As the days get closer and closer I'm getting really excited about my time in the States.
Here are some of the things I'm most looking forward to:
Seeing my girls again! I left them in the States exactly a year ago and since then they've grown and changed so much. It will be really fun getting to know them again as young women.
Visting my mom! I haven't seen my mom for over 4 years! Sure we talk on Skype chat regularly but it just isn't the same thing. I'm going to have 5 wonderful days with her in California. I'm hoping to also see my sister and her husband and TWO kids I've never met. In the plans also for the California trip--visiting an uncle I haven't seen since I was seven years old and cousins I've never met.
Going to church! Being able to sit in a church and sing praise and worship songs to the Lord and listen to a message and just set aside the cares of the world. Pure bliss!
Eating out at restaurants! Taco Bell! Starbucks! Antonio's! and so many others!
Wait, no! I want to eat steak too. Scratch that idea!
Seeing friends! I miss being able to sit and just chat with friends or pick up the phone and call someone when the mood strikes. For the next two months I'm going to be catching up with as many friends as I can. One exciting thing is that I'm going to meet a distant cousin who I've befriended on the web. Stephanie found me on Facebook and I got to know her through that and her blog. I'm really looking forward to meeting her.
Driving! Oh boy! I love driving so much. I miss it here because, one, until last August we didn't have a car, two, I don't drive stick shift so I haven't been able to drive this one at all, and third, the roads here just don't lend themselves to enjoyable driving. I'm going to be going on at least one road trip with my son to Louisiana and Alabama. On the way we're going to visit the French Quarter in New Orleans. I can't wait!
And last but most definitely not least: Going to the library and bookstores! Usually the first full day I'm in the States I rush to the library, renew my card and load up on things to read during my free time. I have at least four flights while in the States so I'll have plenty of time. I've been keeping a list of authors and books all year! Do you haven any must reads to recommend?
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wonderful list....makes me realise just how blessed I truly am, it is those little things we take for granted....
ReplyDeletehave a wonderful time;)
What fun! I bet the time will fly by.
ReplyDeleteAs to books, have you read the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency series by Alexander McCall Smith? They take place in Botswana and are very enjoyable, with laugh-out-loud moments. He has several other series, and I'm well on my way to having read all of them, although I don't like them quite as well.
WOW! It's really eye opening when I read stuff like this from people living in other countries. Makes more thankful. I love about two blocks from Borders and Starbucks, and I love it!!
ReplyDeleteHello Amy,
ReplyDeleteHope that when you read this you safely arrived in the States. Wish you a great period over there and hope all your wishes may come trought. You deserve it in most absolute terms.
Books that impressed me last year:
- Markus Zusak: The book Thief. Marvellous but sad story of a young jew in Ww II told by the main personnage in the book: death himself. Very emotional. First book in very many years that made me cry
- Khaled Hosseini: a thousand splendid Suns
- Khaled Hosseini: the kite runner
Two amasingly written books first one telling the life of girl in Afghanistan who had to marry at young age a much older tirranic man.The secound one tells the story of two young people growing up together where one off both cheets the other. First one escapes to America but can't forget the other. About friendship, trahison, guilth and passion.
Donna Tart: The secret History. Published somewhere in the '90ties. Excellent reading for a mom who has children who study far away in the States (lol)
- Paulo Giordano. la solitudine dei numeri primi (The solitude of Prime Numbers). Very emotional story of a special friendship, passionaly written in a way that evocates very profoundly the very complexe human psyche.
Michael Boelgakov: The Master and Margarita. Russian author, book written in 1968. Very special to me because I am personnaly involved and linked with that one (whenever you shoulkd read it, I'll tell you more about that when we visit you next august in Zambia). I read it again somewhat every two years. Story about power and corruption, good and evil, human weackness and the power of love. Some type of modern Faust-myth.
Very good books for younger people but very readable for adults is the Golden compass trilogy from Philip Pullmann. Some call it anti-christian but I do not agree. Makes one thinkabout 'the life beyond' and life after death. Has been the pretext for many 'highlevel discussions' in our family with our children (Will certainly intrest Tom with his special intrest for SF and fantasy).
Hope this give some idea's and who knows can be the occasion of a good exchange of ideas in a few months.
best regards
Eric
And best wishes from all family members: Mieke, Zeger, Flore, Seppe
Oh , and indeed the books from Alexander Mc Call Smith are great fun indeed: we all read the wonderfull storys of super-detective MMa Ramotswe. I am convinced that whenever you miss Africa while beeing in the States...
ReplyDeleteWhen reading it you feel the dust, the characters are absolutely as Tetswana's are...
Eric