This past spring semester I tried out the whole blogging thing. I was out exploring the Eastern side of Africa and I figured that people would probably like to hear about it. It quickly became a chore that I despised. How do I type out what I've been experiencing so that it can be read and understood so that people can at least get a glimpse of what's going on in this crazy life of mine. Besides that even I hate writing. Why would I write anything down when I can just say it. For this reason, among others, my note taking skills in class is mediocre on a good day and only when the class is after at least 10am. So I promised myself I would not blog again after I returned to the motherland; aka the south side of Chicago.
Yet here I am.
Here I am with just over an hour to kill in between jobs. Here I am at 11am, sitting in my apartment, eating peanut butter straight out of the can, and thinking to myself, "Hey Jake, why don't you try blogging again." So, I answered myself, "Because I'm not in Africa anymore, so there's nothing interesting to share." But really there are things to share. Life is as interesting as you make it. Sure, this blog won't contain pictures of lions on the side of the road or random quirks from a "typical" day in Kenya, but my life also doesn't contain those things anymore.
Life update since May 8 of 2013.
"Jake!!!! How was Africa!?!?! I bet it was awesome!"
"Yea it was sweet. Changed my life."
Usually the conversation ended there, but if people were feeling even a little more interested, the next question would be one of the following.
"What was your favorite part?"
"Honestly, I don't even know."
AND/OR
"Are you happy to be back?"
"Honestly, I don't even know."
The first few days of being back consisted of my favorite people in the world, and even people I didn't know so well, asking me questions such as these. Nearly every time I would walk away from the conversation extremely frustrated because I wanted so badly to explain the past 100 odd days to them but I didn't know how to do it. I usually ended up telling them that they should just sign up for the next semester there, which is spring of 2014. Thankfully, most people understand the "post life changing trip" issues and its really not a big deal.
Besides these conversations, there was a combination of sensations that just made me the definition of a hot mess for the first few days. Intense jet lag and reverse culture shock combine for a monstrous team and they had me on lockdown for almost a week.
Next was readjusting to life as I knew it. Except not. The way it was described to me is that when you leave for something like my semester in Kenya, you leave a "you sized hole" in your community of people that you left behind. When you return, you are expected to refill that hole and continue on as it was before. The problem is that you no longer fit exactly. You make it partway in, but you are a different shape, so you will never perfectly refill that hole. I learned that real quick. However, a big shout out goes to my family and close friends for doing exactly what I needed them to do. They did everything and nothing at the same time. By doing nothing different when I came back, they were everything I remembered and therefore they were not something I had to readjust to.
Other things were not quite so easy. My first day back at work I was late by less than 5 minutes. People had been wondering where I was and someone was just about to call me to make sure I hadn't forgotten. America actually runs on time and Kenya absolutely does not. It's been over a month now and I'm still late to everything. I've missed my Kenya family too. Thank goodness for the Internet.
The first week being back, I stayed at Trinity with my friends and sat around while they took their finals. Then, less than 7 days after being back, I said goodbye to everyone leaving for the summer and those who were graduating on Saturday. With a small Christian school like Trinity, you get to know just about everyone, so it's weird to watch a lot of them walk across the stage. However, since it is indeed a small Christian college, I will inevitably see all of my newly graduated friends at someone's wedding eventually.
Then began the work grind. Going from a semester of adventure and doing cool things to working as a janitor at your lovely little college was not an ideal transition and it hit pretty hard. A lot of my friends have big kids jobs and resume builders for the summer. I, however will probably not add to my resume that I've been washing windows for a few weeks now. At the same time summer is turning out to be quite fantastic. Friends are around and we are going to do some crazy things. It's our last summer as kids, we kind of have to.
On another note, it has become clear to me just how unclear my future is. I have no idea what I'll be doing a year from now when I walk across that stage and become an alumni of Trinity Christian College. Frankly, the thought is terrifying. But I have begun to appreciate this Swahili phrase that is just so wonderful...
Hakuna Matata.
God's got your back. He's got mine. Worrying isn't going to help you, and it sure won't help me either. Keep that head up, explore your options, lean on God and don't be afraid to take chances and make mistakes. So what if you don't make a ton of money when you graduate. Since when has money provided happiness!! Do what you love and do it with all that you have. Use your God given talents to make a difference! God calls us to all different places and occupations in this world.
So will I end up in Africa again, doing what I love? Maybe, maybe not. I could go anywhere, the world is open. God provides.
So hakuna matata, for the rest of your days.
"He was a million miles from a million dollars, but you could never spend his wealth."
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
