102!

This is my 102nd post and it's dedicated to my grandfather who is 102 years old.

Time is a fluid concept: it can rush by, slow down to a trickle, or freeze depending on what activity you're doing. When you're having a good time, it's gone just like that. But when you're lining up at the post office, sitting in your doctor's waiting room, or suffering through a boring lecture/sermon time crawls. Doesn't matter how many times you glance at your watch. There's a chapter in the Bible (Ecclesiastes 3) saying there's a time for everything. (See, you can learn a lot from a boring sermon!) And in that same spirit, I decided that it's time to go home.

I am soooo excited because I AM GOING HOME FOR A VISIT AT THE END OF THE YEAR!!

Got the ticket last month through STA Travel, I highly recommend them. Great service plus they have student and youth discounts. I want to share the info 'cause when I asked some people where they get their tickets they were very vague mpaka I was wondering why that information was classified. You'd think I was asking for someone to buy me a ticket or give me the number of their drug dealer. One dude was very helpful and gave me contacts for his travel agent but I decided to go with STA's deal.

This is one of those things I find very frustrating, when people have certain knowledge but they guard it so closely and refuse to share it though there's nothing to lose. I've encountered this attitude from fellow countrymen multiple times during my stay in this country. By no means is one person obligated to hold another's hand and guide them through the most mundane daily activities. And yet, some people don't even want to share the most basic information. Or worse, they give bad advice as they mumble under their breath that they suffered so everyone else should also suffer. Excuse me? What kind of warped logic is that? But as capable adults, we find other reliable resources and move on. Funny how some people are so willing to give advice when it's needed the least, doling it out in a very patronising manner. It annoys me to have someone say long after the fact "You could have done this, or gone there." Well, I didn't. I can't go back in time. I did something else, and I will live with my choices proudly. I don't make decisions by accident, it takes a lot of thought and extensive planning on my part because I alone know my circumstances, abilities, and resources. I don't give advice: however, I willingly share my experiences, opinions, and any knowledge I have. And I've also learned there are times when I have to admit "I don't know."

Getting back to the main topic of going home, I have so many emotions and thoughts going through my head. I'm thinking back on the last few years. I'm thinking of life at home and all the changes that took place in my absence. How I've changed. What hasn't changed. I'm thinking of my family: most important are my parents who sacrifice and support us endlessly. And my numerous relatives. I laugh when people ask how many relaz I have. There's my 102 year old grandfather and my new baby cousin. Being away from home is like missing out on chapters of life; there have been deaths, births, weddings and many other events that I wasn't part of and yet the course of my life is so closely intertwined with them. While we can look back on the past, bonds are strengthened by undergoing new experiences together. I went back to my first post and I'm fulfilling most of my New Year's resolutions. I can remain motivated when I know there's a reward at the end. Home at last!