Return to the States

So it happened sooner than I expected. My grandmother died at night on Jan. 20, having watched Barack Obama's inauguration, I am happy to say. Which means that early tomorrow morning I get on a plane for New Hampshire, where I will stay for a week to attend the wake and the funeral.

It was hard to be told this news crushed in a van full of Peace Corps volunteers on our way to build fuel-efficient stoves. It was harder still to spend all day building the stoves afterwards. And it's hard to leave my site for three weeks in a row, and I'm nervous the rapid transition from warm to freezing will make me sick yet again (I never thought of myself as delicate until I came here.) But although the reason I'm going back is depressing, I have to say I'm excited to see the whole family again. And wash my clothes in a washer/dryer.

Luckily, all my volunteer friends have been super comforting, and Peace Corps staff has been great too, advancing me some vacation time so I can go back so early in my service. So family, I'll see you soon.

I myself watched the inauguration on YouTube just now, and I must say it's nice to be proud of your president. I have never known what that felt like until now.

Peace and love in the land of the free.