One year

Looking ahead to a year seems like a really long time. Looking back on it, it seems all to short. My year living in Namibia is over, but after seven trips I can't imagine it will be my last. One thing that's always been a motto of mine is "be where you are." Trying to make that a reality in my own life I realize that the very purpose of blogging is to be somewhere else, to share what's on your mind with people who aren't there. So not that I've ever written on this blog with much regularity, but in trying to be more purposeful about living purposefully I won't be updating this blog as often. If you're interested in what's on my mind drop me an email or take me out to lunch! If you're interested in my observations from living in Namibia for a year, check out my African Travel Blog.

Two Different Worlds

I’ve spent two weeks saying not much has changed, but as the novelty of being home begins to wear off I’m starting to see those things that are very different. And not necessarily different than when I left, but perhaps I just see them differently because I left. Things as subtle as conversations, what people talk about, how much they talk, expressions people use; it’s not things you’ll notice after a two week short term trip, more like things I would expect an African to notice. Every time I shake someone’s hand I want to do our three-part Namibian handshake. I feel offended when I haven’t greeted someone at an event (yes, you read that right and it is quite intriguing). The appeal and temptation to spend money frivolously here is to the point of overwhelming. Spending money isn’t an event; it’s just a natural part of life. I’m beginning to realize that I’ve gone way beyond getting annoyed or even frustrated at cultural differences. I’ve gotten to where I think far differently about things like money and relational living. Dallas Willard describes culture as what you think and do without thinking about thinking or doing it. If that’s true, then after a year Africa has left a far bigger imprint on me than I probably realize, definitely more than a little dust in the blood.

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As a sidenote, for those who are concerned that I use the term Africa far too generically, especially seeing as Namibia is the only African country where I’ve ever been outside the airport, please consider this. While yes, Africa is a continent, most Africans I’ve met from whatever country take pride in identifying with Africa, much like residents of our 50 states identify themselves with our country, the United States. We even go so far as to call our country ‘America’ when in actuality that is the name of our continent. Much of Africa shares a common heritage in tribal living, colonialization, and racial oppression. The struggles with war, poverty, and disease have left no country unscathed. With their shared culture, history, and crises it’s no surprise Africa has forged for itself an identity that somewhat resembles how we Westerners would think of a country.

There and back again

How do you pick up the threads of an old life? How do you go on?
Then in your heart you begin to understand there is no going back.
     ~Lord of the Rings: Return of the King

That’s how I expected to feel coming home, but truth be told, that hasn’t been my experience…at least not yet. I look around at everything that was once so familiar, and now a year older, but relatively the same. The biggest thing that’s struck me so far is how little has changed, how life goes on without you, not skipping a beat. And now I just melt right back in, almost as though I never left.

But that raises the obvious question of how I have changed, which is more what Frodo’s quote is talking about. How does a changed person fit back into a culture that hasn’t changed? Or in our cross-cultural training terminology, when a square-headed person lives in a round-headed culture his edges become more and more rounded. So how does the newly rounded square-headed person fit back into his square-headed culture?This is the process often called “re-entry” or “reverse culture shock.” At least that’s the technical explanation. More personal insights to come as I experience more.

As for the jet-lag, I was kind of enjoying waking up at 5 and 6 in the morning, reading the Word, watching the sunrise. The morning hours are lovely, a few quiet moments before the world awakes to it’s busy-ness. But I think staying up until 1am watching the Patriots last night has gone a long way to setting my body clock back on schedule.

Sleep when you get home

Over 12,000 photos and 218 blog posts later, I find myself back in the United States. I won’t write much tonight because my body clock is telling me it’s 2:15am, but I need to keep myself awake a little longer to help with the jet lag. Everything with my traveling went amazingly well. The lady at the desk checked in my overweight bags with only a slight scolding. The immigration officer didn’t ask a single question. Layovers were short and uneventful. And on the long flight from Johannesburg to Washington D.C. I had an extra seat next to me so I could stretch out a bit. Everything went great.

I picked a good time of year to come back. With my first deep breath of fresh air I was reminded how much I love fall in New England. The cool temperatures, the few colored leaves that remain, even the light sleeting this afternoon were welcome homecoming gifts. It was good to meet up with friends and family and catch up a bit. Much more of that lies ahead I’m sure. At least for a short while I’ll continue posting about my thoughts and reactions to being back in American culture as part of the overall educational experience. But for now, it’s off to bed for me…

Until next time

The bags are packed, each weighing in at close enough to 50 pounds that I should be ok. Most all my goodbyes are said. And I have only a nights sleep and a few last minute errands between me and my flight home. For my last post from Namibia I thought I would leave you with a list of random little things I will miss (other than all my incredible friends of course!):

1) The geckos stalking moths on my window screen
2) Cattle grazing right next to the road
3) Warthogs on the side of the road
4) Watching the sun set on the horizon while it’s raining overhead
5) How rain is a blessing, not an annoyance
6) The extravagant colors of clothes, houses, flowers…everything
7) Namglish
8) Solitary mountain tops
9) Pink, blue, and orange money
10) Being tan!