I spent half a week in Florida, watching my brother and his college baseball team. It was pretty fun! My other brother came down for the weekend, and for the first time in more than seven months, my entire family was together. Unfortunately it was short lived and a day later we all scattered. But I still was able to get quality time in with my brothers!
My mother and I drove to eastern Wisconsin to visit grandparents on both sides. It always amazes me at how different my culture and generation is than theirs. Despite our differences, I always love being with my grandparents. I spent a few days with my mothers parents. We went on a drive through a state park, stopped to climb the watch tower, and then over to meet the park ranger. My grandfather is good friends with her and we had good chat. She then let me hold bird seed in my hand and chickadees landed to feed. It was a thrilling experience to feel their delicate bodies on my fingers.
We then went south a few hours to see my dad's mother. We spent the day going from one quilt shop to the other, looking at fabric. We also stopped at Starbucks where I was able to introduce my grandmother to the coffee chain for the very first time! Her opinion was that it was too expensive and the coffee too strong! Who can blame her when she can go to McDonalds and get a cup of coffee for 50 cents?
A few weeks after my Wisconsin trip I went to Chicago to watch baseball again. This time my wonderful cousin joined my parents and I. We had a great time hanging out, talking about life, and watching baseball!
Directly after Chicago I flew to Boston. I'm tellin' ya- I am getting around this spring! I impulsively purchased a plane ticket, at 2:00AM, with all my delta air miles. I couldn't sleep and I just decided to go for it. I woke up the next morning thinking- what the heck did I do!? For those of you who know me well, I do not buy things, that expensive, on a whim. Well, this impulsive purchase worked out well. I had major writing to do on my thesis and I needed to focus. I was at the school for 12 hours a day, primary working on my paper. It was a huge blessing to be able to just focus and write. It was good to be back in Boston, see friends, and remember that I am still a student despite not being on campus all year long!
This weekend I have been writing and putting the final touches on my paper. It occurred to me today that I successfully was able to take an exciting six months of living in Uganda and turn it into a dry, technical paper. Since I have been back I have been analyzing one particular school I worked with and the community in which it is located. I realized this morning that I got to the point where the soul of the paper had died and that it was just facts on a blank page. I never want to forget the incredible experience I had working and living in Uganda. The people, the smiles, the smells, the food, the passion, the drive to change things- that is what makes up this dear country. Not a bunch of statistics written by an expat.
So where to next?
Chicago in a few weeks for my brother's college graduation.
Boston to present my paper and celebrate my graduation.
Sri Lanka to celebrate a dear friend's wedding.
And then hopefully back to East Africa to continue working. This time it won't be with Fount, but hopefully I will land a job with an equally amazing organization. I will keep you posted!
