tchau america!

Greetings from the Atlanta international airport-

Thus ends my 30-day trip home. It was a mixture of lots of happiness, laughter, good food, and time well spent with loved ones.

I arrived on the 11^th of December, after experiencing some travel issues, getting out of Mozambique, and then again getting out of Johannesburg. . . I get it Africa, you don't want me to leave. Made it home safely, and my bag arrived without issue. It was a long series of flights, which have been added on to with my flight from Quelimane. . . it now takes 4 flights to reach where I live, rather than just three, or two and a bus. Oh well… roll with the punches, right?

The Christmas holidays passed wonderfully with many visits to and from family members, and friends who have become family over the years. I couldn't have asked for a nicer time with people. The only thing that would have taken it to the next level would have been if there was snow. . . but I did get some of that the last few days I was home! Which, much to the complaints of my friends, I LOVED. Not having seen snow for over two years will do that to a girl.

katrina and i bought a tree for the apartment! 

katrina, cassie and i down in the strip district, before the whiskey distillery tour

christmas eve with my family

It was nice being back in Pittsburgh in some respects, and challenging in others. Many of my friends don't truly get what it is that I’m doing, nor can stories do my lifestyle justice . . though I do love to tell them. So while they listen with patience and understanding to me as I waffle on about my challenges and frustrations – often finding that I have to stop to figure out how to say the phrase in English, its not fully comprehended. This is something I realized after talking a bit with my aunt who is an RPCV, and then spending a week with returned Moz 18ers in Boston over the New Year. I am very happy to have seen my friends and family, don’t get me wrong, and I love seeing how successful everyone has been in their lives – many including an engagement or marriage in the past few years, or the upcoming months. . but that is all so far from my reality that it provided a challenge of relatiability.

Except for my week trip to Boston (which was absolutely wonderful) I spent most of my time home in the Pittsburgh area, some days I was all over the city, and others just spent in the south hills. Deciding to stay with my friend Katrina at my old apartment was a nice alternative being home. Not that I wouldn’t have been fine staying at my parents home, but this offered me a bit more freedom and opportunity to feel more normal, considering that I’ve been on my own for a good while now and kind of have my own routines and habits. Unfortunately I never got to go to the overlook on Mt. Washington, go ice skating, bowling, or skiing. . . unfortunately. Luckily I’ll be back in 7 or so months and can have that world at my fingertips again.

moz 18. . . looking rather cold in boston

The last few days stateside were spent running errands, making trips to Trader Joe’s to stock up on good snacks, and spices/sauces, and indulging in delicious foods (Sushi, Mexican, Chinese etc). I did make a day trip to UPJ, to give a brief presentation about Peace Corps and my experience in Moz, which I feel went well. It was crazy to be back on my old college campus, and though I didn't walk around too much, due to the insanely cold temperatures, I was greeted with a rush of memories and such as I pulled into and out of campus.

Earlier that day I had the opportunity to meet with my future advisor at Pitt for my masters program, which was exactly what I needed. A part of me feels that returning to Pittsburgh in August is taking a step backwards, though I will be there to advance my academic career, its back in the city that I was born and raised. . . it's a great spot, don't misunderstand me. . I just don't want to ‘end up’ there. At least not yet. There is still so much of this world that I want to see and explore. Hopefully I can do a study abroad/work abroad travel with my masters studies, and then find some job that will keep me in an international lifestyle.

Anywho. . . I promise to be better about blogging these last few months in Moz. So be ready for all the good, bad and poop-filled stories haha!