Home

I am home. After 1 year, 2 months and 5 days I have returned. It is such a weird feeling to be back home. I am excited of course. It is great to be back to such familiar territory after a year of living in community with people who are now friends but were once strangers. And the 2 months I spent being a vagabond were nice but I am beyond sick of living in a suitcase. I am happy to begin this next phase of my life; to start putting down my own roots.

I am also happy to meet my niece. She turns one next week and Sunday was the first time I have seen her. Leaving when my sister was still pregnant is a good way to ensure my status as the unknown, weird but quirky, fun auntie. I have bought her gifts from each of my stops in hopes of buying her love! We shall see if it works.

But I am a little nervous as well. It some weird way I have also grown use to my slightly random lifestyle and am nervous that settling back into life will be hard. I am prepared for some of the reentry road blocks: friendships will be different, I and the people in my life have changed, and the world continues to go at its break neck speed which I will have to readjust myself to.

Luckily, I will have plenty to do to help keep me busy and will require my attention. I will need to get a job. Hopefully this will not take to long and I will be able to find something that will be fun since I definitely need some work related recovery time after this last year. I will also begin the long and arduous road that will lead into my next chapter: graduate school. After much thought, advice, prayer and nervousness I have decided to return to school and pursue a master’s degree. I have a long road ahead of me indeed and have to get moving right away. I will be studying for and taking the GRE in late October (please pray for me) and will be sending out my applications for the Fall 2009 in November and December. I will also be, hopefully, following my most random decision by moving up North. So I will be applying for schools in the Northeast and hope to be moving there in the summer. The location will, of course, be based on where I am accepted. Finally, as if I do not have enough on my plate, I need to decide what area I want to pursue in graduate school. Since my undergraduate degree was Political Science with an African Studies focus I plan to following with either International Relations with an African Studies concentration or Development with an African Studies concentration. I will also be looking at courses in Emergency/ Relief Management.

How you can help: pray for me whenever you think about me. I will need it!