The Journey to Sesotho! (part I)

3:42pm Houston time on Sat 6/5/10

So I finished packing with negative two minutes to spare, meaning the car had to wait minutes seconds for me to finish launching clothes into my bag, zip it up, and throw random stuff into my carryon that I don’t really need but, since I waited so long to pack, I have been rendered incapable of deciphering the necessary from the unnecessary. I gave everyone multiple abnormally long hugs. But it’s okay because I love my family and am especially willing to give them excess hugs since it’s the last time I’ll be able to touch them (not in a creepy way) for two months.

I ran over to my neighbor’s house and gave them hugs too. They were sweaty from yard work and transferred sweat to me during the hug, but I guess a hug that leaves you coated with other people’s sweat is better than no hug at all.

Karenna also ran up to the car at the last second and gave me a paper folded in half with green marker writing bleeding through. I know it’s one of her infamous novel-letters. I started to unfold it but then placed it back in my bag and decided to wait for a moment when I felt particularly homesick to read it (because reading a sappy (in a good way) letter from my sister as I pathetically tear up from missing our sisterly connection definitely won’t make me feel more homesick…)

3:58pm Houston Sat 6/5/210:

One time when my hair was inhibiting my ability to study, I wrapped my hair in a huge, red, furry scrunchy. In the back of my mind I knew it was there, but as I became busy with other tasks, I completely forget that I looked like a tiny, red, furry creature had taken haven in my hair. I went grocery shopping, dropped something off at my friend’s house, got back home, and finally, when I passed by a window and saw my reflection, realized it had been there the entire time.

What I feel now is similar to what I felt that moment; I’ve known I was going to Lesotho since October, but got wrapped up in doing other things for the nine months that followed. Now I’ve finally caught my reflection in the window of the car. I’m actually going. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m excited and it’s definitely better than having a small, red, furry animal on my head, but shocking all the same.

4:07pm later that day: You know that feeling when an airplane first takes off? When you feel the vibrations of the plane as the plane picks up speed and the wings catch wind and the wheels lose contact with the ground? When you lose your stomach for a second and it feels like a gust of wind has replaced your insides? And you realize that the only thing keeping you from crashing into the ground is the wind current?

That’s what I’m feeling. My wheels finally lost touch with my mom, sister, grandparents, uncle, and house and now I’m coasting in the car taking me to the airport. Every anchor that usually keeps me connected to the safe ground and security of my home is gone. I feel weirdly empty, but not an I’m hungry and depressed empty, rather a “I’m a free floating dandelion seed who’s now moving with the wind current of my trip and has nothing restraining/connected to her” empty. It’s half exciting, half terrifying.