Back in the U.S.A.

Cape Town to Johannesburg: 2 hours
Waiting at the Joburg airport: 2 hours
Johannesburg to Senegal: 9 hours
Waiting for refuel inside the plane: 1 1/2 hours
Senegal to Washington D.C.: 8 hours
Going through customs: 1 1/2 hours
Washington D.C. to LAX: 6 hours

Total amount of time to get home: 30 hours


It's so weird to be back. Everything is so familiar that I feel like I was just here yesterday, but at the same time I know I've been gone for so long and I have moments when I realize how much I missed this place. I shrieked with excitement when I saw Starbucks in the airport and I panicked when my dad made a right turn into the wrong lane, at least I thought it was the wrong lane until I realized we drive on the other side of the road.

I miss Africa. Every time I think about it, it almost feels like a really good dream. How an I supposed to go back to a normal life? I sat in the movie theater yesterday and I felt so normal. I walked through my house and glanced through all the shiny technology toys like computers and TVs and I felt like I was at a millionaire's house. It scares me that I can so easily fall back into my routine of life and forget about what happened these past few months. I have to figure out how to bring Africa to the states, but I can't go overboard because I know everyone will get tired of hearing about it and will want to move on.

I'm back in the U.S.A., but my mind and my heart are still in Africa, at least for now. Everything I see reminds me of it and every time I talk I want to stay on that subject.