Answering your questions

1. You're back! How long are you here for?

4 months. I'll head back to Clove Island the week after Easter.

2. So, you're not here to stay?

Nope. Not so far as I have planned.

3. What's your 5 year (10 year/20 year) plan?

Great question! Ask God. Honestly, I'm where I'm at and working hard there, but holding plans loosely in anticipation that they could easily change due to a variety of factors.

4. What's your favorite thing about being back in the US?

My people! Catching up with friends and hearing about what's going on with them in person is so wonderful. Otherwise, I like breakfast sausage, espresso, tall evergreens, frosty mornings, driving "fast" on curvy roads, and a whole host of other things that where I live in Africa doesn't offer.

5. What do you miss about Africa?

My people! I keep getting messages and voicemails from my friends on Clove Island. "Abby! When are you coming back?" I also miss not having cold fingers. And beef kebabs.

6. So, what are you doing while you're in the US? 

Catching up with people, mostly. Visiting places. Looking for a few new supporters. And in my spare time I've got projects related to work back on Clove Island that I've been doing. Oh, and I'm planning to move my blog to a new address. Stay tuned.

Got more questions? Feel free to ask!

Questions

I've been back in the US for 2.5 weeks now, so a lot of my questions have been answered, but it's always interesting catching up on things that have changed while I've been away. And I recently realized that a lot of the questions could just as easily be asked by someone who's just finished serving time in prison. Awkward. Sorry y'all, I'm not an ex-con, I'm just back in North America after living in Africa for awhile is all. So without further ado, here are some of the questions I've been asking:

1.  Is this gas price high or low? On Clove Island, the price of gas is federally regulated, so it's always around $1.30/liter. Fluctuating prices isn't really a thing there.

2. How did the shop know my name in order to call it when my order was ready? Ok, ok, they read my credit card, I guess. Hmm. Not sure how I feel about that.

3. How does "tap to pay" work? How do I know if my card works that way? Do I want to use that option? This question remains unresolved. Anyone want to explain it?

4. Why are Americans into having cold ankles? This whole short pants and low topped shoes thing is beyond me. I'm here struggling to stay warm (after living in a tropical paradise, ya know), and there are people willingly baring their ankles to the world. Please explain this phenomenon.

5. Ads in the middle of YouTube videos-- why? Do we really have the patience for this?

6. How do you handle produce at the grocery store? Do you have to weigh/tag it yourself? Does it need its own bag? What's the procedure?

There are other questions floating around, but this is a start. I'm transitioning back to life in the US. It's easier each time I do it, but still a bit of a process.

And hey! If you want to get together while I'm home, let me know! Drop an email or send me a message. I'd love to hear from you.