Journey Home

It is just that: a journey. Both emotionally and physically, as I sit in the Enteebe Airport, I feel the weight of my trip about to travel through my body. I find a place in the waiting area with my backpack and rolly suitcase, watching the flight information board with so much anticipation that it freezes me. Friends that I've met here have told of African life hitting them only as they take off from the ground- erupting out of them as the plane engine roars under their seats. To be clear, I certainly have experienced culture shock; things about the life, society, even the small manerisms of the Ugandan people that hit me in the core several times over, sometimes without the slightest recognition from my mind until days after. But when the feelings come to a head, they are impossible to turn away from. It's like a force of emotion, and jolt to the body, that leaves you weak. And sitting in the airport, I can feel that those emotions are going to hit me...and not knowing when or how is certainly challenging. I don't want to forget- to return home to running water and air-conditioning and lose the experience. I want to hold onto everything- all the lives and memories, the discomfort and the beautiful connections that I've grown to love.

As I delve into 'deep emotional thought' with you all, I realize just how grateful I've been-I am- to have you! the simple process of wanting to share my trip with the people who helped me get to Africa, quickly turned into a beautiful feeling for me, and in some ways, a way of coping with all that was around me. So I truly thank you for that, from the bottom of my humbled heart.

...and I'll tell you a little secret... this blog is now ranked!?! Some crazy number like the 120,968th ....but that's out of something like 20 million?!?!! Well I think that's amazing anyway, so I think we should all be proud!!
I also think perhaps that I'll continue to post things on this blog address about 'African Sole'! (HOW COOL!) And I've decided after some consideration, to get a PO box at the post office instead of having people send shoes to my apartment. (Or, as some suggested, you can just give them to me when I see you? Ha!)
I'll be 'on holiday', as they say in Uganda, at the beach with my family after I get home, but I look forward to catching up with everyone around the 16th of August!

It truly has been a ride of a life-time!
Here's to the future!
Here's to Uganda's future!
Here's to African Sole!
and Here's to all of you!!!


Thank you!!
More soon!
Love always,
Carly