Time

It has been a little over a month since I have been back from Afrika... I have had to do a lot of processing and had to go through a lot of reverse culture shock (which as strangely as it sounds, unfortunately exists and is very strange). Afrika was dirty, poorer but never in need, chaotic, unscheduled, much more chill and much more random. Here, everything is in clean, richer but always needing something more, organized, time oriented, insane (cough cough anal cough) and insured. The quality of life is different. The attitude is different. The church is different. The football is different. The language, lingo, and accents are different. The food is different. My friend Gina just got back from South Afrika and she used a word that describes the way you feel when you get back: Numb. It is like de javu... Did I really just go there? Did I really do all that... Sometimes when I look at my pictures, I think I could have photoshopped myself into some of the pictures. It is so strange but never the less, I am excited to be back and excited to get going on what is next in life. 

Right now, I am in Cleveland playing soccer... well trying to play... training a lot. It is good because I am learning a lot about myself and God and people. With the attitude "God First, Team (others) second, I'm third," I show up to training everyday and put a smile on my face and push everyone on the team to be their best! The team is full of guys from all over the world. My favorite foreigner is probably a guy from Sierra Leone named Sallieu Bundu. His story is incredible. You might know the movie "Blood Diamond" with Leo Di Cap in it... Well, my friend Sallieu grew up in that... He doesn't know where his dad is because they were separated when they were seeking asylum in another country. He is the youngest of 7 and sends money back every month to help support his family and friends. He was telling me a story about how he thought he was going to die when a rebel came up and asked him for a cd... for his cd player. He told me about the dead human bodies piled up at graveyards because there was no one to dig graves... He is the nicest guy you will ever meet (and between us, has the body of a Greek God... we had to do body fat tests {while yours truly was at 6%, he broke the machine...!}). He is searching in his faith. He used to be a muslim but I believe he is here for another reason... His country after (give or take) 12 years of war is finally starting to calm down and peace is coming in. It is amazing how Time heals...

When I found out about his story, I felt like other people needed to know so I hope you do too!

Lately, I haven't really known what to write due to my inability to put anything into words... but I figured I better get on it before 2 of 4 readers decide to hurt me ;-). I hope everyone is well! I will write tomorrow and tell some stories that have happened here! Love ya!