Unlike the final installment of the Hobbit trilogy that came
out this Christmas, my journey was blissfully free of excitement and dangerous
adventure. I left Mozambique mid-December and after a short stop-over in Durban
for the Southern Africa MCC regional retreat, I stepped foot in Canada for the
first time in 15 months. Besides almost losing my bags along the way home, and
a couple good snow storms nothing unexpected happened.
It is difficult to describe what it is like coming home
after being away for a while. Many people wonder if it is ever hard coming back
to so many changes. Many things are different. My sister has a boyfriend now;
this I knew, but I didn’t know it was possible to spend so many hours on skype!
My other sister now drives and took me to the Superstore. Kids who were shorter
than me are now taller than me (ok, so maybe not much changes). I haven’t had a
bedroom that was mine in a while. The
kitchen cupboards were redone so it took me a while to search for where the tea
is now kept. Though many things do
change, there is one thing that doesn’t; it still feels like home.
It was such a blessing just to be there for a month. I am grateful for the time spent with family
and friends. I am thankful for the opportunities I had to share about my life
and experiences in Mozambique with my friends, church, and at my Mom’s school.
My wonderful mother made every single meal on my page-long list of dinner
requests. Never having to wonder what kind of strange meat was on the table.
Sitting down for a cup of tea with real milk in it. Completing a 1000 piece
puzzle with my brothers and sisters. Knitting socks at the curling rink.
Snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, breathing deep the smell of a forest. Being
a normal person again, passing normal people on the street with a smile or
hello because that’s just what we do.
I’ll keep my tale short this time but promise to be back
soon. I’m in Tete now for a few days, visiting and saying a final goodbye to
all my friends and colleagues who’ve been there for me this past year. This
coming week I’ll hop on a bus to MCC’s office in Beira and start preparing in
earnest for moving to Machanga. In early February I’ll finally begin my original
assignment position; teaching conservation agriculture at the technical high
school in Machanga. Comings and goings are ever bittersweet. It was hard to
leave Canada after such a relaxing month home, and it is hard to leave my Tete
brothers and sisters who I’ve lived and worked with last year. But I am looking forward to the new
opportunities, friendships, and experiences that will surely come my way as
pick up my pack and set my feet on the path to Machanga.
Until next time.
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| Family Christmas pictures on Christmas day! I had the matching shirts made for my brother and sisters in Mozambique |
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| On the Dobson Trail feeling very cold on New Years. |
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| Tea AND and puzzles AND rummio. Notice the winter scarf around my neck! |
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| Skiing in Centennial Park with Mom after a fresh snowfall. |
