October 17, 2018. The Mississippi River. Camela.

People call her Chi Chi. She serves us our meals in the Paddlewheel Lounge, which is on the second floor. She must go up and down as the kitchen and main dining room are on the first floor. In addition to bringing our food, we talk. When we first met her, we knew something was different about her so we asked. We learned that her background is indeed unusual. Her great-grandmother was taken as a child to Nigeria, where the parents were missionaries with the Seventh Day Adventist church. Her great-grandmother was Irish and blond. That ancestor married the son of the village chief and they had 12 children. Chi Chi's grandfather is one of those children. He became the chief of their village. He married a lady from their village and they had 10 children. One son was Chi Chi's father, who is now the chief of their village. They are all still involved with their church. All those children emigrated to the US. They have become doctors, lawyers, nurses and businessmen. They think of themselves as Nigerian. Chi Chi's father has a high position with Nabisco and her mother is a nurse. Some of her aunts and uncles are light skinned as are her cousins and some have black skin. But they do not speak or act like a normal American black person. Something in her manner is different which is what we caught when we first met her. Chi Chi has graduated from college, a school run by the Adventists. She wants to get more training with the American Cruise Line and this evening was interviewing with the boss, who has been visiting our boat for the past few days. She wants to be a manager trainee. We have enjoyed getting to know her. It has been a pleasure to hear her background and to hear what she has been taught by her parents. She has gotten her education. She has saved her money. She is advancing her career. Now her problem will be finding a husband. Ken and I have suggested an arranged marriage!!