It's really awkward to come back to this blog after leaving it alone for the last month. I'm just still processing everything, and I'm in the throws of new transitions. I want to write about culture shock, the craziness of re-entry, how much I learned and how much I miss and how nice it was to watch a movie for the first time in nine months. I could tell you that I know I'll never consider a gas station bathroom "too gross" after my time in abroad, or how I'll spend the next few years biting my nails as Tanzania steadily boils over into violence. There's a lot I could say, but I'm still working out how to say it.
For now, there's plenty to keep me busy. I had been working 30 hours a week in retail since I gt back to Hingham, and this morning I got my wisdom teeth out. In two days I'll be in Michigan, in three I'll be on Walloon, in eleven I'll be in Ann Arbor, in 18 I'll be skiing Whistler/Blackcomb, and in 28 I'll be in Geneva, Switzerland where I will stay to study and intern for the spring semester.
There's a lot going on, and it feels like I'm about to be swept up into something that's moving very, very fast, when that's the exact opposite of what I want. I was talking about this to my Dad tonight as he took a break from reading "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance." I said I want to just breathe into the now and not tire myself out like I did living in Arusha, and he reminded me that the best athletes are the ones who think in slow motion during the times of crisis.
This is a marathon, not a sprint. So I seriously need to breathe.
I'll try to write about Tanzania and re-entry to the states. I want to, it's just... daunting.
Happy Holidays, and THINK SNOW.
