A look at Lusese from the eyes of Lusese...

I just developed some pictures taken by a learner at Lusese Combined School. He took care of Mulotu, my dog, while I was away over the December break. As a thank you, I gave him a disposable camera and told him to take pictures of whatever he wanted. The following photo essay is from him. I plan to mail him the copies.

Lusese through Ntanda's lens

She is sorta here but not really.

Hello my friends. I hope you are all doing well. After spending over 20 hours on a plane and countless more waiting in airports, I am back. Physically, that is. I am going through the motions of a daily routine: Pooping in a flush toilet that is mere seconds from where I sleep. Turning on a light. Turning off a light. Turning on a faucet. Turning off a faucet. Experiencing hot water on a daily basis. High-speed Internet. Cars. Traffic. Lines of people. Noise. Reaching for items at the grocery store I used to crave. I could go on and on, but you get the picture. Adjusting is hard. And, right now, living happily in the moment is a tough one because I left so much of myself at home in Namibia. In Lusese.

However, I wanted everyone to know I did safely return to the United States. I am on the hunt for a job so I can save money for my next big adventure abroad, which is yet to be determined. I have an American phone number now, so if you wish to call or sms (text message) me you may do so. Just email me and I can give you my number.

I will be in touch. There might be less writing for a bit, but I will try to have some insight for everyone on what 15 months away from America can mean to an American. Below is a front and back shot of the t-shirt made for me by my Namibian counterparts who signed the back of the shirt.