The Looooonnnngggg Trip back to the USA

It came time to fly back to the USA on Saturday, July 17th and we were ready! Maybe not emotionally, as we were nervous about the trip and about what lay ahead, but all the bags were packed and we stood by the door 45 minutes before our ride came to pick us up, everything prepared.

Our dear colleagues, the Slaytons, gave us a ride to the airport, which was appopriate since they were the ones who picked us up when we arrived 3 1/2 years ago. At the airport, our faithful guard, Fernando, met us and stayed with us until we got on the plane. He remained at the balcony, waving and watching until we took off. What a dear man - we are so thankful that we found him an excellent job before we left and he will be well-provided for.



The boys were excited and interested to see everything, and we were suprised to see the small plane that would carry us 30 minutes east to the coastal city of Pemba, then on to Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. As we took off, Benjamin had such an excited look on his face and gave us the thumbs-up. It was the first plane ride he could ever remember taking, as he hadn't been in an airplane since he arrived in Moz, at 11 months old.


We deplaned in Pemba, then re-boarded for the two hour flight to Tanzania. On arrival, we had to go through passport control and buy visas for our overnight stay, which was a long process, and it wasn't until two hours later that we arrived at the AIM guest house for our overnight stay. We are SO thankful that we arrived with all our luggage intact as Dar is known for theft from luggage. That night, we walked to a nearby bar (complete with a live band, dancing, and lots of people), which was the only place for dinner, and discovered that Swahili really is the lingua franca of Tanzania. We asked the waiter if the chicken was roasted or fried and he replied "yes". Ok, there was no choice! it was fried, which is probably best since then any local germies were boiled to death, and our stomachs suffered no repercussions. We were brought a basin of water at the table to wash our hands, we ate everything with no silverware, and then another basin was brought to clean up afterwards. After 3 1/2 years in Moz, the kids didn't even bat an eye.

Here's a photo of us waiting for the taxi in Dar, with our four pieces of luggage. We sure came home with a lot less than we went out with it, and most of it is presents!

We boarded our Emirates flight to Dubai (5 1/2 hours long) at 4:40 the next afternoon after another taxi ride back to the airport, and it was uneventful except that Ben fell asleep as we landed. I pinched him, shook him, shoved chocolate in his mouth, but that kid was in a coma. Kevin carried him off the plane, we wheeled him in a kind of stroller to the next plane, and plopped him in his seat there, and he continued to sleep for 9 more hours! Which was a good thing, actually. We were disappointed that our flight was a little late getting into Dubai, which meant we had no time to look around that very interesting airport. We were through there at 2 am, and the place was buzzing with activity. Paul Slayton told us that most of Dubai's flights take off at night because during the day the air is too hot for the jets to get enough lift.

Our 13 1/2 hour flight to New York went fine, and it was funny to see so many Americans on the plane. We have seen so few Americans in the last years, besides missionary colleagues, that being surrounded by them was a wierd experience. There were college girls in very short shorts, sitting near the Middle-Eastern ladies clothed in black Burkhas. Rather an unwise choice for the girls, I would say, but they were oblivious. Each seat had its own tv screen with a huge choice of movies, tv shows and video games, and when Toby wasn't sleeping (he slept most of the night) he was happily playing video games. Ben woke up about 4 hours before we landed, and also enjoyed playing (completely unsuccessfully) the video games.

Landing in America. What a surreal experience. We felt like we had stepped into the twilight zone, and yet it was all so familiar. As we went through passport control, the agent said "welcome home" and it was such a - RELIEF. Since we left America, we are always greeted with suspicion at border control posts, and we always wonder if we will be allowed to pass, or if we will be hassled. But in America, we are welcome. It seemed like we waited forever for our luggage, in an enormous baggage terminal, and finally we stepped out to be greeted by Kevin's family and it was a beautiful thing. How could it be that only two mornings before we were driving out of Nampula on those bumpy roads, desperately poor people along the sides of the roads? People with things balanced on their heads, cell phone cards for sale beside the road, dust rising up, baskets of tomatoes and piles of bananas for sale everywhere? Now we were in an enormous parking garage, everything cemented or landscaped with GRASS. As we drove north to Connecticut, we stared at all the stores beside the highways, stadiums, the skyline of Manhattan. Wow. The kids actually handled it really well, and were more interested in the cookies their Grandma had brought! We picked up Kevin's brother's family, and went off to McDonalds for lunch, where the kids ate blissfully and were so excited at the Happy Meal toy.

Well, that is enough for now. We are so thankful for a smooth trip and that our luggage and ourselves made it safely. We are enjoying the good things that the USA has to offer (including way too much GOOD and fattening food!) and most especially seeing our families. That is the best part. More to come soon. - C