HOME!

Its springtime in Michigan! I made it safely home, after sprinting through the DC airport to make my connecting flight. Some guy was running for the same plane, and as he passed me I shouted after him, "it's not fair, you have real shoes on and Im wearing plastic flip flops!" He alerted them to my imminent arrival, and I was able to hop on the plane right before they pulled up the stairwell.

I was surprised by Nana meeting me at the Detroit airport! Where I immediately bought spicy chicken tenders and some kind of chemical-filled chocolatey peppermint whipped cream concoction, parading itself as a coffee (yum). We then went out for a family dinner at Max and Erma's before ending the evening with a heated game of Settlers of Catan and banana Cream Pie.

This morning, I woke up in the most comfortable bed ever, went to church with my family, and then we all went out to a breakfast buffet. I really wanted to put the vegetable cream cheese on my bagel, but the bagel turned out to be cinnamon raisin, so I made a sandwich out of toast, veggie cream cheese, eggs, and bacon. I wrapped the bagel in tissue and stuffed it into my purse for lack of any better idea. I couldnt just leave it. Anyways, after getting home and playing yet another game of Settlers, my stepmom and I went to get pedicures and manicures. We then went to the mall where I got a pair of flip flops that I instantly traded in for my terrible falling-apart senegalese flip flops bought at a garage. I decided to go for an evening run and only made it about 20 minutes before accepting the fact that I have lost all muscle mass and will have to work back into this whole "being healthy again" thing. Walking home in the evening, after an afternoon rain was wonderful. I forgot how beautiful and green it is here, with the bright pink cherry blossoms and apple blossoms covered in butterflies. Even the smell made me want to smile like a maniac walking down the side of the road.

I could be sentimental and say I miss Senegal...but, for now, thats not true. Im so relieved and happy to be back. I do still feel the urge to shout "Assalam malekoum!" when I walk into a room, though (such as the mani/pedi salon), and did keep checking over my shoulder for oncoming charettes while running. But, for now, Im going to watch TV, eat roasted chicken, have a martini, and bask in the glory that is America.

While Nana is here, I get to be on vacation, too. But, starting Wednesday, I need to at least start attending to the following things to get my life back in some kind of order. Like getting new glasses since mine mysteriously disappeared : P Luckily, I already know Im headed to grad school in the fall, so no pressure this summer :-) Summer of fun, 2012, here we go!

Very important life things I need to get in order before im allowed to do fun things:
get glasses, contacts, a credit card, access to my bank account, renew my drivers license, buy clothes that are wear-able in public, get a computer and a hard drive, buy a phone, get a phone number and calling plan, and basically just try to become a functioning member of society.