Yesterday, July 27, I set foot on US soil.
I'm still not home, but at least I'm in the right country now. The whole experience of coming "home" has been surreal and I don't think it's really hit me that the trip, this amazing adventure, is essentially over. Maybe because I'm in NYC and am still playing the role of traveler, I just happen to be much closer to home than previously. Maybe it's simply because the last five months is such a part of my life that the experience will forever be with me and it's not a matter of the adventure ending, rather just continuing on to a different stage.
I've decided that the last part of my journey, the homeward bound section, will be via Greyhound bus. Before I left, I would have been appalled at the idea of taking the Greyhound bus... it's what all the crazies and druggies take. However, after having traveled in some of the places I've been, it should be a cakewalk! I also think it's fitting for the end of my journey... I've never really seen the whole country. This will be a nice way to take in the sights of the middle part of the US while also getting myself home in the cheapest manner possible!
It's good to be "home".... I'm looking forward to being home!
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Friday, July 22, 2011
Blessings Abundant!
Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
Luke 6:38
A while back in a posting before I left home, I talked briefly about faith and how I tried to keep my relationship with God to myself, internalized so to speak. I've noticed that while that was the mindset I had when I left, there's been a change occurring within me. I can't help but ooze how in love and in awe I am of my amazing God. I don't let it consume this blog, but I'm also not going to try to hide it for anyone who may not believe the same as me. My friends are my friends regardless of my religious beliefs.
With that being said, I continually have revelations about how incredibly blessed I am. Not just with this experience. Although this whole trip, the last 5 months, has been a dream come true. God has provided for me in ways I never thought possible... big needs, little needs, all needs!
Today's revelation about how blessed I am, wasn't so much about the experience, as much as it was about everyone I love and hold dear at home. I was in the amphitheater at the military museum watching the Ottoman Mehter concert (military band music) and I couldn't contain the tears. The concert wasn't sad, it was just the whole thing. The day before I spent the entire day trying to be resourceful and looking for alternative ways to get home that would be cheaper than all the tickets I'd found so far. I was alone in a big foreign city without a lot of money, trying to figure out how to enjoy my time here without spending any money. I found out at some point yesterday that a missionary in Istanbul was contacted on my behalf. When she got in touch with me she gave me all kinds of information on what I can do for little to no money. One of those things being the military museum with it's concert.
I set out on this crazy adventure and absolutely no one that I care for tried to stop me. Everyone has supported me both in the preparation as well as during the trip. People have been there sharing my high moments as well as my low moments. Friends were there to listen to me cry on the phone at some of the lowest points of my life. And now, despite the situation I've found myself in, that anyone could easily lecture me on or say 'i told you so', everyone continues to support me, love me, pray for me and be there for me.
There have been different points in this adventure that I've probably been to generous for my own good. But I believe part of it was a learning experience in giving to allow God to give back. A very dear friend, who is more like a sister, told me several times that she believes God will bless me abundantly for my generosity. I have to agree with her on that note. I realized today that maybe God hasn't blessed me financially (at least not yet!), but He's blessed me beyond my wildest dreams with the people he's put in my life!
I will never be able to express adequate thanks to everyone in my life who's been there for me. During the last 5 months, the last year as I prepared for this trip, and throughout the prior years in my life.
This one's for all of you who love me, have shared my hurts and joys, have molded me and influenced me, and just been a friend in general!
Luke 6:38
A while back in a posting before I left home, I talked briefly about faith and how I tried to keep my relationship with God to myself, internalized so to speak. I've noticed that while that was the mindset I had when I left, there's been a change occurring within me. I can't help but ooze how in love and in awe I am of my amazing God. I don't let it consume this blog, but I'm also not going to try to hide it for anyone who may not believe the same as me. My friends are my friends regardless of my religious beliefs.
With that being said, I continually have revelations about how incredibly blessed I am. Not just with this experience. Although this whole trip, the last 5 months, has been a dream come true. God has provided for me in ways I never thought possible... big needs, little needs, all needs!
Today's revelation about how blessed I am, wasn't so much about the experience, as much as it was about everyone I love and hold dear at home. I was in the amphitheater at the military museum watching the Ottoman Mehter concert (military band music) and I couldn't contain the tears. The concert wasn't sad, it was just the whole thing. The day before I spent the entire day trying to be resourceful and looking for alternative ways to get home that would be cheaper than all the tickets I'd found so far. I was alone in a big foreign city without a lot of money, trying to figure out how to enjoy my time here without spending any money. I found out at some point yesterday that a missionary in Istanbul was contacted on my behalf. When she got in touch with me she gave me all kinds of information on what I can do for little to no money. One of those things being the military museum with it's concert.
I set out on this crazy adventure and absolutely no one that I care for tried to stop me. Everyone has supported me both in the preparation as well as during the trip. People have been there sharing my high moments as well as my low moments. Friends were there to listen to me cry on the phone at some of the lowest points of my life. And now, despite the situation I've found myself in, that anyone could easily lecture me on or say 'i told you so', everyone continues to support me, love me, pray for me and be there for me.
There have been different points in this adventure that I've probably been to generous for my own good. But I believe part of it was a learning experience in giving to allow God to give back. A very dear friend, who is more like a sister, told me several times that she believes God will bless me abundantly for my generosity. I have to agree with her on that note. I realized today that maybe God hasn't blessed me financially (at least not yet!), but He's blessed me beyond my wildest dreams with the people he's put in my life!
I will never be able to express adequate thanks to everyone in my life who's been there for me. During the last 5 months, the last year as I prepared for this trip, and throughout the prior years in my life.
This one's for all of you who love me, have shared my hurts and joys, have molded me and influenced me, and just been a friend in general!
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Africa
Now that I'm in Turkey, back to something recognizable as civilization, here's some pictures of Africa. Because it was essentially a "road trip", it was very hard to take pictures. So I don't have any where near the amount of pictures I'd like. Nor do I have pictures of some of the amazing things I saw. It's hard to take pictures from a moving vehicle. And the culture in Africa is one that, not everyone wants or likes their picture being taken, due to cultural and superstitious reasons. I heard a story about one of the groups who went to the Serengeti, someone took a picture of a Masai warrior and the warrior threw their spear at the truck. It was some distance and the spear didn't come close, but I'd say that gets the message across loud and clear!
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Money
I'm exasperated about this subject on a couple levels right now. So because i'm exhausted, haven't had a decent nights sleep and have been doing some active traveling, i'm going to take a post to vent!
First exasperation regarding money, my lack of it! Despite all my planning to avoid being in the situation i'm in... that being, no money and no ticket home... here i am. In the situation I tried to avoid the most. Hind sight is 20/20 and I could have handled the sri lanka episode differently, but I can't go back and re-do it. I also am cognizant enough to recognize that this is an opportunity, a big one, for God to continue to show his faithfulness and provision to me.
Second exasperation regarding money, exchanging money! I have over $100 in Kenyan schillings. My flight left Kenya at 2:50am and nothing in the airport was open in the way of exchange places. And so far I've had no luck getting it exchanged here in Turkey. So now, not only do I not have any money to begin with, the little money I do have is completely useless to me!!
I'm tired, it all boils down to that right now, my crappy attitude. But I'm done... I just want to be done and home already!
That's the end of my rant. I'll go back to trying to see the positive side of all this and trying to enjoy myself until I manage to get myself home.
First exasperation regarding money, my lack of it! Despite all my planning to avoid being in the situation i'm in... that being, no money and no ticket home... here i am. In the situation I tried to avoid the most. Hind sight is 20/20 and I could have handled the sri lanka episode differently, but I can't go back and re-do it. I also am cognizant enough to recognize that this is an opportunity, a big one, for God to continue to show his faithfulness and provision to me.
Second exasperation regarding money, exchanging money! I have over $100 in Kenyan schillings. My flight left Kenya at 2:50am and nothing in the airport was open in the way of exchange places. And so far I've had no luck getting it exchanged here in Turkey. So now, not only do I not have any money to begin with, the little money I do have is completely useless to me!!
I'm tired, it all boils down to that right now, my crappy attitude. But I'm done... I just want to be done and home already!
That's the end of my rant. I'll go back to trying to see the positive side of all this and trying to enjoy myself until I manage to get myself home.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Overlanding in Africa
Overlanding in Africa is an experience that if is presented to you, you should definitely grab it! I can't really do it justice by trying to describe it rightfully, so I'm going to take the comedic approach, because the experience has definitely given me plenty of material for that!
Essentially, you're driving through the continent in a big converted MAC truck. The storage box on the back has been converted to have windows, passenger seats and a couple tables and whatever storage has been allowed on that specific truck. This is not a glamorous smooth ride.... no, this ride, especially the truck used from victoria falls to nairobi, was particularly bumpy! In fact, I'm quite surprised I didn't end up with black eyes from my boobs swinging up and hitting my face. I'm going to make a recommendation to the tour company that they need to add 'sports bra' to the packing list, specifically for the drives on these trucks, especially if you're sitting in the extra bumpy backseat!
Another experience associated with overlanding in africa is using 'the bush'! This translates to making the side of the road your toilet! This is not just for men any longer... oh no, i can pee outside with the best of them!! During the course of this trip, I've managed to poke myself in the butt with a sisal plant, have an audience of local Malawi boys while doing my business and bond on a whole new level with the other girls on the trip, especially while peeing behind a cactus with minimal coverage from the road and absolutely NO privacy from one another. One girl has mastered the art of peeing while standing up, which is disturbing on a couple different levels... it just looks wrong for one, and the other... i want to see how she does it, but you can't exactly watch another woman pee while you're out in the bush. There's been more than one occasion where I longed to have a camera as it would have been a hilarious picture. Several white butts exposed in the african bush all facing different ways.
The experience as a whole has been AMAZING and I'm already thinking about taking another one of these trips again in the future.... who's coming with me!?
Essentially, you're driving through the continent in a big converted MAC truck. The storage box on the back has been converted to have windows, passenger seats and a couple tables and whatever storage has been allowed on that specific truck. This is not a glamorous smooth ride.... no, this ride, especially the truck used from victoria falls to nairobi, was particularly bumpy! In fact, I'm quite surprised I didn't end up with black eyes from my boobs swinging up and hitting my face. I'm going to make a recommendation to the tour company that they need to add 'sports bra' to the packing list, specifically for the drives on these trucks, especially if you're sitting in the extra bumpy backseat!
Another experience associated with overlanding in africa is using 'the bush'! This translates to making the side of the road your toilet! This is not just for men any longer... oh no, i can pee outside with the best of them!! During the course of this trip, I've managed to poke myself in the butt with a sisal plant, have an audience of local Malawi boys while doing my business and bond on a whole new level with the other girls on the trip, especially while peeing behind a cactus with minimal coverage from the road and absolutely NO privacy from one another. One girl has mastered the art of peeing while standing up, which is disturbing on a couple different levels... it just looks wrong for one, and the other... i want to see how she does it, but you can't exactly watch another woman pee while you're out in the bush. There's been more than one occasion where I longed to have a camera as it would have been a hilarious picture. Several white butts exposed in the african bush all facing different ways.
The experience as a whole has been AMAZING and I'm already thinking about taking another one of these trips again in the future.... who's coming with me!?
Sunday, July 10, 2011
hey big mama!
First things first... i'm still alive and i'm sorry it's been some time since my last proper posting! Now onto the fun stuff...
There's been more than one occasion where I've been walking down the street minding my own business when an african man walks by me and says "hey big mama!" I asked Mwangi, the tour leader for this leg of the trip, how exactly I should be taking this statement and he frankly responded with "esther, i'm not trying to be rude, but in africa, big is good."
Last night in Stonestown while at the food night market, I was the bell of the ball. Every time I turned around I had an african man starting a conversation with me, or singing for me or complimenting me. Even today while walking back from the ferry to the truck, a fellow tour member said I was attracting the attention of all the local men. In Africa big is definitely liked. And it's about damn time, because I sure as hell don't get this kind of attention at home.
Don't worry, I have no plans or intentions of running off with any of the african men who's attention i get. But it sure is nice to be noticed in a positive way! And it's quite entertaining!
All in all, I'm having a wonderful time!! Pictures and more details of activities will come eventually when I have a full laptop battery and free wi-fi again!
There's been more than one occasion where I've been walking down the street minding my own business when an african man walks by me and says "hey big mama!" I asked Mwangi, the tour leader for this leg of the trip, how exactly I should be taking this statement and he frankly responded with "esther, i'm not trying to be rude, but in africa, big is good."
Last night in Stonestown while at the food night market, I was the bell of the ball. Every time I turned around I had an african man starting a conversation with me, or singing for me or complimenting me. Even today while walking back from the ferry to the truck, a fellow tour member said I was attracting the attention of all the local men. In Africa big is definitely liked. And it's about damn time, because I sure as hell don't get this kind of attention at home.
Don't worry, I have no plans or intentions of running off with any of the african men who's attention i get. But it sure is nice to be noticed in a positive way! And it's quite entertaining!
All in all, I'm having a wonderful time!! Pictures and more details of activities will come eventually when I have a full laptop battery and free wi-fi again!
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