I'm back in the States! It was a crazy, crazy journey home. Bolivia did her best to try to keep me there as my flight was delayed by about six hours, meaning I needed to spend the night in Houston. I ended up doing the mad dash through the airport to catch my connecting flight to Texas in Miami, instantly regretting packing all of my books in my carry-on bag (seriously, who does that?). I did enjoy a beautiful vanilla latte in a Starbucks Christmas cup though so the airports weren't all bad news. And my family and the boy were there to meet me in Sea Tac for a real good welcome home.
And then I froze to death :)
The transition back to the States has been pretty easy but it definitely feels a little weird to be back. Bolivia wasn't just a trip, it was a life and that life is over now. I miss it. When people ask how Bolivia was, it's really hard to answer because I feel like I'm trying to summerize a lifetime and that is difficult. I always just say "wonderful." But if I could say a second word, I would also say hard. Bolivia was wonderful and hard. God was so good and carried me through all of it.
This is probably my last blog post. But I wanted to thank you guys for reading and making me feel like what I was experiencing was worth reading about. So Gracias :)
And Chao for now!
Showing posts with label Flying. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Flying. Show all posts
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
“It is a strange thing to come home. While yet on the journey, you cannot at all realize how strange it will be.”
While in Santa Cruz for the best/hardest day of my life, I was able to stay with Dr. Carmiña's family in their lovely home. I am expecting some reverse culture shock when I get back to the States but I wasn't expecting it to occur before I touched down in the good ol' USA. I'll be honest, it made me nervous.
My first clue that I may not be prepared to re-enter my old life (ten days from now!) was when Dr. Carmiña asked me to please fasten my seat belt when I got into her car. Whoops. I've only worn a seat belt twice in the last three months -and both times were in a airplane, not in a car. I wouldn't have even done it then if the flight attendant hadn't blasted it over the intercom. The vehicles that I ride in regularly don't even have seat belts.
Dr. Carmiña then apologized that the air-conditioning wasn't working very well. I almost laughed out loud because I was thinking about how I'd forgotten that cars even have air-conditioning and what a glorious invention it is. Seriously folks, there is cold air that blows and it keeps you refreshed even when it's freaking hot outside. How wonderful is that?
When I entered la doctora's home, I was only more impressed. "There's a flat screen TV and a computer with internet and leather couches and HOLY SMOKES, is that microwave? This house is amazing! This house is like...my parents' house...and...it's like MY house." It was such a weird moment. Seriously, I was genuinely excited to use a microwave. A microwave. Who knows what my reaction will be to other household appliances...like a TOASTER :)
I recently read article on how to give your fridge a makeover. I was thinking it would be about how to keep your fridge clean but nope, it was actually about how to keep your fridge pretty, literally pretty. Things like use labeled french canning jars to store leftovers in, buy products with pretty packaging, wrap cheese and meat in butcher paper and tie with twine, put a vase of flowers in the fridge...have I just been in South America too long or is this ridiculous? If people's priorities are to put petunias in their fridges, not sure that this is the culture with which I want to identify.
Plus, there are mangoes here.
My first clue that I may not be prepared to re-enter my old life (ten days from now!) was when Dr. Carmiña asked me to please fasten my seat belt when I got into her car. Whoops. I've only worn a seat belt twice in the last three months -and both times were in a airplane, not in a car. I wouldn't have even done it then if the flight attendant hadn't blasted it over the intercom. The vehicles that I ride in regularly don't even have seat belts.
Dr. Carmiña then apologized that the air-conditioning wasn't working very well. I almost laughed out loud because I was thinking about how I'd forgotten that cars even have air-conditioning and what a glorious invention it is. Seriously folks, there is cold air that blows and it keeps you refreshed even when it's freaking hot outside. How wonderful is that?
When I entered la doctora's home, I was only more impressed. "There's a flat screen TV and a computer with internet and leather couches and HOLY SMOKES, is that microwave? This house is amazing! This house is like...my parents' house...and...it's like MY house." It was such a weird moment. Seriously, I was genuinely excited to use a microwave. A microwave. Who knows what my reaction will be to other household appliances...like a TOASTER :)
I recently read article on how to give your fridge a makeover. I was thinking it would be about how to keep your fridge clean but nope, it was actually about how to keep your fridge pretty, literally pretty. Things like use labeled french canning jars to store leftovers in, buy products with pretty packaging, wrap cheese and meat in butcher paper and tie with twine, put a vase of flowers in the fridge...have I just been in South America too long or is this ridiculous? If people's priorities are to put petunias in their fridges, not sure that this is the culture with which I want to identify.
Plus, there are mangoes here.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Leaving on a Jet Plane: Part One
I'm in Bolivia! Here's the account of my time in the skies, for what it's worth. I will post about Bolivia when I get the chance.
Excerpt from journal:
Flight #1 Sea Tac -> San Fran
I survived saying goodbye to my family! Yes! I am such a big girl, haha. Dad and I got up at FOUR AM to catch my 7:30am flight. We left in plenty of time but I accidentally got in the wrong airline check in, so things got rushed/stressed at the end. But I made it to my gate, only to find out that the flight was delayed for about an hour due to fog in San Fran. I was still scared to leave the gate though in case I missed my flight. So I texted the love ones and people watched.
It was while people watching that I noticed a woman with her small dog and realized that this might mean that she was bringing it on my flight. And I got real worried that she was gonna sit next to me with that small animal. If you know me well at all, you've probably heard that small dogs and I are not the best of friends. I like to think that God put all my love for animals in my love for babies bank, which I am perfectly ok with. Anyway, so I am praying that the dog will be far from me, with the prayers growing more frantic with every yip and yap. However, thankfully here from my seat in F26, there is no sign of the small animal! Praise Jesus.
Said my goodbyes to Washington as we lifted off. Man oh man, I love this place! Born and raised here and this state has treated me well (excluding the Rains of '99 and the Winter of 2010-11). Good bye, sweet Washington! Stay green and beautiful!
Dad always makes me cry whenever I say goodbye to him. He's just a sweet Dad. I kept waiting for him to stop me and be all "Ok, you might be fooling everyone else but I know you are still eight years old and there's no way I'm letting you on a plane by yourself!" But he didn't. Gotta love both of my parents for their faith in me -makes me have more faith in myself.
Other thanks thus far goes to:
Katrina and Josiah -thanks for your sappy, goofy goodbyes. I'm so proud of both of you, can't wait to see what the fall brings in both of your lives!
Linds: Thanks for calling me yesterday. It meant a lot that you were still thinking of me. I treasure the week we got to share that room! OUR room :)
Bri: Thanks for always joining me on my pre-trip Target shopping sprees. We have another tradition to keep now, my dear old friend.
Joey: Oh man. Thanks for being positive when I wasn't, for making me laugh and look forward to this trip, and for the late night phone call. I hope someday I get the chance to encourage you the way that you have encouraged me.
Alrighty, signing off from the skies!
Quote of the week "DAV! That's FAR! That's not even by Mexico!! It's way down HERE" -Josiah, while looking at the globe and figuring out where Bolivia is.
Excerpt from journal:
Flight #1 Sea Tac -> San Fran
I survived saying goodbye to my family! Yes! I am such a big girl, haha. Dad and I got up at FOUR AM to catch my 7:30am flight. We left in plenty of time but I accidentally got in the wrong airline check in, so things got rushed/stressed at the end. But I made it to my gate, only to find out that the flight was delayed for about an hour due to fog in San Fran. I was still scared to leave the gate though in case I missed my flight. So I texted the love ones and people watched.
It was while people watching that I noticed a woman with her small dog and realized that this might mean that she was bringing it on my flight. And I got real worried that she was gonna sit next to me with that small animal. If you know me well at all, you've probably heard that small dogs and I are not the best of friends. I like to think that God put all my love for animals in my love for babies bank, which I am perfectly ok with. Anyway, so I am praying that the dog will be far from me, with the prayers growing more frantic with every yip and yap. However, thankfully here from my seat in F26, there is no sign of the small animal! Praise Jesus.
Said my goodbyes to Washington as we lifted off. Man oh man, I love this place! Born and raised here and this state has treated me well (excluding the Rains of '99 and the Winter of 2010-11). Good bye, sweet Washington! Stay green and beautiful!
Dad always makes me cry whenever I say goodbye to him. He's just a sweet Dad. I kept waiting for him to stop me and be all "Ok, you might be fooling everyone else but I know you are still eight years old and there's no way I'm letting you on a plane by yourself!" But he didn't. Gotta love both of my parents for their faith in me -makes me have more faith in myself.
Other thanks thus far goes to:
Katrina and Josiah -thanks for your sappy, goofy goodbyes. I'm so proud of both of you, can't wait to see what the fall brings in both of your lives!
Linds: Thanks for calling me yesterday. It meant a lot that you were still thinking of me. I treasure the week we got to share that room! OUR room :)
Bri: Thanks for always joining me on my pre-trip Target shopping sprees. We have another tradition to keep now, my dear old friend.
Joey: Oh man. Thanks for being positive when I wasn't, for making me laugh and look forward to this trip, and for the late night phone call. I hope someday I get the chance to encourage you the way that you have encouraged me.
Alrighty, signing off from the skies!
Quote of the week "DAV! That's FAR! That's not even by Mexico!! It's way down HERE" -Josiah, while looking at the globe and figuring out where Bolivia is.
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