So, this past Saturday, I time-traveled. I lived 7pm-2am on a plane, going over Scotland, Greenland, Iceland. I watched Austenland (very funny movie, FYI) and Iron Man 3, napped a bit, and ate lunch and dinner...and then I landed in Toronto, Canada, and it was 7pm all over again. And I got to live my evening all over again, this time by running through the Toronto airport, flying over the US in a 48-seat Air Canada plane, a shaky landing to bring me back into my home city, and then...an empty international baggage claim. Empty in that my family wasn't there. And for this, I blame a well-meaning but completely out-of-her-mind customer service lady at Air Canada. You see, I didn't have a working cell phone with me because I had been using a Turkish cell phone during the past 4 months. And so my parents called Air Canada to make sure that I had made it onto my connecting flight, since I had an extremely quick turn-around of 50 minutes and US Customs in Toronto to get through. Well, thank God, I did make it to my flight, was the 2nd person to board that tiny plane in fact. But the Air Canada customer service lady evidently doesn't know how amazing God is in working things out. So she told my parents that there was absolutely no way that I was on my flight home, and that at that moment she was booking me a flight to Atlanta for the following morning. So my parents, disappointed and sad, decided to go to sleep and go to the airport in the morning when I should arrive after my long journey. And they were just falling asleep when I called, having borrowed a phone for a few moments, and told them the news that, yes, I was at International Baggage Claim in Atlanta, waiting for them. So that's how my homecoming was. I mean, no one was hurt, everything turned out all right in the end, and I'm all fine and dandy. But I do hope that Air Canada lady gets her act together so no one else has the same unfortunate experience :)
Even with that rough start, it's been a great few days back in the States. I could make a whole long list of things that I miss in Turkey, but that would be pointless because when you live a full, well-traveled life, wherever you are there will be places and people you miss. But here are the things I am thankful for today, right now, where I am:
1) My family. They truly are amazing. I am so blessed. I got hiccups within the first 24 hours of being home because my sister is one of the only people that can make me laugh that hard. I have enjoyed talking about everything with mom, and having daddy&daughter time during my morning commute to the bus with my dad. Yes, I am blessed.
2) My Atlanta friends. I had an incredible welcome back to campus on Monday, including lunch with all my Tech chemistry buddies just like old times. They watched my back as I was pretty drowsy and sometimes scatter-brained in the afternoon (jet-lag is...interesting) and made my adjustment straight into 3 chemistry courses a fun experience. All the welcome-home texts and hugs have really made it great to be back.
I almost can't even write about Turkey right now. I'm still trying to wrap my mind around my life, how it was for the past 4 months, and how it changes (and can't change) as I settle into life in the States again. If you ask me how it was, I will probably say "Amazing." Because I have given up on trying to explain something that is inexpressible in words. But if you get the chance to sit down and chat with me (and I have a double teapot and Turkish çay at home, so I am looking forward to sharing convo over tea time with many of you soon), then I can try to share with you the aspects of the past 4 months that have made it a life-affirming experience that has helped me get a glimpse into what my path through life will look like and what God has in store for me.
Also, you all know that one of my favorite modes of communication is a good, old postcard :) So, send me your address! Would love to continue to keep in touch across the oceans (or just across town) in this way. Everyone loves getting some joy in their mailbox.
Until next time,
Your Faithful Nomad
