lauren laughs

well i never thought the day would come when i was bored on nights and weekends… but it has. i am meeting lots of people and i have at least one social activity a week, but i’m spending even more time alone here than i did in benin. part of me knows i ought to enjoy the respite. in two months’ time i’ll be longing for the days when i could come home and do nothing but read. but when it’s almost every day? it gets old. my eyes hurt from reading. last night i thought i’d give myself a break by watching a movie… but i only have one… love actually… yeah… great movie to watch when you’re already feeling a bit lonely. yesterday, in a moment of weakness, i even agreed to babysit on a saturday night. this is serious.

ok. i will stop whining at start being proactive. i’m going to email my new acquaintances and make plans. right. now.

i went to home depot this morning to pick up paint supplies with my landlord. i’m in a really unique situation, where instead of having to track down my landlord and wait months for anything to be accomplished, i see mine every day. and every day he smiles and says, “how’s the house? anything you need?” (tip for the day: if ever you can rent from the church… do it!)

while i was waiting at the paint counter, i noticed a slightly funny, slightly familiar, very friendly guy mixing paint. i thought to myself, ‘huh. that guy looks just like mason… haven’t seen him since high school.’ then i looked at the guy’s orange smock, which said: “my name is MASON” in big magic marker letters. no way.

yes way. an old friend from rockbridge county. because the world really is that small.

i spent most of yesterday at a theme park with 25 middle schoolers. i’ll be honest and say i could have sat at a table in the shade all day and been happy… i’m not the biggest fan of rides and such. not that i mind them, it’s just not my idea of a rockin’ good time. but i did go on rides… lots of them. all of them. even the worst i’m-gonna-puke-my-brains-out rides. why? because i’m earning my stripes. those middle schoolers went home thinking i was cool, and i went home feeling a little queezy.

so i ate some week-old pizza, cold, and i didn’t get sick. (i was making sure it was safe before telling everyone else at the church to help themselves).

at some point last night, i got a little bored… so i walked to the grocery store. it gave me some time to reflect on how FAR from africa i am.

1. there are no fences. everyone has big welcoming front yards, unencumbered by walls topped with broken glass. there are also no guards. you can look directly into most neighbors windows, and that’s okay.

2. there is grass and it’s pretty. in africa, grass is considered a messy yard. my guard was constantly pulling up my grass. granted, grass can look messy when you cut it with a machete. no machetes here.

3. there are street lights.

4. despite all the comforts of the outdoors… the safety, the grass, the lighting… everyone shuts themselves up inside. no one is out on the streets talking to each other. def not africa.

5. no one stares at me or sings the whitey “yovo” song.

6. the grocery store… ooooh, the grocery store! i don’t even know where to start on that one. luckily, my grocery store is a smaller “express” version, so i don’t get TOO overwhelmed.

7. lots of cars. no motorcycles. less pollution. more trees. no beach. fireflies.

i’m still far from all my close friends, though. peeps here are super friendly, but i know it will take 6 months to a year before i have any really intimate friendships, and that’s kinda sad. but do-able.

after a month of US travels and adventures (college reunion, texas family, preakness race, awesome baseball, lots of coffee, tea and conversation)… i’ve picked up my roots and moved back down south. and by south i mean–i have a huge magnolia tree in my front yard and even the gas stations are closed on sundays.

i still have no car, and i’m in no rush to get one, as i can walk or bike to most places. that’s awesome.

i have no tv or internet at home, and i think that will remain the case as well. it’s nice to disconnect at times.

my house is huge, and it took me an hour to sweep and mop just the upstairs last night. tonight i’ll tackle the downstairs.

don’t let my evening cleaning escapades deceive you… i do have a bit of a social life gaining momentum daily. it’s a small world.

work is too cool. i wear flip flops every day!!

i’m may go back to school this fall (nothing major) at a seminary down the road, still in walking distance.

the ymca (in biking distance) is huge and cheap and even has dry cleaning services.

there are 2 libraries in walking distance, as well as a grocery store, bank and pizza place.

people couldn’t be friendlier.

lets hope something crazy happens soon so my blog will be interesting again!