Hello, America. You're a bit strange. I guess I'm getting used to you. I'm wearing a spaghetti strap dress that hits me well above the knees, and I wear short shorts like it's no big deal now. Beer is so much more expensive here and so much smaller. I've more or less had to turn off the part of my brain that could pick the western world to pieces and just rely on my instincts to get around in this suburbanite culture. I still remember how to drive a car, surprisingly enough. I'm sorry, but things can just be so trivial here. Does it really take 10 minutes to pick out something from the store? Why are there 26 types of pringles on the shelves? Do we really have to put on that white, upper middle class, ritzy yet soccer mom demeanor when we interact? Why can't I shake your hand after I hug you? I've really had to repress that one. And oh my lord, do I miss my babies. I'm sure they just think that I've abandoned them. I can't tell you how many dreams I've had where I've had the chance to see them and I don't because I think that if I see them I'll upset them when I leave. I wish I could just realize it was a dream and go hug them all again. Sigh.
But speaking of my babies! I guess I never mentioned this before, but one of my babies got adopted and is now in Canada. How crazy yet wonderful. I saw him and his parents sitting near the gate of the orphanage reading one day, inquired about what they were up to, and then lost all my composure when I found out they were adopting him. So happy for this little guy :) I saw them several times more before I left, but the last day when I came to say goodbye to all my kids, he wasn't there! His parents had just gotten custody or the travel papers or something. I spent some good time with my kids that day (god I miss them so much) and said goodbye thinking I'd never see Innocent again. But then much to my surprise, when we went out for breakfast the next morning (to the African Bagel Company!! Real bagels and cream cheese! And hummus! Lovely :) ), there was Innocent and his parents :) So glad I got to see that little guy again. Though now his name is Ezra now. Something more Canada friendly. And I've found their family blog! Shout out to yall :) So now I can keep up with them!
Anyway, my last day in Rwanda was more or less insane. Breakfast, seeing the family, getting a drink with and saying goodbye to Vedaste, bank, saying goodbye to Addy, saying goodbye to alimentation dude (can you say heart broken?), dropping off the last of our stuff at the orphanage, packing, and then heading to the airport by 5. Lord. I took sleeping pills through all of my flights (yes, even the 2 hour one). Makes them go by so fast :).
But, we did have quite an awesome layover in Brussels. Our layover turned from 5 hours into 8, so naturally, we picked up our stuff, got our passports stamped, cashed our dollars for euros, and took the train into town :) In the few hours we had, we basically ran through the city. We stopped at a cathedral first, then went to a souvenir shop, got Belgian waffles (nutella, whipped cream, and strawberries. Delicious!), and then went and got bread and cheese, which was heavenly!!! Man do I wish I could have spent more time there. So after we finished running around the city, Ben, Alissa, and I hopped the train back to the airport, and boarded our flight. But not before getting beers the size of our faces. Pictures are on facebook :)
