A Profound Lack of Profundity

I am going to attempt to write the following blog with a 12 lb cat sleeping on my lap between my laptop (which is on my knees) and my stomach. It may be the shortest trip follow-up in history as a result. At least you know that Oliver remembered who I was and is happy to have me home.

The last couple of days have been a blur. I was positive that I could beat the jet-lag, if I slept long enough on the plane and drank enough water. No such luck. By the time Peter picked me up from the airport on Saturday afternoon (in his nicest clothes. with flowers. and--more importantly--a Five Guys Burgers gift card. I admit it. I'm spoiled.) I was basically delirious. I still managed to eat about half a burger and some small amount of fries. That I did this without getting sick is both a credit to the freshness of Five Guys' Burgers and to my time with Apio in Kampala (where I tried to get my food tolerance levels up just a bit). 

I then forced myself to stay up until 9:00 PM.

Yesterday morning, I was awake at 5:30 AM. Then, despite the plan for Peter and I to go to Charleston to see the fireworks out at Patriot's Point, I was dead to the world at 4:00 PM, and he was completely unable to wake me up until about 7:30 PM, which meant that we were stuck watching fireworks in town. This was not all-together a bad thing, as there were a couple of really great displays and we didn't have to drive 2 hours to see them.

I also got to talk to my parents and brothers last night on the phone for the first time since I made it home. They're all in Oregon right now enjoying another family adventure to Yachats. I almost joined them, but with the jetlag being what it is, I'm kind of glad I didn't add a five hour flight to my list of to-dos for Saturday. I did manage to be included in all of the family banter about Michael's ears, Cammeron's cell phone bill, and Matthew's inability to win at Backgammon. Here's to debates that you have to be related to enjoy! I've missed my family. I'm headed out to Vegas to see them in about a week and a half (stay tuned for that edition of the Battered Suitcase travel-blog!).

Last night I went to bed at 11:00...this morning? Still up at 5:30 and hating life because I know that I'll have energy until exactly 3:30 PM, when my body says, "In Uganda it is 10:30! We must go to sleep NOW!"

Oyyy..

I suppose that I meant to write something incredibly profound here about the way that this trip changed my life. But then, I think that the most important thing I learned during my nearly 2 months in Uganda was that I am neither central or profound. I've ceased to believe that there is a "grand work" for me outside of the grand commission to love everyone wherever you have a heart to. Peter's heart is for soldiers -- he's working towards his MDiv so he can be an Army Chaplain. Trish's heart is for the elderly -- she's working in a nursing home. My heart is for Uganda. Therefore, I'm going to love people there with all of the energy I've got. And I'm going to quit worrying if I've got some job to do that I could potentially miss. As I've stated here before, that place doesn't need me nearly as much as I need that place. Getting to do PhD research there is just an added benefit.

Mostly, the trip gave me context. Now, I can watch documentaries like Invisible Children and I recognize not only where they're filming, but also places where they've exaggerated facts. I definitely feel it has made the difference for my research and I'm looking forward to future trips.

I also gained a firm appreciation for what I left behind and got to come back to. I appreciate my family, who have nervously waited for me to get back onto US soil, but have been very good about not freaking out (if your daughter's in Uganda...you've got a right to worry.) I appreciate my cats, who have been shadowing my every move since I got home. I appreciate my friends, who are all calling and all really missed me (true friends are true gifts). I appreciate Peter, who patiently waited for me to get home and has been extremely patient in dealing with my hyper-exhaustion as well as my need to explain every detail of my trip -- complete with pictures.

I appreciate consistent running water. Cross walks. Roads without potholes. Food I can trust. My shower. Mocha Frappacinos. Sub sandwiches. Air conditioning. Constant electricity. The washer/dryer. Reasonable sewage facilities. American freedoms. Wal-Mart. Phone calls home that don't cost $20. Reasonable access to medical care. Fresh books that I actually want to read.

The list goes on.

I miss the mangoes. I miss Child Voice International's Lukodi compound. I miss Eunice, Monika, Lowna, D'Andrea, Malika, Rheme, and my boda driver Mande. I miss the stupid rooster in the morning. And chipotti. I miss the CTC, the Acholi Ber, and Sankofa.

So basically...this post, which lacks the profundity I was hoping it would have, is here to say that I came. I saw. I learned. And now I'm home. I wholly recommend international travel to everyone of every age. And I can't wait to do it again (After I get over my jet lag.).

My next trip is to Fabulous Las Vegas to see family at the end of the month, and then a trip in October to Salzburg, Austria to present at an academic conference, so this Battered Suitcase isn't being mothballed just yet! Stay tuned for future adventures!