Entry, Descent and Landing...not at hypersonic speeds

Hi People - I am back in the US. I landed in Atlanta around 6PM on Christmas Eve. My girl and my mom picked me up at the Atlanta airport. Finally: I was home.

I was in Liberia for 13 weeks. I worked 62 days; I visited 8 schools. I traveled 418 miles roundtrip on the Kakata Highway to Nimba, in eastern Liberia, where I climbed one mountain from which I was able to see into 3 countries. I met scores of children - this was a joy source for me. They are funny, laughing, wriggling, shy, boisterous, gorgeous little people. Every now and then, one would really stand out - tons of sass, a smile that I could not look away from, a hand slipped into mine that held on.

I walked to work about 20 times; at least half of those times, I caught a motor bike once I walked through the very congested market. 50 Liberian Dollars (25 cents) for a motorbike ride. While my safety rules of riding motorbikes did not always involve helmets, they did include not riding through very congested areas...I couldn't help seeing one of my legs getting mooshed by another car, keh-keh, or motorbike. (Other rules that I learned from Victor and a helpful cab driver: look for motorbikes drivers that have good boots, a reflective vest, and long pants. "No sandals!" my cab driver told me. Don't get on a bike that doesn't have both rear view mirrors; the drivers remove them to get through tighter spaces, but it's a sign of their risk-taking. Last: tell a driver I'm not in a hurry and reserve the right to stop at any time and get off. That last one was so enlightening! "Really?," I said to Victor, "I just tell them the ride is over and I want to get off?" Any cred I had with him might have gone out the window right then. "Yes, Sarah. Get off the bike if you think it isn't safe," he said. Good advice.)

I walked the beach in Monrovia about a dozen and a half times. I danced at a night club twice. I had the best Chinese food I've ever had once; I went to one wedding and had one good-bye party. I ate one pig's foot. I wrote 15 blog entries (that got 4,982 views!). I had 2 Club Beers at a roadside bar called "No Bad Day" with my team. I walked past No Bad Day every day to/from work. I felt like it was Monrovia's version of Margaritaville - don't you think Jimmy Buffet would have loved a bar called No Bad Day?

Two times, I had a lizard fall out of my kitchen blind when I raised it in the morning. Except the first one might have been a mouse. Unclear.

I have tried many ways in my mind to "sum up" my experience - for myself, for the stories I share with you. These numbers give (me) a bit of structure; a tiny bit of depth, maybe a little scale.

I got hassled zero times; I felt scared once. Nothing happened, but I was locked out of my compound late at night. A neighbor came to my aid. I did not get sick from food or water. I met zero other Americans.

The experience was everything I wanted, though it was often hard. Some of what was hard was the total newness of everything. Some was the comfort or lack of comfort of daily life. Some was being very, very different from everyone else. Some was being far away from my family, and especially my girl who was mostly soaring in her first semester of college, but had some bumps. I was 7,000 miles too far away from her to provide proper comfort.

Thanks to you wonderful humans, I raised $6,000 to bring more school workbooks, pencils and chalk to wonderfully deserving children in Liberia.

I left Monrovia on a Sunday night; an overnight flight from Monrovia to Brussels. Precious and Victor picked me up and we went together for dinner at co-worker's restaurant that was near the airport. Luckily enough, Charles, our co-worker was there. So I had a truly fabulous dinner with three of the people I was closest to just before entering the airport, going through security, and starting the long trek home.

I've been in Atlanta (mostly) since arriving back in the US on December 24. Soph and I did a very fun road trip up the east coast the first week in January, grabbing a couple days in DC (thank you, Steve!) and then NYC (thanks to Lethe and Jaques!). I hopped to Chattanooga to see Mon Rovia perform; Brian provided needed art supplies and helped me both meet Mon Rovia and get his autograph. Thanks BC!

The next stop on this Gap Year is Denver, Colorado. On the way, I'll stop in Jackson, MS (I'm looking at you Toya), and Fayetteville, AR (need some tips Jenn Ash). Then, I'll spend a luxurious amount of time with soulmates Elizabeth and Diane. I don't think I have mentioned that the animating theme for this Gap Year is spending time with people I love.

And you know: writing that sentence makes me think THIS is what I am doing post-election. It is not marching; it is not protesting. I do think it is focusing me. There is so much shit that is extraneous. But being with people you love and really knowing each other is not.

One of David Brooks's great questions that he uses to more deeply get to know people is: What will we be celebrating in a year?

And people, I know one thing I will be celebrating is having spent the year with you. Amen, amen, amen.

xo