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{January 30th} After 5 days of travel, 897 miles, truck + ferry + 14 hr bus ride + 12 hr train ride, and 1 border crossing, we finally made it to the coast. Praise the Lord. But after a month in the bush, and non-stop travel for nearly the last week, re-entering the real world is hard. And I just … can’t handle life. Culture Shock & re-entry struggles were never anything I expected to encounter simply changing countries. From the bush of Botswana to coastal towns & thriving cities in Namibia — and I’m a hysterical mess.
Reasons Molly’s Crying:
Because there’s Wifi
Because of the mass influx of information within 30 seconds
Because my home church merged and is now completely different
Because I get a real bed
Because it’s all so clean
Because there’s not more sand everywhere
Because I don’t have to tent anymore
Because I get to stay in the same place for more than 1 night
Because someone told me I had to leave the building & walk next door
Because I didn’t know where I was going
Because I saw the ocean
Because I don’t know how to get out of the hostel
Because I don’t know how to open the gate
Because the key doesn’t work in the gate
Because I saw someone I knew (even though I’d literally just spent the last 13 hours with them)
Because there were options for breakfast
Because there were multiple jams available
Because I couldn’t decide where to sit
Because the ocean was “right there”
Because the rocks were so pretty
Because people were already responding to my messages
Because people were talking to me
Because I had to make decisions
Because I saw people I haven’t seen in a while
Because I saw a fish
Because my sunburn was peeling
Because someone asked me to do something
Because it felt so luxurious
Because America was on the other side of the water
Because if this re-entry is hard, how will I ever survive America
Because I got rocks in my shoe
Because the water in the sink was so hot
Because the ocean was so cold
Because I found chaco footprints in the sand
Because the sun was so hot, but I was still cold from the wind
Because we had electricity
Because the beds were so comfy
Because someone is asking me something
Because there are too many people
Because there are too many noises
Because I’m overstimulated
Because everything is so white & bright
Because so much is happening all at once
Because I don’t know how to process all of this information
Because my chacos are too big and are scooping up sand
Because my feet are covered in sand
Because someone bought me water
Because someone prayed for my squadmate
Because someone prayed for me
Because I found a spar
Because Spar felt like home
Because the toiletry aisle had so many options
Because we found Dr. Pepper
Because Clare bought me a Raspberry Arizona Iced Tea
Because the coffee shop was so nice
Because the coffee was so delicious
Because I saw giraffes from the train
Because the giraffes were so close to the tracks
Because I found a new friend in a squadmate
Because my team was used as an example during a sermon
Because we were given the leftovers to take home
Because we had a meeting with our host immediately after getting off the train
Because they had real food waiting for us – not peanut butter & jelly
Because there was water & coffee
Because they had juice
Because we have wifi in our new house
Because the house was stocked with food when we arrived
Because our host is so incredibly organized
Because I can’t process all of this information
Because this church feels like home
Because I feel so spoiled
Because there’s a pool in my backyard
Because I saw horses
Because this doesn’t feel like Africa
Because I found brands I recognize
Because I lost my airporter
Because I found osprey & sea to summit & northface @ the mall
Because the store felt almost like REI
Because I found a baby to cuddle
Because there were teen boys helping in childrens ministry
Because I got to act like a fool with the toddlers
Because it almost felt like my classroom back home
Because the mall feels & looks like America
Because they bought us apples
Because we have potatoes
Because they gave us water bottles as a present
Because Jesus is so good to me
Team Hallelujah. Rocking the cheesy “cute” photos 🙂
