Welcome Home To Me!!!

I know this is a lot late in getting posted, but...I'm home!! I arrived home on Sunday April 22nd, 10 minutes earlier than expected! The flights went beautifully...I guess in complement to the exact opposite of what I experienced flying into Africa! So my last hours in Tanzania went a little something like this:

Saying lots of goodbyes at the home base, packing up all my stuff, noticing that my bag was heavier than when I came, then realizing I'm trying to cram 13 weeks into one duffel bag! The drive to the airport it rained briefly, and I was unable to see Kili for one last time...oh well, I'll just have to come back :) Checking in, I was reminded once again how amazing the people are here...my bag was way over the weight limit, (32KG), and after about 2 minutes the supervisor said to me, "That's ok, sometimes we just get a feeling about some people" and waived the 50 USD charge! And they allowed me 2 pieces of carry-on instead of the limit of 1! Walking across the tarmac to the plane, I had felt so sure I was ready up until this point, but then realizing I wasn't...I hate to leave this place that has forever earned a special place in my heart. I am slowly realizing how confusing the next few days are going to be as I have to consciously think which language to speak in before saying even a simple "thank you" when the flight attendant handed me a glass of juice (that's not fresh-squeezed or mango mind you), or greeting the person I was seated next to on the plane...reverse culture shock is already setting in. There are things that I'm very sure of though and that are making it easier to come home. Picturing the reunions that will happen later in the day and thinking I've never looked forward to something this much before, and spending my 3-hour layover just reflecting on the past 3 months, trying to wrap my mind around the things I have been a part of for the last 13 weeks is pretty overwhelming, and I will have to keep reminding myself of the bigger picture when I get home--I hope I never let go of the beauty in simplicity and genuineness that is Africa...it has been a truly humbling experience.
One last reminding glow of Africa that gave me a warm fuzzy on the flight was a group of Maasai women (in Western clothes) seated across the aisle and ahead of me. I knew it as soon as I heard them speaking. I remained quiet until I noticed them looking at my jewelry and I started smiling and exchanged a brief greeting in Maa with them...we all started giggling after they got over their shock! It was so wonderful to hear that language again, the sound is so beautiful to me, and I hope I will always be able to identify it...I could even tell when they switched to Swahili! Seeing a beautiful sunrise over Europe, and then journaling once I landed in Amsterdam, and writing down the date, April 22nd, I didn't quite realize it until that moment, but I thought, I arrive home today!! Being picked up at the airport by the man who has become my compass, and then arriving to almost 80 people at my house to welcome me home...that day was probably one of the best of my life! It was just so amazing to feel the love and support so close that I knew was there and kept me going for the past 13 weeks!

The rest of the week that I was home flew by, and I definitely didn't get done near the number of things on my to-do list that I should have, but the quality time spent with loved ones was just right. Some other highlights: being treated to a manicure, pedicure and a haircut (that girl's probably going to need a vacation after working on me!), seeing the King Tut exhibit at the Franklin Institute, and of course dinner at Panera's (although I was careful to avoid the rich stuff given the number that icee mocha did on my stomach the day I arrived home!). A trip to the doctor was also high on the to-do list, and everything looks pretty good as far as the blood clot is concerned. As I write this, I know I'm jumping ahead in the order of things but I just had a repeat doppler ultrasound done on my leg (May 10th) and there's no sign of a clot or residual scarring!! Big relief...God is good!! Looks like I'll be on blood thinners though until after India, given that it's such a long plane ride.

OK, so I was home for a week, then I headed to Ireland to spend some time with college friends!! Stay tuned for an entry on that trip, complete with pictures!! I am now home again for a week and a half and then I leave next Friday, May 18th for India!!!!! Can't remember if I'd put this in an earlier entry, but my volunteer placement is at the Darjeeling Hope School for mentally challenged kiddos, so I'm really looking forward to that.

And, drumroll please...I finally have pictures from Africa!!!! After some problems with the flash drive that I had stored all of my photos on, I was able to get about 1/3 of them recovered and you can see them on a separate site that I've posted links to on the side...enjoy!!