Lucky Newbie

My replacement came last week and I’ve been kicked out of my house until she leaves. I’m spending my time getting some work done at the office, hence the slew of blog updates.
I went through the same thing but since I was first generation the process was a bit different. I’m sure it’s strange for her to be staying 5 days in a fully furnished house where someone else has been living and working for two years. EEK! But its also strange to think that in 2 weeks that will be her house and not mine, she will have the life that I once had and shell be paving her own way in a village that I will still call home. She’ll do great I know it, but I can’t help but feel a little jealous.

Its funny now to think Ill be jealous of someone just beginning their service when my start was so difficult, but Id do it again especially knowing what I know now. I remember being bright eyed and bushy tailed and ready to work. We sort of get “used” or jaded as the days, weeks, months go on and it’s hard to remember what it was like to be new. We have adapted to this life and
it’s hard to remember what it was like hitchhiking for the first time and learning new social cues and finding our way to live and cope.

I’m not ready to clean my house and say goodbye. People ask me how it feels to be done and going home and I try to remember what it was like leaving home initially. I almost think this is worse. But the time has come and in two weeks (16 days) and less than a month I will be leaving my village and then leaving Zambia. Crazy! More people are trying to marry me off then ever before because to them that’s my only way of staying. No matter how often I tell people that in a few years after grad school I want to come back, we all know that this may be the last time we’re with each other. It’s such a strange thought. These people have gone from being just the villagers to being family and from just being teachers to being friends. The good bye will be rough.

But I do feel its time to go home. I miss my family and simple first world pleasure (indoor plumbing!!!!!) I miss sushi and cartoons and being able to be on my own time. I miss the concept of lines and knowing that no matter how long the line is, Ill get to the front. I feel like its time
to move on the next adventure whatever that may be.

But I am still jealous. I’m going to miss the Zambian sunrise and the stars that twinkle at night. I’m going to miss constant dancing and the laughter of my iwe. I’m going to miss Zamlogic and the slow deliberate pace of things. Of course I’m going to miss all the people that have made these two years amazing (despite the downs) but I am excited that someone else gets
to experience what I did, in her own way of course. Just like it was hard to
leave home, it’ll be hard to leave this place I call home but I’ve enjoyed my adventure and its time to let someone start theirs. But I can still be a little jealous. :)