Sunday, July 12, 2009

Endings...and waiting for new beginnings...

Being back in the US again is shocking...culture shock is real! Everything uses electricity...garage door openers, phones, escalators, automatic doors, garbage disposals...the list could on indefinitely. No wonder the US is a top consumer of natural resources!

Here are some random observations about being back in the US:
***Radio is a wonderful thing! Free music...lots of it...24/7!
***Hot showers are not in the least bit over-rated...AMAZING!
***Americans own a lot of STUFF. (I'm doing a much better job cleaning out my room in my parent's house out after living in Nigeria for a year!)
***Decorating one's environment is more highly valued than one's dress. (People in Jalingo are much more concerned about being dressed very well!)
***People wear short shorts here...out and about everywhere! How did I forget?!
***I love the entertainment opportunities...art museums, concerts, restaurants!
***People live indoors here. I miss being able to see people everywhere I go. (Granted I'm coming from a city of 150,000 to a town a 2500...that's part of the difference.)

Currently, I'm living in Wilton with my parents and still applying for a ridiculous number of high school science teaching jobs. I honestly didn't think I would have this tough of a time getting hired in the midwest. I've applied to so many places throughout Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota and Iowa and am still waiting. Yet, the God who has been with me through my childhood, college, first job in Texas, and now serving for a year in Nigeria will surely continue. He will not forsake me! I'm hanging on to Psalm 27:13-14:

"I am confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord."

Yeah...I'm not sure if you know this about me...I'm not good at waiting for the unknown. I am an action person. Give me a task, a goal, an idea I will work hard to make it happen, but to be still and wait is very hard! In fact, being in this position right now is MUCH SCARIER than leaving for Africa to spend a year "alone". I'm trying to be content in all situations instead of wishing away this time before getting a job (I'm not being very successful).

I'm missing my day-to-day friends in Nigeria a LOT and looking forward my new beginning whereever that may be and whenever it may begin. Right now I'm in between an amazing experience I had and being excited for the new beginning that awaits me...waiting.

2 comments:

Ems said...

“Patience is waiting. Not passively waiting. That is laziness. But to keep going when the going is hard and slow - that is patience.” -Anonymous

Laura R. said...

Just go eat a burrito! That'll definitely make life better. :) so glad you made it back safely!!