Beginnings: The first 48 hours

I've arrived! Finally, after almost 20 months, I'm home. It took 36 hours, 100 lbs of baggage, and a whole lot of nerves, but I made it. I was talking with my mom a few hours after I landed and had finished telling her my "airport adventures" and she told me she knows some women who refuse to travel alone. I can't imagine why, I enjoy it! While it would be nice to pass the long layovers with someone, I've discovered sudoku to be an acceptable substitute. I suppose it's just another piece of my independent side I've uncovered.

So, here's a short list of my conquests during my 36 hours between the worlds:

- Dominated 5 airports

- Spent over 18 hours in the air (thankfully sleeping for at least 12 of those hours)

- Learned that a macchiato in England is not the same as a macchiato in the US

- Took a train into the city of Casablanca

- Didn't burst into tears when I ran into my parents arms at the Niamey airport

The last one was the hardest...

It's been so surreal being back in Niger. I've stopped thinking that I'm going to wake up from a dream, and switched to accepting the truly bizarre. I've also gone from thinking, "What am I doing here?" to thinking, "No one will believe this." Thus the beginning of this blog. Since I've been back, I've come to the somewhat selfish realization that life continues without you. Seeing how Sahel Academy has changed in the year and a half I've been gone has been a wake-up call, and has already helped me "disconnect" myself from it in a good way. I've also seen just how key these next 4 months are going to be in my transition away from Niger being my 'home'. The MK Home Paradox will never change, but leaving a place correctly sure can help with the confusion.

Being back with my family has been one of the greatest things. I hadn't seen them at all since January of 2010... so much has changed! My younger brother is no longer my little brother - he's at least 4 inches taller than I am! My sister is one of the top-dogs in school now as a senior. It's weird feeling like I should have seniority as a returner, but not really having the rights to it anymore. Mom and Dad are busy as ever - Mom has already enlisted my help in the kitchen for the upcoming banquet. We're actually leaving the country next weekend for the annual softball tournament in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. My passport is going to be totally full by the time I need to renew it.

I am proud to say that I am a survivor of infamous Niamey traffic now! I went driving with my dad this morning to warm up on my stick-shift driving (which was more than a little rusty, let me tell you), and he eventually led me off the dirt road to the school onto the paved city road. My defensive driving skills will be amazing once I get back to California, that's for sure! I can't tell you how many times I was cut off - and not just by cars. Motorbikes and bicycles are everywhere, and the taxis in the city don't know what mirrors are. There are also the smaller moving obstacles: pedestrians who don't look before crossing the street; donkey carts moving down the shoulder; goats, sheep, and dogs run across the road... All of this on top of my dad reminding me every 15 seconds, "Clutch! Shift down! Second gear! CLUTCH!" I'm alive to tell the tale though - no one is dead or maimed, and my dad didn't go grey an hour later; I think it was a success. Next time I go driving though, I want to have a camera on the dash, so you can SEE how truly crazy it is. Words can only describe so much.

I've had several encouraging encounters with old friends since coming back too. Crystal Rendel was a student at Sahel before my family arrived in 2004. She came back for a semester in her second year of university during my 9th grade year. She arrived the day before I did to return as a full time missionary here in Niger. We were able to talk some today, and I know her experience is going to be a huge encouragement to me during my time here. Since I'm pretty much mirroring what it is she's gone through, her wisdom will be invaluable to me. I've also gotten an invitation from 'Aunt' Joy Freeman, to come out and visit her in the village of Makalondi. Not sure when I'll be taking her up on this invitation, but it will happen soon! She grew up as an MK as well, so she understands everything I'm feeling about being back and figuring out all my questions.

I'm still jet-lagged, and wide awake after my nap this afternoon, but that pretty much covers the most exciting parts of my first 48 hours being back! I feel like I need to do everything right away because I MUST be leaving soon. How wonderful when I remind myself this isn't the case!

Isaiah 60:19-20 The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you, for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory. Your sun will never set again, and your moon will wane no more; the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your days of sorrow will end.