2.  Who am I? Lee Bryan, Atlanta, Georgia, USA  Why am I here? Rex and Rosemary  What am I going to talk about? America as I know it. Mostly the American South!

3. Alabama New Orleans, Louisiana Places I have lived: Wichita, Kansas Chicago, Illinois Atlanta, Georgia

4. ALABAMA Sweet Home, Alabama! Montgomery, Capital of the Confederacy Dixieland! Land of Cotton. Old times there are not forgotten. Cotton, Peanuts, Soy Beans George Wallace, Rednecks, and the KKK The Civil Rights Movement

5. NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA Mardi Gras! The French Quarter! French Creole influence. Cajun people, Cajun food… filé gumbo, jambalaya, Éttoufé, red beans and rice A city below sea level at the mouth of the mighty Mississippi River

6. WICHITA, KANSAS The Wizard of Oz “ Toto, I’ve got a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.” Smallville (Superman) Heart of the Midwest, Geographical center of the Country Flat, wheat fields as far as the eye can see…

7. CHICAGO, ILLINOIS On the shores of Lake Michigan “The Windy City” Snow and Cold America’s 4 th largest city Big, Midwestern City with 80% of the benefits of NYC, but only 20% of the problems! Oprah!

9. ATLANTA, GEORGIA Population: over 4 million “Gone with the Wind” CNN Headquarters Coca-Cola Headquarters Delta Airlines The 1996 Summer Olympic Games Martin Luther King, Jr., President Jimmy Carter

10. THE SOUTH How our political history is similar to what’s going on in South Africa today. Things that make us unique.

11. Our history of racial struggles The Civil War (The War of Northern Aggression), 1861-1865 Reconstruction Governor George Wallace on the steps of the University of Alabama, barring the first black student. “Segregation now, segregation forever.” Church bombings, Hoses for riot control in Birmingham. The Civil Rights Act, 1965 Affirmative Action

12. Things that make the South unique Food: Grits, boiled peanuts, Barbeque Drinks: Sweet Ice Tea, A Mint Julep, Jack Daniels, Southern Comfort Sports: Football, NASCAR racing, deer hunting, fishing, beaches Hot weather, Magnolia trees, Azalea bushes, Dogwood trees, Kudzu, Palmetto trees

13. Football!!! “It’s not a matter of life and death… it’s much more important than that.”

14. As many as 10,000 people gather 2 hours before a game to witness the team’s arrival at the stadium

15. Marching bands and Cheerleaders get the crowd going…

16. 87,000 people going crazy…

17. Even little old ladies are passionate about their football…

18. Hurricanes… The price you pay for living in paradise.

20. September 16, 2004, 3am local time. Hurricane Ivan. The view from space.

21. The Day After

28. In Conclusion… Contrast between life back home and life in South Africa Similarities: A lot of similarities! You’re not Third World

29. Differences: Everyone’s obsession with crime (for good reason) The working classes and ‘being waited on’ (cheap labor)

30. Thank you South Africa!