Settling back in..

I am getting nice and settled back in Denver and back into the routine of a 'non-foreign' graduate student.

It is so different - suddenly the urgency of seeing everything I can possibly see each day has diminished, and everything seems so easy.

Everyone understands me, I can go to the bank or grocery store and know how all of the systems work, I can pick up my cell phone and call my family without messing with a phone card or Skype, I know how to ready my own mail and the street signs, and I know what is culturally appropriate and unacceptable.

I have a car again, and don't have to wait for buses or haggle with taxi drivers. I don't find myself lost in streets that I can't read the name, I can cook my own food and don't have to worry about whether I am using kosher-only plates or not.

Its all so easy.

And quiet.

Denver

After leaving Houston, I had to return to Denver for about 5 days for meetings and such to prepare for my Jerusalem program. Last time I was in town I stayed with my friends John and Meredith (how do I get so lucky to have so many amazing people in my life who willingly take my homeless self in?!) While in town this time around I invaded the home of my best friend Catherine and her husband Peter. They have been the most fabulous hosts. Just look at the little cuties:

Maybe their married-ness inspired me, because a couple of nights ago I had a bout of domesticism kick in. This, my friends, is a ridiculously rare sight, so soak in the photos while you can. I decided I needed to cook a roast, of all things, and it turned out gloriously. Behold:

I was super proud. Don't you want a closer look?!

Cat and Peter helped too.

I also decided I needed to bake bread. What I didn't take into consideration is that the bread would have to rise. twice. and then still be baked. so the bread got finished at 11pm, a mere 3 hours after we had dinner. I never claimed to have a talent at this.

Next Steps

Here is my itinerary for the next few weeks:

• Nov. 23 - Nov. 27: Grahamstown, SOUTH AFRICA - Finish thesis, start PhD applications, say goodbye to my home of a year.
• Nov. 28 - Dec. 7: Lamu and Mombasa, KENYA - bask on the beach and swim in the Indian ocean, drink things out of coconuts and pineapples with the lovely Elisa!! and Jeannie!!
  
• Dec. 7 - Dec. 14th: Arusha, Zanzibar, Dar es Salaam TANZANIA - look at Mt. Kilimanjaro (no climbing), meet up with crazy Denver people who DO climb, bask on the Spice Islands.
• Dec. 14th - Dec. 15th: Pretoria, SOUTH AFRICA - stay with the wonderful family of Estelle, eat my last South African meal, say goodbye to this amazing country.
• Dec. 15 - Dec. 17th: International skies - sleep, watch movies, journal, eat airport food.
• Dec. 17th - Dec. 30th: BURLEY, Idaho - love on my family, my childhood friends, and my home town, sleep, have ridiculous amounts of Christmas cheer, finish PhD applications.
• Dec. 30th - Drive to Denver
• Dec. 31- Jan 5th: HOUSTON! Love on my amazing Houston family (best people in the world), snuggle with Victor and his family, celebrate new years, give my welcome back presentation to my sponsor Rotary club.
• Jan 6th - Jan. 11th: DENVER - bother/love Catherine and Peter and John and Meredith, avoid their dogs, look for somewhere to live, go to lots of meetings.
• Jan. 11th - March 23rd - JERUSALEM: attend Hebrew University, work with Human Rights NGO (tba).

Phew, that kind of makes me tired to look at, but that's my amazingly ridiculous reality for the next couple of months. If you are in any of those places, block me out a meal or a cup of tea, I am so anxious to reconnect with my loved ones.