"People-Sick"

            For those of you who know my occasional introverted tendencies, no, this is not a blog where I am saying I am sick of people.  In fact, it is quite the opposite. “People-sick” is simply my way of saying that I am homesick; however, my definition of home is a little jumbled because of all of the places I have lived, and all of the people who make a place “home” for me.

            Most of my time in the DR has been spent being so busy that I have not really had time to feel that homesick. I got most of those feelings out the night before I left, when I was frantically trying to unpack from Brazil, pack for this trip, and dealing with the fact that I would not see my family, my friends, or Nick for almost four months.  The first night I arrived, I felt some of those emotions again, but they were combined with an excitement about the unknown that lay ahead.  Now, after being here for a little over a month, some of that excitement has faded, and I have fallen into a fairly normal and consistent routine.  This is more comforting than it is boring. It is nice to know I have the same schedule each day and have a better idea of what to expect.

            However, this weekend was probably the time that I felt the most homesick, or “people-sick,” if you will.  I am at a point where I have so much to prepare for school each day to teach, and I think it all kind of piled up at once.  The fact that I have been here for one month and still have two to go seemed daunting.  Not only was I feeling like I had a lot of things to do for school, but I was also grappling with the idea that I would not be in any place that was familiar to me for quite a while still. 

            Now, I am happy to say that while my “people-sickness” will not be cured until I am back with familiar faces, it is on hold for now. I have really been able to enjoy the company of my host family.  Just last night, Priscylla, Aileen, and I played “Vieja” (or Old Maid, in English), Go Fish, and charades. We had a great time laughing as we tried to guess what each person was acting out.  I am also incredibly thankful for the technology of Skype.  I probably overuse it, but I have enjoyed being able to talk to (and see!) many of my friends and family weekly.  It has made the transition of being away much easier, and it is always a way to make a hard day feel much better.

            God is working in me, even with, and probably through, this feeling of sadness that often comes with being apart from a lot of people who are important to me.  I know he has placed me here for a reason, and I plan to take advantage of every lesson in store for me. 

            Thanks to those of you who have been faithful in reading these. It makes me feel like I’m not just babbling away to the void of the internet.  This week was a little serious, but my next post will be about the many awkward moments I have had since coming here. Prepare yourself. I have a whole lot of awkwardness to share. (I know that many of you are thinking “what else is new?” right?)