happy anniversary

I realized today as I was sitting in the office doing quality checks on a seemingly endless pile of sandals, that yesterday as my one year anniversary in Uganda.

One year. One whole year.

In some senses a year is a long time.... like when I think about how long I've been away from my family and community in the States. But in a lot of ways it doesn't feel that long, when I think about people who have lived here for five years or twenty years or their whole lives.... and when I think about how much I still have to learn about Uganda and how much I want to experience here....

One year. 365 days.

I've learned a lot in the past year, and this place has become familiar. I know the names of all the neighborhoods in the city from Ntinda to Munyonyo.... I know that you pronounce "kirombe" like "cheer-om-bay"... I am no long intimidated by the idea of going down town and finding my way through the taxi park... I have a set of favorite restaurants I like to go to with my friends.... I have roommates that I love, that I have lived with for a year now...

I feel like a year gives me the right to look back on this time and say that I "lived" in Uganda. A month or so I would categorize as a visit.... And when I talk about my time in Spain I might say that I lived there for a summer, but I wouldn't ever say "Oh yeah, I lived in Spain for awhile." To me, saying you lived somewhere is a heavier term than just a quick jaunt or a dabble in a place. It implies that you put down some kind of roots. That the place feels like home.

When people ask me where I'm from, I always have a bit of a challenging time answering them. I could say I grew up in North Carolina, but most recently lived in Texas. Or I could say that I was born in Dallas, or that now my parents live in Houston (but I've never really lived there), or that I'll be moving to Austin when I move back to the States.... But I don't really have a particular home-base, which I suppose is pretty natural after living somewhere else for a year. And I'm fine with that. Because I have enjoy this year. Immensely. And I can't think of somewhere else I would rather have spent it.

So happy anniversary, Uganda. It's been a good one!