I have a visitor!

The last couple of weeks have been great. My boyfriend, Peter, arrived safe in Lusaka last Thursday and we’ve been enjoying each other’s company in the context of African life. I had a moment of shock seeing Peter turn the corner at the airport and wrap his arms around me. I barely was able to sleep the night before and was at the airport promptly at 630AM, waiting for Peter’s plane. When I finally got the embrace that I’d been waiting for since the day I left Nebraska, I thought my heart had stopped and I was floating over the scene. I guess you call these moments “out of body experiences.” It was like I didn’t recognize him. Up until now, I’ve made this place my home and there is not one part of my day that is familiar or similar to my life back in Nebraska. It just didn’t make sense in my dazed state to have a big part of my “familiar” life brought to me here in Lusaka. I am happy to say that it didn’t take long for Peter and I to get over the initial shock of being back together. We’ve spent this past week taking in the crowded streets of aimlessly wandering Africans, cooking meals that we would have never had in Nebraska, and simply “chilling out” to warm sunshine and cool breezes that dominate the everyday. One of the best parts of having Peter here is that we are both seeing a new side of each other. When we see a 14-year old girl carrying a baby on her back, we have a discussion. When we talk to a local about American politics, we are both seeing a new perspective our countries impact on the world. When we find trends in Zambian speech, media, clothing, education, travel, etc. We understand the importance of tolerance and one of my favorite topics, “co-existing”. I know that all of these things I am, and will continue, to experience on my own. However, having Peter here and experiencing these things along side him is beneficial for our personal growth AND further developing our relationship. The world gets smaller by the day. Looking at the front page of the of any news source will prove this. We always like to point out, “how many young couples our age get to experience this together? We are so lucky!”

Caption 1: Peter and I spent part of an afternoon watching Polo. We loved the sound of the horses galloping.