We had been gone from the states for almost 21 months. I figured we would experience some culture shock, but let me tell you....the Atlanta airport was just glorious. Everything was orderly, people were smiling and talking in a southern accent, I could see my reflection in the floors, and I had to explain what a water fountain was to the girls (and that the water was safe to drink out of it!). We were slightly tired (we had one last airplane ride from Atlanta to Chattanooga to make) after traveling (including layovers) 25 hours. Because our short layover in Atlanta we did not have time to sit and eat a real meal....so we bought a bag of skittles, 2 hotdogs, a cherry coke (DELICIOUS), a coke, and a mountain dew. (Mind you...we had coke in Uganda but not cherry coke...best cherry coke I have ever drank!) The girls did great and I think Brad de-stressed a little by wearing his crazy African made suit jacket (so it would not get wrinkled in our duffels) through each airport. He got some laughs and crazy looks so me and the girls walked about 3 feet behind him most of the walks through the airports! Ha!
One of the best things about being back is the comments from Macy and Mara or things we have had to explain to them that either they did not know or had forgotten. Mostly for Mara it is all explaining. Mara's earliest memories seem to be from when we moved to West Africa. She still refers to Mali as home and only seems to have very little recollection from the states. However, Macy remembers a lot of things but we also have to explain things to her too.
So...here are some things that Macy (will be 6 in August) has said that are just too cute that comes from her life in Africa for the past 2 years or things she just does not understand yet:
- "Momma!!!! There is number 4!!!!" Need an explanation....Macy had been keeping a tally of the number of brown people that she saw the first week that we were back in the states. We were driving downtown Cleveland, TN and Macy spotted the fourth brown man she had seen in a couple of days and was so excited. She proceeded to point at him and I told her pointing is not polite but that waving was ok. She waved at him instead! :)
- "Papaw, is this all your property? Man, you sure are lucky....you can pee anywhere you want!"
- Brad shot a muskrat in the backyard/creek area of his dad's house and Macy said, "Man, that looks delicious!" (No, we did not eat it.)
- "Where are all the people on the side of the road, momma?" In Uganda, there are thousands of people daily walking down the street just inches, sometimes centimeters, from our car. While driving down the interstate one day we had to explain to Macy some of the simpler rules of the road in America.
Mara has said some cute things too and is continuing to say/do certain things that we have to explain to people also !
- "These bathtubs are MAGICAL!" She was amazed the water did not go down the drain without a stopper/plug jammed into the hole.
- "I want some more of the colored circle things." We had introduced her to Fruit Loops!
- Mara picked up somewhat of a British accent in Uganda and still says things that may need some explaining to our southern friends:
- "It is paining me!" (Instead of using the word "hurt" the Ugandans say "pain")
- "I need to go susu." This equals, "I need to pee."
- She uses commands all the time instead of asking. This is culturally appropriate in Uganda, however, I am trying to get her to implement the word "PLEASE" somewhere in her statement! :)
- She will occasionally still stand on the toilet seat when using the bathroom. (Pooping God's way is what we called it in Africa!) Hopefully this does not offend anyone....it is just the way it is done in most parts of Africa AND she was potty trained right around the time we went to do some extra training in the bush in Zambia. :)
What have I found the most challenging since being back? At first it was the driving. I bet we had not gone faster (most days for the past year) than 30 to 40 miles per hour. Getting on the interstates here in the states gave me just a little anxiety. Also, the first week back every time we went out into our hometown of Cleveland, TN I wondered if the raptured had occurred. I mean, where was everyone?!?! No one was walking on the roads and no one was within a couple of inches of my car!
Hopefully you have enjoyed a small insight into our lives the past month! Blessings!
