has to be something, right? The tiniest little, "shotgun" house I have ever seen. Apparently it is called "shotgun" b/c you can open the front door and the back door and shoot a bullet right through. Seriously small house. Oh, but I digress again. Why does that keep happening? :) Anyway, after being at Margaret's house for a couple of days we drove over to Atlanta where we did the shoot. Her mission agency is The Mission Society and I met a bunch of really neat people. One woman who really touched me is named Ruth. The three of us hit it off so well that she drove the two hours it takes her to get to Atlanta from her home to have dinner with us (4 hours round-trip!). And she brought her husband who was a complete Georgia-boy riot. But this woman, Ruth, is a wonderful, encouraging woman and I am so blessed to have met her. She also writes and edits the mission's quarterly publication so she had some insights for me regarding writing for the future. Margaret was very glad for us to meet and get to talk about writing a bit. (Thank you Lord for that introduction).

The actual video shoot went very well. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. I mean I knew I would enjoy working with Margaret - she wasn't nearly as bossy as I thought she would be :) -but I also really enjoyed running the second camera. B/c Margaret did the interviewing with the still camera, I got to be the one moving around trying to take all kinds of interesting and funky shots. I did my best after getting a lesson and some pointers from M and she seemed really pleased so that is all I can ask for. Two days of this shooting - what a trip. While in Atlanta we were able to eat at some great restaurants. I am seriously impressed with the variety of ethnic foods they have there. Unfortunately the main restaurant we wanted to eat at was a Ghanaian one we had heard of but apparently it has closed. We were so bummed. I really wanted some red-red and plantain or some palaver sauce and yam or some chicken and rice or....oh wait...there I go again....this time salivating over the thought of that wonderful food. Anyway, we did get to eat Cuban, Indian and Thai food. We almost had Ethiopian but on that day both our stomachs were protesting a little so we decided to leave well enough alone. All in all, it was great food and there were many more ethnic restaurants to try. It has become very obvious that a big part of my relationship with Margaret revolves around food. We both like to eat:) Fortunately we have a lot of the same tastes in what we eat so we have started sharing meals which cuts down on costs and calories. It does kind of freak out the server-people here that we don't mind eating off the same plate. You know just digging in with our own forks to everything. The servers keep bringing an extra plate even after we tell them we don't need it. Ah well. Some things learned in Ghana may never die:)

So I am still in Mississippi - a week longer than expected. Why is that you might ask? Well...the basement at my parent's where I am currently staying has had some water leakage and mold problems - which might explain the significant increase in sinus problems I have had since returning to the states. B/c of this and the fact that Margaret needed help with another video shoot this week, I decided to stay longer. Again, not to mention the fact that it has been a lot of fun too. Margaret is a great tour guide and loves to drive. I love to ride and look at the scenery as we go along so it works out great. Besides, having extended time riding in a car really gives you a chance to get into some good, deep conversations. And getting lost, running over curbs and eating some really bad fast food makes for good laughs. Oh did I mention that while driving from Mississippi to Atlanta, GA you go through Alabama? And what is just off the main highway that we were on? Talladega, Baby!!! You knew I had to mention NASCAR sooner or later! Talladega is a superspeedway and I was happy to just have a look at it as we drove by. The race was here yesterday (10/5) but we weren't able to go. Margaret's a really good friend but she does draw the line at NASCAR. You know for a girl raised in the south she's not very southern. I mean she doesn't like NASCAR or country music or grits or sweet tea. That is just wrong! Except for the grits part - I don't like them either. Oh by the way yesterday, Oct. 5th, was my three month anniversary for returning to the states. Only three months. It seems like so much longer. Weird.

Before we head off to do our video shooting on Tues., tomorrow I will get a chance to see the "real" south. We are going to visit Margaret's Grandmother - she's called Nanaw- who from what I understand is a genuine southern genteel woman. The Steel Magnolia type. The plan is to sit under the tree in the front yard, drink sweet tea, talk and play canasta. Oh and I guess be driven around the pasture and among the horses on a four wheeler. Sounds like a genuine southern exposure:) I can't wait to meet her! I'll let you know how it goes.

Ok it is 3:45am and I should really try to go back to sleep. I will continue this later. Night.