its all over

This last Thursday, I officially finished my Africa class (AFRICAN 277 : Africa: Introductory Survey for you Madisonians). I loved it. There are about a bagillion (maybe even two bagillion) courses I want to take now in the African Studies department. The African Storyteller, Introduction to Yoruba Life and Culture, Swahili, Xhosa, African Poetry... And that's just the African Studies department. There are so many other wonderful, wonderful departments and classes and languages I want to sink my teeth into. Eastern Christianity/Russian Orthodoxy in a Global Context, Romani (Gypsy) Culture in Russia and East Europe, Russia Today in Literature and Film, Mythology of Scandinavia, Folklore Theory, French, Norwegian, Icelandic, The Icelandic Sagas, Literature in Translation: Dante's Divine Comedy, Religion in History and Culture: The East, The Medieval Church, Myth, Islam: Religion and Culture, Introduction to Indian Literatures....oh man, I could go on for a very VERY long time...

But I digress.

The point is, I loved my Africa

For example:

Recently, I found this really great radio station. I don't know what it is, I just know it is a very small number and is very local. I stumbled upon it while I was baking cookies and looking for some jazz. I found it there. An hour later, they were playing BBC news. This morning, I tuned in and it was reggae. We spent a bit of time in class studying Fela and Afro-beat. I began picking out the African influence like call and responce, etc, and thought some thoughts about the Rastafari movement and was glad to know that my education was going to such a good cause.

a couple other perks:
-I know a few pretty amazing African stories.
-I can point out Burkina Faso class and things I have learned come in handy every single day. on a map. Without hesitation.