Test

Background information for this post: There is lots of trash on the ground here.

So, I had to get an HIV test the other day in order to get my stay visa. I will spare you the details of the actual test, but will express that standards many westerners are used to are not employed here (standards such as not digging phlegm out of one's mouth after drawing blood from one person and before drawing blood from another--I digress and have given you details). Anyway, after getting my test I still had the cotton ball the tech gave me to stop the bleeding. I didn't know what to do with it, and I refused just to throw it on the ground. Finally I saw a large metal trash can outside. So, I walked through a large pile of trash in order to throw my cotton ball in an empty trash can.

HA! Victory.

And also irony.

Today, and yesterday

I have to get a new passport, as my current one has nearly expired. I have to say, I am sad to be giving up my beloved passport. We've been through a lot together. I look at the girl in the photo and think back. I had no clue about anything. I hadn't any idea of what I was getting into when that photo was taken, so I could go to Europe on a whim with my best friend. Other than Spanish, which doesn't count as a foreign language back home, I never had to communicate in another language, let alone pay an electric bill, cross borders or have even more important conversations in one. I sure didn't know, or even dream that I would spend so much time in Africa in my future. I had no idea of the great amount of blessings that were in store for me, the amazing people I would meet. I didn't know of the difficult truths about myself I would encounter while in the desert, nor of the amazing and wonderful truths about the Sovereign One, which I initially learned in Sunday School as a child, but went deeper than I ever knew possible. Yes, I had no idea of how wonderful He would be to me.

I took another passport picture today. I would wonder what I will say about the person in that picture the next time I renew, but I sense that I need to be careful about spending too much time thinking about the future these days. I will miss the abundant life available to me now if I worry about that.

I can't sleep. I listened to an hour of the Braveheart soundtrack, which normally helps me fall asleep, and here I am still awake. The above ramblings are the ramifications of that.

I had to pull my hair behind my ears for the photo, by the way. I know that rarely is anyone satisfied with their passport pictures, but I really think I appear to have a mullet in this picture. Oh well.

Off day

I took today off and watched fall 2006 season of The Amazing Race. That is the only reality show I would ever go on.

I have been thinking about the future lately. I'm not sure what has brought it on. I suppose the nature of a time commitment encourages that. I haven't come up with much, except that I'd like to keep seeing new places. I'm happy here, so I'm not thinking on it as a form of escape. I think I was just born with an urge towards travel and adventure. And I can't help but wonder what the next great adventure will be. I love the feelings combo of sleep deprivation, jet lag, early morning excitment, looming adventure and even disorientation. Perhaps I have a Peter Pan complex. Maybe I am a travel junkie. I wonder if there is a job that consists of backpacking around the world and seeing new places.

It's been cool lately. Not Eastern Europe in the winter cool, but cool enough. The weather has been in the fifties. I am enjoying it, as I know hot weather is coming soon enough.

I miss the Canon that I left at home. I need to get on to ordering another one. What was I thinking coming back to Africa with just a point and shoot?

I've got two months left of language before I start teaching. I must say I am ready to be on the other side of the classroom. I wish I knew more Arabic.

My climbing gear has sat on a shelf for nearly four months. I look at it sometimes, and miss my favorite wall at Dynorock. If I wouldn't freak out the neighbors so much, I might consider climbing my apartment building.

This has not been a very worthy post. Apologies.