Today's Itinerary

Last night I stayed up till 6 am packing, then read a little of Mon Premier Dictionnaire, which is quite good. I felt like a white, french, 7 year old version of Malcolm X. Not that there is much comparison there, except he is the only example I have of reading a dictionary. Spike Lee's film version, that is. Anyways, I recommend it. And find a picture version like I did. And start further in advance like I didn't.

I am almost done burning cds for my family. It is part of my homestay gift. I hear they love American rap. Meeee toooo. Local music is supposed to be pretty great too and I'll be on the lookout for African hip-hop of course. With what albums am I representing myself and America?

• The Look of Love (Hip-Hop Is Alive) a Dedication to Dilla -- my fav hip-hop mixtape
• Mos Def & Talib Kweli are Black Star -- my fav hip-hop album
• The Roots: Do This Well, Disc 1
• Common: Now It All Makes Sense, greatest hits mixtape
• Lupe Fiasco: Food & Liquor
• and
• a Jay-Z greatest hits mixtape (i can't yet recommend American Gangster, sorry)
• a Notorious BIG greatest hits mixtape
• DJ Slikk RNB Volume 8 (that hot radio stuff - rap n r&b)
• Tapes Top 20 Vol 20 (that hot radio stuff - rap)

fun.

Next, I have to finish packing, shower, and vote. Then leave.


The trip:

Leave Williamsburg MA 1ish for Stamford then Grand Central then finally JFK Airport.
11 pm Flight to Paris (almost 7 hours)
Almost 5 hour layover in Paris then a 5.5 hour flight to Bamako I think. It is complicated to figure out flight lengths because of the time differences and because of my lacking math skills

11 pm JKF - Paris for 11:50 am
4:40 pm Paris - Bamako for 9:20 pm.

Long couple of days. Next time I check in, things will be veeeery different :)

xo,
Heather