Buy the ticket, take the ride
BY ROBBY BROWN, TEMPE, ARIZONA, USA -In a little more than one month from now the adventure begins. I was in DC this week for a few days and I think being away from home for that short amount of time really let things finally sink in. It has finally become real to me that this is happening. Here we go. I have no doubt that the outcome of these films will be great, and give me such great experience. But I can't help but be a little nervous. Like when the roller coaster is climbing to the top of the peak. Every click more excitement builds. There's that nervous sweat, the clammy hands. The ride for us, the crew, has already started, and even though everything we have done to prepare for this has been tough and thrilling, it will be nothing compared to what we are all about to embark on. For the people in Zambia and for the ones back here in the states.
I used this trip as an opportunity to tell as many people as I could about the film and what we are doing. I told my taxi drivers, I went to the African art exhibit at the Smithsonian. And even if we weren't looking at Zambian art, I still took the opportunity to say ya know, I'm going to Africa next month. And the Zambian embassy! I didn't get to see it but I talked about how the Ambassador here in DC might be able to come to Mesa to talk to Jabbes and everyone at MCC.
I told everybody around me at the airport and on the plane. If the conversation wasn't going anywhere, I MADE it go in a direction that I could bring up the films. The more people I told and the more I wrote down the web addresses the more it sank in. On the plane I pictured flying to Africa. So so exciting. I thought the five hour plane ride home was long, How am I going to handle multiple flights to another side of the world?? But it will be worth it.
These films are such a big deal, and I feel everybody in the world needs to hear about them. Not only hear about them but I want them to see it and grasp a better understanding of Zambia. Away from the stereotypes. All we can do is keep working hard and keep preparing for the Ride to begin. And thank God for Mesa Community College and a man called Jabbes.