Goodbye, America!

My, oh my, have the seasons reversed.  The last time I went to Africa, I left behind a sticky, humid Atlanta July and stepped into the coldest winter that Lesotho had seen since 1986.  I’m talking snow, lots of it.  By the way, Lesotho is a country inside South Africa, to the south of Swaziland.  Don’t feel bad if you haven’t heard of it, the post office never believes that it’s a real country either. 

The first time I spoke with my family after arriving there, they excitedly asked, “How is Africa?  What animals have you seen?”

I said, “Africa is freakin’ freezing.  And all I’ve seen is a cow and two chickens.  National Geographic is full of it.”

Well, I’m leaving for Kenya tomorrow.  It’s been snowing in Atlanta, hot there.  I’m not sure if I’m prepared enough to do this work, but I’m getting on the plane.  I’ve had my last ice cream cone for the unforeseeable future (unless I get one at the airport), and I’ve got plenty of reading material to keep me busy. 

I fly to Detroit, through Amsterdam, and then land in Nairobi, supposedly 24 hours later (for anyone wanting to bet on how long the trip will actually take, please contact my sister, who is running the pool…only kidding, The General History Project, Inc. does not condone gambling, unless all proceeds are reinvested in the project– anything for the greater cause).  Seriously, IRS, I am only kidding. 

I will miss ya’ll, my friends and family, and I will miss America.  But I’ll be in good hands and return soon.  To close, I prefer the following words more than my own:

Every man carries within him a world which is composed of all that he has seen and loved, to which he constantly returns, even when he is traveling through, and seems to be living in, some different world.    -Chateaubriand, Voyages en Italie

Until we blog again…Laura Lee