First Thoughts from the USA
Folks, this will be rough, but I feel the need to record some thoughts a mere 30 hours after my reentry yesterday.
I was walking around the neighborhood surrounding MCC in the wee hours this morning (jet lag woke me up at 3:30, and refused to give me rest) and was astounded by the silence. I couldn't see any people! The houses seem really far apart, the lawns huge. The cars in every driveway are very shiny. And none of the plants growing are edible.
I don't see any animals--no dogs or cats even.
The streets are so wide, and smooth. The sidewalks are neat--no trash. Cars go so fast, and I am the only pedestrian (alright, so maybe this is normal at 6:00AM). Imagine my relief when I finally passed, around 7:30, a woman setting up a small stand to sell tomatos in her yard. I was worried about what everyone was going to eat! You have to walk at least seven blocks from MCC to find even a very small grocery store.
Mostly, I feel alone walking. WHen I finally pass another walker, and then two women jogging, they say hi and move on. There aren't any kids greeting me, no one yelling.
This alone-ness puzzles me because I have spent so many many hours over the last year wishing for anonimity and privacy on my early morning ventures--and now that I have it it feels bizarre.
I had to go to a department store this afternoon to pick up some things (my luggage has delayed--I think it didn't want to leave east africa!) and one other returnee and I had a small crisis in the shampoo aisle. Too many products! The bottles are so big--it seems excessive to have that much shampoo for one person.
Right now my stomach hurts because I have had ten servings of fruit and vegetables today. Apples! Lettuce! Broccoli! Orange oranges! (ours in uganda there were green oranges). The food is amazing here.
Can't think of anything else interesting. Perhaps I'll get some sleep and see the world through newer eyes tomorrow.
Love to you all!
I was walking around the neighborhood surrounding MCC in the wee hours this morning (jet lag woke me up at 3:30, and refused to give me rest) and was astounded by the silence. I couldn't see any people! The houses seem really far apart, the lawns huge. The cars in every driveway are very shiny. And none of the plants growing are edible.
I don't see any animals--no dogs or cats even.
The streets are so wide, and smooth. The sidewalks are neat--no trash. Cars go so fast, and I am the only pedestrian (alright, so maybe this is normal at 6:00AM). Imagine my relief when I finally passed, around 7:30, a woman setting up a small stand to sell tomatos in her yard. I was worried about what everyone was going to eat! You have to walk at least seven blocks from MCC to find even a very small grocery store.
Mostly, I feel alone walking. WHen I finally pass another walker, and then two women jogging, they say hi and move on. There aren't any kids greeting me, no one yelling.
This alone-ness puzzles me because I have spent so many many hours over the last year wishing for anonimity and privacy on my early morning ventures--and now that I have it it feels bizarre.
I had to go to a department store this afternoon to pick up some things (my luggage has delayed--I think it didn't want to leave east africa!) and one other returnee and I had a small crisis in the shampoo aisle. Too many products! The bottles are so big--it seems excessive to have that much shampoo for one person.
Right now my stomach hurts because I have had ten servings of fruit and vegetables today. Apples! Lettuce! Broccoli! Orange oranges! (ours in uganda there were green oranges). The food is amazing here.
Can't think of anything else interesting. Perhaps I'll get some sleep and see the world through newer eyes tomorrow.
Love to you all!
posted by Christi-Lynn at 3:13 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home