October: This is the month that was

It’s Sunday afternoon. Nothing planned until Monday, a chance to be a touch reflective, and a chance to blog on the past month.

Germany: Loved it. Germany is one of my favourite places. I haven’t been to all too many cities, but if I was to choose my favourite I would go for Stuttgart. And if choosing a smaller place to live, I would go for Holzhausen where our meetings took place. Maybe it’s the autumn drizzle, maybe the rolling hills coated in evergreen. The meetings themselves were rewarding and I left feeling like I was saying goodbye to many of the participants as friends as well as colleagues. This year was extra special with the opportunity to meet up with Yuliya who I trained with three years ago. It’s hard to find a way to meet with friends who live on the far side of the world and so we made the most of chatting and drinking tea together.

Britain: On this trip, as on previous ones, I was reminded how quiet and undramatic Britain can be. When away from the UK, I think I develop a sort of ‘Daily Mail’ outlook on the country – remembering all the little details that unsettle me rather than the huge swathes of UK life I enjoy.

Looking back, the UK was a useful break, and a rest. But at the time I felt mildly ‘burnt-out’ from Nairobi life and the preparation for the meetings in Germany. Working out how to rest and yet reconnect with friends (many of whom work in the weeks) was an intractable conundrum. I left the UK feeling disappointed with myself for not making more of the time, and disappointed with myself for wearing my lack of rest so visibly. The second week was the highlight. Renting a car and driving with Tom – my younger brother – to Shropshire to visit grandparents, walk the Long Mynd hills and find a sleepy village with a pub or two.

Kenya: Saying goodbye to my family for the return to Kenya was not quite so easy as last time. I was convinced that I wasn’t ready to return. The antidote for this is to have a seat free next to you on the plane so you can spread out, a very friendly Kenyan woman in front of you in the immigration queue whose a Christian and on hearing about your work wants me to meet her husband once you’ve got through arrives; and thirdly, a giraffe by the road as you exit the airport.

I’ve felt rather at peace this first week back. This is in spite of hearing on Sunday morning that Job’s wife Esther had passed away on the Friday morning because of her cancer (http://andysweet.blogspot.com/2009/07/job-and-his-family.html). And in spite of the challenges with A travelling upcountry to seek to bring his daughter of 5-years back to Nairobi. It was great to have them ring my doorbell at 7:40 this Sunday morning, and have his daughter laughing at my unkempt look, having just emerged from the shower. It was great to see them both so ‘excited’ in A’s own words.

So that was October. I'm hardly sure how to sum it up. I wonder what Novermber will turn out to be like...