Coming from America Season 1 Episode 5
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TVTranscript
00:00Alicia, tell us what we're buying now.
00:17We are buying some sea limes.
00:20And who's going to eat them?
00:22You.
00:25Aye, aye, aye.
00:26Alicia, our housekeeper, bought some from the market,
00:29and she said, I'm going to cook these caterpillars,
00:31and you can try them.
00:32Yeah, so she cooked them in the house.
00:34And I'm going to be honest with you.
00:35It smelled like caterpillars.
00:36It smelled like what you think caterpillars would smell like
00:39when you cook them in the house.
00:41I'm frying the caterpillars.
00:44In Zambian language, we usually call it kubala.
00:48Do you feel like you're in Indiana Jones now?
00:50No, I feel like I'm in Zambia, you know?
00:52They are very nice.
00:54Aye.
00:56OK, OK, OK.
00:57I'm going to eat it, all right?
00:58Are you into that?
01:00Are you into that?
01:02Yeah, I have my reservations as well.
01:06So this is called caterpillar.
01:08Yeah.
01:09Oh, it's just crunchy.
01:10Yeah.
01:11OK, here we go.
01:12Can you see me clear?
01:13There's my caterpillar.
01:15There's his face.
01:16Don't do like, you know.
01:17No, I'm not.
01:18Make him enjoy it.
01:21It's not bad.
01:22Yeah.
01:23It's like a French fry.
01:24Mm-hmm.
01:25So then you should eat more.
01:26One for good luck.
01:28What about one for?
01:29Choose enough.
01:30Yeah.
01:31Uh-huh.
01:42My reproposal to my wife backfired, didn't work,
01:45and it kind of hurt.
01:46Matter of fact, it more than kind of hurt.
01:48It was kind of crushing.
01:50But now it's time to get back to Africa,
01:52do the things I came out here to do with my sons.
01:55So we're here at the Tenju Shrine.
01:57I wanted to go here because I was told that spiritually,
02:01it cleans you.
02:03Ah.
02:04It's hot as hell here, man.
02:06Yeah, man.
02:07You gonna complain about everything?
02:09Yeah, I'm not complaining about everything.
02:11I'm complaining about the stuff that's bothering me, bro.
02:13We also not home.
02:14We in Africa.
02:17Once we got out the car, my pops was out here
02:19complaining, killing the vibe.
02:21So it was just like, dog, enough is enough.
02:23I'm complaining about things that are solid.
02:25I got solid complaints.
02:26You're complaining about the heat.
02:27It's hot. We in Africa.
02:28OK.
02:29OK.
02:30These people walk miles and miles in heat every day.
02:32Say it again.
02:33These people walk miles and miles every day.
02:36We don't walk miles and miles every day.
02:38Oh, I can tell.
02:39I can tell, too.
02:40You ain't walking either.
02:41You almost right there.
02:42Your fat ass is almost right there.
02:44You're the only dude in Africa with a 3X.
02:47There's a couple people in this world that check me.
02:49Only a few.
02:50My mom, you know, but that's about it.
02:52But Isaiah can get away with it.
02:54But you're right, though.
02:55I appreciate you, though.
02:56All right.
02:57You're the only person in the world
02:58that could talk to me like that.
03:01You see the lady?
03:02See the mother?
03:03How can I learn how to carry on my head?
03:11So just like that, let me see.
03:21Don't try to balance a rock on your head, man.
03:29He already complained about foot pain.
03:31So the last thing I needed to do was that rock
03:33fall on his foot out here.
03:35Isaiah.
03:36What are you doing?
03:40I did it.
03:41He got it for about two or three seconds, the longest.
03:43But the other dude put the rock up there,
03:46and he was actually doing it.
03:48That's because he had hair, though.
03:49He had hair on his head to do it.
03:51Find an easy way, Dad.
03:52Find an easy way.
03:53I'm trying to.
03:54It's not hard on my knees.
04:00You got to be in shape to visit Africa.
04:12They wanted to take us to the shrine,
04:14but you got to walk up the mountain, number one.
04:16Two, they said I got to take my shirt off.
04:19I'm like, nah.
04:20I'm not going, nah.
04:21You ain't going to have me on camera with my shirt on.
04:23Let's go back.
04:24Let's go back.
04:25Let's go back.
04:28When I got to the shrine, I was in an off mood.
04:30I was hurt.
04:31I was still in my feelings.
04:32I missed Lamara.
04:33And I just really want to make this marriage work.
04:35Even the pigs is tired.
04:37Three little pigs.
04:49Mommy, code blue.
04:51Really?
04:52Do you need water to flush?
04:54Yes.
04:57Do you want Luke to help you?
04:58Luke.
04:59Buddy.
05:01Buddy.
05:02Luke, go get the bucket from the shed.
05:05Ghana has got its own set of challenges,
05:08some of them very difficult to get over.
05:10We have multiple codes the boys invented.
05:13Code blue for the water.
05:15You don't get a warning when the water goes out,
05:17it just goes out.
05:18So we've got two barrels.
05:20Keep them filled at all times.
05:22We usually have to go back into the reserves
05:24to wash hands and flush toilets.
05:30We also have to get out our reserve of potable water
05:33so that we can still do cooking and all the things
05:36that you don't want to put bucket water
05:38into your system for.
05:41Two, three, four, five.
05:44Two, three, four days of code blue,
05:46then we get into bucket baths and, yeah.
05:51You know, at least it comes and goes where we're at,
05:53but sometimes in the villages, they don't even have water,
05:56so they're always doing this.
05:57What room?
05:58Put it right here so he can wash his hands when he comes out.
06:00Our longest was ten days.
06:02Ten days with no water.
06:04The boys were really, everything was funky.
06:06There's no laundry, there's no washing.
06:10Have you washed your hands today?
06:15I came for two years, and the two's up,
06:18and I feel good about the two.
06:21The two was great.
06:22I feel like Tony could be like,
06:23let's do two more, let's do ten more,
06:25and those would never stop.
06:28Our lease is up in six months.
06:30The lease that we have here renews at the same time
06:32as our lease for our house in Texas.
06:36We either have to re-up or go back to the States.
06:41It's hard here when you're dealing with the water going out
06:45and the lights going off.
06:48Those are part of the reasons that I really, like,
06:51I can't say I'm all-in on Ghana.
06:54It's still in discussion, but I'm ready.
07:07I need to save my marriage, man.
07:09So I asked my pastor,
07:11would he give us some couples counseling,
07:13and he obliged.
07:14God, please help me.
07:16I need answers now.
07:18So I would love to hear what are the things from your side
07:22concerning your marriage that are a concern
07:24that you think we can talk about.
07:28From the beginning, we've had challenges.
07:30We've had problems.
07:33From the beginning, we've had challenges,
07:36different parenting styles,
07:37a lot of those things that don't allow a relationship
07:41to grow and to be successful.
07:44And I gave so much that I was so empty,
07:47and I needed to be poured back in,
07:49which is the nurturing part.
07:51Well, thanks for sharing.
07:52I would love to ask more,
07:53but I think it would be ideal to hear from Gerald first.
07:57Well, it's always intriguing and interesting
08:00to hear from her.
08:02I believe that my wife should be a little more nurturing
08:06when it comes down to a husband.
08:07See, a lot of women don't realize men need nurturing too.
08:10When Gerald met me, I was a career woman.
08:13I was an independent woman
08:14and taking on a whole nother responsibility
08:17of becoming his manager
08:19and keeping what's near and dear to me,
08:21which is being a mom, first and foremost.
08:23He just felt like I didn't have enough time for him.
08:27I don't want to bring up anything bad that I went through.
08:33You know, Gerald has this humongous,
08:36bigger-than-life personality
08:38in this big heart where he wants to give,
08:41and I really believe it's because he lacked it
08:44in his childhood.
08:45He didn't receive the love that he felt that he needed.
08:48Let me tell you something about a comedian.
08:50We go through the most pain of any other artist.
08:53We go through pain.
08:54We have to laugh to keep from crying.
08:56That's a different type of character.
08:59Okay, what do you want back out of this?
09:03I would like to have my marriage back, but better.
09:07Lamara?
09:08I want a better relationship.
09:11I think we're both on the same track.
09:14Yes.
09:15You have to take responsibility for your marriage
09:18or whatever you are into to make it work.
09:21Yes.
09:22When people have successful marriages,
09:24it's not because they were all perfect people.
09:26No.
09:27Something had to give.
09:29Let go of the things about you.
09:32Lamara, say something nice to Gerald.
09:39Thank you for leading us into having godly counsel.
09:43I see that you want to fix this,
09:46and hopefully will continue to grow.
09:49Gerald, say something nice to your wife.
09:53Thank you so much for just being who you are
09:58and spending time together today
10:00and enjoying Ghana with me and having fun.
10:04I love you.
10:07Why do you always want to shake my hand?
10:09Give me a hug.
10:10If I try to hug you, you want to do this?
10:12No, you're taking everything nice you just said.
10:14I don't know what to do.
10:16Everything that you just said, you're taking it away.
10:25Sometimes men like to carry me on
10:27and have this pride and this machoism
10:29like they don't need help.
10:31But today, Gerald showed a vulnerable side
10:33that I haven't seen in a while.
10:35It just brought some light
10:36and just reminded me of why I care so much.
10:38Thank you for your glorious visitation in this family today.
10:42Take away the negative feelings, negative energies,
10:45and bring them to the place of divine fulfillment.
10:48In Jesus' name, amen.
10:50Amen.
11:06It's Independence Day here in Zambia,
11:08which is a really big deal,
11:09but we get a bunch of time off,
11:11so we figured it's a great time
11:12to go to Zanzibar as a family.
11:14It's like a tropical island getaway
11:16where many people from all around Africa
11:18and Europe go to vacation.
11:21We're going to the beach.
11:24The Punah Matata,
11:25which they say it a lot in Zanzibar.
11:29Blessings and blessings.
11:30Zanzibar.
11:32Beautiful beaches.
11:33Spice tours.
11:34Snorkeling.
11:35Monkeys.
11:36Monkeys.
11:37Fresh seafood everywhere you go.
11:39History.
11:40Honestly, it's magical.
11:41It's like going to the Caribbean, but better.
11:49We rented a house,
11:51and it's right by the beach,
11:53but I can't help noticing that it feels a little empty.
12:00Hey, Mommy.
12:02Hi, Elaine. How are you?
12:04I'm good. You look good.
12:05What's new?
12:07Nothing. I'm just trying to see, you know,
12:09whether or not if you've decided to come to Zanzibar.
12:13I know it's a long flight,
12:14but I'm really hoping that she takes the trip.
12:17Do you think you might be persuaded to go visit them?
12:20I love them, but the answer is no.
12:24I'm from Jamaica, and I haven't been home in 42 years.
12:28The same reason I'm not going to Africa.
12:30I am not flying.
12:32Zanzibar, it's very much like the Caribbean vibe,
12:35and we're hoping that you would...
12:38Well, I've been to Zanzibar,
12:42well, I've been thinking about it,
12:46and I've been praying about it,
12:51and I've decided that I'm going to put my fears aside
12:56and take the trip.
13:00Are you serious?
13:01I've decided to take the trip.
13:03Oh, my God.
13:04Kids, kids, Grandma's going to take the trip.
13:06Come, come, come.
13:08Hi, Grandma.
13:09Hi, Grandma.
13:11Hi, William. Hi, River.
13:14I can't wait to see you.
13:16I cannot wait for my mom to come and just enjoy herself
13:22so she can come back again and again and again and again.
13:28That's enough again.
13:30I can't wait for you to see Africa.
13:32Oh, my goodness.
13:33Talk to you soon. I'll see you sooner.
13:35Okay.
13:37Okay, love you, Mommy.
13:38Love you.
13:42♪♪♪
13:50Man, I like it here, man.
13:52I know you like it here.
13:53You probably like it here more than anybody.
13:55I am so happy that Josh is adjusting to Ghana.
14:00Maybe when I grow older and I save enough money,
14:04I could possibly get a home over here.
14:06Actually, I'm going to talk to Dad
14:08about looking at some places maybe in a more rural area.
14:12That's a bad idea, Mom.
14:14You think it's a bad idea? Why?
14:16Because you know I'm trying to go back to America soon, Mom.
14:19Hunter, on the other hand, he's still adjusting.
14:24I miss the way we live.
14:27My friends in America, they have KFC.
14:31I wish that there was no bugs in Africa.
14:35Well, I tell you what,
14:36maybe getting out and playing will help you out today, okay?
14:40Come on, guys, traffic stopped.
14:41Oh, let's go, hurry.
14:42Hunter loves sports so much that
14:45I saw some kids playing soccer the other day
14:47and I figured I'd bring him to the park
14:49so that he can play with them.
14:51I miss baseball.
14:53Oh, guys, look, I think this is the field.
14:57Where's the grass?
14:58Hey, where's the grass? This is dirt.
15:01You're not going to have grass here.
15:03You don't see grass?
15:04The whole time we've been walking.
15:09Well, hopefully you'll have a fun day today.
15:11That's what I'm hoping.
15:12I bet you these are professional players
15:14that they train every day.
15:15Look at them, they're wearing matching outfits.
15:17They must be in a team.
15:18These are teams, but I bet you I'm going to ask if you can play.
15:21You're going to ask if I can play?
15:23No, I'll ask somebody.
15:24I'm going to look like a fool.
15:25No, you're not. You know how to play soccer.
15:27Look, look at them.
15:28They're kicking the ball,
15:29passing it to each other's legs and whatnot.
15:31And he looks like he's a beast too.
15:34Oh, no, I'm definitely going to make a fool out of myself.
15:37I'll speak to the coach, okay?
15:43Coach?
15:44Hi, how are you?
15:46Good.
15:47My kids wanted to play football.
15:49Can they play with you guys today?
15:51Okay.
15:52I didn't know what to expect, but the coach said yes.
15:55And I was like, okay.
15:5722 for you, and then 30 for you.
16:01He had uniforms that fit them too,
16:03and I'm like, okay, you can't make this up.
16:05You cannot make this up.
16:07What's your name?
16:08My name is Hunter.
16:09Okay, so you're playing for blue.
16:11You don't pass to red.
16:12When you get, you can either pass to your brother
16:14or you pass to any of the blue.
16:16So you go now.
16:18All right.
16:19Have fun.
16:21I just feel like Ghana itself is an accepting place,
16:24so I wasn't too shocked that they let me play.
16:27It's my babies.
16:28All right, be ready, guys.
16:30That loud mom on the sideline.
16:32Sitting on top of the world, I'm up.
16:35Go on, Hunter.
16:37D.
16:39Come on, Josh, let's go.
16:43There you go.
16:44Side step kick.
16:45Good job.
16:46I never played on dirt before.
16:48I played on grass.
16:49But in Ghana, they let you play.
16:52Like, I was surprised.
16:54And I feel like I'm a good soccer player
16:56that I played in Ghana.
16:57I'm, like, really good.
16:59And I really do have fancy footwork.
17:01Go, Hunter.
17:02Get it.
17:04This is what I love about Ghana.
17:06You can't just walk up to a soccer field in America
17:09and ask to play.
17:10You have to sign a registration form.
17:12You got to get your uniforms in advance.
17:15That welcome, I just got it since I landed,
17:18and I've been received in every part of Ghana,
17:20and it's just beautiful.
17:21Keep it up.
17:22See, how was your experience?
17:24I really did have fun today.
17:26I'm starting to like it here.
17:28You look good out there.
17:30At the end of the day, they had a ball.
17:32And even for Hunter, he's doing a 360.
17:35He's getting really more engaged
17:37with the thought of being here.
17:39Mission accomplished.
17:53That is quite a view.
17:54Look at that.
17:56If we could get some land with a lakefront like this,
17:59that would be nice.
18:00We don't have that.
18:02We don't have it like that.
18:04We're getting to the point now
18:06where we have to make a decision on leaving or staying.
18:11I think coming here...
18:12All right, wave at me.
18:14...we were on the same page.
18:16But getting here, a lot of things have changed.
18:21I know I want to go back to the States.
18:24But I don't feel the same.
18:28We've had a good day today,
18:30and I feel like we have to go and have this talk.
18:35Aw.
18:36Hey.
18:37Well, all righty then.
18:40I spent like two years in the making to have this talk,
18:43so I feel a little nervous.
18:47Okay, well, so I just want to say...
18:53I came for my dad.
18:54I know.
18:56And I stayed after he passed for you.
19:03Losing my dad was really hard.
19:05Yeah.
19:07I know.
19:08I can't lose my mom like that and not be there.
19:12It becomes really difficult.
19:14I don't want to ask him to give up something that I know he loves.
19:16He doesn't want to ask me to give up something that I love.
19:18Neither one of us is more important than the other.
19:21So we have to make decisions that honor both of us.
19:26I want to tell you that I'm really proud of what you've built here.
19:30Because when we came, you didn't know what you were going to do,
19:32and so we were just kind of figuring things out.
19:34I was just going to hang out with Pop and retire him,
19:36and just two old guys retire, you know?
19:38Yeah.
19:39And I get to moving, and I look around,
19:43and it's like, yo, I'm slowly building a nice little empire,
19:47to think, you know, okay, I have to give that up.
19:50It'll kind of eat me up a little bit.
19:57It bothers me just the thought that I have to leave.
20:03It bothers me.
20:07I can't do this business from there.
20:10I know you can't.
20:13You're too invested now.
20:15And you love it.
20:16Yeah.
20:19Do we split homes?
20:21Are we here so much a year, there so much a year?
20:25How could that work?
20:27I don't even want to think about, you know,
20:29I'm here for a while, and the kids are gone,
20:33and the wife is gone.
20:35It never works when we're apart.
20:37Like, it's just, like, we're both, it's better together.
20:41Even if it is me not being the happiest,
20:44I'd rather be not very happy with my wife
20:47than miserable without her.
20:51We could make it work, but it doesn't work apart.
20:54No.
20:55We work together.
21:01Team decision, that is hard.
21:05I don't know what Tony would do if we went back.
21:08More importantly, I don't know how he would feel
21:11about being made to go back.
21:23Oh, I would totally feel guilty.
21:25Because this experience has just been so profound for him.
21:29It's like, we're both Black,
21:30but we are totally different Black.
21:32I mean, like, he's, you know,
21:34It's like, we're both Black,
21:35but we are totally different Black.
21:37I mean, like, his version of Black
21:39is different from mine altogether.
21:41I just didn't carry this level of baggage
21:43that he's had his whole life.
21:45But for him, coming here was like finding this connection,
21:48finding this peace that was missing,
21:50finding this freedom to live outside of judgment
21:55for the color of your skin.
21:57You know, I'll never be able to understand
21:59what it's like to be a Black man,
22:00but there's a weight to it.
22:02And so being here has allowed him to live without that weight,
22:05that feeling that your Blackness is not a bad thing,
22:10that feeling that you have a belonging.
22:14If he knows something different,
22:16how can he now give that inferior thing to his kids?
22:22You deserve to have success and freedom
22:27and a life like you always wanted.
22:36And I don't want to take it from you.
22:45Love you.
22:46Love you, too.
22:47I think I know that you're...
22:50You told me that I should bury you here,
22:52so I kind of feel like I know that you're not leaving.
22:55There you have it.
22:57We're staying.
23:02Love you.
23:03Love you, too, babe.
23:04¶¶
23:09¶¶
23:22¶¶
23:26¶¶
23:28Today is our Naming Ceremony
23:30where our family
23:31the chief and the queen mother,
23:33who we actually met when we first arrived at the airport.
23:36We have the chief, Otopabuaten.
23:39Chief.
23:40Chief.
23:41It was a great opportunity for me and my family
23:44to get a spiritual cleansing.
23:45This naming ceremony is going to give us new life, baby.
23:52Naming ceremonies are a huge part of Ghanaian culture.
23:55You had one as a baby.
23:56I had one when I was a baby,
23:58because that's normally when you would have
23:59your naming ceremony.
24:00You had one as an adult.
24:03You have a naming ceremony.
24:04The family is saying that by giving you this name,
24:07you are one with us now.
24:08Right.
24:09You feel that connection.
24:10There's a meaning to the name that you're given,
24:12and it has to do with you as an individual,
24:16and then it also connects you to your family.
24:23The purpose of this gathering is to welcome and name
24:27our kin who have arrived from the diaspora.
24:32We were separated years ago and haven't found their roots.
24:38It behoves on the family to give them a befitting name
24:42that is akin to the family they have come to join.
24:47We need to inform our ancestors
24:49that our brethren who were taken away have now rejoined us.
24:55Yare bonpai, we are praying.
24:58We are introducing your children to you now.
25:02Before going, you had your names.
25:04They did not identify you with your local names
25:07when you went there.
25:08They gave you any name that they wished,
25:10but now that we are back home,
25:12it is befitting that we give you our names.
25:15Your name is Kwesi Mensah.
25:18We will write for you later.
25:20Kwesi Mensah.
25:22Right.
25:25Ama Akonobia.
25:29Ama Akonobia.
25:32From Yamaha, Ama Akonobia.
25:44Kwabena Odai from Otowayao.
25:52Al-Farid.
25:54Abepo, Aferi Abepo, from Aba Asantewa, Aba Asantewa.
26:03Brother, brother, this Kofi Edu, from Kofi Edu.
26:08I'm Kofi Edu? Wow, that's my new name.
26:12That's what cheered me up about Africa.
26:15That's what their name is ceremony gave.
26:17And when they adopted me as their family, that was very happy.
26:21I appreciate beautiful love, their motherland.
26:27I don't know what they were expecting, but from the looks on their face,
26:32they were overwhelmed with the outpouring of love that was shown.
26:38I appreciate our people, Ghana, showing the world how you're supposed to love a family.
26:43I don't know if they understood coming in that it was going to be...
26:47That a family was actually bringing them in,
26:49giving them names of people in their family that had passed,
26:54that now you're going to carry this name so that name stays around.
26:58The naming ceremony was special.
27:01You left your old name back in America.
27:03And I feel like I'm home because this is an extended family.
27:07It's the best experience of my 54 years on this earth.
27:11I love you. I love you guys.
27:15Thank you. We belong.
27:19Drumming
27:40They were, like, really cheering for me.
27:44And we got to dance.
27:50You play the drums, calling on the ancestors.
27:53You come and dance for them to see your soul.
28:13Drumming
28:19We poured the lampation for the ancestors, inviting them into our midst.
28:25Everyone was rejoicing. We were celebrating.
28:29It's very important to have these special moments with Gerald
28:32because we're going through so much.
28:35But I definitely think that this was a starting point
28:38because I think, as individuals, we got what we came here looking for today.
28:48We got you some traditional cloths that you use as wraps.
28:52And the ladies will show you how to wrap yourself correctly with this one.
28:58They change their robes and give them the traditional attire to wear
29:02because they've come here. They have to identify with us.
29:09As explained to me, these garments were the final pieces to be a part of the family.
29:16And so, as I was being wrapped, I felt a transformation.
29:22I came out of the old and into the new.
29:28It was very emotional for me.
29:31I felt the spirits of our ancestors there.
29:35You could feel the love.
29:37I thought of my father, and I knew he was there in spirit, too.
29:42This country reminds me of everything my wife represents.
29:45Grace, love, and purity, and naturalism.
29:58Very nice, guys!
30:00That name they gave me back in that country?
30:03Don't call me that no more.
30:05Call me T.J. Mensah.
30:07T.J. Mensah.
30:08T.J. Mensah.
30:09T.J. Mensah.
30:10T.J. Mensah.
30:11T.J. Mensah.
30:12Hey!
30:15T.J. Mensah.
30:17When Gerald came out, Gerald was clean.
30:19And I was quite impressed.
30:21Look at you guys!
30:23He was wrapped. He walked with his shoulders broad.
30:27He walked with his shoulders broad.
30:29And I'm sure he felt like a king.
30:31And that's what he looked like as he stepped.
30:35My sons were shown today that if dad is out of town,
30:40you got an uncle, another uncle,
30:42an auntie, a cousin, a sister, a family member.
30:47This place will raise you.
30:49For us, walking out of the old and into the new,
30:52into a new family, into the embrace of tradition and culture,
30:58it was just a beautiful thing.
31:23Are you nervous about flying?
31:25I try not to think about it.
31:29I haven't flown in 42 years.
31:37I started feeling a little stressed.
31:40But I said a couple of prayers.
31:43I calmed myself down.
31:45Because I didn't want to start stressing Natalia.
31:48Did she write your name on the back?
31:50Did she write your name on the back?
31:52Is that fun?
31:53Raise your hand if you love grandma.
32:03My whole life, she's actually feeling fearful.
32:06And I think it took 41 years to take place.
32:09So I'm really looking forward to her coming.
32:16Grandma!
32:18Grandma!
32:21I miss you.
32:22I miss you.
32:24Grandma!
32:25Where's River?
32:30I miss you.
32:32You get so big.
32:40Let me just look around.
32:43You guys have any coconut after this?
32:45Yes, sweetheart. We actually have some in the refrigerator for you.
32:47That is sweet, right?
32:48These coconuts are sweet.
32:50Nice.
32:51Like the Roman Empire.
32:53It's big. You can't get lost in there.
32:58It's nice.
33:00You can walk down to the beach?
33:02Yeah, you can. So welcome.
33:06What's that? My crown?
33:08It's the coconut leaves.
33:10My mom definitely deserves an amazing vacation.
33:16This is the first for her.
33:18I want her to soak up the experience.
33:21What are you doing, Gabe?
33:23I'm trying to cut you a coconut.
33:25Oh, no. Can't I do that myself?
33:28Okay, okay. I'll leave it for you.
33:32You're a natural.
33:33She's Jamaican.
33:35You need a big machete, man.
33:38She's fitting right in.
33:40Chopping coconuts.
33:42She's feeling comfortable,
33:45but this is definitely my mother's first time in Africa,
33:49and it's definitely going to be a cultural shock.
33:51That's what happens with your hair.
33:53It's like I'm still in shock, you know?
33:55I'm still in shock, too.
33:56I thought it would feel like I should be in Brooklyn.
33:58Oh, really?
34:00Oh, Mommy.
34:03It's nice out here. Wow.
34:06Yep.
34:09Thank you so much for being here with me, Mommy.
34:12Yep. Who would think of this day?
34:14Right?
34:16Did you ever think that you'd actually go to Africa?
34:18Nope.
34:19Maybe I wake up tomorrow and realize it's not real.
34:22No, it's real.
34:24It's not a dream you did this, Ma.
34:26You conquered your fear.
34:39Oh, Nya caught me.
34:41I got to tell her what your name is.
34:44Hey, Nya.
34:45Hey, Mom.
34:46Real quick, I wanted to tell you,
34:48at our name ceremony the other day,
34:50guess what name Isaiah got?
34:52What name?
34:53Kwabena.
34:55Oh, my God.
34:57Are you for real?
34:59I told him the boy that you liked in elementary school,
35:01his name was Kwabena.
35:03That's crazy.
35:04Uh-huh. Smile, world.
35:06That's crazy.
35:07Uh-huh. Smile, world.
35:09All right. Well, I love you.
35:10I love you, too, baby. I'll talk to you soon.
35:13You nervous about the show Sunday?
35:15Nothing called nervousness in the world. I live.
35:21I was looking at some artists for this show.
35:23Let's do it then, girl.
35:25However you feel like doing it, this is, you know, music meets comedy.
35:28Here in Ghana, I see it working out, man.
35:30Lamar and I seem to be getting along much better.
35:32Much better. That's a beautiful thing.
35:34Because it's all coming along,
35:36just in time for the big comedy show in two days.
35:40Yo, bro.
35:41What up, bro? What up, bro?
35:42We wanted to ask you a question.
35:44We're having a comedy show, music, music meets comedy.
35:46Yeah.
35:47I want to know if you could come by, man,
35:49if you wouldn't mind performing for us, man.
35:51You know what I'm saying?
35:54We want to represent Ghana.
35:56World music. Let's do this.
35:58You're the music woman, right?
36:00No, for sure. You sound like a man.
36:03Appreciate you, man.
36:04Bring them here together, and then get music involved.
36:06Get Lamar involved.
36:08Music meets comedy in Ghana.
36:14Hey, sister.
36:15I was just calling to see what time you were coming to pick me up.
36:19Okay, perfect.
36:21See you soon. Bye-bye.
36:23Sister.
36:24Going out. Your sister.
36:26Where you going?
36:27Yeah.
36:28I'm going out.
36:30You going out?
36:31Somebody I met that's real cool.
36:33We call each other sister.
36:35She's coming to get me. I'm going out.
36:37Listen, I know you're not tripping.
36:39What you wearing?
36:40I don't know. I'm about to go change in a minute.
36:42Where you going?
36:43She's going to bring me to listen to music.
36:45Why am I getting grilled? I ain't grilled, y'all.
36:52The old Gerald back in the States
36:54probably would have been like,
36:55hey, babe, you just met this girl.
36:56Be careful. Be mindful.
36:58But where you going? Why you going so late?
37:00The Kwesi Mesa?
37:01The new man I am? The king that I am?
37:04Kwesi Mesa.
37:06I'm excited to see my wife go out
37:08and have fun and explore.
37:10She's an individual,
37:11and I want her to enjoy her life, man.
37:14Can we go out?
37:15Where you want to go?
37:16I don't know. Somewhere. I mean...
37:18Oh, so he can go out, but I can't?
37:20I'll let y'all figure that out.
37:21I got to go get dressed.
37:25It's 8.10.
37:26When do we get pizza?
37:28Why you talking so low?
37:29You're always whispering.
37:30This is only me and you.
37:31You talking to them.
37:32I'm not talking to them.
37:33They on their phone.
37:34Well, learn how to talk louder.
37:35All right, Dad. It's 8.10.
37:37What time do we get pizza?
37:39I love this family,
37:40but I swear they lost without me.
37:43You look nice, Miss Amara.
37:44Thank you, babe.
37:45Like, like, like, really nice, Miss Amara.
37:48Like, I like the green.
37:49It's okay, right?
37:50It matches.
37:51I'm okay.
37:52I like this.
37:53It looks nice.
37:54She look beautiful.
37:56Ooh, I get an approval for an outfit
37:58to go out without Dad.
37:59Exactly.
38:00Write this down in the calendar.
38:01He gonna be in the car right behind you.
38:03Follow you.
38:04Where you at?
38:05I wasn't trying to overdo it with the sexiness,
38:08but I had a cute outfit on.
38:09I thought he was gonna have a major issue with my outfit,
38:12but to my surprise, he was cool with it.
38:15All right, then. Let's do this.
38:17I'm out of here.
38:18Listen, I got to go.
38:19Who's gonna feed us?
38:21Your father.
38:22Bye, guys.
38:23Hey, baby, um...
38:26Um...
38:28Just, uh, just be, uh...
38:31I'll see you later.
38:32I'm pretty sure she'll be okay.
38:33Talk to you.
38:34Just be careful, baby.
38:35Six feet.
38:36Remember COVID, boo.
38:38Wear your mask when you dance.
38:42What are you doing?
38:45laughing
38:47While we were away in Zanzibar,
38:49I got a notice from my school
38:51offering to renew my contract for another 2 years.
38:54And I really don't know how Elaine is gonna react to that.
38:58Got the contract.
39:00I'm gonna go.
39:01I'm gonna go.
39:02I'm gonna go.
39:03I'm gonna go.
39:04I'm gonna go.
39:05I'm gonna go.
39:06I'm gonna go.
39:07I'm gonna go.
39:09Got the contract.
39:13I mean, this is what I wanted.
39:15I hope this is what you wanted.
39:16I'm happy.
39:17I'm really happy to have this opportunity.
39:18I think I'm happy.
39:19I feel happy that we got this contract.
39:21I hope so.
39:22I hope so.
39:24I think that it's good for the children.
39:26Yeah.
39:27They're thriving here.
39:28Two more years in Zambia.
39:29I'm really excited.
39:30I would be happy to live here as a home base
39:32and then travel to the States every so often.
39:34I would be open to that.
39:35I really don't want to go back.
39:36The future looks very bright.
39:37Yeah.
39:38You know, anxiety clouds have kind of blown away
39:41at least for two years, and it's good.
39:43It's good to have opportunity to do cool stuff for your family.
39:45The kids are doing great in school.
39:47Gabriel's doing wonderfully at work.
39:49Gabriel is right.
39:51We are fitting in pretty good here.
39:54Good job, baby.
39:59What are you gonna tell your mom?
40:00You know, I'm gonna tell her...
40:04Telling my mom that we are not coming home
40:08for another two years, that might kill her.
40:11I'm gonna have to tell my mom that we're gonna probably
40:14stay another two years, and then we're definitely coming back.
40:18I can't say we're doing two years
40:20and then there's a possibility of another contract.
40:22I have to say, Mommy, we got the contract.
40:25All right, that's...
40:27And we'll be back, definitely.
40:28That's what I'm gonna tell my mom, too.
40:30Okay.
40:31But what if they give us a new contract after that?
40:33Or if we get a raise or a new opportunity?
40:35Then we'll just...
40:36Cross that bridge when we get there?
40:38Definitely.
40:39This really raises the stakes,
40:41and I really want my mother to visit again.
40:57Yeah.
40:58Yeah.
40:59Yeah.
41:00Yeah.
41:01Yeah.
41:02Yeah.
41:03Yeah.
41:04Yeah.
41:05Yeah.
41:06Yeah.
41:07Yeah.
41:08Yeah.
41:09Yeah.
41:10Yeah.
41:11Yeah.
41:12Yeah.
41:13Yeah.
41:14Yeah.
41:15Yeah.
41:16Yeah.
41:17Yeah.
41:18Yeah.
41:19Yeah.
41:20Yeah.
41:21Yeah.
41:22Yeah.
41:23Yeah.
41:24Yeah.
41:25Yeah.