Home...a few reflections and noticings.

So, one last blog, in case there are any hanger-on-ers who are dying to know what happened to me after I lamented about packing.



I got home nearly a month ago, and it has been wonderful. I was wondering if I would be bitter or frustrated or confused about the quick change of pace and life style. Honestly, I've had a really great transition. I am thankful.



America is great. At first, I was weirded out by how new, rectangular, clean, shiny, organized and quiet it was. I ran outside my first morning in Philly with my friend Alaina, and felt my first genuinely cool breeze with gentle sunlight. It was amazing. The roads looked wide and nearly boring. What especially got me was the PACE of Americans. In the airport I was shocked at how much information people were attempting to digest all at once-- ipod, reading, watching the news. I do not believe that all those can be done well at once, but there were many people trying!

I was amazed at my zen like patience with travel. I do not need to be constantly entertained anymore. I can sit through an 18 hr trip from Dhaka to Philly and barely notice that time has gone by. This was a surprise. I am less easily frustrated here when things do not go as expected. My sense of time and dates and being late is definately still Bengali style. It has kept me from feeling stressed out, I've just been going with the flow, visiting all my favorite people who I love... and I've been enjoying American food--pizza, fries, cold drinks, summer cookouts. Lake Michigan is still there and beautiful, and I've especially loved being able to go for a run and not get harassed, stared at, commented upon...barely noticed even. That is a good feeling. It is great not to feel like a celebrity anymore. I've been cooking alot, baking some, taking long walks. Noticing things. Life is good. I have a different sense of what America is like, because I have new eyes through which to see it. I do not fear forgetting this past year with all the adventures, learnings and amazing people, I am excited to see how it will shape the future.

In about 2 weeks I begin the Mdiv/MSW program at Western Seminary in Holland, MI. I am excited to learn about Theology, Ministry and Social Work. I am looking forward to becoming part of the seminary community.

I don't think I'll be blogging like this anymore..I'll be writing in other ways maybe electronically, maybe not. We'll see.

For now, it is just really good to be home.

Peace to you all.
Cicely