I'm sitting at JFK, waiting for my
flight back to Senegal. Despite having constant internet access,
I've failed to update my blog since being at home. About two weeks
in, I began a blog entry, but I was distracted and didn't get a
chance to add on to my four sentences. Now that I have some time
between flights, I've decided to update you on my whirlwind of a
trip.
Let's start at the beginning, leaving
Velingara... I luckily was able to catch a ride with a World Vision
car that was going up to Dakar. It saved me time, money, and
prevented me from having to lug my baggage all around Senegal. I
then spent two days in Dakar completing some work at the office, and
before I knew it, it was time to head to the airport and catch my
plane for home leave. I had a quick flight to Paris and then was in
for the long haul when I boarded a direct flight between Paris and
San Francisco. Despite being a gruelingly long flight, it wasn't as
painful as I expected (although, I had difficult seat mate who at one
point wanted to steal my coveted window seat). Then I was home.
There's a funny story involved with my pick up from SFO. The
itinerary that I had was slightly confusing. It was an overnight
flight, but it didn't state the date that I was to arrive. As a
result, my family had gone to the airport a day earlier, thinking
that I was arriving that day. I love my family; they're the best and
will brave the airport two days in a row in order to pick me up =).
Alas I was home.
It was a fun filled five days at home,
where I ate grandma's home cooking and had my sister play hooky from
work to watch a Giants game among other things. Then I was whisked
off to LA on another airplane, just in time to attend an amazing
friend's bachelorette party. We went to Santa Barbara for wine
tasting, where we surprised her with a limo (such a change from
Senegal, where I'm ecstatic with a Peace Corps or World Vision ride).
We visited four wineries before it was off the a beach house for
more bachelorette party games (including a pirate ship pinata). On
Sunday, we had a leisurely trip back to LA except for the part where
we were hit by a firetruck... We were stuck in traffic in the left
most lane and a firetruck, passing on the left hand side, clipped the
driver side mirror. OOPS! So we exited and filed a report with a
police officer, but we had to wait for CSI to show up in order to
take pictures, which brought the ordeal to two hours. Two hours
where five girls dressed in tie dyed shirts sat on the side of the
road with a firetruck and a police cruiser. We drew a lot of
interesting stares and who knows what other people thought we were
doing. Back in the States for less than a week and I'm already
hanging out with firefighters and policemen. The adventures don't
stop.
After that began the week in LA. And
what a week it was. The thing is, when I was there for school, all
my friends were also in school, so seeing people was much easier
(that and I had a car). This time around, there was a little thing
called work that got in the way of hanging out. Fortunately, I'm a
pro at entertaining myself and I had no trouble keeping myself busy.
Evenings were completely the opposite. My evenings were filled with
drinks and dinners and seeing old friends whom I used to see on a
weekly basis. It was so much fun to chat and catch up. Even though
there's email and facebook, it's not the same talking to friends over
a delicious cup of coffee or a nice glass of Cabernet.
Before I knew it, it was the day before
the wedding. Luckily, my friends had an awesome tailor who was able
to alter my dress in time. We had mani-pedis and went down to the
site of the wedding for the rehearsal. It was hot! I know what
you're all thinking, the girl lives in Senegal where it reaches over
120 degrees Fahrenheit and she's complaining about California heat?
Well, in Senegal, I wouldn't be wearing makeup or care if I'm
dripping sweat, because everyone else is. America is different...
sweating profusely in a pretty dress is not attractive ( no matter
how pretty the dress- well, unless you count a tennis dress and are a
professional tennis player). The rehearsal went off without a hitch
and I finally met the groom's parents and was able to put faces to
the email addresses. The groomsmen were great and even though we had
just met, we were getting along as if we've been friends forever.
The rehearsal dinner was at an adorable Mexican restaurant, where the
tables were decorated with noisemakers including mini tambourines,
maracas, and bells (which may have been a bad idea, because even
though we are all in our mid twenties, we have a childlike streak
that loves toys). It was so much fun and I got to catch up with
great friends.
Wedding day. Bridesmaids up early to
get hair and makeup done. The trusting bride left it up to us how we
wanted to do our hair, which was great because we were able to have
our own style. It was great being done up, if only I had hair and
makeup teams follow me around, it would make my life easier. We had
snacks and a lunch of finger sandwiches (you can't have the bride and
her girls fainting from hunger) and champagne! Then, game time.
Dresses on, shoes worn, final spritzes of hairspray, last swipes of
lip gloss and GO! The ceremony was beautiful and the bride was
stunning in her strapless gown and veil. I had to try so hard not to
cry ( I mean, I couldn't ruin my makeup) during the ceremony. The
bridesmaids had tissues conveniently stowed away in various places,
just in case. So, I can gush for pages on all the details of the
reception and party and guests and so on and so forth, but I will
probably bore those of you who've made it this far (that and my
flight is boarding soon and if I don't finish this before that point,
I never will). So, if you want to hear more, I will write you a
really long email.
After the wedding, I went down to San
Clemente for two nights to see my friend who's wedding I'm missing in
October (sad face). Then it was up to Santa Ana to see my friend
from Peace Corps. It was so fun and slightly surreal to see her in
the states. In Peace Corps, we are in such a insulated environment
it was so fun to see people outside of it. After a nice brunch, I
was off to Irvine. My awesome friend made time in her busy med
school life to hang out with me. She's coming to visit me in
Senegal!! I'm so excited to have my first visitor!! And then home.
Whew. I'm tired just recounting it.
I'm going to recount my last two weeks
really really fast... Sorry, I'm tired. Lots of great food with the
family, Sonoma wine tasting (I know, I already went wine tasting on
this trip), Brunches, lunches, seeing old friends, fancy french
dinner with the little sister, chinatown, dim sum, trip to Sacramento
to see my cousin's baby and to see family, ice cream, shopping at
target, movies, beach, playing hooky with the sister (again) to eat
fresh oysters, in & out, and done. I know that a lot of those
involve food and it's no where near comprehensive. But, it's a new
post after a month and I gotta go. America was great, but I can't
wait to go back to work. That's it for now!
Peace
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