I feel like I'm not really taking advantage of the fact that I'm in Senegal lately. The thing is, I don't know what to do! My schedule lately goes something like this: wake up, say hi to the family, get breakfast, go to circus. Come home, take a nap, take a shower, eat lunch, go to the Baobab Center and do stuff online. Go back home, read and hang out with the family, have dinner, go to bed.
I've actually been enjoying it. But I've been dreaming (not pining, just literally dreaming) about being back in the States, seeing friends and family, etc. I feel like I'm here and going through daily life and being happy, but I'm not really here. I just don't know what to do to fix that.
I just found some more articles I can use for research for my ICRP, so I'll be reading those later tonight. I think tomorrow some of us might have a picnic on an island off the coast of Dakar. Otherwise? There's very little that distinguishes this weekend from last week, and I don't mind too much. I don't want to go out dancing or drinking. I'd be fine with going to a restaurant, but...is this what it looks like when I've settled in so completely that my life just seems totally normal because I'm used to it? Or have I stopped doing the fun, exciting things that made me feel like my life was exotic a few months ago? When I look back on these last two months, will I regret spending so much time relaxing?
This morning I had a great circus workout. I finally did several moves smoothly that I'd struggled to do at all before today, and I'm making good progress on a few others. I think once I get back into the regular swing of circus, I'll take off! I hope.
Sounds like things have become a little predictable, but that's not a bad place to be. When you first got there, everything was new/exotic/exciting and now you're comfortable with the rhythm of life. Now that you have a stable foundation, and you're not in classes anymore, you're going to have to work a little harder to keep yourself engaged and learning. Going out to do your 'internship'/interviews and participating in circus will give you a little engagement, but you may have to find something even more compelling to avoid getting bored. Make sure you keep spending time with your friends, having attaya, and adventuring on weekends! It doesn't all have to be dancing and drinking :)
ReplyDeleteYou'll be back here in your own bed soon enough - be there while you're there! Love you!
When I've traveled, I have often found that when I pass the halfway point, my sights begin to shift toward being at home. Perhaps that's your current situation.
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