Leaving Belize and heading back to the USA!

Coming home was very bittersweet.
It was so hard leaving a great group of friends at Hillside who still had 1-2 weeks left there. I just wanted to stay a little bit longer! Saturday morning we all were up early saying our goodbyes, as we were invited to breakfast at a patient's house.  Everyone got up early despite just going to bed- but then they went back to bed and we were on our way.....with tears pouring down our faces (well maybe that was just me) I'm an easy crier these days.......

Arriving at our patient's home, I glance into the kitchen and see a slab of meat on a plate...... now I don't usually eat meat besides chicken, but if I do, I'd rather it not be at 8:15 in the morning.  (P.S. This trip I actually ate ground beef twice!)  Well it turns out it was not steak (thank goodness), but it was barbeque ribs, I could handle that I think.  We also had coleslaw and tortillas (for utensils).   I'm just glad I made eggs as soon as I got up before we left Hillside.

After breakfast, we said our goodbyes to our patient and his family who were so gracious to open their home to us on our final day.  We headed to the local Tropic Air airport and waited for our little plane! We said our goodbyes to Monica and Dawn and then boarded the plane......

Pilot of our flights

I love fluffy clouds

airport

walking to the terminal

After arriving in Belize City- we did some more souvenir shopping- who doesn't want a "You better Belize it " bag? Then we boarded our plane around lunch time.  So sad to be flying away from a country where we learned so much about ourselves and made so many new friends.  Tears just kept rolling throughout the day for me!

When we got to Atlanta- I was able to turn my phone on- and the birthday texts and voice mails came rolling in. I was super excited to talk to my friends and family again! One of the hardest things emotionally about being in Belize was the lack of real contact. Sure I could occasionally send iMessages and e-mails and Face Time did work for a little bit. But it was so hard not having  conversations with friends and family.  I made so many new friends and we were constantly around each other, that it was a distraction at times from missing people at home.

 I was able to catch up with a few people during our 4 hr 30 min layover, which was great. And Caroline and I did picture swapping and enjoyed using fast internet! Then Caroline and I said our goodbyes on the Marta platform- and we went in our different directions towards home...... towards Greensboro for me and Caroline towards Richmond, VA.  It was tough saying goodbye to someone that I have spent so much time with over the past 8 weeks.  It was like being a Freshman in college again, sharing a 12 x 12 room, going on trips together etc.  We both know that no one has gone through this experience quite like we have.  That is our bond for life.  These experiences over the past 8 weeks are our connections forever.

Upon arriving in Greensboro, I started bawling when I saw my parents waiting with flowers. It's been a few weeks since my mom and I were able to talk. But it was amazing getting to see them! After getting my luggage from baggage claim, I told them I wanted to drive home..... They had driven my car to the airport, of which my dad had cleaned up and waxed the day before so it was looking pretty :) My parents handed me the keys and off we went.  A little slowly at first..... the a little to fast.... then I braked too early when turning etc.... haha i shouldn't have driven immediately.... it was very rusty!   (But no worries, my driving skills are back to normal now) 
At home my mom had made my favorite country salsa and had my favorite wine waiting for me :)

Sunday morning, I slept in, catching up on the lack of sleep from the past few nights of birthday celebrations and then went walking with my parents and our dog Emma. My mom and I did some birthday shopping then we headed to Chapel Hill to visit Ethan and Hanna and have dinner with my family, Kelsey and Christine.

The biggest struggle with being at home is really wanting to be in 2 places at once.  I love being home, but it felt like I was on one of our weekend trips and I would be returning to Abby's house anytime.  I almost felt like I shouldn't be in the comfort of Air Con and TV. I wanted to know what was going on at Hillside, I wanted to stay in the know as much as possible, so that made the first few days tough.

I felt pulled in 2 directions- I still do. I want to go back- but I want to stay here- and there is no middle. I am thankful for all the new friends I have- I can now be a world traveler- friends everywhere! The friends I have made in Belize are people that I shared so much with over the past 2 months. Spending all day with people, cooking with them, seeing them right as they roll out of bed etc- you learn so much about each other and get to enjoy everything everyone has to offer so much more- I am really missing that constant interaction with people and want to be surrounded by people even more now.  Though it is nice to have alone time, but I feel  you can learn so much more about yourself and others when you spend time in a different place. We learned how to be comfortable in an uncomfortable environment. We all thrived in all the experiences that we encountered because we were doing it together.

Along with the struggle of wanting to be 2 places, I also brought back with me a god awful virus.  I was fine until I went to Chapel Hill on Sunday Night. We were at my favorite restaurant- Cinco de Mayo and the sickness arrived....... I will not say more..... it was awful and I felt so bad for everyone there, since they were there for me and I was sick.

We went home Sunday night, making a few pit stops on the road and then all day Monday I laid on the couch, watching TV, writing my blog and eating saltines and drinking pedialyte (my favorite dehydration drink). I had body aches so I was in no mood to move at all... thank goodness  my mother was there to get things for me :) gotta love being sick with mom around, it makes it so much better!

I'm still adjusting to being at home, it doesn't feel the same. 

 I have everything I could have ever wanted  x 100000. 

I am blessed.

 I have amazing family and friends, and I have gained so many friends

 all over the world and the US.  

I am healthy, happy and safe.

 I am blessed.

 I have access to all the resources I could ever want.

 I am ever more grateful that I live where I do.  

I am thankful for my education and being able to continue on 

with my education in order to serve others.  

I am blessed.

Thursday: So I'm finally feeling back to my normal self, went to the gym, procrastinating on packing for my next adventure------- CHARLESTON, SC!  We leave in the morning and I start my next clinical on Monday at Roper St. Francis Hospital in In-Patient PT.  I'm excited for something different, for a schedule to be returned to my life and to learn as much as I can for the next 2 months!