settled back in

so, probably needless to say, olvie and i had a safe (and quite long) trip home. 

after a couple of days of debriefing at world harvest mission headquarters outside philly, we finally got to go home to our families. 

i had a couple short weeks before starting back to school. and, well, here i am, back at furman for my final year. 

i am enjoying my classes, loving my three apartment-mates, and dancing as often as possible.

 

there are things i miss, though, from this summer in bundibugyo:

the warm smiles and greetings everywhere i walked

the enthusiastic drumming at church

our dear friends, their kindness, and their generosity

the bananas, especially the busukali

thanking each other for everything possible

girl nights with olvie, anna & jess

sweet babysitting time with the johnson kiddos

late-night conversations with amy & travis after putting kids to bed

rolex (chapati with egg, onion, and tomato)

market trips (as stressful & stinky as they were at times)

the ubiquitous r/l mix-up

breath-taking sunsets

overwhelming numbers of stars every clear night

fresh, juicy mango

not having to worry about getting lost and directions, as there was only one main road

the night-blooming jasmine outside our house

and last, but most definitely not least, the slower pace of Bundibugyo (as frustrating as it was at times)

i DO NOT miss the obukakuni and their sneaky bites, those morning doves that cooed at all hours of the morning, or the blood-drawing impali ants. and i'm not going to lie, i appreciate having a toilet, and one inside at that... but those things were well worth the privilege of spending a summer in the semliki valley, surrounded by banana and cacao trees, the majestic rwenzori mountains, pregnant goats, bodas, and warm, beautiful people.