Well friends this is it, I'm sitting here in the Washington DC airport ready to head over to Lusaka to start TB/HIV research in prisons! Just like a pot being steeped with boiling water before you put the tea in, I feel like I've been in boiling water the last few weeks!! I had my last 3rd year clinical exam (insert celebratory squeal!!), moved to a new apartment, and been apart of the Beaty/Head wedding craziness (congrats you two!)!! Wow what a whirlwind, so here goes my attempt at keeping you all updated on my adventure...which started last night actually!
I left Colombus with my family just hours after having figured out what I would be doing and where I would be staying last night. Unfortunately I also left my bible :( and computer charger, thankfully I bummed one off Katy (thanks Kates!!)! Off to a great start you can tell! Well I wind up in Motel 6 for the night (doesn't the name just inspire thoughts of luxury?!) in a funny smelling room with a giant hole in the carpet and random GA phone numbers scrawled on the wall by the bed in pencil, I was tempted to give them a call! I proceeded to check the bed thoroughly, which appeared clean. Thirsty, I walked to the bathroom and surprise no cold water...usually the problem is getting hot water but not at Motel 6! You will never run out of hot water I assure you! Because I ran that water so long in every direction that handle would go to no avail!! Absolutely NO cold water! Go figure, the one time I actually want to drink water and there's none to be found! At this point I notice the security signs on the door and after reading their tips I proceeded to dead bolt the door and close the chain lock! I ordered delivery pizza, not wanting to leave the safety of my room, and watched the super hero marathon on TV! Yay Iron Man, I was ready for a little action after all the wedding/romantic movies I've been watching all week with the girls!
Got my wake up call at 3:30am, caught the 4am shuttle to ATL airport and voila I'm sitting here bright eyed and bushy tailed after drinking my last cup of Starbucks before I head overseas to the motherland of tea time!! (I guess technically speaking that would be the UK but in this case I mean my motherland of tea time, southern Africa!)
My first flight was pretty uneventful, sat next to a friendly airport mechanic called Jerome. After some small talk about who we were he asked me if I was studying medicine of the "whole body"? A little concerned of what he would ask next I hesitantly answered yes and he proceeded to ask me about his knee that he kinda popped whilst working out! After a little sigh of relief I asked some basic questions and told him to take ibuprofen and see a real doctor if it doesn't improve!:) After that I enjoyed the melodic sound of his loud snoring while I watched the sun rise out the window, in all fairness he did warn me!! And despite his snoring the sunrise was glorious to watch, a reminder that God is on His throne and all creation is singing His praises this day and every day! He is so worthy of ours as well but He certainly doesn't need us! I know that as this new chapter of my life begins He is working for His glory! I love you friends and I look forward to spending tea time with you again soon!
