I'll Take Friends, With a Side of Friends

When you are in a foreign country, sometimes you get desperate.  Desperate for home, desperate for creature comforts, desperate for solitude or peace....in my case, after 3 weeks of being here, I became desperate - for friendship.

It's not actual "living" that has been tough on me. I can handle the daily life here and my girls are champs at adjusting.  But it's been the lack of friends....people who understand. People who "get it".  I was in need of companionship from other women who can look at me and say, "I've been there." or "Come hang at my place!"  You know.....girlfriends.  Always being the "foreigner" everywhere you go takes its toll, and for me, I needed people who understood that.  I couldn't shake the feeling that finding this community was vital to us living here and being whole.

Enter the internet.  I couldn't just stay in this lonely frame of mind. I had to do something about it. So, a few google searches for "ex-pat" families in Uganda, a couple emails to & from super friendly folks, and voila!  It's amazing what a little desperosity and clever internet searching can get you!

An amazing lady from a solid organization offered to meet with me to discuss surviving here. That meeting led to coffee with a sweet family living here from California. That meeting turned into an invite into a home school co-op. That co-op turned into an invite to a bible study. Then a recipe exchange....  Can you hear the rejoicing!!  Community!!

Sophie in the "Cheetah" class in our first co-op meeting

 This all sounds so - highschoolish....this friend thing. But I guess you don't realize the need for social connection until you don't have it.  And my girls.....the ability for them to connect with kids from ALL over the world! It's such an amazing opportunity. In our co-op, we have kids from Northern Ireland, South Africa, California....I love hearing all the different accents, yet we all have the ability to identify with the hardships ( and blessings) of living abroad with our families.

So....I'm feeling a bit better about things. Everyday I am learning something new here. Whether it's perfecting the art of homemade bread (I've got this recipe memorized already!).

 Or improving my driving skills.....I'm already pretty comfortable driving and am slowly learning more about the good roads/shortcuts/etc.    I DO get thrown off a bit when seeing matatus (bus taxis) with signs such as this on the back - "EXEPECT NO MERCY".  Hmmm.....

And I'm still waiting until September 16th, when the Bwerenga School starts back up and I can go love on and bless my little friends and teachers. I do love that place!

Boog, as always, is 100% in love with this life and the mission of Sixty Feet.  You can read more about his experiences on his blog  www.thechosenfast.blogspot.com.