Ada's Trip to Africa May 20, 2007 May 21, 2007 May 22, 2007 May 23, 2007 May 24, 2007 May 25, 2007 May 26, 2007 May 27, 2007 |
MBUSA Trip to Africa
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I liked watching the reactions of people when I would tell them I was going to Africa. Here's how most conversations would go:
Ada: So yeah...I'll be representing Arizona in the national pageant.
Person: That's great! What pageant?
Ada: The Miss Black USA pageant.
Person: Oh wow. That's great! Where is it going to be?
Ada: In the Gambia, West Africa.
Person: (jaw drops to the ground) What?! Wow!!! It's going to be such a life-changing experience for you....
And I think they are right. I have always wanted to go to Africa and see the Motherland. I have wanted a taste of my roots for the longest time,
especially since my parents are from Nigeria. And not to be cliche, but I wanted to learn more about myself and my heritage. I also wanted to see for
myself what Africa looks like, so that I could share it with people back in the United States. AND there are so many things that I want to happen for
Africa, that I expected my trip to be just that. LIFE-CHANGING.
Ada: So yeah...I'll be representing Arizona in the national pageant.
Person: That's great! What pageant?
Ada: The Miss Black USA pageant.
Person: Oh wow. That's great! Where is it going to be?
Ada: In the Gambia, West Africa.
Person: (jaw drops to the ground) What?! Wow!!! It's going to be such a life-changing experience for you....
And I think they are right. I have always wanted to go to Africa and see the Motherland. I have wanted a taste of my roots for the longest time,
especially since my parents are from Nigeria. And not to be cliche, but I wanted to learn more about myself and my heritage. I also wanted to see for
myself what Africa looks like, so that I could share it with people back in the United States. AND there are so many things that I want to happen for
Africa, that I expected my trip to be just that. LIFE-CHANGING.
This was the first day I was gonna meet the rest of my fellow Miss Black USA delegates. We stayed at the Crystal City Mariott in Washington DC and it
was really nice! I have met some of girls previously, through promotional weekends and conference calls, but I looked forward to meeting the rest of
the delegates as well. From the pics, you'll see that we were welcomed by some of the Miss Black USA organization and chaperones and we were
entertained by African drummers and dancers and we listened to a wonderful motivational speaker and former Miss Black Texas and Colorado, Valerie
Burton (she's in the pic with current Miss Black Colorado USA Tiffany Boatner). That African dancer with the minimal amount of clothes was too much!
LOL! He would go around flexing his butt cheeks and doing some of the toughest African dance jumps and steps. I was kind of scared to look him in
the eye because he might come over and do who knows what. :) He was a lot of fun! You can see some of the delegates getting in the dancing action:
was really nice! I have met some of girls previously, through promotional weekends and conference calls, but I looked forward to meeting the rest of
the delegates as well. From the pics, you'll see that we were welcomed by some of the Miss Black USA organization and chaperones and we were
entertained by African drummers and dancers and we listened to a wonderful motivational speaker and former Miss Black Texas and Colorado, Valerie
Burton (she's in the pic with current Miss Black Colorado USA Tiffany Boatner). That African dancer with the minimal amount of clothes was too much!
LOL! He would go around flexing his butt cheeks and doing some of the toughest African dance jumps and steps. I was kind of scared to look him in
the eye because he might come over and do who knows what. :) He was a lot of fun! You can see some of the delegates getting in the dancing action:
This day was the first phase of the competition, the judges interviews. Everybody was styling and profilin' in their interviews suits. If you ever need a
lesson on style, study these gals because everyone looked fantastic. I was wearing a suit custom made for me by Miss Anita Joe of AJ's Couture House.
Miss Black Indiana USA, Ivy McConnell has a talent of designing and making clothers, fyi. Even Miss Black US Virgin Islands had on a suit that she
designed (see green suit).
And you know we wouldn't be sisters if we did not have little pow wow sessions in the rooms. We were joking around and it was so much fun! Good
bonding time. I wonder if other pageants have that same sisterly bond among the contestants. Such memorable moments.
When talking to other delegates, we would wonder why we were in the place we are now. At the start of the trip I really started to analyze my
spirituality and I enjoyed the conversations we had about purpose and reason. Because it was a struggle for me to even get to Washington DC. There
were a lot of obstacles that I faced on my road to the competition and it was a challenge for me to keep my head high when there were certain
situations that threatened my confidence leading up to the national competition. I would ask the other girls about that. And it was refreshing to hear
that other delegates have faced challenging conditions as well and believed in the reason for why we were all there. So the key was to have faith. And
to keep on keeping on. This trip was going to be a special trip! :)
You'll also see pics of the doctor from ABC's Extreme Makeover who talked about his practice in reconstructive surgery.
lesson on style, study these gals because everyone looked fantastic. I was wearing a suit custom made for me by Miss Anita Joe of AJ's Couture House.
Miss Black Indiana USA, Ivy McConnell has a talent of designing and making clothers, fyi. Even Miss Black US Virgin Islands had on a suit that she
designed (see green suit).
And you know we wouldn't be sisters if we did not have little pow wow sessions in the rooms. We were joking around and it was so much fun! Good
bonding time. I wonder if other pageants have that same sisterly bond among the contestants. Such memorable moments.
When talking to other delegates, we would wonder why we were in the place we are now. At the start of the trip I really started to analyze my
spirituality and I enjoyed the conversations we had about purpose and reason. Because it was a struggle for me to even get to Washington DC. There
were a lot of obstacles that I faced on my road to the competition and it was a challenge for me to keep my head high when there were certain
situations that threatened my confidence leading up to the national competition. I would ask the other girls about that. And it was refreshing to hear
that other delegates have faced challenging conditions as well and believed in the reason for why we were all there. So the key was to have faith. And
to keep on keeping on. This trip was going to be a special trip! :)
You'll also see pics of the doctor from ABC's Extreme Makeover who talked about his practice in reconstructive surgery.
Team Building Day and Pentagon City trip
This was the day that we left for Africa! We took a bus ride to New York and you'll
see a pic with the Statue of Liberty in the distance. At JFK we were anxious to get
on the plane. Let me say this...Royal Air Morocco was off the chain! Maybe it's
because it was my first international overseas flight or maybe it was because I
was too surprised at how much we were getting fed on the plane but I was
impressed. It seemed like everytime I awoke from a nap it was time to eat.
(smile). The sunrise pics are when we were approaching Casablanca, Morocco.
see a pic with the Statue of Liberty in the distance. At JFK we were anxious to get
on the plane. Let me say this...Royal Air Morocco was off the chain! Maybe it's
because it was my first international overseas flight or maybe it was because I
was too surprised at how much we were getting fed on the plane but I was
impressed. It seemed like everytime I awoke from a nap it was time to eat.
(smile). The sunrise pics are when we were approaching Casablanca, Morocco.
En route to the Gambia, we stopped over in Casablanca, Morocco. Here are pics of us hanging in AFRICA!!!!! We
got a welcome reception fit for a queen by the Gambian people. You'll see some pics of drumming and the
dancing and I was having too much fun! We even got a motorcade! Also the bus we rode looked like it came
straight out of a music video.
got a welcome reception fit for a queen by the Gambian people. You'll see some pics of drumming and the
dancing and I was having too much fun! We even got a motorcade! Also the bus we rode looked like it came
straight out of a music video.
Trip to Makasuto Forest where we saw
beautiful cottages and met our lovely pen
pals. Later we met the US Ambassador to
the Gambia and even later on we partied with
President Jammeh at another birthday
celebration for His Excellency!
beautiful cottages and met our lovely pen
pals. Later we met the US Ambassador to
the Gambia and even later on we partied with
President Jammeh at another birthday
celebration for His Excellency!
| The day of the press conference in the morning. We also had etiquette training around lunchtime and then we got ready to attend the President's Birthday celebration at the Sheraton Hotel and Resort. |