something about Africa

It's been 147 days since I left Africa... and every single day, I miss it.

I've argued this away in a variety of ways... it's because it was my "first overseas experience," it's because I've only been home 4 months, it's because of reverse culture shock, it's because....... and the reasons accumulate.

Over Thanksgiving break, I got to talk to a friend of mine who spent 6 months in South Africa early 2008. I asked her how long it took her after she got home to "get over it." She stopped what she was doing, looked over at me, and said, "I never have. I still miss it... every day."

Ahhhhh... hopes I might just be able to push through to the day when I won't go to bed with this ache of missing or wake up wondering how my African family's day went while I was sleeping... those hopes flickered and dimmed.

Yes, it seems to be true... there's just something about Africa that works it's way down deep and won't budge. But, I can't really say I'd want it to be any other way.