On being back "home"
At one point in my life, I would have said most of Sub-Sahara Africa was pretty similar. Then I lived 3 years in Malawi, and I learned things there that didn't fit with my idea of the Africa of my childhood, so I decided my childhood perspectives had been wrong. But then I've moved back to East Africa, and I see that there really are some differences. We're much more closer to the 'home' of our childhoods here.
That being said, I keep feeling like I'm going to see old friends around every turn. Each time I drive through a parking lot, or walk through a mall, or even navigating the hospital halls, I find myself scanning faces, thinking I'll recognize at least someone!
I verbalized that to Chad a couple weeks ago as we found a parking space at the mall, laughing at how silly I am being. As we walked into the mall, we heard someone say, "Chad and Miriam????" It was our high school classmate, Kendra Woods' (now Stephenson) PARENTS who are still working in Tanzania but were up for the week and recognized us! I hate to admit it, but we graduated from high school in '95...that's 17 years ago!!! I was nearly speechless...that's not going to happen again, right??
2 days ago I was speed-walking through the grocery store, almost late to drive someone to the hospital and yet desperate to buy a cupcake pan to bake goodies for Anya to take to school for her birthday (the exhausting but eternal tension of a working mom!). I heard someone say, "Miriam Rasmussen?" I haven't heard that name in so long, I'm surprised I even turned around, but I did, and there was a classmate I'm sure I haven't seen since graduation day! Pete Stenstrom and his wife are back for short-term, volunteering as dorm parents at RVA while someone else is on furlough. Amazing...
So I'm sure I could continue to wax poetic about reliving so many high school memories, but I just discovered Omara testing to see if dog poop would work as well as modeling clay for her creative expression. Gotta go!!!
That being said, I keep feeling like I'm going to see old friends around every turn. Each time I drive through a parking lot, or walk through a mall, or even navigating the hospital halls, I find myself scanning faces, thinking I'll recognize at least someone!
I verbalized that to Chad a couple weeks ago as we found a parking space at the mall, laughing at how silly I am being. As we walked into the mall, we heard someone say, "Chad and Miriam????" It was our high school classmate, Kendra Woods' (now Stephenson) PARENTS who are still working in Tanzania but were up for the week and recognized us! I hate to admit it, but we graduated from high school in '95...that's 17 years ago!!! I was nearly speechless...that's not going to happen again, right??
2 days ago I was speed-walking through the grocery store, almost late to drive someone to the hospital and yet desperate to buy a cupcake pan to bake goodies for Anya to take to school for her birthday (the exhausting but eternal tension of a working mom!). I heard someone say, "Miriam Rasmussen?" I haven't heard that name in so long, I'm surprised I even turned around, but I did, and there was a classmate I'm sure I haven't seen since graduation day! Pete Stenstrom and his wife are back for short-term, volunteering as dorm parents at RVA while someone else is on furlough. Amazing...
So I'm sure I could continue to wax poetic about reliving so many high school memories, but I just discovered Omara testing to see if dog poop would work as well as modeling clay for her creative expression. Gotta go!!!
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