I've been away from Seattle for two weeks and I already miss the city. I know this feeling is due to the fact that I am going to be away from Seattle for quite a long time. Yet I know this about Seattle, it has this gravitational pull that always draws me back. Since the fall of 2010 I have been waiting for that opportunity to escape Seattle. Now that the opportunity has come I have taken it as bittersweet.
Being away from Seattle for the past two weeks has made me realize how much Seattle held for me. Besides Seattle being a great playground for hiking, kayaking, and rock climbing, Seattle held community for me. I strangely felt blessed that I worked at the MMEM Y. The community I felt while working there was extremely valuable for me. The members and my co-workers made me feel as though the Y was more than a place I worked at for 28 hours a week. I'm going to miss this community. I'm especially going to miss my co-workers. These are my good friends.
Co-workers at my going away party
Okay, moving on! My best friend (Devika) and I drove the coast down back to Orange County, California. Oh man, the Washington and Oregon coast is BEAUTIFUL. When driving down the coast I was trying to find the perfect song that could fit the atmosphere of the drive. Due to the lack of radio reception, I slowly found out that silence is the best music. It was a great drive. I'm glad I took the long way home (Supertramp reference right there).
...and later we ended up in San Francisco. I'm gonna need to spend more time in this city. One day was not enough.
On a boat tour
Now I am currently in Georgia visiting my dad's side of the family. These past two weeks I spent hanging out with my mom's side of the family and great friends since junior high school. So far the hardest person to say goodbye to has been my mom. I thought that since I don't see her that often as it is right now it would be fairly easy to depart from her. I was wrong. The reality of me leaving for a year to two years hit me hard. Not only will I not see her for at least a year, I won't see my friends either. I am entering into a new stage in my life. I am starting over again. New people to confide in, laugh with, and figure out life with. When I think of it now, I am content with my life. Yet when I reflect back on those frustrating times when I so badly wanted to travel and start living into my passions, I know that going to Uganda is the right next step for me. At times you gotta leave what you know for the unknown. I've always admired people who live into their passions. I'm ready to start taking the steps into mine.
Monday the 23rd I leave for Uganda. Weirdly enough, I can still remember the smell of the country. My first leg of the journey to Uganda is a long layover in London. Ahhh, I love that city. I have three goals while in London:
1. Get an Olympic shirt (preferably a Great Britain team shirt)
2. Follow the torch
3. Run into David Beckham
Oh Tiffany, I am so excited for you! This is going to be an epic journey, and I can't wait to read about your time there. Reading how much you are going to miss Seattle makes me miss it more! I'll be praying for you girl! Miss you!
ReplyDeleteP.S. I love that your plan is to run into David Beckham in London. Please give him my number as you will be out of the country ;)
Oh and since the Olympics are there, try and give Michael Phelps or Ryan Lochte my number as well.
We miss you a lot here! Thanks for all of the good memories :) Keep posting and I also hope that you run into some hunk of Olympic man meat in London :)
ReplyDeletexoxo