“Life Always Gives Us What We ask For…but with a few twists and turns..”
My ex-boyfriend once told me. Do I need to say again, he is the only man I can confess to EVER have fallen in love with? Yes! it is important…..I think we loved each other, and were compatible with each other. We were just NOT meant for each other. And have since moved on!
So, I am back in America – The Land of the Free and the home of the brave! America the beautiful! I still feel free! I have been away in Uganda for the last three-and-a-half year. I also still feel it beautiful! The last time I flew into America from Norway (in 2011), it felt ugly, it smelled poverty!
Do not blame me; I was coming from Oslo, NORWAY! Do you know that Oslo was and still is the most expensive city in the world? A night out in Oslo would cost you $561.26 according to travel advisor http://www.indiatimes.com/lifestyle/travel/10-most-expensive-cities-in-the-world-83093-10.html#list_start And Norway is the second richest nation in the world, with GDP pa of $56,663 per person, according to the IMF http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2013/05/19/the-5-richest-countries-in-the-world.aspx.
Yet, my son and I still managed to have a fun-filled life in Oslo. Yes! We rode in the Mercedes which run as city taxis in Oslo, did the city tour, ate Salmon, and drunk beer. And I could get allowed into a bar with my son! Phenomenon. Another interesting part about Oslo is that I could remember every beggar I saw on the streets each day. It was about one or two at the train station (“T”) downtown Oslo. Not too many!
Yet, when I flew back into the US back in 2011–the largest global economy…and the biggest global attraction…it smelled of poverty. I did not wanna be back. I wanted to run away as fast as possible, and I did. I ran to South Africa, with excitement, then to Uganda, my country of origin.
I have enjoyed my stay in Uganda. I went with my then soon-to-be two-year old son. We left behind his father…but it was a journey worthy of taking. It revealed and taught me a lot. I have wonderful moments, and of course challenges. I learned many lessons. I have fond memories of my stay in Uganda. I had the unconditional indefatigable support of my family. They took care of me…and my son. I could take care of my business – hash every Monday, run on Saturday and Sunday morning, go off to weekend hashes, reassured that my family will hold my back. And they so did. I, in turn supported them the best I could.
While it was not a honeymoon getting satisfactory paid employment, I finally did. The value of my commitment to professional networking came back to and I reaped favorably from it. I afforded vacations inside and outside Uganda because of my income in Uganda. I went to Kabale-Kisoro, Mbale, Bushenyi and Ssese for weekends of blissful running and silly moments. ran Mt. Kenya, Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon, Nairobi-Naivasha relay, and NHHH monday. My son and I went on vacation to Mombasa…and to Edinburgh and England on our way back into the US.
But some people spend their entire lives to get into the United States, we had to get back. That’s the price paid for an international relationship. Child is growing, and needs school. What do you do? Soon you realize that you no longer have the luxury living your life, when you become a parent. You live for your child, unless of course you are self-centered or you regret having had kids. Yes! we have learned that about Alice Walker from her own daughter.
So, here we are again! Grateful for the opportunity to belong to two nations. Grateful for family, again, who are willing to lend a hand, even on this side of the “big pond”. The challenge would be to fit into the job market again. But that, we need to conquer. We should!
Children bring blessings
So did one of my friends say….and I am living exactly that!
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