Saturday, January 10, 2009

Sometimes I wish the world were flat

Nathan and I just returned to London from a whirlwind 3+ week tour of the States. It was our first visit back since moving to the UK a year and a half ago. It was good to be back, visiting farflung friends and family members (although we didn't see nearly enough of them!), although Nathan and I both battled illnesses and other health issues the whole time we were there (not to mention, arctic-level winter weather!). We were reminded that the US is probably one of the worst places in the world (at least the developed world) to get sick, at least when you don't have a lot of expendable income. We sorely missed the NHS when we were in the US. Now we get to apply for new visas - fingers crossed that we get our passports back with shiny new visas in them within the estimated 5-6 week timeframe!

It's good to be home, though. I am currently battling jetlag and trying to finish writing essays before my new term starts up on Monday, but I'm enjoying being back in our flat. I stayed in 6 different places (thanks to wonderful loved ones) over the course of the past month, and it will be nice to be stationery once again - at least for a couple of months. The worst part about travelling across the world is adjusting to various time zones. N and I have both expressed in the past few weeks that we sort of wished the world were a disc and not a globe, so that we'd all be in the same time zone.

Yawn, I think it's time for a nap.

In all seriousness, I know it's been a while since I've written. We've been living in L-town for over 3 months now and I've finished my first term of grad school (but not all the work for it...just yet). I am still adjusting to life here. Some days I hate it, but most days I love it. I am busier than I've ever been, with my classes, two internships, studying two languages, and now being a long-distance board member of Bola Moyo (the org I worked with back in Portland and this summer in Malawi).

One of these days I will try to get around to posting pictures of our trip, as well as our life here in London. I swear!